Spring storms! I left early for a work commitment to try to avoid predicted possibly heavy storms. My journey took me through periods of heavy rain, lightning and thunder and longer periods of calm. I think of this as a metaphor for life. There are times we try to avoid the emotional storms we predict may come our way. And we as coaches often find ourselves or our clients in the midst of an emotional storm. This occurs when we get caught up in a swirl of negative emotions that seem to swell and grow until they have robbed us of greater cognitive control. When we are in the throes of a storm—literal or emotional—it seems like we can’t escape it.

We may need support or assistance, as those in stopped vehicles along the road. Or we may need an actual pause or break from life’s emotional storms. We may need to find shelter from the storm as my college granddaughter on spring break did. Her group of travelers found temporary shelter inside a warehouse along with other tornado-warning escapees who were welcomed and treated well by the workers inside. The storm of fear was eased by this support, and the travelers were able to continue with greater confidence as the tornado warning ended and their emotions turned to relief.

In Atlas of the Heart, Brené Brown’s unpacking of 87 different emotions gives us maps for identifying and better understanding the nuances of different emotions. If we can name an emotion we are feeling, we are better equipped to unpack the complexities and connections of the storm in a way that will lead us into the periods of calm, relief, and then back to joy.

As coaches, we are charged with managing our own emotions while in the presence of deep emotion in our clients. We meet people where they are, and we are cognizant of where we are emotionally as we meet them.

As we travel through life’s journeys, we can travel with confidence and not be lost. As Brené Brown states, “I believe that with an adventurous heart and the right maps, we can travel anywhere and never fear losing ourselves. Even when we don’t know where we are.”