Member Spotlight : Anne Flugstad-Clarke
I am a Norwegian, born and raised in Oslo, and with a master’s in business and marketing from Oslo, I married Stuart in London more than 30 years ago. We moved to New Jersey from London in 1998. Our “one year adventure” is still ongoing!
We have three children, two were born in London, and our youngest “NJ suburban surprise” is now a senior in college. I started a sun-protective swimwear company in London when my second child was one year old; I wanted to work and be at home with the kids. When we moved to the US, I brought the company with me and worked in all time zones while Stuart travelled worldwide in his job. It was crazy busy – the word global still makes me nauseous.
I felt burnt out after 14 years of always being on call in an industry that became more and more cut-throat, sold my business, and went back to school. I was craving to learn!
A journey of learning and personal growth started, and it brought me to where I am today, finishing a master's in science of Applied Positive Psychology and Coaching Psychology, and I must admit, I am toying with the idea of a PhD. It is okay to have lofty goals.
Buddha said, "Love is a gift of one's innermost soul to another so both can be whole". This is the essence of compassion and coaching. As a coach, I partner with my clients, exchanging knowledge as they know the answers as the expert on "self." My role as a coach is to help the client see what they do not know they see and help them find their answers. Hope and dreams become a reality through a journey of personal growth with deliberate and sometimes challenging questions. The client becomes aware of who they are, what they want, and where they would like to be. Looking at the world with different lenses, learning to step back and be kind to oneself increasing their self-worth. Clients become better leaders of self and others with a flexible growth mindset as a result of this process.
I welcome neuro-diverse clients, such as ADHD, as I learn so much from each of these wonderful clients.
Positive Psychology has given me new knowledge and a new way of being, which I love to share. Life isn't always happy or easy, but it can be easier to tackle the obstacles through the lens of positive psychology.
I am currently working on my dissertation in Positive Psychology about self-concept and identity which includes a rainbow of exciting topics, such as who am I and what I think about that, self-identity, self-awareness, self-doubt, self-deception, self-compassion, and post-traumatic growth, just to mention a few.
Each client is unique, and not "one shoe fits all" (Carl Jung) - I love to learn from all human beings.
I am a connector of people, and I believe that Co-Co's purpose greatly aligns with my views and vision and I was very excited to join from the beginning. I have met so many amazing women through the Co-Co, and I love the co-learning opportunities and the inclusiveness. The Co-Co is a wonderful platform to enhance any business, and it is up to the individual to make the most of what Co-Co offers. The Co-Co Founder's and staff are doing a marvelous job for us all! Thank you!
To hear from Anne live, join us for her event on Wednesday, September 22nd at 10:45 A.M., “Wellness Wednesday with Anne Flugstad-Clarke: Compassionate Leadership”.