Lamisha Serf-Walls

Lessons Learned: Business Building, Worry, and Meditation

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Each time I write one of these posts, I am more amazed at the evolution that is taking place in my personally and in my life.  I am an avid reader and student of life, so I have always wanted to analyze situations and dig a little deeper to find the lessons in most situations, but somehow articulating them here on my blog helps me to focus on them even more.  I hope you find value in them as well.

With that said let’s get to the lessons shall we?

Lesson:  Like building anything, building a business happens in layers and sometimes piece-by-piece.

When I envisioned my coaching business, I saw a booming business with an abundance of one-on-one clients, workshops, seminars, workbooks, books, retreats, etc.  What I did not see was all the behind the coaching stuff.  I didn’t know what I didn’t know and am quickly learning that building a business takes time and it comes in layers.  Much like bricklayers lay each brick on top of the last, I am building my business.  I learned this week that not only is it ok for it to be this way, it’s normal.  Just as I am evolving and changing, my business will do the same and as long as I add to it layer-by-layer, I can enjoy the process as it unfolds.  Enjoying the journey is the most important part!

Lesson:  Worry is worthless. worry

Wow, if I had a nickel for every time I have reminded myself of this fact, I would be rich.  This week in the middle of being blessed with an abundance of writing projects in addition to my day job and my business building, I had a little bit of worry about how I could get it all done.  My mind ran wild as I calculated the number of hours it would take to get everything done.  I was even trying to ration the time so each project got a portion of my time to get it all done.  I quickly learned that the time I spent worrying could be better spent doing something else.  Once I let go of the “how”, I got busy and did what I could with the time I had.  While I didn’t get everything done that I wanted to, I made progress and I wasn’t nearly as stressed.  I count that as a win.  If you are worrying about anything right now, just let it go because it really is worthless.

Lesson: Meditation is my medicine.

Since I have begun a more regular meditation practice (at least 5 days a week) the results have been amazing.  I have been far more calm, less stressed, more focused, and generally more balanced in my thinking/being.  In the last two weeks (especially this week) I have allowed my many responsibilities take precedent over my meditation practice.  While I could feel the stress and frustrations beginning to return, I kept trying to convince myself that I just didn’t have the time.  The Universe decided to prove to me I did have the time.

meditateYesterday after dropping my son off at daycare, I decided to treat myself to a cup of coffee and pay for the person behind me as a nice start to the day.  Upon returning home, I was on my way out the door to take the dogs for a little walk and all I could think of was how little time I had in the morning to tackle my to-do list.  Walking out the door and locking it behind me, I realized what I thought were keys in my pocket were not.  Luckily it was my phone and I was able to call my partner so she could come let me back in.  So what do you do when it’s 7am and you are locked out of the house?  I guess you could do many things, but I decided to watch the sunrise and spend some time meditating outdoors.  I then took myself and the dogs for a stroll around the neighborhood.

When I was able to get back inside, I felt calmer, more peaceful, and ready to tackle the day.  Now I know that meditation is my medicine or more like a vitamin nourishing my soul and protecting me from becoming unbalanced.

I hope you all have a lovely weekend and find some time to get outdoors and enjoy the beautiful colors and weather where you are.  And if you have never meditated, try it out and see if you feel some of the same centering effects I do.

Thanks for reading!

Be Easy…You’re Still Learning!

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When I was initially inspired to become a life coach, it came at a time when I felt a push to help people do what they really wanted to do, not what they felt they had to do.  In a weird sort of way I was coaching without realizing it and while the different jobs I had that allowed me to talk to people about their “office jobs” or other obligations, I was actually living my purpose, just in a different way.

Since beginning my “official” business (all of a month ago), I have come to realize the coaching piece is what comes naturally to me.  Asking the right questions.  Getting to the core of the issue.  Helping clients take that next step etc. has all been easy, but I am learning a lot about other aspects of running an online business.  And like many of my clients who are just stepping into what they were meant to do, I often find myself getting frustrated or impatient about what I don’t yet know.

I realized today that I am not alone and neither are you.   learning

Not only did I again get a few newsletters delivered right to my inbox with the “how-to” instructions on things I don’t yet know, I also had a chat with a good friend who was going through a similar situation.  (By the way, I highly encourage you to sign up for the free newsletters of your favorite blogs because you can get really great information for free and often in the exact moment you need it.  Keep an eye out because I will have my own newsletter available soon.)

Here’s what I realized:

  • You don’t have to know everything at once in order to begin.  Simply take the tiny steps and follow your inspiration and you will likely find the resources, money, opportunities, connections etc. just come to you right when you need them.  It’s the magic of leading with your inspirational foot.
  • It’s really not fair for you to compare your journey to anyone especially if they have been doing it longer.  They too had to find the answers and figure it out so don’t fret when you find you business Facebook page doesn’t have as many likes as your mentor (ahem, I might be coaching  myself here), or that it is taking a bit longer to find the right publisher for your book.  Keep doing what you love and following your inspiration and you will reap the benefits.
  • This is part of the journey and while we often believe we set goals only to achieve them, the journey should be fun.  If it’s not what’s the point.  So stop worrying and find the joy in learning, growing, and evolving into the new, happier, dream-livin’ YOU!
  • Last but not least, you don’t have to do it alone.  There are coaches, guides, mentors, and ample resources out there for you to access.  We live in a time where all the information we want is accessible to us, so use it.  You don’t have to reinvent the wheel to get to where you want to be.  Let’s come together in community and help each other out.  Together we can do more anyway right?

Be easy with yourself and enjoy the process of learning your craft whatever that may be.  And if there are things that really take the joy out of your journey, pay someone else to do it if you can.  Don’t allow a little accounting, website snafu, or other frustration get the best of you.  There are people in the world following their dreams doing the exact thing you don’t enjoy, so why not let them?

And remember, you don’t have to know it all, be it all, and do it all this very moment, so take a break and give yourself a break!

Do you want to see how I can help you find the resources, money, opportunities, and connections to make your dreams a reality?  Contact me to set up a FREE coaching call, I would love to give you a bit of guidance.

Following The Breadcrumbs To…Coaching Business Jumpstart

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I am constantly amazed at how the exact thing I need appears in the strangest of ways.  When I was pondering someone to design my logo for me, I saw a note on Facebook of the exact person I was thinking of designing a logo!  When I was looking for advice on building a website, I stumbled upon the exact steps I needed to do so.  And just a few weeks ago, happened yet again!

A few weeks ago I came to the realization that I needed some assistance on the business side of things for my coaching practice.  I had all the ideas about what I wanted to do and how I wanted to do it, but my execution was a bit off.  Not only that, but I realized quickly that I didn’t even know what I didn’t know.

I didn’t go the traditional coach-training route and felt like I might be missing some of the core business advice that I needed in order to make my business thrive.  (I realize my business is only a month old, but I’m an overachiever 🙂 ) So, as I simply thought about what it was I needed, I received the answer in my inbox and it was another example of how you can obtain the resources, time, people, connections, and anything else you need to help bring your dream to fruition simply by following the inspirational nuggets along the way.

It was like the business/branding angels had hand delivered (or typed as it were) the exact program that would help me know what I didn’t know and make it work for me.  And since I am all about feeling my way through my dreams, I allowed my gut to guide me and before I allowed my Ego to get the best of me, I took the leap. (I’m getting pretty good at that!)

Over the last week or so I started working my way through the self-study program and it has been incredibly helpful!  I am still learning all I need to know about you lovely potential clients out there and crafting new packages, programs, and resources that will help me help you better. (Stay tuned for that.)  And because I am all about passing along things I love and other inspirational tidbits, I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to share this information with you.

If you have a business (even if it isn’t a coaching business), you can also benefit from this program as it helps coaches and other business owners really own their expertise and speak the language of their clients/customers so they can serve more people, get more clients/customers, and help their business take off.

If you are interested in finding out more please feel free to shoot me an email or ask in the comments as I am an ambassador and affiliate for the program so, should you decide to purchase the program from the link below I do receive a small commission.

** Please note:  I do not typically advertise programs and will never advertise a program I have not tried and strongly believe in.  This just happened to be just the thing I needed for my business and I am taking this opportunity to share it with you.  Also, I was not paid to write this post, but am paid a small commission for anyone that signs up for the program using the link below.**

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Don’t Borrow Trouble

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The last two days have been interesting.  I have found myself in the weirdest of moods and somehow my inspiration has fallen by the wayside.  I can’t quite put my finger on what has changed in the last two days, but I do know that it will pass.

We all have these moments don’t we?  Times when things aren’t “bad” or “good” and instead they hang somewhere in the space between two extremes and just feel “meh”.  It is part of the ebb and flow of life and while I tried many ways get out of this mood none of them worked.  So, after trying everything in my be-happy-arsenal, I just let it be.

I stopped trying to fight the inevitable feeling of blah and accepted it for what it is…a pause in action, momentum, and a chance to just be.  Does that sound too hippp-dippy for you?  Think of it as a break.  A break from whatever it is I needed a break from…sometimes even we don’t know what that is.letitbe

While I would like to say I am so good at simply being, I’m not.  I tend to fight the feeling especially when I am in moods like these.  A feeling that is hard to name and almost impossible to find the source of.  Yet, being the overachiever, I can do anything, go-getter that I tend to be…I had to know.

So, I began thinking about all the many reasons I could feel like this.  Is it the weather? Job frustrations? Personal issues? Worry about the future? Stress?  No matter what reason I gave it, none of them felt right and then I had to ask myself…

Why am I borrowing trouble?

I first heard this term from a co-worker a few years ago and if you don’t know what borrowing trouble is, it is worrying about something that hasn’t happened yet and creating undue stress, frustration, and anything else that is not needed in the moment.  That is exactly what I was doing.

Somehow I thought that if I could name it or find the source, then it would cease to exist.  That if only I could figure it out and wrestle it to the ground, I could somehow solve the mystery and get back to my bubbly, inspired self, and move forward with all the good stuff on my path.

I was wrong.

So, I settled with the feeling and decided to let it hang around for a bit, hoping that it would slowly dissipate.  Lucky for me it is working.  I am beginning to feel a bit better and hope that with some additional rest, listening to my body, and just being, I will be back to my regular self again soon.  In the meantime, I am remembering a very important lesson about not borrowing trouble and I want to pass it along to you.

When you find yourself worrying about something that is not in this very moment, you are borrowing trouble.  When you are wondering how something is going to happen and trying to think of all the ways it can go wrong, you are borrowing trouble.  When you are trying desperately to figure something out instead of allowing it to be what it is and letting go a little bit, you have the potential to be borrowing trouble.  And when you are feeling a feeling that you can’t quite figure out instead of listening to what it is telling you, you may be borrowing trouble.

There is enough “trouble” in the world without us looking for it, so why not take some time to just be in the moment and learn whatever lesson it is here to teach us, knowing that it will soon pass.

The good news about these moments and moods is that it helps us remember who we want to be, how we want to feel, and creates a sense of gratitude for the good stuff.  So, if you find yourself in a similar situation remember, don’t go borrowing trouble and in the words of Abraham Hicks, “hang on it will be over soon.”

Lessons Learned in Attitude, Faith, and Signs

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I don’t know about you, but this week has offered me many opportunities for growth which also means it has had it’s fair share of challenges…and by fair share I mean A LOT.  However, I would like to think I have taken each one in stride and learned a little along the way.

Lesson: Attitude is everything. Attitude

In the last week my family and I have been in a car accident (everyone is ok thank goodness), I found out the company I work for full-time is eliminating my position in the next 3 months, and our washer died-all of which happened before we were heading out-of-town for a nice relaxing weekend away.  While any one of these occurrences could have sent me into an anxiety-ridden-tizzy, I took each one as it came and tried to focus on the good.  I couldn’t change the fact that we had tons of paperwork to deal with due to the accident, but I could be grateful we were all safe.  I couldn’t beg to stay with my current company, but I am able to be grateful that they gave me 3 months notice.  I can’t fix the washer on my own, but we can figure out a way to make it work.  Did it seem like the Universe was delivering a huge storm of gloom this past week, yes, but in changing my attitude even just a little, I was able to see the bright side.  Did I get there immediately?  No.  After a little bit of shock and some tears I decided the only thing I could change was my attitude and that is just what I did.

Lesson: If you have faith that everything will work out for the best, nothing can stop you.

FaithMoments after I received the news about my full-time job, I broke down into tears.  There was a distinct feeling of “what am I going to do?” coupled with a feeling of overwhelming calm.  It sounds weird I know, but it was almost as if, part of me knew without a shadow of a doubt that this moment was the beginning of something far greater than the job I had.  I gave myself a few minutes to feel the worry for the future and afterwards, I felt the faith and trust in my heart that all would be just fine.  And while I have had moments of “I wonder how, or when, or what…”, my faith is there keeping me moving in the right direction.

Lessons:  If you are open, the Universe will deliver signs that let you know you are on the right track.

I have talked about inspirational nuggets that serve as gentle nudges leading us to the next step in our journey and while I didn’t receive any specific signs of where to turn next, I did receive (what I believe to be) signs that everything is going to be just fine.

Right after hearing the news about my full-time position being eliminated, I had an appointment to go to.  On the way I was talking to a friend about my faith in the process and how I just knew this was opening my world to something far greater than I could imagine.  As I was going on about what may be in my future, I saw a field of probably 100 white birds that I had never seen before.  There were so many, I had to take notice and as I did, I saw one was perched on the fence close to the street.  He seemed to be watching my car drive by.  I told my friend about what I had just seen and she said this was my confirmation that all was going to be ok and I had a feeling she was right.  A bit later when I drove by again the bird was still perched on the fence and he caught my eye again.  At this point I was convinced there was some sort of message or sign.

Photo from: www.jrcompton.com
Photo from: www.jrcompton.com

Now I am all about symbolic meaning, synchronicities, no coincidences etc. and this felt like one of those moments so I was eager to know what type of bird it was and any symbolic meaning behind it.

I found that the bird was either an Egret or a Heron and they symbolize peace, going with the flow, patience, prosperity, good luck, self-reliance etc.  I was amazed and comforted, but most of all excited for what the future holds for me.  As it unfolds, I will continue to be open to the signs, symbols, and inspirational nuggets that will guide the way.

So, that is what I have learned this week.  What have you learned?