Sommer Time and the Livin’s Easy: A Life Coach for All Seasons
By: Andee Mckenzie
When people come across my name, I often hear you are definitely an “Andee” as if the name chose me. Nothing in this world could be more true of that than for my friend Sommer. Sommer, the German version of “Summer” has one goal: to live life as lit up as she can to help others light up their own lives. I first met Sommer strolling down the hall of our old job. I was channeling my inner Twiggy and wearing a magenta pink dress and short white go-go boots. It must have been Sommer’s first full week at the company and she came right up to me with a brighter smile than the Orbit girl and complimented my style. From there on I watched her as she navigated and networked her way as a successful sales manager while simultaneously getting her business up appropriately titled “Whole Sommer”.
Now, more than ever, in a time where people are constantly asking themselves what in the Sam Hill is going on with my life right now, Sommer is forging her path as a life coach and entrepreneur proving that every day is one where you can live in the sunshine.
What made you want to become a life coach and entrepreneur?
Growing up, I read books on happiness and planned things to make every day more special. When I was nineteen I accidentally discovered a life coaching podcast. I didn’t love it, but I was so bored at my internship that I kept listening. I learned how to observe my thoughts and eventually change them. What really hooked me was understanding other people better. Understanding is the first step to helping.
The desire to pursue something like life coaching often comes from experiencing a personal struggle and overcoming that. Do you have a recent example of this?
I started my first job as a wine vendor right outside college. I got buried alive in my work working 10–14 hours a day. Work started at 4:00 am a lot of the time and I was drained. The job looked great on paper and I almost didn’t want to admit to myself that I wasn’t happy. My breaking point came after a six-week sales sprint and I called my mom crying and told her I felt guilty because I was just trying to do it all and failing. My wise mother goes “Hun, why are you doing this to yourself?”. Something about the way she said yourself stuck with me because it was me who created the problem. So I did what I always do when I have a problem — I wrote lists. I asked better questions, like what would I want in a perfect world? I made my priorities clear and stayed true to my personality. The rest comes down to planning and practice. My approach to life coaching focuses on those 4 P’s — priorities, personality, planning and practice.
What is the process for an aspiring life coach?
It’s easiest to understand life coaching by explaining how it’s different from therapy. Typically, therapy helps you understand yourself in order to heal. The goal of coaching is to use that understanding to make decisions moving forward. A therapist is a health professional and to be a life coach you don’t need any formal training. That being said, there are certifications that you can go through. It’s a lot like college. It’s not the only way to be successful, but it teaches you new ways to think. I’m planning to study at the Life Coach School because I want to learn how to think like a life coach.
As the founder of Whole Sommer, do you find yourself absorbing content in a different way now that you are also creating it?
YES. I consciously consume a lot less content. I’m not able to create from as true of a place when I’m so focused on what other people are doing. When I absorb content now, it needs to actively add something in my life.
When looking at “Wellness” overall, how do you separate what might be just a “trend”?
It’s super tough to distinguish. When I first got into the health world, I bought into the “buzz” because I didn’t know any better! We follow what other people are doing. So if everyone you know is eating chia seeds then that’s what you think is normal. I think distinguishing between what’s a trend and what is a core pillar of wellness comes down to self-trust. I always ask, “How does this make me feel?” In my mind, it needs to be sustainable and simple so it can become a habit.
In the time of quarantine, people are now taking time to slow down and reflect. How important is self-reflection overall and what are the keys to reflection when life is busy?
The key to self-reflection is making it convenient. I write my priorities and intentions in my agenda every morning and look for patterns on what is working and what is not.
Your Instagram bio says the following: Priorities, Productivity, and Positivity. What is your current top priority, what is one way you are staying productive, and one way that you are staying positive during this crazy time?
Priority: My top priority now is Whole Sommer and getting my website up. Surprisingly, narrowing down priorities doesn’t come naturally to me, but it’s the best way to avoid burnout.
Productivity: My “Big 3”- I get out a sticky note and those are the three things I want to accomplish that day. I make sure everything is one-step, clear, and achievable. It helps you define that outer space of “Am I doing enough?”
Positivity: I keep positive reminders everywhere! They’re on phone background, my laptop wallpaper and random sticky notes.
I love that you are a huge fan of old school lettering writing. Is there something else that we don’t do anymore that you would love to see be brought back?
It’s a weird answer but embracing boredom! I feel like we don’t give ourselves enough time to think.
If you could write a letter to yourself five years ago, what advice would you give to yourself?
It’s important to have a plan, but don’t get attached to “the plan.” I’ve gotten a lot better at pivoting when situations change.
What is Sommer Brennan’s current mission statement?
I want to be lit up in every way. Hopefully practicing what I preach will inspire other people too!