Jessica Griffin: Professional Coach & Facilitator, Edmonton, AB (2025)

12/17/2024

Before you start planning your new year goals, take the time to reflect on what worked this year.

At the end of a coaching session this week, my client—a business owner navigating a year of big changes—said, “I didn’t realize how much we actually accomplished this year. I feel so much better.”

What changed?

We used a framework called Appreciative Inquiry. Instead of focusing on what wasn’t perfect, we focused on what worked.

I guided her through three questions:
1️⃣ What are your biggest wins this year?
She reflected on her team stepping up, trust being built, and seeing her business run more smoothly without her micromanaging.

2️⃣ What strengths helped you create these wins?
We identified her ability to communicate with kindness and clarity, set boundaries, and empower others to take ownership.

3️⃣ How can you carry these strengths forward into next year?
She realized these weren’t isolated wins. They were a roadmap. By doubling down on what worked, she could keep scaling and stepping into her role as a visionary leader.

Here’s why this matters: when you focus on your strengths and wins, your brain builds momentum. The path forward becomes clearer, and you shift from burnout to empowerment.

As leaders, it’s easy to overlook our wins or move past them too quickly. But reflection isn’t just about looking back—it’s about creating a powerful foundation for what’s next.

So, before you write down those 2025 goals, ask yourself:
🌟 What are your biggest wins this year?
🌟 What strengths made those wins possible?
🌟 How will you use this momentum to shape 2025?

I’d love to hear: What’s one win you’re proud of this year? Share it in the comments and let’s celebrate together. 🎉

02/02/2024

What if I told you everything you’ve learned about productivity is wrong?

What if I told you comparing our brains to computers and our bodies to machines is one of the greatest fallacies you’ve been sold?

What if I told you all of that extra thinking, working, grinding was actually giving you the opposite results from what you want?

The truth is, we move before we think, and we play before we work.

There is a reason our development happens in this order. Movement, play, and creative expression are key to how the human brain and body are designed to optimally function.

When we move out of childhood and into the pressures and responsibilities of adulthood, this doesn’t change.

Despite the very real culture you face daily of “do more work, to be more (insert word of choice)”, there is so much research that shows we are actually healthier, happier, and yes, more productive, innovative, and successful when we spend less time thinking and working and more time moving and engaged in creative expression, art, and sensory experiences.

If it feels really hard to break out of that system, it’s not you.

We have a massive “Know-Do” gap in our culture. Despite what we know, our systems are set up to keep us doing things that decrease our mental and physical health and disconnect us from ourselves, each other, our humanity, and yes, even our planet.

But with awareness of the ineffective systems at play, I hope you feel more free to reconnect with your actual human needs, to rest more, move more, play more, create more so you can BE more.

You deserve to LIVE your life, not work your life.

You deserve to prioritize movement and art in your life not as a “nice to have”, but as a NEED to have.

You deserve to move through your day-to-day in a way that honors and respects the way your brain and body function.

You deserve more health, more peace, more joy.

Movement and art are not the extras of living.
Movement and art are how we live.🌈

01/23/2024

Your mindset matters. It shapes the way you view the world, how you process and reprocess events in your life, and plays a major role your motivation and ultimate achievements.

But did you know that your mindset isn't just shaped by your thoughts? It's actually the result of a dynamic interplay between your thoughts, feelings, and behaviours.

To truly shift your mindset, you often need to start with changing your behaviours. Behaviour is like planting seeds for new ways of thinking and feeling.

That's why I want to share with you these 4 behaviour-based practices that I personally use to keep the No, I can’ts at bay and maintain a 'Yes I Can!’ mindset.

The hard part? This process takes time and may not feel natural or easy at first, so it's crucial not to get discouraged.��“Making change is hard AND I am proud of myself for trying.” (See Practice 1)

These aren't quick fixes. Use them as small stepping stones to a lasting change in how you think, feel, and act. (See Practice 2).

When you get stuck- don’t sit and stew about it. (See Practice 3). And when the process isn’t perfect (because it won’t be), give yourself some love and grace (See Practice 4).

I know with time, practice, learning, and compassion you can gradually reshape your mindset, leading to a more empowered and positive outlook on life.

I’m here cheering you on!

Yes. You. Can.

01/16/2024

Coaching that is only focused on the mind is missing out.

Why?

It overlooks the integral connection between the mind, body, and emotions, which are all essential elements in holistic personal and professional development.

Your body and brain are not separate entities; they consistently work together as partners, collaboratively guiding you through life. Your body is much more than just a vessel for carrying your brain; it is a reservoir of incredible wisdom and insights.

With over 20 years of experience as a movement educator for all ages, I've gained extensive knowledge and a profound understanding of the significant effects body-based practices have on learning, development, and self-awareness.

Although coaching is frequently termed a 'thought partnership,’, I believe the most effective coaching methods leverage the substantial and evolving research on the crucial mind-body connection.

In my own coaching sessions, I actively incorporate body practices. These methods ensure that both my personal coaching experiences and the sessions I offer others are holistic and maximally impactful.

Curious to learn more?

I’ve put together the following images to share with you how I use body baed practices when receiving coaching and in my role as a coach.

How are you going to lean into the wisdom of your body this week?

01/11/2024

I was just feeling so grateful today for the people in my circle and how they show up for me…

Which got me thinking about my words of intention for this year… which got me thinking about the research on emotions and the connections between joy and gratitude…

Which made me curious about YOU!

💕 What are you feeling grateful for this week?

😄 Does gratitude increase your sense of joy?

Leave me a comment or send me a DM! I can’t wait to hear you’re at and your thoughts on gratitude and joy!

01/08/2024

Ice, ice, baby (too cold, too cold 🥶)

The temps are dropping this week, but did you know there are health benefits associated with winter walking?

Walking in the cold is actually an effective brain booster! Studies have shown colder temperatures can help people think more clearly. An icy blast to your nervous system can effectively increase brain activity, making you more cognitively alert.

If you’re struggling to focus after a few hours of working behind your computer or feeling a bit sleepy because of the toasty warm temperatures in your home office(🙋‍♀️), you might benefit from making getting outdoors for a brisk walk an essential part of your day.

I love winter walking, especially on days like today when the sun is shinning! Vitamin D levels naturally drop in the winter months when we spend more time indoors.

Vitamin D is crucial for maintaining bone health, and since it’s not an easy vitamin to get through your diet, sun exposure is key. Research shows that just 15-20 minutes of sunlight daily helps you get the Vitamin D you need. Unfortunately you can’t get Vitamin D through windows, so an outdoor walk is key!

Bundle up so you are safe, but try to get outside and walk this winter. Your brain and your body will thank you for it!

01/04/2024

We put so much emphasis on the final product, but the learning, growth, and creativity happen during the process.

For a large part of my career I was a children’s dance educator. During this time I held 4 “caregiver sharing” classes per year and only 1 formal performance recital.

This was intentional.

You see, I wanted the caregivers to not just see the “final product” of the children’s dance education, but to be involved and invested in the process.

The act of creating, the practice of concepts, skills, and technique, the trial and error, the application, synthesis, and evaluation occurred not when we performed the final dance but throughout the entire year, each time the children engaged in the process of dance.

The process is where the A-Ha’s, insights, self-discovery, and magic happened.

That is what I wanted the children and caregivers to value and celebrate, so I amplified and elevated the importance of process.

This became the culture of our classes and made our studio an inclusive space, because everyone could engage in the process of dance.

Process demands a higher level of vulnerability.

Process asks us to be messy and unrefined.

Process requires we lean into courage and faith.

Process asks us to journey outside the known and into the realm of possibility.

Process is the response to the question, “What if?”

Our greater culture often wants us to show up in the certainty and instant gratification of product, but my wish for you this year is that you allows yourself more time and space to slow down and enjoy the process.

I wonder what possibilities are waiting for you in the process?

12/18/2023

“What do you need to STOP doing?”

This is one of my favorite coaching questions I’ve been asking myself a lot these past few months.

By asking it consistently, I’ve taken steps that are allowing me to take better care of myself, better care of the people I love, and make meaningful change in my life.

So now I’m asking you, what do you need to stop doing so you can put your energy and effort towards things that bring more ease to your life?

If you want to explore this topic more from a self-care perspective, join me on January 27th for the Circles of C.A.R.E. Winter Retreat! https://jessicagriff.in/carewinterretreat/

12/11/2023

Coach the person, not the problem.

This statement came to mind as I read the article, “Emotional Intelligence Has 12 Elements. Which do you need to work on?” by Daniel Goleman and Richard E. Boyatzis.

https://hbr.org/2017/02/emotional-intelligence-has-12-elements-which-do-you-need-to-work-on

I don’t fundamentally disagree with the article, which discusses the positive impact of developing leadership competencies. I have immense respect for Daniel Goleman’s research and writings in the field of emotional intelligence. Moreover, I fully concur that identifying areas for growth and balancing strengths across various emotional intelligence competencies is a powerful method for leadership development.

However, my coaching education and philosophy don’t entirely align with the Emotional Intelligence Domains and Competencies table presented in the article (photo 1 in this post). You may wonder why.

The table predominantly lists competencies and sub-scales of emotional intelligence that focus on the person. Nevertheless, some are specific to workplace systems (e.g., organizational awareness, inspirational leadership, achievement orientation), making them situationally dependent.

Emotional intelligence competencies remain consistent with a person, regardless of the situation, whether professional or personal. When an emotional intelligence competency is honed in an individual, we observe its strength in diverse situations and circumstances. This is about developing the person versus solving the problem.

That’s why I prefer the EQi 2.0 model (photo 2 in this post) when discussing Emotional Intelligence with my coaching clients. While the EQi 2.0 model and assessment provide a roadmap for enhancing EI competencies relevant to specific career and professional growth, it also offers insight into one’s EI in any context. Its sub-scales are applicable to any role, circumstance, or situation because they are individual-specific.

This is why coaching the person, not the problem, is what makes inquiry-based coaching transformational. As a professional coach, my aim is to collaborate with clients to support their career development and goals. But one of the biggest surprises I hear from my clients over and over again is how professional coaching has a major impact on ALL areas of their lives.

Moving beyond transactional, problem-focused coaching and employing inquiry to delve deeper and concentrate on the person makes coaching transformative.

11/30/2023

Have you ever felt like you’re just not connecting with your team, or maybe you’re struggling to lead effectively? Or perhaps you’ve noticed how stress and emotions sometimes get the better of you, impacting your focus, decision-making, and overall enjoyment of work?

If this sounds familiar, then emotional intelligence-based coaching might be what you need to reduce burnout and elevate your professional life.

⭐️Understanding Yourself Better⭐️
It's common for professionals to struggle with recognizing their emotional triggers. My coaching helps you gain insight into your emotional drivers, equipping you with strategies to manage your responses proactively.

⭐️Communicating More Effectively⭐️
Reduce misunderstandings and conflicts. I'll guide you in sharpening your communication skills to convey your thoughts clearly and empathetically, fostering stronger connections at work.

⭐️Empowering Your Team⭐️
Leadership is deeply rooted in emotional intelligence. Develop the insights and skills necessary to inspire your team and create a supportive environment where everyone can excel.

⭐️Adapting to Change Gracefully⭐️
The only constant in life is change, and with it comes the need for resilience. Our sessions will enhance your adaptability, helping you stay composed and effective through unexpected shifts.

⭐️Breaking Through Career Plateaus⭐️
Feeling stuck? Boosting your emotional intelligence could be the key to propelling your career forward, setting you apart and unlocking new opportunities.

⭐️Navigating Conflicts Smoothly⭐️
Transform potential confrontations into opportunities for collaboration with the right emotional tools to handle workplace tensions with finesse.

⭐️Refining Your Leadership⭐️
Great leadership is about more than strategy; it's about connection. I help leaders like you to develop the emotional acumen needed to engage and retain top talent.

⭐️Harmonize your Professional and Personal Life⭐️
Emotional intelligence can help you strike a healthy work-life harmony, enhancing your professional performance and personal fulfillment.

Ready to make a change? Let's talk about how my two-month Elevate Your Impact with EQ coaching program can help you avoid career derailment and enable you to navigate your career with agility and impact!

https://jessicagriff.in/elevatewitheqi/

Jessica Griffin: Professional Coach & Facilitator

12/17/2024

02/02/2024

01/23/2024

01/16/2024

01/11/2024

01/08/2024

01/04/2024

12/18/2023

12/11/2023

11/30/2023

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