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The Well 52: Pam Cho

The Well 52: Pam Cho

Welcome to The Well 52, a platform we are hosting at WISe Wellness Guild that celebrates women leading in the whole-self wellness industry and supporting other women along the way.
 
Meet our nominee of The Well 52: Pam Cho
Headshot of Pam Lowe Cho smiling confidently.
Pam Cho, she/her, Founder and Executive Coach, Trek Executive Coaching

What is the most important thing you do for your wellness?

Keep a regular sleep schedule. It’s the foundation of all I do to stay healthy, mentally and physically.

When I get the sleep I need (a minimum of 7 hours), it’s much easier for me to focus on my wellbeing. I try my best to keep the same sleep schedule every day. When I’m rested, I know I make better decisions. For example, it’s easier for me to say no to junk food like cookies and ice cream (I have a serious sweet tooth), I have a better chance of getting a workout in, and am more productive in my coaching business when I get sleep. For me, lack of sleep can lead to a long day, walking around in a cranky mood, with very little accomplished. I’ve had my fair share of these days during the pandemic, but have tried hard to keep my sleep schedule in place.

Sleep is such an important pillar in our wellbeing. I often share a “5-day sleep challenge” with my coaching clients. They determine the hours of sleep they need, what time to go to bed and wake up, and they keep that daily sleep schedule for five days. Clients love this homework assignment and usually find great success with this process.

What is one piece of advice you'd give to other women?

The advice I'd give to other women is to take a “Commander in Chief” approach to prioritizing and protecting your calendars. It’s so important to block “me” time to ensure personal wellbeing.

I want women to feel empowered to OWN their calendars, prioritize what’s important to them, then make decisions about what goes on and off their calendars. Yes, we all have certain personal and professional commitments that need to be on our calendars. But we have the power to say yes, and the power to say no to personal invitations, requests to help others, get involved in new projects, etc. It’s easy to let others take away our power and steal personal time critical to our wellbeing. Stay strong, and know that it’s OK to say no.

The advice I'd give to other women is to take a “Commander in Chief” approach to prioritizing and protecting your calendars.

In these times we’re living in, it’s especially important to slow down, catch our breath, reflect and recharge. A coaching colleague starts all of her sessions by having her clients close their eyes and do deep breathing exercises. I’ve been talking a mindfulness class to learn techniques for myself, and to help clients understand the importance of hitting the pause button and using these meditation techniques.

👉 Some examples of “Me” time activities you can add to your calendars as re-occurring events: 1) Carve out one “no commitment weekend” a month – no appointments, social engagements etc. – just time to be spontaneous and do what your heart, mind and body need. 2) Put one vacation or staycation on the calendar every quarter. 3) Spend a Friday afternoon once a month shopping at local specialty food shops, or picking up fresh flowers for the weekend.

My wish for all women is to be bold in creating and holding space for things that keep you healthy and happy.

What is one quote / mantra you live by?
My “go-to” guiding words are tenacity and gratitude. That’s why I like this quote from Henry Winkler – "Tenacity gets you where you want to go, and gratitude doesn't allow you to be angry along the way.”

Tenacity gets you where you want to go, and gratitude doesn't allow you to be angry along the way.

- Henry Winkler

Brag on yourself – what is something you are REALLY proud of?
I’m really proud of designing and launching my new Trek Coaching Outdoors program during the pandemic.

When the pandemic hit, I was able to pivot 100% of my 13-year coaching practice to all virtual sessions without missing a beat. That was the good news. The not-so-good-news was that I started to hit a wall and burn out on Zoom calls after spending 12 months in our guest bedroom coaching online from 7:00am to 6:00pm. I had to make a change.

I remembered participating in a guided outdoor walk for stress reduction at the Cincinnati Nature Center in 2019 called “Shinrin-Yoku." This outdoor meditation practice started in Japan in the 1980s, encouraging professionals to take breaks during the workday and walk in designated urban parks to lower stress levels. Shinrin-Yoku (the literal English translation is Forest Bathing) has since become a global movement, as scientists have discovered significant evidence of physical and mental benefits gained from spending time outdoors.

Last spring, I started doing my own research into Shinrin-Yoku, and found a community of accomplished executive coaches around the world having success meeting with clients outdoors. That led to my transitioning my individual and group coaching practice outside, and creating Trek Coaching Outdoors. I enrolled in a 6-month intensive ANFT (Association of Nature and Forest Therapy) certification last fall, and will be completing the program this spring.

Since the launch of Trek Coaching Outdoors, it’s been a joy to work with clients who want to meet outside for their coaching sessions, and walk while experiencing the sky above and nature around them.

As a friend recently reflected back to me, I’m blessed to have found the intersection of my purpose, passion, and proficiency with this new practice.

Pam Lowe Cho headshot
If you’d like to join me for one of our upcoming Trek Coaching Outdoors programs, you can find a registration link at TrekCoaching.com/Events.

Learn more about Pam Lowe Cho and Trek Executive Coaching on WISe here, or follow Pam on Instagram @trekcoaching and connect with her on LinkedIn.

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Comments

Emily - July 12, 2022

LOVE this advice from Pam. So important to remember “Me” time.

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