What drew me into Coaching?
My journey in the practice of medicine has brought an acute awareness that the deep rooted causes of many physical ailments reside in the mind. The fast paced, increasingly complex demands of life leave us with no time to reflect or understand how we can best handle the challenges that come our way on a regular basis. We move day to day in a state of chronic stress which ultimately contributes to disease.
These observations led me to coaching which focuses on “optimizing” rather than “fixing”. It is about accepting the challenges instead of avoiding them, and tapping into our inner wisdom to find the answers that lead to positive change/direction in our life.
My StorY
Navigating medicine for more than 20 years, initially as an Infectious Disease consultant and now as a part-time hospitalist, with a full, busy family life, has been a challenging journey. Balancing the demands of the work environment, and the deep desire to be with my family, required me to adapt.
I made difficult decisions with great intentionality along the way, such as going part-time. They brought fulfillment and gave me the opportunity to enjoy my professional as well as family life.
I believe that each individual, by following their own unique, intuitive path, can do the best work of this life!
There are many hats that I wear
Mother, wife, daughter are some I share,
All the roles I so cherish—some Earth-bound
Some lighter than air.
There is the Self that I seek
The birthless and deathless infinite soul
Effulgent and deep, it is my North Pole.
I write poems, Yes I do.
Once in a while, they come through
It is a true joy to touch inside
The wise, creative Guide
That in the mind of Light does abide.
In my physician’s garb I often see
A disconnect between the three:
Mind, Body and Spirit.
Aligned they need to be.
As a Coach what do I bring
to the game, to this life-crafting thing?
My intuitive self and a key to unlock
Your infinite potential within.
There are no limits, you need to believe
Claim the Destiny you are here to achieve.
Let us climb to the summit you seek.
Let us meet and exchange and speak.
How coaching has impacted me
Through coaching, I have grown personally and professionally
As an introvert, I have struggled to speak out my thoughts and ideas. I often worried about being judged. In my professional setting, I deeply desired to ask for “adequate compensation” for the work I was putting in, and yet, for the longest time, did not take action. My coach helped me to realize that fear was holding me back. She challenged me to send an email (that very night) to my employer asking for fair pay. I accepted the challenge and then panicked! This was way out of my comfort zone. I mustered up the courage and proceeded to write the note, keeping the promise made to my coach. Did I get the “raise”? Yes! With that one step, I broke through the barriers which, for so long, had limited me. I learned to value myself and to bring my ideas to the table more freely. Coaching has built my confidence, which has permeated all areas of my life. I could not have foreseen the deep impact of that one coaching session!
Coaching has helped me notice my own self defeating patterns of behavior such as perfectionism, self-judgment, and the need to please others. These “voices”, occupied my mind-space and depleted my energy. Through the Emotional/Positive Intelligence aspect of coaching, I have come to recognize these maladaptive neural habitual reactions, aka “saboteurs”. I consciously learned to manage them, leading to a more positive mindset.
This gift has helped me appreciate different perspectives and given me the tools to RESPOND constructively to difficult situations mitigating conflict and allowing me to lead a “lighter life”. I am enjoying deeper, more meaningful connections with my family, friends, patients and my coaching clients!
I am a happier person for me and for those around me!
In retrospect, Coaching could have been valuable
as I made transitions through life:
Navigating the extreme pressures and exhaustion of medical school, residency, and fellowship.
Facing uncertainty and needing to make pivotal career/ life decisions.
Struggling to “fit in” in a new institution and city.
Juggling motherhood with meaningful professional work, and wanting to give my best to it all.
Supporting myself, and in turn my family through the bumpy ride of the teen years.
There were rough, tough times where I could have used the support.
A deeply respected mentor once reminded me - “Namrata, you really need to learn to ask for help sooner!” And I leave you with that same message too….
