When life paused, I found purpose as a coach

From Pain to Purpose

Opportunities truly can arise from setbacks. My journey to becoming a life coach is a perfect example of this. In 2023, I experienced a major health setback - I developed a frozen shoulder. The pain was unbearable at times, especially at night, leaving me exhausted. During this challenging period, I was working as a Senior Leader and Music teacher, trying to teach violin while barely being able to move my right arm and wondering if I would ever have mobility in my arm again. On top of that, I was juggling responsibilities as a wife and mother of two sons and supporting my family following the death of my beloved mother-in-law the previous year.

Eventually, I made the tough decision to hand in my notice and take a leap of faith. After surgery and physiotherapy, my shoulder recovered, and in my mid-40s, I decided to take a short career break to focus on my recovery and reflect on my future. This break allowed me to reassess my skills, talents, passions, and purpose. Looking back, I now realise that this was the moment I discovered my ‘Ikigai’ - a Japanese term meaning “a reason to live”.

During this time of reflection, I also made some important life changes - like finally getting the long-awaited puppy our family had dreamed of. Frozen shoulder and recent bereavements had been a stark reminder that life is a precious gift and to carry out fulfilling work, using my skills and talents and that fits around my family was important to me.

What I realised during this period of reflection is that I’ve always had a passion for helping people live their best lives. This desire has been present in many of my past roles, whether as a teacher or in other roles such as running my own music business supporting young families, and it was that realisation that led me to life coaching.  During my career break, I discovered The Coaching Academy. After attending The Coaching Academy’s free live online 'Introduction to Life Coaching' webinar, I knew this was the path for me.

The Transformative Power of Coaching

What I love about coaching is the ability to truly connect with people. There’s no distraction, just the space to explore someone’s inner thoughts and work together in partnership to set goals and move forward. Listening deeply and understanding others' motivations is incredibly rewarding, and seeing firsthand the positive impact of coaching on people’s lives is fulfilling in ways I couldn’t have imagined.

Last year was also a year of personal and professional growth for me. I’ve never read so many books in a single year, which is saying something since I studied English at university! The amount of knowledge I gained reignited my passion for learning in a way I hadn’t expected.

Additionally, I’ve never been coached so much in my life. The coaching journey has transformed me and I absolutely see the benefits for everyone having a coach, if you want to keep moving forward in life. We never stop growing and developing as individuals, and having a coach can be a powerful tool in that journey. A coach offers support, guidance, and a fresh perspective, helping you navigate challenges, set meaningful goals, and unlock your full potential. With a coach by your side, you gain the accountability and encouragement needed to continue evolving and becoming the best version of yourself.  

Through coaching I’ve learned about the importance of daily habits, the power of a positive mindset, and the ability to build resilience through setbacks and keep striving to live a purposeful life. As John Whitmore wisely states: "Coaching is unlocking a person’s potential to maximise their growth." Coaching others to unlock their full potential and create balance in their lives has now become the core of my coaching business. The value of coaching and the incredible impact it can have on your life has been life-changing, and I am thrilled to help others in this way

One of the unexpected bonuses has been meeting so many amazing coaches, many of whom I know will be lifelong friends. The support from my fellow coaches and The Coaching Academy has been invaluable throughout my journey, especially as I worked toward earning my Life Coaching Diploma.

Turning My New Passion Into Practice

Since graduating with Distinction in Life Coaching last December, I’m thrilled to be building Ruth Morgan Coaching - where I bring coaching, mentoring, training, and speaking to life with passion and purpose. As a Personal Performance and Resilience Life Coach, I particularly enjoy empowering mid-lifers and small business owners, solo/mum/entrepreneurs, freelancers, and creatives to not just survive, but truly thrive in work and life.  

With over 20 years of experience spanning small business, leadership, education, music, and the charity world, I bring a rich mix of insight and real-world know-how to every session. The best part? Seeing my clients grow, shine, and conquer their goals - feedback that motivates me and drives my vision for what’s next. 

I’m deeply inspired by the transformations I observe, and I look forward to seeing how my coaching business continues to grow and support even more incredible individuals. I am looking forward to the future and am already so heartened by feedback from my clients:

“I was searching for direction, trying to find the answers as to how I was going to move forward and start a new business after years of working in a corporate environment. After a succession of events that knocked me sideways, I was dealing with loss and grief, a middle-aged woman faced with a deep yearning to do something meaningful. Working with Ruth, I connected with that higher purpose and that ‘there’s more for you to do’.  Ruth sat with me as I wrestled with my own fears and self-doubt. She took me through the process, always persisting for progress. Believing there was more to unpack. And there was! Here I am, it’s close to six months since working with Ruth, I’m ready to launch my own new business! What a stretch from fear to freedom and creativity in entrepreneurship. Ruth’s approach is straightforward yet gentle and dives deep into insightful reflection. She goes above and beyond to ensure I make headway. I can’t recommend her enough!”

"Like many who retire, I was struggling to define this new phase in my life.  Ruth helped me to determine my values and priorities, set personal goals for the next few years, and focus on reasonable, practical ways of achieving these targets. I found Ruth to be very personable insightful, reassuring and encouraging as we worked through the process. Each coaching session was structured, and broke down into manageable steps with clearly defined objectives. I am grateful to Ruth for helping me find a clearer and more balanced picture of what I would like to achieve in the next few years and how to go about it."

Reaching the Summit

The photo of me is on the summit of Yr Wyddfa (formerly Mount Snowdon), where I launched my new coaching business. For me, launching on the summit of a mountain is a powerful symbol of resilience, a core theme in coaching and one of my core values. Just like climbing a mountain, the journey to achieving a goal is filled with obstacles, setbacks, and moments of doubt. Resilience in coaching is about helping clients push through those challenges, stay focused on their ultimate goal, and keep moving forward despite difficulties. The summit represents the achievement and growth that come from overcoming adversity, and through coaching, we work together to cultivate the strength to reach those summits. True resilience is about adapting, learning and even thriving, often in a new or altered state - it’s about continuing to climb, even taking tiny steps forward, no matter how steep the path may seem.

Another rewarding part of all of this is seeing how my coaching has benefitted not only my clients but also my own family. My two boys are already benefiting from much of my learning, which I make an effort to share with them, like reframing setbacks, actively listening, striving, and thriving. They even asked me to do DISC profiling with them, which has been a great tool for helping us understand each other better and work together even more effectively as a family team. Afterall, teamwork begins at home, where love, support, and collaboration lay the foundation for everything we do.

Looking back, I can confidently say that every challenge and setback has led me to where I am now - doing work I love, making a difference in people’s lives, and continuously learning and growing.

Thank you Ruth for sharing your transformational and inspiring coaching journey story with us!