I’m on a roll here with great interviews and this week I bring you Master Guidance Coach Karin Bauer. I first heard about Karin when she contacted me through my website. Shortly thereafter I learned even more about what she does with her Guidance Cards as part of a special Coach U student/alumni message. I recently had the chance to do a demo session with Karin and work with the guidance cards firsthand. It was a really neat way to get out of your head, create new awareness, and get a new perspective on a challenge you might be experiencing.

Karin recently took the time to share more about herself and her guidance cards…

1) What was your inspiration to start guidance cards?

I began painting abstract artwork a few years ago when I was on a spiritual quest. The resulting artwork was close to my heart. In the beginning, I didn’t want to show this personal work to others, I felt somehow exposed. So I kept my art quite literally ‘hidden in a clothes closet’. A few years ago around the same time I came out of the ‘gay closet’, probably not by coincidence, I also came out with my art. It was a huge personal transition.

A friend of mine asked me to show her the artwork, and another friend made a screen saver of my art and then posted it on my website. Coming out with my art was actually harder than coming out personally!
After that, I began showing my art to anyone, even exhibiting it in galleries. Many people remarked how much they saw and felt by looking at my artwork. I realized then, that the artwork now needed to go out there to heal others. The idea of creating the ‘Art Guidance Cards’ came from having seen other cards with artwork on them. My artwork is unique in that you can rotate it and see new perspectives. The cards were easier to transport and thus allowed me to use art with my clients in Youth Detox, Aids Resource Center, and in my coaching practice. Last year, my partner and I took the next step and innovated the web based Art Guidance Cards. Now, the cards are even more visible and are internationally utilized by other professional coaches.

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I recently wrote an article on Overcoming Emotional Spending over at Queercents. I thought this article would be very relevant to all my readers here because the spending has nothing to do with spending at all — it has to do with what you are trying to get or avoid by spending. For example: Spending to:

• Attempt to “buy” love
• Avoid feelings you have of being unworthy
• Dull the pain of staying stuck in a career you hate
• Gain others’ approval
• …. and a million other reasons you might try to buy happiness and contentment from the outside

The truth is — most of the time we don’t buy things just to have “stuff”. We buy because of how it makes us feel. For some people it is the “stuff” that they have that gives them that adrenaline rush, for others it is the actual act of shopping that does it. If you find yourself in money troubles but can’t seem to follow a budget or plan without having your emotions take over and start grabbing the credit card, you may be struggling with emotional spending.

And if you’re struggling with emotional spending you are depleting yourself of energy you could use on much more fulfilling pursuits or on achieving what you really want from your life.

Want to know more? Hop on over to read the full article and learn the 5 key steps to overcoming emotional spending.

We’ve all had days where we just feel like we’re the walking dead. Going through the motions just trying to survive the day or week. I recently encountered a few of the walking dead but they were speeding like crazed monkeys rising from the grave proving to me that being checked out is not only a recipe for a life left to the whims of others, but also downright dangerous to others.

When I walk over to my yoga class I cross a small road (within my company’s campus I might add) and then go into a parking garage which leads me up a ramp and to the gated doorway. As soon as I enter the parking garage I always cross over so I can walk facing traffic. I know that people gone free from the prison of the corporate cube for a lunch hour can be in a wild hurry. Now I understand hurry. I also understand being so pissed off in your day job that you get behind the wheel at lunch or the end of the day just wanting to put as much distance between you and the office as fast as humanly possible. Yet, what I experienced still took me by surprise. Read the rest of this entry »

The ladies over at Lesbian Family are up to great things supporting two Mom households with a way to connect, learn, and inspire one another. I recently had the chance to connect with founder, Liza Barry-Kessler and learn a bit more about her and the site. As part of my ongoing committment to bring you thoughtful interviews with other successful lesbians, read on to learn more about Liza and Lesbian Family…

What was your inspiration to start Lesbian Family?

My original inspiration was this: When I got pregnant, I became suddenly obsessed with finding other pregnant lesbians and other women who were due around the same time as me.

Eventually, I found a few “ttc” lesbians with great blogrolls, but I always seemed to be missing someone or something interesting. I also found the wonderful Babes in Blogland , which I think strives to list every ttc/adoption/pregnant blog on the Internet. (And she’s got a great list of parenting blogs, too.)

Shana, the founder, and I became friendly — that’s when I realized that what I really wanted to do was create a similar easily sortable portal for lesbian families.

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Sometimes I just take life too plain seriously. Other times the seriousness of those around me makes me nuts. That’s why I insert some plain silliness into my day now and then. Luckily (or not) for my partner, our neighbor’s son (who is 10) bought me some really cool toys for my birthday back in December. The toy culprit in question which Kim is convinced is taking years off of her life is our beloved screaming monkey.

This monkey is built with heavy rubberbands, fur, a noisemaker (the screaming part), and a lovely orange cap with a visor and tails. You can get a sense of what he looks like in this photo. How he works (and indeed the 10 year old needed to instruct me on this…I’m not the most mechanically inclined person, at least not on the first try) is that you stick your fingers in his front feet, pull back on his hind legs (like you’re going to fire a projectile) and then point him at your intended destination, and let go. He flies through the air and once he hits something he starts screaming in a loud “waaaah waaaah waaaaah” screech. It is a cross between a scream, cackle, and something I can’t put my finger on.

He is a great deal of fun because I can use him randomly to scare the hell out of Kim. I may be working quietly in my office when I get the urge to stir things up. So, I’ll ready, aim, and fire the monkey into the kitchen where she’s cleaning. Scares the heck out of her, and she is convinced I’m taking years off her life or that I’ll give her a heart attack yet. But in the end, it is just plain funny (and I think she agrees, at least once she catches her breath and her heart stops pounding). Of course, our household is not without revenge and she’s gotten me back on more than one occasion. I, too, am having the pants scared off of me.

So, what does this silly, childish activity I’ve been engaging in have to do with being more successful or having a great life? Well, it has to do with simply being silly. Playing for the fun of playing, and using your imagination to lighten things up and laugh a bit throughout the day. You’d be amazed at how good it feels to simply take a break and be goofy. We’re all busy women working hard to achieve our dreams and goals. And, focus and commitment are key to being successful. Yet, sometimes it is the act of being purely silly just for the fun of it that can get your creative juices flowing, lower your stress, and free you up from the grind. The good news is it doesn’t take long to do and doesn’t cost much (if any) money.

When was the last time you engaged in being just plain silly?

Are you willing to get just a little silly the next time you find yourself stressing out or taking things a little too seriously?