Graves Disease changed how this executive coach lives her life

How can a professional coach help you?

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Several years earlier, Yeo had trained to become a  certified CliftonsStrength professional coach. A professional coach is someone who guides workers to reach personal or professional goals. For example, an executive might hire a coach to help them master work skills. Or a company may hire a coach to encourage better teamwork.

When she worked at the MOE and an education franchise Yeo did sometimes get to use her professional coaching skills – and she found it the best part of her job.

“It was so rewarding seeing the joy on people’s faces when they accomplished something new – like confidently delivering a speech in front of a crowd. Doing my part to bring out their potential is what kept me going for many years.”

Why change is an evolution, not a revolution

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While her operation gave Yeo the courage to open her own business, it did not happen overnight. “I had to plan for this career transition. I had many financial commitments at that time. Three kids, a new house.

“I had many discussions with my husband to talk through the impact on our family. It was not a sudden decision.

“But he was open-minded. Over the years he had seen how committed I was to coaching. He had seen me do Skype calls at 11pm to clients in the UK, then wake up at 5am to go to work. We did our sums and decided we could take some risk. My husband’s mantra is simple – as long as it makes us happy, there’s no quibbling.”

How she prepared to open her open business

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Yeo believes change happens step-by-step. So she joined professional organisations like Coach Masters Academy and the International Coach Academy. She also learnt business skills. “I studied marketing, copywriting, website building, search engine optimization and branding. The total investment was huge, so all these courses had to be spaced out.”

Eventually, four years after her surgery, Yeo felt ready to set up her own professional coaching business, called ACESENCE.

Then came the challenge to find clients, “ I got rejected by prospects so many times I sometimes felt like giving up. I was afraid, but I would tell myself that courage is not the absence of fear – it’s pushing on despite feeling fearful.”

So she joined an agency, posted to LinkedIn, contributed to podcasts and wrote a self help book 8 Paradoxes of Leadership Ability. It became a #1 Bestseller in 14 categories on Amazon in its week of launch.

Now Yeo works with executives in over 30 countries. She regularly contributes to podcasts and was recently named one of the “Top 101 Global Coaching Leaders” at the World HRD Congress, a conference for Human Resource Development.

But change never stops, and a few months ago Yeo was diagnosed with Graves Disease or hyperthyroidism.

What is Graves Disease or hyperthyroidism?

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Thyroid hormones affect many body systems, so the symptoms are varied. In Yeo’s case, ““I had a faster pulse that I could hear in my ears, and quicker breaths. Then one day I noticed I was very out of breath just talking to a client. My hands also began trembling so much that even writing was difficult.My heart started pounding even with the slightest exertion. Walking from the living room to the kitchen felt like a marathon.”

The good news is that Graves disease can be controlled by medication and lifestyle changes. But it was another life-changing moment for Yeo.

“I needed to find a way to work and live sustainably. I had to work out how to put my heart and soul into my work – yet still reserve enough time and energy to have a well-rounded, holistic and pain free life.”

Today, Yeo has scaled back some of her outside appointments until her health stabilises. She continues to coach clients online and via video calls. She also records content for podcasts and writes blog posts and self help advice on social media. She finds this mainly home-based workflow suits her health and family life.

Her children Yonghao, aged 13, Yongqi, aged 11 and Yongsheng, aged 9, have adapted well. “They’ve learnt to be quiet when I’m conducting virtual workshops or coaching. When my study room door is closed, they get the idea that I am working.”

While she sometimes has days that are tough, Yeo is grateful she took the leap to change her life. “Change can be destabilising, but it’s also an opportunity to reinvent yourself. You get new learning opportunities, growth and experiences.

“Now, when I close my eyes before sleeping, I sometimes imagine this might be the last time I close my eyes… and I feel calm. Now, I have no regrets. It’s a good feeling, especially compared to how I felt on the day of my surgery.”

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Understand how regret can guide you towards good change. Says Chuen Chuen, “I recommend everyone reads The Power of Regret by Daniel Pink. Before my surgery I regretted I had dedicated effort to becoming a certified coach – but did not take action. Your regrets show you what is missing from your life, and what direction you need to take.”

Discuss with your partner to renegotiate family responsibilities. Says Chuen Chuen, “I was more involved in the children’s school work when they were younger. But my husband is now more involved, because I’m in a different stage of my career”.

Remember transformation is an evolution, not a revolution. Says Chuen Chuen, “Healthy change first begins as a thought. Over time, at every fork in the road, that thought helps you choose a direction closer to your dream. It’s a meandering path. And small changes count. Try reading How Will You Measure Your Life, by Clayton Christensen”

Set your own power health routine. Chuen Chuen enjoys her 20 minute walk to the Pilates studio, followed by one hour of Pilates. “It increases my mind-body connection.I also use the app Noom to track what I eat because I believe in the saying ‘eat well, feel well, be well’.”

Discover your strengths and use them every day. To help you discover your unique “talent DNA” Chuen Chuen recommends Gallup CliftonStrengths. “When you know your talents, you also know the type of work that energises you. This helps you minimise time you spend on processes that suck your energy. For example, I dislike administration. So I automate it as much as possible.”

Keep a journal and write down your plans and feelings. She says, “Keeping a journal makes me more focused and strategic. I write notes for all my meetings and conversations so they are easy to reference. In this way, I free up brain space for ideas and strategy.”

Set a theme of the year. Chuen Chuen finds this more effective than new year resolutions, because you can keep your theme broad and more dynamic. For example, you might have a theme like “I will take actions that help me become more creative and free”.

This article was originally published in Singapore Women's Weekly.