Ann, I always wondered how a coach becomes a coach. I never knew about certified coaches. Can anyone practice coaching without the certification? Do you need any particular college degree? Am I right by assuming that this profession has developed only the last few years? I was just wondering about that.

If you write that book, then I know I want to buy it. Wow writing something positive every day is something I need to do. I love that concept. I really do.

My goal is to learn how to quilt...I'm planning on attending the local Quilter's guild next month...when I looked at the photo online of the organization I thought...yep, I'll fit right in...gray hair, wrinkled and a place to rest my needle work...my belly.
The 2nd goal is to maintain my sense of humor when what I really want to do is go off on people who super annoy me.

Other than that, I'm pretty satisfied with life.

Hannelore, Google coaching, and you can be more specific if you want. There are several coaching institutes. I think you might be able to become certified online.

However, there are coaches who coach about their area of expertise who are not certified. I've used a couple for my online business. They simply have tremendous knowledge in certain areas and charge to cut your learning curve because they've become proficient at what you need to know. I am going to be coached a little in 2008 on blogging by a professional blogger. I want to launch a blog that will feed off both sites because it helps with getting more Web traffic, but I want to know how to do it the right way before I get started so I have good results. I thnk it;s important to have some type of relationship with the coach before jumping in.

Oh, yippee! Hannelore, we have already sold one book!

Cerified, non-certified, life coaches, specialty coaches, career coaches, web coaches - we are all quite different and a fairly new phenomenon. Or should I say, the label is new. What Dotsie is talking about used to be called mentoring - passing knowledge around without putting your agenda in the mix.

What I do is more about facilitating a persons own thinking. You know how you are a frustrated artist, writer? A coach could help you focus your wants, help you create a plan for completion and walk you through the process.