Getting to know… Linda Anderson of Linda On The Go

Linda Anderson (Linda on the Go) is Life Coach, Blogger, Adventurous Soul and Mum of 3. Her mission in life is to support and inspire other Mums to thrive rather than just survive in their journey through motherhood.
www.lindaonthego.com
www.5minutesformum.com
Tell us about yourself
I am a life coach, a blogger and a mum to 3 daughters who are currently 9, 6, and 5 years. I love to travel and my husband and I relocated our family to Waiheke Island, New Zealand a year and a half ago to fulfil our family dream to live by the sea and raise our children where they can climb trees and have adventures.
I have been a life coach for 12 years, long before I had children, and completed a professional coach certification through the International Coach Academy (ICA), which is an Australian owned, global organisation.
When I first started coaching I was a generalist coach working with all people on life transition, crisis, or how to have a better life. I now exclusively work with mothers and that has come through my own journey. When I became a mum, I was very confronted by my loss of identity, of who am and wondering how I saw myself and how others saw me. I questioned how my hopes and dreams fit with motherhood and I got lost as a woman because I was unable to meet my own needs.
Through my own challenges in that journey I realised no one was having this conversation with mothers; it was all about feeding, sleeping and caring for the baby. I realised we need to have a conversation about what is happening to you as a woman and how to process the change into motherhood. I went through my own personal journey in coming to terms with that and returned to feeling that I was thriving as a woman again. I realised that I wanted to take my personal journey and combine it with my professional expertise and make it easier for mothers and give them access to what I learnt, while offering support in their journey.
Tell us about Linda On The Go
Linda On The Go is my business home for all the things that I do, a place for me to share my coaching services and blogs that are all related to inspiring mothers to care for their own needs. I also cover topics such as travel with kids and personal stories. My website is a place to access resources and inspiration and get started on caring for YOU better. There are free resources, meditations and planners.
The name “Linda On The Go” references what it is like to be mother; you’re always on the go whilst caring for yourself amongst the challenges of life with young kids.
I offer one on one coaching for mums and they can work with me for a variety of reasons, sometimes it’s because they are lost, wondering who they are and what happened to them and how can they find themselves again. This includes thinking about and processing returning to work or doing that and finding it’s not working out as hoped or expected.
Mums can pre-purchase a package of 4 coaching sessions, which they can then use in whatever timeframe works for them. Being a mum of 3 kids, I am realistic about life and the challenges in finding the time to do the sessions. Depending on how their coaching goes, they can keep purchasing packages until they are ready to stop. I offer coaching by phone and Skype.
One on one coaching is so amazingly effective in terms of creating change, awareness and removing all the things that are getting the way of how we want to feel.
You have an online program, 5 Minutes for Mum – what does that entail?
It’s a 6-week program that runs twice per year. Again, it’s realistic in that if mums struggle with keeping up week-to-week it doesn’t matter as they have lifetime access. They can pick up and use the content whenever works for them.
The program was designed because one of the biggest things for mums is the feeling that there is no time or space for them anymore. They give and give and give, and after that there is nothing left for them. They feel unhappy but don’t know how to change it. Being stressed, frazzled and overwhelmed, it can be difficult to know how to carve out time for themselves. The need and the desire is there, but the how was the issue. I created a program that breaks down 6 different areas of life including the physical, emotional, and relationships. I break down activities that take literally 5 minutes to do. The premise is that if we can get into a practice to take 5-minute actions each day that serves us much more than trying to hold out for the magic hour or time that we never get. Breaking it down to 5-minute elements makes such a huge difference immediately.
Mothers can jump in and get supported by me in a closed Facebook group and get the support of all the other mums there.
When is the next 6-week program launching?
The enrolments start on 28 August until 14 September and the program will begin on Tuesday 19 September. There is an early bird special in place until the 7^th September, which is $97 total or there is a weekly payment plan on the early bird pricing which is $20 per week for 6 weeks.
From 8^th September, the price goes to $147 which is either full payment or again there is a payment plan available.
Who is the program best suited to?
It is best suited to mothers with young children, newborn to 10 years. I have mothers who have older children but the greatest need is of that younger age. It’s for any mum feeling overwhelmed and struggling to find time and space for herself. For me personally, the signs that I am not taking time out for myself (I too am a constant work in progress!) is when I start snapping at my children and my patience goes out the door. Life feels harder and less joyful, I don’t sleep very well, and I’m not emotionally settled. Trust me, I have done this for myself and hundreds of women have been through this program – I promise the 5 minutes will help to release the pressure valve. It’s amazing how it has such a big impact.
I give you concrete tools and activities that have come from my personal and professional background, supported by an amazing support group of like-minded women. Some mums have been through the program and can give you their experience and tips to help you along as well as the support I offer.
In your experience, what do you believe are the biggest challenges that mums face?
The expectations that they hold of themselves; the incredible perceived expectations that create so much stress for them with feelings of failure, guilt, and not being good enough. It is something really big for mums to come to terms with.
You’ve been a life coach for 12 years, what attracted you to the profession?
I first discovered the profession when I was 22 and I read an article in the SMH about life coaching making its way from the USA. When it described what a coach did, with the qualities of what a coach is, I thought, “This is me!” This is naturally what I do as a person and why people have been drawn to me and know I can help them find their own answers. I wasn’t ready to study or have a business at that time, so I put that article in a folder and carried it around with me. When I was at another crossroads in my life a few years later I decided to study and become a life coach.
You talk about living your dreams, how do you help mums achieve that?
I help them firstly by getting clarity on what their dreams are as we often lose our dreams during motherhood. I help them open up the possibilities and create a pathway to take the steps to get there. We work through the challenges and obstacles. Rediscovering your dreams is massive, as a mother.
To what do you attribute to your success?
Being authentic and walking my talk – what you see is what you get. I am a mother who has been through all of these things and I don’t pretend everything is perfect and rosy, or that I don’t struggle. These are the things I have found and worked through in my own life; mums see themselves reflected in my journey and it may prompt the thought that if she can do that, then maybe so can I.
What are 3 great tips you can offer mums struggling with the daily grind?

Find ways to nurture your own needs. The daily grind is less of a grind when you are being nurtured and are filling up your own well.
Ask for and accept support and help; so many mums feel like they have to do it all themselves.
Change your routine; it feels like ground hog day some days so the simplest thing is to walk to a new playground or doing something a little bit different to break the feeling that you are doing the same thing over and over again.