Lamisha Serf-Walls

A Few of My Favorite (Planning) Things

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photo credit: Paper Relics (Hope W. Karney) via photopin cc

** Some of the recommendations below are through affiliate programs, however I only share products I truly love and have successfully used. **

The holiday season is in full swing and many of us are starting to make plans for the new year.

I have to admit, I love this time of year.  The sparkly lights, giving hearts, dreams of new things on the horizon, and the belief that anything is possible….of course I love all of that whether it’s the season or not.

As I begin dreaming of what 2015 holds for me, I want to share with you some of the tools I’ve used in the last year that have changed my life (and year) for the better.  They are things I highly recommend to anyone looking to amp up their planning this year to ensure they have the best year yet.

When it comes to planning and dreaming, I am not your typical goal setter.  In fact, I am going to be writing a post about this for The Huffington Post soon.  I’m not the hard and fast goal setter with a map and strict deadlines to meet.  Those methods just don’t work for me.  I’m way more creative than that and I prefer to set intentions vs goals.

Planning:

For that I use Leonie Dawson’s fabulous workbook.  2014 was the first year I have implemented this amazing workbook and I am so happy I did.  If you are looking for a way to say goodbye to 2014 and welcome in the new with a bit of creativity, flair, and a sacred practice, this is for you.  And if you have a business you want to grow with some amazing new clients, offerings, and new ideas, she has a life & biz workbook for you.

Starting out 2014 with this workbook in my hot little hands was just what I needed to keep focused and it’s something I used the entire year.  Check it out and if it feels right for you, I highly encourage you grabbing one of your own.

Leonie2

In fact, you can check out all the things it includes here: 2015: Creating Your Shining Year

Inspiration:

I started 2014 with a bang and tons of inspiration as I was reading one of my favorite books of all time and one that I recommend to anyone and everyone when I have the chance to and it is Inspired & Unstoppable: Wildly Succeeding in Your Life’s Work! by Tama Kieves.

Not only is this book one that I hold near and dear to my heart, but it is one that lit a fire inside me in a way no other book has.  It’s all about paving your own path and letting your inspiration guide you to what is right for you in life & business.  It is such a wonderful book that I am thinking of reading it again.

There is so much good info and best of all it reinforces what I strongly believe in and that is that when you follow your path, your inspiration is truly the guide.  If you are looking for a highly inspiring read, check this one out.

inspired

Money Stuff:

I’ve shared this before, but it’s worth sharing again.  I coach so many women around money and how they think and feel about money in general.  It’s something we all deal with (including me).  As I think about the new year with new income goals and intentions, there is a ton of stuff that comes up regarding money mindset and I promise that your money mindset is far more important than any of the actions you do in regards to money.

You also may know that I love Denise Duffield-Thomas’s work and I think she’s simply fantastic.  Her books, her free audios, her Lucky Bitch program, etc. are all amazing and she has put together a holiday bundle that is to die for!! Not only that, but it’s at a super low rate until December 17th.

Denise

Check out her Lucky Bitch Christmas Bundle that includes: Lucky Bitch Manifesting Course, Meditations, Live Event Recordings, & her audio books.  Crazy high value bundle for just $97.  I have used her amazing meditations, listened to her books, and recordings and it has changed my money mindset in huge ways.

Dreaming, Scheming, & Visualizing 2015

The last thing I wanted to share with you about my planning process is something I am formalizing to do on my own and as an offer to you.  When you think of what you want to accomplish for the new year, so many people think about the regular inside-the-box things like losing weight, saving money, or quitting some unhealthy task and all of those things are fine and good, but I have created a process that digs a bit deeper into a more meaningful and creative way of dreaming big for the year ahead.

It’s a process that I’ve done on my own and one I LOVE doing with other people (especially business owners) because I get to spark some ideas in my clients that they never would have thought about on their own.

This process is what I call Dream 2015.  It’s a journey we take together in a 90-minute call where I ask you a bunch of questions to highlight what is most important to you both in your personal and professional life.  We discuss how you want to feel.  What you want to do.  New things you want to try and I coach you around what is truly important for you.

Honeycomb

For the duration of the call you are asked not to take notes, but instead to immerse yourself in the experience.  To think, feel, imagine, brainstorm, and respond based on what feels best for you and after the call I will deliver an organized PDF of all the things we chatted about include a few next step items to help you get a jump start on your vision for the new year.

If you are a business owner this is especially fun because we will begin brainstorming awesome offers, collaborations, projects, and bring up some things to grow your business that you never thought about.

This offer is good for a limited time, so if you are interested, snag your spot here and let’s help you get dreamy so 2015 is your best year yet!

I want to hear from you.  What are some of your favorite planning tools or practices for ensuring you have the best year yet?  Share in the comments below as others may be looking for more inspiration. 🙂

End of Year: Weeding Out The Old

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If you have been following my end of year posts, then you know we first began with a bit of reflection on the amazing things we learned and accomplished in 2013.  The next step for me is weeding out the old.

I am a very literal person when it comes to clearing and purging things, so I tend to get a bit overzealous at letting go of material items.  I am terrible at keeping receipts, manuals, and other things that I see as clutter that I might need in the future.  That typically makes this process a lot easier for me each year since I am not hanging onto a ton of stuff I might need in the future.

photo from getridofcluttertoday.com
photo from getridofcluttertoday.com

While I am not sure where this need to clear originated from, I know that it is extremely important for me to start the year with a clean slate.  Both figuratively and literally.  I like my house to be clean, my laundry to be done, new bedding on the bed, and papers, clutter, and old stuff donated and tossed out.  There is something about seeing a clean desk top or a new notebook that gets me all excited to create, write, and imagine new beginnings.

So, with that said, as I write this post a few days early, I am going to be spending much of my days getting rid of old stuff.  You might consider doing the same.  You know that closet that needs to be cleaned out and organized?  The old pictures that need to be put in the album that has been collecting dust all year?  Why not throw on some music, open the shades, and get that stuff done!  There really is no better time than the moment to get those little things that have been sitting around waiting for you to tackle them.  Just dig in and do it now!

What I love about this process more than the actual organization that takes place, is the after effects.  The peace, the ideas, the inspired moments that occur when I am sitting in my newly organized space.  There is something that happens when you clear out a room and let the fresh air and light in.  It makes room for some really great creative energy to take over.

Here are a few ideas to get you started:

  • Clear out a closet or two that you have been meaning to get to all year-long
  • Take one box and intend to get rid of 10 items from each room in your house to donate
  • Go through your closet and get rid of old shoes and clothes that were replaced during the holidays
  • If you have children, fill a box with old toys to donate to a shelter
  • Dig into the catch-all room (we all have one) and organize those clothes, books, and the maybe-we will-use-it-one-day-items
  • Go through your filing cabinets and shred old documents you no longer need

This is by no means meant to be an overwhelming task and you don’t have to do everything on the list, but I think you will find that once you get started you will enjoy the feeling you get once you have accomplished a new task.  Have fun with it and just imagine the amazing new energy and creative ideas that will come flooding in once you make the space for it.

Enjoy!

Inspiration Round-Up

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It has been awhile since my last Inspiration Round-up and I am long overdue especially with so many awesome and inspiring things I have run into recently. So, sit back, relax and enjoy a bit of inspiration on the house!

Articles of Interest:

  • If you want to know what it’s like behind the scenes of a highly successful entrepreneur/life coach, check out Michelle Ward’s post that gives readers the inside scoop on what a typical week looks like for her. It seriously made me re-evaluate how I balance my days between day-job and midnight-hustle.
  • Are you putting a particular project off more and more each day, knowing you really need to get busy on it?  Check out how Jess Lively made her pending project first priority each day.  Such a simple practice that really works. (I even implemented it myself!)
  • Wanna feel better about where you are in your dream journey/business/path to fulfillment?  Rebecca Tracey shares how she got started in her business and how lowering her expectations actually caused an increase in her courage and ability to pursue what was right for her.  It’s incredibly inspiring and if at times you feel like you have no idea what is going on, it will make you feel better I promise. 

Books to blow your mind:

  • I just started reading Inspired & Unstoppable by Tama Kieves and with each new chapter she manages to tap into my heart and soul a little deeper.  Her quotes have me thinking “Yes!!!” and I’m only a few chapters in.  If you are buying yourself a gift this season, do yourself a favor and get this book.  I can already tell this is going to be a life/business/game-changer for me and will be a book I read again (and I NEVER read books more than once). 
  • I am also hoping that Santa will deliver a book that has gotten rave reviews by many business/personal development peeps on the interwebs.  I haven’t received it yet, but I am looking forward to reading The War of Art and Turning Pro.  I sure hope Santa is reading my blog. 🙂

2014 Planning Tools:

  • I personally cannot wait to get my hands on Leonie Dawson’s 2014 Create Your Amazing Year book and planner. I have seen all kinds of rave reviews about her planners in the past and this is the first year it is available for hard copy ordering.  If you are into pretty pages with awesome illustrations to spark your inspiration and creativity I encourage you to pick one up.

I hope you found the above items super inspiring and helpful as you move into planning your new year.  I also want you to know that I am filling my calendar with as many FREE 60-minute coaching sessions as I can in order to do a bit of research on my client base as well as provide a little gift to anyone interested.  With that said if you would like to sign up for a free session to chat about anything and everything you might need help with…i.e. planning for 2014, working on a current challenge, getting out of cubicle hell, a current life transition, please contact me at lamisha@lifeoncedreamt.com .  I am looking to reach out to as many people as possible and am even willing to take this giving season into January.  It’s free, it’s fun, and it’s fabulous so don’t miss out!

Your Dream Is Ready…Are You?

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Many times in coaching, I come across people who might need my help, but they just aren’t ready to take action.  Some of them have absolutely no clue about what they want to achieve and are merely moving from one day to the next trying to survive (and not just financially either).  These people are going through their days doing the things they are “supposed” to do (ya know working, paying bills, taking care of their family etc.) and while they feel like something might be missing, they have done very little to figure out what that is.  They might be fearful of what is waiting on the other side or simply have forgotten what it feels like to dream again.  These are the people who do such a magnificent job living in the moment for what it has to offer, while not thinking too far ahead.

Then there are the dreamers, the visionaries, and the self-development seekers.  These are the people who are always working toward something.  They have an idea of what they want but may not know how to get there.  They are excited for what the future may hold, but they are stuck in fear, anxiety, or lack the confidence to move forward.  These are also people who feel that something is missing and are ready to find out what that is.  They dream, they envision, they imagine, and more often than not they have stars in their eyes for that moment when they finally feel like they are living their purpose and enjoying the journey of growth and evolution.

image from www.searchquotes.com
image from www.searchquotes.com

Both of these groups are stuck in one form or another, but the latter group feels the pull to move forward into the unknown.  They are willing to risk leaving their comfort zone in order to see what else is out there.  They are ready for that first step and many times that first step begins when they reach out to me to find out how this coaching thing works.  Their interest was sparked just enough to make them wonder and imagine what they can accomplish with a little help.

Have you ever thought about what category you fall into?  Both groups have their strengths and regardless of where you may fall, you too have a wealth of potential that you can use in this life.

The question is, when you feel that pull and you wonder what might be missing…are you willing to take the steps to figure it out?

Here is what I have learned since taking the leap of faith into my dreams.

  • If you feel like you were meant to do something more than what you are currently doing…you are probably right.
  • Taking the leap is far more exciting than scary
  • All it takes is a simple, tiny step to get the momentum rolling
  • Once you are on the path, the pull gets stronger and the inspiration that follows will remind you to just keep going

Will you take that step?  Are you ready to drop the excuses, let go of the fear, and dive into your heart’s desire?  If so, I would love to chat with you.  I am still offering a free full-length 60-minute session to get a jump-start on 2014.  Not only is this an amazing opportunity to make progress on your plans for 2014, but it is also a great way for you to see what it is like to work with me with no obligation on your part other than an open mind.  Sign-up by contacting me here and we can get your session scheduled ASAP.  Seriously, what do you have to lose???

Purging: Stuff, Ideas, and Clutter

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While many people tend to do the whole “Spring Cleaning” thing, I tend to do it sporadically throughout the year.  I have no rhyme or reason to it and I don’t really schedule it either.  I simply get this incredible urge to clear out my physical space to create a better flow.  One of those times tends to come at the end of the year.

It’s that time again.letgo

I have been feeling this incredible urge to organize, purge, and open up the space around me, but it doesn’t just stop there.  I am also doing a lot of mental and spiritual work.  I am setting some internal intentions for how I want the rest of the year to go and making plans for 2014 as well.  While I haven’t done much physical purging as of late, I have a feeling I am going to be doing so much more in the coming weeks to make room for all the amazing things coming in the new year.

There are a few reasons I tend to get this way particularly around the new year.  One is the fact that I am somewhat of a minimalist.  I don’t need a ton of stuff and I can easily part with most items if I don’t like them anymore or don’t use them.  Clothes are the easiest for me.  I have a closet full of clothes now, but much of what I have I don’t wear since I work from home.  I guess knowing new things typically come in around the holidays, I want to make sure I am making room for them and keeping things I know I will be using.

When it comes to ideas, I have a tendency to reflect on the past year while planning (loosely) for the year ahead.  I can see a lot of growth in the past year and look forward to what is coming in the new year and letting go of some of  my old beliefs can be helpful in that regard.  This one isn’t always smooth sailing.  I tend to learn lessons throughout the year and learn them again and again as time wears on.  Some things are easier for me while others remain sticking points much longer than I would like and as I am growing my business I have lots of ideas that I want to get rid of.

When I talk about clutter, there is the very physical clutter that I just can’t stand (i.e. piles of papers, unnecessary items etc.) as well as the unnecessary time clutter.  This can come in the form of practices that are no longer working for me, habits, or commitments that no longer fit my bigger vision.  This is probably going to be the toughest thing for me pare down as I like to be busy.  I also have a tendency to pride myself on longevity in a task or position and letting go of something that no longer fits my bigger vision can be difficult.

My Purging Lists:

Stuff:

  • Clothes and shoes I no longer fit or like
  • Papers, magazines, books that I won’t be reusing or don’t need
  • All of my full-time work “stuff” once this job ends (shredding documents I no longer need now and recycling them)
  • Odds and ends taking up space in closets and storage bins that are not needed/necessary

Ideas:

  • Thoughts that I should be further than I am with my business
  • “Realistic” beliefs that I can only earn a certain amount of money from my business in the first year
  • Comparing where I am in my business progress to others who have been doing it longer

Time Clutter:

  • Excessive Facebook/email checking
  • Too much technology usage during weekend time
  • Jobs that do not interest me

I hope that by letting go of some of the overall clutter above, I will be allowing myself to be much more intentional about what I do with my time, energy, and thoughts.  Let’s face it, you have to be willing to let things go for new things to come in and what better way to get started than to let go of the old stuff that may be holding you back?  As my current position comes to an end, I know my time, schedule, and surroundings will clear out and that will invite new projects, ideas, and inspiration to flow in.

What are you willing to let go of?