Part of me "owning my story" is celebrating my achievements instead of undermining them. And last year, I decided to take the leap and learn more about transformational coaching without any certainty of how I would get a "return on investment".
Nevertheless, I do believe it was a worthwhile endeavor, and I hope to build my coaching practice, as one of the threads I want to weave into my pursuit for a more mindful and sustainable world.
Learn more about my intentions with my coaching practice + booking a session with me while supporting ecosystem restoration efforts in Palawan by reading on.
In my endeavors since 2012, I've sought to practice and share ways to live more mindfully and sustainably. And although I believe that a life-sustaining society happens not when people working for "the good" work themselves to the ground, but this is easier said than put into practice.
I told myself that I wanted to grow Muni mindfully, in all senses of the word. I wanted to share mindful living with others through our events and content, but I also wanted to live out mindfulness everyday, in thinking, speaking and acting with more conscious awareness about the well-being of not just the planet, but that of my own and of those that I work with as well. However, I often found myself with feelings of fatigue or burnout, and always questioning whether or not I was doing the right thing. As hopeful and positive as I tried to be on the outside, I had a lot of negative self-talk on the inside.
It's been a long journey towards really loving myself more -- accepting my flaws, embracing my strengths, and letting go of my perceptions of other people's perceptions of me. I'm still learning to define success on my own terms; I'm always a work in progress (we all are), but I'm learning more and more that my happiness really doesn't rely on external definitions of success.
As a coach, I work with clients (mainly women working on sustainability challenges -- whether personally or professionally) towards regenerative living and leadership by helping them reconnect with themselves, with others and with nature. I believe that a life-sustaining society happens not when individuals working in sustainability work themselves to the ground; but rather, when individuals ground themselves in gratitude, curiosity and compassion, honor integrity and authenticity, see things with hope and possibility, and move forward courageously with others by their side and nature around them. You may view my coaching profile / presentation below or through this link.
I had been interested in coaching for a while, having been exposed to it in different forms throughout the years. Since 2013, I've been low-commitment dipping my toes in it, primarily for my own personal development, and also because I believed that motivation played a huge role in encouraging pro-environmental behavior. I took what I found useful from my initial exposure to Neuro-Linguistic Programming at motivational training and coaching company I worked briefly at in 2013.
In 2018, I began thinking about pursuing coaching again, due to various influences and also tagging along to the International Coach Federation Philippines events my mom (an executive coach) would attend or lead. This time, I began wondering if I might be able to serve others as a "sustainability coach" -- whether it was supporting them through a particular personal or professional sustainability challenge or goal, or simply providing support in life more generally while they work towards living more mindfully and sustainably.
Now, I'm writing with a call for support for a personal pursuit as well as an environmental cause. I would like to further my coaching practice (especially to support people working through personal or professional sustainability challenges or goals) while also raising funds to save the Philippines' last remaining 3% of pristine rainforests through the establishment of protected areas by Centre for Sustainability PH, Inc. (CS).
From now until the end of May 2021, I'm humbly offering 1:1 coaching sessions in exchange for a minimum P500 donation to continue the implementation of CS' Saving The Almaciga project. Should you decide to book a session with me, you are welcome to donate more than the minimum amount.
Learn more about the Saving The Almaciga project in the text and video below.
The project was a key initiative for establishing the Philippines’ biggest critical habitat in 2017, the Cleopatra’s Needle Critical Habitat (CNCH) in Palawan, the country’s Last Ecological Frontier. CS is currently looking for financial support to continue this project at a new site in the proposed Kensad Critical Habitat.
The Almaciga tree's high-value resin represents a primary source of income for the indigenous Tagbanua peoples who have safeguarded Kensad since time immemorial. The tree that used to dominate the forests of Palawan is now threatened by over-harvesting, and illegal activities.
You may also make a donation to Centre for Sustainability, whether or not you choose to engage my coaching services. If you would like to support my initiative but not avail of a coaching session for yourself, you may also sponsor someone who you'd like to set up with me.
All donations will be accounted for, and I will be furnishing all donors with a transparency report by the end of May.
For more information or to book a session, you may contact me via email at hi.jenhorn@gmail.com or book through this Google form.
Thank you in advance for your support, whether by booking a session, donating to the cause, or simply helping to spread the word!
***
The Short Story of My Journey to Coaching
If you're curious to know more about my journey to coaching, here's a short reflection.
With COVID making 2020 a year where we may have pursued things that we had neglected to before, I finally took the leap towards becoming a certified coach through Coach Masters Academy -- with encouragement from my mom and my coach Cecilia.
One week after paying the fee to confirm my slot on CMA's transformational coaching course in October 2020, I found out about Climate Coaching Alliance, an international community of coaches, coaching psychologists, facilitators and leadership development professionals that provides a space for learning how to "apply coaching approaches with a wider ecological lens, and impact clients in ways that align with a truly sustainable way of being, living and acting". Ha. I joined immediately.
If that isn't some synchronicity right there, I don't know what is. :)