The Heart of This Life Coach…
I used to play soccer. No, for real! Like…I used to REALLY play soccer and was pretty darn good at it. Hey, it’s not bragging if it’s true! And cut me some slack, I haven’t kicked a soccer ball around in years and i’m pretty sure the herniated disc in my back now would not approve if I tried- so let me be cocky for a second ok?! My soccer days were some of my most favorite memories as a teenager. Seeing my parents in the stands completely losing their minds, cheering me on with such pride on their faces is something I will never forget. Game days were always so full of adrenaline and excitement- there was just nothing like it. Everything you worked so hard for during the week gets laid out on the field. The drills, the burpees, the running laps- all the blood, sweat and tears (yes tears, because I hated running laps) are all worth it for the adrenaline rush of game day.
I remember our team got selected to play regionals and we were up facing Quebec City. We worked so hard. Months of prep and exercise to do Montreal-North proud. We got to the field and I swear to God these girls were literal GIANTS. They seemed to tower over us and i’m not gonna lie…they destroyed us. They scored in the first 5 minutes of the game and you could literally see all hope and momentum leaking out of all our hearts. Second half of the game and we got massacred. It was 8-0 and at this point, we completely stopped trying. We had no chance and it was just embarrassing. The game ended and we lost 11-0. We were all exhausted and sore from the biggest butt-whooping we’d ever gotten. Oh the shame….
Do you know why this memory is as clear as day to me after 19 years? It’s not because it was such an epic fail of a game or because our coach brought us out for pizza so we could lick our wounds. I remember this day because of what our coach said to us. See, we worked SO hard to prepare for this game. We won every game prior to this one and it built our confidence. We walked in to Quebec City certain we would own the field. We had the unity of a team, the skills and the belief from our coach to move us forward. But we still failed. His words will never escape me sitting at the table eating pizza that evening.
“In life, you can prepare and work as hard as you can to achieve your goal. You all showed incredible grit, but you lost today’s game. You have a choice to never play soccer again after today or you can take the setback as another ring in your ladder to move to the top. It’s up to you. If today is your last day playing soccer, it was an honor being your coach. But if you choose to continue to fight and show up, you still have a coach here who believes in you to get to the top, and you will.” We dominated every single game after regionals and were #1 in the city!
So I say the same to you as a Life and Empowerment coach. Hear my heart… are you going to let this virus set you back or are you going to show up for your life and strategize your next win? If you decide you will show up, then i’ll echo the words from my soccer coach Bruno and repeat them to you: You have a coach (me) who believes in you to get to the top and step in to your purpose. I know you will!
Oh friend, this uncertain time is NOT a time for you to shrink back, get comfortable and coast. Your best days are STILL ahead. Your biggest business deal is in the works. Your best book is about to be published. Your best painting is about to be painted. Your best idea is about to manifest into a life’s calling. God STILL has a plan for you and no virus can stop it. Maybe you need to get alongside a coach to help you move forward. But I believe that as long as you have breath, you have purpose. It’s not over!
It would be my honor to walk with you to help you discover, strategize and reach your purpose goals. Please email me at jesstodryk@gmail.com to connect and see if my help would be a fit for you.
In love, with the utmost belief in YOU,
Jess, xoxo