UPON RETURNING HOME from her coffee run, Nora grabbed her tablet and fell onto the sofa in her living room. She checked her email for any scripts of interest which her agent might have passed along. Finding none, she opened her Internet browser, surfed a bit, and landed on a website about Eastern religions and philosophies.
She marveled at people who found higher meaning in their lives. Nora wondered if she would ever unlock that type of contentment in her own life, though she kept her search casual, reading material in spare moments like this. Maybe, one day, she would stumble upon a way to escape the sense of isolation that nagged her in the midst of her success.
A notification popped up on her screen. Russell Merritt had responded to her request. According to his message, she could reply to schedule an appointment to chat online, or they could interact by email.
Or, if she was available in the next thirty minutes, they could conduct a live chat immediately. He provided instructions on how to log into his website’s chat program.
Nora checked the clock. It was worth a try.
CAGirl202: Are you there, Mr. Merritt?
She curled her legs beneath her and leaned against the arm of the sofa. Less than a minute later, she heard a chime and, sure enough, his reply appeared.
RMerritt44: Please feel free to call me Russell. Would you prefer me to call you by name?
Nora stopped. She didn’t want to use her real name, but calling her by username seemed silly. Cali Girl? Hold on…
CAGirl202: Call me Callie. I’m the one who emailed you an hour ago.
RMerritt44: Hi Callie. Thanks for reaching out. You didn’t mention any specifics.
CAGirl202: I’ve never contacted a coach before. How discreet is this?
RMerritt44: That’s the primary benefit of this online environment. You can remain as anonymous as you wish. I keep everything confidential, as long as you don’t mention anything illegal.
CAGirl202: Of course not. I just meant I need to stay discreet.
RMerritt44: Understood. I have several clients in that situation.
CAGirl202: So how does this work? Do I spill my guts and you take it from there?
RMerritt44: Some clients consider me a good sounding board. Others seek ways to advance their careers or general well-being. Do you have a particular goal?
CAGirl202: Honestly? I’m not sure why I contacted you. I have a great life. My career is on track. In fact, you could say it’s on a fast track. I have every reason to be happy.
RMerritt44: But you’re not?
Nora squirmed in her seat. Was she happy? Logic told her she should be.
CAGirl202: Do you know how it feels to know you *should* be happy, but you can’t quite get there?
RMerritt44: So you seek contentment?
CAGirl202: Maybe.
RMerritt44: And perhaps a larger perspective on the meaning of life?
Nora found herself growing more comfortable with him.
CAGirl202: I have this yearning inside me that nobody else can see. I don’t like not having answers. It makes me feel like I don’t have control of my own life, and I’m used to being in control.
RMerritt44: What do you do for a living?
She bit her lip. With a groan, she hedged her answer.
CAGirl202: I can’t go into much detail. Let’s say I’m in the public eye. Will that suffice?
RMerritt44: It makes much more sense. Not only do you face your own internal pressure, but you have expectations placed on you by those around you. For most people, it’s a handful of others placing those expectations on them. You, however, are trying to please thousands of people?
CAGirl202: At least.
RMerritt44: Yet you yearn to remain true to yourself. Perhaps this public image arose before you had a chance to figure out who “yourself” is.
What a relief! He understood her predicament without knowing the details. This might be the outlet that would help.
CAGirl202: My career shot ahead so fast, I’m trying to figure out how to live in a new world.
RMerritt44: And that can feel quite lonely.
CAGirl202: Yes, it can. I’ve never admitted that to anyone.
RMerritt44: You reached out to me. That marks a first step.
CAGirl202: I don’t know what I need to figure out, but I could see this coaching relationship being helpful. I’d like to continue chatting with you. How does that work?
RMerritt44: You can always try to reach me instantly if it’s urgent. However, in most cases, we schedule an appointment time and then message each other, the way we did today.
CAGirl202: And how do you get paid?
RMerritt44: You’ll find a link on my website. Like most online vendors, the transaction occurs via a secure third party.
CAGirl202: I figured that might be the case.
RMerritt44: And because of that, you maintain as much anonymity as you wish. I don’t keep any personal information or credit card numbers online. Not even your name.
Nora grinned.
Perfect.