Yorkshire Zen From daily grind to purpose aligned
Wealth and worth coach Emily Armitage works with women to empower them to unlock their money, career and confidence limits.
In the fast-paced world that we live in, it can feel like there is no time to take a step back and assess the integral elements of life, like money, career and confidence, let alone form a workable plan to make tangible change in these areas.
Emily at Yorkshire Zen Coaching does exactly this, helping women uncover what they really want for themselves and claim their wealth and worth. I chatted to Emily to find out more about her work.
Hi Emily. Nice to meet you. Can you tell us a bit about yourself and what led you to become a Wealth & Worth Coach?
Hello. Nice to meet you too! I live in Meersbrook and am Sheffield born and bred. I love Earl Gray tea and being out in the Peaks. Crap reality TV is my guilty pleasure. I've had a weird, meandering 'career' but the thread which runs through all the random jobs is human behaviour and why we do - or don’t do! - what we do.
I knew I wanted to be a coach when I first experienced coaching myself in 2012. It took me eight years to realise that dream due to the ‘should’s’ in my head and the opinions of others. This, along with 13 years’ experience in marketing, communication, change and project planning finally led me to formalising my skill set with a coaching qualification.
I truly believe that good things happen when women have more money, know our worth and stop living within the limits we've been taught are ours. We're at a crucial point on the planet for so many reasons, and a big part of making changes for the better needs to include how wealth is distributed, whose voices are heard in decision-making and how women are involved in society.
Individual transformation creates collective change, and even a few women changing how they view themselves, making different choices for themselves, and impacting the world around them in a different and positive way will make a massive difference.
So many of the women around me all have the seeds of epic ideas within them, and yet 'life' always gets in the way or they don't feel good enough, worthy enough or qualified enough. Our current (racist, capitalist) patriarchy isn't about to encourage us or make it easier for us anytime soon and so that's where I come in; to help you think and do things in a different way, and support you while you do it.
Who do you help through your work as Yorkshire Zen?
Anyone who identifies as a woman. I've worked with clients from all over the country, of all different ages and backgrounds. However, many of their struggles are the same, which is not surprising given the stories we pick up from family, society and the media around women, money, wealth and self worth.
Money and career are often conflated with success. What are the most common wealth and worth related struggles that women come to you with?
The most common are that their worth is tied to the numbers in their bank account, or that they should be hustling, climbing a career ladder or doing it all to be successful.
There's nothing wrong with any of those things if they are what you truly want and what makes you happy, but most of the women who come to me feel stuck and stifled going through the motions. Being seen, taking up space, asking for more and having confidence in themselves and their ideas or ways of operating are also some of the struggles I see most often.
What can women expect when they come to you for coaching?
A non-judgmental space with a bit of gentle challenge. We'll talk about where you are now, where you want to be and make a flexible plan to get there. So much happens in the space between sessions (there will be homework!) and you have me in your back pocket for accountability whenever you want to share a win or a wobble.
I don't provide a fixed framework or a cookie cutter approach in my 1:1 coaching. You're not me with my experiences, perceptions, perspectives and narratives, so why would what worked for me work for you in the same way? You'll get a bespoke approach and tools based on where you are at and where you are going.
What are your top tips for people wanting to feel better about money?
Money holds the power we give it. Your worth has nothing to do with the numbers in your bank account and you are allowed to make money as well as save it. Did you know, 90% of money articles aimed at women suggest spending less? 73% of money articles aimed at men focus on investing and making money (Starling Bank, 2020).
No wonder we focus on shrinking, scrimping and saving first when actually, making more will have a bigger impact on ourselves, our families and the communities around us. For anyone wanting to start thinking differently about money, I highly recommend The Soul of Money by Lynne Twist to get started.
