Reaching out for your first coaching conversation might be a daunting experience. You might not know who to call, or how to prepare, or where to even start the conversation.

Here's the good news: the feeling is perfectly normal.

Here are three of the most commonly asked questions about coaching as well as tips for maximizing your coaching session.

"What is coaching?"

Coaching is a very specific type of conversation with one goal in mind: partnering with you to achieve your goals. Your coach is your cheerleader and your champion, in your corner helping you along the way. Your coach might help you to create a vision for your ideal life, explore what's holding you back, or help you create tangible next steps—it all comes down to what you're looking for. Most often, your coach will ask you questions that enable you to reflect in new ways and increase your own self-awareness. No matter the coach's specialty, at the end of the day, she is committed to giving you the attention and support you deserve.

"How do I prepare?"

It's most helpful if you have a goal in mind. February Featured Coach Christie Federico shared with us, "Ahead of time, I ask clients to explain why they are seeking coaching at this time and to think about what their top 3 goals are for coaching. To expand on that, I ask, "what would your ideal life or situation look like once we're done with our work together," and "think about and explain how it would feel when you've reached that point."  

Sometimes, though, we aren't even sure of what we want. That's okay too. By giving your coach a call, you may be able to figure out what it is that's holding you back and spark your imagination. "You don't need to come prepared with anything if you don't want to," Christie said, "it's a casual conversation."

"How do I choose which coach to call?"

This one's easy: reach out to the one you want to! Jokes aside, Go Love Yourself works hard to ensure that all of our featured coaches meet a high bar of excellence, including training from prestigious coaching programs and universities. I recommend taking a peek at the coach's bio and website, reading through her qualifications and her story. The person who will support you the most is the one you trust, feel comfortable opening up to, sharing your goals, dreams, and fears, and will inspire you to take productive, positive action.

How do you prepare for your coaching sessions? Leave your tips and questions for others below!

Have additional questions? Pop into our members-only Facebook group or our open-to-all Facebook group and get your question answered by any of our highly qualified professional coaches!

Interested in trying coaching for the first time? Awesome! Every Go Love Yourself member receives a 30-minute conversation as a part of her monthly membership! Check out membership options here!