The Value of Starting Early & Layering Support
Every Thursday, I share one action, habit, or project you may want to undertake in order to improve your health, happiness, and sense of well-being.
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PROJECT OF THE WEEK
I had this light bulb moment a few months ago.
I realized that none of the students I coached for at least a year while they were in high school, continued on with coaching in college. And when I have checked-in on them, the feedback is that they are doing great!
This is amazing and what the coaching is all about!
On the flip side, I have coached a number of students for 3+ years in college. While there is progress, many of them have continued to struggle a bit.
I know there are so many factors that come into play here. I also know that I coach more college students than high schoolers, which definitely skews the numbers.
Yet, this still feels like an important observation.
While in high school, the students still have the support of their parents at home. Even if the parents are doing a great job of stepping back and letting their child take more initiative, students undoubtedly feel the scaffolding around them for when the inevitable missteps happen.
Many of the high schoolers I work with have projects and papers that are as hard or harder then many of the college assignments I see. They also have easy access to their teachers for extra support. Often their teachers will provide smaller deliverables to support the students and the coaching in learning how to break down their assignments into smaller parts.
Getting Started
This made me curious about how many other areas this likely applies, not only for our young people, but adults, too.
If you grow up in a house where your parents cook healthy meals most nights, how much easier is it to integrate cooking healthy meals as an adult?
If you grow up in a house where reading is a common past time, how much more likely are you to read as an adult?
If you didn't learn a certain skill growing up, how can you create an environment that supports the learning process as an adult?
I’m sure there are plenty of ways to integrate learning into our every day lives. I mean, I make a living doing just this. I help my clients get organized, learn a new skill, and create an environment where we make our day-top-day happy and healthy. If you were getting started on your own, though, how would you learn and find the resources to learn. This may be simply by surrounding yourself with others that value the skill you are trying to learn and implement. Or, are you looking for an accountability partner that will be there for you through the ups and downs?
I would love to hear your thoughts and ideas about the value of starting early and layering support.
Ready to Get Started?
If you feel excited about implementing this strategy and want some additional accountability and support to get started, the It’s All in the Planning Starter Pak was designed for you!
A Note from Happy Spaces
The goal is to add value to your life. If you think this project will add value:
Estimate how long you think it will take. I would recommend doubling the time you estimate.
Look at your calendar over the next week and pick a date and time to get started.
Make an appointment on your calendar for the estimated time.
If you estimate that completing this project will take longer than one hour, I recommend doing it over multiple days. This will support you in getting started!
Prior to starting this project, take a few minutes to make a step-by-step list of EVERY action you need to take to complete this project.
It's not all or nothing. You can choose to implement only the parts of this project that add value to your life.
An Accountability Partner can be a great support in following through on your goals and commitments.
We understand how challenging it can be to implement new habits and systems. For additional support please go to HappySpacesBySarah.com.
Creating a life you don't need a vacation from! ®
Sincerely,
Sarah Weingarten
Meet Sarah
Growing up as the oldest of nine siblings in Upstate New York, I learned to use organization to create sanity among the chaos. Today, I work together with individuals, families, and small businesses to create habits, systems, and spaces that support their needs, goals, and dreams. Clients often refer to our work together as "life-changing" and "better than decades of therapy". What I love most about my work is the lasting impact it has on real people's lives. Nothing makes me happier than hearing the many success stories of clients I have worked with.