What’s Your Birdsong?

Birds have their own language; birdsong.

What’s birdsong? It’s a beautiful and complex form of communication. According to Audubon.org, “We also realize that we can feel what is happening with the birds around us. Bird songs help us relax, their alarms cause tension, and their deadly silence prompts us to observe our surroundings more carefully. Humans evolved to be highly attuned to this language for survival and we still have that programming inside of us.”

Imagine having that kind of influence to those around you. What then would be your birdsong, your unique voice? In a perfect world, how would you describe your birdsong? What changes would you have to make to achieve that? Now you’re on to something!

As we grow in our understanding of ourselves and the impact that trauma has on our humanity, we also grow in compassion, non-judgment, empathy, wonder and championing for ourselves and others – and those are just the characteristics needed for transformation. (Gilmore, Megan. Lark’s Song, Marion IN)

As I’ve grown and understood myself, the experiences I didn’t know were trauma, the many areas of limiting beliefs holding me back, and the emotion I’ve pushed down, I’ve come to realize that all of those things have kept me from seeing others. Remember in the movie, Avatar; their greeting was “I see you” meaning I accept you, I understand you. Imagine if we really took the time to see each other each time we met.

In coaching, we endeavor to see you, see your wonder, and see who you are with empathy to champion you towards the place you want to be—to recognize your own unique voice, your birdsong.

What drew me to coaching

Initially, learning honestly. I’m a learner. But the deeper answer was I was a woman in transition, seeking change, and looking for who I was—even though at that initial state, I had no idea that’s what was going on.

I discovered that through the learning, though; what happened to my body when I pushed down emotion. I learned about how much those emotions teach me and what my body is telling me at any given point. I learned about shadows and conflict styles and repressed trauma and most beautifully what acceptance and championing feels like. That’s a change I had to get used to. In trauma and even repressed trauma, we’ve learned how to function in that. It’s a whole ‘nuther thing to live in acceptance and fulfillment and happiness.

That’s a huge draw to coaching: to help my clients live more fulfilling lives and learn to reframe their challenges as opportunities for growth and develop the skills and motivation they need to achieve empowerment and fulfillment.

Ideal Clients

My ideal clients are women in transition, those seeking change, and looking for who they are (funny that).

In the Lark’s Song (where I received my coach training), a pivotal moment came while viewing their video content series, Emotional Intelligence with Megan, I could literally feel how our culture and society quenches displays of emotion. Sure, you can laugh but not too loud. You can smile but not too big. You can be touched by kindness, but don’t get too gushy. And even though I’ve lived a long time quenching emotion, I don’t want it to be like that any longer. It makes me wonder where all the judgment comes from–what are we afraid of if someone feels extremely happy or cries at their desk because the grief of their dad passing away the week before hit them.  

With my practice, it’ll be about empowering the voice of women to recognize their uniqueness and to nudge the degree of the boldness towards more tolerance and identifying limiting beliefs and fears from the detrimental physical response of truncating and even those deconstructing their faith.

Resources:

Gilmore, Megan. (2020?). Flourishing forward : considerations for trauma informed coaching. Choice Magazine. Volume 18. Number 3. pp26-28.

Gilmore, Megan. (2022). Lark’s Song content series : emotional intelligence with Megan. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dEeJtVyDXCA