Today we’d like to introduce you to Rosemarie Philip.
Hi Rosemarie, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
“Loving the simple things in life will bring you a world of joy” has been a guide for all aspects of my life, including how I help others reconnect with themselves, their community, those they lead, and those they love.
Little did I know that a saying shared by someone I lost before I was 12 would lay the foundation for what I call a life well-loved, where joy and pain can coexist. These words have provided such comfort amidst many a storm. They gave me a deep connection to nature, a safe space for self-care, and a tool for navigating the ambiguity life brings.
My love for learning, teaching, and advocating began with my earliest memories. I grew up in a home that no matter how complicated life was, the door was always open for others – something my siblings and I have carried forward, each in our own way. When I moved to Houston for university at the age of 17, I was hungry for diverse perspectives and to challenge the lens from which I had learned to see the world.
My career began in the nonprofit sector in fields such as HIV education, disaster recovery, and domestic violence. I learned to hold space in difficult moments, creatively problem solve, and to view from a holistic lens as bandaids (the quick fixes) never really work in the end. When I transitioned from serving clients to educating and coaching leaders, I noticed the quick fix nearly always won over the choice to dig deep enough for true sustained change to occur. This human behavior fascinated me, as it got in the way of meeting (let alone exceeding) individuals’ and organizations’ potential.
Why weren’t people willing to take the hard road when the outcome could be so significant? This realization lit a fire in me to earn my Master’s in Organization Leadership and Development and become a Professional Certified Coach so that I could create spaces for leaders across industries to lean into vulnerability, gain clarity and alignment in their work and life, and frankly… reconnect with their own humanness and that of their people. No bandaids.
I have the best job in the world.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Certain moments would not taste as sweet, would not feel as tender, if they did not coexist with loss, pain, and disappointment. Grief is because we fiercely loved. Regret means we reflected, we are learning. A near-death experience I had five years ago deepened my curiosity, awe, and wonder in what others might find mundane. Living with multiple chronic illnesses has deepened my empathy for others’ unseen struggles. Being part of a society whose actions state that we the chronically ill are less than, are collateral damage, only furthered my advocacy efforts.
Running a business means constantly being willing to accept risk, failing time and again, and LISTENING. It means countless iterations – while remaining grounded in purpose.
I embrace the detours because I know that there will be something on the other side, even if it’s not within my sight at the moment.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
I have spent over 15 years as a leadership coach and organization development consultant, working across industries with individuals, businesses, mission-driven organizations, and the public sector.
I provide life and leadership coaching and facilitate workshops around well-being, purpose, resilience, navigating ambiguity, leadership to name a few. I am excited to launch a series of self-paced course packages on these very topics for organizations to offer their employees. As we have seen in the great resignation, people are burned out. As a society, we don’t know how to really rest, to incorporate practical self-care. People are hungry for meaning, authenticity, clarity; they seek a life well-loved not just well-lived. These courses will help organizations get back to human.
In addition, with the marked increase of those living with chronic illness due to covid, I have created an inclusive online space to help others learn illness acceptance and strengthen their community of support. We have free resources, monthly mindful movement for all bodies, guest speakers, and opportunities to join small group coaching series on a variety of topics.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.rosemariephilip.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/rosemariepcoach
- Other: community.rosemariephilip.com
Image Credits
Main photo by Harold Emmers.
All the other images are by Rosemarie Philip.
