Hello. My name is Tracy Sinclair. Welcome to Coaching in Conversation. Coaching in Conversation is a chance to discuss and explore, not just how we can keep developing and maturing. Coaching in Conversation is a chance to discuss and explore, not just how we can keep developing and maturing. As coach practitioners, but also to consider how coaching is evolving and its future potential and place as a powerful vehicle for human development in today's and tomorrow's world. I'll be sharing some of my own thoughts on these topics. And we will also hear from some great guests from around the world who bring their unique experience and perspectives. Hello everyone and welcome to this episode of Coaching in Conversation with myself Tracy Sinclair and this time my guest is a wonderful coach called Eliana Garcia. Eliana is a corporate and patient coach who has almost two decades of experience in financial services in the corporate environment. She is an ICF ACC credentialed coach, currently working towards her PCC. She also holds an MBA from IESC in a business school in Spain. And Eliana has a very interesting particular story to tell because at the age of 31, she experienced cardiac arrest. Something that was very life changing for her and her story is one of how she has navigated that experience, how she continues to navigate that experience on a very much a day by day basis. But also how she wants to offer and contribute and pay forward the lessons that she has and is learning about that navigation through life to others, whether it be to patients in the healthcare setting or indeed to executives in the corporate environment. So welcome to this episode. I really hope that you not just enjoy our conversation, but But really hope that you can find some, some meaning and some inspiration and wisdom in there for yourselves in whatever way it lands with you. And this episode is called Finding the Joy. Well, Eliana, welcome, very warm welcome to this episode of our Coaching in Conversation podcast. I have been really, really looking forward to this conversation. Thank you, Tracy. It's been an honor and I'm so excited to be here. Well, before we get into our main conversation, I'd love to just just say a little bit about how we connected, I guess. So you and I, Connected. Gosh, I don't know how long ago it was now. Was it over a year? Yeah, I think so. I think it was September 23 for the first time. September 2023 as part of the Marshall Goldsmith's Forefront initiative. So just by way of context, would you like to just give a summary of, of what, what that is? Thank you, Tracy. Yes, of course. It's an initiative. It comes from, from Marcia's wish to pay it forward in this, at this stage of her, of his life. Unfortunately, it's a program which looks for accelerating coaches per year or development in a very specific way, like nurturing, A small board of, of selected coaches with community, accountability, masterminds from the, from 100 Coaches Agency and mentorship, which is precisely how we met each other. So it's, it's like a dream come true for any coach who is looking for some, somehow developing, not only their work or network. Marvellous. Well, thank you. And as you know, it's been a delight working with you. So in the course of our work together, I've obviously got to know you a little bit more and. That's one of the reasons why I'm inviting you to come to this podcast to share your story. You are a coach, as you have said, and you also have a particular life history, in a way, that has informed you. who you are, but also how you want to work as a coach and what you'd like to do moving forwards. And that's the bit that would be lovely to hear about. So what, what would you like to tell us about that to begin with? My story. Thank you, Tracy. Well, my story, I like to think of my story as a story of survival. And joy and transformation despite everything and how I have managed to live a rich, happy and meaningful life. Despite some challenges that I, that I found on the way, and despite some chronic conditions, I have to live with. So, I would say, I always like to start talking about my family. I'm the oldest of three sisters. I grew up at the north of Spain. Beautiful place. I, I have a wonderful family. And I grew up as a very, Absolute happy child. I was conscious even at that time. And well, life developed like normally. And when I was 28, I, I lived in Barcelona for two years because I studied my MBA there. There, I met my husband. We got married one year after finishing my MBA. And One less than one year after being married. So our first wedding before our, our first wedding anniversary I got a diagnosed was, which was acute Melo leukemia with complex ker type, which was a diagnosed with a very bad prognosis. So you can't imagine how, you know your life as you understand it shake up when you get this kind of, of, of news. But, but you know, that was the beginning of a completely new life. The understanding that life as you had known it, and as you had imagined it, could perfectly continue without you, without you in the map. I mean, it was a very, I don't know if the word is deep, but it, it, it definitely struck me as something important. And then I decided to put, All that I have there to, to take advantage of, of the life I could have. So, well, I, I got a bone marrow transplant. I, after that, I, I developed graft versus course disease, which is rejection to the transplant, which I had an acute and now I'm in a chronic phase and I've been like living with this like for 12 years. It took me four years going back to my regular work. I used to work in finance in the regular executive corporate world. And but then very soon since I got out of the hospital, I started talking to patients and having conversations with them and sharing with them how I managed to live a, well, relatively happy life, despite the pain and all the inconveniences, you know, and it's terrible if we are talking about, you know, side and collateral side effects and collateral damages, but I, I managed to live a happy life. And then soon I realized that those conversations were among the best parts of my day. One day after another. So I decided to do something about that, and I decided to get a professional certification in coaching to be able to accompany those patients in a more like proficient, but not only proficient, you know, but with a methodology and Well, in summary, being able to be better for them. And at that time, when I got my certification, one of my professors at the ESE, with whom I had been in contact with since, since I got ill, he talked me into taking my coaching also to the corporate world, saying or sharing with me that, you know, challenges that, that people are facing at the end, all of us are people and all of us face challenges. And that the corporate world could benefit from a perspective a different perspective that like the one I could bring to the table. So since then, I've been working both with patients and executives. I, I have found that, that, that coaching is, is a marvelous way to connect with the impact I want to have based on sharing my experience and all the wisdom that I have acquired. living this, this wonderful life, but with these challenges that I have to the service of others. Well, that seemed like such a summary of what is a huge experience in life, isn't it? And of course, I've had the privilege of knowing a little bit more of the detail into some of that because of the work that we've been doing together. And, and I think it would be fair to say, wouldn't it, Eliana, that you're not, you're still living with. health conditions as a result of this. This is not something that happened and you fully recovered and it's all behind you. This is something that requires ongoing management and you working with those things. Is that right? It is. Well with the graft versus host disease Things like vary a lot. It's, it's a volatile condition. You can have symptoms and then there's no treatment for specifically that symptoms because the origin is different. It's, it's autoimmune origin versus like the regular origin for the symptoms. So I have suffered a lot, a lot of ups and downs. In terms of energy, you know, the pandemic was a huge change for me. And also more recently, I've had a very serious episode of bronchopneumonia, acute bronchopneumonia, which was massive. And, and since then, I'm like, again, on kind of sick leave or like recovery, getting there. And it's been it's been like being humbled by life. One after time. And yes, I think that the, that the, that the value I have been able to find in all these ups and downs is the idea that we are all whole persons. I mean, we as coaches work with clients as whole persons. And it's, I mean, when, when, when you are talking about yourself, it feels different, but it's the same. We are whole persons and all the resources that we have or that are useful for us. in some parts of our life, of our lives can be useful as well when facing challenges. And I have come to realize that, you know, adapting, pivoting, so very business like terms, accepting, deep acceptance, focus on the short term, like keeping Short term goals and long term goals working on being present just for the sake of being present as the best strategy. These are all, not concepts, but ideas or strategies that we are so used to, to, to speak about, but I feel that I have really come to understand the full depth of their meaning by living. By leaving them and having to, like, again, pivot from one to another, and what's useful now, and what can serve me well now, or what should I let go that is no longer serving? I have had the, I see, I see this as a privilege. I have had the opportunity several times in my life to put into practice all these things that we are aiming for. So. So, it's tough, I'm not gonna lie, it's painful, it's difficult sometimes, but it's such a gift, because I feel I have acquired or developed so much wisdom, and I really, I really want to share all that I've learned, all the learning I've come to develop with other people that may benefit from it. Well, I mean, I'm smiling because I know this to be true of you, that you have such a passion for supporting other people because of your own learning. And of course, you know, some of that learning as you have described has been very difficult learning, very painful learning. So what, what would you say, just from a, from a life perspective, Eliana, what would you say are some of the really important things that you have learned that, that serve you, you know, you get through and surviving, as you've said, surviving your, your, you know, your lived experience. Well, there, there are lots of them. You know, I really want to write a book with all of them, with all of my learnings. But among the most important and the ones that I think are really game changers. Regardless of the landscape you apply them, are the following. First of all, being honest with yourself. I mean, having a sincere look, like, I would say to the person you have in front in the mirror, but for me, it resonates more having a really deep look and sincere to what's inside you. What's important for you. Because when you, when you live these kind of situations, Suddenly, all the unimportant things disappear, and you realize that there are very few things that matter a lot, and most of the things don't matter at all. So, but having this look at not what you like to find, but what you actually find. This is, is an opportunity to like, being naked for yourself, and finding what's important there. What's important there. We call them values in coaching. What's important for you? Because when you know your values, you have, you have a compass that can serve you in any kind of challenge you, you, you face. So this knowing your, your core values and what's important to you, even if it doesn't sound fancy or is not what you expected, but knowing, knowing what's there coupled with being able to ask the right questions. is such a powerful tool for life. I think being able to ask the right questions means being focused on what's important for you and not losing, I wouldn't say time, but also energy and emotional energy in what's out of your control or, or what doesn't depend on you. So these two things are one of the, of the main, main takeaways or learnings for me. And there are a couple of more. which are sharing things. For me, I found out that, that sharing is at the, my very core. So it's one of my, of my core values. So sharing things, despite, you know, sometimes it's not natural because you want to protect your family or you want to protect your friends or what, you don't want to create a fuss. But what I experienced is that when I shared things, Good things got multiplied and bad things got divided. So, so bad news for me were Where easy to carry on when shared with, with people who was who, who were willing to, to carry the burden with me and, and, and good news. Well, you can easily tell and I'm sure that most of people have this experience when you have a good news and you share the joy. It's amazing. It is that it's like almost, I don't know. Well, multiplied, so sharing things worked for me. And another thing that really works when I'm able to do it. Is being present. As I articulated when I was at the hospital, it was thinking in the shorter term when I, I mean I I had several, several stays at the hospital. More an average stay would last for one month or one month and a half. And I was in an isolated unit. So when I was when I was at the hospital for the first time. I asked my, my nurse and or a doctor how my days were going to look like. I, I couldn't picture anything in particular. And she said, well, don't talk about days. You'll have moments, good moments and bad moments. And for me, that was like a revelation, because focusing in the very short time at that time, which at the end of the day is being present in what you are having at that moment, allowed me to, to always have the hope of feeling better, even if I was feeling very bad. So, so maybe it was just that moment and after lunch, I would feel better or things could improve. So that, That become very, very, very useful. And I have to say that it's, I think it's one of the most transformative. things I think that you can bring to life. For me, it has been one of the most difficult things as well. Yeah. I mean, I was just thinking as I'm listening to you, because as you're describing it, of course, it sounds so easy, you know, this wisdom. And of course, whenever we just say these things, of course it sounds easy, but the actual doing of these things is is a life's work, isn't it? This is your, this is your personal work that you're having to focus on and practice every day. And maybe if we think then about this, the passion and the vision that you have to bring coaching to cancer patients. Tell me a little bit about Why do you think that is so important and, and, and how that might work and happen? Thank you. Thank you, Tracy, for this question. Well, when you're a patient, as I said, you get the diagnosis and you are completely overwhelmed. I think by by things by I mean you are completely shaken and it's very difficult to take the reins of anything because you're afraid you're afraid of losing your life, which is, I mean, you couldn't imagine being afraid of losing your life until you actually afraid of losing your life. And then it's very difficult to have clarity. In the best scenario, there are people around you that love you and that want to support you, but most of the times, they don't know how to do it. And you are too scared to have clarity on what you might need, even. There's also the physical pain. I mean, It depends on the chemo you get or the radiation and the side effects are different. And for me, I got the, the, the, the strongest chemo that exists on earth, and that is even to humans. So I got all the, all the effects and collateral damages and, and it's difficult to, you know, in our daily lives, it's already difficult to, it's already difficult to find a slot. to pause and reflect. So imagine when you're a patient like living, the image that comes to my mind is like this little sheep. In a very, in a tremendous storm in the middle of the sea, so waves coming from one place from another and then the doctors and then what you're feeling and then you want to take care of the family and you, you don't want to be a burden for them, and you want to help. So it's very, very, I would use again the word volatile. You don't know where your ground is most of the time, so at least that was my experience and from the work I do with patients, I can tell that that's where most of us find ourselves. So I think that, well, in my experience, at the beginning, I was sharing just my experience in terms of what worked or didn't work for me, and I found that just being with, with the patients, that's where And having another patient they can relate to, and that has already gone through that experience, not only is good in terms of knowing that there's light at the end of the tunnel, but also we can share strategies. This worked for me or this didn't. And that's useful itself. But when it comes. When the help or the, or accompany the patient, accompanying the patients comes from coaching, you allow them to take the reins of their own processes because they have the resources as all of us have, but they They need to find a way to access them in these new circumstances, because when you are, you know, in your regular life and you're doing your routines or whatever, you know what you can do or what works for you most of the times. But now you are in a complete, when you are diagnosed, you are in a complete change of scenery. And the rules. That applied before doesn't apply. It doesn't work anymore. So you need to develop a new set of, of, of ways of living that work for you specifically for you. And it's not that you don't have the resources. It's only that you don't know how to access them. So, so this is why I found it coaching like deeply transformative for patients. Because they can get, I mean, feeling in a, in a moment of such vulnerability, feeling that you are able to, you know, again, take the reins of, of your own process of your own life in the terms or, or to the extent that you can't, but regaining the ability to decide, to think for yourself. Even if it's in a way, even if your decision is delegating completely, but it's something that you've made. So, what I've seen, what I've had the privilege to witness through all these years of accompanying patients is that it's an instrument to, to get back some joy that is difficult to find in those moments where as a patient you feel you are so lost. Yeah. Yeah. I mean, I know I've heard your story several times Eliana and even just listening to it again, it's very Very impactful. I can feel all sorts of things in my, in my, in my body and my heart and tummy and things like that. And the, and it's very interesting, isn't it, about I thought it was very interesting that you used this term, finding some joy, you know, which in some ways one could think, gosh, how can, how could we possibly access joy when the person, you know, someone else or yourself is going through something so difficult? desperately difficult and frightening and painful. Where on earth is joy in all of that? So I'm really interested in your, your choice of words there around finding some joy. Say a little bit more about that. Well, first of all, not as a coach, but from my own experience, the way I was able to find joy. was through connecting two things that always bring me joy, even when I was at the hospital, and allowing myself to be present there with those things. For example, when I was at the hospital, I remember, you know, horrible moments as well, but laughing at some evenings that my sisters came to the hospital. We had to organize a schedule of visits because there were, there would be only one person, two people at the same time in the, in the room. So my family and my husband would, like, organize, like, shifts, kind of. But you know, once they were, they were there, and when you get distracted, I was able to laugh at their stories, at the things that they were sharing, they were also trying to light me up. And being able to let go of, you know, worries that I might have at that moment, or physical pain, being able to get distracted. I mean, I could easily laugh at, you know, jokes, or Just sharing stories as, as, as we usually share, or with my husband, that we are really, we really enjoy, enjoy this kind of soap operas that are that include songs. So they are not like musicals, but almost. And I remember like watching every night with him a couple of episodes and just laughing and enjoying and singing the songs because, because singing or spending time with people I love had been always something that has brought me joy. So being able to identify what is it, what is it that you need at that moment and being able to be. Only at that moment, and let go of all the rest of the things. That's a way you can find joy. And that's really what changes life. A life as joyful as your possibilities allow. And in terms of patience, you know, when you, people find joy in, in different ways, but I, but that's, but I think that's That that's specifically what brings meaning to, to a life and maybe, you know being able to, to make your own decisions, that can be a source of joy. Being able to intentionally spend some, spend some time with certain people, even if you are in the hospital or outside the hospital, that can bring you joy. Being able to find peace with what you are doing and being able to detach of what's coming from a place of knowing that you are doing your best. That's also a source of joy. So it's true that we can find meaning and not necessarily needs to be accompanied by joy, but I think that joy makes life better. Absolutely. And you've reminded me as you were just sharing there of something that you and I spoke about. fairly recently, which was this idea that sometimes we can feel, whether we're conscious of it or not, we have a, a version of life that we think is going to be the version of life that we will have. And then something very big happens that makes that version of life Less accessible. And that's can be quite challenging, can't it? To, you know, we talk about life changing experiences and this has been a life changing experience for you too. And. I'd love you to say a little bit, if you would, around how do you, how do you navigate that when the life that you thought you might have, with all its details and the story and everything, is something that you don't. you maybe can't have it in that way anymore. What's helped you to, to work through that? Well, first of all, never give up. That's the most important thing because these things are difficult and acknowledging them as difficult things that takes time, that take time, I think is the first basic step to find some peace in the process. And well yeah, there were many things. The first example of them. One of the most important that, that comes to my life to my mind, sorry, is that what I've lived with my maternity or my lack of maternity. I would always, I always picture myself like creating a family, a big family in fact. I think that based on how happy I was when I was a kid, I have always pictured myself having, you know, at least three kids. And I know not only as a, as a way to, to, to, to continue, you know, making a great work, but also as a way to, to transmitting like all the luck that I have had. After, after the last team, I, I couldn't have kids anymore. I, I explored the possibility of adopting. And during that time, I tried to. I tried to accept the possibility that it couldn't, it, it might not happen, but it was, it was, it was difficult for me and it was painful. And despite I really wanted, I mean, with my mind, I was sure that But that was something like for good. I, I wasn't in the, the, the reason behind, behind not, not having been able to adopt is that I've never been in, in, in a good health condition enough to, to, to be in charge of anybody. So, so, so that was something it took me a while accepting. And when I finally, I mean, as I said, never giving up and and accepting it, you don't choose the way the moment you accept things, but you can choose to continue trying. And the moment that I accept that and I imagine it as a balloon, a helium balloon, I would say, you know, that I was able to completely open my hand and let go. everything changed for me. So, so this idea of, of letting go things, letting go of things, I think is, is something not only useful, but absolutely necessary if you don't want to get stuck on grieving. Grieving is important and, and losing things such as, you know, creating a family different from the one I have or maybe having a professional life different The one I'm able to have now are important things and you need time, you need to allow time to let them go. It can be a little bit like desperate. But my, my key takeaways is not, not giving up because it will come, it will come and you will be able. To let go of things that no longer serve you. And, and well, thanks to not being able to have kids, I consider the impact I wanted to have in the world from a different perspective, which was, as I'm not going to be able to do this, how can I have an impact, a big impact in the world? Through, you know, I, I came out with the idea of like, I want to make every interaction I have with people count. I want to have an impact on people. I want to improve people's lives. And then it came coaching. So we wouldn't have, we wouldn't be having this conversation if it wasn't for, you know, my life experience over the last 12 years. And then I can say, I, as I said at the beginning, I'm not only living a rich and fulfilled and meaningful and joyful life, But I'm also deeply connected with the, with the impact that I'm having, or that I feel I'm having in people which are clients or not, and, and I wouldn't change anything. I mean, if having been granted with the possibility, I would live my life exactly as I have lived it. Because I, I think. That I, that, that is a privilege, that being able not only to survive, but to heal, to pivot, to redesign what you're capable of, or what you want, or what you want to do, and to strengthen, and to then putting that to work and, and thriving, doing that, and, and having a reason to pay it forward. I, I can't imagine a more fulfilling and meaningful life than the one I'm having now. I'm leaving now. Wow. I mean, even just listening to you Eliana is so humbling because, you know, sometimes what I'm hearing you say, I'm sure to, to, to some people and, and even, you know, to myself, I could imagine could feel almost inaccessible to be able to make that, that leap. And yet that is what you do. You know, and it's what really strikes me is it's not just something that you, you do in a few days and then you're there. It's, it's, it's your new life's work to, to keep practicing and reminding yourself of these things every day. And pay it forward by sharing it with other people at the same time. Yeah. Yeah. Thank you. Yeah, I feel honored. Tracy. I feel honored to be to, and I feel I'm the, I don't know, I feel chosen a little bit because it's, it's a privilege. At the end of the day. It's a privilege, and I still have, you know, the most important thing for me is. Spending time and energy, my time and energy with people I love, and I, and I get to do this from all perspectives. Like, personally, professionally, my life's full of meaning. Yeah, yeah, well I, knowing you as I do, I know that to be true. And I'm also aware that you said earlier that of course, apart from the obvious beautiful opportunity to bring your coaching services into The world of cancer patients or other patients with critical diagnoses, et cetera. There is also a huge opportunity for this work in the corporate space. So just, just as a, as a summary, what do you think are, how does this translate, you know, from the world of supporting people to get through life threatening illnesses, conditions, to. In a corporate setting, what are the key things that translate across? Thank you for that question, Tracy. Well, I would say that one of the more important things, if not the most, is grounding. You know, when you are working with someone whose life is being threatened in one way or another, there's no fuss about the unimportant things. So I found that grounding in what's, on what's important, so gaining clarity on what's really important and getting to the heart of the matter is one of the main things which is, which are transferable from the patient's work to the corporate work. So we, when I work with, with executives, we don't, we get to the heart of the, I wouldn't say problem, but challenge. Very quick and in effect in an effective way. And most of the times, you know, this, this hard, the challenge is always related to people, oneself or others around you. So, so I would say that the focus on, on the person is what's really, really useful when, when working with executives. And being able to bring this perspective of eliminating like, like the noise, and then just bringing to the table what you're listening, that's important there, and allowing, allowing the, the, the clients to extract learnings by themselves. Yeah, absolutely. Well, gosh, I'm conscious that we could speak for another hour or so, and I know that I will have the privilege of talking to you again soon because we connect regularly. But if we start to bring our time now to a pause, Eliana, is there anything that we've We've not shared here, or that you've not shared rather, that you really would like anyone that's listening to us now, any, any final message or thoughts or perspectives that you would like to, to close with? Again, thank you for the opportunity. I think that we've covered like many things, but I would say I would reinforce the idea of being honest with yourself, first of all, because what's at your forage, what, drives you and what brings you, brings you joy. Sharing things with people. I think that sharing love is one of the most important things and more joyful, meaningful things that you can experience in life. And for me, it has been completely my, my motor all this way and accepting and being pleasant. I mean, accepting, working on, not giving up. But accepting what can't work anymore, and what it is, and being with what can be. I think that would be my, well, what I would love people to take away from this conversation. Which, of course, these wonderful points of wisdom that you're sharing, Eliana, are useful to any of us in our lives, aren't they? Regardless of the size of the challenge, you know, even, even challenges that are not life changing can feel so big to us, can't they? We can feel these setbacks and that, you know, we can feel unresourceful and yet what you're bringing. Awesome. I guess some words of wisdom to navigate life generally, really. Well, I of course wish you well with your, with the work that you're doing. There's, I, I get very excited thinking about the value and the impact that could be made for people who are navigating those difficult diagnoses and those early stages. And then of course, all through treatment and things like that. I can also clearly see the transition into the corporate world around some of these lessons around pivoting and adapting and refocusing and grounding and all of those things that you're sharing. But most importantly of all, thank you for sharing your personal story. I know it's I know those good moments and those not so good moments still happen but it's been a real privilege and a joy for you to share your story and I, I think it's a gift to all of us to listen to it. So thank you so much. Thank you, Tracy. You are truly a gift. We've got the Tracy and Eliana mutual appreciations. Thank you again. And we will talk again soon. For sure. Thank you. Bye bye. You have been listening to Coaching in Conversation by Tracy Sinclair, a podcast aimed at exploring how coaching is a vehicle for human development in today's and tomorrow's world. You can learn more about coach training and development at tracysinclair. com and follow us on social media. If you enjoyed this podcast, please leave a rating and review, and also share it with your networks to help us expand our reach. Thank you for listening and see you next time.