Generation XY – The Millennials.  I am going to confess right away, that apart from “The Millennials” – the title speaks for itself – I didn’t have a clue what Generation XY represented! I have found out since it is roughly those born from 1977 – 1995.  So now I know – and I also know that I’m not one of them! Nevertheless, my daughter is of that generation. My guest is the delightful Puja of Frankly Coaching, a NLP Performance & well-being coach. Puja specialises in working with women from Generation XY – The Millennials and I was keen to know more about her, her work and her Frankly Women 12 week programme.  Hi Puja!

Hi! I’m Puja K McClymont – a Certified NLP Life Coach for Millennial Women (born 1977-1995) that helps them get the best out of their complex lives. I also work with Businesses to help facilitate change within organisations. My practice, Frankly Coaching, is based in London where I live with my hubby and 2 yr old. I’m a straight-talking coach who gets results. I’m not perfect but I am excellent 😉 (an NLP joke).

What inspired you to open your business, Frankly Coaching?

I’ve technically been qualified since 2012 and I’ve done more courses over the years leading up to 2017 as well as been coaching here and there but after having my baby and being made redundant during maternity leave, I decided now was the time to do the work that I’ve wanted to do for so long. I believe in things happening the way they’re supposed to.

Why did you decide to specialise in working with women from Generation X,Y – Millennials (those born 1977 – 1995)?

When I was deciding my specialisation, I found that as a millennial myself and having faced a multitude of struggles in my life, I wanted to work with women like me. I’ve personally gone through a lot over the years but I’ve always come out fighting. I’ve always had a “never give up” attitude and a self confidence of being able to do anything I want to do. It might be my stubbornness but I don’t like to hear the word “no.” As a result, I’ve always succeeded in reaching my goals. I want to share that experience and confidence with other like-minded women. As millennials are of varying ages, I’ve found we have a complex experience of life because of technological advancements. Technology gives us freedom and immediate access to anything but it also takes away some reality and human interaction that we might actually need. I think that the values that were instilled in us get distorted with the consuming of technology – social media being the top culprit. What I mean is, for example, you are raised to know that working hard will deliver the results you desire but then people become overnight successes on Instagram, and all they did was post a few selfies. This then distorts our values and we unconsciously try to mirror this thinking but it goes against our values so we instead ‘fail’ to achieve what we think we should be doing. As much as women have evolved in society over the years, we still face common challenges that are difficult to balance with our baby boomer parents who more often than not, stayed at home with us. We on the other hand, want to ‘Run the world’ and now more than ever, we actually can. However, when you add that thinking with traditional marriages, children, careers, money, spending, independence, we’re often met with resistance or internal difficulty in achieving the right levels of ‘balance’ for ourselves. When we don’t achieve this balance, we get stuck.

Can you describe your specific Frankly Women 12 week programme? What could a customer expect?

I don’t want to say it’s a secret but it’s one of those things you need to experience. Usually the discovery session unmasks what you get with all my coaching and then this is the technical spec. Sometimes it’s hard to describe a feeling but if we’re meant to be, then that feeling will be there. However, the below maps out the 12 weeks but as I say, it’s much more than the technical bit. It’s also the empowerment, the motivation, the overwhelming feeling of achievement, the reevaluating of your values and beliefs and people and things in your life. Knowing that all is possible. And someone being in your corner. So much.
Week 1 – Get to know you and your wants and challenges. Discover where you are now and where you want to be.
Week 2 – Map out your life and use successes to mirror for the new goals
Week 3 – Visual board – see what your goals look, feel and smell like
Week 4 – Define values and beliefs (good and bad): find out why you do what you do
Week 5 – Define what you tolerate in your life and how you could better manage them to suit you better.
Week 6 – Action plan: define your goals, the reasons for them and belief in them
Week 7 – Address/Manage challenges and create strategies
Week 8 – Review work so far and address new challenges with effective NLP techniques
Week 9 – Implement suitable NLP techniques for any blockages
Week 10 – Review what has been achieved and celebrate successes
Week 11 – Plan the next 3 months
Week 12 – Review of entire programme and be given NLP tools for moving further forward
At the end of the 12 weeks, you should have achieved at least one of your short term goals and be able to use the techniques experienced with moving forward with the others.

What are the reasons/benefits of hiring a life coach?

I’m going to offer my own experience of hiring a coach for this answer rather than sounding like a salesperson. I’m a pretty organised person (love lists), set goals for myself intrinsically and achieve them but when I started seeing my now husband my life became confusing. I went from being completely independent, living on my own in my own flat that I bought at 26, to sharing my time with this man, and trying to balance my social butterfly status with the needs of the boyfriend. I didn’t look after myself during this time and as a result, had a breakdown and fell into depression. Not the boyfriend’s fault. I just boarded the roller coaster and kept on riding it without thinking. I became co-dependent, I gained weight after losing so much only a few years before, I struggled with money, I didn’t enjoy my work and so on. After using different therapies and deciding that I would continue to fight, I found a Coach who would help me move forward. And that’s the key right there. MOVING FORWARD. It stopped me being stuck, allowed me to be accountable for what I could control and accept what I couldn’t, it unravelled the self sacrificing I thought I should be doing to make space for a partner and essentially, brought me back to my best self which then led to me being able to continue achieving and living a life that I wanted for myself. I was able to set clear goals for career, money and the relationship – and now we’re happily married with a kid.

You are an NLP Performance & Wellbeing coach. Can you explain what NLP is & why is it different from any other type of life coach?

Neuro Linguistic Programming (NLP) is the study of excellence. It is an attitude of learning, curiosity and respect for unique ways of being in the world. Over the years NLP has uncovered an increasing number of tools and techniques for discovering what constitutes excellence. In particular, it is a means of finding the essence of that excellence – the difference that makes the difference – and doing so in such a way that it can be coded and reproduced.
We can have excellence at our fingertips, available whenever we choose. As a result, we can be Coached to consistently achieve the results that we want for ourselves, our business and our life.
In very simple terms, NLP is where we change the way we think and speak in order to change the way we act so that we can achieve the results we want. It basically changes the way we have been doing things so that our outcomes change for the better.
A NLP Coach is different because we work on ‘re-wiring’ thoughts, studying your own excellence to tap into that, mirror inspirations and believe that everyone can achieve what they want. We strategically work with you and your life to create the space and knowledge you need to move it forward.

Out of all the services you offer, what is the most popular service amongst your customers?

Across my services, I’d say that they are of equal popularity. My speaking engagements often lead to individuals clients and my individual clients book the retreats. My business coaching is very popular because I have a a simple 2 step process for organisations with deliverable results within a short timespan – which they like.

Your career background has been in the field of marketing & PR, but growing up though, did you inspire to follow your eventual career path (as a life coach) or did you have other ambitions?

I always wanted to be famous. I didn’t know what for but I knew that was something I wanted. If I became famous now and it was because of my coaching, I would be very happy with that. The more people I can help, the more successful I will feel. I was a little ‘famous’ within my industry in hospitality as I worked for a very well-known bar in London and everyone wanted to know me and I was invited to anything and everything! I have danced around my handbag with Paris Hilton! I’ve had lunch with Pharrell Williams at a music festival, I’ve hosted many a celebrity at the places I’ve worked for. My 20’s were fab! At 19, I had my first experience with a recruitment agent and I remember she asked me what I wanted to do with my life (having come to her for some direction of which job would suit me) and I said “I want to help people” she said that I had great skills for relationship building, listening, a great personality and that I should go into marketing. So I did. And almost 20 years later, discovered that coaching was my calling.

Although you are based in the UK, are your sessions available overseas?

Absolutely! I have clients from the US, Dubai and Australia as well as the UK. Coaching is about rapport and you might need to look far and wide to find the coach that fits you best.

I know that you have travelled extensively & that you have been to many exotic locations around the world. Where has been your favourite location so far? Least favourite/ most disappointing? What place is number one on your current bucket list?

Oh! I love these questions. My favourite place is a tie between Hawaii and Chile. Hawaii because of its deep and rich history and the fact that the Earth is still forming there – mind-blowing, saw it from a helicopter and Chile because it feels like you’re on the edge of the earth and when you get to Cape Horn, you pretty much are at the southernmost point of the Earth before Antartica, plus its immense history and fabulous food – I ate ceviche straight from the fish that was caught at the marina! Least favourite was Tunisia. I’m not a resort type of person and I didn’t enjoy the locals or the food. Bucket list: ALL the Polynesian islands, Asia and a lot of the African countries.

Personal now – what outfits and shoes would you normally be found wearing?

When I’m a size 10, I like to wear waist enhancing anything! My waist is a great feature and I was able to show that off a lot when I was slim. My legs were great too! so short dresses were my thing. As a size 16, apart from the odd tent, I like to wear colour but pair with dark light jackets and heels. Although at the moment, I’m really enjoying wearing jeggings with a loose top, amazing makeup and hair and jewellery and paring with a cool pair of trainers or wedge boots.

Do you have any favourite shops or online sites?

Ted Baker, Reiss, DKNY, Asos

What’s next on your clothes/shoe wish list?

Brown leather boots

Boots or Shoes?

Boots because it’s cold but I think they add more to an outfit than shoes do.

Links you would like to share e.g. website/facebook/twitter etc so that readers of the blog can learn more about you & Frankly Coaching.

www.franklycoaching.com
fb, t, i @franklycoaching

Thank you Puja!  I must say, I like your travel bucket list and also, Chile is one of those places on top of my bucket list, it sounds as though you had a great trip there! 🙂 It must have been a giggle to dance around your handbags with Paris Hilton …. I can picture the scene now! Life is for fun and I’m so glad you are able to help others who are perhaps struggling with stress at the moment, to help put things into perspective and make the most of their potential.  Life coaching does seem like the ideal path for you.

Linda x

Photos of Puja are published with kind permission of Puja K McClymont.  Other photos are by Linda Hobden.