IN THIS ISSUE... COVER STORY: Michelle’s Place... Kim Goodnough
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iCoach SUCCESS CORNER: Creating Your Purpose... Stacy Nelson
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iCoach Spotlight: Shannon Peebles
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What's Your JMV? Are you on purpose?, JeeJee Safir
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It's time to go to work on purpose, Kelly Azevedo
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The Divine Life Purpose, Leon Vanderpol
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Purpose, Valerie Sorrentino
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People Talk About “Life Purpose” Like Its Something, Gemma Benton Jackson
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Set Up Your Business With Purpose, Lisa Fraley
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From Purpose to Prosperity, Gretchen Duhaime
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Purpose Is A Joyous Dance of Discovery, Donna Higton
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Fabulous Failings, Danielle Marchant
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Yes, You Are Good Enough to Transform Lives, Michael Mapes
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Embrace Your Inner Tornado, Amethyst Mahoney
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What Is A Live Purpose, Jamie Siv Rognstad
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My Railroad Track Method, Debra Smouse
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A couple of FYI’s... Yes, it’s the small print! First off - none of the articles in this magazine, including the cover, were paid for. This is not and will never be a Pay-To-Pay because I am dedicated to supporting our membership first by promoting their awesomeness and to our readership second by delivering the best content we can. The advertisements on the other hand are either paid for by our sponsors or are affiliate links that will help offset the expense of publishing this monthly Magazine so we can keep it as free and easily distributable. If you have any comments or concerns, please contact our team at Info@iCoachNetwork.com
Saving Lives Together This month’s issue is not like the others. Sure we have amazing articles from our coaches all about PURPOSE. But the cover spot? Something totally different. Something near and dear to my heart. Michelle’s Place is an organization I’ve supported in many ways over the years. Not only is their Executive Director, Kim Goodnough, one of my closest friends but there is not one time when I hear their story, learn about lives saved and lives lost, when I ever question the good that they do. It’s Breast Cancer Awareness Month... the month where pink things flood the stores promising proceeds to go to a nameless organization or a large organization with huge overhead and little direct impact on those actually in need. Michelle’s Place is in the trenches. I don’t know the stats by heart but did you know, that if a woman is under 40 and uninsured, welfare will help her with treatment but not testing? And did you also know that the types of cancer that effect younger women are more aggressive and have a higher mortality rate? And the deaths could have been curtailed with proper testing... something Michelle’s Place hops in and assists with, among all the other wonderful things they do. I am IMMENSELY proud to help them out any way possible. I know my time and money go directly towards saving lives. Don’t just buy pink. Don’t give to some huge charity with massive overhead. My plea to you is that you don’t blindly donate to a random cause, but that you find your Michelle’s Place and you help them out. Save a life directly. With Love & Light Stacy Nelson, Founder iCoachNetwork.com
www.iCoachNetwork.com
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MICHELLE’S PLACE... FOR THE PURPOSE OF SAVING LIVES Although Michelle died from breast cancer, she was not defined by the disease.
“It’s baffling that over a decade after her death, we still have women walk through our doors that have been diagnosed in the later stages of breast cancer because originally they had gone to their doctor... and they were told not to worry about it,”
There are common statistics about Michelle Watson that can be applied to each of us or someone close to us...the year she was born, birth order, parents' names, schools attended, activities, hobbies, etc. In between those facts, is the essence of Michelle Watson. She was close to her family, especially her parents. She created the common ground between her liberal arts-minded sister and her mechanical engineer-minded brother. She made lifelong friends within minutes of meeting individuals. Her friendships were so deep that still more than 10 years after her death, friends still weep at the thought of her gone. She had a deep understanding of her strengths and weaknesses and challenged herself to change her weaknesses into strengths. These traits could be seen during the countless training hours she spent in the pool. Through her faith and determination, she always pushed herself to be a better person. Michelle had a strong spirit that guided her with compassion, patience and even a touch of stubbornness. Michelle was a gentle 3
and kind person but when she dug in her heels, she was quite a force. When diagnosed with breast cancer at the age of 23, her personality did not allow her to ask "Why me?" but instead caused her to reflect "Why not me?" Michelle was the person her oncologist sought out to talk to newly diagnosed patients, many who were years older than Michelle. It was her vibrant attitude toward life, not the life-threatening disease, that exuded from Michelle. She had an excitement for life without being reckless. She moved forward even when cancer treatments and setbacks tried to shut her down. Cancer never beat Michelle's will, it just took over her physical body. In fact, we believe that instead of letting cancer take over, Michelle decided to move on to another journey. Michelle passed away on July 23rd, 2000. She was 26 years old. We never imagined that her dying wish to start a breast cancer resource center could have turned into what Michelle's Place has become. Michelle wanted a place for women with breast cancer to come for support and information. When her family and friends gathered seven months after her death to figure out how to make her wish come true, the pain was still so raw and tears flowed freely...but the mission was clear. While Michelle was still battling this cruel disease, she had the chance to speak to different groups and her consistent message was to "be your own health advocate." It's baffling that over a decade after her death, we still have women walk through our doors that
have been diagnosed in the later stages of breast cancer because originally they had gone to their doctor with a symptom and were told not to worry about it. This was Michelle’s story as well – young, no family history, college athlete, vegetarian. Be your own health advocate! "The statement most said to me is 'You can't have cancer.' True I do not fit one statistic or risk factor. I am young, a vegetarian, worked out 5x a week, and have no family history. Cancer doesn't discriminate over age, sex, race, or social position. Like myself, who went misdiagnosed for over 2 years and had seen 4 doctors, most patients I encountered were misdiagnosed for at least 6 months. Unfortunately people do not fit into neat boxes that science would like them to. Doctors are merely people who are experts in Western Medicine and do their best with what they are taught. I hope not to scare you about cancer, or any other illness, but for you to be aware. If you feel certain something needs to checked-be persistent; insist on a biopsy. Better yet go to a well known expert in the field. I can't tell you why I had cancer. Life can throw unplanned detours that can not be avoided. All I know is the choice I did have was how I was going to handle the situation." -Michelle Watson Breast cancer is over 95% curable if found early! This takes courage and diligence, Ladies. It is so easy to trust the words of someone with multiple diplomas and initials after their names…they are professionals after all. But this is your life. Do not take anything for granted and never assume you should fit into the statistics. 4
Michelle's spirit lives on in Michelle’s Place. Her family will forever feel the void she has left but will also never be able to completely thank every Michelle’s Place supporter who has enabled this organization to help so many. "If there is any message I could pass on it would be to take today's opportunities and live your dreams. I know sometimes it's hard not to be stressed out by life and bogged with minor problems. Try to remember what matters most to your heart and be thankful for what you do have." -Michelle Watson As Michelle's Place closes in on its 13th year of serving the community, we have served our 8,000th woman this year “This was Michelle’s wish that we open a place where women and their families could find support and answers to their questions. Questions that took us a while to find answers for while Michelle was dealing with her breast cancer.” -Marilyn and Bill Watson and family In addition to free resources for women dealing with breast cancer, Michelle’s Place offers the Breast Health Assistance program, which offers free and low-cost diagnostic breast health services to uninsured, low-income women. The program also provides education regarding disease process, treatment modalities and psycho-social issues as well as personal contact with a provider liaison to ensure timeliness of appointments
and care, referrals to community resources and insurance/claim assistance. Michelle’s Place also offers free mammograms and other diagnostic services to women younger than 40 years old. In fact, the local County-funded fac i l i t i e s u s e M ichelle’s Place as their resource for these women to receive breast care. There is currently no State or local funding to provide uninsured women under 40 years old with breast health care. Michelle’s Place is filling that need. Michelle’s Place offers all of its services free. We provide free wigs, prostheses, and support groups. We also have a lending library and a survivor telephone support system. The survivor network provides newly diagnosed women and their families with a source to answer their questions, find comfort and provide insight into their new diagnosis. We offer free educational seminars monthly that are open to the public. These seminars offer information on nutrition, breast health, breast cancer prevention, exercise, stress relief and methods to help in the healing process. In addition to educational seminars, Michelle's Place provides weekly yoga and Healthy Steps classes. Monthly free haircuts and lymphedema fittings are also available by appointment. “You've taken me under your wings of love and sheltered me in the storm,” says Becca Martinak,
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about Michelle’s Place. Becca is a 30-year-old resident of Temecula who is now a breast cancer survivor and client of Michelle’s Place. “I am continuing little by little to make strides in having more energy, less pain, and being able to cope with daily tasks better. Even though these days my husband laughs at how long the grocery store takes, (because) I was a quick coupon whiz, I now really can say ‘I slow down to smell the roses!’ Shouldn't we all?”
Michelle’s Parents, Bill & Marilyn Watson
Michelle’s Place clients visit Michelle’s Place on average about six times throughout their breast cancer journey. Some clients utilize more than one resource and some clients visit regularly and attend support groups, receive wigs or just come in to talk. Michelle’s Place provides about 650 services per month.
portunities to ‘help in the fight against breast cancer.” It seems there are pink ribbons everywhere! But, not all pink ribbons are equal. Before you purchase those pretty pink item that claim to “benefit breast cancer awareness,” do your research and check the organization it benefits. If it is not clearly stated, then save your money or donate directly to the cause and skip purchasing the pretty pink things. Your favorite breast cancer resource center or research foundation would appreciate a donation in the name of someone you love more than you purchasing that item. In honor of National Breast Cancer Awareness month, Michelle’s Place will be offering free screening mammograms to those who qualify. If you are 40 years old or older, have no symptoms of breast cancer and are uninsured, please contact Michelle’s Place at 951-699-5455 and ask for Cheryl. Early detection is key. Please schedule your annual screening mammogram today! Michelle’s Place is a non-profit organization serving southern Riverside County. These free programs and services are made possible through private donations, grants and fundraising events. For more information on how you can help, visit www.michellesplace.org. We provide updates and more at Facebook at www.facebook.com/PinkRibbonMP.
October is National Breast Cancer Awareness month. This month you will find hundreds of op-
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MOVIE 1.1 Michelle’s Place Founders’ Video
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“Your pur pose is a culmination of moments in your life where you are creating sacred spaces.”
CREATING YOUR PURPOSE “So my question to you isn’t what your purpose is. Your are surrounded by purpose. My question to you is what do you want to create more of?”
“Listen, if one more coach asks me what my purpose in life is or tells me they can help me find it I’m going to seriously stab them in the eye.” Great way to start a session don’t you think? And while a part of me wanted to nod in agreement, I understood her frustration. Some people seem predestined for something in particular looking in from the outside and some people struggle to figure out what ‘it’ is they’re supposed to be doing with their life. The reality is, that for the most part our purpose comes 1 way.
We create it.
I have a client who has had major life experiences of rape and abuse. It’s all right there written for her. When she wakes up and
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says I KNOW my purpose is to help others rise above calamity in their life there’s no doubt. Her purpose looks like it was handed to her. But she wasn’t the client on the line. The client on the other end of the phone (shall we call her Gina for now?) was convinced she didn’t have a higher purpose. She was waiting for the stars to come out and the skies to part and the angels to sing and it hadn’t happened yet. “I just feel like my purpose is super powerful but I have no idea what it is,” Gina continued. “So what happens if you never discover your one and only purpose?” I ask. The energy on the other end of the phone feels like defeat. As she spirals down into self doubt and shame Gina says, “I guess some people just aren’t meant to live big lives that change the world, and I’d be one of them.” “So without knowing what your purpose is, your life will be automatically small and meaningless?” “Yes. Exactly.” “That’s kind of sad. And it doesn’t have to be that way. What if you were meant to have lots of different purposes? And further more, what if you started changing the world in small ways that felt good to you today and instead of being a victim, waiting for your purpose to magically reveal itself, you go out and create your purpose?” “Create my purpose? Can I do that? Isn’t purpose something you just are given or have? I can’t change that.”
her purpose could have been simply to survive. She created, however, a higher purpose which was to help others out of bad situations. She created it. She wasn’t handed a magical sash that said ‘savior’. Through her actions she claimed her purpose. She now runs support groups for battered women and survivors of rape. She gets paid to travel and speak to groups and tell her story and is publishing a book. There are thousands of women each day who survive what she went through. The difference is they didn’t create a purpose of helping others afterwards. She did. She created a purpose from her story. At this point, Gina is tailspinning. Actually to be honest, she’s getting pissed at me... it’s possible I might be the coach she stabs in the eye. “So you’re telling me that not only will my purpose never be revealed to me, that I also have to work at it and I might have multiple purposes? So now I have to go out and figure out a bunch of different things when I just want someone to tell me what my one purpose is. I’ve been working at figuring this stuff out already - how much more work do I have to do before I know?” “Take a deep breath Gina. No take a couple please. Let me ask you, when you wake up in the morning what do you do?” “Well that’s my meditation time and then I get my kids ready for school.” “Great! So what’s the purpose of meditating?”
Or can’t she? Look back at my client who had her purpose ‘handed’ to her. She had a choice. She could have fallen victim to her circumstances and 9
“I do it for my own inner peace. When I start off the day that way I feel calmer and stay in a greater sense of gratitude throughout the day.” “So your purpose in that moment is to connect with your higher self at a deeper level? And you create this space and this purpose nearly every morning?” “Yes - but that’s not my purpose.” “Okay - stick with me here... Then you get your kids ready for school. In those moments when you’re being a mom, would you say your purpose is to nurture, love and guide these little beings into being the greatest versions of themselves?” “Well I can see that being a mom might be part of my purpose but...” Gina says begrudgingly. “And when you coach someone and you’re fully present with them and you open your heart and your intuition and something shifts in them, could that be a part of your purpose? Here’s what I’m getting at Gina. Your purpose isn’t one thing. Your purpose is a culmination of individual moments in your life where you are creating sacred spaces. You have many layers to your purpose so it’s silly to think we can have this great ah-ha moment and know exactly what we need to do for the rest of our lives. Even my clients who have a clear vision of what they are creating shift and change. Their purpose grows with them as they actively participate in creating it. The point is - they start creating something and then they rearrange their lives, call it their pur-
pose and start creating more of whatever that thing is. So my question to you isn’t what your purpose is. You are surrounded by purpose. My question to you is, what do you want to create more of?” So as Gina and I continued our coaching over the course of the next 6 months she focused less on purpose and more on doing things purposefully. During one of our sessions several months in she started laughing. “Remember when I thought I had to know my purpose to do anything of worth? I would never have so many clients or have filled those workshops if I were stuck sitting around waiting for my purpose to become clear. I was putting my power on something outside of myself and I just have to thank you for reframing that for me. My purpose evolves every day and I love finding out what it’s going to be each morning.” YOU create your purpose. What do you want it to be? Stacy Nelson is the Founder of iCoach Network, an International circle of life coaches coming together to support and inspire each other on a daily basis. Keeping with the theme of ‘As one rises, we lift each other up”, Stacy also publishes this monthly digital magazine for iCoach Network, highlighting the fabulous coaches within the network. Specifically she is a Business & Life Development Coach helping soul-inspired entrepreneurs to market with their hearts and tap into their authentic purpose through their businesses.
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WHAT'S YOUR JMV? ARE YOU ON PURPOSE?
"Dissatisfaction and discouragement are not caused by the absence of things but by the absence of vision" - Anonymous Having a compelling JMV -Juicy Magnetic Vision of a future that is in alignment with your desires, interests, unique gifts and brilliances gives you an edge in bringing it into reality. Having a vision is the most powerful way to maintain a focus on what it is you really want and keeps you inspired to achieve that goal. So how does one go about developing their vision? Well it starts by knowing what you want, what YOU really really want. If you're not sure what you really really want here's a simple way to help you figure that out. Write down what you don't want. Oftentimes we are never clearer about what we do want than when we are living something we don't want. A well defined vision helps you focus, creates purpose and it clearly says to the universe "this is what I want, show me the path."
There are always things clamoring for your attention and it's easy to dismiss the importance of having a vision, but the question then becomes do you want to be the star of your show or merely a stand-in in your own movie? It's so easy for outside influences to disconnect you from your passion, power, focus, purpose, potential and inner guidance. A powerful juicy magnetic vision - one that connects you with your deepest passions and triggers your highest potential - will draw to you the people, circumstances, ideas, opportunities and solutions that will turn your greatest fantasy for your life and/or business into a fact. Calling herself the Business Love Doctor, JeeJee is Founder of htt://JeeJeeSaafir.com and is a marketing and mindset coach for overwhelmed and frustrated relationship, sexuality & life coaches. Blending SOULful sexy selling, YOU infused marketing strategies, spiritual principles and a big splash of fun, JeeJee delivers simple ways for her peeps to uplevel their revenues by creating multiple streams of income and enrolling ideal clients (Mr. or Ms. Right-Client as she likes to call them) at premium fees. Get her free workbook: "The Coaches Biz Plan & Marketing Toolkit: Simple Success Fundamentals to Build Your Coaching Business, Secure Your Income & Attract Your SOUL Clients" at http://JeeJeeSaafir.com
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IT'S TIME TO GO TO WORK ON PURPOSE I think of this little joke sometimes and it prompts me to ask these 3 questions before I make a decision in my business: 1. Whose purpose is this serving? If it’s my ego, or my wallet or my desire to fit in then I reassess. Ensure that everything serves your goals and your clients.
When was the last time you chose to do something “on purpose” for your business? Have you been operating your business as a “me too” or copying the strategy, offers, plans or promotions of others? It’s time to work purposefully. Most of the time I see entrepreneurs running around copying each other as they are inspired to build a program like their mentor, participate in same events and write the same topics as everyone else. Instead of creating the business we’ve dreamed of while sitting in those endlessly boring corporate meetings, we’re stuck in the trap of “modeling” successful coaches and entrepreneurs and in danger of building an unoriginal (and uninspiring) business. My Dad used to tell this joke “Pete and Repeat were walking on a bridge. Pete fell in who was left?” The answer “Repeat” would prompt the joke to begin anew.
2. Am I working on purpose? Sometimes we get caught in the monotony or trap or everyone else is doing it. To bastardize the joke, if Pete jumped off the bridge should Repeat follow? 3. Is my greater purpose being met? I could be doing a lot of things in this life, former careers including accounting and DVD rentals. But I want to live my own purpose. If your decisions and strategy and actions in the business are not serving you and your clients then take a look at whose purpose you’re fulfilling and if you’re doing work on purpose. Kelly Azevedo is the founder of ShesGotSystems.com and has worked in start up, growing, six figure and million dollar online businesses with a variety of entrepreneurs. She’s managed programs, hiring, marketing campaigns, 6-figure launches and everyday business activities. Familiar with the systems and behind the scenes support of these successful entrepreneurs, she’s created easy to implement and powerful systems to help you reach the next level with the ShesGotSystemsAcademy.com for entrepreneurs starting up who need proven systems at affordable prices.
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THE DIVINE LIFE PURPOSE life is not purely of your own creation. What you create within your life is similar to how you would color in a drawing: the lines may be sketched out for you, but how you color it in is all yours. So you see, your divine life plan is a purposeful co-creation between yourself and that which gives life to you. Your purpose in life is to live on purpose in service of your divine life plan.
Life is exciting in that you never really know where it will all lead. The realms of possibility are wide open, yet there is an optimal life blueprint for you: your divine life plan. What gets in the way of living to your divine life plan is when you live to someone else’s purpose for you. It is easy to assume the purpose of another. Those purposes are stated in our cultural and familial influences from birth, and they do have a mighty effect on our decision-making. Before we know it, we are living to someone else’s purpose for us. This is why it is important to live your life on purpose. As a conscious adult, you have the wherewithal to make decisions increasingly free from external influence. This is the way forward so that you can live to your divine life plan. Your divine life plan is the plan which brings you the maximum amount of joy, happiness, peace, prosperity, and connection. Your divine life plan also brings you much closer to the Divine Source, as you are recognizing that your optimal
This requires an intentional commitment to understanding what the divine way has in store for you. It requires giving attention to the areas of your life which are affected by your coloring process, so that in time you can look back and see the brilliant mosaic you have painted, and how it shines with the creative life force that flows through you. How blessed are those who find their way this way. Leon Vanderpol is the founder of the School of Light & Life focusing on personal and planetary transformation. He is a gifted transformational coach and healer dedicated to helping people awaken to the brilliance of their divine self and to living and serving from that extraordinary place. Leon is an engaging, empathic, light-filled human being, whose spirit-based approach ensures people nurture the deepest part of themselves as they grow into higher levels of love and light. He’d love to connect with you at Leon@SchoolofLightandLife.com or visit the school at www.SchoolofLightandLife.com.
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PURPOSE tions of doing what brings you the most and the simplest form of happiness on purpose without any guilt and without any regret. Imagine the momentum of your positive direction.
Knowing your purpose for living is the ultimate key in the pursuit of happiness, right? Without it, your purpose, life can be a series of days without meaning and after several of these days without meaning, one can become very depleted and even completely unmotivated, walking about without purpose. Perhaps that’s even the root of what depression is. By default, ones sole purpose in life can begin to revolve around relieving depression alone. But imagine this. What if we get to pick our life’s purpose? What if we, in fact, can just decide what we feel purposeful doing and we go and do it~ feeling completely fulfilled? As an experiment, get to know what you love doing the most as if it were your very purpose for being here and start doing more of those activities ON PURPOSE. Become more full of the things that bring you the most happiness. Be the person that is purposely happy. Enjoy these ac-
This is no surface idea. This is an idea about connecting with that spark inside, that impulse, the tiny desire that grows large and compels us to take action. Some call it drive. Some call it our deepest desire. Others may ignore these feelings altogether and lose the internal navigation system we are naturally built with. Ignoring these tiny sparks of inspired interest is where we get lost along the road to purposeful living. That’s where we get lost. We look too far outside of our selves to find purpose and meaning. Look inside. Sit quietly and get comfortable inside. Calm, deep, rhythmic breaths will connect us to our true purpose. Valerie offers several levels of personalized clearing services. A very atypical approach to personal clarity. Her specialty is in Mind Body, Environmental & Spiritual Awareness for Ultimate Well Being. Access her free gift at www.valsgift.com for a download “Relax on the Go with Valerie” Check out her "5 Easy Steps to Relax into Everyday Success" tele-series. It takes 21 days to create a habit and that is what you are doing by enrolling in this course. You are creating a lifestyle and switching from surviving to thriving through relaxation and regaining your own energy balance. This 5-week course is the perfect place to implement the tips above, receive positive support, and learn more powerful tools to truly thrive.
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PEOPLE TALK ABOUT “LIFE PURPOSE” LIKE ITS SOMETHING 1. Make a date with yourself and get someplace where you can focus and be creative. 2. Talk a walk, create a collage or play some soft music and write. Do something to connect with your own intuitive wisdom. 3. Ask: What am I really good at? People talk about “Life Purpose” like its something we're stamped with at birth. We've been told we have one but we don't know what it is, what it looks like or where to find it. Native American elders teach, “Be good at something. Be good for something.” Our purpose in life is a lot like a bowl or basket whose purpose is defined by what it carries inside and how its used. So what are you good at? What is the gift you give without even thinking about it? Do you inspire people? Do you help people find more laughter in their lives? Or maybe you're really good at keeping things simple. Every year I take a personal retreat to appreciate those things I'm good at and good for. For me this time includes sacred space, quiet, music, art and ritual. Its a wonderful time of renewal and refocusing on what gives my life purpose and meaning.
How can I use that gift to help others? How can I become better at using this gift? How does this gift give me a sense of meaning and purpose? Why? 4. Decide to become really good at something. If you don't know what that is right now,choose something. Build on the strengths you've been given and decide that you'll do whatever it takes to honor this gift by making it good for something, Gemma Benton Jackson is a storyteller, NLP practitioner and story coach. She helps clients craft their Client Attraction Story and tell it with more clarity, power and authenticity so that their story naturally and effortlessly attracts more wealth, health and happiness in their lives. She has spent over twenty years working with Native American healers, artists and storytellers in the wellness, recovery and traditional arts fields. Gemma offers a Free Archetype Assessment to help you understand your unique gift and the underlying message in your story. Get your Free Archetype Assessment now at http://www.yourclientattractionstory.com
Here's a few suggestions for reconnecting with you're good at: 15
SET UP YOUR BUSINESS WITH PURPOSE The short answer is that if you see yourself coaching full-time for many years then you may want to create an LLC or S-corp to protect yourself from liability and separate your business and personal assets. However, if your sole desire is to operate a small side business, you may want to just set up your business properly as a sole proprietor. And, if your coaching is a beloved hobby, continue to share your light and love and not formally enter into coaching relationships. So often entrepreneurs start their businesses not sure where they are headed. We just start sending out newsletters, working with clients, and going with the flow. We aren’t even sure if we want to coach full-time. But, that makes legal business planning a wee bit difficult. As a Legal Coach and Attorney, I often hear: “As a new coach, what do I need to do to set up my business as a sole proprietor?” Or, “I am an experienced coach. Is it the right time for me to form an LLC?” The first step to answering these questions requires getting clear about the purpose for your business. Ask yourself: • Is my business going to be my full-time job for many years to come? • Is the purpose of my business to be a part-time side gig? • Is my business a hobby that I love dearly and share freely (without charging clients)?
When you use foresight in aligning your business with the purpose it currently or will play in your life, you can determine the right business structure for you. Take a moment to visualize yourself and your business over the next few months, years, even decades, and determine with intention how you see it growing and evolving, and then take the right steps to protect it. Lisa H. Fraley, JD, CHHC, AADP, is a Legal Coach™ (Attorney + Holistic Health Coach) who creates compassionate contracts and containers to hold and support your business - so you feel safe, secure, and protected. Lisa combines her years of work in a large law firm with her powerful coaching skills to help driven coaches and entrepreneurs create heart-centered legal boundaries, so you can boldly and confidently do the work that you love without worry, stress, or fear of being sued. Visit www.lisafraley.com for her free gift: “The Top 3 Legal Mistakes Coaches and Holistic Entrepreneurs Make - and What To Do Instead”
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FROM PURPOSE TO PROSPERITY might not dig deep enough to see the whole picture. It will stop at the first glimmer of a dinosaur bone instead of going on a full expedition to get the whole skeleton. 2. Trust Your Gut There are tried and true business models, and “hot” niches, and they work really well for a lot of people. Those of us who have a soul calling to serve often don’t fit in those molds. So trust your instincts about how you run your business and attract clients. Even if the “experts” say you’ll never make money that way. 3. Follow Your Own Advice “You’ll never make a living helping lawyers live their purpose.” That was the message from one of my first business coaches, urging me to pick a new niche that wasn’t so “upstream.” I fought and rationalized and cried and begged and cried some more, about how this was MY purpose - after all I had spent 3 ½ years and $100,000 on my law school education, so this must be what I was meant to do. Although I’ve kept my original legal entity name (Practicing on Purpose), I came to discover a much larger purpose for myself and my business than helping lawyers Practice on Purpose. Here are the three keys I learned on that journey: 1. Dig Deeper Ego, or the “rational” mind, wants so desperately to be right. It’s true that all of your experiences have brought you to where you are, with your unique gifts, so you can share them. And the ego
Especially if you believe we teach what we most need to learn, take yourself through your process like you would a client. Better yet, have a trusted friend or colleague guide you through it. And there’s a bonus - you’ll be so much more excited and energized about how well your stuff works. If you’re like me, there might be a fourth key that can make all the difference - it’s OK to prosper from your purpose. In fact, it’s the only way to have true, fulfilling prosperity. Gretchen Duhaime is energetically committed to helping women business owners align Spirit and systems to create magical success! My clients break through the guilty feeling of spending too much time on their business, the overwhelm and frustration of trying to implement all they’ve learned, and the fatigue of pushing to get to their first (or next) six figures. My mission and commitment is to help you be your greatest self so you can have a fabulous, fulfilling business and life. To learn how to Find the $$$ Hidden in Your List and Move it to Your Bank Account, get G r e t c h e n ’s f r e e v i d e o t r a i n i n g a t http://magicmoneysales.com 17
PURPOSE IS A JOYOUS DANCE OF DISCOVERY
done, a dance break in the middle of the working day will be the norm, and the whole world will be smiling and laughing and spending their days doing what brings them joy. Bwahahaha...now you know my grand master plan. Sometimes we can get so serious about our purpose in the world...this big, huge purpose that we’re put on this earth to do. And it is a serious thing - our purpose, the whole point of our life...serious, right? Well...maybe not. Because following our purpose is a joyous dance of discovery, it’s not just ‘what you do for the world’, it’s what makes your soul sing, what inspires your heart, what has your mind bubbling with creative ideas, what makes your body want to leap and bounce and dance because that’s the thing you’re here to do. The happy side effect of all that is the effect it also has on the world. You are not only bringing the wonderful energy of the deep joy and rightness that comes from finding and following your purpose into the world, you are modelling what it looks like to be ‘on purpose’ AND your purpose brings something to the world.
It’s a serious business, and I’m on a lifetime mission with a few thousand or so other souls who serve that same purpose...joy! So it makes sense I guess that I’m the one to tell you that your purpose is not something to be sought with furrowed brow and nose to the grindstone...it’s is something to be sought, and experienced, and refined with joy and community and love and dance breaks. Donna, better known as "DonnaOnTheBeach", helps women who KNOW there is more to life to make their Dreams a Reality, and live with joy and passion. Visit http://www.donnaonthebeach.com to get her free ebook "The First Step To a Joyful Life" and to find hundreds of articles, podcasts and videos to help you fall in love with your life, live joyfully and make your Big Dreams come true.
My purpose is ‘joy’ - to experience it, live it, model it, and ultimately to teach it. When I’m 18
FABULOUS FAILINGS and slow down allowed me to create more. I won’t give you a five-step formula to finding your purpose. I won’t disclose the seven secrets to living your soul’s journey. Life isn’t like that.
“You’re a fabulous failure,” he declared… “I know!” I exclaimed as we roared with laughter. Laughter that came from a deep place of knowing. This was my truth. If you, like me, believe you have a particular purpose, your ‘soul journey;’ then this might resonate with you as well. Those fabulous failings when I defiantly ignored the echoes of my own soul. The dreams that whispered to me that I refused to listen to. Instead seeking money, striving for success, desperately clinging to what looked like love. I read recently the American Dream is called that because you have to be asleep to follow it… I have often been asleep. Dead end relationships, unfulfilling career, dangerous risk taking, all of which ended with my body saying; “no more.” Life forced a pause. Unable to get out of bed I had no choice but to consider the bigger questions in my life. This is where the irony sits. To accept being a fabulous failure also meant I could claim my brilliance and light. To be vulnerable enabled me to love. To be weak gave me strength. To pause
My experiences are mine, and yours are yours. What you can be certain of is that every moment has been perfectly designed just for you. Each experience you have is your soul communicating your path to you. Every difficult ending. Every hopeful beginning. Moment-by-moment, life showing you the way. The path to your purpose is clear. You are already on it. Your job is simply to be still enough to listen to your own wisdom, those magical echoes of your own soul. The secret to the quality of my work with you, comes from an uncompromising dedication to understanding myself. I coach to enable evolution, yours and mine. I have been a coach for ten years and am one of only 200 ICF PCC certified coaches in the UK. I have coached leaders in twenty different countries, and offer one to one coaching wherever you are in the world via Skype. I don’t claim to have the answers. I won’t change your life; but I will stand alongside you as you change it for yourself. To book your free initial consultation with me please click here: https://www.timetrade.com/book/YFQVC
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YES, YOU ARE GOOD ENOUGH TO TRANSFORM LIVES
If you want to move through these unworthiness issues, I recommend two things. First, understand that you have only one responsibility when coaching a client: to show up, fully present and prepared, with an open heart, and ready to serve them in the most profound way possible. This is your purpose. This is your calling. This is your gift. And this is what allows major shifts to occur quickly and sustainably.
So many intuitives, healers, and coaches that I work with, whether they've been at it for several years, or whether they are just starting out really struggle around the issue of being good enough to do work that transforms lives. I hear all the time, "What if I can't get results for my clients?" or "Who am I to do this work?" These fear-based questions serve to keep you safe, playing small, and they distract you from serving the people that you are meant to serve. Worse than that, these questions are actually an arrogant dismissal of your God-given purpose. Let me explain. You started your business because you knew it was your divine calling, your purpose. You began your business because a part of you felt that you had been given a mission to change lives in miraculous ways. The most arrogant thing you can do is dismiss that calling, because it assumes that you know better than God, better than the universe, better than your higher self.
Second, reconnect with your purpose or the reason why you began your business in the first place. It was to help, to serve, and to transform lives. When you feel these fears come up ask yourself, "Am I connected to my purpose, the reason why I do what I do, or am I connected to my fear?" Bringing your focus back to your purpose will enable you to walk through any fear. Michael is an intuitive business coach who helps intuitives, healers, and coaches make more money, get more clients, help more people, and step into their role as visionary leaders. His unique intuitive approach to coaching enables you to quickly overcome obstacles that keep you from attracting ideal clients, and owning a thriving monetized business. Michael’s philosophy is simple: using the practical power of intuition, anyone can massively grow their business, reach their ideal audience, and make a big impact on the world. Learn more and get a free copy of his "Get Clients Now" Success Kit at http://www.michaelmapes.org
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EMBRACE YOUR LITTLE TORNADO
1. Write down things that came naturally to you as a child. What made you the happiest, and when did you feel the most confident, strong, and like YOU? You may be wondering what your life purpose is and how to express it. Chances are, you already know. And, most likely, you’ve been shamed for it over the years so much that it is now just one more hidden aspect of yourself. When I was young, people said I walked into a room like a Little Tornado. I would get all the attention, tell a few stories, and leave. Most people didn’t know what hit ‘em. As I grew up, I was told that this behavior was “bad” and “wrong.” I began apologizing, dulling myself, and not really going out much because I was afraid I would “act like that” again. Once I discovered my true Life Purpose, though, I was floored. You see, I was meant to command a room, stand in the spotlight, and whip up stories and new creations like a Magician. After decades of being shamed for what I am supposed to be, what came naturally to me, I discovered that I had been doing it right all along! You can discover and embrace your Little Tornado, too:
2. What did you get shamed for over the years? What did the people around you tell you was wrong, even if it felt completely right to you? 3. Embrace your true Life Purpose. You can discover your purpose through your fingerprints. The map to your Truth is written in your hands! Once you discover your true Life Purpose, things will flow more naturally. You will understand how to stand in your purpose and power once again. Amethyst Mahoney helps entrepreneurs in more than 115 countries around the World unlock their purpose and create a business doing what they love. You can make a difference without sacrificing your own Truth. Get started with your free g u i d e t o U n l o c k Yo u r P u r p o s e a t http://www.AmethystMahoney.com
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WHAT IS A LIFE PURPOSE?
Do you know your life purpose? What if you could feel that you weren’t searching for the meaning of life, but making your life meaningful every day? A few years back, I was willing to do just about anything to figure out my life purpose. I was bored to the core with everything, wondering what am I supposed to do? There has to be more to life than this?! There has to be more fun! But what is the key? A life purpose fills us with joy. It is what we do when we serve other people, whether it is work, socially or in our relationships. It is what makes us wanting to get up in the morning and go and do it. It isn’t only what we see as the general meaning of life, it is what gives our own life a meaning. It is our passion, whether we're the excited type jumping out of bed singing and running around, or our fire is more quiet but still urges us to do what we feel we really want to do.
Living our life purpose is being spiritually responsible. It is the spiritual way of fulfilling our contracts with the Universe. Many people believe that we are here to learn. I believe we are here to learn, serve AND be happy. I have heard people say: ”I don’t have to take care of my problems in this life. I’ll take care of it in the next!” To me, this is not a spiritual appproach to solving whatever needs to be solved. Being spiritually resonsible in this context, means to take the full responsibility of our life HERE and NOW. It means discovering, and living, the purpose that we are put on this planet to live. Jamie Siv Rognstad gives workshops and works with clients who want to access their gifts and talents to be of service, using powerful Archetypes for rapid personal growth. This brings clarity and a stronger sense of purpose in the client’s life. Jamie offers a complete program with 72 Archetypes for the first time in Norwegian. Archetypes contain our energetic patterns of energy and behaviour that determines whether we are vibrating on a high or a low frequency. We have archetypes all around us on high and low frequencies: Mother, Father, Rebell, Artist, Healer... and many many more.
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MY RAILROAD TRACK METHOD FOR GETTING BACK ON PATH TO YOUR PURPOSE tricks your mind tries to play, remember you know to your core something isn’t right. Look Look at what’s been going on in your life to discover the spot where delight became a should. This is not a process for beating yourself up, it’s a time to look with curiosity and without judgment. If you are struggling to figure it out on your own, find a coach to help you create a plan to get back on track to your purpose. I believe that we are born into this world knowing the right path for our lives. We know by instinct who we are and what we are meant to create. In other words, we are born knowing our purpose.
Listen
And then, life happens. We get in trouble for being too loud or too messy or too big. And so we begin to shrink into smaller, watered down versions of ourselves. We do this in an attempt to be loved and accepted.
Then Go!
In an attempt to keep those we love happy, to stay safe, to keep ourselves from getting in trouble, to be loved, to be accepted, to be cared for, we begin to close off parts of what makes us unique, and we get off the path of living our purpose. So, what can you do to get back on path to your purpose? Give my Railroad Track Method a try. Stop I know it may not seem easy to stop. Your mind will try to step in and remind you that you need to listen to the “shoulds” of others. No matter what
Listen to the soft voice of your heart for the answers. Meditate. Pray. Journal.
Then you go and begin to take the next step that feels right. Even the smallest step in the right direction, you’ll begin building your momentum. You’ll feel the call of life’s purpose deep in your soul. No matter how old you are, you can create the life you love and boldly walk the path of your purpose. If you are feeling off, give the Railroad Method a try. Debra Smouse is a life coach & Tarnished Southern Belle who helps people fall in love with their lives. An expert de-tangler, she believes in busting clutter as a path to clarity and that within every woman is vibrant and passionate being just itching to make their inner sex kitten roar. fall in love - http://debrasmouse.com busting clutter = http://30daystoclarity.com 23 inner sex kitten = http://innersexkitten.com
SHANNON PEEBLES
Each month we’ll happily highlight one of our fabulous coaches here... We pick randomly and for no other reason than we know personally that these Coaches are doing amazing work in the world and deserve every inch of space we can spare! P.S. In the vein of doing things differently this month, we’re actually highlighting someone who supports us as coaches and as people. Hello! My name is Shannon Peebles. Sound Transcripts is one of my babies. I’ve been transcribing for well over five years, but something dawned on me one day. It dawned on me that transcribing focus groups and DUI cases and things like that didn’t fulfill my life. They were just words being typed on a page. So a couple of years ago, I started working with another type of client. I started working with clients who were out to change the world, who were in the business of transformation and transcribing became something new for me. Transcribing became a source of daily inspiration and learning in every
day and in every word that I type, things in my world shifted. I learned that the world wasn’t about negativity and whining and bitching, but that there was beauty and light and positivity in the world, and that work could be FUN. And so, I changed my business. My business now isn’t just transcription and it isn’t just providing help and service to people, it truly is about my own personal journey and I wake up every day so grateful that in my own way, I too am helping to transform the world by helping my clients shine. If you’d like to learn more about this part of my journey, my husband and I have started a personal blog over at FamilyManifesting.com with the deepest nod of gratitude to all that my clients teach me daily. I am accompanied daily by my on-site “coworkers,” Lady and Tamahome, two rescued domestic short hair cats, and Victoria, a rescued chihuahua mix. While not terribly accurate at typing, these co-workers are great at lap and foot warming, as well as knocking any and everything 24
they choose onto the floor, especially pens and headset cords. You are a heart-centered entrepreneur. You want to touch hearts, change lives, and make the world a better place. What you don’t want is to be bogged down by the details. I would love to help you with the back-end of your business so that you can transform the world and I can help your business run smoothly. Tell me what it is you want to do in your own business and let me work out the details, you won’t have to think about those loose pieces anymore.
ture Golden Nugget Summaries, a transcript without the extra fluff, ready to send straight out to your attendees as well as Virtual Assistance for fabulous people transforming the world! Learn More About Shannon Peebles Here.
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