I love the freedom of imagining a situation in the form of a metaphor and experimenting with changing a particular part of the metaphor or story, or introducing different characters and noticing how that changes my perception of the situation.

Inviting a client to describe a situation in the form of a metaphor can give an insight into their perception of their situation.  Encouraging them to experiment with manipulating the metaphor can provide a ‘perceptual shift’ for the client and enable them to find a solution or get unstuck from a situation.

On the final day of my initial Coach Training with Barefoot Coaching in 2014 we did a coaching exercise in pairs, where we went for a walk and engaged with our surroundings, talking about how they related to a goal or situation in our life.  I was just about to be made redundant at the time and really wanted to set up my own coaching business but I had no idea if I was going to be able to do that or whether I was capable of even trying.

During the exercise, my coaching partner and I found ourselves walking down a fairly run-down, built-up road and I stopped and said to her, “well this is a dead-end”.  I remember her looking me in the eye and saying to me “is it”?

And as I took my gaze to the end of the road I noticed there was a gate.  As we walked towards the gate my mouth dropped open as I realised there was a pillar with a sculpture of a cat on top, to the side of the  gate –  cats represent safety, comfort and love to me.  As I walked closer still I noticed there was an ‘S’ shaped into the metal design of the gate, at which point both my coaching partner and I were looking at each other in bewilderment, trying to comprehend what was happening.  As I tried to catch my breath to speak, the gate opened (automatically, as a car approached) and I could see white walls and bright sunlight filling the path beyond.

I set up my coaching business the month after I finished my training with Barefoot and I have loved every minute of the work, I am so grateful to be able to do, ever since.  That exercise still gives me goosebumps thinking about it.  You can’t write this stuff (apparently).

So metaphors which involve moving towards something and, specifically, involving paths are particularly powerful for me.

I love images of paths to get my imagination flowing.  A path, like a goal, is a direction of travel and you can’t necessarily see what’s round the corner or at the end.  I love the symbolism of detaching from the long-term outcome and ‘staying with the not knowing’; a key coaching skill we were taught at Barefoot.

I’m so lucky to live in an area where I can go running through woods and fields and have been taking photos of beautiful paths recently, reflecting that so many people are on paths they didn’t necessarily choose to be on at the moment.

Some paths might feel frightening, enclosed or intimidating.  Some may feel unpredictable or engulfed in shadows and sinister noises.  Some may be uneven with tree roots or rocks causing you to trip up.

If you are on a path you haven’t consciously chosen to be on at the moment, what might you not be noticing about that path?  Are there wild flowers breaking through old stone walls?  Are there high hedgerows providing food and shelter for insects or birds?  Can you smell the scent of wild garlic or bluebells or hear the sound of birdsong or bees buzzing?  Maybe there’s a gap in the hedgerow or the trees where you could stray off the path and explore?  Maybe if you walk through the shadows you’ll find yourself bathed in shards of sunlight.  Maybe if you stop and breathe in the scent of the flowers you’ll also feel the warm breeze against your skin.

What might you be missing about the path you’re currently on?  Who or what represents the wild flowers or the birdsong? How will you notice that gap in the hedgerow?  Who is walking through the shadows with you to help you bathe in the shards of sunlight?

What could you do differently to navigate an uneven and unpredictable path?  How much energy are you using to navigate the path?  Is it too much or too little?  Where is your attention?  Your energy will go where your attention is.  What could you choose to focus your attention on to give you energy?

I’d love to hear your thoughts.  Stay safe and well xx