Introducing John McNamara, JOE’s new Life Coach

Over the next three months, JOE's new Life Coach John McNamara will contribute a special series of articles focusing on the field of life coaching and personal development. What’s happening JOE readers? My name is John McNamara and I am a Life Coach based in Limerick. It is a great pleasure for me to be sharing with you the many insights, techniques and knowledge I have acquired in the field of life coaching and personal development. Luckily I am leading a fantastic life now, working in an area I love and meeting some fantastic new people every day. The current environment is very testing for many and I’m sure I can relate with how many of you are feeling right now and the challenges you face as I have had many obstacles and setbacks to overcome along the way. There were many dark days before I discovered the life changing gift that is coaching and personal development. Luckily those dark days are in the past and I now lead a truly fulfilling and vibrant life. So how did my life coaching journey begin? I had read briefly about the whole idea of life coaching but was not too sure about what was involved in it and confused it for some form of quack psychology. One Friday evening in the autumn of 2006, I arranged to meet with a man by the name of John Flynn, who was an established Life Coach in Limerick and immediately my interest was piqued. I knew then that this was the path for me to follow. I began my studies soon after and by the end of 2007 I was a fully Accredited Life Coach, having studied extensively in the field in Ireland and the UK. Prior to this my life and career lacked structure. I lived from day to day reacting to whatever the world threw at me ... and it threw a lot of CRAP (Criticism, Rejection, Assholes & Pressure). I had a college degree, I was working with an elite company in Ireland and yet I felt hugely unfulfilled in my career and my life. I was stuck in a rut and hugely lacking in the confidence, motivation and drive to change my circumstances. I felt that I was capable of so much more but did not know where to begin or how to start the change process. Can you relate to this? Personal growth, development and coaching are huge passions of mine and I continuously attend seminars and conferences and read voraciously on the topic. I am currently studying as a practitioner in Neuro Linguistic Programming (NLP), the tools and techniques of which I will be sharing with you as you follow me over the coming weeks. Recently I have also completed my FETAC Train the Trainer Accreditation and have hosted several hugely successful personal development workshops.

There were many dark days before I discovered the life changing gift that is coaching and personal development. Luckily those dark days are in the past and I now lead a truly fulfilling and vibrant life.

Currently, I am working in Limerick and the surrounding counties for one to one coaching Sessions. I also do a large portion of my work over the phone. Over 70% of coaching around the world is done in this medium, which is hugely successful. I coach people throughout Ireland and the UK and also have several clients in mainland Europe. Each client is treated under the terms of 100% confidentiality in a non-judgmental and engaging coaching environment. Every individual has differing desires and wishes from the coaching process, so I ensure that your individuality and uniqueness is observed as we tailor the right package to facilitate your ultimate success and happiness. Another area I specialise in at present is Career Transitions and Coaching. Having successfully navigated through this testing process of switching careers I feel I am ideally placed to assist others on this path. Change can be a very difficult and daunting process for many, and getting yourself out of that rut or a non-fulfilling career can be difficult. Having found my purpose and because I work in an area I love, I have acquired the tools and techniques to assist you to do similar. Fulfilment and long-term success Identifying areas you are passionate and happy in is key to job fulfilment and, ultimately, long-term success. This I can speak about first hand and it is a fantastic position to get yourself to in life. You are more than capable of achieving this also! I know from my experiences that we all have greatness within us. Whether it is to climb Mount Everest, become CEO of your company, earn a million euro or be the very best parent and person you can possibly be, we all have different goals, dreams and ambitions in life. I will guide, challenge and facilitate you through this process to achieve your ultimate goals and dreams equipped with the tools and techniques I have acquired through my studies. As you follow my articles over the coming weeks I will give you a brief insight into this and will provide you with tools and tips you can start using immediately to begin the shift to a life of fulfilment, vitality and success. I personally believe that being healthy is a pre-requisite for success and happiness in life. I train five times a week and also play rugby as well as being a keen runner. I will include some useful sports specific tips and tricks also over the coming weeks which are used by the top athletes and professionals for peak performance. As we are all fully aware, these are testing times for the people of our wonderful nation. I will be sharing with you over the coming three months some of the many tools and techniques required to increase your awareness, self esteem, focus and motivation. This should stand you in good stead when looking to achieve and succeed in the current environment. Come along for the ride! John McNamara's column appears on JOE every Monday. If you're interested in booking a consultation, you can call John McNamara on +353 863919952, mail [email protected], visit his website johnmcnamara.ie, or connect on LinkedIn or Facebook.