We were lucky to catch up with Abby Cameron recently and have shared our conversation below.
Abby, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Can you recount a time when the advice you provided to a client was really spot on? (Please note this response is for education/entertainment purposes only and shouldn’t be construed as advice for the reader)
A client approached me with a career dilemma. She had been working for a company for over twenty years and held the title of COO. However, the company was recently acquired, and her position as COO was slated for elimination. She faced a critical decision: whether to accept a severance package and leave the company or transition into a role with reduced income and leadership responsibilities. The weight of this decision had left her feeling paralyzed.
Her concerns ran deep. She worried that her extensive experience in a highly specialized niche within the industry might limit her chances of landing another COO position. The fear of unemployment or having to settle for a significantly lower income loomed large in her mind. We delved into these fears, seeking to distinguish between real concerns and perceived obstacles. Often, we fear a future that hasn’t even materialized yet.
I guided her through my intuitive process, helping her tap into her inner wisdom by quieting the noise of her mind and ego. As we worked through this process, it became clear that she had been unhappy in her current role for a while, and the fear was what had been keeping her stuck. She began to see her situation not as a loss but as an opportunity for personal and professional growth, one unburdened by fear.
Ultimately, she chose to accept the severance package and leave the company. As we continued our work on shifting her mindset, she diligently focused on updating her resume and expanding her professional network. In a matter of weeks, she received a remarkable job offer from another company, one that not only matched her previous position but exceeded it in terms of compensation and growth potential.
By helping her gain clarity and move past her fears, she was able to unlock an extraordinary opportunity that far exceeded her initial expectations. This journey served as a powerful reminder that sometimes, embracing change and confronting our fears can lead to unexpected and remarkable outcomes in our lives.
Abby, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
I have always had a passion for personal and professional development. I am a life coach although I prefer to say field guide for a rich, abundant, and wild life. I am also a gratitude warrior. My journey into this industry started with a degree in psychology from Nebraska Wesleyan University and a life coach certification from Martha Beck. However, my path took some interesting turns.
Initially, I aimed to become a licensed therapist to help children who had experienced trauma, inspired by my transformative experiences with my own childhood therapist. However, I soon realized that my deep empathy made it emotionally challenging for me to work with these children. So, I pivoted and pursued a career as a teacher and then a program director for a non-profit organization. Even though I went down a different path, I’ve always been the person friends and family turn to during challenging times. It was one friend who suggested I become a life coach, a role I had never heard of but soon discovered was my true calling.
My approach as a life coach is unique, and I recognized that starting my own business was the best way to reach and help as many people as possible. I offer personal coaching services, guiding women to identify where they’re feeling stuck in life, helping them remove obstacles, sometimes stemming from their own mindset, and navigate life transitions. My ultimate goal is to help them uncover their authentic life and equip them with the tools to live it fully.
In addition to personal coaching, I am deeply committed to raising awareness about the transformational power of gratitude. I do this through various classes, lectures, and my Gratitude Tree Project, which has earned me the title of ‘Gratitude Warrior.’ As an educator, I host both in-person and virtual courses and workshops for women, focusing on gratitude, mindfulness-based stress reduction, and more.
I also consult with companies and organizations to create customized programs that empower individuals to cultivate a culture of thriving employees. I believe that a healthy culture starts with empowered individuals.
As a public speaker and podcaster, I bring my unique gift of intuition to my work. My strong sense of intuition allows me to receive messages that guide the direction needed to best help my clients. I focus on inner transformation, which I believe is the key to achieving external goals. I don’t believe in a one-size-fits-all approach; instead, I listen to the unique needs of the people or organizations I work with and create tailored programs to meet those needs. It’s more effort, but the real change happens when we address specific challenges from the inside out.
Having overcome many challenging experiences in my life, I understand the importance of forgiveness, compassion, acceptance, love, and therapy in healing. If you’re willing to do the work, I firmly believe it works. What sets me apart is my dedication to an individualized approach, my deep commitment to gratitude, and my intuitive guidance, all of which enable me to help my clients unlock their true potential and lead more fulfilling lives.
Training and knowledge matter of course, but beyond that what do you think matters most in terms of succeeding in your field?
My success can be attributed to several key factors other than my training. First and foremost, my personal life experiences have provided me with a unique level of expertise that sets me apart. I’ve faced and overcome challenging and traumatic situations, and I draw upon that wisdom to support my clients on their own journeys. Additionally, my ability to trust and utilize my intuition when working with others has proven to be a significant catalyst for positive change.
However, perhaps the most significant reason for my success is my unwavering commitment to approaching every situation with a positive intent. I firmly believe that every individual possesses a light, a purpose, and inherent value. I view them from that perspective from the very beginning, which fosters an immediate sense of trust and empathy in our interactions.
In working with organizations, my success has been driven by my approach of working with employees on an individual level and then inspiring leadership to commit to creating a culture of inclusion and self-care. Rather than adopting a top-down approach, I firmly believe that we must work on uplifting every member of an organization, and this methodology has consistently yielded positive results.
As a coach, my own experiences have proved to be the most valuable in understanding the needs, fears, and desires of every client. Because I understand and provide guidance accordingly, a client experiences true transformation.
Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?
In 2013, I found myself in the midst of depression, struggling to find happiness and hope. My emotional turmoil was exacerbated by an attack on my character by certain family members, who had cast me as the villain solely because I am gay. At that time, we still lived in the same neighborhood, and their actions left me feeling isolated and ostracized. While I had overcome various traumatic experiences in the past, this particular situation was proving to be one of the most challenging to overcome. I have always prided myself on my ability to rise above difficult circumstances, but during those dark days, hope was hard to find.
It was during this period of my life that I stumbled upon the transformative practice of gratitude. I started The Gratitude Tree Project, and it fundamentally altered my perspective. I came to the realization that while I couldn’t change the way I was being treated, I could choose how I reacted and how I showed up in the world. I recognized that I had a choice in the matter. Ultimately, I decided to stand in my power, assert my authenticity, and refuse to let the negativity of others define me.
Gratitude became the cornerstone of my work, profoundly shaped by this experience and other significant events in my life. Living life through the lens of gratitude has become a lighthouse of resiliency for me. It has granted me the strength to overcome any adversity, reminding me that in the face of challenging circumstances, the power to transform my own perspective and inner world lies within me.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.indigocoaching.net
- Instagram: @indigocoachingabby
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/abby-cameron-516a0911/
- Other: https://indigo-coaching.teachable.com/p/home
Image Credits
Ashley Sanderson