Brooke Summer Adams is an Internationally Accredited Transformation Coach and NLP Master Practitioner. Rated 'Top 10 Female Life Coaches to Work With in 2021' by Yahoo Finance, Brooke runs her 'Best Self Blueprint' course, provides expert training in various online communities including her own, and works 1-2-1 with clients to help other women transform into the very best versions of themselves.
Following her own personal transformation, Brooke acquired an honors degree in psychology, certification in coaching, business and NLP, an international accreditation in coaching and qualified as an NLP master practitioner in order to truly understand the process of transformation - in a way that could be used to also change other peoples lives.
This combination of study, practice and personal experience has allowed her to piece together a step by step process for moving someone from where they are, to where they want to be. Transforming mindset, self-esteem and lifestyle, this process can be applied uniquely to each individual to allow them to step into alignment with the person they've always wanted to become.
Brooke Summer Adams, Internationally Accredited Transformation Coach and NLP Master Practitioner
Brooke, you're an Internationally Accredited Transformation Coach and NLP Master Practitioner helping women transform into the very best versions of themselves. As you're now joining Brainz magazine as an executive contributor, do you think you could give us some spoilers on what we can expect to see from you?
Of course, I'm so excited to be here!
My area of expertise is transformation - the process of genuine change within a person's thoughts, feelings, actions and results. For me, I specialize within mindset, self-esteem and lifestyle level transformation. So topic-wise: transforming your thinking, perspectives, levels of self belief, esteem or worth, emotional states, daily routines, habits and topics such as these are all very likely to come up. I'm also a huge believer in process, so expect to see lots of how to's and step, by steps!
Something I often hear from those who attend my training (be that members of my own community, or those from communities that I come to train) is that the explanation I provide of the underlying psychological mechanisms of transformation is not something you often hear from training on the topic provided by other coaches, and gives an extra level of understanding that just changes the game for some people.
I personally love to understand why something is the way it is, and how something actually works. I feel that this awareness is so valuable, especially within transformation when the work you are actually doing often takes some time to become visible. Understanding this can prevent the loss of motivation and therefore ensures you get to experience the fruits of your labor. So expect to see some psychology too!
Above all else, with every session I deliver, training I provide or piece of writing I create, my intention is always to facilitate change. I make a real point to ensure that what I provide can actually be applied to improve the lives of people, so be ready to do that!
A lot to look forward to! How did you come to acquire this expertise?
A huge proportion of what I know has come from my formal studies. I have an honors degree in psychology, certification in coaching, business and NLP, an international accreditation in coaching, and I am qualified as an NLP practitioner to a master level. However, I honestly believe it to be my own personal experience with transformation that allows me to truly understand what it takes to transform.
By my early teens, I was chronically stressed, depressed and suffering from a condition known as body dysmorphia - a byproduct of low self-esteem. This very dark place coupled up with eating disorders and overall un- fulfilment, and this dark place lasted for quite some time.
This experience is actually what sparked my passion for understanding the human mind. At the time I was studying Psychology, Sociology, Criminology and Communication and Culture at college. I wanted to know why I was the way I was. I was expecting to find some beautifully simple explanation that could make all my problems make sense, but without shifting the blame on to me. Safe to say, that's not what I found.
To cut a long story short, my eyes were opened to the fact that I needed to make some changes if I expected something to change. Today this statement is startlingly obvious but I remember this being rather an epiphany for me. I decided to take some action to improve myself, and my life.
There were many things that I did, but the change that did the most? Joining a martial arts gym! This was the point at which everything changed. At one of my kickboxing sessions, by chance, I was partnered with a woman who had a presence like none I had ever felt before. She lit up the room. I didn't understand how someone could be like that, but I knew that I wanted it for myself.
Over time, this woman became my friend. Over time, I began to learn more about her, her story and what she does. Over time, she became my coach. This woman transformed me from a shell of myself to the very best version of me - in a matter of weeks.
Then I knew, I needed to give this gift that she had given me, to others. I knew right then that I was destined to be a coach.
From here I continued to progress in my studies, increase my experience working with clients, and expand my business. Now here we are helping women to transform into their very best versions!
That's an interesting story! So how do you actually move someone from where they are, into their best version?
I love this question, and it's one I get asked a lot. I have a process!
I always start by getting absolutely crystal clear on WHO my clients best version actually is. This bit is crucial, if we don't know where we are heading, we can't expect to find the way!
Once we have this clarity, we can begin mapping out that process for change - figuring out what actually needs to be done to move the client from where they currently are, to that very best version. To figure out this process, we use a construct known as 'The Belief Cycle'.
The belief cycle states that;
Every result you get in life is determined by your actions,
your actions are determined by your feelings,
your feelings are determined by your thoughts,
and your thoughts are determined by your beliefs.
The results you get in life then affirm your beliefs, and the cycle continues. This is momentum.
It's important to understand that the place a client currently finds themselves is the RESULT of a previous process - being, their life up to this point. Their best version is a different RESULT, therefore it needs a different process.
Now we know what result we are after, we can figure out the process to get it. We can figure out what action created that result, we can figure out what feelings created those actions, and we can figure out what kind of thinking and beliefs created those feelings.
My job from here on out is to help align the client more and more with this new process, so they can get that result. If the client thinks and believes like their best version, then they will feel like their best version, if they feel like their best version, then they will take action like their best version, and if they take action like their best version then they will get the results of being their best version.
You can't do the right process and not get the right results, so it's lovely to be able to relax into this transformation knowing all you need to do from now on is just keep showing up and taking that next step.
To align my clients to this new process, I help them re-wire their brains, so they can naturally think in the way their best version would. At the same time, I help my clients manage their emotions, so they can feel the way they need to feel in order to take the action they need to take - and I'll be holding them accountable to that too. Alongside this, we will likely need to do some planning or organising in order to make all the adjustments, so I help my clients to do this as well.
It usually takes 90 days to complete the transformation - meaning the client is now operating with their new process (thinking, feeling and taking action like their best version) and so are receiving their new result of being their best version. I actually have great free training that explains this really well, which you can find inside my Facebook group.
So what kind of people do you work with? Does this process work for everyone?
Every client’s starting point, and the point in which they wish to get to (THEIR best version), is completely unique to that client. However, I generally work with women who feel and know that they are not reaching their full potential, are ready and willing to put the work in to get where they want to be. However, they are stuck with the overwhelm of HOW.
We don't know what we don't know, so that's why we find people who do! Essentially, the common theme amongst my clients is that they have the desire to be operating as the best version of themselves, but they don't know how to make that happen.
While the specific milestones, goals, lifestyle designs, mindset shifts, changes in identity etc involved within the transformation are all unique to that client, the overall process can be applied to anyone.
The only limitations are within the mind of the client. If you are willing and ready to drop the excuses and actually make some changes, this process will get you there.
So how is this transformation delivered? Can this only be done 1-2-1?
The process I described is the one I use with my 1-2-1 clients. However, that doesn't necessarily mean it's the only method for transformation into your best version.
1-2-1 coaching is always going to be my first recommendation. You can't replace the value of a second pair of eyes when it comes to seeing things in a different way. 1-2-1 coaching allows for much more accountability, consistency, accurate reflection and tracking of progress within a transformation, and means that every method of change is tailored specifically to you.
Obviously, as well as this, working 1-2-1 with a coach who knows how to get you what you want saves you all the time it takes to figure that out yourself. Within my process (for example) I help my clients to literally rewire their brains, it will take some time to do this independently (if that's what you are wanting to do). It's not the only way, but it's definitely the fastest.
That being said, there are alternatives with a lesser commitment that can seriously aid an independent transformation, should 1-2-1 coaching be off the table. My Best Self Blueprint Course (for example) is a self-help version of my 1-2-1 process, teaching you how to transform your mindset, lifestyle, and the relationship you have with yourself.
There are so many changes you can make to your life independently. Even within 1-2-1 coaching, it's YOU who would actually be making the changes - so don't fall into the trap of thinking there's nothing you can do if you're currently unable to invest in yourself.
So many coaches out there offer free information, you're bound to find someone who specifically provides the information you need. Even I have a free Facebook community where I host live training every single week at no cost, and I even dish out free training to my mailing list every week too. There's always something.
So many options! We're interested to know, why is it that you do the work that you do?
The five most important things to me in the world are freedom, impact, change, love and peace. Helping women become the best versions of themselves allows me to emerge myself in what's most important to me every single day. I've always wanted the world to be in some way different because I was in it, and at this current point in time, my business is my way of ensuring that through the impact it makes. The work I do creates real change for the lives of my clients, and this extends beyond them, on to the lives of others. I'm naturally able to give and receive a lot of love within the work that I do, and of course, being my own boss allows me to live my life in the peaceful way that I want to - which is what I call freedom. I'm very passionate about what I do and very grateful for the life I have created.
Have you always felt this way? What were the biggest elements of your transformation into your best self?
My values have always been those, though I haven't always been aware of that. It took time to design a lifestyle and find a purpose that's congruent with all of them and that was also a big part of my transformation. By far the biggest element of my transformation would be the change in my mindset. Your entire life changes when you stop identifying as the victim of your life and instead begin identifying as the creator of your life. Learning to love myself was a HUGE part of my journey, everything is better when you support yourself rather than make life harder for yourself. As well as those, I credit so much of my transformation to the daily habits I have implemented in my lifestyle - the power lies in the stuff you do every day.
So what does it actually mean to be the best version of yourself?
I love this question. So many people that I speak to hold this misconception that your best version is some kind of finished article. If that were true, your best version would never grow, would never learn and would never improve - a way of being which most try to avoid.
Your best version is a decision. It's a decision to wake up and be the best version of you that you can be TODAY. It's a decision to think the way your best version would, to feel the way your best version would and to take action the way your best version would. These decisions won't remain the same every single day, because as you grow, these decisions will evolve into something even better.
Your best version is a way of being that you can choose to be, today. Today's best version will be different to tomorrow's, tomorrow's will be different to next week's, next week's will be different to next month's and so on. Being your best version is about reaching the maximum potential you have within that day, it's not about being perfect.
Yes, my clients have an end goal that we strive towards, a visual of the person they want to be. However, the actual "being" of the best self starts way before we get there, and it continues for long after we reach that point too. My clients are the best versions of themselves as soon as they decide to do the work to become them. By making that choice, they've shown up in the best way possible, today. Then it's all about making that choice every single day.
Essentially, being the best version of you means simply showing up for yourself, and the world, in the best way possible - whatever that means to you.
Interesting. So what would you recommend to someone who wants to become the best version of themselves?
My first recommendation would be to figure out who your best version actually is. What do you want? Once you have this clarity you'll give yourself a direction to start taking steps.
Aside from this, my top tip would be to work on your beliefs. Our 'beliefs' are the things we are holding to be true on a subconscious level. Things such as "I'm not good enough", "Success is too hard", "It's selfish to put yourself first" are good examples of the kind of limiting beliefs we can hold about ourselves and our lives. While not all beliefs are limiting, they are all used beneath our awareness to create our experience of life. The beliefs we hold create our perception of the world. They also underpin many thoughts, feelings and behaviours.
Without getting too deep, by holding a belief - you make it true. For example, if you believe you are a shy person - you'll forever feel shy. If you believe you'll never succeed - you won't try, and therefore won't ever succeed. If you believe you're not good enough - you won't ever see yourself as enough.
It can be a difficult concept to wrap your head around at first, but you'll change your life by changing your beliefs. This is another concept that I have a lot of great training on inside my free Facebook Group.
Good recommendations! So how can people connect with you?
