Life Coaching’s View of Positive Psychology

December 30, 2013 by John Andrew Williams

Like Kermit the Frog’s effort to be green, it’s not easy being a Life Coach. I constantly see things from a “Life Coach-y” point-of-view (which also includes saying Life Coach-y things with a little too much adoration of hyphens). And I’m going to make public my professional 2014 New Year’s resolution. It is to blog every weekday (regardless of holidays that fall on a Monday through Friday) from a Life Coaching perspective on an aspect of Positive Psychology as outlined in Peterson and Seligman’s amazing book, Character Strengths and Virtues: A Handbook and Classification.

I’m excited about the journey this year and I’ve decided to define some objectives to help guide the process. (It’s part of what Life Coaches do. I love to define objectives.)

#1: I’m using the concepts and ideas from Positive Psychology first in my own life, especially drawing on my experience being a Life Coach. My own life is my first laboratory, then I’ll share my experience in this blog.

To achieve this end, I’ll be myself in all the Life Coaching glory and insight I can muster.

#2: I’ll also report on how my Life Coaching clients have used the concepts in their lives. (And of course, I’ll ask permission from my clients to post any of their stories and experiences.) I’ve already tried introducing what I’ve read about Positive Psychology in my Life Coaching sessions and it’s been very useful. I’m really quite excited to share.

To achieve this objective, I’ll see if I can design a few Life Coaching tools and share them here in this blog.

3#: I’m looking for a bridge between Positive Psychology and Life Coaching. Positive Psychologists seem to be quite suspicious of Life Coaches. It’ll be interesting to see how this relationship plays itself out, especially as universities move closer to embracing Life Coaching, even offering fully state-backed diplomas for “Life Coaching.”

To achieve this, I’m going to be reaching out to other professionals, Life Coaches, and Psychologists alike, to solicit their input and ideas on the relationship between the two fields (Positive Psychology and Life Coaching).

#4: I’m hoping to spark discussion in the Academic Life Coaching community and the larger Life Coaching community in general around the science and ideas found in Positive Psychology.

To achieve this end, I’m going to be posting a thought of the day, a little commentary, and a question to get the ball rolling. It’d be wonderful to hear from you and hopefully this Life Coaching take on Positive Psychology becomes a part of your daily weekday routine.

I’m excited to launch this project.

Also read: What Did You Think Could Do?

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