September 8, 2010 – Briana Rognlin – The Huffington Post – New York, NY, US
I once bought the book What Color Is Your Parachute at a Relay shop in San Francisco International airport. I was returning from a business trip, feeling unsatisfied with life and unsure of what would make me happier. I slid the book, along with another self-improvement title and an issue of O Magazine over the counter, somewhat embarrassed, and the man at the register rhapsodized: “This is such a great book. It’s really amazing.” I nearly asked for my money back.
The book didn’t, after all, teach me what color my parachute was (and I’m still wondering what color it has to be for an airport job to be your calling). So while I’m not categorically against self-improvement tools – I bought the book in the first place, didn’t I? – I was dubious when my editor asked me to try life coaching for Blisstree. I imagined cheesy meetings with a pudgy, feel-good bald man in his “therapeutic blue” office. I didn’t imagine Laurie Gerber telling me stop making excuses and start figuring out a better plan for my life.
Laurie is my life coach. I’ve never met her; we only talk over the phone, and that’s the way she likes to keep it with her clients. She’s the President of Handel Group Life Coaching, and though we haven’t met, I’d put my life savings on the fact that she’s not pudgy, bald or into therapeutic wall paint. She’s all about efficiency (hence the phone calls – who has time for commuting and waiting around in an office?) and accountability (I call her. I also have to send her my homework by 6 p.m. the day before our appointment, or else.). She’s also all about getting people to match their real life to their dream life. (That’s the hard part.)
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