A Life Now Worth Living

Here at the-Coaching Blog-run by Gerard O’Donovan, our aim is to constantly bring value to those seeking to improve their lives. Therefore we have a policy of publishing articles and materials by guest authors whom we value and appreciate. Today’s guest author is Ashley Gordon & Brian Tregunna (UK).

The Inside Story Behind the Creation of the Popular Self-help Life Coaching Book
Coaching can create the most unlikely inspirational stories and outcomes. Take the case of Ashley (Ash) Gordon and Brian Tregunna, for example.
Ash is a 30-year-old Iraq war veteran who lives in Dorset, UK, whilst Brian is a former Fire Chief who lives in Cornwall, UK, and is closer to the national state pension age than he would like to admit. So how did two people from such diverse backgrounds and geographical locations come together to co-write a compelling new book about how Ash has recovered from the trauma of conflict to help other people turn their sometimes difficult and emotional lives around?

The full story is explained in their acclaimed self-help life coaching book, ‘A Life Now Worth Living’, but here’s a brief outline providing the inside story on how it all come about, including some previously unpublished details.
When Ash completed his boyhood dream of joining the British Army, he had no idea of what lay ahead or the consequences for his mental health and wellbeing. He was sent to Iraq just five days after his 18th birthday and completed two tours of the conflict zone while still a teenager.  Unfortunately, that left Ash with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), which initially was undiagnosed and had a devastating effect upon his life.
Ash said, “It was my childhood dream to join the Army and I was very proud of my service. But I did not realise the damaging effect it would have upon my life. I ended up in a very bad place mentally. I felt like I’d gone to hell and back. I only managed to drag myself out of a deep black hole when I learnt to let go, take action and move on. Now I would like to share the details of the life-changing steps I took so that I can help others who may also be suffering.’
After Ash left the army, he fell into a deep spiral of negativity that included dealing with a lot of anger, drinking large amounts of alcohol and constantly seeking conflict; which, unfortunately, he found all too often, much to his personal cost. He was not in a good place mentally and was pushed right to ‘the edge’ before he had one of those experiences that can be described either as fate, luck or intervention by a greater power, depending upon your beliefs and perspectives on life.
The turning point in Ash’s life came about after he attended a talk that Brian was delivering to military veterans in Ash’s home town. Brian explains that, when they first met, Ash was a quiet and withdrawn young man, who had low self-esteem and would not look him in the eye.
‘At first, he was just one of many unwell veterans that I was helping through my work as a coach, trainer and mentor’, said Brian. ‘But, it was not too long before I noticed that Ash had something a little different about him. A natural way of engaging with people that made them want to listen, and a thirst for learning that meant he was keen to soak-up everything I shared about coaching and how to best manage your life.’
As Ash writes in the book, ‘The day I started to take full responsibility, for my life, it changed for the better’. I stopped blaming people, institutions and situations; by doing so, it enabled me to take responsibility for my life and how I could lead it.’
‘I wouldn’t even have heard of renowned authors like Viktor Frankl and Stephen Covey if it hadn’t been for Brian,’ Ash admitted. ‘Learning about various coaching models and personal development principles was life-changing. It raised my self-awareness, lit-up my imagination and inspired me to change my life.’
Ash’s mental wellbeing steadily improved as he not only learned a range of important coaching principles, but also applied those new skills to his everyday life. It wasn’t easy, of course, but Ash persevered and made some difficult decisions that brought about positive, lasting improvement.
‘I first new that something special was happening with Ash when he spoke at an important volunteering event in Wiltshire,’ remembers Brian. ‘He captivated the large audience with his explanation of how volunteering (with Active Plus) had not only changed his life, but literally saved it. Although he was clearly nervous, his courage, honesty and enthusiasm shone through and he completed his speech to rapturous applause.’
As his confidence and self-esteem grew, Ash took on more responsibility. He studied and gained a formal training qualification, spoke at more public events and accepted a full-time job helping other people to improve their lives.  Many of the people he helped, achieved significant progress with their lives; most improved their mental wellbeing, many gained employment and some even started their own businesses.
Ash’s thirst for knowledge grew even stronger and another major step forward occurred when he studied NLP (Neuro Linguistic Programming) Coaching in the USA. Qualifying as a Master Practitioner led to Ash starting his own coaching business, ‘Personal Breakthrough Solutions’, which has enabled him to help even more people.
‘I’m very proud of Ash for tackling the extremely tough issues he was faced with and then becoming a shining example for others to follow,’ said Brian. ‘There’s no doubt that he was in a very bad way when I first met him, but now he has got his life in order and spends a lot of his time helping people in need. He’s living proof that recovery from very difficult circumstances is possible if you take the right steps.’
Perhaps the final words should rest with Ash, who says, ‘My personal journey continues. I really do have ‘A Life Now Worth Living’. I want to keep learning, see how much I can grow and at the same time help other people to improve their lives. Who knows where that will take me in the future.’
‘A Life Now Worth Living’ is available from local bookstores and online, in print and e-book versions for £9.95.
 
About the Authors
Ashley Gordon
Ash is a well-qualified trainer of Neuro Linguistic Programming (NLP), Time Line TherapyTM, Hypnotherapy & NLP Coaching with considerable experience of empowering other people to improve their lives through his own company ‘Personal Breakthrough Solutions’. Further information on Ash and the services he provides can be found on his website or Facebook page.
Contact no. 07544273540           Email: ashplus@outlook.com
Brian Tregunna
Brian is a highly acclaimed Coach, Trainer and Leader. He has his own Coaching and Personal Development company, ‘TLC’, working with organisations, groups and individuals to achieve high performance through bespoke coaching, training, mentoring and personal development.
Further information and contact details are available on Brian’s website
Contact no. 07856571163         Email: tregunnalifecoaching@gmail.com
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