Zach,

Now that our coaching sessions have ended and I have had some time to reflect on the journey, I just wanted to tell you all the ways you have helped me. The lessons that you taught me and things that you helped guide me to learn about myself will stay with me forever. 

After our first call, I finally applied for insurance and today, I have insurance and am working on getting appointments set up that I have desperately needed. We focused on me reading, meditating, and giving reiki to myself or someone else every day. To have these three things be non-negotiables in arguably the most chaotic and stressful time of my life was huge. During a time where I usually would have gotten burnt out and broken down, I was able to keep myself grounded and present, not overextend my energy, and put focus on myself for the first time in my life. I continually found myself shocked at how well I was doing when I felt the world was on fire all around me, but you teaching me that I had to put myself first and be selfish sometimes helped me to breathe through the flames without inhaling smoke so when the time came that I needed to be able to put out the fires, I was strong and centered and did it with as much grace as possible. 

Things that may sound like small victories for me were monumental. The simple fact of having an hour every week that was time specifically and solely for me to talk to you and continue my journey to grow into a better version of myself was monumental. Finding peace in meditation and just being one with my breath in a situation where usually I would have forgotten to breathe completely was monumental. Having someone to be there to hold me accountable made it to where when I might have usually given up and slacked some, I never did and that even helped past our sessions because it gave me enough time to form new and healthier habits that I was able to stick with. Every time I did reiki and someone told me that I helped them, that they really felt the difference, that was monumental because before our sessions I had such little confidence that I didn’t believe I could really help anyone, and now I know that I can. Getting comfortable being alone again and using that time to read and expand my mind was monumental. Finally, the realization that I could be so much more than I had been for so long and finally taking moments to look to the future and have goals and hopes and dreams, for someone who hadn’t had hope or looked past today in years, was monumental.

Finally, I want to thank you. For always going above and beyond to help and support me in whatever way I needed, for not making me feel like a failure when I failed but helping me get back on track with encouragement instead, for your dedication to helping me weather the storms, for being there for me when I didn’t have anyone else. I appreciate more than you will ever know the kindness you have shown me, the way you always made me feel like I was important to you and made a difference in the world, the time and energy you put directly into me and my growth, and the way you never made me feel judged or less than but were always a safe space for me to open up and feel like an equal. Your heart inspires me daily and the love, energy, respect, and care you give to your clients make it impossible to not see the passion you have for helping people and I can’t wait to see you continue to go out and change the world because you already have, and with every new client you invest in and help grow into the best versions of themselves they can be, you will continue to even more. 

You inspire me with how you not only help your clients become the best versions of themselves, but with how you never stop working on yourself and are never afraid to push the limits on what you are capable of. A true leader always leads by example, and you live by that principle every single day. What you expect from your clients, you expect just as much, if not more, from yourself. You prove that your methods work because you live by them too. What I look up to the most about you is how open your mind and your heart are and how you take every person you meet and every opportunity you are given or that you create to expand your mind, to become a more empathetic and compassionate person, to learn from, and to grow from. 

I feel so lucky to be able to know you and your friendship means the world to me. I hope you can see the difference you have made in not only my life but so many peoples’ lives. I will always carry with me the lessons I learned from you and I can’t wait to make a difference in the world and show you that your effort was not in vain. 

Love always,

Stephanie