The struggle has been real for me. Have you ever been challenged by something you were trying to accomplish? What you set out to do was more than you expected, taking more time than expected? Since the beginning of January, I’ve been busy preparing for the National Board of Health & Wellness Coaching certification exam. There has been so much preparation leading up to it. My education started in March 2019 and working up to this point has also been a lot. I have so loved and appreciate all what I have learned. What an adventure!
From the Institute of Integrative Nutrition (IIN), it began by completing an accelerated, one-year health coaching training program in six months. Reach out to me if you’d like more information about this program; I’d be happy to share. In addition, it was necessary to complete a 6-week intensive practicum expanding that was taught at IIN for eligibility to sit for this exam. One of the requirements was to accomplish 50 coaching sessions; I was able to submit 62 with everyone’s help! I appreciative each one of you for your time, energy, love and support as well as from my family and friends. My husband Kevin has been picking up the slack around the house for the last year and has done so with a servant’s attitude. I also appreciate my peer groups. I’ve been connected to a community of people interested in helping others and inspired by their own lifechanging events. We’ve been able to share our struggles, fears and accomplishments on this journey together.
As you can see in the picture above, that’s 90, 5x7 index cards front and back of material I’ve been preparing, organizing and studying! You can say it’s been a challenge to process all the possible material on this exam. Back in October, I began with one of the supportive, peer group. Most of us were recent graduates from our coach training programs. I think I speak for most of us that we were a bit clueless about what was ahead to prepare for taking this exam.
With last Christmas approaching, I decided to seriously begin preparing in January. There was shopping to be done, my daughter, Julia, and her boyfriend, Phil, came home for Christmas. I truly wanted to enjoy the holidays and seriously begin studying after the New Year. In January, I joined a second study group too with Dr. Cherie Pettit at Elevating Exercise Science. I appreciate and love both groups where I have found tremendous support, insights and assistance. When I entered this second study group, they were on Week 7 Study Guide; I was on Guide 1. You want to talk about panic in the moment! It’s taken me to a week prior to the exam to finish the last study guide. Now, I hope and pray that enough of all this information will fit and stay in my brain so that I can pass this test. Although I want to pass the first time, in keeping perspective, the worst thing that will happen is that I will retake the exam in October. Just think how prepared I’ll be then, if necessary. 😊 I’m thankful for the process, the people I’ve met and will continue to grow on this journey. The learning and growing is limitless really. By the time you read this post, I’ll be on the other side of my exam which was Thursday, February 20. I will be in “wait and see mode” for two months until results are available.
Are you following me on my “Simply Made Health with Rhonda” page on Facebook? I share a variety of health and wellness information there. Give it a try by joining as I’ll also be announcing how I did there as well as update this post.
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UPDATE: Beyond the test! Today was the day…Yippee! Yahoo! I’m exhausted really. I see early-to-bed for me tonight. It was the most difficult test I’ve ever taken. I do not remember the exam I took 30 years ago for my education certification being this difficult. This was a lot of information and, for the most part, it all had to applied to coaching scenarios. I have no idea how I did. I’m hoping for the best. I’m thankful to be beyond it. I’ll get back in about two months with the results. Worst case scenario, I will sit for it again in October. I’m keeping all my study preparation materials. If that occurs, I will be super prepared and have better insight into what to expect. Now to catch up on all the things I’ve temporarily have had to overlook, as the studying has been all consuming. One thing I know, I woke up this morning feeling confidently prepared, at peace with clarity. These were the prayers that were spoken for me and for myself. God is always working, even when we cannot see. He has a purpose for this process also. Looking forward to hearing I passed but trying to keep it real too. Enjoy the weekend everyone!
