A Bigger Life to Live with Heart

For years, Ruth Davis says, she coasted through her life, working in a day job in the field of computer training, taking vacations to the beach, and creating artwork to sell. However, in 2007, Ruth was forced to slow down. She underwent emergency open heart surgery to remove a benign tumor in her left atrium, and from that day on, her life has never been the same, nor did she want it to be!

Recovery from the surgery was a process, as with any major surgery. The biggest worry Ruth had was, would she ever be creative again? “I had to find new ways to tap into my creative self,” she writes in her blog.

“I really wanted to do more of my ‘real work,’ even though I didn’t know what that was.”

Ruth realized she needed to find other ways to tap into her creativity. Like others, Ruth ‘found’ her way Southwest Institute of Healing Arts (SWIHA) and on some level it wasn’t all that accidental. After enrolling in the 100 hour Life Coaching program Ruth quickly came to the BIG realization of how much BIGGER everything really is, herself included. When asked to explain, Ruth passionately confides, “I realized how much my spirituality IS my work, and my gift to the world is share ME with my clients.”

Once Ruth completed her 100 hours of Life Coaching in 2009, she got to work. She created her business, Spark the Heart, and almost immediately began seeing clients. Her focus with Spark the Heart is to help women over 50 discover and feel good about who they are and what they really want to do with their lives. Offering what she calls “one-on-one, laser focused coaching,” Ruth helps clients realize how they can make changes in their lives and start living more of what makes them feel good.

Since she works out of her home, the majority of Ruth’s sessions are conducted over the phone. Interestingly, her home is a 24-foot RV, in which she moved into in 2012. Ruth always wanted to live at the beach, and after several attempts to find a house to rent at the central coast of California, she stepped back and reassessed why she was moving from Arizona. She writes on her blog, “I had to let go of some old stories and limiting beliefs, and reconnect with my desire to show up bigger in my life to better serve and inspire others to remember to reclaim their own dreams.” So, instead of looking to others for answers, she looked to herself, found her inner-knowing, packed up her RV and drove it to the beach, where she settled in and continued her work.

Typically, phone sessions are about 30 minutes long. Ruth explains that this is so the client keeps from getting stuck in storytelling, and they can dive in to what matters.

A typical session with Ruth always begins with breath work to help her client become grounded and centered. Once both Ruth and her client are immersed in the present moment, she begins the session. Typically, phone sessions are about 30 minutes long. Ruth explains that this is so the client keeps from getting stuck in storytelling, and they can dive in to what matters. “By the end of the session, there is usually a new understanding of something, sometimes a huge shift, and always an action step to do before the next session.”

Ruth knows the importance of investing time and energy in marketing her business and services. In addition to her blog, which she updates weekly, she has a presence on Facebook, she sends a weekly newsletter, and has been diligent about doing so since she started Spark the Heart in 2009. She also understands the importance of word of mouth marketing, and benefits from client referrals. “People do business with people they know, like, and trust,” Ruth says. “Ninety-nine percent of my coaching clients are referred to me by other clients.” She is also always willing to show up with what her friend Laurie calls “generosity marketing” meaning she is always open-hearted and willing to generously share her knowledge, expertise and support.

“People do business with people they know, like, and trust,” Ruth says. “Ninety-nine percent of my coaching clients are referred to me by other clients.”

Ruth Davis has recently published her first book, Heart Sparks: 7 Practices for Loving Your Life. “It’s a guidebook for people wanting more in their lives, even if they don’t know what that is,” she shares. “Within the framework of seven simple practices, the reader will re-discover who she truly is and what she deeply loves, and how to bring more of that into her daily life.”

Ruth also offers clients hands-on creativity workshops, in-person women’s coaching circles and, in November of this year, she will be facilitating a retreat called: “Women, Wonder and Waves” in California.

Ruth’s journey in her RV to the California coast (and elsewhere) as a business owner has been a bit bumpy, however her motivation and dedication has brought her to where she is today. For those out there who hope to follow their heart like Ruth did, she offers this piece of advice: “Your best work is less about the tools you use and all about how you want your clients to FEEL when they work with you. And how YOU want to FEEL when you work with them.”

True to her style, Ruth is planning to drive across the country in her RV, stopping at various bookstores, women’s groups and any living room one of her clients or fans invite her to share about the 7 Practices for Loving Your Life, as outlined in her self-published book. Ruth is launching her cross-country book tour, Tuesday, March 31, 2015 at Changing Hands, at 6428 S McClintock Drive in Tempe, Arizona. For more information on the event go to: http://www.changinghands.com/event/davis-mar2015

To learn more about how to become a Life Coach, like Ruth Davis, contact SWIHA’s Admissions Department by calling 480-994-9244 or go to www.BeALifeCoach.com.