From Working as a Dentist for 12 Years to Becoming a Life Coach
Preeti Mistry has become a life coach after working as a dentist for 12 years. She experienced a tremendous change in her life and says she wouldn’t look back. Let’s read her story!
Where did it all begin for you?
It was New Year’s Eve, December 31st, 2019, as I eagerly awaited the countdown which would lead to a new decade. I felt a voice deep inside of me say, “A big change is needed and coming, and this old story of yours will soon be history.” Little did I know what it meant at the time, but somewhere deep down I knew that 2020 was going to be a year of new beginnings. Well, fast forward to March 2020, and Covid-19 had arrived in New York and was making its way across the world. At the time, I had been working as a dentist for twelve years for a nonprofit organization. Due to the pandemic shutdown, the center I worked at closed for many months. So there I was, jolted out of my mundane, autopilot existence, and left with no choice but to pause and reflect on what this meant and where my life was headed. As difficult as the pandemic has been, for me it turned out to be a blessing in disguise.
What did the Universe have in store for you?
With not being able to go anywhere, I had a lot of time on my hands. It’s during this period that I started to remember those inner wishes that would occasionally pop up in my mind of becoming my own boss from the comfort of my own home, while still being able to serve others. If and how that would ever be possible was unknown to me, yet I failed to realize what was staring me in the face the whole time. For years, I’d had a passion for reading spiritual/growth books. I was always curious about people and their behavior. [This was most evident] when I would go to singles’ networking events where I would people-watch in between the times I was interacting, and I [realized] I had a strong ability to listen and empathize with others. Then one fine day, as if the Universe was responding to me, I saw an ad for the Jay Shetty Certification School appear as I was scrolling through my phone.
Out of curiosity, I signed up for the Pathway for Life Coaching Program which educated me on what life coaching was all about and helped me see if it was the right fit for me. Surprisingly, coaching was not what I expected it to be. I realized I did have the qualities that made me suitable for life coaching, my curiosity being number one. Already a big fan of Jay Shetty, and being someone who completely resonated with his work of making wisdom go viral, I felt trust for this school. Once I met some members of the JSCS team during a Q&A session, I knew this was the right school for me. Normally, I am someone who researches other options when deciding where to invest, but this time around, I intuitively knew I was not going to find anything better suited for me.
When I joined, I realized there was much more for me to discover about coaching, and as I completed each module within the school, I couldn’t wait to get to the next. I loved it! Not only was I learning to become a life coach, but the way the curriculum is designed allowed me to do my inner work, gain more clarity within myself, and retrain my mind to respond to situations in life more consciously. It was through these reflections and lessons of my struggles, and through coaching practice clients that I realized my niche: I was going to be a life coach that helped single professionals and entrepreneurs overcome their inner resistance to finding love so that they could get out of their way and feel empowered to create the life they desire.
What stood out to you within our school?
The one aspect that stood out to me was the Jay Shetty Coaching School Community that I could take part in before graduation and the Alumni Community after graduation. Yes, you read that right. You get support after graduation as well, so you are not left alone wondering what to do next. During the process of becoming a coach, I felt completely supported by the faculty who are super dedicated to helping their students become powerful coaches. In addition, the community has such diverse backgrounds that you not only form lasting friendships but also gain a strong network of coaches along the way.
If you were to go back in time before you became a life coach, what would you suggest to yourself?
If I were to go back in time and start over to become a life coach, the one thing I would remind myself of is that sometimes you have to slow down to gain momentum later. I remember although I was enjoying the process of becoming a coach, I used to jump ahead and concern myself a lot with the entrepreneurial aspect of things since this was the first time I would attempt such an endeavor. All these questions and concerns would create noise in my mind. The lesson to learn here is that when you are in the process of becoming a life coach, focus more on developing your skills first, developing a coaching strategy, and paying attention to what area you enjoy coaching the most. Strengthen your foundation. At the end of the day, you can be a powerful coach that will land you the right type of clients.
What would you say to someone who is choosing their program now?
For anyone who is considering which coaching school to study with, choose a school that:
- Is deeply invested in your success;
- Has supervisors and faculty that love doing what they do;
- Allows you to work on your growth and gives you a practical opportunity to coach clients so that you can experience it firsthand with supervised feedback;
- Offers support in some way after you graduate so you’re not left all alone;
- Most importantly, the values of the school should align and resonate with you.
For me, the Jay Shetty Certification School provided all of that and always saw me as a whole, complete, and resourceful person. For this, I offer deep gratitude to all the supervisors and staff, including Madina Ahmedova (Senior Coach and Trainer), Kavit Haria (Director), and Jay Shetty (Founder). Thank you so much for having this vision and making this school a reality. I look forward to creating a ripple effect through my coaching services and helping wisdom go viral.
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