Most women don’t.  We simply were never taught how to honor our authentic nature and how to recognize our true path.  We were never applauded for our work. In fact, too often women have been told to be quiet, ladylike, to not stand out from crowd. The stress, anxiety and struggle you feel in your life are not your fault.

The first step in feeling comfortable in the spotlight is feeling comfortable with yourself. You are already perfect; like most women, you just haven’t yet recognized  your true brilliance. For many of my clients it takes a little getting used to.  I add extra encouragement and applause.

In my work as a business and life coach, I’ve discovered my gift is being able to see through the veil to what is deeply embedded I call it your magnificence, and it’s not out of your reach, you just need a guide to get you there.  Here is a first step…

Take a few moments every day to notice where you shine. Give yourself a pat on the back, a great job, or a wow!  At night write down all of the moments you really shined. You might find it comfortable to start small then work your way up as you feel comfortable.

Life’s spotlights are not always obvious.   Every time you smile at a friend – you shine. Every time you finish a project, get the dishes all done, kiss a scraped knee or land a new client – You shine! If you find you start saying yes, but… or it wasn’t really… STOP yourself right there. It really was great!  You are the one on center stage and you are to be applauded. It doesn’t matter how large or how small – you did it.  Take the stage and shine in the spotlight.

I share this affirmation for you to say several times a day.

“I am proud of who I am and I am ready to take the stage!”

_______________________________________________________________________

This week starts the first class of the 3 Keys to Discovering & Living Your Authentic Purpose

You have the potential to live a truly inspired, fulfilling and joy-filled life.  Register Here

Laurie Polinski,  is known as a “connector,” always finding ways to make things happen and bringing new perspectives to familiar challenges.  “Let’s get started!” is one of her mantras.

Visit www.spinninggoldlifecoaching.com or call Laurie at 630-515-1722.

In our hearts we already know the directions we need to take.  Play with it for a moment. Remember a wonderful time in your life, feel the joy. Re-live the moments. If you need a start: picture a sleeping baby, remember cuddling your pet, or looking in to the eyes of a loved one.

Where do you feel the experience in your body? Your heart.

When you are on the right path, making the right choices your heart will feel warm and full.  Relax into it and allow the knowledge to flow into you.  Use your heart as an inner guide; it is a clear message from your higher power.

Your inner self is wise beyond limits.  When you learn to tap into your inner Guidance, you are tapped into the universal source which has access to all knowledge.  Feel the messages from your higher self, higher power, God.

People who appear to be most brilliant are those who listen to their inner wisdom and put it into action.  They have known in their hearts what is right and listened.

Do you find this difficult? I often work with clients who have to unlearn listening to their head and learn instead to feel their heart messages.  Creating that light for them is my heart’s work.

One first step is a simple affirmation:

“I trust my inner knowing, I hold positive expectations about the outcome of the changes that I’m making in my life right now.  It is safe for me to act on my inner wisdom.”

Laurie Polinski,  is known as a “connector,” always finding ways to make things happen and bringing new perspectives to familiar challenges.  “Let’s get started!” is one of her mantras.

Follow your heart and get started visit www.spinninggoldlifecoaching.com or call Laurie at 630-515-1722.

Abundance is more than just having money.

    Although money is often a part of it, but real abundance means having things that fulfill and satisfy you.  So, knowing what fulfills and satisfies you allows you to consciously choose what you want to create, experience, and what you want to draw into your life.

   The first step is; knowing what fulfills you and what you want.  When you know what you need in your life, and exactly what you want, you can master your life, your experiences, your emotions, your relationships and your money, rather than being mastered by it.

  Real abundance is also about flow.  Letting go of what no longer serves, fulfills or satisfies you.  Flow in life is natural.  Look at nature and how it continuously flows; night into day, the seasons, the years.  The migration of the hummingbirds and butterflies.  They don’t have calendars and clocks.  They “go with the flow!”  They know when it is time to let go of what served them for the season, and they follow the natural flow into something new.

  What would happen to the hummingbird or butterflies if they didn’t go with the flow of nature?  If they decided that they wanted to hang around in the nest or garden they had resided in for the summer here in Chicago?  They would die!

What are you hanging on to that no longer serves you?

  Look at your life like the cycles or flow in nature.  Because you are part of nature!  The only thing that separates humans from animals is the appearance of our frontal lobe in our brains.  The frontal lobe allows us to discern, and choose or reject things based on conscious choice.  Without that, we too would not be able to make conscious choices and decisions for ourselves and would have to rely only on our natural instincts to survive.

  While that is a gift, for it is what makes us human and gives us the ability to create these rich, rewarding and complex lives we live, it has also, in far too many ways, driven us away from our true nature, which is…. nature!  The point being, viewing the natural cycles of life, things, people and experiences come into our lives at a particular time to serve a particular need or desire.  Letting go of some of those things when it is no longer serving a need is part of the natural cycle of life. 

  The good news is that in keeping with what we know about the flow of nature, when we let go of the old, it creates a vacuum, a space for the new to come in!  Winter doesn’t simply leave.  It eases its way out and is replaced by Spring.  That is the natural flow of life’s cycles.

Coach’s Request:

  What are some of the things you are hanging on to that have served their purpose, filled a need at a particular time in your life, and are ready to retire or move on?  Don’t only focus on the tangible items.  Go beyond the obvious, and consider things like old beliefs or self-sabotaging habits.  Things that, at one time may have made sense, kept you safe, do not serve you and assist you in your desire for growth, fulfillment and abundance.  In fact, these may be the very things that stand in your way, hold you back or stop you from having more of what you do want in your life.

 ~Laurie Polinski

Have you ever stopped to realize that you created your life to be exactly the way it is today?  Consciously or subconsciously, the choices, decisions, beliefs, and actions you took (or didn’t take) resulted in what you have in your life at this very moment. 

“But,” you may be saying, “my life isn’t exactly as I would like it to be.”

Where you are and what you have in your life today is no accident.  Your life is the result of all of the decisions you have ever made (or chose not to make) every moment, every day of your life. 

This is powerful news!  Because, it’s a tremendous testimonial as to the amazingly creative person that you already are!  This means that you have the power to create the life you really want for yourself.

The Power of a Decision:  The first step to actually achieving your goals is to make the decision to do so!  Making the decision to have what you really want must be a real and conscious choice, not simply a wish. 

“To get new results you must take new actions and all actions are fathered by a decision.”  Tony Robins

  Making a Decision:  Your decision must be powerful enough to make the difference you want to see in your life.  This is where many people get stuck, because making a decision to have or create different things in your life most likely means that you are going to have to leave the safety of your current comfort zone.  (I will be writing a lot more about the comfort zone in upcoming articles because this is a biggie, yet it doesn’t have to be as difficult or frightening as it may seem!) 

Here are 5 Keys to help you make powerful decisions that can change your life and help you have exactly what you DO want:

1. Ask yourself what you really and truly want.  This means that you must expand your thinking beyond what you currently think you can have.
2. Decide and commit to making it happen.  Ask yourself, “What decision can I make right now that will support my commitment to having what I want?”
3. Make a clear and concise choice to have what you want and deserve.  You must be clear about what you want and how you are going to get it. 
4. Picture where you will be and what it will look like when you have reached your goals.  Really let yourself imagine and feel what it feels like to be in the experience of what you want for yourself.
5. Take responsibility for your dreams.  It’s easy to point fingers or blame something or someone else for what shows up in our lives.  Don’t give your creative power away by imagining yourself in a victim role when it comes to making choices and decisions that impact your life and your dreams.

  Once you determine your direction, you must be committed to taking the actions that match that decision in order to get it.  When you decide and commit, your subconscious mind will work to help you get exactly what you say you want.  That’s where the phrase, “Be careful what you ask for!” comes from.  The subconscious mind is more powerful than most of us had ever been were aware of in the past.  More and more science and research is showing us the amazing power of our subconscious mind.  (I also plan to write more about that in future articles because this is powerful and fascinating!)

  You have created many miracles in your life, even those you don’t necessarily like.  Setting clear goals and taking responsibility for making conscious choices and decisions that are aligned with those goals is the most powerful thing you can do for yourself and those who you influence.

Make the decision to start now.

“Every choice and decision leads us closer to, or farther way from, what we want.” 

Spinning Gold

 Find Yourself, By Taking Time For Yourself

  “The myth is, when you focus on yourself you are being selfish.  The reality is, if you don’t know your true self and cultivate an ongoing relationship with her, you can’t truly be with or give to anyone else.”  Jennifer Louden, Author of The Woman’s Comfort Book

  “No Boys Allowed!”  I recall being 9 or 10, and creating a girls-only club with my best girlfriends.  We created our exclusive clubhouse out of sheets and dining-room chairs, and we hung our sign, No Boys Allowed!  Did we always know, even back then, how important it would be for us women to retreat?  And, what exactly does it mean to retreat?

  According to Jennifer Louden, in “The Women’s Retreat Book,”    “A woman’s retreat springs from and is guided by a woman’s inner knowing.”  Perhaps we did have this internal knowing when we were 9 that it was important for us, at least for a period of time, to shut ourselves off from the noise and distractions of our outer world.  So, if this is true, what is this woman’s innate guidance trying to tell us?  Louden goes on to say, “A woman’s retreat is about stepping out of your ordinary existence to listen to and attune to your truest, most authentic self.  It is about being self-referenced to become self-restored.”  Somehow I know that I did always know that particular truth.  And that is the reason I have been doing mini-retreats with girlfriends and clients my entire life.  

  Recently, I have partnered with a brilliant life coach, Jeannie Anderson, author of the Women’s W.E.A.L.T.H. program.  Together, Jeannie and I have co-created our own women’s club; “Abundant Young Women Over 40.”  This club is for women who want more for themselves and are ready to step into their biggest game yet.  We will host a live experiential retreat in October, in the secluded mountainous area in the heart of Arizona , for a small group of women committed to going deeper into their own existence and reclaiming their dreams.  Jeannie and I will be releasing more information about “Abundant Young Woman Over 40” in the near future.  

  Last week, I hosted a free teleclass called “Discover the Energy of Success.”  I am so excited to say that we had an overwhelming positive response to this teleclass!  Thank you all for your kind and supportive comments and feedback, it is sincerely appreciated.  This 6-week teleseries, “Journey for the Best of Your Life,” begins on June 24^th and I am thrilled to have many of you joining me!  If you missed it, you can find out more here: “Journey for the Best of Your Life.”

  There is a definite power in self-discovery.  A power that comes from being in total integrity with who you were born to be.  A power that arises only from being deeply connected with your true passion and purpose.  And a power in being of service to yourself, your family, friends, community and the world, in the way that only you, through your own unique purpose and brilliance can serve. 

  Make sure you take the time to do your own mini-retreats to deeply connect with your true self.  When you are connected with your authentic nature, you become centered in your own personal power.  You are in total integrity with who you were born to be.

Here are 5 simple ways you can take yourself on instant mini-retreats: 

 Remember to be selfish at least once every day.  As Louden said, “ … if you don’t know your true self and cultivate an ongoing relationship with her, you can’t truly be with or give to anyone else.”

 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

 What Is Your Divine Purpose?

  We all have a creative genius within us, and this genius presents itself only when we are living in alignment with our divine purpose.

  Let me ask you this, have you ever felt like there is a part of you that has not yet been tapped into?  Do you feel like you are living a comfortable life, yet still looking for that thing that really makes your heart sing?  Have you found yourself continually searching for that part of you that is special, unique and absolutely brilliant?

  I have a confession, I remember thinking, since I was 9 years old, that something very special was going to happen for me.  And while many wonderful things have happened, I always was searching and waiting for that one really magical thing that would call forth my divine purpose.  What I learned, after 40+ years of waiting for and searching for that magic, was that it was within me all along.  I just needed the right opportunity to discover that. 

  Fortunately, I discovered the CORE MAP process which completely opened up my entire life to new dimensions, opportunities, and levels of effectiveness.  Since then I have been working closely with other women who were also on the verge of breaking through the monotony of life as it was, and unearthing their true divine purpose and live it fully!

  When we are fully aligned with our purpose, and the life we were born to live, we find helpful people and seemingly “magical” or coincidental opportunities coming forward which gently lead the way.  This is the experience of being in the flow, and life becomes much more effortless, joyful and meaningful.

Here 5 simple steps to help you tune in to your own divine purpose:

1.         Brainstorm, and write down everything you really love to do.  Once you have completed the list, go back and number each entry in the order of which appeals to you the most.

            Tip:  Think of the times in the past when you were at your absolute best!  When time just passed, and everything felt as though it were going your way.

2.        Read over your list, and put it away for a day or two.  Make an appointment with yourself when you have some quiet time, and take out your list and begin adding to it.

            Tip:  Make sure you are including only those things that make you feel really joyful.  Sometimes we are extraordinarily good at some things, yet they do not make us joyful.  These are the things that we have learned, or may have been conditioned to do well, but are not part of our life’s purpose.

3.     After you have dug really deep within, and recognize what it is that truly makes your heart sing versus those things you typically spend your day-to-day life doing, go back and re-number the entries.  Make sure what makes you feel most joyful and purposeful is number 1 on your list.  

            Tip:  It may surprise you to discover that the order may differ from the original order you assigned a day or two ago.

4.         Select the top ten entries on your list.  Now, make a list of what each of these top ten has in common.  With this in mind, what occurs to you that may be a clue to uncovering your divine purpose?  

            Tip:  Don’t limit yourself to just one idea.  Play with this over a period of time.

5.         Once you have uncovered some of the clues to what may be most important to you, immediately begin taking steps to bringing more of those joyful, meaningful experiences into your life.  For example, you may have discovered that many of your top ten entries related to travel.  You might begin bringing more of that into your life by subscribing to a travel magazine, or planning your next trip to an exotic destination.

            Tip:  Pay close attention to what energizes you the most.  Again, this may not be the same as what you have been doing most of your life that you are really good         at. But that’s okay, you’ve just added a whole new dimension to your day-to-day life that brings you closer to living the life you were meant to live.

  When you are on the track of your divine purpose, everything you do in pursuit of it will inspire and energize you.  You will begin to call in the people and opportunities that will continue to show you the next steps and open up doors which you hadn’t even known existed for you.  When you are not living in alignment with your divine purpose, you are not in the flow, and life feels like a struggle and drains your energy.  Continue to pay attention to how you feel when you are going through your daily activities.  If it feels joyful and easily flows, you are on the right path.  This is the path of living your divine purpose and when your true creative genius shines through!

To your joyful and inspired success~

Namaste,

~Laurie

<

Being clear about who you are, what you do, and the benefits of working with you, will dramatically affect your ability to attract and connect with more of your ideal clients and manifesting the success you want. 

That sounds simple enough, doesn’t it?  Why, then do so many entrepreneurs struggle to attract clients?  Most often it is not because there is anything wrong with what you do, or how you do it, but the problem lies in being able to clearly define and communicate your authentic message in a way that really connects with your ideal clients.

Here’s an important understanding:  You know you have a unique gift that no one else has, and you know that you can help others.  It is your mission to identify your gift, do it to the very best of your ability, and create your compelling branding and marketing message that is authentic to you and attracts clients who want what you offer.


Here are 3 things you must be very clear on that will help you instantly transform the way you feel and communicate about your business, and expand how your potential clients perceive and connect with you and your business.

1)  Know what your unique gift is.  What do you do, exceptionally well, that no one else does?  In other words, what sets you apart from others in your field?

2)  Know who you serve.  The more well-defined your niche market is, the easier it will be to create your messages.  You will also become known as the authority in that area.

3)  Know what authentically connects you with your prospective clients.  People buy on emotion and then back their decisions up with logic.  What emotions do you and your services evoke in people that makes them want to work with you?

As I shared earlier, you must be clear about who you are, including your unique gifts and your core values.  You must be clear about what your services deliver, and what need or desire that fills within your clients.  And, you must know – very, very well, who your ideal clients are so that the connection you make with them is clear, true and authentic.


To your joyful and inspired success~

Namaste,

~Laurie

Spinning Gold Marketing

1. Refine and Narrow Your Niche

   Narrowing down your ideal clients and understanding what their specific needs and challenges are will allow you to consistently put out a focused and clear message.  If your attempt is to market to too wide of an audience, your message gets lost because it is vague and without focus and direction.  You want your ideal client to say “Yes that is me, I need that!” when they see or hear your message.

  Every successful business knows the answer to these questions:  Who are my customers?  How will they know I am here?  Why do they want to buy from me?  How can I reach more people like them?  Clearly and concisely answer these questions, and you have the first key ingredient for success.  

  The answer to these questions should influence every the design of each of your products and services.  The answer to these questions will influence your pricing, where you put your message out (distribution) and will be the catalyst to crafting the right communication that speaks directly to your perfect niche.

- “She who chases two rabbits catches none.” – Chinese proverb

2.  Construct a Clear Message

 Networking events are a great place to build relationships and attract new clients.  Do not make the mistake of investing your time and money without having a clear and powerful message to share.

Have you ever been to a networking event where someone asks you what you do, and you feel a slight sense of panic arise within you?  Suddenly you find yourself rambling on trying to explain what it is that you do and you realize that the other person’s eyes have glazed over and in your mind, you know they are now probably more confused than anything?

Here’s a tip to crafting your message; go back to Number 1 above.  Your message starts with your “niche.”  Chances are, if people are not fully getting your message, your ideal clients aren’t hearing you either.

3.  Get Out of Your Own Head

   Most entrepreneurs work on their own.  When you are trying to do everything and be everything for your business, frustration and overwhelm tend to build up.  Do you love your business, but sometimes feel the heartache every business owner feels from time to time?  Have you felt that sense of doubt and fear move through you?  

  When this happens, is it your tendency to just work harder?  That’s okay, it’s what most people do, work harder, put in longer hours which builds up more stress.  The problem is, that if that’s all you do is work harder doing the very same things, you probably won’t get any better results.  When you feel like you are always busy, but your business has hit a frustrating plateau – or worse, if your sales are sliding downhill, you don’t need to work harder, you need to work right!

  I know that you know that your best, most creative thinking do not come from being tired and frustrated.  It’s important to get out of your own head and learn the right steps to rev up your business and jumpstart your marketing program.

  When this frustration and exhaustion begin to overwhelm you, it can be disheartening.  But it doesn’t mean that there is anything wrong with you, or that you can’t do this!  The truth is that you CAN do it, and you can do it really well when you know the right steps to take.  Taking the right steps will add the fuel to your business and quickly get you back on track attracting plenty of your ideal clients.

To your joyful and inspired success~

Namaste,

~Laurie

Spinning Gold Marketing

The Importance of Being Unique In Business

In last week’s article “What is the Marketing Hook in your Business?” I talked about the importance of having that attention-grabbing message in your website or sales copy that makes someone stop in their tracks and notice you.

Did you implement that concept in your business?  If so, then congratulations!  You a are obviously a person who takes action.

So what’s next?  You’ve got their attention, now what?

Once you have attracted the attention of your ideal client, you need to keep their interest.  What you don’t want them to say is “Oh, another coach or another web designer, nutrition expert, another……” 

What you do want them to say is, “This person is interesting, different from the others.  I’ll take a closer look!”

Let’s face it, you can look at most crowded fields of expertise and the basics for each business are the same.  So, what makes you and your business different?  In other words, what is unique about you and/or the process of your business that others don’t have?  This may be some past experience, some certifications, some prominent associations you may have that others cannot claim for themselves.

How Do I Find the Unique Business Angle?

There are several ways of doing this and I will cover two of them here:

1)  Ask Your Clients and Customers

An easy way of doing this is by doing a survey.  You must be specific with your questions.  Remember, you want to elicit responses that set you apart, what do they perceive about you that is unique and special?

2)  Ask them directly after you have worked with them or served them.

Laurie Polinski

Spinning Gold Marketing




   >