Amanda Speaks: Highlights From a Year at Welligee
Time truly does fly when you’re having fun.
When I walked through the doors of Welligee one year ago this week for my first days of training, I had no idea what the year ahead would bring. Still being fairly fresh in the field, I knew I had growth potential, but I was also confident in the skills I had established thus far. I had a great foundation through previous education and experience, but the experiences I have had in the past year have brought me to levels both professionally and personally I could not have imagined. If I had to narrow down my year of take-aways to the top four, this is what I have to share;
1. Never get comfortable where you are
Everyone has a period of learning and adapting when they start a new job. It is not unusual to feel the need to push yourself every day of your first few weeks just to ensure you are abiding by new protocols and getting to know the new faces around you. No matter how long you have been somewhere, this period of learning should never stop. Just when I would feel like an expert in a new method to use during a session, a new approach to counseling the nutrition choices of our clients, or even customer service strategies, we would learn something new to add on top of the previous strategies. Looking back, I realize I am constantly in a cycle of making myself a better professional and resource for my clients. This has impacted my personal life as well. If we settle for what is comfortable we miss out on so many opportunities to find out where our true boundaries lie, more importantly, the fact that there are none.
2. We are each other’s best resources
Every week, we sit down as a staff to discuss a variety of topics ranging from struggles and successes to continuing education in the form of watching seminars or physically practicing new techniques to share with our clients. Most importantly, we are there to support each other.
When you are struggling with something, it may seem like a good idea to keep your uncertainties bottled inside and try to attack it alone. Contrary to that belief, some of my greatest learning experiences have come from discussions with my coworkers on strategies they have used in the past or know are successful in a given situation, and I would guess they would say likewise. We cannot come up with every answer alone. Asking advice or opinions creates an environment for brainstorming beyond what you would reach on your own, ending in results beyond compare.
3. When you immerse yourself in a healthy environment, you will become a healthier person.
Every day when I walk into work, I am reminded not only the importance of a healthy lifestyle, but that other’s look to me as an example of what this lifestyle should look like. I would not be nearly as effective of a coach if I did not practice what I preach. Insert getting a haircut from a bald barber comment here…
On a larger scale, it has reinforced that we are truly a product of our environment. When I am at work, I feel additional inspiration to eat healthy, lift heavy, and practice healthy mental strategies for success. Unfortunately, not everyone is lucky enough to walk into this environment every single day, but we need to take control of what we have to work with and make it parallel our personal needs. Have a friend that brings you down? Maybe it’s time to find a new, more inspiring lunch buddy. Trying to lose weight but your pantry is stacked with junk food? Eliminate the temptations around you. When we only give ourselves the option to succeed, there is nothing else to do but own it.
4. Listening is just as, if not more, important than doing the talking
I can hear my fiancé laughing out loud as he reads this one…
I am a talker, no doubt about that. I have always viewed this as a strength — no awkward silence here! But what I have learned is that in some situations, it is more beneficial to take a step back and let others do the talking. Not only does this allow others to get their personal stories and thoughts out in the open, but it is an opportunity to learn so much about that person. Just by listening to a client’s recap of their day, I can figure out what is considered a stressor to them, what brings them enjoyment, patterns in their health-related behaviors and much more. Sometimes, I even learn more about myself based on hearing other’s perspectives on similar situations. Most importantly, it makes them feel important too, and that’s never a bad thing.
When you love what you do, it truly does not feel like work. I am extremely grateful for every single client and coworker that has helped me become the professional I am today! Stay tuned for another exciting year!
Originally published at www.welligee.com on March 25, 2015.
