Lamisha Serf-Walls

Living My Dream

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Wow what a difference a year makes!  Today is officially the one year anniversary for my blog.  It started as a past-time to keep me inspired and engaged while I waited for the pieces to fall into place for my ultimate dream career.  When I began I didn’t think that a year in I would have launched my business and be on my way to helping others follow their hearts to do the same.  It’s been a pretty amazing journey and looking back I can see how creating this blog was the single step that built the momentum for the rest of it to fall into place.

realityWhen I began, I had this preconceived notion of how my dream would take shape.  In my mind the path was logical, realistic, but boy did it feel hard.  I thought that was how it was supposed to be.  You always hear people talking about working hard, never giving up, and making sacrifices to live the life of their dreams, so I thought sure enough I was on the right path.  The only problem was that the more I wrote, the more my desire grew.  I wanted to feel like I was making progress, right now.  I couldn’t figure out how to reconcile my passion with the idea that I had to save a large sum of money, invest 6 months of my time to do something that I have always been doing.  Wasn’t the realistic way the only way?  In April, I realized the realistic way is only one way to make something happen.

It was then that I took a leap of faith.  By simply declaring (to myself) that I was going to create my own coaching model utilizing my experience, Masters in Psychology, and the many tools I have learned along the way, I took the seemingly small step that helped me create what I have today.  Did I know everything at that moment? Of course not.  But I set the intention and the flood gates of ideas opened and the pieces fell into place.  Before I knew it I had created my coaching model and began working with two guinea pig clients who have made some incredible progress!

Am I still learning?  Yes and boy am I learning a lot!  I am learning the ins and outs of business.  I am learning how to better serve my clients and how to grow into this new dream that I held so close to my heart for over a decade.

So what held me back all these years?  I was bound by reality.  Like the caged bird who knows only how to live, breathe, and survive behind bars, I allowed myself to be contained in the logical world.  I thought everyone worked a job they hated just to make ends meet and that only the lucky/rich/free people were able to do the things they wanted to simply because they loved it.  For many years my actions were driven by the need to fulfill my responsibilities in life.  Bills, work, and taking care of my family were all reasons I succumbed to the idea that I couldn’t live with my head in the clouds any longer.

I was wrong.  dream life

Today, one year into this blogging journey and only a few months into my business, I am excited for what the future holds.  I am eager to help clients break free from their perceived limitations in time, money, space, etc. so they too can feel the freedom of living a life of passion while still taking care of all the other stuff too!  You can have it all!  The time, the joy, the family, the money, the career that sets your soul on fire…all of it!  All it takes is one little step forward to get the momentum going.  And I can tell you from where I stand in my own journey, it is an incredible feeling to be living my dream and while I am still growing, evolving, and learning, I wouldn’t change it for the world.

Don’t wait another minute to live the life you were meant to live, to use the gifts you have to give to the world, and to do what makes you happy.  Life is too short to put your happiness off for another moment.

I would be honored to help you move along your journey to living the life you once dreamt.  Interested in working with me and taking advantage of the incredible pay what you can deal from yesterday?  Send me an email at lamisha@lifeoncedreamt.com or contact me here to get a free 30 minute coaching session to get started.  I promise you won’t be sorry you did.

Pay What You Can-Limited Offer

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Happy Monday Fellow Dreamers!

I have been making some tweaks and adjustments to the way my website looks so don’t be alarmed if things look a little different this week.  I am very excited about some upcoming offerings and discounts that will be available for some of my coaching packages.  I am also setting up a newsletter for those of you who sign up for my VIP list.  You will be the first to get notifications about new offerings, free stuff, and can be the first to sign up for my upcoming programs.  While all that comes together, I will still be posting a few times a week to share my journey and insights with you.dreamscometrue

I don’t know about you but it seems to me that time is speeding up as the end of the year quickly approaches.  I have some major plans for 2014, but I have decided not to wait to get started and you shouldn’t either.  Now is the time to think about the things you didn’t get to do this year and get started.

What is that one thing you really wanted to do but somehow you couldn’t find the time, money, contacts, etc. to do it? 

That thing that just popped into your mind, I can help with it.  I know some of you aren’t quite sure how this coaching thing works, but I want to give you a little taste of the goodness you can get from working with me.  So, I am offering a FREE 30-minute session to anyone who is interested in discussing, brainstorming, and planning that one thing you want to do for 2014.  In that time we can pinpoint what is holding you back and discuss the next steps.  This session not only gives you an introduction to coaching, but actually gives you some clarity too!  For those of you who have been thinking of working with me, this is your chance to make that happen.  At the end of our call we can discuss whether you want to move forward with coaching.  If you decide to do so, I am also offering a special “Pay What You Can” for 2 sessions for the first 10 people interested.  Signing up is easy, just contact me here and include a note about what you would like to work on.  I will respond within 24 hours and we can get you scheduled!

drseussI hear a lot of people say if they had more time and money they would do that ultimate thing they have always dreamed of.  Some people have some of the resources, but just don’t know where to begin.  The common denominator between these two groups is the “I’ll do it when ____”.  There is always something that is delaying what they ultimately want to do and they don’t realize that in order for the pieces to fall into place you must take that first step.  All it takes is one teeny, tiny, step in the direction of your dreams and some truly amazing things can happen.  Let me show you how.  We can do some pretty amazing things in 2 full sessions so what are you waiting for?

Don’t miss out on this truly amazing offer to pay what you can afford for sessions that would cost about $100 a session with the regular pricing..  Remember this offer is limited to 10 people so don’t wait.  Contact me today!

I look forward to speaking to you about the dreams that will soon become reality!

My Coaching Philosophy-The Inspired Path

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I find it interesting how many of us live in our heads.  Our thoughts take over as we analyze our life options and choices to a point that we almost become obsessive.  We weigh the pros and cons of our choices in order to make the right decision, all the while forgetting and simply ignoring how we feel.  We have become so disconnected from our hearts that we often don’t even allow our feelings to register.  We dismiss them as nothing more than an inconvenience to getting things done, but what if instead of making choices with our analytical monkey brains, we took a moment to feel each option?

In the past I have made my decisions based on logic and analysis.  I graduated high school knowing that the next logical step was college.  When I selected a major I decided on something that was feasible and somewhat interesting, though I had no idea what I truly wanted to do and when I found something that really hit an inspirational nerve with me, I ignored it.  I continued down that path of “logical” thinking and decision-making for many years, though there were moments when I followed my heart and ignored my head.  In those moments, there was no weighing my options, I simply knew what I needed to do yet more often than not, I worried, analyzed, and weighed my logical options.  Options that seemed somewhat safe.

When I decided to set out on my own and throw myself a curve ball in my career plans, I developed a coaching model that is primarily based out of inspiration and how we feel.  I found that in my own choices to not follow the logical path, I felt alive, inspired, and made incredible progress toward my dreams.  I encourage my clients to do the same.

Follow your heart, your passion, and your bliss and if the logical path feels right, do that too.

We are moving beyond a world of people who are punching the clock to simply survive and into a world of creative souls fulfilling their deepest desires.  My goal is to help those creative souls trust their instinct and their inspiration to do something that makes their heart sing.  Life isn’t meant to be a struggle full of headaches and speed bumps.  It’s meant to be enjoyed, experienced, embraced, and by golly it’s supposed to be FUN.

If you find yourself questioning your life purpose are wondering where your passion lies, just follow your heart and do things that make you happy.

The logical path isn’t the only path to your dreams though many times it is the most difficult.  Instead of believing there is only one path available, be open to the idea that there are many paths that will lead you to the life of your dreams and if you lead with your heart and follow the inspirational nuggets along the way, any path you take will be wonderful and will likely fill your soul with more happiness than you ever imagined possible.

Still not sure how to get started?  Feel free to contact me at lamisha@lifeoncedreamt.com for more information on how I can help you jump-start your dreams.

P.S.  I will be holding a week of free introductory coaching calls in the coming weeks for those of you interested in working with me, so stay tuned for more information on that soon.  I am so excited to begin working with dreamers like you who want to begin living the life you once dreamt sooner rather than later.

Imagination vs Reality

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In speaking with a friend today, I was reminded of how many of us live in a world where many of the choices we make in life revolve around what we deem “realistic”.  Many of us are working, living, and simply planning our lives in a way that allows us to get through the next week, month, or year without ever focusing on what it is we want in this life.  We have somehow allowed our lives to be a matter of survival instead of a life of abundance and joy.

The creative thought we once had as a child has been put to sleep while reality has infiltrated our minds, giving us a false sense of security.  We are made to believe that we must follow a path that makes the most sense and stick with it.  After working and living a mediocre, just getting by life, we may be able to retire and then get to the things we always dreamed about.

But isn’t that backwards?

I always thought the sequence of events from High School to College to Adulthood seemed too swift for my liking and nonsensical.  How in the world was I supposed to decide what I wanted to do with my life when I hadn’t ever explored the world?  Shouldn’t I have some knowledge of my choices before I blindly choose a career?  As they say: hindsight is 20/20.

Since I didn’t know any other way, I followed what many of my peers were doing.  I decided on a career that I thought would carry me forward for the rest of my life.  I decided to major in Exercise Science and minor in Dance.  Seemed easy enough right?  The truth is, I didn’t think doing something else was an option.  I didn’t know I could use my imagination to create the life of my dreams.  I thought in order to be successful you had to find a box that you fit in and follow the path like many other boxes before you.  It wasn’t until a few years ago that I realized I could get out of that box and meander along a new path on my own.  I finally realized, I do have a choice.  You have a choice too.

Consistently focusing on what you or other people think is reasonable or realistic in terms of your career or other life choices is the perfect way to maintain a mediocre life.  If you allow reality (however you define it) to dictate your choices in life, you are bound to feel like there is something missing.

It is only when we allow ourselves to reawaken the imagination that lies dormant in so many of us, that we can finally take a much-needed step outside of our comfort zone.  A comfort zone that has kept us in one place and in some ways has limited our personal and sometimes professional growth.  Sure it can be somewhat scary, but it can also be incredibly rewarding and an amazing ride.

The next time you make a choice, whatever choice that may be…consider if it is coming from a place of “reality” or a place somewhere in your imagination.  I think you will find your creative choices will make life, not only more interesting, but wildly fulfilling.

Use your imagination to create the life of your dreams.  In your imagination anything goes!  And remember thoughts become things so as you ponder the most fulfilling life you ever imagined, you are creating a flow of energy to make those dreams become your future reality.

Anything Is Possible!

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Photo courtesy of daytobeyou.com
Photo courtesy of daytobeyou.com

I can’t tell you how much I love hearing stories about how people achieved the life of their dreams.  People that beat all odds to do miraculous and unique things that make them happy.  There is something about those stories that reminds me that anything is possible no matter how unreal it may seem.

This morning I was watching show about a family run company that takes old junk and refurbishes it to reuse in a new way.  This family has a store, a design business, and a warehouse where they sell these wonderfully unique items.  Sure there are plenty of people who have craft hobbies, but few ever think of turning it into a passionate business that not only satisfies the creative appetite, but also brings in income as well.  I love it!

Another example comes from a book I am reading titled Buddhist Boot Camp by Timber Hawkeye.  After traveling around the world in search of enlightenment in various ways, Timber is now living the life of his dreams.  His dream was to create a life that allowed him to do the things he loved each day.  How did he do it?  He simplified his life.  Instead of working 40+ hours a week to pay for a lifestyle that didn’t mean as much to him as his other interests (hiking, surfing, volunteering, connecting with others), he is now working 20 hours a week.  He cut down his expenses enough so he only has to work half as much while he enjoys his life so much more.  He created the life of his dreams by focusing on what was most important to him.  And do you know where he lives??? Hawaii, one of the most expensive places to live…like I said, anything is possible.

That leads me to my next story about a man named Adam Baker.  Adam is the founder of ManvsDebt and his story is quite remarkable.  He and his wife decided they were done with the mounting debt they had accumulated and decided that they wanted to live the life of their dreams.  How did they do it?  They sold most of their possessions, paid off their debt, and traveled the world.  They vowed to only keep the bare necessities in terms of clothing, books, or other miscellaneous items and sold the rest.  They also simplified their life in order to make room for the life they wanted to live.  A life that inspires others to get out of debt and do the things they love.  They lead by example and their story is incredible.  Another example that anything is possible.

I am convinced that it doesn’t matter how “crazy” your dream may seem, it is possible.  Maybe you want to sell all your crap and build a little shack in the woods or maybe you want to create a business making inspirational bumper stickers.  Whatever your dream is, I know you can do it.  I know it is possible.  Life is a magical journey and even your wildest dreams can come true.  You just have to have a little faith and a lot of passion.  Passion is what drives us to move in the direction of our dreams.

There are so many people in the world living the life of their dreams, so many that I have decided to highlight one person/business/venture/dreamer each week as an ongoing series.  I hope you find their stories inspirational and uplifting, but most of all I hope you realize if they can do it, you can do it too!