You are unique in this Universe.  There is only one of you, and you have a special place and purpose in this world to fulfill which no one else can.  This purpose is already within you.  It has been with you since before the day you were born, and will be with you until the day you leave this earth.

 Do you know what your unique purpose is?  Have you discovered what it is that is so special about you that no one else possesses the same gifts, strengths and passions that you possess?  Do you have a knowing, deep within your heart, that you are here to serve in a bigger way?

 Henry David Thoreau said:  “The mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation.”  Of course, that quote was written in 1854.  Today, I’d be willing to rephrase it and say that “Most people lead lives of quiet desperation.”  And, according to Dr. Sherry Buffington, author of the book, “The Law of Abundance,” as many as 84% of the people she did her studies and research with were unable to articulate what gave their life meaning, or what they were passionate about.  Dr. Buffington also comments that, “almost everyone reported a strong desire to have meaning and passion in their life.”

 So, the question is, if the majority of people have a strong desire for purpose, passion and to live a meaningful life, then why are so many of the people unclear on what the purpose and meaning is for them?  And, if this is true, that so many are unclear on their purpose and meaning, is this the reason for Thoreau’s observations of the pain that seems to afflict the human race?

 I spent more than 40 years of my life searching for something to fill a hole in my soul.  By all practical standards I lived a healthy, happy and abundant life.  But there was still something missing.  I could feel it in my heart.  There was more that I needed to do, be and express but I lived in overwhelming frustration because I didn’t know what that “more” was!  Thus, my search to find what was missing.  I call it “looking for me in all the wrong places.”

 I thought I would find that magic, that purpose and passion in the right job.  I went from job to job, hoping that the next job, the next boss would inspire the unique brilliance within me.  I think I kept waiting to be discovered, but it never happened in any job I had had.  I also studied everything I could on spirituality, self-help and metaphysics.  I think I kept waiting to be enlightened, but that hasn’t happened either.

 I almost gave up my search, and decided I should settle and be content with what I had.  After all, I had more than a lot of people, so shouldn’t I just be satisfied and live out my life…in quiet desperation?

 Fortunately, I am among the few who finally do find their way, and it was actually much easier than I had ever imagined it to be.  The key to living a full, satisfying life with meaning and purpose does not lie outside of oneself, i.e., a job, books, and self-help courses.  It doesn’t even lie in the next relationship, or in a bigger house or higher title on the corporate ladder.  The key to true joy and fulfillment is right here, inside, where it has been all along.  

 When you unearth and connect with your true nature you are suddenly freed up from the “mask” of who you believed yourself to be.  The search is over, and you take a quantum leap forward by claiming your authentic, joyous self.  You easily step into your unique purpose and begin to create a truly meaningful and fulfilling life. 

To your joyful and inspired success~

Namaste,

~Laurie

1)  Give some serious thought to what differentiates you from the competition.  We’ve all heard that we need our “elevator speech”–the 30-second infomercial that quickly tells people who you are and what you do.  Your elevator speech should answer the question:  “Why should I work with you instead of any of the others?”

-         How do you get clear on what you can offer?

-         Do you offer a product or service that others don’t?

-         Do you have special training or certification that others don’t have?

-         Do you understand what you are truly expert at that sets you apart?

-         What core values do you have, or does your business reflect?

  Once you know the answers to these questions, you will have the basis for your elevator speech. Stick with it—that is your story.  That story is the one that will stick in customers’ minds and, if it sounds authentic, they will repeat your story to others.

2)  Start a word-of-mouth campaign.

    Word-of-mouth is free and can be your most effective form of advertising as long as your message is authentic to who you are, what you offer and how you help people.

3)  Do you have a membership or club that offers discounts or other incentives to your loyal, repeat clients?

This gives clients incentive to continue coming back to you instead of trying a competitor.

  Remember, though, almost no discount or incentive will be enough if your client is not satisfied with your service.  Again, this is where your message must match what you deliver.

4)  Give your clients incentives or discounts for referrals.

  Create some kind of reward for your clients who share your message with others.  For example, you might have special cards printed for your clients to give to friends and when their friends use your services, both your referring client and the new client receive a discount or incentive.

  Be sure your branding and authentic message is clear on whatever card or piece you use so that your existing customer doesn’t have to do the work of trying to communicate who you are, what you do and why their friend should go to you.

5)  Make sure you have good marketing materials to give to potential clients.

  Your brochures, fliers, website and any other marketing materials must reflect your authentic branding so that people quickly and easily understand who you are, how you can help them and why they should choose you.

  Some of these suggestions may cost a little money, but when you have the right branding message–one that is truly authentic to who you are and what you are an expert at delivering–it will be the catalyst to what makes you stand out in a crowded field.

  With the right branding message—one that is authentic to who you are and what you are an expert at delivering—these inexpensive advertising suggestions will be the catalyst to what makes you stand out in a jam-packed market.

Laurie Polinski
Spinning Gold Marketing

The Importance Of Keeping a Schedule

Tips for better focus and clarity: staying on task by creating and keeping a schedule

  If you’re an entrepreneur and especially if you’re working from a home office, it may sometimes be difficult to create and keep a schedule that helps you stay focused and productive. After all, many of us have wandered from the rigid course of the corporate world to explore our own path that allows us to be free and, lets be honest, to make us more money. And while that sounds wonderful on the surface, the challenge is that we no longer have someone standing above us, demanding we punch-in at 9 a.m., keep this meeting at 10 a.m. and have that on someone’s desk by 3 p.m. No, now we are responsible for making and keeping our own schedules and holding ourselves accountable.

  Scheduling is not a dirty word and when done properly, allows any business to operate smoothly and more efficiently. Creating and keeping a schedule is one of the best–if not the best–ways to keep yourself on track, and one of the best ways to create a useful schedule is to use a daily planner. So, pull yours out of the drawer, dust it off and open it up. After each work day, grab your planner and write down on the page designated for the following day what you need to get accomplished, listing tasks in order of most to least important. This way, when you walk into your office each morning, you’ll be able to hit the ground running. If there are tasks on your planner that you were unable to finish during the day, make sure to write it down on the next page to be certain that you stick with it. There is something powerful about physically writing anything, down, pen to paper, that makes it easier to remember rather than just entering it into your Blackberry.

  As an entrepreneur, your daily planner should always be nearby, lovingly watching you as you complete task after task, and meet deadline after deadline. I have an erasable marker board hanging in front of my desk where I can always see and know the tasks that need to be completed.

Spinning Gold

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Spiritual RockStar talk radio show host, Dan Hanneman, did an Energy Scan on me, live on his show!  How cool is that?

Dan asked me to be a guest on his show because his work and mine are very complimentary. We both have a deep passon and desire to help Spiritually-Minded Entrepreneurs, who are ready to step into their true power, move forward and take their businesses out into the world in a much bigger way.

While my coaching with brilliant heart-based business owners is based on helping them develop and grow their businesses and define their unique branding message around who they authentically are, Dan works with entrepreneurs who are ready to move forward but may feel somehow stuck or blocked.

Since I was a guest on Dan’s live radio show, he did not do a full “clearing” on me, but he did do the Energy Scan, which took only about 12 minutes! I must admit that I felt vulnerable. Even though the Energy Scan was done over the phone, Dan in his office, and me in mine, I didn’t know what to expect! And I had no idea what Dan might find and report… live on talk radio for all to “see!”

As you know, I am all about helping people awaken to and understand the importance of Transforming Back to Who You Are Born to Be.  I have been helping entrepreneurs transform the way they do business, literally on-the-spot! Once you unearth who you were born to be, your entire persona illuminates ~ radiates ~ It can’t not!

Dan’s unique gift is to “scan” a person’s body, energetically, and identify where they may be experiencing blocks, and “read” what is holding them back from moving into their fullest potential. It is amazing! You really must listen to Dan do a live scan on his radio show to realize the deep benefits of Dan’s work!

Unearth Your Authentic Being

We all have that deeply buried ache within, perhaps it is a tiny voice.  For me, it was a tiny fairy-like personality I named “Gracie.”  When we allow our deepest truth to come fully into the world, everything begins to align beautifully! I encourage you to unearth your “Gracie,” or whomever/whatever is deep in your heart, and allow the real You to shine with glory and radiance!

Imagine a silver dollar buried in the mud for years. It is unearth and someone runs pure water over it, gently takes a cloth and wipes it clean, and…. its true brilliance is allowed to shine! You see, its the same with us; When we unearth the deepest part of ourselves which has been buried under so many years of “shoulds,” “ought to’s,” other people’s definition of what’s good and right, and other people’s expectations of us, our best, brightest internal Being radiates! This truly is the most freeing and joyful experience one can have!

I’d like to thank Dan Hanneman for inviting me on the show and doing his Energy Scan.  He helped unearth some parts of me that have been buried and now need to be looked at.  When we know what our shadows are we can face and overcome the challenges they may present.  Then we are able to more easily and freely move toward the brilliant person we know we can be.

Act 2 Reinvent, founded by visionary, Leah Young, and co-owned by a Dream Team of gifted coaches, is a new on-line reality show committed to helping women over 40 step back into their authentic life  and move forward with power and purpose. 

Act 2 Reinvent is still in the filming stages, and the first episodes will air this fall.  Viewers will be able to watch the Dream Team coach each one-on-one with these women, and will follow the brilliant transformation that occurs.  Viewers will also have an opportunity, through an on-line community, to have access to the tools and techniques these women were given so that viewers can transform their own lives right along with the participants!

Dream Team Coach, Laurie Polinski, walks Leah Young through the Personal Branding Wheel

Get acquainted with the Dream Team Coaches and the fabulous, courageous show participants, by visiting www.act2reinvent.com.  Go there now to learn about the Dream Team coaches, the participants, and how you can become part of the transformation!

We have all had that one single, seemingly simple event, thought or idea transform our lives in an instant.

I remember when I was still working in the corporate sector; you know, Monday through Friday, 8a to 6p, plus commute time!  I had little, or no creative input into my work.  Deep within I had a “knowing,” although it was not a conscious awareness, but that knowing that patiently, yet consistently aches in your soul.  I knew the deeply authentic ”who” of me, the wisdom of my own soul, was aching for more than these less-than inspiring days which I had created for myself.

One day, I came across words spoken ‘many moons’ ago by Chief White Eagle.  I cut out the quote and pinned it to my cubicle wall.  I read that quote every day, many times a day.  But my life literally transformed at the moment I understood the enlightening truth of his message.  It was Chief White Eagle’s inspiration, and vision for all of us, that inspired me to shift my perception and open up to see a never-ending stream of possibility.  

Five months later I left the corporation to create, what turned out to be the 1st of my businesses.   My dream-come-true was not so much in owning my own business, but the freedom, creativity and priceless self-expression that comes from creating my life from the very depth of my own personal wisdom.

If you have felt that aching deep within, and know there is more for you and your purpose here, I hope Chief White Eagle’s wisdom inspires you to awaken to the mysteries of your own soul.  It is my pleasure and honor to share with you, the spirit of this visionary, Chief White Eagle:

“When you are in doubt, be still, and wait. When doubt no longer exists for you, then go forward with courage.  So long as mists envelop you, be still.  Be still until the sunlight pours through and dispels the mists — as it surely will. Then act with courage.”  ~White Eagle (Chief of the Poncas in 1877, also the Medicine Man and Religious Leader to the Tribe).

The self-development / self-improvement aisles at the Barnes & Noble are overflowing with books by new authors and new subjects every day.  Admittedly, many of those books have found a place in my own ever-expanding personal library.  For me, it has been a passion for years, to read as much as I could on these self-improvement subjects. I love attending workshops and having deep discussions with like-minded friends about life’s purpose.

One of my friends recently commented, “Laurie, you should be perfect by now with all of the self-improvement books you have and workshops you’ve attend!” 

My friend was right; I have spent tons of time and money on learning to develop and improve myself.  So why, after years of reading, studying and practicing self-improvement was I not yet perfect?  Why did I feel as far away from perfect as one can possibly be?  Why was I still buying books thinking, “Ah, this is the one that will change everything for me!”?

What I finally discovered is that I already am, and always was perfect!  The only thing I had to do, before I could develop or improve, was to discover and uncover my unique life’s purpose.  And so I did!  Through two deeply insightful tools, CORE MAP®, by Dr. Sherry Buffington, and Branding With Archetypes®, by Kendall SummerHawk, I have discovered the perfect child I was born to be.

Once I “met” myself it was like Disney’s Tinkerbell in Peter Pan being let out of the box that Captain Hook kept her in.  The transformation from who I was trying to be, into who I was born to be, was amazing both personally and professionally!  My light was free to shine and I was free to fly!

Does that mean that I now do everything perfectly?  Absolutely not!  Just ask my husband, children and friends; they’ll assure you that I still have a lot of development and improvement to do.  (It’s a good thing my bookshelves are full of books for this work.)  But it does mean that everything I do, the decisions and choices I make are all in perfect alignment with who I truly am.  Everything is flowing in one direction.  All of my energy goes into fully and joyfully expressing my unique gifts and passions.  My physical and spiritual goals are in line with who I am from the deepest part of my being.

The freedom to be my authentic self, and the joy of sharing my treasury of gifts with the world are like nothing I had ever imagined possible.  Once you “remember” who you are you can create your world with purpose and allow your unique energy to fully express itself.  You are inspired to transcend helplessness and step into the perfectness of You.

You say you want it, and yet, your actions (or lack thereof) take you in a completely different direction.  Then you say the Universe doesn’t work for you; that you never get what you want.  And you let yourself believe that is the truth.

I believe you know the real truth.  And, I believe you are ready to let yourself  know that truth.  I believe that the pain of hiding your soul in the shadows is no longer tolerable.  I believe YOU are ready to live your authentic life and be YOU!

          “God has given me multiple talents and I’m simply utilizing them.”  Sabrina Thompson, Kuu Consulting

Now you are ready to discover your authenticity, act in your power, and everything begins to open up and flow abundantly.  You are now free and joyful.  You easily attract the right people, events and things into your life.

The shadows are gone.  You are You; and that’s the best you can be!

Please follow me at Spinning Gold.  I will take you on a journey where the very act of stepping into your power ~ all ways ~ Becomes your power!

Spin your gold now~

~Laurie