This coaching book might just change your life
?SUCCESS BEGINS with me, but it is not about me,? says the quote in the newly released inspirational guide ?Born to be a Hero.?

I love books that teach me more about life and how to be a better person, but this one is different. It is much closer to my heart because the author is a real-life role model to me. She is my life coach.

For the earlier part of 2010, Sarah Meier-Albano and I, through our former radio show, ?The Dollhouse,? were looking for something new to bring to radio. We had a few things knocked down already.

Yes, we were the only all-girl morning show at the time. Yes, we talked and handled interviews differently--with a sense of humor and modern slang. Yes, we gave out advice and inspiration based on the books we?ve read or people we?ve talked to, but there was something missing.

Thankfully, we met a spirited, warm and caring life coach by the name of Pia Nazareno-Acevedo. At the time, we were looking for an expert who could really give solid advice on topics, such as personal identity, love, career, family and other things our listeners could ask us about. After our first meeting, we knew immediately it was a perfect match.

The next seven months that followed her debut on air can only be described as months of enlightenment. So many questions came into our show from listeners not only in Manila, but also from listeners streaming online from different parts of the world. We would get feedback saying that even though they thought a topic couldn?t relate to them, they still learned from it.

It felt really great to be able to help so many people through these sessions. Despite U92 (the station of ?The Dollhouse?) ending last September 2010, the impact Coach Pia had was unforgettable. She made us realize two things. One, we sometimes don?t know what we need until someone helps us clear it up; and two, we can never stop improving.

What is a life coach?

It is like having a trainer at the gym, or a tutor for math class. A life coach is your mentor, for life. ?Every champion has a coach,? as the old saying goes.

Coach Pia says it more specifically: ?A life coach serves as an individual?s partner in a thought-provoking and creative process that inspires them to maximize their personal and professional potential.?

So keep in mind these key words: partner, process, inspires, potential.

As one partners up with a trusted confidant who isn?t going to judge your thoughts, you work together through a process of open communication. As the weeks go by, you find yourself understanding your situation better, and you find ways to improve with action plans.

?You allow yourself to stay connected to a mentor that will allow you to harness the self-confidence, ?grounded-ness? and passion you will need to make the choices to achieve your goals,? explains Coach Pia.

I?d like to also call a life coach your own personal cheerleader.

We?re all in the same boat

Just because you talk to a life coach doesn?t mean there?s anything wrong with you, either. When I suggest to my friends that they talk to Coach Pia in private sessions, I always get the same reply: ?Why? There?s nothing wrong with me!?

Let me clear this up: There is nothing that is supposed to be ?wrong? with you. Everyone goes through problems and life challenges. These may differ from person to person?personal issues, family issues, career issues?but know that everyone goes through them.

?There is a tendency to liken a life coach to a counselor or psychologist, which leads to the perception that seeing a life coach signifies treatment of some emotional or psychological problem,? says Coach Pia. This discourages young adults to see a life coach for fear of being labeled.

But despite our differences on the surface, everyone goes through similar challenges in life. With life transitions come life questions. They can range from physical changes to issues on identity, school and work adjustments, or many ?firsts? in new settings, like getting a new job, or being in a new relationship.

Everyone has at one point felt unsure about what to do with his or her career. Everyone has been hurt in the past. Everyone has once felt lost. You aren?t alone in this.

Everybody can be a hero

To help answer such questions, Coach Pia came out with her first book, ?Born to be a Hero.? She says, ?People are heroes everyday. There are simple yet heroic acts we fail to recognize only because we aren?t that aware of this.?

Isn?t it strange how so many of us fail to see our own good qualities? Everyday, we are doing amazing things we don?t give ourselves enough credit for.

This book is a great guide on how you can bring out the inner hero in you. It?s for young adults (or the young adults at heart!) who want to start the year on a clean slate. Through guided chapters, exercises and questions you can browse at your own pace, Coach Pia?s book helps rebuild your self.

?In ?Born To Be A Hero,? I talk about ?Wild Card? passbook entries which are past experiences that one can turn into sources of real strength and ?wealth? precisely because of the value that these experiences have contributed to one?s life. One of the Wild Card categories I discussed was Embracing Pain and Fear,? says Coach Pia.

However, if you think you?re going through something much deeper, don?t replace professional counseling with this book. Its still best to talk to someone face to face.

Coach Pia also gives great tips in her chapters ?Staying Focused? and ?Taking Heroic Action.? As I was flipping through the pages, my eye caught several quotes Coach Pia would say during our show, or during our private talks. What I loved most about this book was that it encourages you to come face to face with your self.

It takes a lot of courage to be honest to yourself and to face the truth about what is holding you back in life. Sometimes, we unconsciously sabotage our own success because of insecurities we?re holding on to.

But the minute you face this, trust me, you?ll feel like a champion. Let this be your best victory in life. As the book says: ?You were Born to be a Hero, and now it?s time for you to live like one.?

What a wonderful way to start the year!