Founder of the Meetup group Beijing Coaching Circle and author of dream-discovery journal Wide Asleep, Sound Awake, Singaporean-native Shane Yan is a certified life coach who helps people help themselves. But can she help us?
What’s the difference between a life coach and a counselor?
Life coaches don’t provide advice or solutions but help clients look within themselves. The clients are the experts and the focus is on the future. Counselors are licensed experts who focus on healing the past by asking questions to diagnose the problem – psychological conditions – and then help the patient deal with it.
Do you ever get sick of listening to peoples’ problems?
[Laughs.] I don’t tire of it. I’ve been listening to people’s problems all my life but each comes with a different set of factors so it’s always challenging, yet rewarding for me when I can help.
Do people have more issues now, or are they just better about seeking help?
I feel like people are hungry for personal and professional success and they want a
professional who can provide them with an objective viewpoint. Some of them might have tried solving their own problems or achieving their own goals but haven’t been able to successfully do it.
What do you think about people who look to horoscopes (see ours here) for direction?
Horoscopes are fun to look at and can provide hope to those who are feeling down. But I think we should take them with a pinch of salt and not be fully dependent on them because otherwise we would lose control of our own direction and be resigned to fate.
Indeed. Do you have a life motto?
I have two! ‘Live life with no regrets’ and ‘make new mistakes.’ It’s OK to make mistakes because they’re an opportunity to learn and grow. What’s important is not to repeat them.
This sounds great in theory but don’t humans consistently exhibit self-loathing and irrational behavior?
[Laughs.] This takes a very cynical view. Life is many different things to many different people – it’s how we choose to look at it. I think that it’s one thing to wallow in self-pity and beat yourself up, and another to look at experiences in a positive way. It’s important to know when we are being overly critical of ourselves. People should reflect on their strengths and consider the rational aspects to balance out the emotional aspects.
Eighty percent of proceeds from Yan’s coaching sessions through April will go towards fundraising to build a counseling room for Dandelion School, a school for migrant children; email shane@savoir-asia.com to book a session.
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