Life Coach , Alena Wajs-Hielema with Monika Maczka

The fact that you can achieve success living abroad is the reason I am talking today with  Alena Wajs-Hielema, Personal Development and Life Coach from the Netherlands.

Alena supports Monika Maczka with her career development. Monika has been nominated to compete in the competition organized by the Foundation “Polonus” in the Netherlands called “Pole of the Year 2015” in the category “Young Successful Pole”. The competition has been organized in cooperation with the Embassy of the Republic of Poland in The Hague, The Netherlands.

Julita: It is such a pleasure to talk to you today, a Life Coach, a person aiming for positive change and self-improvement, teaching these sills to her clients.
Before we start talking about Monika, let’s explain briefly to our readers what exactly is coaching and who can benefit from it.

Alena: Thank you for the invitation. Coaching is the process based on a range of tools to determine goals and implement positive changes in a client’s life. Unlike other methods of de-velopment as e.g. therapy, coaching does not focus on the past or childhood memories. Coaching helps the clients reaching their desired goals through assistance. Coaching helps the client to find answers to his questions / problems. I believe that a coach must have life experience as well as psychological knowledge, because he is dealing with the client’s emo-tions as well.
It gives me such incredible satisfaction to see clients that have gone through the whole coaching process, satisfied, fulfilled, opening a new chapter in their lives. This for me is the main factor of my success at work.

 J: How did you meet Monika and how long did you know each other?
A: We met a few years ago in the hairdresser salon where Monika was working. Today I am still her steady and happy client. However this year we have developed a coaching relation-ship where I supported her in her career development.

J: What was your first impression of Monika?
A: My first and foremost impression of Monika was her warm smile, professional and ele-gant dress code, natural ability to establish good contact with clients and building trust with them. I found this to be very important. I believe that these are qualities that many people in this industry should have.

J: In the Monika’s biography, she mentioned she had a difficult path to reach her success.
In what way did you as her coach help her to discover her inner strength and her real "self"?
A: As you mentioned Monika had a difficult time and was limited by her fears. Fear tricks our mind creating an imagination of what does not exist. She has learnt to accept her fears and stopped treating them as an enemy, what in turn allowed her mind, emotions and body to start the creativity process. The changes Monika made stayed permanent. We developed some new skills, strategies and behaviours to cope with difficult situations. We worked over her values, beliefs and limitations, which helped Monika to better understand herself. Monika is open to the cognitive process and very determined, therefore working with her always created results.

J: Do you think Monika could be an example for the Polish community, not only here in the Netherlands, but also around the world?
A: I definitely say YES. She is a great example showing that you can achieve so much abroad and overcome the polish stereotype. Monika’s characteristics shows that she will certainly be very successful. Monika works hard with such commitment, she is very determined, pro-active and the most important, does not hollow in self-pity. Monika never gives up and al-ways creates fantastic ideas for herself.

J: Could you describe Monika in five words?
A: Well, it can be difficult, because I get far more on my lips (laughs!). But what I have to admit she is a very positive person, extremely well organized and consistent professional and above all she is transparent and authentic with her own, unique style, it is what I really appreciate.

J: How can you as a coach briefly advise our readers on what to do, how to think and what to change in order to achieve success?
A: The concept of success is very relative - for some people it could be already leaving their comfort zone and for the others managing the 200+ staff company highly ranked in its indus-try. I think there is no universal recipe for success, but I know for sure that to open up for success you firstly need to listen to yourself, your desires and find an idea for yourself. Then you must push yourself out of your comfort zone and start simply by taking small steps rather than let your ideas sit in your head forever. You have to gradually weigh on more, open up to other possibilities, have simply appetite for more and consistently go for it and for your own development. I always say - plan with your mind and carry out with a heart! Characteristics which indisputably support the achievement of success are determination and passion. And if you feel that you have some difficulties or something blocks you in a sig-nificant way and you can’t manage yourself, just simply use one of appropriate specialists, e.g. a coach, counsellor or therapist.

J: Thank you very much for this inspiring interview.
A: Thank you as well. It was a pleasure for me to be able to present someone so special like Monika and also briefly explain how coaching works.

Journalistin: Julita Palinska

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