Blog : Special Moments In Time

I had the pleasure of coaching the indomitable Ginny – what a joy! This woman has passion, a great sense of fun and a dedication to making a difference in the world. I’m so happy to be able to share her story with you! Jamie.

What are you creating in the world?

At first I was not sure exactly how to answer this question. And here is the reason why.   Just when I think I know exactly what I am creating, something will change or happen and so my answer also changes.  I do know I am creating a life that is filled with learning, fun, and creativity.  It is my greatest wish that I will be able to share what I have learned, and continue to learn, with others.  I have been a teacher all of my life and now that I have retired I am finding opportunities each day to continue to learn and share – just not in a formal 8-5 way.  Opportunities keep coming my way where I can listen and interact with people of all ages and help them to find the path that they are looking for.  It is so much fun to help others learn who they are and what they love.  So I guess my answer should be I am creating and recreating a life that I love and helping others to do the same.  Right now I am working with someone who is writing a book at age 77 and someone else who is getting his pilot’s license at age 28.  We all have things we want to do or accomplish no matter how young or old we are and I am so privileged to be a small part of other people’s journey.

How has working with Jamie helped?

Working with Jamie was an incredible experience.  I could not wait for our Monday morning chat each week.  Jamie was always positive, always focused, and always knew just the right questions to ask.  When I first began to talk to Jamie I felt like there was something I was supposed to do at this stage of my life, I just wasn’t sure what it was.  I knew that lots of people would love being retired but I just didn’t feel like I was doing enough.  And then one week after talking with Jamie it was like the fog had lifted and I knew where I was going and what I was supposed to do.  Since my work with Jamie my path has changed several times but because of the skills Jamie shared with me I always feel that I am the captain of my ship and know exactly where I am headed. That is a great feeling!!

What have you learned about yourself?

It was very interesting to learn more about myself!  It was also so much fun to talk with someone each week that was always on my side.  I’ve learned that I may be a slight perfectionist and that I need to be careful not to let those tendencies stand in my way.  I’ve learned to appreciate my artistic skills and to enjoy painting and especially writing.  I also learned that I look forward to and really enjoy my artistic dates with myself each week.  Every Wednesday afternoon I take myself out to lunch and someplace special that involves something artistic and I look forward to it each week.  I’ve always gone places by myself but now there is a definite plan in mind that has something to do with creativity and I really look forward to this time each week.

Is there anything else you would like to share?

Yes, there is something that I would love to say to everyone reading this.  Don’t let age stop you from doing whatever it is you want to do.  As I read many blogs I see people worrying about turning thirty, or forty, or fifty, or sixty.  You are never too young or too old to follow your heart and your dreams.  Each age brings with it special joys.  Enjoy each stage of your life and all that comes with it.  I’ve always worried about getting old.  Now I don’t know what that means.  By my previous standards I would be old.  But I realize that I am only as old as I tell myself or allow myself to be.  So I am trying new things everyday and surprising myself at how much fun I am having.  It is important to know who you are, what you are passionate about and to find time each day to follow that passion.  Then everyday will be special and age won’t matter.

There is one other story I would like to share.  I have always loved convertibles.  My first car was a convertible and I have had several over the years.  Then I decided to buy a reliable car so I bought a Toyota right before all of the recalls.  At first I loved it but slowly I began to really miss my convertible.  I wrote several posts about it and my dreams of a convertible often got woven into my wishes on Wishcasting Wednesday.   Well, one Saturday I said to my husband I would just like to ride through a car lot to see what type of convertibles they had.  As we turned the corner the coolest green convertible was on the end of the aisle.  We both said, “Wow, look at that one.”   I took a test drive and loved it.  My husband took it for a ride and thought it was great.  I never make snap decisions but this day I did.  For some reason I knew this was my car.  The salesman told me that when he went home he told his wife that he sold a convertible to a woman who only looked at one car.  He wasn’t sure why but he also knew that this was the right car for me.  So thank you for all of your wishes.  Wishes and dreams do come true!

What would you like to celebrate?

I would like to celebrate this time in my life.  It is a special time when I can really focus on me and my dreams.  I’d like to celebrate meeting new people through my blog.  It has been so much fun reading everyone’s comments and learning what their life is all about.   I’d also like to celebrate my special Sunday feature, Healthy Living, on my blog.  It is just one of the ways that I would like to share my life with others.  Living a healthy lifestyle is becoming more and more important to me each day.  So I thought by making it a weekly spot on my blog it would help me, and hopefully others, stay focused on making healthy choices.  And last but definitely not least, I would like to celebrate working with Jamie.  It was such a joy to work with Jamie and something I would recommend to everyone.  I feel like I not only worked with a great coach but a great friend.  I couldn’t ask for more than that!!

Featured Client: Annabel Fitzsimmons, writer, yoga/Pilates teacher, marathon runner, wife, mom of two, and founder of ClearSpace Online, the online resource to help people live their balance.

Website: www.clearspaceonline.com
Twitter: www.twitter.com/clearspacegal

What are you creating in the world?

I’m creating ClearSpace, a company that brings you the tools and resources to live an inspired and balanced life – www.clearspaceonline.com. I believe that you can change your life in 20 minutes a day!

How has working with Jamie helped?

Jamie knows exactly when to ask the right questions. As a creative entrepreneur herself, she is attuned to the ups and downs I experience when running my own business. She is supportive but she also challenges me to grow my thinking. Jamie is so committed and passionate about her work that it inspires commitment and passion in those she works with.

What have you learned about yourself?

I have learned that there are many things that I can do, but what I choose to do is where I need to put my energy. I have learned that it’s okay to make mistakes, that holding back on projects until they are perfect means they will never be launched (in other words, just go for it!), and to celebrate milestones along the way (whether big or small).

What would you like to celebrate?

I’d like to celebrate everyone’s unique and personal idea of balance.

Website: studiopinpoint.com
Blog: romanamirza.com
Video: Studio Pinpoint Brand Strategy

What are you creating in the world?

I’m creating a space where two spheres intersect. I have a long, strong and successful background in business. At the same time I am grounded, spiritually and emotionally in the world of holistic healers and tarot card readers.

These two worlds (or spheres), the steely determination of Bay street and Wall street – the left brain hard thinking analytical world moves me and motivates me as does the right brain creative world where you are tuned into the senses and emotions. I work, both personally and professionally in a space where these two spheres influence each other.

I introduce what I know from the business constructive side into the holistic healing world. And I take the grace and beauty that I learn and live by from the holistic healing world into the constructive, determined and laser focused world of business. I have been doing this for over 20 years. It was only earlier this year, on Friday February 13, in 2009 that I came to know this consciously and completely as a result of my visioning session with Jamie – which opened my eyes to what I do and my purpose here.

How has having Jamie as a coach helped?

Because of Jamie I am resolved. I resolve internal conflict, personal conflict, relationship conflict, mental conflict, self conflict. There is always so much working to try and beat us down – people, attitudes, societal expectation, and the worst, our expectations of ourselves. My work with Jamie helps me to be resolved. In a positive way or a neutral way, both are OK. See, that’s the point, no matter where you are, it’s OK to be negative, to be overly optimistic or to be neutral to be hum drum.

Jamie has taught me that life is full of all these wonderful things. My work with Jamie helps me to keep the resolve – or perhaps balance is a better understood word. But I like resolve that feels right to me and that’s the word I’m sticking to – that’s what I get from my work with her.

What have you learned about yourself?

What I’ve learned about myself is that if I’m feeling bad about it, I can change it. That has been the most liberating experience. I grew up being accused of being bossy and insensitive and my work with Jamie showed me where that came from and affirmed that it came from love and not selfishness and is showed me why people were receiving it the way they were. It wasn’t because I intended it that way, it was because of this strange combination of strengths that I have. Now that I know I balance my approach and what was negative is the most beautiful thing about me. Now that’s learning something about yourself.

The other major breakthrough was when we did a visioning session – the result, mentioned above, was so remarkable. I never knew that I could know so clearly so succinctly my purpose here on Earth. Wow, now that’s a result!

What would you like to celebrate?

Life. Life in all its forms. And I like celebrating life because even after this Earth-life there is another life, that’s what I know, and that means you can celebrate life indefinitely. How’s that for a celebration?

Would you like to be coached by Jamie?
Are you in Toronto and interested in Visioning?

Featured Client: Jessie Marianiello, pet portrait artist

Blog: Diary of a Self Portrait
Website: Stray Dog Arts
Etsy Shop: Stray Dog Arts
Etsy Shop: Patch of Sky

What are you creating in the world?

Hopefully, I am creating a space for love and happiness.  My medium is paint.  My subject is dogs.  This has been such an unexpected turn in my life!  I never knew I would be doing this, until it happened.  When painting dogs, I sometimes I feel like my heart might burst from sheer amounts of love and joy.  If I can convey that feeling in a portrait and then pass it on to the next person, I feel like I am doing my best and truest work in the world.

How has working with Jamie helped?

Working with Jamie has helped me in countless ways.  Where do I begin?!  Jamie helped me get started on this path to becoming a full time artist nearly 2 years ago.  That was when I first started working with her.  I came to our first phone call with a vague idea of what direction I was headed in.  What Jamie came to the phone call with was an incredible amount of motivation, support, and an unwavering belief in me.  She was exactly what I needed. She nudged me forward over and over again.  She celebrated every single big and little success.  She laughed with me and let me cry and helped me to open up space within me–the space I needed to make room for hope and growth and discovery.  Through both the highs and the lows, Jamie has been there every step of the way.  So much of the work I’ve done with Jamie has been internal.  It is stuff that no one else could do for me–but I do give Jamie credit for speeding up the process!  I call on the things I’ve learned in working with her on a regular basis.  After all, growing never gets done.  Jamie has a gift–one that I am so grateful to have experienced.  I can’t imagine a better coaching experience.

What have you learned about yourself?

I have learned to pay attention to the beliefs that are holding me back and how to create a space that will allow me to move beyond them.  My favorite work with Jamie has been learning about the power of visualization.  There are always so many ways to look at a situation.  Working with Jamie has helped me learn how to take a step back from fear, to breathe, and to allow myself to be embraced by a loving universe–one that is always there for me, when I make myself available to it.

What would you like to celebrate?

I would like to celebrate HOPE and BRAVERY.  I’ve come to the conclusion that hope has the power to change everything.  Combine with hope with bravery and WATCH OUT, WORLD!  When we create space for hope and show up for bravery–anything is possible.  Every single one of us has access to that–and I think that’s definitely worth celebrating!

Listen to what Jessie has to say about Circe’s Circle… (a new circle starts September 15th)

Would you like to be coached by Jamie?
Would you like to join Circe’s Circle?

Over the next little while, as I continue to move in to my beautiful new home online, I’m going to bring some of my past content over to share. Originally published on Starshyne Productions.

In my work as a life coach, I talk to a lot of people about their dreams, particularly about hidden desires that lurk deep within people’s hearts. You know the ones, those things you’ve always wanted to do but have put on the back burner because it doesn’t seem possible or practical or affordable – that trip to Europe, that MA, becoming a dancer, having your own studio, running your own business.

And often when people share them with me, these dreams are quickly followed by a “but” – but I have a mortgage, children, a partner, responsibilities, limited time, limited money, limited energy, limits of every kind. And when I have paid off my mortgage (my student loan, my credit card debt) and am financially secure (well-off, rich), the children are in school (off to collage, graduated from university, financially independant), my partner has a more secure job (believes in me, gives me permission) and I have more time, money, energy, opportunity then I will….

Does it work that way? The Get-it-Done Guy Stever Robbins lists this approach as one of the Ten Great Cultural Career Lies. Here’s his take:#6 of Stever Robbins’ Ten Great Cultural Career Lies: I’ll work now and do what I love when I’ve accomplished (made my first million, cured cancer, etc.)

• Management consulting firms and investment banks use this lie as a recruiting tool.
• Dangerous strategy, and I know very few who’ve pulled it off. If you don’t do it, you’re left at mid-life trapped in a career you don’t like, with a non-transferable resume, and a network composed of people who are the last ones in the world who could help you do what you love. But boy, could they help you get even further in a career you despise.

Ouch, that last point really hit home for me. Every year you don’t pursue what you really want to do, you’re getting more and more firmly entrenched in that place you don’t want to be.

So what do you do? I am not suggesting you neglect your responsibilities, your bills or your loved ones. But I am suggesting that even in your busy, responsible, debt-ridden, exhausted life, you find a small space for your dreams, for your own personal joy. Just open a little window and consider what might be possible now. If you don’t make room on your plate, the Universe won’t know you’re hungry. It doesn’t have to be big. Take 5 minutes one morning researching violin classes in your neighbourhood. Say out loud to your partner that you think maybe you’d like to go back to school. Read a library book about starting your own business. Stop in at the travel agent at lunch and get a brochure for Paris. Open the door.

When I was training to be a coach, I really wanted to take the certification program. It cost $3500, and I didn’t have it. One day a friend I hadn’t talked to in years invited me to come talk to a group of people at her work about the power of coaching. I ended up with a contract. You’ll never guess how much it was for. Yep, $3,500. I am now a certified coach.

Open your heart to dreaming. Amazing things can happen.

PS A special thank you to Stever for giving me permission to quote from his work. Thank you!

Featured Coaching Client: Kate Robertson, Queen of Creativity, artist

Blog: The Queen of Creativity

What are you creating in the world?

I am always creating something as those who read my blog can tell you.  Right now though I am embarking on a really big creative project and it is one I am really excited about. I am writing a book on creativity with the focus on mixed media art.  It  will be part my journey, part encouragement for other artists and part art projects to go with what I am discussing.  There are so many   artists out there who let fear get in the way of truly exploring  their creativity.  I hope to show how I conquered this and moved forward.  I am so excited to connect with other artists and to offer my insights and wisdom learned along the way. Plus designing wonderful projects to go with the ideas will be a creative plus for me.

How has working with Jamie helped?

When I started working with Jamie I felt I was blocked in my writing and that I was not focused.    I thought that I had too many different creative outlets. Through coaching with her I discovered that I do have a focus and was able to discover the project to work on that would make my heart sing.  It has been a wonderful experience.  I feel more on purpose, more alive and excited. This new focus led to a new blog and persona.  I am now putting myself out there more.  Telling the world this is who I am. It’s been fantastic.

What have I learned about myself?

I was excited to learn  that I do have a process when I am working creatively.  I really thought I did things haphazardly but was surprised to learn that I am quite methodical in my approach.  It has been easy to see my process when I weave something,  I pick out a project like a scarf, choose the yarn and the weave structure, wind the warp ,thread the loom and then weave the piece.  It wasn’t so clear that I was doing similar things with writing and making mixed media art. Having a process for those things seem to legitimize them for me.

What would you like to celebrate?

I want to celebrate everything, all the wonderful new things that are happening for me. Actually I think the new blog and the persona I have taken on in becoming the Queen of Creativity is a celebration in itself. I think in addition I would like to celebrate the birthing of this new book. Perhaps I should celebrate when I write the first words or when each chapter is complete. I don’t think I want to wait till it is finished to celebrate I think the celebration should be ongoing.

Would you like to be coached by Jamie?

Tara Presenting at an Entrepreneurship Conference in Lisbon

I love to celebrate my clients. Over the next little while I’ll be featuring some of the magical people who I’ve been lucky enough to work with. I hope you’ll enjoy meeting them and be inspired by their stories.

Featured Coaching Client: Tara Joyce, web consultant, writer and advocate for innerpreneurs
Business: Elastic Mind
Tribe: Rise of the Innerpreneur
Life: @ElasticMind

Listen to what Tara has to say…

What are you creating in the world?

That’s a tough question. I think I’m always creating. As these words are typed on a keyboard I am creating my happiness.

But I especially like to write. I write weekly for pleasure on RiseoftheInnerpreneur.com. And I suppose by writing about and for innerpreneurs I am creating an awareness of our movement.

I’m always helping my clients to create things too. I try to empower them so they’re able to create a web presence that is effective and authentically them.

I thrive on coming up with creative solutions to real-life problems. Kind of like MacGuyver. But less cool and explosive.

I’m also a bit of a painter. Walls, canvas, doors, whatever. And a cook, when the mood strikes me.

And I love creating new adventures, for myself and for my husband.

How has working with Jamie helped?

I feel better about being me. I feel more accepting of my instincts and more driven by my values. Jamie’s helping me to create the life I’ve always believed I could have.

She’s also helped me to understand myself more accurately.

What have you learned about yourself?

That I’m unusual and I need to embrace it, not change it.

And that I have awesome instincts.

What would you like to celebrate?

Three things.

1. That I am making a difference, making stuff and making a living following my dreams.
2. That I am loved.
3. That our culture is evolving into optimistic creators.

Would you like to be coached by Jamie?

I love to celebrate my clients. Over the next little while I’ll be featuring some of the magical people who I’ve been lucky enough to work with. I hope you’ll enjoy meeting them and be inspired by their stories.

Featured Coaching Client: Danette Relic, life coach and creative self-expression expert
Website: www.danetterelic.com
Blog: The Drawing Board

Listen to what Danette has to say…

What are you creating in the world?

This is one of the many things I love about Jamie, questions that rock my mind! As I write this, I’m in awe at my own answers. I am creating powerful relationships in all areas of my life. I am creating a career that is deeply fulfilling for me mentally, creatively, spiritually and emotionally. I am creating a life so pleasurable, so meaningful and satisfying that I feel so alive and grateful every day.

By doing this, I believe I am creating beauty in the world.

How has coaching with Jamie helped?

Jamie has a dynamite blend of tenderness and fire. She asks the tough questions and calls me on the crap I hold onto that is sabotaging my growth. She also creates such a safe container to do whatever I need to do to move forward, and be whoever I need to be. I can stretch into every spectrum of myself and she can hold it all.

And of course, I love that she is so playful, curious and passionately loving. This is the kind of coaching I connect and thrive with.

What have you learned about yourself?

I have learned that I already have everything I need to make my dreams come true.

What would you like to celebrate?

I celebrate the limitless amount of possibility that I’ve welcomed into my life. I celebrate my dedication to personal development and creative self-expression, and the strength I’ve cultivated through that dedication. I celebrate the powerful investment I made in hiring Jamie as my coach.

I celebrate the fact that I create reasons to celebrate every single day!

Would you like to be coached by Jamie?