Lamisha Serf-Walls

Dream Changer: Featuring Nancy Pigno of Creative Abundance

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****Happy Hump Day Dreamers!  Today we have a wonderful Dream Changer piece by the inspirational and very creative Nancy Pigno from Creative Abundance.  This is one story that will make you dust off your own idea book and get busy.  Enjoy!****

“Genius is one percent inspiration and ninety-nine percent perspiration.”  These words were spoken by Thomas Edison years ago, obviously, but they just reached my ears today.  When I heard them I stopped dead in my tracks.

Yes.

These words spoke directly to me.

Not that I am a genius.  That’s not it.

I get inspired though.  You know the phenomenon.  You get a great idea, right?  And then, you let it go, for there is laundry to be folded and lunches to be made.  Life demands a certain amount of effort or it threatens to fall into chaos.  And it is easy to move your dreams and ideas aside to tend to your daily responsibilities.  The idea is forgotten, until weeks, months, maybe years later, when you suddenly remember it.  What a good idea that was!  You wonder what would have happened had you followed it.  More laundry.  More lunches.  Other great ideas come, too.  You have lots.

Laundry.  Lunches.  Life.

We cannot act on all of our great ideas, of course.  It isn’t realistic.  So, we should not beat ourselves up for letting ideas go.  I just read an article about someone who is trying to start a new business every single week for a year.  I wonder about this experiment.  It doesn’t seem a recipe for success unless he truly has vast resources and can delegate much of the work out.  Seems like it would be hard to focus, hard to manage, hard to juggle it all.

We don’t have to act on everything.  It’s okay to let ideas go or to store them in a special notebook labeled, “Great Ideas” or whatever strikes your fancy, so that we don’t lose them entirely.  Collecting inspiration is good, but the genius is in the action: taking an idea out of that special notebook and bringing it to life.

I am doing a monthly theme over at my blog, the Creative Abundance Café.  I have enlisted the help of other creatives and together we are dishing up helpings cuppaof Perseverance.  Perseverance pep-talks are important because that ninety-nine percent of genius, the sweat-work part, is riddled with moments when giving up seems very attractive.

When I was invited to write this piece, my Dream Changer story, my immediate thought is that I would talk about my journey into becoming a creativity coach, setting up a business, or my book-writing aspirations.  But that’s not the essence of it.   Simply put, I am changing my life by the simple fact that I am daring to take ideas out of the “Great Idea” notebook and am taking action towards bringing them into being.

This is a big deal to me.  It isn’t an easy road.  It is full of moments of doubt and discouragement.  It takes courage and it takes perseverance.  This is the truth of it. It is universal.  That is why so many people were eager to rally at the Café. We are cheering one another along because making your dream, changing your life, bringing something new into being, or following a great idea, is worth it.

It is worth every ounce of sweat, all ninety-nine percent.

NancyHaving a life of CREATIVE ABUNDANCE  is about connecting with and believing in your CREATIVE SPIRIT, the part of you that dreams big and believes that you can do whatever you set your mind and heart to. Nancy J. Pigno brings her training as a Kaizen-Muse Creativity Coach, in Kaizen-Creative NLP and as a Modern-Day Muse Facilitator together with her Masters in Dance Education, Massage Therapy training and Certificate in Somatics Movement Therapy, to offer 1:1 coaching, workshops, and writings, designed especially for creative people with big dreams.

Website:   http://www.creative-abundance.net/

Blogsite (The Café): http://www.creative-abundance.net/blog/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/creativea

Email:  nanodance@creative-abundance.net

 

Dream Changer-Featuring Jennifer Seitzer

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***This weeks Dream Changer post comes from an amazingly courageous, creative, and kind soul named Jennifer Seitzer.  Her story reminds us that every experience we have (good, bad, or indifferent) is but a piece of our journey and helps to define our calling and gifts in this world.  May you find your own strength and courage in her story.  Enjoy!***

As a young girl you could always find me exploring wooded paths, forests, sitting beside brooks and streams, sitting under the moon and gazing at the stars or talking to my animal companions.

Trees, flowers, plants, crystals, and animals were my best friends being the very shy girl that I was and I found peace, serenity and truth in them.

Born and raised in Brooklyn, NY, my family often moved so it was quite difficult to create and maintain close friendships, so I found solace in nature, music and art.

You could find my nose deep in stories of wonder, fantasy and happily ever after. I was an avid reader, artist and music was my therapy. I grew up in an addicted, alcoholic and abusive home so these are the things that I looked to, to escape and daydream of my prince sweeping me off my feet and riding off into the sunset.

Of course, that is not how life works. I was married at 18, pregnant at 19 and had my first child at the age of 20. My son was and still is the shining light in my life and heart. I had huge dreams of how I was going to take care of him and all the things I would give him. Again, that is not how life works and I was in for a rude awakening.

After 2 failed, abusive marriages and one more child later, I am now married to my high school sweetheart, my children are now grown (23 & 18) and I took the road less traveled.  In 1998 I stepped into counseling and for 6 years I was on a path to healing. It has been intense, painful, loving, genuine, real, but I was healing and that is where the Gift(s) lies. The life lessons in those dark nights of the soul have those golden nuggets of wisdom and the gifts and talents that only I possess unlike anyone else out there. We are all unique in our gifts because we all have our stories to tell only in the way that we can tell it. It is as unique as our DNA and our fingerprints.

The unfortunate casualties in the messes of my life history are my two children. Each of them with their stories now to tell and their own paths to Jennifer1healing, growth and lessons to learn. My children have been my greatest teachers and it has been through them that I found my true north.

I am the mother of an adult child addict and it is one of the most painful things to watch and walk through. As a mother the only thing I ever want to do is to protect, care and make all the hurt and pain go away. Addiction is a disease ­­ and like so many other diseases ­­ its onset is caused by an inextricable cluster of biological, behavioral and environmental factors.

For the last 5 years I have worked as a dog groomer and loved every minute of it. The big change came this year in January of 2014 when I quit my job. As a certified crystal healer, Reiki Level 1 Practitioner and Life & Soul Coach I wanted to create a life that makes a difference, that has purpose and meaning and one where I can leave a legacy for my children and that is when the Universe answered my call.

One afternoon I sat down to work out a business exercise in creating an avatar of my ideal client and to find who and what is my niche. My target audience. That is where everything changed. What I thought was my true calling actually led me to my True North.

I have now begun the path to becoming a Certified Recovery Coach. Working with other mothers and family members on the road to healing. Using the gifts I have from life experience and offering a wholistic way towards healing is where my heart lies. My dream  is to create a wellness center that centers around recovery using animal assisted therapy, nutrition, workshops, classes, meditation, yoga, crystal healing, energy healing and a safe place for those suffering to find their way back home. That home that lies within us all!

Jennifer2Jennifer is a mother of 2 beautiful children, ages 23 & 18.  She is married to her high school sweetheart and is owned by 2 cats (Salem & Whiskers) and one adorable Westie named Ziggy.  She is strained as a Certified Crystal Healer through Hibiscus Moon Crystal Academy, a Reiki Level One Practitioner in addition to being a Certified Life & Soul Coach.

Jennifer is also the creatrix of the informational website Spirit of Earth Healing as well as the owner of the Etsy Shop Spirit Earth Crystals. Jennifer has a passion for all things crystal, herbal, earthy and spiritually related. She offers Custom Crystal Medicine Bags, offline and virtual soul coaching as well as distant healings.

Imagine This…

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I have always enjoyed daydreaming and envisioning the life I want to have.  Sometimes I envision the perfect vacation or the ideal job.  Sometimes it’s the ideal day or situation I am dealing with at the moment.  What is interesting is while I am thinking about the best case scenario it is really an expected outcome I am aiming for.  Aren’t we all?

But, what if instead of aiming for the end result, we instead imagined an inspired, happy, and good feeling journey to whatever it is we are looking for?journey2

Take your ultimate dream job for instance.  If you are finding yourself constantly taking score of the fact that you aren’t at your ideal job and you are working really hard to get there, you are probably going to be somewhat frustrated and over time just miserable.  But, if while you imagine your ideal job you take note of the opportunities, situations, people, and other great things that come your way as you move along your journey, you are likely to be much happier and more fulfilled.

What a concept!

To enjoy the journey of life and the inspired actions that lead you to your ultimate dream is really the ideal life right?  If you can not only enjoy the end result of whatever you want to achieve, but also enjoy the journey to that thing, you have it all figured out!

That is what is a little different about how I work.  I don’t just help clients work really hard to get to where they are going.  I help them follow their joy to whatever they are wanting.  There is a difference.

What is pretty amazing about this process is that the more you follow what feels right for you, the more progress you make.  Sound a little “woo-woo”?  Let me give you an example.

Say you want to quit your job and become a full-time world travel writer.  You have no idea how to do it, but your logical mind says you must first save enough money to travel the world and still pay your bills while you meander your way around the world.  You decide to work with me and learn how to let your logical thought process fall away for a moment and instead embrace the idea of following your inspiration.

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You decide to take the first step toward your goal and ask a friend (who is also a writer) what they know about the topic.  While you are discussing your big dream with them over coffee, you see a flyer for a writing class that peaks your interest.  Since you are following your intuition and inspiration, you go to the class to brush up on your writing skills.  In the class you meet several other writers who have big dreams too.  Some want to write fiction, others non-fiction, and to your surprise you find out the teacher has experience writing travel guides for a well-known publisher.  Wanting to get some writing gigs under your belt you speak with your instructor to find out more about that type of work.  You take away some really great info from speaking with your instructor and decide to do a bit of research on your own.  In doing so you find some other writing gigs that really interest you and while they aren’t directly related to travel, you apply.  Fast forward a few months and you have not only managed to lay the foundation to your new writing career, but you have an amazing opportunity to travel outside the country to work alongside another travel writer(incidentally your writing teacher) to help do research on a new travel guide.  Not only that, but you are getting most of your expenses paid and a small stipend during the project.  You are on your way to quitting your job and becoming the next world travel writer and enjoying every single step along the way.

To some this story may seem unrealistic and unbelievable, and I understand, but I promise you if you allow yourself to think beyond just the end result and follow your inspiration along the way, magical things happen.  It is as if the universe is responding to every little step you make and providing another wonderful experience to help you on your journey.

I can see you thinking about your ultimate dream and wondering if this could happen for you and it certainly can.  You have the ability to following the inspirational nuggets along your journey to your ultimate dream.  It doesn’t have to be logical, realistic, and hard.  It can be easy, fun, and fluid.

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I know some of you have been thinking about your dreams more and more every day and each day your passion and excitement is building.  Don’t let your current reality be the thing that stops you from taking the leap.  Maybe you have been thinking of working with me and haven’t taken that step.  Do it now!  Contact me for a free 30 minute session to chat about your dreams.  And remember I am still offering my ‘pay what you can’ special for 2 sessions so you don’t want to miss this! 

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.

Dreamer Highlight: Jordana: My Meandering Trail & Michelle Ward

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I am so excited to share two amazing dreamer highlights with you this week.  The first one is a little different from what I normally share, but is equally inspirational.  Enjoy!

When I first began my blog, I stumbled across Jordana from My Meandering Trail as she was in the middle of preparing for her hike up the Appalachian Trail.  I had no idea at the time what a huge achievement that truly was, but I was consistently inspired by her dream.  In case you were wondering the hike is over 2,000 miles and entails many nights spent camping outside, lots of new people, and lots and lots of hiking.  Just the sound of it makes my legs ache, but I was thrilled to follow Jordana as she strategically documented her plans.  She shared her thoughts on picking her gear, food choices, as well as her adventures as she makes her way up the trail.  So, how did she begin this journey of her dreams?  She just decided to do it.  She researched her way through it.  From talking to others that have hiked the trail to spending early mornings in line to get the best and most affordable gear she could, she did it.  And now, she is hiking to her heart’s content and is sharing her journey on her blog.  While hiking and outdoorsy things may not be your cup of tea, rest assured that her journey will enlighten and inspire.  Remember a journey of (in this case) 2,000 miles begins with only one step.

The other dreamer I wanted to highlight here is Michelle Ward the When I Grow Up Coach.  I have mentioned Michelle several times on my blog and it is partially because it was her blog that really got me thinking about becoming a life coach in the first place and also because her story is so great.  You can read more about how she got to be the wonderful coach she is here.

What she did.  She walked away from what she thought was her dream of becoming an actress and stepped into a space of coaching other creatives to the career of their dreams.  Michelle worked in the corporate world and did her time in the 9-5 job for many years before she finally found her thing.  That thing was coaching others to take a leap toward their dreams.  The inspiration doesn’t stop there though.  In addition to becoming what she calls a woman of the world (read woman solopreneur), she has quit her day job, written workbooks, co-authored a wonderful book, and overcome breast cancer.  She is inspiring for far more than just the work she does.  Michell is creative-life-coaching-amazeballs-ukele-playing-cancer-survior with a spirit that is simply amazing.  Please check out her website and her blog for more inspiring information and tidbits.  She truly is an inspiration for women everywhere.

So, there you have it, two incredible women achieving the life they once dreamt and if they can do it, so can you!

Know of someone who is living the life of their dreams and want me to give them a shout out?  Share in the comments below or email me at lserf13@hotmail.com and I would love to include them in this series.