I became a life coach because if there was something I could spend a lifetime learning about, it would be the stories of people’s lives—the strength of their spirit, and the fascination with the variety of choices and ways life can be lived. I was grateful for what I had and wanted to use my skills to ease others’ burdens, to help reach that happy, satisfied, not completely unbalanced 😉 adult life one could call successful.
But I couldn’t quite step into that dream. Yet.
After launching my coaching practice, something constantly pulled me back: an exhausting job I couldn’t leave, projects I couldn’t finish or quit. So I took a break from coaching. And then, just when I thought I had acquired just a bit more energy to start over, wave after wave of life’s demands knocked me down.
First came the COVID lockdown—with four kids suddenly home from school. Then, just as the world began to reopen, the war in my home country of Ukraine shattered any sense of stability I had left.
But so many other people were living through the same storms, and they seemed to move forward. Why didn’t I? Why couldn’t I let go? Why was I still stuck?
These questions led me down a path of deep self-reflection, therapy, coaching and transformation. I began to see the root of my struggle: the only strategy I knew was to always push.
Push through exhaustion. Push through overwhelm. Push through circumstances.
But the effect of this strategy on me was completely opposite. Because if I didn’t push and produce visible results, I felt like I had failed. And when I couldn’t push—because I was overwhelmed, grieving, or completely drained—I sank into guilt. That guilt paralyzed me, so I would wait for the storm to pass, believing that only then could my “real” successful life with big results would begin.
But the storms kept coming. And life kept passing me by.
That’s when I had my epiphany:
💡 Storms are not interruptions to life—they are part of life.
And here’s what changed everything for me:
👉 Not every storm needs to be waited out.
👉 Some do—and that’s okay too.
👉 There are different seasons in life, and they call for different strategies.
There are times to rest. Times to hold on. Times to crawl forward with baby steps. And yes, sometimes even times to push—but only when your body and heart are truly ready.
So I stopped waiting. I stopped pushing. I started living.
I stopped measuring myself against ideal versions of me—rested, focused, unburdened—and started showing up for the real, present me: tired, uncertain, but still capable of love, grace, and small steps forward.
I let go of guilt.
I started taking baby steps—the kind so small they seemed silly at first. But they added up. I praised myself, I listened, I rested, I started to rebuild. I gave myself permission to be imperfect, to go slow, to live.
And I discovered: progress is possible without pressure. In fact, it’s more sustainable that way.
So now I’m back.
Not just as the coach I once was—but as a woman who walked (crawled?) through the chaos and came out with something deeper to offer.
I’m reopening my coaching practice. And I’m doing it in a way that honors everything I’ve learned:
- That progress doesn’t have to be pressure.
- That tiny steps make powerful change.
- That you are already enough, exactly as you are, even in the mess, even in the storm.
If life keeps happening to you faster than you can catch your breath…
If you’re stuck between the guilt of not pushing and the exhaustion of always pushing…
If you want a gentler, more powerful way forward, even in the tough season…
I see you. I’ve been there. And I can help.
💛 Special Offer for My Return:
To celebrate this new beginning, I’m offering full-scale coaching sessions at only $57 each to the first 10 people who sign up for them — my thank-you to those who supported me, waited for me, and those who are just now finding me.
You’ll get:
- A grounded space to breathe and reflect.
- Clear next steps tailored to your actual, real-life capacity.
- Encouragement, insight, and gentle accountability.
Choose your time and sign up here https://app.acuityscheduling.com/schedule.php?owner=14513165&appointmentType=78205667
Together, we’ll find the rhythm that fits your season.
We’ll discover the strategy that fits your life, not the one you wish you had.
With care and grounded hope,
Mariya
Coach | Human | Storm-walker | Compassion advocate
Mariya Petrenko 
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