Lamisha Serf-Walls

“Do It All Right Now”-Syndrome

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In the last two weeks or so I have had many conversations with fellow dreams who have so many things they want to accomplish and either aren’t sure where to begin or just have to do it all right now. 

I can relate.medium_4242711301

I can be a bit (ahem) impatient at times especially when it comes to my dreams.  I want to help all the women in the world  make their dreams come true, but setting a goal like that is paralyzing.

It’s much easier to accomplish when you take it one step at a time.  After all, this journey is not meant to be a sprint right?  It’s meant to be the most amazing marathon (wait are marathon’s fun, I’ve never done one).  Anyways you get my point.

We aren’t here to do it all right now.  And if we were, by trying to do it all right away, we miss the magical moments and wondrous hours of pure bliss knowing we did it.

So, if you find yourself suffering from “Do It All Right Now”-Syndrome, try a few of my tips below:

    • Breathe- Take nice slow deep breaths to and focus on the moment.  If I have learned anything in yoga it is that we don’t breathe deeply enough in our day-to-day tasks, so just breathe.
    • Focus- Find one thing that you can do right now.  It’s probably going to seem small, but the size of the action doesn’t matter, remember your dreams happen with consistent inspired action and progress.
    • Meditate- I know, I know.  I say this all the time, but I promise it helps.  Take a break and re-center yourself with a meditative walk or guided meditation.  It will not only call the “must act now” vibes, but also help you clear your head so you can take it one step at a time.
    • Remember- Your path is meant to be a journey and if you are so busy moving through the moments just to get to the next you miss an entire barrage of lessons, joy, and experiences you can’t get anywhere else.  So, slow down and know that you will get to it all, but you don’t have to do it all right this very second.

photo credit: brixton via photopin cc

If you find yourself trying to untangle the web of ideas, action steps, and things you want to do right now and need some help, contact me.  I am a master and helping you find clarity in your dreams and can help you ease into your action steps one at a time so you can enjoy the amazing journey that is before you.  Isn’t the what life is all about?  Doing what you love and taking the time to enjoy it.  There is no better time than the present!   

February Mini-theme: Authentic Connection

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I can hardly believe that we are at the end of January!  Did the month fly by for you as much as it did for me?

How are your 2014 intentions holding up?  This is usually around the time things start to turn south and people begin forgetting the reasons they started in the first place.  Missed goals, frustration, roadblocks, and sometimes just overwhelm can be enough to cause some people to fall back into old habits.  But, I am not going to let you do that.

Tomorrow is a new beginning (as is each day), but it is also a new month.  So, whatever ‘failures'(I hate that word) you feel like you had this month, wipe them clean and start fresh! Re-set yourself and keep moving forward.  Life happens and while we can’t stop it, we can flow with it, so here is your chance to FLOW.

With that said, it might be a good time to set a mini-theme for the month of February.

I was thinking about this a few days ago and decided that since my overall theme of the year is to “Show Up” and I had decided that December and January would be used to do as many introductory coaching sessions as possible (with a mini-theme of Service), it might be nice to set a mini-theme for February.

The purpose of setting a mini-theme is not to add one more thing to your to do list, but instead to help you focus on a specific area for the month.  You may decide you don’t want to change your theme every month and that’s ok.  Do whatever works and feels right for you.

The mini-theme I settled on is Authentic Connection.  Connection can mean so many things, but I want to take this month to really focus on connecting with my readers (you lovely dreamers), my Facebook and Twitter followers and other coaches/writers/blogs etc.  I want to support and connect with people from all over the world in a variety of ways.  This also applies to my ‘real life’ and not just my online life.  I want to chat with people in line at the grocery store and really see and hear people.  I don’t think we do enough of that overall, so that is my focus!

If you want to join me in selecting a theme for the month, I would love to hear what you choose!  Before you decide on a word, take a moment to tap into what you really need for the month.  Maybe it’s self-care, compassion, or kindness.  Maybe love for yourself, your clients, your neighbors, and strangers (February is the month for love).  Whatever you choose make sure it resonates with you and your path.

Feel free to share your mini-theme in the comments below and I would love to have you follow me on Twitter to post updates about your mini-theme.

Have a wonderful weekend and as always, thanks for reading!

So Many Ideas…Where To Begin?

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In the past few weeks I have had several conversations with potential clients about their dreams and the multitude of ideas they have flowing through their minds at any given moment.  With so many ideas and so much creativity, they are finding themselves paralyzed and unsure of what to tackle first.  It is sort of like seeing your to-do list with 15 different things on it and not really knowing where to begin, so you just don’t do anything.

Have you been there before?

I think it is something that happens to many of us when overwhelm sets in.  Just taking that first step can be scary and is enough to cause you to ignore it and procrastinate even more.

So where do you start?

I find it much easier to start with the small stuff and use that to build momentum for the bigger things.

But what if it all feels like ‘big stuff’?

That is a valid question considering when we first set out to accomplish our dreams, they can often feel like huge mountains to get over, but if you can take a step back for a moment and look at the bigger picture, you might be able to make out a tiny first step.  If you still are having trouble, hiring a coach or chatting with someone about your ideas can help put your thoughts to rest a bit more so you can take the first step.smallsteps

The truth is, what you do in that first step matters less than the fact that you just begin.  When I took the leap to begin my coaching practice, my early first steps entailed a ton of research.  I looked at coaching programs, various coaches, credentials, coaching philosophies, and even contacted two coaches to talk to them about the work they do.  Some of my other small steps included just writing down all of my ideas, coming up with a name for my website, and getting a bare bones website up and running.  Some of those steps took mere moments to complete while others took upwards of a week or more, but every time I sat down to work on it, I felt like I was making progress and that led to more momentum.

Still need help deciding what those first steps might be?  Check out the examples below.

  • You want to start a website, but are unsure of how to set it up or if there will be any interest.  Small step:  Set up a FB page first.  It’s easy to do and you can build your community there before you launch your site.
  • You have some artwork, crafts, or handmade jewelry that you want to sell, but the idea of setting up an Etsy account makes you break into a cold sweat.  Small step: Find a local craft fair to sell your stuff through or talk to your friends and family members about what you are making. You can also set up a FB page for your crafts and sell it that way.
  • You want to become a yoga instructor, write about yoga, and open your own yoga/meditation center, but you aren’t sure about how the yoga training works, how much it costs, and are overwhelmed with the idea of doing it all and question whether you can.  Small Step: Ask one of your yoga instructors some questions about their training experience and how they did it.  Pick their brain regarding some of your ideas and utilize the vast amount of experience and info they can provide to you.

The truth is no matter how many dreams/goals you have accomplished, there are always going to be more, so take it step-by-step and start small.  And if you find yourself at a loss for where to begin and what to do to get started, feel free to set up an introductory coaching session with me.  I am happy to chat with you about untangling the web of ideas you have in your head that might be keeping your paralyzed.  In fact, I love helping clients break their big, bold dreams into bite size steps that result in a big win!  Let me help you do the same.

If you are interested in what coaching can do for you please sign up for your introductory session here.  Also, don’t forget that my very Inspired Giveaway will be ending TOMORROW so head over here to sign up for your chance to win a copy of Inspired & Unstoppable by Tama Kieves.

 

 

An Inspiring GIVEAWAY !!!

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giveaway

I am so excited about today’s announcement/giveaway that I can hardly stand it!  I have been planning it for a few weeks now and have finally taken the time to get everything set up for one lucky winner to receive something incredibly inspiring.

As you may know I am an avid reader.  I read blogs, books, magazines etc. and when I come across something that is particularly interesting or inspiring I like to share the love and give you all a heads up.  The thing about my reading habits is, I very rarely read the books again even if I decide to keep them on hand in my personal library.  Well, that is about to change, because in December I read a book that I assure you, I will be reading at least 2 more times this year alone because it had such an effect on me the first time.

This book was not only inspiring, but I felt like I was reading about myself and my own journey.  I felt like the reader knew exactly what I was going through in figuring out how use my gift and be successful in doing so.  This book reminded me that I didn’t have to fit into a box and follow in the “successful” footsteps of another because my path is mine and mine alone.  I am the paver, the keeper, and the creator of my path and when I follow my heart, my intuition, and my soul all the ‘hows’ I feel like I am missing are revealed.

When I finished the book it seemed like it was all I could think about.  I was recommending it to all kinds of people via Twitter and Facebook and I then I thought “Why not give a copy away?”

Since I love this book so much, I will not be giving away my copy, but will purchase an additional copy and send it to one lucky winner.  Have you guessed the book yet???

The book is:  Inspired & Unstoppable: Wildly Succeeding in Your Life’s Work! by Tama Kieves.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who is venturing into finding, living, and creating the life of their dreams by following their passion.  This is a book that will change how you view success and inspire you to tap into your heart to follow your intuition every step of the way.

I can’t wait to send the lucky winner their very own copy.  Will it be you?  The giveaway ends a week from today and I will announce the winner on January 29th. Enter the a Rafflecopter giveaway today!

Good luck!!!

**NOTE: This giveaway is simply a gift from me to you.  This is in no way a sponsored post and all the above comments regarding the book are my own opinion from having read the book. **

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?