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“What I’m hearing is that you’re not living your values or beliefs right now.”
When my first coach said that to me, the penny dropped.
It was so simple. Why hadn’t I realised?
I’d always been curious about coaching.
Even before I had any direct experience, I regularly attended webinars on coaching qualifications. I’d considered a counselling course too, shortly after having Cognitive Behavioural Therapy during a particularly difficult time.
But coaching just felt more aligned with how I think. Less analysis of the past. More clarity about what’s next. And what’s possible.
My first direct experience with 1:1 and group coaching came through the AllBright Elevator Senior Leadership Programme. I had just stepped into my first VP role, and I’d shopped around for an external support system that would help me navigate this new challenge.
While I struggled with self-doubt, deep down I knew what I was good at. Customer Success. Relationships. Storytelling.
After all, I had proposed that I step up.
I needed to figure out what kind of leader I was, make mistakes along the way, and carve out time to learn from them.
What I needed most was a safe space to explore, to offload, and to reframe what I saw as weaknesses. I didn’t need training or critique. I didn’t need someone to tell me what to do, or when to do it. I needed to figure out what kind of leader I was, make mistakes along the way, and carve out time to learn from them.
Coaching gave me that.
Rather than getting stuck in the vicious loop of my own (at times unkind and unhelpful) inner voice, it gave me better questions.
“What’s really driving you?”
“What have you outgrown?”
“What evidence do you have to support that thought?”
I had to answer these questions for myself.
It wasn’t some kind of dramatic epiphany. Just small, honest shifts that added up over time, and over my sessions. Each action I put into practice made a difference.
Coaching helped me navigate those three-plus years in my VP role.
At 36, it helped me realise that I was ready for my third big career shift. Into coaching itself.
I now take the tools, knowledge, and experiences I’ve had and help others.
Create space. Provide support. Challenge the status quo.
If you’re feeling stuck, stretched, or uncertain about your next steps — please know that you’re not alone.
We’re constantly changing. Life moves fast. We snap our fingers and think: Where did the time go?
Sometimes we just need some time and space to explore. Support to figure out our goals and actions. Courage to back ourselves and run forward, or even walk away. To say what needs to be said to be true to who we are.
👉 Book your free discovery call.
Let’s explore what coaching could unlock for you.
Dawn Murden Coaching 
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