Audrey Donnell Coaching & Consulting

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What you’re seeking is permission

My clients have sought me out for a variety of reasons, but when you boil it down, there are only a handful of reasons people seek me out for coaching.

They either want clarity or confidence, they want to create something new, or they want to move away from a frustrating situation.

But underneath all this, what they are really looking for is permission.

When you want clarity, you are really seeking permission to tune into your internal compass.

Lack of clarity is really about not knowing what you want.

It’s understandable given familial and societal conditioning around asking for what you want.

You likely stopped asking decades ago, and with that, you lost touch with that part of you that truly knows what you want.

I give you permission to start listening to that part of you again.

For some, that part is eager and ready with an answer.

For others, you may draw a blank when you ask yourself “what do I really want?”

It’s okay. Trust that it is buried within you and will reveal itself.

Your internal compass has always been there and will guide you if you allow it to.

When you want confidence, you are really seeking permission to trust yourself.

Confidence is not a requirement you need before you take your next step, it is a result of your prior accomplishments.

When you can take stock of the impact you have already had and put it in context, a deep confidence emerges grounded in the reality that you have done things that once seemed impossible, or that no one else would have done.

When you reflect on who you have been, you come to realize that you have what it takes for your next venture.

Trust yourself.

When you want to create something new, you are really seeking permission to break from the mold.

If you were following in others’ footsteps, it wouldn’t feel scary.

Anytime you have a desire to bring your vision for something different into reality, you will have friends that will tell you why it isn’t possible or isn’t a good idea.

That’s okay. It’s their safety instinct at work.

Being unconventional and forging a new path is polarizing.

You will simultaneously alienate those who prize safety and convention and have the time of your life because you are living your dream.

It’s okay to be unconventional. Go ahead - break from the mold.

When you want to move away from a frustration, you are really seeking permission to hold a boundary.

Frustration and annoyance are brilliant indicators that you have said “yes” to something that you were really a “no” to.

Saying no can mean letting others down, and for people pleasers especially, this is hard.

But saying “yes” when you really mean “no” compromises your integrity and breeds resentment.

I’ve had clients quit draining jobs, advocate for themselves to their managers, and show up differently for intimate relationships, all because I gave them permission to hold a boundary and live out of integrity.

I give you all the permission in the world to tune into what you are okay with and what you aren’t okay with, and to hold a boundary.

Photo by Damian Patkowski on Unsplash


If you have a presenting problem that is probably more of a need for someone to give you permission, we should have a conversation.

Love,

Audrey