Lamisha Serf-Walls

Have Fun Friday: Playful Exploration

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Happy Friday Dreamers,

I hope this week has brought you lots of progress, joy, and a ton of fun, but if you find yourself lacking a bit in the fun department, this post is for you!

Too often we fall into a pit of productivity with an undying need to produce and check items off our to-do list and in doing so we find our energy is lacking, inspiration has taken a hike, and the things we really WANT to do, quickly fall by the wayside.

I know this, because I was falling into that same pit this past week.  As the week wore on, my motivation grew less and less until I just couldn’t find the energy to even look at my to do list or do some of the stuff I have been excited about for the last few weeks.

So, what do you do when things feel so ‘meh’ and you need to jump-start your battery?

Have a little (or a lot) of FUN!medium_4555697070

When was the last time you went out exploring?  Took a class that peaked your interest just because. Been to the movies lately?  What about taking the family to the park or on family expedition for a hike to explore the great outdoors?  When was the last time you did something to shake up your day?

I can tell you it’s been far too long since I have been to the movies or taken a hike.  I haven’t even taken a stroll around my neighborhood in quite some time, so I think some FUN is in order for this fantastic Friday.  Don’t you?

So put away your to-do list and your calendar.  Turn your phone off and leave your tablet at home and go out and have good old-fashioned, no technology, no distractions, explore the world FUN.  Be playful, have fun, and connect with yourself, your family, your spouse, and nature for goodness sake.  The work will still be there when you get back and I promise, you will get more done in less time when you return simply because you gave yourself a chance to breathe.

As for me? I am going to switch up the scenery a bit and bust my son out of daycare early to go on what he likes to call a “magical adventure” to places unknown.  I may not know where we are going, but I know wherever it is, we are going to have fun.

Enjoy your weekend dear dreamers and as always thanks for reading!

P.S.  If you haven’t signed up for my VIP List, please do so today.  Next week I am announcing some service changes and will be giving away a very inspiring gift to one lucky reader and if you are on my VIP list you get first dibs on new stuff so you don’t want to miss out!

photo credit: stitchin.thyme via photopin cc

What Inspiration Really Is

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In the last few weeks I have had a few clients question what inspiration really is and how it shows up in life.

My ‘oh so knowledgeable coaching self’ responded with: “It depends”.

The truth is that inspiration is different for everyone.  What inspires one person might completely deter someone else from doing what they need to do.  Our likes and dislikes are so very unique that telling you what form inspiration can take for you would likely not be entirely true.

The same goes for how it shows up in your life.  Some people get inspired in a way that makes them excited, uplifted, and running to the canvas, the page, the computer, or whatever they are inspired to do.  For others, it comes as a faint whisper that can easily go unnoticed.Dandelion

I can’t speak for everyone, but I can tell you what I have noticed from myself and from clients regarding the many ways inspiration can show up.

I am often inspired by quotes, books, lines in movies, articles, music, nature, conversations with others, and oddly enough, water.  I get some of my best ideas when I am in the shower and my mind is on auto-pilot with no real rhyme or reason to the direction my thought process in the moment.  I also notice that when a great idea for a blog post, offering, quote, or something else comes to me, if I am not open to it, then it will vanish as quickly as it came.  So, as a result I have learned to be open to the ideas that come and to write them down as soon as I can, even if I have no idea where it might lead. (Take a glance at my brainstorming notebook and you will find a collection of ideas, words, titles etc.)

In my coaching, I talk a lot about inspired action and following your inspiration to the next step, but I have found that there seems to be a misconception about what inspiration actually feels like.  For most people it is simply a heightened awareness or thought that leads to another thought, that might lead to doing something etc.  One thing leads to another and before you know it you have followed the breadcrumbs to an amazing destination that might manifest itself as wonderful opportunities, a book, a course, a piece of art, etc.

What is interesting is that inspiration doesn’t always result in a fire-in-your-belly-run-as-fast-as-you-can-back-to-your-workspace feeling.  Sometimes it comes as a whisper.  A faint thought that peaks your interest and gets you thinking about something in a different way.  It may not seem all that important in the moment, but I am here to tell you those faint whispers hold a ton of power and punch if they are used the right way.

In fact, the name of my blog, my coaching model, numerous blog posts, a new offering I will be rolling out next week, and a future workbook I want to put together all came to me in faint whispers.  Some came a few words at a time, others came as full-fledged titles and images, but the one thing they all have in common is the speed with which they came to me.  One moment I was doing something (like washing my hair) not related to my business or writing work and BOOM there it was.

Inspiration is an amazing thing and sometimes all it takes is the ability for you to be open to it and not try to force it into being.  Simply noticing moments that peak your interest and lead you to something else (an action or a string of thoughts), is a great way to learn more about your process of creating and living the life of your dreams.  It’s a simple step that will likely be a game-changer in how you live and is something I do with all of my clients.

Have you experienced big inspirational movements or do you generally get the gentle whispers that lead you to the next thing?  How does inspiration show up for you?  Share in the comments below, I would love to hear how you are inspired!

Your Gift, Your Dream, Your Path

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If I have learned anything in the last few years, it is that we all have gifts to give to the world and if we are lucky enough to realize them, we have the opportunity to make them into our dreams.  With that dream comes a path that will teach us amazing lessons along the way.

The person you were when you first realized your gift is not the same person you will be when you apply it to your dreams.

You will change.The Bamboo Forest and some great Twitter Lists to follow

Your path might too.

And as much change, lessons, amazing insights, and growth you go through, at the core you will be the same.

At your core, in your heart, and in the midst of your creative soul, you will be the same.

That passion and love you are sending out into the world has always been with you on some level.  It may have started as just a tiny seedling of interest, inspiration, and hope that eventually developed some roots of importance and passion.  Through storms of confusion and frustrating questions of “how” things would turn out, you have held true to your path, your calling, and your gift.

The path to creating the life of your dreams is yours and as you travel it you get to decipher what lines up with your vision and what does not.  And every “mistake”, “mis-step”, and “failure” is really an opportunity to learn and grow.

So take the first step on your path with positive expectation and open arms for all that you are going to discover about yourself and the world around you, for nothing will provide a more amazing journey than you setting out to make your dreams become reality.

One step is all it takes to get you to the next.  Why not start now?
photo credit: Stuck in Customs via photopin cc

Purple People, I’m One…Are You?

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Chances are if you are reading this you are one of the purple people.  I am not talking about the Oompa Loompa people from Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory either.

When I say purple people, I am referring to the dreamers, healers, creatives, writers, and other artists of the world that Tama Kieves talks about in her book Inspired & Unstoppable.  These are the people who dare to forge their own path to success and don’t need to follow in the steps of someone else.  The truth is every person in the world can be a purple person, but for far too long we have been taught to follow tasks, plans, parameters, and success principles of others and have forgotten how to tap into our intuition and inspiration for guidance.

When was the last time you felt for the right decision instead of consulting some plan or to-do list that you have written down?purplepeople

I have to say that when you are taught not to trust your own instincts it can be hard to believe in yourself to know what is the right way…for YOU.

I think I have always known that I was a ‘purple person’ or at least that I was different.  Having done all the things I was supposed to do in life, I fully expected some moment when all the hard work would result in pure bliss, but something was always missing.

I used to say I had two parts of myself that struggled against one another.  On one hand I was a responsible, level-headed, and logical person that was always striving to do what was “right”.  On the other hand I had a free, creative, and adventurous spirit that was calling me to do something more.  Whenever I had to make a decision the two parts collided to create a wave of confusion and frustration.  I was stuck.

Even after making the choice to follow my own path and I began coaching others to do the same, I find the logical voice still creeps in during times of uncertainty.

Am I doing it the right way?  Is this how a business is supposed to run?  Do I have all the marketing and business know-how to succeed?

The answer is yes.  Do I have all the answers I need right this very minute?  Nope. But, I am ok with knowing and trusting that I will find my way as long as I stay open and true to my intuition.  Things fall into place at exactly the right time and if it hasn’t happened yet, it’s not the right time…for me.

The same goes for you.  You will know all that you need to.  You will find your way and when you do, at first you might be amazed at how perfect it feels.  You might even try following someone else’s path and direction first and realize how hard, frustrating, and forced it feels.  That’s ok.  It’s all part of the process, but once you tap into who you truly are and the amazing wisdom that lies within, things will be a lot more clear.

Will it always be easy?

No, but it will get easier as you move forward and I promise you, the “purple people” path is about passion, fire, and following your inspired heart.

If each step feels right for you and leads you to the very next step, how can it be wrong?

Trust yourself, your dreams, and your gifts.  If you can do that all the steps in between will be clear.  

Faith, Fun, & the Experience of Bliss and How You Can Have It Too

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Happy Monday Dreamers!

Here we are in the first full week of the New Year and it’s going to be a big one for Life Once Dreamt.  I not only have a guest post to share with you, but also a wonderful podcast interview that I will share as soon as it is ready for anyone who is interested in knowing more about the coaching process.  

Before we get into all that this week, I wanted to share with you a little bit about my last few weeks.  I was going to send this to my newsletter subscribers only, but decided to share it with all of my blog followers as well.  If you aren’t on my VIP/Newsletter list, hop on over here to get signed up.  I have some new services that I am offering and will be opening them up to my VIP list first along with some special pricing for my VIP list only, so you don’t want to miss out.  

As you may recall in December I was officially laid off from my full-time day job.  I initially had this feeling that it was a sign that I was ready to dive head first into my business and that I would immediately reap the benefits of overflowing creativity, tons of clients, and would easily make up the income I was missing from the day job.  While it didn’t exactly happen that way, this morning I found myself feeling full of gratitude and peace for all that is going on right this very moment.

You see, while the last three weeks may not have unfolded the way I thought they would, I am at peace.  I don’t have a full-time job, yet I am not worried about finances, bills, or when I will get another job.  I do not have that needy-anxious feeling in the pit of my stomach that I would have gotten 2 years ago in this same situation because I don’t know what is going to happen next.  In fact, I am perfectly ok not knowing what lies ahead as it helps me to focus fully on the moment.  It has taken me many years to get to this place of full faith and trust that it is all going to unfold perfectly…for me and that might not be the way I thought it would be, but it will be perfect nonetheless.

What changed?

Well aside from the lessons I have learned personally over the years and what I have learned in building my business, I recently read a post by Michelle Ward that gave me a bit of insight into what it is like for her to run her business in a week.  I was touched and inspired to utilize the next several weeks putting energy, focus, and love into my business.  I wanted to create the necessary space for my ideas to flow, my creativity to run wild, and for me to experience what it might be like for me when I am running my business full-time and I have to admit, so far it has been amazing.

I am enjoying every moment I have to imagine, envision, and create amazing programs for my clients.  I have ideas coming to me almost daily now that the excess stuff is out-of-the-way and I am living my purpose by coaching clients, co-hosting a workshop, writing, and meeting with potential clients.  And the best part?  I am having fun! Bliss

It struck me that as many people head back to work after time off for the holidays, I am loving what I do, while so many others are dreading the week ahead.  I remember that feeling and while I have accepted the fact that I might have to find another full-time job until my business can sustain me financially, I know that as long as I am doing what I love, everything will fall into place.

Are you one of those people who is heading back to work today with dread and anxiety?  Stressing over a job that pays the bills, but doesn’t energize and fuel your passion for life?  If so, I encourage you to take some time this week to consider what you would do if were going to follow your passion. Don’t worry about if it’s possible or realistic.  Instead, see it, feel it, and imagine what it would be like to actually do it.  Now, not later.  

purposeWant to know how to make that a reality?  I want more people to feel what I have felt over the last few weeks and I would love to chat with you about where your passion lies.  What is the thing (or things) that makes your eyes light up and energizes your soul?  Contact me to find out how you can get a free session to chat more about your dream and to come up with a plan to do more of what you love.  Life is short, shouldn’t you spend it doing the things you enjoy?