I’m not really well versed about the life coaching business, and sometimes I wonder, what does a life coach really do? They counsel. They encourage. They help people figure out what to do professionally. They help people through life transitions, divorce, death, perhaps. I guess unless you’ve been to one, it seems a little vague.
So, when I became online friends with Danielle and Marc Slough, who are the owners of their East Coast based life coaching business, Always Energized, I was thinking, ‘Oh, they seem like a couple of nice life coaches.’ I didn’t think much else. Then I read their story…
Holy cow! When I tell you what these people have been though, you won’t believe it. It will make your life seem like apple pie.
Both Danielle and Marc are divorced, so they have depth and understanding in that regard. The two have been happily married to each other for several years, which is inspiring to me. They ran a very successful brokerage business and everything was going great until the economy went bad, and they got hit hard and lost the business.
Then, three years ago, Marc got diagnosed with stage 4 Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, and had to undergo massive chemo and radiation. THEN, their house got destroyed by Hurricane Sandy.
You would have thought this couple would have fallen apart, and of course, gotten divorced. But oh no, quite the contrary. They took the bad cards and dealt with them like champs.
My impression of Marc and Danielle is that they are REAL people, and that’s who I’d like to be coaching me if I decided I wanted life coaching. They aren’t trying to pretend they are a perfect couple, or that their lives are easy, which is so refreshing.
Even the first line of the “about” section of their website reads, “We are highly motivated and driven people but like you we have a lot of shit going on.” It’s real. There’s no smoke screen.
Danielle wrote this piece about love that I wanted to share with you. And by the way, Marc’s health is great!
I Love You by Danielle Slough
What does that term in these days really mean? Is it a casual throw away thing we say at the end of a conversation? Or does it have the TRUE meaning it should have?
I think the true meaning just means “I see you.” I see all of you…the light, the dark, the happy, the sad.
I see you at your worst and I see you at your best.
I see you when you look awful. I see you when you look incredibly hot.
I’ve listened to your crazy thoughts and your brilliant mind.
I’ve witnessed the masks you wear when you are acting fake and your heart of gold when you are being real.
I see those things and I still love you. Maybe even more.
I see your greatness and I see your imperfection. I see all of you and say “I love you” to it all.
Most importantly, I feel safe enough to let you see all of me.
To me, that’s what “I love you” really means.
Thanks, Danielle!
Always Energized offers seminars, telephone seminars and individual coaching. I read a few of Marc and Danielle’s blogs and what stood out about their business is that they offer action plans, concrete things that make you accountable for getting results. If you want to learn more: Alwaysenergized.com
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Deb Besinger
Jackie…
I love this and their story. I am a certified life coach but have a second certification in relationship coaching and focus on helping the 40+ crowd start dating again and date successfully. I find most people I meet when I am out and about have never heard of a life coach or think its all some crazy hippie kind of thing, when its actually very goal oriented and most of my clients are professional men and women.
I love your blog and books and refer them to my clients often! Keep up the good work!
deb