finding a new lens
Coaching is like a camera. A camera can capture an image in a million different ways depending on the lens used, the angle chosen, the lighting, and a million other factors and choices.
As humans, when we come across an issue we tend to take a one-view approach. We choose the lens we are comfortable with and get stuck in the image it creates. This tendency can be debilitating, especially when we choose a lens that is enveloped in hopelessness and fear. When we get stuck in this loop we become paralyzed and can lose out on an opportunity to step into our full potential. But we can choose a new viewpoint. Our viewpoint is just a product of our thoughts and whether we realize it or not we choose our thoughts, and we have the power to change them.
Coaching is opening up the camera bag and looking at all the choices you have. Exploring the different lenses and choosing the one that will serve you best in capturing a beautiful image.
Sometimes we need a wide-angle lens. We get so bogged down in the details that we miss the bigger picture. We capture the stripes on the zebra, but we miss the lion in the background. Maybe you are lost in counting calories and missing the wider view of what is motivating your tendency to overeat. Now, you can work to heal those deeper struggles and find a new relationship with food.
Other times we need to get even bigger and adopt an ultra-wide angle lens. We’ve caught the plate of spaghetti on our table, but we’ve ignored the backdrop of the rustic Italian countryside surrounding it. You may be lost in conflict about whether you should stay where you are or switch careers. You’re weighing the pros and cons of how it will affect your current lifestyle, but missing the view of how this choice will influence the grander future you envision for yourself. Suddenly, with that vision in view, your choice is obvious.
Other times we need a telephoto lens, we need to magnify the issue at hand. Often we get stuck on the surface level of the issue. We see the sea of people walking down the street, but we have to zoom in to capture the joy on a child's face as they walk hand and hand with their parent licking an ice cream cone the size of their head. Maybe you are stressed, overwhelmed, and feel like you don’t have enough time. But when you take a closer look, what you are experiencing is shame for not spending time on things that are important to you like family or your creative expression. With this new lens, you can learn to match your time with your priorities.
And then sometimes we need to dive in even further with a Macro lens, which works similarly to a microscope. Instead of capturing the leaf, we need to discover the veins within it. You may be frustrated with a coworker. She just irks you and her micromanaging drives you nuts…but really, she is mirroring your own need to feel in control. And that reflection can be a damn tough pill to swallow. But facing it can bring new growth that will not only impact your professional relationships, but your personal ones too.
Coaching doesn’t tell you which lens to use, but it exposes you to those different lenses. It helps you explore alternative and deeper ways of viewing what you are struggling with, and then it empowers you to utilize that new image to move you forward in achieving your goals and building the life you want.
Sometimes all we need is for someone to remind us that we are the photographer and we get to choose the lens.
