Susan Dunlop: Lead Believe Create
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At Susan Dunlop: Lead Believe Create, we’re dedicated to empowering individuals and organisations to thrive. Through transformative coaching, training, and advocacy, we foster resilience, empathy, and growth. Our mission is to create a ripple effect of positive change, building a community where every voice is heard, and every person is empowered to live authentically. With our unique blend of expertise, compassion, and advocacy, we drive meaningful impact and transformation in the lives of our clients, partners, employees, and community. Join us as we lead, believe, and create a world where empowerment is accessible to all.
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Discover insightful articles and resources on self-leadership, personal empowerment, and workplace transformation. Stay informed, inspired, and empowered with our thought-provoking blog posts.
The Number One Loss That I See Women Struggling With
Every woman who comes to coaching is unique in her life experiences, but there is a number 1 loss I see women struggling with.
Women come to be coached with a broad range of wisdom, strength and resilience.
They have experienced their own mix of good times and bad times, joy and grief.
Each woman has stories and dreams that are 100% her own.
Some are business professionals, others challenged by balancing life and work.
Most are givers of love (to self, intimate partners, children, parents, extended family and friends).
They all have a unique mix of core values.
They ‘blow me away’ with their incredible accumulations of gifts, talents and strengths, that they have developed over the decades, which no other woman can match.
Every woman even has her own unique life’s purpose, whether she knows what that is, or is going to discover it in the future.
What I have found is, no matter what each woman comes to coaching for, the one common thread is:
LOSS OF SELF-CONFIDENCE
That’s not saying every woman has never had self-confidence.
Self-confidence though is the most common thing that a woman seems to lose, particularly when she begins to experience the many transitions and stressors that life throws in her path in her midlife years.
What are the signs that there is a loss of self-confidence?
- Feeling uneasy and shy
- Feels alone, empty inside
- Has become invisible
- Withdrawal from loved ones
- Withdrawal from social circles
- Uncertain of what she wants and who she is
- A sense of worthlessness
- Negative thoughts about her abilities and herself in general
- She is unable to enjoy and relax in situations that she’d like to; and
- Feeling as if she hasn’t got a sense of direction in life.
Loss of self-confidence raises it’s head as the number 1 loss I see women struggling with in two ways:
- Either she’ll state outright that she feels any of the above, and comes to coaching with a goal to improve her self-confidence for a specific event or in general; or
- It will appear over the early coaching session, being apparent in body language; or verbal language patterns, such as saying “I should (do/be)” regularly.
There’ll often be a pause for a surprising A’ha moment, or realisation, that she’s developed some unhelpful habits:
- Possibly putting herself down about what she’s done with her life.
- Saying what she is wanting to achieve is just being silly, too far-fetched.
- Questioning how could she be, do, have (that thing) she really wants.
- It might be that it’s about holding herself to impossible standards. Wherever she may have got it from, be it family, her parents, peers or social media.
It’s only her though who can take the first step to break the cycle.
Loss of self-confidence will keep a woman feeling small, frustrated and stuck.
It’s hard to see all the possibilities life has to offer you when you’re looking down at your toes and forget to look up to the sky.
When a woman begins to regain self-confidence she will once again find:
- greater enjoyment of life in general
- become comfortable when facing new challenges
- get excited about new opportunities
- be confident about her opinions and ideas
- feel a great sense of achievement
- feel respected by peers and her family
- be at ease in social situations
- she is able to be herself; and
- become sure of herself and what she wants.
Can self-confidence be improved?
Absolutely, yes!
Self-confidence can be developed or re-ignited, either by practicing some techniques and exercises yourself, or through a structured coaching program.
It may take some time to build up your current self-confidence level alone, however, the amount you can regain from coaching is usually very rewarding and well worth the effort.
