Elizabeth Wood

Founder of Inspire Me LLC. & Co-Founder of Nurture Me

Jeanine: Good afternoon. Good evening. Good morning wherever you are in the world. Welcome to empower world's coaching and leadership podcast. My name is Jeanine Bailey and I'm here today with Marie Quigley my amazing business partner. And we also have a very special guest today so we're very excited about bringing on board Elizabeth Wood who has completed our coach training I think a couple of years now ago but you'll be able to confirm that Elizabeth and we wanted to invite Elizabeth on to our podcast today because we do hear from time to time, or maybe quite often, how coaches come on board these coach training program and perhaps other programs- they learn so much. They're so excited and ready to start their business. And then the coach training finishes and what happens is there seems to be some sort of procrastination… steps aren't being made and perhaps those beautiful dreams are put aside or maybe even lost. And what we really resonated with Elizabeth was that she really took action when she did the coach training and took massive action in fact. So we are delighted to bring her on board. So welcome Elizabeth.

Elizabeth: Thank you Jeanine. Thanks for having me on.

Jeanine: You're very welcome and welcome Marie.

Marie: Thank you Jeanine. Nice to be with you Elizabeth. Nice to be with you Jeanine.

Marie: Thanks Marie. Nice to see you again too.

Jeanine: Fantastic. So Elizabeth if we could hand it over to you to introduce yourself to our listeners let them get to know you a little bit more.

Elizabeth: Okay. So my name is Elizabeth. I'm spontaneous, curious and working on my authenticity at the moment. I did the coach training in 2017, in the winter of 2017, and at the same time simultaneously I opened, ‘Inspire Me’ which is my coaching practice and at the same time I left my corporate ‘9 to 5’ actually ‘7 to 3’ job. So that's a little bit of background around my coaching journey two years on.

Jeanine: Wow that was incredibly quick decision that you made there Elizabeth to step into something that obviously, I say obviously, inspires you with that beautiful name Inspire Me.

Marie: Elizabeth I remember when we first met and you were still working and you brought your little baby girl, she's probably not a baby girl anymore, but you brought your little baby girl and we sat and we chatted and you shared about you and your dreams and your vision and how you wanted to move from this corporate world into this new space and you weren't really sure what it looked like but you knew it was something you wanted to move into.

Elizabeth: Yeah absolutely. Well to answer you on that one it was a drive of two things. It was passion for coaching and mentoring and the entire personal development space, coupled with raising a new, well she wasn't new, she was about a year old at the time I think, if not younger. And it was the balance of motherhood, corporate wealth and passion. So I'd say that my daughter Maria was my guts, let’s say, my guts to quit my job. And the passion and the action that we have been talking about was my drive to take the leap out of my comfort zone, leave my job and open inspired me whilst still on the coach training program, I think it was the second weekend I made the choice.

Marie: Yeah. Isn't it fascinating because some people some coaches believe when life gives them lemons they have to drink the lemonade and you have potentially decided OK life gave me something and I want to create this multi tasting, delicious juice that maybe just isn't lemons, it's something else.

Elizabeth: Exactly. For me it was an all or nothing moment. Not that it would have been nothing. I didn't take the leap, of course not. Just different people obviously react to different stimuli that Life gives them and for me it was an ‘aha moment’ coupled with training and the baby and wanting to give back more living my passion and my purpose. So and it was almost like an explosion of all those things which led me to take massive action as you guys so kindly put it, generously put it.

Jeanine: Wow Elizabeth. And I'm curious what do you believe was the ‘aha moments’ for you that supported you to take that massive action and experience that explosion for yourself.

Elizabeth: OK so that ‘aha moment’ was very much related to that abundant mindset that you guys have spoken on in the previous podcast you did and it was “if I'm destined to have this financial salary anyway, and the one that I was securely obviously getting from my 9 to 5 job I will create that abundance anyway regardless of where I'm working or not working”. Almost sounds like a crazy statement to make, but for me I made it true.

Marie: And you're talking the words of many great teachers that have been mentors to us in life and potentially you Elizabeth. There are so many people that believe in this power of abundance, focusing on what you want, and stepping out and getting it. And that's what you sound like and that's what resonates with both what you've done and also worked Jeanine and I have been doing.

Elizabeth: Yeah absolutely. It's almost like it wasn't an option not to get that. Again, to some people it might sound a bit ‘new age’. But for me it made perfect sense at the time, in that if it's meant to come my way it will be on my lap, so to speak. I just have to have the courage to take that action to get what I'm looking for. Yes there are costs involved. Costs and benefits. But ultimately my cost of staying the same wasn't worth it to me. So I decided to take massive action and change everything.

Jeanine: It's incredible isn't it that energy that we get when we realize our truth and we realize what motivates us and inspires us. And that if we stay the same. The cost of being there. Yes. It's incredible how that can provide such inspiration to take again that courage, that leap forward, that faith in self and believe in abundance mindset.

Elizabeth: Definitely. I mean I would encourage anyone of you listening to this to go back and check out the abundance mindset podcast. I resonated with both of you in fact, especially you Jeanine when you said you were a new coach and possibly a coach in training still and you said that your husband was helping you out, you know, promoting you to other people and you ended up getting a coach position or some kind of retainer with the company you were working for? So it's almost like you were living your dream, at the same time giving that to the very company that you were leaving and almost sounds like a magical win-win situation to take the leap, leave your job and then go and serve them and more people in the process whilst living your passion. If you can if you can think it and visualize it you can get it, right? And that's exactly what you did. So I resonated with you on that because I was in the middle of doing a podcast with Ginger Camel. And I remember at the time thinking “oh this is for free”. So anyone out there is thinking “oh got bills to pay” you know that thing and always remember that free stuff and giving back and contribution leads to so much more. So now you know when we got that breadcrumb, I did the breadcrumbs exercise and I said “OK how did I get here? Let's go back”. I go back to the podcast. Yes, I was doing that for free, Pro Bono. However, people found out about me and it led me to open a project with a women's forum in 2017, which led to sponsors such as big players in the community. And then those sponsors opened up the doors for more coaching opportunities in the corporate world. So then you see how the little breadcrumbs are coming together, and it all came from me being open minded to do something for free. Which I can't put a price on that now in terms of investment. I invested and Ginger Camel invested their time in me and I invested my time in then and then look how the doors, like you said Marie, you said about the opportunities. How are you approaching your opportunity? So anyone out there who's, you know, wondering whether or not this free thing will lead to something truly… with the intention it will.

Marie: Yeah it will. We're proof of that too, Elizabeth. And I'm guessing it hasn't all been roses and sunshine as you moved along in creating. Because people often look at those who are doing it and think “Oh it's going to be easy for them. They have this or this or that nationality. They've got this opportunity”. So I think that's important to talk about too that, you know, just because we're doing it doesn't mean we're not facing challenges. .

Elizabeth: Very nice point.

Marie: Yeah. What are the challenges you've overcome all that you are still overcoming?

Elizabeth: Where should I begin? Okay. So it's very important to mention that thank you for doing so. And yeah if you do have any inspiring people that you look up to, please know that those people didn't get there without resilience, vulnerability, challenges, grief- you name it. We're all human and all striving towards reaching our goals. It doesn't mean we don't have bumps along the way. The important part is how do we make those bumps or those challenges allow us to grow and to learn? What they are teaching us? I love that coaching question, teaching me. So if you allow me, guys, to be a bit vulnerable. Is that Okay?

Marie: Please do. I know our listeners will appreciate that.

Elizabeth: So I don't mind being vulnerable. During the coach training I was actually in the middle of a difficult time, I had a miscarriage right in the middle of the training. And naturally speaking a lot of women who have gone through that will definitely know what it's like to grieve. And the question came up for me what do I want to do with it? Yeah. Do I want to let this define me? The grief, I mean. Or is there something that this is teaching me? Perhaps I'm supposed to be a, I don't know, maybe and ‘snap out of the trauma’ coach or something? That hasn't yet happened to me but I have supported some other women who have gone through exactly the same thing as me. So in that resilience I managed to get my, let say “positivity’ back on track. And now I’ve just given birth to a beautiful healthy baby boy, which I'm celebrating and marinating in and he wouldn't be here today if I didn't have that incredible miscarriage is how I’ve decided to re-frame what I went through at the time.

Marie: Thank you for sharing that Elizabeth. That certainly is a vulnerable and very truthful moment. We remember talking about you with you during the coach training about what you were going through and you did some brave reflection and thoughtful action and look at where you are now.

Elizabeth: Yeah. So if any of you are listening to this going through something maybe even more challenging. Again, it's personal right? Everyone goes through something and there's no such thing as harder than someone else. It is all relative to what the person is going through. It's ‘what do you want to do with it now that you've had your time?’. So believe me I did take my time, it’s not like I pushed the emotions aside. I did my own emotions work, I got through it, I gave myself the right time and then I said “what do I want to do with it now? I had my time to grieve and my time to search deep within those emotions and now what do I want to do?”. So I hope that helps or support anyone who's listening and is actually going through a rough patch.

Jeanine: I'm sure that there will be many that will resonate with that. And I recall Elizabeth that challenge, that very challenging time, was happening when you were doing the coach training.

Elizabeth: Right in the middle of it.

Jeanine: Yes. And it did have some impact and, you know, on how you were being I guess able to absorb everything but you stuck at it, you continued on with the training. So again you were, as you say, not ignoring or stuffing down any of that experience and you were also mindful of what you wanted to do for yourself as well. So again, we really acknowledge you for hanging in there, so to speak, for want of a better word.

Marie: Not only hanging in there, coming back and redoing it because you recognize that during some of it you weren't present so you weren't satisfied with just accepting the little snippets of information- you wanted it all for yourself and you took action.

Elizabeth: And that's why I'm grateful to both of you for asking. You didn't even say suggesting this, you said “what you want to do about it?” Very much in the coaching seat here. You asked me, I remember, “what you want to do about this?”. And I said “if you allow me I'd love to come back again”. And in fact again re framing. So what if I did it twice? And I got twice the knowledge then right? Because the blind spots, and when you do something a second time… I definitely missed out on, for whatever reason, if I was scrambled in my head or going through something emotionally. The second time around I definitely picked up on a lot more which is probably why the massive action took place, because it marinated even more in my head and heart to then potentially have more competency at solving the coaching core competency.

Marie: Fantastic. And we've had a number of participants that have chosen to come back and relearn because they see the value in doing it twice, Doing it three times, doing it four times until they get it in their bones.

Jeanine: I wouldn't mind doing it myself.

Marie: Yes.

Jeanine: So Elizabeth we caught up briefly yesterday and you shared another way that you took that brilliant action how you didn't let things hold you back from being able to master your craft. So would you like to share about that?

Elizabeth: Oh ok, so mastering my craft. So we spoke about the resilience or let’s say the challenging time. Let's fast forward to the happy time whereby the challenge is different this time. It is literally delivering this beautiful baby boy and keeping ‘Inspire Me’ alive because life goes on. And when you're working for yourself as an entrepreneur, all those entrepreneurs out there, you'll know that it's make or break.  As an entrepreneur, especially you are in the driving seat. There is no maternity leave unless you have a backup plan. But for me this time around I just given birth to Yusuf, my son, and I had collaborated with coaches from Canada who are going to offer the disc training here in Qatar, but under the Inspire Me post partner name. So life had to move on and so did coach training, let say the disk training human behavior. And whilst having a newborn, we made it happen. We graduated twelve individual participants in human behavior and did this consultation and till now I don't know how I did it but it worked. I brought my baby with me. I brought my toddler with me. Training, coaching and facilitating and then repeat and feeding the baby and then repeat. So for me the massive action I took is, I re frame the fact that I should take a break because I have a baby and I said “No I'm living my passion I'm living my dream. This is what I’ve been asking for and thriving for. Let's make this happen. That's just my baby with me to work and do what I got to do. ‘Inspire Me’ will continue running”. And I did delegates as well. The weekly workshops that ‘Inspire Me’ offers every Tuesday which is a free personal development workshop. When I was in the hospital I said “look guys you've been with me for so long. I want to see what you guys have to give”, and they run the workshops for me, not for me for the community.

Jeanine: Yes.

Elizabeth: Not for me, for the regulars that attend I said “it's not going to stop just because I'm having a baby. It's going to keep going”. So that's one example of how massive action can still take place if you change and upgrade your language and you are re framing.

Jeanine: Beautiful Elizabeth.

Marie: Yes. And I'm curious as you share. I mean, I got goose bumps thinking about the massive thing you've created. The joyous business and life that you've created, more than more than a business this lifestyle that you've created. Who are some of your inspirations that you look to that have encouraged you along the way? We all have people who inspire us, who would they be for you?

Elizabeth: Oh okay where do I start. So first and foremost the both of you. I'm not going to go so far and talk about celebrities. Both of you definitely are the catalyst. Yes, it's a real compliment, the catalyst to changing my life. So thank you both. I acknowledge both of you for that. You're my role models and close to home, you’re both are my role models.

Jeanine: We have our hands on our Hearts here.

Elizabeth: Thank you and others I never met before you know is Joe Dispenza.

Marie: Yes. We know him well we know in our heads and heart. Yeah.

Elizabeth: And just because I have a firm believer in healing yourself. For me personally healing myself. Healing myself through the correct language therefore everything starts with a thought and then progresses on to how I see myself. And then me taking massive action. So if anyone hasn't heard about Joe Dispenza go and check out he is incredible.

Marie: Yes.

Elizabeth: Who else… might sound a bit cheesy but it doesn't matter, my Mom. My mom was a role model because now after doing so much coaching and training and mindfulness going back to the youth a lot of time like childhood what was I thinking, what was I learning, what was I seeing and feeling in childhood. My mum was definitely always encouraging me to be forward thinking. “Don't just follow the crowd, follow the sheep”. Do you really want to do that, are you just copying them? For this reason, or that reason”. She was very good at asking me, almost like a coach, asking me “what do you think about that?”. Even down to something simple like getting my ears pierced. She said “do you want your ears pierced or are you just getting it done because everyone else has them. Is it really your choice? If so I’ll take you. If not, you don't have to”. You know something, it is a memory from childhood and that has stuck with me today. That might be the reason and God knows best. That might be the reason that I'm able to take this type of action because I had someone supportive in early childhood.

Jeanine: Fabulous! Thank you for sharing.

Marie: Absolutely wonderful to hear, and thank you for including us Elizabeth.

Elizabeth: Thanks.

Marie: That has really touched our hearts.

Jeanine: And again I believe it really supports us to recognize where we're living our dream and our path and what we’re meant to do. So thank you.

Elizabeth: And for those of you that don't know ‘Inspire Me’ also has a sub-brand or sister brand which is ‘Nurture Me’ and ‘Nurture Me’ was born at the same Yusuf, my son. ‘Nurture Me’ was born, so to speak, when I realized that parent coaching and parent education is something that I truly love as well. And I don't handle that space, there are other beautiful certified coaches, parent coaches who handle that space, so there is so much more being given back to our care providers. Again the reason that I thought my mother should be included in that. If we have access to making sure our children grow up with an abundant mindset with the capacity to learn from their mistakes, foster resilience. It's so important to me and I'm seeing it now as well in my brand and I hope this continues and spreads around Qatar and beyond.

Jeanine: Wonderful.

Marie: Wonderful.

Jeanine: So Elizabeth for people who want to find you and connect with you what is the best way to do that?

Elizabeth: Okay, so right now I am more active on Instagram so that's @inspiremeqa. And those of you who are listening to this and actually more focused on parenting coaching side its @nurturemeglobal and of course you can check my website. It's www.inspireme.qa

Jeanine: Lovely thank you. Thank you so much Elizabeth for being on our podcast today and I'm sure inspiring many with your learnings and your experiences. And if there's one more thing you'd like to share with our audience, what might that be?

Elizabeth: That would be, that thing that you are thinking of right now whether to do or not. Do it! Because we don't know how long we've got right? So do it because, action can create huge change. And failure is actually just a learning, a growth and a learning for you. So why fear failure when you can win either way?

Jeanine: Beautiful.

Marie: Absolutely lovely ending to a really beautiful conversation Elizabeth.

Elizabeth: Thank you both for this opportunity.

Jeanine: You're very welcome. So thank you again. Thank you listeners we trust that you've enjoyed and got many pearls of wisdom from Elizabeth. So Good night, good afternoon, good morning and see you next time!

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