Por: Marcela Grobet

It has been almost one year since lockdown started here in Mexico. In March I was forced to move my sessions online and think of new strategies to go on with my business. I must confess it was quite a shock: what now? What should I do? I had always rejected giving sessions online because I love to be with my learners: give them direct feedback, see their faces, hear their expressions and even read their body language.

By the end of February, I was already running out of learners; things were complicated in Mexico City and there was some turbulence at home. However, somehow my wings aligned and I heard about Neurolanguage Coaching®. I made my flight plan and set course towards my first destination: find out what Neurolanguage Coaching was about. Then I would take the introductory course; have a call with Rachel; take the first level… the second… the third… the Teacher Training! According to my plans at that moment, my final destination in 2020 would be to become a Neurolanguage Coach Trainer and even give a conference at MEXTESOL that year.

Now, allow me to make a stop here to tell you something that happened to me recently, which made me go back into thinking about my goals. Some days ago, one of my learners shared with me a wonderful video which talks about having a flight plan for success. FlyGirl Vernice Armour, an African American woman, mentioned in her video that not only should the flight plan have a framework to be agile, but also be flexible enough to navigate the challenges. I feel that my plan covered these two characteristics, and in the middle of my journey I had to adapt course a little bit; there were some mountains on the horizon I needed to avoid.

As Neurolanguage Coaches, we constantly check our learners’ goals and help them set new ones. However, if I may, I would like to hear from you, dear reader: how often do we ask this question ourselves? How often do we set new goals and adapt the course? Being in lockdown made me reflect, acknowledge obstacles and, instead of giving them power, take them as opportunities. Just as FlyGirl mentions, if I hadn’t taken this opportunity, someone else would have done it. However, I feel it is about time to re-take those initial goals I haven’t been able to complete, and to add new ones. I have started to feel too comfy here and I would like to shake my brain a little. Some turbulence during flight isn’t always a bad thing; it makes pilots go alert again.

Then, what’s in 2021 for me? Like many human beings, I feel confident that the pandemic is coming to an end. I trust that, in short, we will be back to a more normal life, if I should call it that way. And I don’t plan to stay home forever! My Neurolanguage Coaching business is on frank cruising speed now, even reaching a higher altitude every day. Online sessions have allowed me to fly to distant regions, like Monterrey, Canada, the United States and even Australia! However, do I dare to go even further? Am I willing to navigate the challenges and speed up? In the words of FlyGirl, am I willing to“re-imagine, re-invent and re-engage?”

So I would like to share my plans with you. First of all, I consider that I must start building a network of colleagues: Neurolanguage Coaches as well as teachers who want to move forward into Neurolanguage Coaching. Secondly, and as a consequence, I plan to move onto the next level: becoming a trainer. I strongly believe that there are many more teachers like me who wonder what else there is in the world of teaching a language. Whether online or in presence, I would love to see their faces showing this same awe I felt when I took the first course. And I have already given the first step: becoming a MEXTESOL member. My next step is to participate in different conferences in Mexico, mainly, and also be a speaker on the MEXTESOL International Conference in November 2021.

Lastly, but not least important, is to go back into the company world. It thrills me to the bone just to imagine myself coaching one-to-one or group sessions; training young or not-so-young teachers and leading a group of the finest Neurolanguage Coaches® in Mexico.

I am willing to do it… and I will do it. Do I give myself permission to engage? I certainly do!