Your journey is your greatest asset.
And the ONE thing you need to be an impactful and effective mentor, teacher, coach or healer.
When Angela began her mentoring practice, self-doubt crept in.
“I am so in her head about it”, she told me.
"Who am I to give people support and advice? What if I mess it up? What if something I do or say makes them feel even worse?!"
She had so much fear of not being good at the one thing she wanted to do, she almost didn’t do it.
“Your life story is filled with challenges, triumphs, and growth. Each experience has shaped your understanding of the human condition, providing you with insights that no textbook can offer. Your life journey is precisely what makes you so good at this work!” I told her.
Angela’s life has been quite a journey.
Born in Namibia, Africa to Swiss parents she grew up with constant fear of her father’s drunken, violent outbursts.
One day, when she was 13, as her father hurled chairs at their mother in the kitchen that splintered against the walls that they hit, and threw punches until her face was black and blue, she hid with her little brother behind a locked door.
Then, they heard a gunshot. Followed by shouting and crying and a loud thump as someone hit the floor.
Terrified Angela tiptoed to the door, quietly unlatched it, and opened it just wide enough to peek outside. All she could see was destruction. She opened it wider until there in the corner, her mother sat shaking and weeping, broken body curled around a rifle. On the other side of the room, her father, blood pouring out of a bullet hole in his chest, dead.
Her mother had shot her father in self-defence.
After her father’s death, she and her family were ostracised from the community. Instead of receiving the support they needed, people stared at them and whispered, spreading ugly rumours.
Growing up in the shadow of trauma, she sought escape in any form she could find. Alcohol numbed her pain, drugs promised oblivion, and she fell into the arms of lovers who reflected her own brokenness. Each choice seemed to echo the chaos of her past, creating a tapestry of experiences woven with both despair and resilience.
A decade later, with a young son whose father had succumbed to heroin, she chose a different path. Embracing sobriety, self-love, and growth, she embarked on a healing journey. Every struggle overcome and every lesson learned silently prepared her for a greater purpose. Her wounds, once sources of pain, alchemized into gifts of empathy and understanding.
Her journey, with its myriad twists and turns, had quietly shaped her into the guide she was destined to become. And so, she began anew. She immersed herself in The Mentor Training, honing her methods and techniques, applying her unique blend of compassion and hard-won wisdom to each client who sought her help.
"When I shared my story—both the triumphs and the vulnerabilities—I built a bridge of trust with my clients," she reflected. "This connection became a transformative pathway, allowing my mentees to see themselves in my experiences. They felt seen, safe, held, and validated as they embarked on their own healing journeys."
Moral of this story:
Your journey is your greatest asset.
Sooner or later, the people who need what you provide will arrive – gathering to bask in your light.
Here are some pragmatic psychology-based reasons why.
Emotional Intelligence Through Personal Growth:
Navigating your own emotional landscape has enhanced your emotional intelligence (EI). Studies show that individuals with higher EI are more effective in roles that require interpersonal understanding and guidance (Goleman, 2020). Your journey has naturally cultivated this crucial skill. We develop it further in The Mentor Training.
Authenticity and Relatability:
Clients and mentees are drawn to authenticity. Your personal experiences allow you to connect on a genuine level, fostering trust and openness. The psychological concept of "perceived similarity" suggests that people are more likely to be influenced by those they see as similar to themselves (Cialdini, 2021).
The Wisdom of Vulnerability:
Brené Brown's research on vulnerability highlights its power in creating meaningful connections. By embracing your own vulnerabilities, you create a safe space for others to do the same, facilitating deeper healing and growth (Brown, 2018).
Spiritual Growth and Holistic Understanding:
If your journey has included spiritual exploration, you've gained invaluable insights into the human spirit. This holistic understanding allows you to address not just the mind, but the soul, providing a more comprehensive approach to healing and growth.
Resilience as a Teaching Tool:
Your personal obstacles and how you've overcome them serve as powerful examples of resilience. This firsthand experience of bouncing back from adversity equips you to guide others through their own challenges (Southwick & Charney, 2018).
Empathy Born from Experience:
True empathy often comes from having "walked in someone else's shoes." Your diverse life experiences enhance your ability to understand and relate to a wide range of client issues, a crucial factor in effective mentoring and therapy (Rogers, 1995).
The Unique Perspective You Offer:
No two journeys are alike. Your specific combination of experiences provides a unique lens through which you view the world and solve problems. This distinctive perspective is invaluable in helping clients find innovative solutions to their challenges.
Ultimately…
Your journey, with all its ups and downs, has equipped you with the most essential tool for impactful mentoring: lived experience. While frameworks and techniques are important, it's your personal story that truly sets you apart and allows you to connect deeply with those you guide.
As you consider embarking on The Mentor Training remember that you already possess the core ingredient for success.
This program will provide you with the structure and skills to effectively channel your experiences into transformative mentorship.
As you stand on the brink of this new adventure, know that your journey – with all its joys and sorrows, triumphs and tribulations – is your greatest asset. It's the wellspring from which you'll draw to inspire, guide, and transform lives.
The path of becoming a mentor is not about becoming someone new; it's about embracing who you've always been.
The Mentor Training you're considering is not here to give you something you lack, but to provide the framework that will allow your innate wisdom to shine. It's the structure that will help you channel your rich life experiences into transformative guidance for others.
So, as you contemplate this next step, remember: your journey is not just your story – it's your superpower.
You already have everything you need to make a profound impact. Your experiences are the map, your empathy is the compass, and your authenticity is the light that will guide others on their own journeys of growth and self-discovery.
Your journey is calling you to a higher purpose. Are you ready to answer?
You’ve got 10 days left to join us.
Vienda ♥
“The Mentor Training program taught me I don’t need to be ‘perfect’ to help others.
My gift as an intuitive is to deeply feel people’s hopes, dreams, and struggles, but I’ve also gained tools for those of us who are HSPs to dive deeper and hone how we can be of service to others.
The TMT listening partnerships were definitely one of the most beneficial parts of this course. Through my listening partnership, I could bring my joy, pain and humour to the table and accepted with grace and reciprocity.”
~ Anne H.
P.S. Still mulling it over? Let's brainstorm together! 🧠⚡ Drop me a line at studio@viendamaria.com. Or, let’s set up a chat. I'm here to be your sounding board, answer your burning questions, and help you feel confident in your decisions.