Submitted photo Jennifer VanKeulen, a Marshall area life coach, recently wrote a book that advises people how to create helpful to-do lists. She’s served as a life coach since 2021.

MARSHALL — Jennifer VanKeulen believes in helping people be their best.

She works as a life coach based in the Marshall area. As a life coach, she provides one-to-one counseling for people who want to be happy and productive.

She recently wrote a 71-page book titled “The Timeless To-Do List: Getting to the Heart of What Truly Matters to You.” The book explores the role of do-to lists in daily life, and suggests ways that they can be modified to reflect broad life related goals.

“We all have to-do lists in our brains,” VanKeulen said. “People sometimes think they need to do specific things in a specific way. That can potentially be harmful. It can get in the way of getting what people truly want out of life.”

Van Keulen has served as a life coach since 2021. Her training included a six-month online study program offered by the nationwide Life Coach School.

She decided to write a book as a way to reach out to anyone who might need advice on how to set goals, be productive and achieve objectives.

“Writing the book was a natural way to extend my role,” she said. “It will hopefully allow me to reach more people. If they don’t work with me in person, they can read my book and work with the ideas on their own.”

She said life coaching is different from clinical mental health therapy. A life coach works “in the moment” based on where someone currently stands. A therapist, on the other hand, helps a client to explore past experiences and how they influence someone’s outlook.

“I don’t tell anyone what to do,” VanKeulen said. “I listen and ask questions. I want to give my clients a chance to share their stories and eventually make decisions about future goals.”

She has a coach herself, who is also her publisher. The publisher is also an author and a lawyer. She’s found that life coaching is helpful to a wide variety of people, including some who are experiencing considerable success.

“I have a coach,” she said. “I have one even though I’m a life coach myself. It’s good to have someone who can help me to reflect on what I’m thinking and doing.”

She said one of the biggest factors in life coach situations is to examine thoughts and feelings. They influence how someone views life, and can make a difference in how well they function on a daily basis.

“Feelings matter,” she said. “They shape life experiences. It’s important to understand them, and to use that knowledge in the goal-setting process.”

VanKeulen will read from her book and sign books at an event at 5 p.m. Thursday at the Marshall Area Fine Arts Council arts center. The public is invited to attend.