Today I made the most of a beautiful sunny, mild winter day. I’m so glad to have a lovely park just opposite my house, where I can sit and work on a book chapter I’m writing, whilst treating myself to a cuppa and a delicious grazing platter I put together.
There is something about sitting outside in the sunshine, listening to the birds and children laughing in the background, that creates space to pause, think and notice ideas differently. Today has been a day for mindfulness moments, reflecting on my notes and refining what I have written so far, without feeling that I need to rush the process.
I was invited approximately 12 months ago to contribute to a book about a powerful coaching technique, and I’ve been so excited to put pen to paper throughout this journey. It has been lovely watching the ideas gradually take shape, particularly as the chapter brings together so many threads from my work, experiences and thinking.
Yes, I might be “old school”, jotting my ideas and the framework for my writing in a notebook, but I find it helps to clarify my thoughts and bring them to “life” so much more than typing them directly into a Word document. I like being able to write notes in the margins, circle words, draw arrows between ideas and notice connections that may not have been quite so obvious when I first started writing.
My chapter is about the why’s and ways I’ve used it, but most importantly the why’s of how this coaching technique supports veterans to move from being stuck, sparking clarity, getting unstuck, building and sustaining action oriented hope, whilst navigating change.
For some veterans, navigating change is not simply about identifying the next job or matching their military skills with a civilian role. Sometimes it is about creating the space to explore who they are now, what matters to them, what they want to carry forward and what possibilities they may not yet have considered. Creative coaching techniques can help bring thoughts and ideas to the surface that might be difficult to express through words alone.
I’ve also used the technique with other clients, including for exploring business ideas and other themes, to assist them in getting unstuck and moving forward. Although the reasons for using it may be different, there is often a similar moment when something begins to shift, an idea becomes clearer, a previously unnoticed connection appears, or a possible next step starts to feel more achievable.
I’ve got just over a month to finalise my book chapter and submit it. There is still more writing, refining and checking to do, but it is exciting to see the different pieces beginning to come together. I can’t wait until the book is ready for publishing, because then I’ll be able to tell you more about the topic, the coaching technique and the book itself.
For now, working on the chapter is bringing me lots of joy. So are the winter sunshine, the birds, the colourful notebook, my Köln mug and, of course, the delicious grazing platter 🥰
Jenn Barfield - Holistic Clarity Coaching 