I have a work conference next week. This past year I have grown a lot as a person through coaching. This helped me at work as I advocated for myself and my organization when the director was working to fire me.

I have chosen the niche of helping people in small organizations learn how to advocate for themselves when they are faced with a hostile work environment. I have learned that there are few protections for people in those situations. I want to use my experience to help people like me manage their thoughts through the process of advocacy.

I’m concerned that if I do what I plan to do next week and tell people at the conference that I am a certified coach who works in that niche that they will perceive me as disloyal. I know that is a thought. Here’s my model:

C – I decided to tell people at my work conference that I am a coach who works in my niche
T – They will see that as disloyal
F – Anxious
A – Look for evidence, don’t give them the benefit of the doubt, indulge in worry, avoid the feeling by buffering, find reasons to say nothing, don’t advocate for myself in this way, beat myself up when I don’t say anything, make excuses to not share
R – I am disloyal to my dream of helping people and building a coaching practice

I want to find a different feeling that helps me to tell people what I am doing. I believe in the work and I want to share it.