Michelle Kelso, President & Owner - Enjoy the Journey Coaching

My Story, My Philosophy

Hi!  My name is Michelle Kelso, I am a wife, a busy mom of two, and I'm proud to say, a Life Coach.  I am committed to helping people grow, find balance, fulfillment and to live a life they love. 

In my professional life, I’ve spent almost 20 years in Corporate America, the early years in the airline industry and banking, and the last 10 in Learning & Leadership Development.  I've learned so much from my corporate experiences and I've had the good fortune to work with an amazing group of people.  What I have found is that my life and career has been a journey, leading me to this point, as a Life Coach, in a career I love.  I wasn’t miserable in my work, but there was something missing.  I wanted a career that would help make a difference in people lives.  In my last role, as a Vice President in Learning & Leadership Development, I was afforded the opportunity to become certified in many assessment tools.  This allowed me to become a coach to executives & leaders in our organization.  This is work I truly enjoyed.  In 2008, when our bank was purchased, my next step was clear, it was to leave the organization and to start my own coaching business to do the work that fulfilled me full time. 

My true passion is in coaching women.  As women, we assume many roles.  We are caregivers, household managers, business women, mothers and on and on.  It’s often difficult to remember what we want in life if it doesn’t make our “to do” list or if someone else didn’t ask for it. 

Women tend to put themselves last on their list, attending to the needs of everyone around them and having nothing left for themselves.  The ironic thing is that by taking care of yourself first, you can actually take much better care of those around you.  This is a hard fought idea for most women though.  We seem to be hardwired to put ourselves last, for a variety of reasons, and to feel guilty or selfish if we do something for ourselves.  As a wife and mother I understand - trying to do it all, running on the treadmill of life's responsibilities and feeling guilty about wanting to put myself back on my list.  And I’m not alone.  I’ve met many other women feeling the same way.  So I’ve made it a point as a coach to help women let go of the guilt, to focus on self-care and put themselves back on their own list, so that they can be at their best for the people who depend on them. 

I love using the analogy of the oxygen mask on an airplane.  You must put your oxygen mask on first in order to be effective in assisting others around you.   This truly is a metaphor for life as well.  A woman who is able to embrace self-care in order to feel more balanced and fulfilled, a woman one who lives her life from a place of passion, purpose, and happiness, can bring that same joy to all the lives she touches.  I have learned so much on my personal journey to leading a happier, more balanced and more fulfilling life, and I bring that experience and love of discovery to my client relationships.