Our Social Media and Engagement Manager at iPEC, Ivy Dearmont, recently completed iPEC's Coaching Fundamentals training (which is also Module I of the full Coach Training Program).
The experience left a lasting impression that she felt inspired to share by recounting her day-to-day journey. In this blog post, Ivy reflects on her time in Mod I by describing the daily learnings and breakthroughs she encountered. She also shares how this experience shifted her perspective and continues to influence the way she now shows up in the world.
To grow as a person, it’s so important that we intentionally plant ourselves in places where we can blossom. 🪴 I like to think of these places as sweet spots where trepidation and excitement meet!
And this is exactly what I chose to do by enrolling in Coaching Fundamentals (which is Module I of iPEC’s full Coach Training Program).
My initial expectation was to receive top-notch coach training (more on that later) and while that did pan out, I ended up gaining something even more valuable: a whole new level of comfort with discomfort. Long story, short: the whole experience allowed me to break free from my own limiting judgments and embrace new—and exciting!—possibilities with open arms.
When I signed up for iPEC’s Coaching Fundamentals, I had high hopes. I anticipated the best of the best—a comprehensive, deep dive into the fundamentals of coaching. I looked forward to learning a bunch of coaching skills and then practicing them with my peers. I imagined engaging in a range of exercises, games, and other interactive activities that would help solidify my learning and prepare me for real-world coaching scenarios.
I was also prepared for a fairly intense experience. With each of the three days stretching for ten hours, I anticipated long, demanding sessions that would require my full attention and engagement. (For reference, I opted for the virtual training, though in-person classes are also available in many cities throughout the world.)
As I progressed through Coaching Fundamentals, a profound realization began to dawn on me: this was so much more than just a program to learn coaching skills.
Yes, I learned a lot of really cool and powerful coaching techniques, but there was a deeper layer to our learning experience. We weren’t only learning how to coach others; we were being coached ourselves.
As we learned the lessons and participated in different coaching exercises, something in me started to undergo a subtle transformation that was barely noticeable at first. The real magic happened when I became aware of this shift in consciousness and started to pay closer attention to my thoughts and feelings and how they either hindered or supported my ability to grow as a person.
This awareness empowered me to make more conscious choices. Instead of allowing these patterns to dictate my actions, I began to challenge them and explore new ways of thinking and behaving.
For instance, in the midst of these exercises, rather than giving in to fear, I found myself embracing the unknown and going with the flow. I started asking, “What’s the best that could happen?” This shift in perspective was made possible by my intention to get comfortable being uncomfortable. It really allowed me to branch out and just try, knowing it was a safe space to do so.
As I reached the three-quarter mark of the first day, I found myself facing the most challenging moments of the program so far. With two more full days ahead of me, I was feeling physically and mentally drained. The day's exercises had pushed me to my limits and I felt pretty exhausted!
During a particularly intense exercise—a longer one-on-one coaching session to practice a new skill—I noticed something interesting.
While I had felt nervous, embarrassed, and anxious before each coaching session, once I settled into the exercise, those feelings seemed to melt away. As I was coaching my peer I felt present, engaged, and free from the catabolic energy that had previously weighed me down.
This was a huge breakthrough! And yet, despite my awareness of this, the anxiety and nervous energy would return as I anticipated the next challenge. What I would later come to realize is that this ebb and flow of emotions is such a natural part of our personal growth.
Growth isn’t a linear process; it involves moments of expansion and contraction.
There are times when we feel empowered and capable, followed by moments of doubt and uncertainty. Each time we choose to push past our comfort zone and embrace growth, it becomes just a little bit easier.
Each step forward, no matter how small, paves the way for us to grow as a person—one that actively creates a life of authenticity and deep, soul-satisfying integrity.
Day two brought unexpected growth!
At first I found myself being more skeptical about certain principles and their meanings. But things changed when I became more aware of my own skepticism (before this moment, my skeptical thoughts were largely unconscious).
Rather than immediately getting caught up in them, I began to observe my skeptical thoughts with a sense of detachment—kind of like watching clouds drift across the sky. Instead of being consumed by them, I just witnessed their presence.
This shift in perspective was liberating; it allowed me to relate to my thoughts with curiosity and non-judgment which, I’m realizing, can not only lead to a deeper understanding of myself but also allow me to make more intentional choices in my life. It seems that Coaching Fundamentals is designed to awaken this kind of consciousness within us—because I certainly didn’t seem to be the only one experiencing it!
This quote really stuck with me from the experience: “We have emotions . . . emotions don’t have to have us.”
On day three, I noticed a significant change in my energy levels. I woke up eager to learn and participate in the exercises. The anxiety that had been so present in the first two days had started to fade away. Exercises that felt daunting and uncomfortable on day one now felt far more approachable and even . . . dare I say it . . . fun!
I believe this change in perspective was a testament to my growing comfort with stepping outside of my comfort zone and embracing the opportunities to grow as a person that was available to me here.
While these three days were packed with ups and downs, lefts and rights, loops and straight lines, the journey brought me to a new and beautiful realization about myself:
I am not fear.
I am not discomfort.
I am who I am supposed to be.
I am.
I’ve always been interested in ‘exposure training’ and putting myself in stereotypically uncomfortable situations with the goal of becoming more desensitized to discomfort. The idea is to realize that others may or may not judge you, but even if they are, it doesn’t have to mean anything. You are you, and I am me, whether we are doing something silly or not!
This realization felt like a weight had been lifted off of my shoulders. It's incredible how such a subtle fear of judgment can weigh so heavily on us! Now I feel more free to be myself, and less mired in worries about being judged. I can show up each day with a greater sense of confidence and authenticity in my interactions and experiences, with the ability to feel greater empathy for others.
Coaching Fundamentals has no doubt prepared me to approach tension and conflict in a much more open-minded way.
The lesson of getting comfortable being uncomfortable has allowed me to be more aware that sometimes you have to go through the weeds before you can get to the garden. Sometimes you have to ask uncomfortable questions to get to a comfortable consensus. Oftentimes, if the uncomfortable is overlooked, the “comfort” part never happens. There is so much value in the idea of learning how to be uncomfortable so that the comfort aspect is that much sweeter.
After this experience, I feel so much more confident in myself—and even in those moments I don’t, I now practice being courageous! I’m no longer hesitant to voice my ideas or contribute to discussions, knowing that what I have to offer can make a difference.
I’m also much more aware of not only my own energy levels but also those of my teammates as well. This awareness allows me to avoid jumping to conclusions and instead, consider situations from their unique perspectives.
In my journey through Coaching Fundamentals, I've come to realize that it encompasses two core components: learning the skills to become a coach and experiencing firsthand the transformative power of coaching.
The program's coaching skills and exercises pushed me outside of my comfort zone and challenged me to grow as a person in ways I hadn't anticipated. Surprisingly, learning coaching skills felt like the cherry on top of my experience! While they were invaluable in honing my coaching abilities, the most profound impact for me was the awakening of my self-awareness.
Through the coaching process, I gained a deeper understanding of myself and my thought patterns. I became more attuned to my emotions, triggers, and the underlying (and often limiting) beliefs that influenced my actions.
This heightened self-awareness has not only enhanced my ability to grow as a person but also equipped me with the tools to support others on their own journeys of self-discovery. It's a gift that I have no doubt will continue to enrich my life and relationships for years to come. This was truly an unforgettable experience I will always remember as being a significant turning point in my life.
If you're ready to embark on a transformative journey to awaken your full potential, we encourage you to explore Coaching Fundamentals—an interactive, immersive training to help you harness the energy within you to create lasting positive change, both in your life and the lives of others.
This program isn’t just about learning coaching skills; it's about experiencing firsthand the power of coaching to transform your life. By getting comfortable with discomfort and embracing new possibilities, you'll not only become a more effective coach but also grow as a person in ways you never imagined.
Whether your goal is to start working with paying coaching clients (either full-time or as a side-hustle!), grow as a leader and boost your earning potential, or experience the impact of eliminating inner blocks and awakening your personal potential . . . this 3-day live training will help you master new skills, build confidence, and begin paving your unique path forward.