Monday, January 14, 2013

Sausage Boy's Big News!

 

Communication Breakdown?

Before I get to said big news, just a little logistical issue.  It's come to my attention that at least one person has tried to respond to my posts by replying to the e-mails they get from Blogger with my posts in them.  If you're someone who gets these posts via e-mail (having entered your e-mail address in little box to the right that says "Follow by Email") and has replied to those e-mails, you should know I never receive them.


The cover of the great album, Led Zeppelin I,
from which the awesome song Communication Breakdown comes.

I guess it would make sense for someone to respond and think that their response would show up in the "Comments" section of that post, but apparently that's not how Blogger works.  You can either respond to me personally via e-mail (salshoes at centurylink dot net) or actually go to the blog and post a comment there.  That being said, if I've offended anyone by not responding, I apologize, I don't receive any e-mail responses other than the comments.

Enough of this, to the matter at hand.  Drum Roll please.......

 

A New Direction!

 

Way back last year sometime, when I was first discovering this healthier lifestyle, I began spending a lot of time online reading blogs and visiting websites of various groups and organizations dedicated to the same.  One of those late nights I stumbled upon a place called The Institute For Integrative Nutrition.  It's a nutrition school in New York, the largest in the world, and has been in operation for a little over 20 years.  Their mission, as stated on the website, is as follows:

Our mission is to play a crucial role in
improving health and happiness,
and through that process,
create a ripple effect that transforms the world

Their strategy in achieving this goal is enrolling folks in a year-long Health Coach program, at the end of which they become a certified Health and Wellness Coach, and sending them out into the world to help make these desperately needed changes actually happen (hence the "ripple effect").

Well, needless to say, they got my attention.  As I was going through my own transformation, plenty of folks wanted to know more about it - the juicing, the food, veganism, etc..  It's obvious that people are hungry for information and guidance in the areas of food, nutrition and health.  So I was intrigued at the thought of being able to do that for people and to really have the knowledge to back it up.  I spent quite a while poring over their website.  I searched them on the internet, read reviews of the program by former students and reached out to people I knew who might know something about the school.  I signed up for the free book, and even submitted my phone number for them call so I could hear more about the program.  I got a call a day or so later, a very nice voicemail from someone whose name I forgot, but whose voiced exuded positivity and happiness.  It all sounded great, but I was filled with doubt.  I wondered if this was something I could really do, not just financially, but was being a Health Coach something I could actually do, something I could be good at, be effective at and succeed?

I struggled with those question, with that possibility, for a few months.  Then they had a sale and I could resist no longer.


So, on November 1st, I started my year-long Health Coach program, which will end this November with my certification as a Health and Wellness Coach (and hopefully with a few clients as well).  It's definitely exciting, but it's a bit of a challenge balancing the studying with all my other responsibilities (teaching my new AP World History class, being a dad, splitting wood, etc.).  When I get through it, however, I'll have the tools I need to help other people meet their health and wellness goals.  Wow.

Is this a career change?  Well, I don't know for certain.  If I could would I leave teaching and do this full-time?  Well, yes, I'm pretty sure I would.  Will I be able to?  Now that's really the big question.  And perhaps that's why I've been so slow to post about this.  There's still some uncertainty around it for me and I've still got some anxiety about my ability to succeed.  BUT, in one of the first calls I had as part of the course, I was completely inspired by one of the speakers (a former student and current Health Coach herself) who said "Tap into a desire that's even bigger than your fear."  That was pretty powerful and comforting for me.

So, that's my big news.  I'm chugging through the program, we have our first test coming up soon (I've pretty much aced the quizzes so far.)  I'm leaning so much about numerous dietary theories, ways of eating and, heck, ultimately, ways of living.  It's pretty amazing so far.  I'd really been desperate to share this news with everyone.  I'm feeling a bit like this will be my gift to the world (I've wanted to post this since Christmas, so Merry Belated Christmas, world!) 

Here's to the spreading of knowledge, understanding and HEALTH!

sal

PS - LOTS of great recipes coming soon, I've got a bit of a backlog that I really want to share.

1 comment:

  1. Congratulations on taking the step towards your goals. I've been considering doing the exact same thing but like you have a lot of questions and anxiety about it. Is it really a reputable program? Will I waste my money on this and not really be able to be successful as a health coach when it's over? My first step was creating www.wholynatural.blogspot.com I'm hoping I can start a program this year and maybe next year be able to help other people on this journey!

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