Sometimes the most meaningful coaching doesn’t happen in a session. It happens in the quiet after—that moment when the brain is tired from processing, the heart’s still sore from honesty, and the client texts back something between “meh” and a revelation.
My coaching packages include full sessions, mini check-ins (think: pre-interview hype talks), and unlimited texts—within reason.
Because let’s be honest: not every thought needs a Zoom link and a tearful reflection exercise. Sometimes people just need a safe ping.
That little text thread can be a bridge—one that gives someone permission to be messy without getting lost in it.
I saw a great video on social that inspired the questions I use in these moments. I think it’s brilliant, and you should steal it too… this is how I used it after a recent session:
***
ME: Hey, you still not doing great?
CLIENT: I don’t know, but thank you for checking in.
ME: Do you want to talk about it,
Do you want a distraction, or
Do you want some space?
CLIENT: Maybe some time to myself to think about what I need.
ME: OK of course, I’ll check in in a few days. I really like that you’re considering your needs!
CLIENT: Meh. Thanks?
ME: Maybe in our next session we’ll work on accepting compliments?
***
Tiny exchange. Gigantic truth bomb.
Coaching isn’t about solving someone’s discomfort in real time—it’s about holding the perimeter while they figure out what safety feels like again. And sometimes, that perimeter is a 27-word text message.
The old-school view says: “If it’s not a formal session, it’s not real work.”
But real growth often starts in those micro-moments when you show someone they’re allowed to choose what they need; even if all they can articulate is space. That’s emotional literacy in action…. boundary work. That’s the real ROI of coaching.
And for anyone who’s been on either side of that message, remember: Sometimes “meh” is just the sound of someone learning to feel safe enough to tell you the truth.
