Emotional Availability: The Hidden Barrier to Coaching and Personal Growth
In the coaching world, there’s a topic that often gets overlooked: while affordability is frequently blamed for not booking coaching services, it’s not the real culprit. The true barrier is often emotional availability—the readiness to open up and face the deeper fears that coaching can bring to the surface.
When we’re not emotionally ready, we tend to sabotage ourselves, and money becomes a convenient excuse. After all, it’s easy to blame financial constraints when the world around us constantly reminds us of tough economic times. But here’s the truth: we use money as a shield, a way to avoid confronting what might lie within.
That inner narrative can be harsh. It might sound something like, “What if I get judged?” or “What if I’m a terrible parent?” There are even darker questions that lurk in the background: “What if they find out my child hates me and judges me for it?” These fears, however irrational they might seem, can be powerful enough to keep us from seeking the support we truly need.
And it’s not just a passing thought. It’s a script we play out in our minds over and over again. Before we even realize it, real-life emergencies arise—an unexpected expense, a pressing family matter—and suddenly, the money we had saved for personal development or coaching gets drained. We’re stuck in the money conversation instead of asking ourselves, “What am I really running away from?”
This is a question worth exploring, because when we’re faced with something like buying an iPhone for our kids or investing in a matric dance dress, the money always seems to find a way. Even in tough economic times, we find a way to prioritize the things we want or feel are necessary. But when it comes to personal growth or coaching, things suddenly feel harder.
So why the discrepancy? It’s not about money mismanagement or lack of resources—it’s the subconscious cues we aren’t always aware of. Until we’re willing to be vulnerable and brave enough to confront the deeper emotional barriers holding us back, nothing changes. Growth requires us to face ourselves head-on, and that’s often the hardest step of all.
The truth is, when we start to question our resistance to coaching and support, we open the door to real change. But that requires emotional availability. It’s a process that requires us to step into courage and ask ourselves what we’re really avoiding.
Just a thought to leave you with.
❤
by Nomveliso