Lamisha Serf-Walls

5 Indications You Should Hire A Life Coach

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I love working with courageous, amazing, freedom-seekers and dreamers who know that life is meant to be wonderful and who are ready to take their life to the next level.  There are times when I get the feeling that some people aren’t quite sure when is the time to hire a coach, so I put together a list of 5 sure-fire ways to know you are ready to hire a life coach.

 

  1. You just feel stuck.-I have heard this from just about every client I have worked with.  They are trying to get their business, dream, or life to the next level and they feel like they are chasing their tail.  Stuck in a rut, in the mud, or walking in circles, these souls have thrown their hands up and yelled ‘I can’t do it alone’.  Lucky for them, they don’t have to and you don’t either!
  2. You feel scattered. – Some of my more creative souls that I coach often come to be because they have so many wonderful ideas, they just can’t seem to figure out where to begin.  They get so ‘busy’ moving from one thing to another that they don’t make much progress on any one thing. If this is something you struggle with, a coach can come in and help you untangle the web of ideas and help you take actionable steps to creating and finishing your tasks that will lead your dream and business to another level.
  3. You have made some changes on your own and are ready to take it up a notch. – There are many people who are self-studied personal development lovers (I am one of them) and there is a lot of growth you can do on your own, however at some point there seems to be a plateau of growth that happens.  Things have changed and yet there are still blind spots or blocks that need a bit of action and progress.  Working with a coach is a great way to work through those blocks that will catapult you into a new level of bliss and growth you may not have been able to reach on your own.
  4. You know there is deeper work to be done. – There are times when you just know that there is deeper work to be done.  Work that requires a special person to listen, reflect, and help you transform some of the icky, negative, and fearful thoughts and words into uplifting, gorgeous, and inspiring truths that truly reflect who you are.  This often comes at a time when people feel a general loss of direction and they know a loving shift must occur.
  5. You are ready to find your passion and purpose and love life again. -You might feel like something bigger is calling you, but you can’t quite figure it out.  Maybe it’s a new career, a new business, or a creative pursuit you have put on the back burner.  Whatever it is, you are ready to find it and live the rest of your life, free, happy, and passionate…just like it’s meant to be!

All of the above come with this disclaimer that unless you do the soul-searching, honest, and truthful work that growth and transformation requires, coaching won’t work.  There are times when clients tap into emotions, buried feelings, and beliefs that can be uncomfortable, but until you are willing to bring them to light and tell a new story, growth is stifled.  Life Coaching is a process and one that will transform your life for the better.  So if any of the above indications strike a chord within your soul for your life, business, or your dreams, I invite you to take advantage of the limited time offer I have right now.

New clients can receive 2 months of coaching (4 sessions for $300) at the current rate if you sign up for a 30-minute consultation by May 2nd.  Rates will be doubling on May 3rd, so hurry if you want to take advantage of this offer.  If you are interested, please contact me as soon as possible as my calendar is filling up fast.

From “Meant To Be” to “Maybe Not”

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I had a realization today and it is one that I have been struggling with for a while now.  You see, when I found out I only had 3 months left of my full-time job, I took it as a sign from the Universe that my coaching business was ready to take off.  I thought I was going to have some amazing space and time to create, write, and build an ever-growing business that would sustain me.  I had stars in my eyes, a heart full of hope, and no one could tell me otherwise.

from www.liketoquote.com
from www.liketoquote.com

I absolutely believed that this was happening and that the reason my job was ending was so I could move into my purpose more fully.  But then, after 2 months passed and business didn’t explode I began questioning things.  I hadn’t even thought of getting another full-time gig.  I thought it was working out perfectly and that it was meant to be for me to work from home, building, creating, and expanding my ever-growing business.

But, that’s not how it has happened thus far.  To be honest with you, my month of giving has really become my month of offering what I believe to be a great deal, but with no takers.

Bummer.Big Bummer.

Not only did I not want to entertain the idea of taking a full-time gig (because hello why else would I be losing my job just as I was starting my own business-terrible logic), but I was also dealing with a dwindling dream.  I had gotten excited about something that I thought was meant to be, even though it might not work out that way.  The funny thing is had you asked me a month before I found out my full-time job would be ending when I planned on taking my new coaching business full-time, I would have most certainly told you that I wouldn’t consider it until I had built a solid foundation.  And yet after I found out about position being eliminated, I thought it was a sign just to jump!  Funny how we see things so differently in varying circumstances huh?

So, what’s my point?

My point is that things happen for a reason and while we might think we know what that reason is while it is happening, we may not ever really know until the dust settles later.  So instead of wishing, hoping, and standing on the belief that we always know why things work out the way they do, why not stand in a place of faith.  Faith that things are working out exactly how they should without placing constraints on the situation trying to make it fit into a logical stream of thinking.  If I know anything about my journey to coaching, I know that the path isn’t always logical and it is very rarely linear.  My path has been more about following the inspirational nuggets along the way.  Being inspired to do one thing that leads to another etc.  That is how things have worked out for me and many of my clients and I know that is how it will continue to work out.

In this case that means not discounting another full-time gig or feeling badly about services and offers that go no where.  Not only am I allowing myself to be open to what comes, but I am also following my own coaching advice and going where my inspiration takes me.  I am readjusting my focus and seeing the bigger picture.  I may not know what is next for me, but I am sure that it is going to be great.

In the mean time I am going to continue working on my business ideas, tweaking my website, and creating content that is inspiring, useful, and uplifting for you lovely readers.  I am also going to continue to build a solid foundation for my business.  I am learning, growing, and evolving every day as a business woman and that will never stop.  So as I work on my services, offerings etc. my focus is on providing the best services I can for my clients.  It also means being open to where, how, and how my next clients will be and trusting the process.

As for the job front, I’m not sure what will happen.  I am following my inspiration and going where it leads me, if that means I end up in another full-time job, so be it.

As one of my dear friends has reminded me over and over again…I am letting it flow, letting it flow, letting it flow. 🙂

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.

Lessons Learned In: The Faces Of Opportunity and Being Open

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I am coming out of my cranky fog and realizing I learned some pretty hefty lessons this week.  While it wasn’t the most progress-oriented week I have ever had, it is certainly one heavy in life lessons.

Lesson: Opportunities come with many faces, the key is accepting them even when they are in disguise. fall apart

After learning that my current full-time gig would be coming to an end at the end of this year, I recently heard that many other employees were given their pink slip with only 2 weeks to spare.  This shocking news puts a lot of people in some seemingly tough situations as they plan for what is to come.  Some are worrying about how they will pay the bills and take care of their families (understandably so), but I can’t help but see this as an opportunity to move into something better.  In fact, one of my coworkers is thinking of following a passion she has had for many years, to which I responded “YES, Do that!!”  As the saying goes, when one door closes another one opens and I believe that 100%.  It seems we are moving into a time when doing what we are “supposed” to do is not only uninspiring and boring, but it isn’t what we are meant to do.

Opportunities are popping up in some fun, exciting, sometimes shocking ways to get your attention, so listen up!  See the opportunity and be grateful that you have an opportunity to do something different.  And should you find yourself in a similar lay-off position, by golly take it as a blessing and a sign to move onward and upward.  The unknown can be scary, but it is also exciting to know that something better is coming only you get to decide what that is!  So watch as the faces of opportunities appear around you and respond accordingly by following your inspiration.  And don’t forget what I wrote yesterday…don’t borrow trouble!

Lesson: Be open to negative emotions and feelings and they will easily float on by.  Fight them and they hang on for dear life.

This lesson came full force yesterday in the midst of my gray cloud of confusion.  I had this icky feeling I couldn’t pinpoint and I wanted nothing more than to move on from the down feeling it was leaving me with.  Only when I stopped fighting it and stopped trying to rationalize it was I able to be open to it fully.  I didn’t try to change it or soothe it, I simply allowed it to be and an amazing thing happened.  It quickly began to loosen its grip on my mood and as the sun set, I was feeling better.

The next time you feel an icky, less than ideal feeling and you can’t quite figure it out, try being open to it instead of fighting it.  The more you fight, the more power you give to the mood/negativity that you are trying to avoid and by allowing it to flow through you, you create a path for it to float peacefully away.

What lessons have you learned this week?

I hope you have a lovely weekend and as always thank you for reading!