The Comfort Challenge Approach
Posted on June 24, 2021 by Liz Parsons, One of Thousands of Life Coaches on Noomii.
“In the balance of comfort and challenge, we create space for growth.”
I live my life in the balance of comfort and challenge.
I use the balance of comfort and challenge to facilitate change for my coaching clients.
In life, as in coaching, if you’re always comfortable, you’re not learning. Think about building your mental muscles as you would build your physical muscles: if you’re lifting weights and there is no stretch, if you don’t feel the burn in your muscles, you’re not working hard enough and no new muscle growth will happen. The benefit of challenging yourself is clear.
However, when it comes to building your mental muscles. it can be difficult to push yourself out of your comfort zone for fear you go to far. This is why it’s important to start with a stable, safe base. So is the balance of comfort and challenge.
I bring comfort to my coaching clients.
Comfort means feeling truly supported, listened to, and validated. Your experience is relevant and your goals are important. I use empathy and curiosity to explore your goals and potential with you, giving you space to feel, think, reflect, explore, ask questions, make choices, and take risks. There is no judgement or criticism, only insight, observations, and genuine care. I invite you to be authentic with me and with yourself.
I offer challenge to my coaching clients.
Challenge means I ask Big Questions – questions you’ve never asked, or been asked, before – to disrupt your status quo and move you towards your potential. We will explore the unhelpful patterns of thinking you didn’t realize were holding you back. I empower you to make new choices and help you hold yourself accountable to your goals. I invite you to confront some areas of yourself that will lead to great change.
