#28: Why “doing the work” as a coach is a non-negotiable with Dana Parker

I have a mission, vision, and purpose statement for myself. My purpose is about being. I don't believe that it's about doing. My mission, there's some doing in that, but being. I be hope, joy, and love.

Hey, Coach, my name is Lindsey, and I'm here to help heart-centered women like you build the money-making coaching business of their dreams. I've been coaching since 2019, and this pod is about So much more than building your business. It's about using your gifts to build a life and business you're 100% obsessed with. I went from working 50+ hours a week as a first grade teacher to building a sustainable business that replaced my job salary and gave me back 30+ hours a week of my time. Tune in to join the ride and learn from other coaches and experts along the way. All right, welcome everyone back to the Aligned Coach Podcast. If you are a new listener, we have an interview today with Dana Parker. Dana is an incredible human being, just from the little bit that we've been talking behind the scenes. So excited for this. And of course, if you are a returning listener— sorry, I'm like plugging in my computer— if you're a returning listener, welcome back. And you know that we do not disappoint with these interviews. So yeah, have fun, sit down for a cup of coffee, or if you're on your morning commute or folding laundry, whatever, enjoy this interview. And I hope that Hope that you're able to take some things away. Dana is highly experienced. She has over a decade of experience in the coaching realm, and I think that this is going to be a very, very valuable listen for you. So Dana, welcome on and please introduce yourself to us.

Thanks, Lindsay. Thanks for having me. I'm so, so happy to be here. I'm excited to have a conversation with you and connect. That's what I love most about these. My name is Dana Parker and I am a Certified Life Coach and Hypnotist. I also have a certification as a Reiki Master. So I kind of, I do a combination of a lot of things. You know, all of us Coaches, that is the fun part to me about all of us Coaches is we have our unique flavors and we have our unique things that we like to and that we feel drawn to bring into our coaching to help better people's lives. So Those are kind of my flavors and my combination that I bring into my coaching. I have spent over a decade coaching thousands of Clients all over the world. I have had such an incredible opportunity to learn so much in the process. You know, I learned, I feel like I learned from almost every single call, right? Learning new things about myself, learning new things to help. You know, when you open up your heart and mind, that intuition just flows and, and things transform in a beautiful way, and inspired things come through, and you're like, whoa, that was cool, I'm gonna add that to my tool belt. So I have 12 years of big tool belt tools that I've, I've put in my, um, realm that I can pull from. And so, um, I love this work. I started, uh, 12 years ago on my own personal journey, and I I just, it lit a fire in me. Personal development lit something up inside of me that I just, I didn't want to ever put out. And so I am a huge advocate as a Coach that we all need Coaches, that we need each other, that we, I have a Coach that I still pay every month that I am going to. You know, doing your work, walking your talk, I think is really important, which actually catapulted me into starting my own business. So I started my own business in October of last year called Inner World Movement. Movement, and I'm super excited about it. Inner World Movement for Outer World Results. And, um, so that's a little bit about me.

I love it. Oh my gosh, I love it. Your energy is just like radiant right now, and I know that the listeners can like seriously feel it. Yeah, on their end. I love this so much. I think you're so right, like we have to walk our talk, right? Um, especially if we're coaching others. Like, I don't think that it just like our own development doesn't just end one day, right? Oh no, you're good. Like, you're fine. Go ahead. Right? Like, you have to continually develop. And now I do think, okay, so like on the flip side, but also part of that, like, I do think that sometimes it's okay to rest, or sometimes it's okay to just like, be still, you know, and, and it's okay to have that because that is part of your development, right? And but then you'll know like, okay, now it's time that I I, you know, do I want to dive into hypnotherapy, or like, do I want to work with a mindset coach? Like, things like that.

Um, oh, it gives me chills. That's so good. And I completely agree. I think that's part of the journey of continuing on the path of healing. You know, it's like we have seasons in our life. We have these seasons of where we feel like, oh, growth, growth, growth, growth, growth. And then we have these resting seasons, just like the earth does. You know, we have all the different seasons. Winter is the time of rest, time to go within, right? And then there's a harvest time and there's a growth time and, and all of that. And so it's the same in our lives. I actually have to learn that the hard way because I'm like a, let's do this, let's do this, let's go, let's go, you know? I'm like, move through my stuff and work on me all the time. And so, um, that actually caused me to chase destinations, you know, and not enjoy the journey. And that became exhausting. And so when I started to implement more of just being, you know, I have a mission, vision, and purpose statement for myself, and I believe my purpose is about being. I don't believe that it's about doing. My mission, there's some doing in that, but being, I be hope, joy, and love. That's what I believe about myself. And just to be that and allow myself to be, it's become a really important practice.

Oh, it's so good. Yeah. Yeah, it really is. I love that. There's, um, gosh, this takes me back to years before someone told me, um, that I would spend so much time and it's kind of like bittersweet looking back at this, but someone told me that I spent so much time looking forward to the future that I was missing out on like the present moment right here. And that has like stuck true with me because it was like I was in college and I am like, you know, all the life, life is going to be so much better then, then, then, or like, you know, in the future, right? And I was like, you don't know what you are talking about, you know, then, right? But now I look back at that time and I was like, those really were like good times in my life. But I was so, you know, chasing, chasing what's next, chasing the bigger and the better. And it's even easy to do that, you know, as we're developing ourselves, right? Oh, well, when I learned this new reality, right? Whenever I heal the wounds or whatever, like whenever I do that, then I'll be good, then I'll be happy, or, you know, not even happy, but then I'll be whole, right? And I think that it's so true what you said, like We are like, just be. Like, we are already whole. Like, we are already like magical now as we are.

That is one of my favorite words, magical. That is my big future statement. I love it. Yeah, we are. Just be and being present with yourself, I think, becomes a really important practice, especially because as Coaches, we are so outside looking to help so many other people outside of us. Taking that time. I actually have this like recurring affirmation that the more I take care of myself, the more my business thrives. The more my business thrives, the better I take care of myself. And it's like that. I really do feel, you know, and I can get out of balance sometimes and I have to stay in check. And you know, I, I got out of balance just a couple of weeks ago and I got back into balance and guess what? I had 4 new clients text me in a week. Yeah, it is amazing. Like taking good care of myself.

I love that.

And I think that is really important. It is an important part of us, you know, of our lives as givers. So many of us Coaches are such huge givers, but we have to give to ourselves too.

Yeah, yeah. So true. So true. That is funny that you say that because this past month in June, yeah, we are in July now. Yeah, in June, every client that like came onto my roster that month came whenever I was not working. Like, kid you not. I remember like, I was at the gym with my husband Daniel, and I'm like, holy shit, like, because I told— like, I clocked out for the day, like I was done. And then like that afternoon, like someone like reached out to me and like asked, and then I was like, okay, this is confirmation that I don't have to be on, right, to be attracting my people. And then it happened again. And I was like, What? Like, this is such comfort because it's been very much, you know, like, this is my first year of being in business coaching. So I was a relationship coach before I like transitioned into business coaching. And it's been very much in that like forward movement momentum, like go get it. And so now this has been a season of like, okay, like, let me just receive, like, let me just kind of like, you know, like receive the fruit from all the seeds that I've been planting. And Yeah. And it was just so freaking cool. The universe was like, see, Lindsey, like I told you. And I'm like, okay.

Yeah. Yeah. Those are the moments. It's out loud to the universe. Yes to this. More of this. I receive it.

Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

I appreciate it.

Yeah, exactly.

Yep.

Love it. Love it. Okay. So tell me, I was curious. You said that you had been coaching for like 12 years and, but you had just recently started your own business. So were you coaching with like, like other companies or with like, you know, schools? Like how did, what did that journey look like for you?

Yeah. So when I started, when I started the journey, it was, it has been really interesting actually, because I live my life very intuitively. You know, I go from my heart and bring in my logic and like weigh things out and things like that. I think both are so important. And, you know, when I was 23, I hit this wall. I had 2 little boys that were amazing, and I just wanted to be the best mama on the planet. I found myself in these cycles of emotional eating and binge watching Netflix and just sleeping my days away. It was such a, it was a time in my life where I didn't understand the emotions I was feeling. I wasn't understanding what was even happening. I just called it depression. Emotion, you know? And so many times we blanket statement emotions and experiences we are having because we don't even know how to name them. And so at the time in my life, I was, I called it, I was experiencing depression. And I knew, I knew in my soul that I was meant for something more, more than binge watching Netflix and emotional eating and sleeping the days away. It just, my soul felt like there's something more. And what happened at 23 is I actually came out with a secret, a secret I had been keeping for the whole part of my existence, of sexual abuse. I was sexually abused as a child and I stopped it and I didn't tell a single soul. I was so scared and I didn't want to get anyone in trouble. And I was a people pleaser at the time and And I was kind of raised in a culture where sex was really not talked about, and there's a lot of shame around it. And, and so it was a really confusing thing as a child. But at 23, I'm married with 2 kids, and there's all these like underlying emotions, you know, happening. And so I finally came out and, and spoke up and said, you know, I experienced sexual abuse as a child. I told my parents and and some of my family members. And what happened was my— this dam of emotions that I've been keeping inside broke open. Yeah. And when it broke open, I had no clue and no tools of what to do with that. I, I had no idea. And, you know, one minute I'm fine, the next minute I'm experiencing flashbacks and crying my eyes out. And it's like that emotional roller coaster is like, I don't even know what to do with this. I don't even know how to function. The beauty of it now is that catapulted me into searching, searching for something at a young age. I am 23 years young. I started this and that is incredible. I still have like, you know, 50, 60 years even now to impact the world and I am like on track, you know? So, 12 years ago, through a series of Beautiful events. I met someone who invited me to a class and, uh, it changed my life. And I met some amazing individuals and I felt like I was supposed to be a part. And I went up to the owner, I went to his 3-day event, learned about beliefs, learned about my mind and, and how to reframe things. And it was so empowering. I went up to the, the owner at the end and I was like, I'm, I will work for you. And he's like, great, we're not hiring. And, you know, we'll, we'll see. And like, I love your enthusiasm. I was like, no, I will work for you. Like, I, I will do this because this is what I feel like I was meant to do in my life. Yeah. And I love this. And so within 3 months I was teaching for him, and, uh, within a few months Uh, I was the top salesperson and just made my way, made a spot for myself. And, um, that was such a fun journey for me because I learned so much about myself. It pushed me a lot, stretched me tons. And, um, but I learned that, that I can make my weaknesses strengths and that I love teaching. And so the same thing happened with the second company. Made my way in. And within a couple months, I just— it was one of those things where the universe takes care of you. And, and I love the work that I get to do. And so, um, the third company was a company that, that I got to, uh, do a lot online and speak to people all over the world, in Italy and China and Switzerland. And, and, uh, so those are the three companies, um, The lessons, I guess I learned in those two companies, but yeah, personal development companies, got to do a lot of in-person events. And then, uh, the last one was just over the phone. So I developed so many amazing skills, connect with so many people and just, I have such a love for people here. Like I can love somebody over the phone in a matter of minutes. It's such a gift.

Oh, I love it. Oh my God. Yeah, it is such a gift. Yeah.

Wow.

What a beautiful, like, unfolding of that too, you know. And just to kind of like rewind a bit, like you at 23 years old, like such a baby, like when we think about it, like, wow, you know, like, I know. And just like having, you know, and carrying around that, that, that those memories and those emotions, and you didn't even realize it probably, right? Like whenever you saw, oh, it was just a repression. Oh, it was just this. You didn't even know that, like, this is what was repressed. This is what's subconsciously, like, in my cells that's making me overeat. It's making me, you know, kind of bottle these things up, like all the things, you know. And then, and then, okay, well, let me come out about it. And oh, oh, this is just the beginning. What?

Yeah, yeah, yeah. No, that journey was incredible. And honestly, what is so beautiful now, because it fuels my coaching, I don't experience the effects of it anymore. I have dedicated, I was like, I don't care how long it takes, I will see this through. I will see that I have no effects of this, that I feel at peace with that experience that I had and however long it takes. And, you know, there are waves. It is an up and down journey. We all know this in our own life, but also with coaching other people. You can't really put a time frame on healing. Every person's so different. And so about 7 or 8 years in is when I realized, oh my gosh, I, I don't experience those effects anymore regularly. Like, it doesn't really come up. And, and I can see those things now, those experiences, and I actually feel— I feel compassion and I feel peace. Yeah, that's incredible. It's incredible at 35 to have— I mean, from 4 to 10, I was abused, and at 35 to say, you know, I've had several years where it just doesn't affect me is, is to me miraculous. And it so is a huge fueling part of being a Coach for me.

Wow. And now you can look at that, and now you feel for that child version of yourself, right? And you can look at her with compassion and with love, and even with a sense of, um, like a sense of like neutrality to it where you're not triggered by that, right? So that— exactly. And I think that that is like really, really important of why we do our work as a coach, because we are literally holding space for other people, right? Like for other people and their experiences. So, and this is still what I like, I'm working through my stuff myself. Like I've been doing some really, really deep healing for things that have happened and just, you know, stuff over the last like 5 to 6 months. And I have, I can feel such a difference in the way that I hold space for my clients, you know, and in the way that I'm able to like listen to them without projecting my own shit, right. Or without, you know, having like my own things come up and, and just being able to be a very safe space for them, you know, for the people you're serving. So I think that's so, so beautiful. So yeah, like, who, who is it that you primarily work with now in Inner Movement, right? That's the name of your company?

Inner World Movement.

Inner World Movement. So good. So are you primarily like working with other women? Or like, kind of tell me about what it is that you do now with Inner World movement?

Yeah, there's a lot of women, but individuals— I, I love working with men too. Men who are willing to do this work, I, I absolutely feel inspired, and I think they're incredible. They are leading the way because men have this added layer of judgment around emotion and feeling emotion and, and this inner work that we don't really have as women. And so they have that added level of of things to push through. But, um, so I work with individuals, um, on, on a— it's such an intuitive thing. That's the beautiful part. It's like when an individual sits in front of me, things happen inside of me where I just, I know we're gonna do inner child work here, we're gonna do generational work here, we're gonna look into some, if you're open to it, past life stuff here. Oh, we're gonna look into some cultural programming here. Let's reprogram those things with some hypnosis. Let's bring in some self-compassion fashion practices, you know, um, let's talk about communication, healthy communication, radical accountability, you know, it's just one of those things where, you know, I, I actually, I really love, probably some of my favorites are Coaches, like Coaches and individuals who are like moving forward because I really want, at this point, I want to impact leaders. I just feel like the ripple effect— leaders need to be supported.

We do.

We need that support. And we're giving so much to so many. And so to be able to, to be there for other Coaches and other Leaders and to say, you got this, you can do this. And it just, it's so empowering. And then they go out and make a ripple effect. It's just, it's so, it's, it's the best kind of client too, because they get it.

They get it. Yeah.

And it's easy and it's fun, you know? So yeah, that's, that is where I'm at. And you don't have to be a coach to, to work with me, but you better be ready. You better be ready. You better be ready. Yeah. If you're not ready and, and you don't want to do the work, I'm not your girl. That's right.

That's right. I will not be dragging that. Yeah. Yeah. Nope.

Nope. That's not, that's not my time where I put my time anymore. Not dragging. You get to choose in. And if you choose in, I will give it my all, my whole heart. And you will see progress. I just believe that with everything I have, you will see progress. You will see amazing things. And the fun part is it's intuitive, but you leave with these foundational, like, this is what I'm doing. This is what I'm going to focus on this week to apply what I'm learning. And I think, um, sometimes in the energy healing world, we're missing that piece. We're missing the— you know, a lot of people do like Reiki sessions, and I just— and to each their own, this is just the, the thoughts of Dana, um, but I really think it's important to connect mentally to the processes of energy healing and, and work, energy work and movement in the emotional world. We're working through emotions to connect mentally and then to act in a new way in that new energy. To me, it's foundational for lifelong results. It's really important that students learn that, that, that clients get that kind of progress, because if we're just going in and we're, you know, moving all this stuff and working through all this stuff, um, and, and doing a healing session on them, and then they leave and they're like, what the heck just happened? Yeah, you know, then it's like you need to connect some dots, and that's a process that, um, I think we can all learn more.

Yeah, yeah, there's some deep integration that has to happen after those healing sessions. Like, it's not like a one and done, okay, you're good. No, I remember the first, um, the first— gosh, what did we do? Like a meditation, and like I did like some visualization stuff with, with my mindset coach. And I like literally had like the Ascension flu afterwards, like, or like whatever it is. I don't like— I had like physical symptoms.

You caught it.

Yeah, like I caught the bug. Yes. Like it was rough. And so I like Voxered my coach and I'm like, why do I feel like this? Like, what's going on here? And like, literally, I had to have like 48 hours to recover from it. It was crazy. But that just shows you how powerful these experiences are that we are just carrying around with us, you know, and why it's so important that we do the work and that we address those things, you know, as soon as we can, you know, and with people that are trusted and with, with credible people that have the experience and that have the knowledge and the space to, to be there for you and to guide you through that process, right? Because like, we are sacred. So who we trust ourselves with is So, so, so important. Are we frozen?

Um, it froze for just a minute, but I heard all the words.

Awesome. Awesome. Good. Okay. So tell me, tell me how your people can work with you now. I know that you said that you have this super juicy group program coming up. Can you tell us a little bit about what that is? And this is your first group program, right?

Yes, it's my first. I'm so excited. It's the first of my creations.

Yes.

And I've had some beautiful collaboration with different friends and people have added to it. But, um, yeah, September 1st I am launching the first ever Inner World Movement group coaching program. We're accepting 12 students and will be an incredible, incredible 12 weeks. The course is called Reclaim You. It is a journey of reclaiming where you give your power away. So many of us, I have noticed over the years, are giving our power away to our emotions, to our thoughts, giving our power away to generational patterns, to cultural patterns, and It's a really, really important concept right now, I feel, to really step into, especially as women. We're carrying a lot of baggage, generational baggage, about women being weak and women not having a say. And so those are, those are the things that we're going to dive into. It's going to be 12 weeks weeks. Once a week, uh, for an hour, we're gonna do our group sessions, and then you'll have accountability buddies. And then we'll have 3 bonus events that I'm so excited about. I'll bring in some of my really good friends and amazing coaches from all over the place with different tools, different things that have helped them in their life, and be teaching all kinds of things. There's— there will be healing like on the spot, in person, as we go. I believe in the power of synergy, uh, synergistic healing through those programs and ideas. Those old programming and ideas, I think, is really powerful and important. There's something about a group doing the work together that makes it— it like makes it even more powerful. Oh yeah. So, um, yeah, there— that's what that looks like, um, right now. Uh, we do have spots available and you can go on to innerworldmovement.com, uh, for more information. And for anyone listening to this podcast, actually, so it's a $3,600 program and it's with incredible value. Oh, it also includes one-on-one sessions with me. Oh, that's the thing I forgot. One-on-one sessions. Um, you'll have those once a month with me. And so you're getting individual and group and bonus sessions. It's like a full package deal. It's pretty incredible. I'm, I'm excited. My whole heart's been pouring into this. And, um, so right now it's a $3,600 program, but anyone listening to this podcast, you can put in $2,100 off the program for $1,500. Yes, before the launch, that's what we're doing. This is the gift. Um, we're ready. I'm ready. Um, I have a business partner that works with me. She helps me with the backend stuff. We are ready to receive and ready to teach and ready to jump in. It's time that we empower each other. I, I feel like more than ever, this topic of, topic of stepping into your power. Can you hear me still? Yeah, yeah, I can hear you. My, my headphones just died. Okay, this topic of stepping into your power and really reclaiming your, um, personal power is just, it's so important. So, um, anyone wanting to get more information, go on innerworldmovement.com or email us at info@innerworldmovement.com. I am doing too a free 5-day challenge on Facebook So yes, a free 5-day challenge for anyone who wants to join that. Um, you can look me up, Dana Parker, add me and I'll add you to that group. Um, the group is called Reclaim You. So personal empowerment challenge. When is the— that's how you— the challenge starts Monday.

Like this coming Monday? Yeah. Oh my gosh. We're going to have to like get this podcast out before then. So that's going to be on the— like, let me just take a look at the calendar— on the 12th of July? Yes. Yes.

Okay, perfect. Well, we are on the 12th through the 16th. Okay. And go out, we'll be doing another one in August. So just look me up on Facebook, Dana Parker, and, um, we'll be doing another one in August, and that'll be easy. They can join that. But you will for sure learn things about yourself, about generational programming, cultural programming, and you'll, you'll undo some of those things that hold us all back and where we give our power away.

So, wow. Well, that is incredibly generous of you to like give our listeners what, like what a generous like discount and incentive to go ahead and like take action and like save their spot. Thank you for that. That like, I know that that's going to be so, so powerful. Yeah, thank you. That's so, so generous. And just so like, thank you, really, thank you for honoring our listeners that way. I appreciate that so much. Yeah. And I have like, yes, that you are gonna like, you may need to bring in more students because I cannot like, I just have like this knowing that you're gonna like fill up those spots like so easily. But I'm sure that this is like your first round that you want to again, you know, and it'll be even better and juicier. Yes. Yes.

Oh, so we'll do another one in January and then we'll do another one in the spring. So perfect. Well, we might push to 15 for this round.

I might.

Yeah. So we'll, we'll see what happens with that.

Yeah. I have no doubt. Yeah. With these challenges that you're doing. Oh wow. Yeah. I have no doubt that you're going to like fill it these spots so easily. It's so incredible. Like, your energy is like literally contagious. So, and I can just like feel that you have a, you just have a genuine passion for wanting to help and heal the collective and help raise the vibration of the world. And like, I love it. I dig it. I'm here for it.

Thank you.

Yes, you're so welcome. Okay, Dana. So if our listeners actually not if, but when they want to connect with you, they can go find you mostly on Facebook, right? Dana Parker on Facebook, innerworldmovement.com, right? Okay, you hang out— do you have an Instagram or email?

Yes, I am innerworld.dana.

Innerworld.dana. Okay, cool. I'm like mostly on Instagram, and so I'm gonna have to go follow you over there and our followers and our listeners will too.

Yes, I would love that. And I will, we'll exchange for sure.

Yes. Awesome. Awesome. Okay. Well, thank you so much, Dana. This has been so good. I know that our listeners are like feeling pumped up right now and they're ready to go creep your profile. Come connect. Yay. All right, everyone. Thank you for listening and we will see you next time. See you in the next episode of the Aligned Coach Podcast. Bye!