Find out How to Reduce Stress and Guilt, and Get More Time and Balance as a Working Mum!
In Coaching Mums' fabulous new
three month group coaching programme,
starting September 2008
I'll hold your hand each step of the way to help you get back in control of your life and discover the real you amidst the chaos of raising kids, no matter how hard you've tried before…Read on for details of my groundbreaking and cost-effective new three month "virtual learning" programme designed especially for working mums...
Dear Working Mum,
I’m guessing that you (like me) want to enjoy your life as a mother and as a woman in your own right. In an ideal world, we’d have plenty of time to enjoy our kids, our partners, our friends and have time for ourselves. We’d feel great about our abilities as working mothers, full of confidence, brimming with energy and have exciting goals in place! The reality, however, is somewhat different: combining work and motherhood can often be at best a rollercoaster ride, and at worst, it can seem like you’re on a guilt-ridden, exhausting, energy-zapping treadmill.
Before becoming a mother, you are generally 100% defined by your work. Then, when you become a mother, you are 100% defined as a mother for the maternity leave period. Then you return to work and from this moment forward, and for the next 18 years or so, you somehow have to combine being 50% mother with 50% professional. However, the expectations from yourself, the media, society and Beryl next door is that you give 100% to each role! It’s no wonder you get stressed!
As mums we have to juggle so many roles: childcare expert, nurse, negotiator, cleaner, cook, counsellor, event organiser, picker-upper of clothes, policewoman, and creative designer of last minute costumes.. The list goes on! And this is before you add your non-parental roles as an employee, businesswoman, manager, consultant, wife, friend, daughter, sister etc.
Wouldn’t it be great if you could get off the treadmill once in a while and find some space to just think? Imagine what it would be like if you could focus on the things you really want to achieve instead of on the things that really need to be done?! What would it be like if you had your own coach to give you a compassionate kick up the backside to get you off that treadmill once a week? Imagine what it would be like to speak to someone once a week, who is entirely devoted to you and your life, and who wants more for you than you have ever thought possible?
What makes me such an “expert” anyway?
That's where I come in! My name is Amanda Alexander and I'm the Founder and Lead Coach at Coaching Mums. This is me and my gorgeous sons, Max (6) and Freddie (1) waiting to see Father Christmas at Chester Zoo. I can’t normally boast of being as tanned as I am in this picture (I swear by St Tropez spray tan before Christmas parties!)
However, I can boast of being one of very few coaches in the UK to have achieved International Coach Federation Accreditation (the ICF is to coaches what the British Medical Council is to Doctors). When not hanging out at Santa’s Grotto, I spend most of my working days helping mums like you to change their career, grow profitable businesses, nurture better relationships, enjoy parenting more, feel more confident and most of all, discover their own version of “balance”. In fact, I’ve worked with hundreds of mums in the UK, Europe and USA to achieve much more than they think they can.
But I’ll let you into a secret (!) - You don’t actually have to make dramatic changes to your life to feel better about it. Most of my clients make a series of small changes but these cumulatively make a big difference in their lives, businesses and careers.
Do any of the following statements ever apply to you?
“I frequently put myself at the bottom of the pile in terms of needs (somewhere after the dog/cat/resident spiders)” - “Keeping up with the demands of my day frequently makes me feel drained and stressed”
- “I really could do with a massive confidence boost”
- “Balance is something I don’t think I’ll ever achieve!”
- “Since I became a mother I’ve also become an expert juggler – I can juggle family and career and any number of other things you care to mention!”
- “I feel stuck in a rut and I just don’t have the energy to lift myself out of it”
- “I can procrastinate for………. (insert your country here)”
- “I simply haven’t had the time or space to think about the future, goals and all that stuff. I’m too busy keeping my head above water!”
- “I seem to do OK for a while, but I regularly get to the stage of being so overwhelmed that it feels like I can’t keep going”
- “I like to think of myself as a perfectionist, but if I’m honest, this is a great excuse not to do something!”
- “What I need is someone who can hold my hand and make me take some time out to get a fresh perspective”
These are the sort of statements I hear from mums over and again. And they are also the sort of problems that I will help you to solve!
I promise you that your situation is not unique. More importantly, your situation is NOT hopeless.
Here's How I Can Help You Turn “Working Mummy Madness” Into “Working Mummy Gladness” in my new Three Month Group Coaching Programme!
I’m sorry – I just couldn’t resist a rhyming headline! You see, I've spent the past 6 months designing a new group coaching programme called “Balance and Fulfilment in Three Months"that gives you a step-by-step coaching programme for achieving the sort of life that you deserve as a working mum. “Balance and Fulfilment in Three Months” is different from any other coaching programme as it’s tailored especially for the unique needs of working mums.
Here Are the Areas That We’ll Cover in “Balance and Fulfilment in Three Months”
- Lack of Time
As soon as you acknowledge that you will never have enough time and stop battling this as reality then is the point when you can start to put together your own personalised time management strategy for life – both at home and at work. You’ll emerge from this call feeling comforted that there isn’t actually anything you can do to get more than 24 hours in the day. But more importantly, you’ll have some great tools to try out to get the most out of the 24 hours you do have.
- Guilt – the Gift that Keeps on Giving
Guilt seems to be almost universally shared by working mothers. It’s as if you leave the hospital with the baby and an accompanying bag of self-replenishing guilt. We will examine the toxic nature of guilt, lighten it up a bit and I'll show you ways to reduce its insidious voice .
- Exhaustion and fatigue
Hands up who is full of energy at the end of a day at work or with the kids? Hmmm… I bet there aren’t many hands showing! In this session, we’ll examine what depletes you and how you can fill up your tank of energy, even when life is spinning at 100 mph.
- Stress
Do you ever feel that you are going to explode? Have you ever felt that there’s so much to do that you don’t know where to start? In this week’s session we’ll look at your stress trigger points, how to recognise them and how to counteract them.
- Self -Doubt
In this age of motherhood anxiety, we spend far too much time trying to be perfect, trying to live up to someone else’s ideal and going over things again and again in our own heads. In this session, I’ll help you to raise your awareness and tune into your own instincts so that you can make decisions more easily and raise your confidence levels.
- Neglecting your relationships with others
He who shouts the loudest usually gets the most attention. In practice this is likely to be your kids and work pressures. But the big risk (and I’ve seen it so often and this is why it’s included as an important part of “Balance and Fulfilment in Three Months”) is that you neglect the other important people in your life who aren’t “shouting” as vehemently for your attention . In this class, I’ll put the spotlight on the importance of nurturing relationships in your path to balance and together we’ll create a plan as to how you can prioritise your relationships.
- Loss of Identity
Who are you when you’re not being a mum/wife/businesswoman? We are so busy juggling multiple roles in life, we can easily forget who we really are underneath all the “masks”.
What really matters to you? If I was to ask you “What are your 5 most deeply-held values?” could you answer me without even having to think about them? Do you know what your core needs are – i.e. the needs that are unique to you? By the end of the programme, you’ll be able to answer these questions far more easily, and once you can do this, you’ll find so many things in your life much, much easier. You’ll be able to make quicker, healthier decisions, attract opportunities into your life that really excite you, parent with more ease and oh, so much more.
- Treading Water, lethargy and drudgery
Let’s face it, a lot of the time, being a working mum is just sheer hard work with little respite. In this class we’ll look at what happens when you get stuck in the relentlessness of it all and I’ll help you to find ways to lift your spirits and break the cycle of lethargy and drudgery.
- Lacking direction or wanting to change direction
Do you have a clear and delicious vision for your life in the next year, three years and ten years? Do you even know what you want from life beyond getting through to the end of the week?! In this class, I’ll help you to dare to dream and then I’ll help you to put a date and some actions onto those dreams.
Click Here To Reserve your Place Now!
These are the Positive Changes you can Expect, on Three Tuesdays Per Month at 8pm
Starting Tuesday 9th September:
- Develop your resilience in the face of the inevitable ups and downs of being a working mother
- Create a positive direction in your life so that you are living with purpose rather than by accident (even when there’s a pile of ironing the size of Everest)
- Stop beating yourself up and start realising how great you really are
- Understand who you really are behind the “Mother” label so that you can make better choices that will bring you fulfilment and joy
- Create your own unique blend of time management
- A strategy to deal with the sense of overwhelm when it all seems too much
- How to deal with the boring bits of being a mum
- Understand how to build your energy levels so that you have some left over do the things that fill you with more energy
- Enjoy motherhood rather than getting worn down by it
- Re-discover your long-lost neglected but essential friendships
- How to build a support network that will act as your “safety net” in all areas of your life as a working mum
- Create a vision that will pull you forward, even when the going is tough
- Simple ways to nurture your relationship with your partner even when you’re both knackered!
- Plus lots, lots more
But don't just take my word for it - check out these real-life examples from a few of the mums I’ve coached:
“An episode of stress-related illness had left me completely devoid of confidence. Although I’d taken time out from work to recover, I was still pretty terrified by the idea of returning. All I knew was that I needed to be able to say “No” sometimes. With Amanda’s support, I was not only able to go back to work and start over in a new role, I was able to resist the temptation to fall back into my old habits and take on too much. But that was only the start… Gradually, the calls with Amanda began to make me look at my whole life in a new way. I realised that after years of single parenthood - mostly focusing on surviving and putting my kids and work first - I had forgotten how to put me first. Gentle nudging and probing from Amanda made me question just about everything! Now I'm in the process of setting up a health consultancy business and have started to write the book I'd always felt was 'in there somewhere'. Soon I will give up the day job and work for myself.” Laura Ginesi, UK |
“For the first time in a long long time, probably since I got married, I feel 100% content with my life – in all areas of my life: in my relationship with my husband, as a Mum, at work, embarking on my new career, my friends, and my family; what more could I want!... I can now look myself in the mirror with total confidence and feel proud of me and of what I'm doing with my life. I no longer feel life is passing me by. As a result of this there have been huge benefits! - I'm still working long hours but I don't feel stressed because the difference now is I know what I want, why I want it and I'm doing what I want. - I have more energy - My relationship with my husband is back to what it was like when we married - My relationships in general are better because I'm more relaxed and am making the time for other people - I'm more open to letting other people in. - I'm still doing the same 'stuff' as before but I'm finding time to make time for the really important things in life - my family and friends.” Jennifer Baker, UK |
"I'm so amazed how I changed from having worries and negative thoughts to having a good feeling about how I will approach my new job regarding work life balance. And this happened in only 30 minutes!!!" Natalina Kofoed, Denmark |
“I started coaching sessions with Amanda because I was deeply unhappy with having to return to work after maternity leave and faced career upheaval and possible redundancy with a company restructure. I felt torn about leaving my child, uncertain about the future, and I totally lacked self-confidence in the workplace after being at home for a year. I felt it was important to explore my options before making any irreversible decisions. Coaching has given me a quiet space to review my life and work out what makes me feel happy and secure, and a renewed confidence in my skills and abilities. I feel happy again and with the decisions I’ve made.” Tania Nott, UK |
“Working with Amanda has been a very worthwhile and enjoyable experience that I would recommend to anyone. Her professionalism and warm approach have encouraged me to become more self aware and confident. She has helped me to appreciate what I have and what I can change to get what I want. She has taught me techniques to deal with worrying and negativity and has helped me to acknowledge my successes. I have found some focus at last. Thank you Amanda for being non judgmental and for giving me a sense of direction.” Maxine Robertson, UK |
“Over the past six months, Amanda has been an integral part of both my personal growth and the success of my business. As a mother experiencing the challenges of juggling a business with bringing up 2 children, I find it [very useful] being coached by someone who fully understands my situation, having been there herself. Amanda ensures I remain focused on my business goals and on the goals in my personal life. She helps me to find a solution to the most complex of problems; and guides me when I can’t see the wood for the trees! I have also found the practical advice offered by Amanda and her willingness to act as a ‘second pair of eyes’ at times, an invaluable input to my business. Amanda has had a positive impact on all aspects of my life and I whole-heartedly recommend having her as a coach.” Sarah Rugg, Chester, UK |
I promise you that your situation is not unique. More importantly, your situation is NOT hopeless.
YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED
Here is a list of frequently asked questions about the programme. If your question isn't answered here, just call me on 01829 752656.
- What's a Telephone Coaching Programme?
I want you to come to the calls and r-e-l-a-x! This is YOUR time! You can come with your dinner and eat it whilst you listen (the first 20 to 30 minutes will be me talking so you can listen and munch away whilst I mute the call). You can treat yourself to a cool glass of crisp white wine, a wee dram of whisky or a nice hot cup of tea whilst on the call. You can put your pyjamas on; you can take your make up off; heck, you can even sit in the bath as long as you don’t drop the ‘phone in! Get the picture? You don’t have to travel; you don’t have to put on any airs and graces. Just bring yourself and a pen and notebook and whatever else you want to make you feel relaxed and ready to learn and have some fun and a few laughs.
- "Does it work doing this sort of thing over the telephone?"
It certainly does! I work with about 80% of my clients over the telephone. I have participated as a coachee myself in group ‘phone coaching throughout my own coaching career and I’ve experienced the benefits first-hand. I am a BIG believer in several heads being better than one when it comes to solving problems, brainstorming ideas and seeking support. And when a group of women get together and support each other, we can move mountains. If you haven't participated in any phone classes before, it might seem weird at first. However, you will soon feel very comfortable in the virtual classroom, especially as you get to know me and the other mums on the course.
- "How many people will be on the programme and will I be able to bring up my own personal challenges?"
There are onlytenseven places on the course (at the time of writing this letter, three have already been taken). I’m limiting the numbers to just ten mums so that you can benefit from specific and personalised coaching from me during the calls on how to make this approach work for you.
- How does it all work then? Paint me a picture..!
We are going to cover a lot of ground in three months – we’ll be meeting 9 times and each mentoring/coaching call will last up to 90 minutes. A personal coaching session would typically last between 30-50 minutes, but our virtual classes will be longer so that you can get some one to one laser coaching during the class if you want it. Each class will be a mixture of me sharing with you strategies and techniques in each of the areas listed above. I will spend about the first half hour of each call giving you some invaluable information that I have built up over six years of coaching working mothers. After this I'll open up the call so that we can put in place actions that you want to commit to in between each session. If you are stuck or something has come up for you, we'll get you unstuck. Coaching is all about moving you from where you are now to where you want to be, and you'll be moving forward each week. You will receive a whole set of resources including questionnaires, exercises and tips sheets throughout the programme. I will challenge you and stretch you, but never so much that you feel uncomfortable. I want you to get maximum value from our time together. It matters to me that you get results. So each week I will ask you to set yourself your own "homework" or "fieldwork" - much like I would if we were doing one-to-one coaching. However the difference is that you are even more likely to do your homework. Why? Because you will be accountable to me and to the others on the programme! If you want a way to avoid putting off the changes you know you want to make, this programme will give you a compassionate kick up the bum!
- When does each class take place?
Our first class is on Tuesday 9th September at 8pm GMT. Each class will always be on a Tuesday night at 8pm GMT. Here are the dates:
Here are the dates of each class on Tuesdays at 8pm:
9th September
16th September
23rd September
7th October
14th October
21st October
4th November
11th November
18th November
- I'm on holiday for two weeks in October. What happens if I miss two classes?
All the classes will be recorded and transcribed so you can catch up very easily. And if you listen to the class you've missed and you have a question that comes up for you, I'll help you. I won't leave you high and dry if you miss a class or two!
- How much does this cost?
For many mums, the investment in coaching may not be viable. And this is why I developed "Balance and Fulfilment in Three Months" at a fraction of the price of my personal coaching fees (to give you an idea, my corporate rates start at £300 per hour). I have a limited number of spaces for personal coaching clients within Coaching Mums, and because I've just launched a new business (www.corporatemothers.com) I have even fewer personal coaching slots available. But coaching mums is my passion. I developed this niche as a coach early on and I’ve never looked back. So I needed to find a way to reach more working mums in the time I have, and this programme is my answer to helping you in an effective, low cost and fun framework. The benefit of this group coaching setting is that it costs a lot less than my normal coaching rates, but you still get help you in a way that is both personal and practical AND with the added benefit of a great group of other mums who will have similar experiences to yours.
Your total investment for the entire three month programme is just £291. I use the term “investment” deliberately; I believe in coaching as an investment in your own personal development and your future. (Each month I invest more than three times this amount in my own coaching, and I know this expenditure is an investment that pays back in every single area of my life).
- I really like the sound of the programme, but I don't live in the UK. Can I still enrol?"
Yes you can! The last time I ran a group coaching course I had mums from France, Australia and Denmark. We use a special "conference calling facility" that you can dial from any country in the world. Whilst the course fee is in UK pounds, you can pay via paypal from wherever you are. If you don't have a paypal account, you can set one very easily and free via www.paypal.com. Paypal is a secure way of paying online, it is free and very simple to use.
- Can I pay in instalments?
Yes you can. To make the programme even more accessible, you can pay for the “Balance and Fulfilment in Three Months” in three monthly instalments of only £97 per month. I'm not charging a premium for this - it's simply £291 divided by three! If you decide you want to pay in instalments, simply click on the enrolment link below to pay your first instalment and secure your place. We will then set up either a standing order or an invoice for the 2nd and 3rd instalments (due on 30th September and 30th October respectively).
- How do I enrol?
EITHER: You can reserve your place right now via paypal - which means that you can pay by credit or debit card.
Simply Click Here To Reserve your Place Now!
OR: If you are a low-tech, rather than a high-tech gal, that's fine! Just call me on 01829 752656 and you can send a cheque to secure your place.Once you've enrolled on the programme, you'll also receive a "Balance and Fuliflment Kickstart Questionnaire ". I ask that you take your time filling this in and that you send it back to me prior to the course starting. All kickstart questionnaires will be read personally by me and will remain confidential between you and me: The kickstart questionnaire helps you get clear on what you want and gives me an overview of what your personal challenges are and what you really want to get out of the programme so that I can help you to get the maximum value from the programme.
Click Here To Reserve your Place Now!
PLUS... FREE Bonuses
But there's so much more. Because I want “Balance and Fulfilment in Three Months” to be extra, extra special, I’ve put together some fantastic bonuses for you.
Free Bonus #1: Value £55 “Ask the Expert Masterclass: Money Skills for Women” with Catriona Brand of www.MoneySkillsForWomen.co.uk
An Opportunity to Get Answers to all your Money Questions Catriona Brand is the UK’s leading money expert focussing on issues affecting women. She is passionate about helping women gain the skills needed to make the most of their money (and even make more of it!). She is married with one child, Ben, aged two. www.MoneySkillsForWomen.co.uk has been specifically created and developed to meet the needs of women. This isn’t about women being better than men when it comes to money, it is about women asserting their financial independence and making it quite clear that the traditional view of men being in charge of the money no longer holds. But it’s more than about your daily cash. It’s about why women need to know what is going on with their money and why they need to be involved in all financial decisions that affect her, her family and her life. It’s about women learning the necessary skills to enable them to manage their money better, make their money go further and learning the skills needed to make sound decisions regarding their money. You don’t have to feel lost when it comes to money. Your Free Bonus: Catriona says “I am really excited about this special call exclusive for Coaching Mums “9 ½ Weeks to Balance and Fulfilment” course. I will be discussing a number of topics including:
I will discuss these areas, and more, explaining basic concepts and relating them to YOUR everyday life. I will also provide tips and advice on how to tackle them. However, I don’t think that just listening to me will give you the full benefit of this time together. I also want to give you the opportunity to ask me questions relating to these topics, so there will be a Question & Answer session at the end of the call. So, if you are ready to take control of your money and put money back into your pocket, please join me on this call. Don’t miss this chance to take huge steps forward in your knowledge and understanding of money matters. I promise you won’t be disappointed. I look forward to ‘seeing’ you on the call!” Catriona
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Free Bonus #2: Value £300 “Faking it: Confidence for Working Mums” Expert Masterclass with Sarah Perris and Merryn Myatt of www.perris-myatt.co.uk
Merryn Myatt Sarah Perris Sarah has forged a spectacular career as one of the UK’s most successful and experienced corporate PRs. After many years in the demanding automotive industry, where, amongst other achievements, she was responsible for strategy for Ford Europe, she was appointed Worldwide Communications Director of Bentley Motors before establishing Perris-Myatt. Sarah combines the highest degree of professionalism with a wicked sense of humour and great personal warmth. Her down-to-earth, sympathetic approach comes from working in many cultures around the globe. Merryn has enjoyed a long and high-profile career as an influential network television current affairs journalist and presenter – but nevertheless describes herself as “an un-reconstructed hack”! Your Free Bonus: Wouldn’t it be great if we could look and sound confident, even when we don’t feel it? Natural, easy confidence attracts positive reactions like a magnet!
"The feedback has always been exceptionally positive. Business women say their courses have really made a difference." In this energetic, fun and informative masterclass Merryn and Sarah will share with you: How we lack confidence Why confidence is important for working mothers What can confidence achieve? Ways of acquiring confidence Faking it – Sarah and Merryn’s Top Ten Tips |
Free Bonus #3: Value £100
” Ask the Experts Masterclass: Beyond Chocolate: The Intelligent Alternative for Women who Want to Nail ‘Healthy Eating’ and Get the Body they Want” with Audrey & Sophie Boss from www.beyondchocolate.co.uk Sophie & Audrey have been running workshops across the UK since 2001, helping hundreds of women to establish a healthy and satisfying relationship with food, and a positive body image. Beyond Chocolate is an original and liberating approach to weight loss and body confidence. Sisters Sophie and Audrey Boss gave up dieting and lost weight by discovering the key to success: ditch the ‘all or nothing’ diet mentality, stop looking to the experts for solutions and discover how to listen to your body. As mums we tend to do a great job of looking after every one…except ourselves! Most of us don’t have enough time to sit down to eat and instead we settle for grabbing something on the go and then we are left feeling unsatisfied and end up picking at the kids’ leftovers. Mums also tend to use their favourite foods as “treats” as this is often a quick and simple way to do something nice for ourselves – if only we had the time for candle lit baths and massages! So if you find yourself wishing you had a healthier relationship with food, let Sophie and Audrey guide you through an approach that leads to long lasting change. |
Free Bonus #3: Value £12.99 A signed copy of “Beyond Chocolate: How to Stop Yo-Yo Dieting and Lose Weight for Good” by Sophie and Audrey Boss, To support their masterclass, Sophie and Audrey are offering a signed copy of their groundbreaking book sent to you postage paid. Beyond Chocolate not only provides you with the tools you need to break that diet/binge cycle, it shows you practical ways to put them into practice in your everyday life. Based on extensive research and workshops for women with weight issues, "Beyond Chocolate" will help you to: eat whatever you want without feeling guilty; lose weight and not worry that you'll put it back on; only think about food when you are hungry; stop when you are satisfied; feel comfortable in your body; and wear clothes you like and feel good in. "Beyond Chocolate" is your passport to freedom!
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Altogether these free bonuses are worth £467.99 – much, much more than your investment in “Balance and Fulfilment in Three Months”-- but they're all yours absolutely free when you book your place today. This figure was not plucked from the air, but accurately reflects the actual fees that you’d normally pay for the masterclass guest experts.
Click Here To Reserve your Place Now!
My Guarantee to You
Can I help you get less stress, less guilt and more balance? Maybe. Maybe not.
But the only way to find out is to come and join me on “Balance and Fulfilment in Three Months” entirely at my risk. I personally guarantee that you'll come out with more awareness of who you are and where you want to go in your life AS WELL AS a toolkit of ideas to help you in all the areas of your life that I’ve talked about in this letter. If, after participating in the classes and completing your “fieldwork”, you don’t feel that you have benefited by the end of the coaching programme, I'll cheerfully refund your money. There is absolutely no way that you can lose - except by not taking me up on this risk-free 90-day coaching programme.
Click Here To Reserve your Place Now!
Amanda x
P.S. I'm offering you the easiest, most cost-effective, most risk-free way to be coached by me and gain a toolkit of techniques to help you live with less stress and more success from now on and for the rest of your life. You will pay just £297 to gain all of these benefits over three months and you’ll be able to see for yourself how my time-tested techniques can help you get your life in balance, enjoy success, make more of your time and feel good about your life as a working mum.
P.P.S There are a maximum of ten places on this programme and each of the ten mums who sign up will also receive the five fabulous bonuses worth £467.99.
P.P.S. Looking forward to working with you!






