If you feel you are not getting the most out of life, instead of drowning your sorrows, why not try personal coaching?
THERE was once a woman who transformed the way people looked for the theatre, television, fashion and beauty shoots through makeup and styling. For 25 years, Anita Michaelidis promoted image through her business of production services. While she was pursuing this career, Anita was also actively involved in self development, training in the UK. Today this has become her focus as she works with people through Personal Coaching to enable them to get more out of life by becoming more of who they want to be.
“There is nothing more important than what you make of your life,” said Anita, as we sat down to talk. “Your work, your health, your lifestyle, your relationships, your family, your spirit, your finances are all important factors in themselves.”
Anita Michaelidis trained with Dr William Bloom, one of Britain’s leading holistic educators, as a Core Energy Management Coach. She has been working as a Personal Coach in Nicosia since 2001. “My experience through transformational courses such as Life’s Purpose, Transformation, Relationships, Psychosynthesis, Healing through Art, Yoga, as well as my passion the last 10 years with Body-Mind Integration and Release Work, offer me the advantage of a holistic approach to my coaching in the areas of health and development.” I thought that sounded like a lot of knowledge for one person but it certainly goes to show that Anita knows what she’s doing.
So what is life coaching all about? Coaching is about exploring the areas of your life you wish to improve. “It’s about focusing on your goals,” said Anita. Sometimes you find it hard to set aside time to focus on what you want. We might be so busy in our lives that we don’t make time to address priorities and find balance. Particularly, at this time of year when most of us have made New Year’s resolutions with the best intentions only to find difficulty in following them through. Anita’s sessions create momentum which will carry you towards actualising your professional and personal potential. They allow you to maximise your strengths, overcoming obstacles.
Although Personal Coaching might sound like a session at the psychiatrist, it’s not, because first of all, you won’t be lying on a couch talking about everything that is wrong in your life and feeling like a helpless puppy. “The objective is to bring out your best.” Personal Coaching, also known as Life Coaching, is about you and your potential. Anita sits opposite you and you get a whole hour and a half talking about…
you. This means clarifying what is important to you, becoming aware of your strengths, setting achievable goals, motivating yourself, integrating your hopes, dreams and spiritual values into your daily life. And I mustn’t forget that it helps you connect with your creative energy. We all have talents, said Anita, “you could have hidden talents you didn’t even know you had, discovering them can help them flourish”.
Anita believes that each person knows what he or she wants but needs the opportunity to check it out. “I am not in the business of telling people what to do,” said Anita. “I offer questions and we explore the answers together. Because you must find what is best for you.”
Personal coaching involves discussion and exploring possibilities, always honouring the client’s confidentiality. Anita’s vast experience working closely with people allows her to use techniques and exercises with intuition and insight. She can contain your feelings of being overwhelmed and help empower you. However, all this can be futile if you are not willing to give yourself time and be curious about what is possible in your life. “I am there to facilitate whoever wants to grow,” explained Anita, “but they are doing the work while I am supporting them and sharing their concerns.” She really is a boost – I left the interview with my head held high and a new spring in my step.
Anyone can benefit from personal coaching, whether it be young professionals looking to explore new career prospects, business men and women wishing to expand their goals or improve their finances, performers in the arts investigating wider horizons, individuals seeking to achieve a better work/leisure balance, people in transition wanting grounding and support, as well as persons in search of new expression for their creativity, others simply wanting to be more effective “to do what they do better” added Anita with a smile.
You may be wondering about what exactly happens when you consult a coach, from my personal experience with Anita I can say that you do feel better for being with her and although it might seem she has given you answers, the reality is, they have come from within you.
As I got up to leave she asked me to pick an angel card. It read ‘courage’. “What does that mean for you?” she asked and I shared with her the areas of my life in which I felt courageous, to which she replied: “So, you can be proud.” I am!
Anita Michaelidis. Tel: 22 423783
