Gerard Leijen
Life Coach
Gerard Leijen
Life Coach
Hello, my name is Gerard Leijen and I am a qualified life coach.
My Education:
I have studied with, and received my professional diploma from Mindstream Coaching (accredited by the International Authority for Coaching & Mentoring). I also hold a business coaching certificate from the KBB (Knowledge Business Blueprint) with the Robbins institute in the USA.
To further my education and better serve you, I also hold certificates in Neuro Linguistic Programming (NLP) with Dr. Steve G. Jones, Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy with the Priority Academy and also, intensive Breathwork training with the renowned Micheal Bijker.
I have overcome addiction, ME (chronic fatigue syndrome) and Fibromyalgia; experienced and overcome many traumas and post traumatic stress; reinvented myself and radically changed my career.
My Goal
My passion and goal is to help people pinpoint, understand and overcome the challenges they face that are keeping them stuck in life and to help them find a better way forward. Why, because I have been there…I know what it’s like to be ‘stuck in a rut’, going through the motions wishing it was Friday and wondering what’s it all about, and never really feeling satisfied with life.
Many of us, without realising, become stuck in jobs and relationships (both personal and business) that simply do not align with our values, leaving us feeling unfulfilled and unhappy. This, in turn, can lead to stress, overwhelm, addiction and general ill health. Wouldn’t it be nice to wake up feeling happy and fulfilled everyday instead of waiting till Friday? Coaching can help us see another way so we can live in line with our values.
My Old Journey
During my youth I was always extremely active and played many field sports for a time but martial arts took my interest. Leaving school at 17 I had no clue what I wanted to do with my life, so I just applied for different jobs that appealed to me at that time and took the first opportunity that arose which was in the building trade.
I worked all over Ireland, moved to Holland for a few years, then London and eventually came back home and set up my own business. No matter where I went or what I did I never made a plan or thought it through, I didn’t know how, or even that I should. My life was like a ship without a rudder… at the mercy of the sea.
When the property crash of 2008 came I was still busy but I struggled to see a way forward. I was focused too much on the negative, the problems of the world, and as the saying goes “where focus goes energy flows.” It was all downhill from there, I placed my attention on the ‘problems’ in my life and thus, I attracted more things to complain about. A vicious circle. At this point with the help of a coach to guide my path I could have saved myself years of suffering.
After becoming very ill with ME/FM (and other auto-immune issues) in 2016, I was told by consultants and doctors that I’d never work as a builder again. Subsequently, I became depressed and eventually lost everything (material) I had gathered, my successful 20 year building business, savings and the house I built for our family. One day I woke and said to myself this can’t be it there has to be a way forward and I was right. Today, I believe that no matter how ‘bad’ things may seem there is always a way forward.
My New Journey
Thus, my new journey began and the things I discovered since have completely turned my life around, I found that way forward. The most important of those discoveries was how much our thinking affects the experiences we have in our lives. When something happens, or is said, we attach meaning to it, we label the event or words as good or bad.
IE: rain is just rain… it’s neither good or bad…. the meaning we attach to it determines how we feel about it.
I began to realise life is what you make of it and that everything is connected, what and how we think affects how we feel which in turn affects how we act, thus affecting our experiences. Coaching can help improve our life experiences by challenging these thought patterns that keep us from the success we seek.
More about coaching
Reading self-help books and watching YouTube videos can help improve our lives but it’s hard to beat the guidance of someone with both lived and professional experience who has overcome these challenges. Personally, I have overcome excess stress, learned to manage overwhelm, beat CFS/FM (my specialist area), dramatically changed career and improved relationships both personally and professionally.
No matter your current situation I promise you it will not change until you change it. The good news is there is always a way forward, once you commit to change. It may be uncomfortable, there’ll be times you want to give up but once you find that motivating reason….’Why’ you want change…. You will push through any barrier that is presented. This is where coaching comes in.
Coaching offers a safe, confidential environment for you to discover and explore the options you have to transform your life and live on your terms. Ask yourself, are you happy with your health, your relationships (both personal and professional), your career, work/life balance, income, mental health fitness. If not, you are one decision away from transforming your experience.
Hiring a life coach doesn’t mean you have failed in any way. Life just becomes so sneakily busy that we get stuck in our ways of thinking thinking this is our lot, but the fact is when we change ‘how’ we ‘think’ about life life simply changes. Good, empowering thoughts = good results. You can achieve these results through coaching.
Q’s to consider:
What do you actually want from life? Will that be achieved if you continue to do the same things? What is ‘not changing your thoughts and habits’ costing you? Will staying the same make you happy? Will your relationships improve with those you love? These are just some questions you can ask yourself to help you decide if you need to partner with a coach.
As your coach I can offer: 1:1 support, New awareness and perspective on the challenges you face, help weed out the negative thought patterns that do not serve you to help create clarity in your mind so you find your way forward, and accountability to keep you focused on what really matters to you.
However you choose to move forward, I wish you happiness and success 🙂
Contact Gerard Leijen Today
Hello there. I understand that reaching out to a life coach can feel intimidating. I’ve encountered similar feelings in my own journey numerous times. I want to assure you that I’m here to support you to the best of my abilities. Whatever challenges you’re facing right now, I’ll understand and empathize with your situation. More importantly, I’ll work with you to determine the best way forward. Trust me, the process is easier than you might expect.
Feel free to contact me directly via phone, email, or by completing the form on this page. I’m excited to connect with you soon!
Contact Gerard Leijen by Phone
You can call us on 0906 455 302
Contact Gerard Leijen by Email
You can email Gerard Leijen on contact@athlonecareclinic.ie