Men and women are different, and that's a beautiful thing. However, I coach women because our power has been undermined in so many ways throughout our lives, and it's time for us to reclaim it.

As a coach, I frequently receive offers from people claiming their services will help my business. These usually come in the form of long emails, and I typically respond with a polite "no, thank you." If, on the rare occasion, I do hire someone to work with me, as a woman who coaches women, I prefer to hire women because we think and behave differently. It is easier for women to understand what I do and give me the support I need to reach my goals.

Let me share an experience from this past weekend.

A gentleman reached out to me on social media; he was very complimentary about a post I had made about trauma. Having been through trauma himself, he felt the work I do is very important. How kind! We talked a bit about trauma and even discussed his own experiences, which I appreciated him sharing. However, I was waiting for his sales pitch, and sure enough, it came. He sent his pitch, hoping he wasn't being too forward, but he believed he could help me scale my business. I thanked him but stated that as a woman coaching women, I only hire women.

In response, he sent seven videos for me to watch, showcasing his coaching expertise. Again, I said no.

He persisted and responded that he coaches "women your age" all the time. This was a red flag for me; women my age don't like to be referred to as such. This was another validation that he was not the right person for me to hire. My response included a, 'women my age,' but he didn't grasp that he'd offended me. Instead, he accused me of making assumptions about him and insisted he could help my business. I pointed out that he had made assumptions about me and my business; the only assumption I made was that he was a man.

This gentleman was so adamant and insistent he could help and “scale” my business. He then used bullying language, criticizing my business setup and implying it wasn't structured to make hundreds of thousands of dollars.

In my heart, I believe this man was trying to help, but men have been conditioned to believe they know better, to think they know what’s best for us as women. I know he meant well, but I stood my ground. I coach women because, while men can be well-meaning, they are not the answer to our prayers.

We women are strong, smart, and capable, but we need to take our power back and release those self-limiting beliefs that have been conditioned into us. Don’t get me wrong, it's nice when a man opens a door for me, but I can also open the door for him. Women need to reclaim their power in many ways. When we say no to a man, it should be accepted without him pushing his ideas and ways on us,

thinking he knows better.

Women need to be taught and conditioned to understand that we are strong, smart, and capable. We can do this! We can do anything!

If you're ready to take your power back, I'd love to work with you. Let's start teaching you to be strong, to open that door for men, and to take care of yourself first.

Kim Murphy, It’s A Wonderful Life Coaching. Have a great day!