Lamisha Serf-Walls

A Feeling of Contentment

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Have you ever had a time when everything felt just right?  A time when you weren’t focused on any struggles, worries, difficulties, or challenges? 

I had that moment today.

Today, I experienced an overwhelming sense of peace and contentment.  A feeling I haven’t known very well in the past few years, but it felt eerily familiar.  Almost like this is how life is supposed to feel.

In that moment I was grateful for the work I have done thus far, for my clients, for my growth, and for the awareness that everything is going to be just fine.  I didn’t worry about my to-do list or the items I have wanted to get done before the launch of my business.  I didn’t worry about how, when, why, or who I would be working with in the future. 

I simply allowed myself to revel in the moment of contentment.

Thinking about it now, the feeling is coming back and it is amazing.

I encourage you to take some time this weekend to simply reflect on the week and bring your awareness to this very moment.  Can you find that space of contentment and gratitude for everything in your life right now?  If you can, enjoy it and embrace it and know that everything is working out exactly as it should.  Know that your dreams will manifest and whatever worries that have plagued your mind will be ok. 

May you find that feeling of contentment and enjoy a peaceful weekend and as always, thanks for reading!

Fruits Of Flow (Not Force)

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flow

As I continue to move forward in my business I have had at times felt a sense of urgency to get everything done all at once. That part of me (which some call the Ego), is slowing down a bit while a more focused and intentional part of me emerges. Several weeks ago as I was writing in my journal, I wrote a phrase that felt so right in regards to my business.

“Joy, love, expansion, and endless opportunities are the fruits of my flow.”

It became a simple, yet profound phrase that resonated to the depth of my soul. I knew it was true.

So many times we think (as we have been trained to) that we will only accomplish our goals through sacrifice, hard work, challenges, speed bumps, setbacks, and a lot of blood, sweat, and tears and that may have been true at one time, but now I am beginning to believe there is a better way. A way that doesn’t require us to break our souls and sacrifice our being to create a life of meaning, joy, and happiness.

There must be another way.

I have often thought about quickly getting things done so I can move onto the next thing, but I found in planning this blog and my coaching business, that isn’t what my intuition is telling me to do. As a woman who as always operated out of the “gotta go, gotta go, I want everything right this very minute” mentality, I am slowly finding myself accepting that things will fall into place as they are meant to and I don’t have to bulldoze my way to the future. Chances are if I did, I wouldn’t be nearly as successful.

I don’t have a business degree, nor have I read the latest and greatest books on how to succeed in creating your own business, but I am finding that listening to my heart is the best way for me to accomplish my goals. In fact, Jess Lively (who I have spoken about several times on my blog) wrote something similar in her weekly newsletter this week (if you haven’t signed up for her newsletters you can do so here). She discusses the difference in “pushing” to make decisions in business(and life in general) as opposed to following the “pull” of your intuition.

Does that mean you simply sit around and wait for your next “aha” moment?

No. At least I don’t. I continue to think, dream, and imagine my future, but instead of setting the exact way I want it to happen (right now), I allow myself to follow my heart and inspiration. While I may have a “timeline” of when I want a particular service to roll out, something may come up that feels even better. The key is to follow what feels right, not what you think you are supposed to be doing.

Does it mean your dreams may move more slowly than they would normally?

Maybe.  Maybe not.  When I made the decision to start this blog, I did so with the intention of having it roll into my future life coaching website (which it has).  I wanted the name to be just right and yet I didn’t sit around trying to force a name that was just so-so.  Instead I allowed myself to be open to ideas.  Some days I wanted to just get started already, but I am glad I waited until I had the right idea because the name is what really inspired me to keep moving forward.

Today, I encourage you to look at the areas of your life where you are forcing the outcome.  Where can you ease off the gas a little to allow the space and energy for the situation to transform?  Are you listening to your inner voice or are you listening more to what you think you are supposed to be doing?  I am a firm believer in following your inspiration, in fact my coaching philosophy is centered around that point.

Imagine just for a moment what your life would look like with more flow and less force.  Set your intention and follow your heart and I promise you can’t go wrong.

Early Week Gratitude: Collaboration and Support

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gratitude

I just couldn’t wait until Friday to share a few tidbits of info that I am so grateful for from last week and this past weekend, so I decided to post an early week gratitude post.

Last week was a bit of a challenge for me for some reason, but even in the midst of my challenge I had some pretty stand out moments that rocked my world.  First, I hit a new record high for page views in one day which moved from a previous 36 to a massive 54!  Even though I try not to view the numbers as success or failure, I love seeing them climb over time.

The second amazing thing is a comment I received on my post highlighting Michelle Ward’s post.  The comment came from Michelle Ward herself.  For some people it may be no big deal, however for someone who is consistently inspired by her work, her story, and her overall awesomeness, I was blown away.  And as if that wasn’t enough, I found out she tweeted a link to my post for others to follow, (hence the increased views).  I am so grateful that she found my blog, read it, and shared the link with others!

This weekend was equally inspiring as I attended a women’s discussion group at my local yoga studio.  I decided to attend the group on a whim an am so happy I did.  Not only did we have a great discussion, but we shared ideas and information with one another and celebrated each others positive experiences as a way of showing support.  It was a very great way to reach out to other women in the community to support and share with one another which actually leads me to my next gratitude point.

Collaboration.

I reached out to the yoga instructor that set up this discussion group and told her about my coaching business and some ideas I had for workshops etc. and told her I would collaborate with her on her vision for this group.  It turns out she was incredibly warm and receptive to the idea and we are currently brainstorming ways we can reach out to women in our community to share our visions, ideas, and gifts with others.

I have always been a fan of collaborating with others and showing support for the dreams and visions of others especially if they are in your same business.  When you think about the unique skill set two (or more) people bring to the table, just imagine what an impact those people can have when they work together.  Amazing things happen when we come together to support one another.

As you move through the rest of your week, I encourage you to find ways to collaborate and support the vision of another with similar interests as you.  You never know what wonderful things could come from your joint efforts.

 

Dreamer Highlight: Spiritual World Traveler

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This week’s Dreamer Highlight is a blog I have been following for a while now and am always inspired by the author’s view of life and how she follows her bliss.  The Spiritual World Traveler blog is one that follows the author on her world travels as well as her spiritual journey.  It is a blog that should not be missed.

I love so many things about this blog including the author’s interest in so many hobbies and niches.  Her talents in photography, poetry, yoga, and her artwork remind me that we don’t have to do just one thing.  In fact life is meant to be enjoyed in its many forms and this blog is a great example of that.

Some of my favorite posts include Tornadoes and Paintings and Dinner! Oh My! which describes how one lovely painting came to be.  Another one of my faces is Before Yoga where the lovely Spiritual World Traveler made her decision to take on a 30 day, 200-hour Yoga Teacher Training, something she had wanted to do for a very long time.

I am always inspired by the zest and peace that the Spiritual World Traveler shares in her blog and I encourage you to take a peak to see what I am talking about.  She is the perfect example of a woman who has followed her heart to places all around the world as well as to the beautiful gifts she shares with her readers.  I hope you are inspired by her journey and do at least one thing today that is simply a response to the pull of your heart and your passion.

Enjoy!

 

My First Testimonial!

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Yesterday I gave you an update on what I have been doing behind the scenes and today I am going to share with you my very first testimonial!

I asked Erin M.  (aka my guinea pig client) if she would be willing to write a 100% honest testimonial based on her experience working with me over the last 2 months and I was blown away by her kind words.  I have not made any changes, tweaks, or adjustments to her testimonial and am sharing it as it was delivered to me.

This is what Erin had to say about her experience working with me.

“A few short months ago, I would have described myself as teeming with potential, yet unsure of how to tap into and harness that incredible power. In a journal entry two years prior, I had written nearly the exact same thing. I suddenly realized that my situation wasn’t going to change until I took action. However, I had no idea know where to begin.

My vision of the future was steeped in hopeless daydreams and laced with far more fear than excitement. I wanted to be a writer, but I didn’t think that I was qualified or that people would pay for my services. Through her poignant questions, objective observations, and practical suggestions, Lamisha helped me find the clarity and confidence necessary to actively dream and scheme towards my ideal future. She helped me realize that my “silly little hobby” was actually a solid foundation on which to build a sustainable income. In my eight weeks working with Lamisha, I have transitioned from “I hope to be a writer someday” to proudly declaring myself a writer and sharing my dreams with others.

Lamisha encouraged me to follow my inspiration, which led to an incredible series of synchronous opportunities, as well as the courage to walk away from a “perfect” situation that did not feel right. I have since learned to trust and fully embrace the journey. My comfort zone has been expanding exponentially, and I’m realizing that the periphery is a safe place in which I can challenge myself and grow. As that “safe zone” has expanded, so too has my self-confidence.

Being held accountable for my personal dreams suddenly made them feel both achievable and imminent. Lamisha not only believed in my dreams, but supported my efforts along the way. Small achievements–such as having a piece published and joining Toastmasters–felt monumental when I could share with someone who had invested in my success; whereas I could be assured that creeping self-doubt–such as fear of applying for freelance work–is normal. The second I spilled out my biggest dreams and the second that Lamisha chose to believe in my potential, I knew that I had no choice but to achieve greatness.”

I am so grateful for this wonderful experience that consistently reaffirms that this is the work I am meant to do and I am so happy to share it with all of my readers and future clients.

P.S. If you are thinking about working with a coach and want to find out more about how I work, please don’t hesitate to send me an email.  I will be announcing some exciting information next week about free introductory coaching calls, my services, and special pricing, but if you just can’t wait to get started, send me an email to lamisha@lifeoncedreamt.com and I will give you the inside scoop a week early!