Intro: Broadcasting live from the Business RadioX studios in Atlanta, Georgia. It’s time for High Velocity Radio.

Lee Kantor: Lee Kantor here. Another episode of High Velocity Radio, and this is going to be a good one. Today on the show we have Stephanie Puente. She is a professional speaker and certified coach with CoreFactor Transformative Coaching. Welcome, Stephanie.

Stephanie Puente: Hi Lee, thank you so much for having me today.

Lee Kantor: Well, I am excited to learn what you’re up to. Tell us about your coaching practice. How are you serving folks?

Stephanie Puente: Well, thank you so much. It’s such a privilege and an honor to get to be here with you today. And I really celebrate all that you are doing to support business owners through through the work that you’re doing. So thank you again for having me. And I help people to create new desired results that they would love. And through that process, we are transforming limiting beliefs and doubts that typically hold people back. Helping people then to live from a greater place of ease and confidence and fulfillment. And through the process, they are learning proven frameworks and tools to really help them create impactful and lasting change towards living a life that they love.

Lee Kantor: Can you share a little bit about your backstory? How did you get involved in coaching?

Stephanie Puente: Thank you. Well, I’ve always been inspired to really help people. I’ve always been interested in transformation, how we move past limiting beliefs, how our thinking impacts our results. Even from a young age, I was interested in that and really always working in my own life to overcome limiting beliefs. But I never knew exactly what I would speak and teach on. And my first dream in my profession was to do event planning, helping people to create transformational experiences through events. And that evolved into a desire for even more deeper, meaningful work. And in 2013, I learned of the Life Mastery Institute. And when I heard Life Mastery, I was immediately inspired by that. This idea of learning how to master living this one precious life that I have. And from there I learned that I could get trained and certified the transformational principles I had known about and read and seen and other books and from other speakers and teachers. But it was all put together in a way that really helped me to apply it to my own life, but also a framework that I could stand on a foundation that I could stand on to support others and really transforming their lives and creating results that they would love. And so I became certified in 2014, and I have been doing this work since then.

Lee Kantor: Can you talk about kind of the early days, when you’re going from someone who is on kind of a journey of knowledge for themselves, and then you’re transitioning to, now I am going to be the coach, and I’m going to be showing other people how to do what I’ve just experienced. Can you talk about those early days of mentally the mindset shift that had to take in order to now you were doing this initially just for yourself and for your own knowledge and wellbeing, and now you’re going to kind of evangelize these principles to others. And now you have to convince somebody else to, you know, write a check and pay for your services now.

Stephanie Puente: Right. Well, that’s a really great question. And and one of the, the, the values that I endeavor to live from is the idea that I am living what I teach. And so in my own life, learning how to lean in to what it is that I would love and be willing to notice the limiting beliefs, notice the thoughts that might hold me back, and be willing to feel that fear and take the bold action. Take the step that I can take and really, through that process, discover that I am way more than maybe my history has said or my experience has said, that there is power within me that is bigger than any circumstance or situation. And in the process of growth, as we’re leaning into one dream and we take steps to build that, a new dream emerges. And so it’s been a continual process of leaning into my own dreams and taking bold steps to create those. And then helping people to really get clear on, even in even in the early days of just discovering, you know, where may they be, where might they be feeling some longing? Where might they be feeling some discontent and really helping them to understand that that longing and discontent is really signals coming from life, signaling to us to grow, to expand, to become more.

Stephanie Puente: So really helping people to get clear on that and understanding the cost in terms of allowing that discontent or that longing to continue. And when they’re ready, when they’re ready to recognize that that cost is greater than taking some bold new steps and facing some fear. That’s when I support them and really helping to take those bold steps and to lean in and create a vision for what it is that they would love if they could resolve and dissolve that longing and discontent. And then through that process of taking the bold steps, what they’re really investing in is, is their dream a new way of thinking, more empowered tools to support them, and living a life of greater fulfillment. And the support is really putting structure around us so that we can more and more consistently think in a new way and act in a new way to welcome those new results in their lives. And so, in the process of connecting with people, I invite them to consider these things. And and if they feel ready for something more, we move forward and taking the step that we can take.

Lee Kantor: And what are those? Those. So when you’re having these initial conversations to kind of, I guess, kind of vet each other to make sure it’s the right fit and that you can help them achieve whatever outcome they desire. What are some of the do you give them kind of pre-work before you even begin? Like some questions to answer to be ready to answer, or maybe some homework after you begin working with them. Some things that some actions they actually that you recommend taking.

Stephanie Puente: Yes, that’s a great question. When when I’m meeting with someone who is looking to make a change in their life or they’re having a desire for something more, they may not know what it is, but they know that there’s something more that they would like to experience, whether it be in their health, their relationships, their career vocation, or in the area of their freedom, their freedom with their time, with their resources. Typically someone is seeking to make a change or they have a desire for something more, or they’ve been trying to make a change and they’re not seeing the results that they would love. We would then have a conversation, and that conversation would help them to get clear on, even more clear on the area of their life or areas of their life that they’re wanting to improve. Then we design a clear vision of what it would look like if those challenges were resolved, that longing and discontent were resolved, and they were absolutely living a life that they love in that area of their life. And then I help them to get clear on the next steps that they can take. And prior to that first session, I do send them a questionnaire that gets them beginning to think about what they’re desiring to make a change on. They begin to take some steps to write out a vision for what they would really love to be experiencing.

Stephanie Puente: And also, it invites them to get clear how how ready are you to begin to take steps to move in this direction? So that helps them, uh, get the ball going, so to speak. But sometimes, even if a if a prospective client doesn’t fill out that questionnaire, we cover that in that initial session. And then as we’re going through that process, if we find that we’re a good fit to work together, then I will make a recommendation on a structure of support that will help them to achieve those results. And if we find that we’re not a good fit for that initial session is a really powerful session for people, because it already sets the ball in motion of giving them clarity on what they would really love. And just by having that awareness, it opens people up to new opportunities, new actions, new ideas that they otherwise hadn’t been aware of. Just by investing some time and getting clear on what it is that they would really love, and also understanding what’s holding them back from really experiencing those results. So that initial session can be very powerful in and of itself. Now I’m sorry. And then if we and then if we do begin to move forward with coaching, there’s absolutely life work that clients do to apply the principles and tools that we’re learning in our sessions to their unique visions they are creating.

Lee Kantor: Now right before they contact you. What do some of these kind of areas of discontent look like? What what are some of the signs, symptoms, or signals that are that a person might be experiencing but they haven’t connected the dots of, hey, maybe a coach can help me here. Like, this isn’t just normal, you know, kind of feelings. Maybe there is a path out of this.

Intro: Yes.

Stephanie Puente: Yes. Well, again, there there’s four main domains of life where someone may be feeling a desire for improvement. They might be wanting to improve their health. They’re not taking good care of themselves. And they’re really wanting, you know, to have a greater sense of wellbeing and self-care. So they may be having a longing or discontent and their health and their wellbeing. They might be feeling challenged in relationships where they would really love to improve their relationship with their spouse or with their kids, or they’re seeking to call in a romantic relationship. And up until now, they haven’t had those results that they would love. They might be seeking to increase their income and their business, build their business, start something new, retire. And they’ve got some fears and doubts about moving forward with that. Or they may be feeling challenged with their time freedom, where they’re working all the time, and the other areas of their life feel like they’re constantly on the back burner, or they’re ships in the night, so to speak, with their kids or with their significant other, and they’re really wanting to create more time freedom so that they can pursue other areas of their life that they would love. So typically, it’s one of those one or more of those quadrants where they’re seeking to make a change or an improvement. They may also be in a transition where they have been divorced for a period of time, and they’re looking to call in a new relationship, or they’re retiring, but they know that they want to continue doing something creatively, but they’re not sure what it is.

Stephanie Puente: It could be a parent who is now an empty nester, and they’re in that question of what’s next? And so there’s a desire for something more. But they but they’re not sure what it is. And so coaching can be a great way to gain clarity about what that looks like, shape that into a vision and then work with a framework to begin to think and act in alignment with those changes that they want to make, so that they are a match to those results that they would love to see in their life. And that’s a process that takes time, because we all tend to think a certain way and take certain actions. And when we are leaning in to something more for ourselves, that is beyond what our current results are. Our familiar way of thinking and acting is going to rise up. And without awareness, it can keep us stuck. And we’re pretty much going in circles with the same experiences and results. But actually, through coaching, we can learn that those limiting beliefs are coming into our awareness. And it’s good news because now is the time. This is the moment to release those limiting beliefs, those old patterns, and lay down some new habits, some new ways of thinking that welcome the new results that we want to see in our lives.

Lee Kantor: So, um, so these kind of points of transition are, are, are a good jumping off point to begin coaching. So if you’re in a transition of some kind, any kind really, it’s a good idea to talk to you or to a coach to help navigate that, maybe, and look at the situation through fresh eyes to open up some thinking that maybe you have a pattern that you might have missed just in just as you’ve been living your own life.

Stephanie Puente: Yes, coaching is a great way. It’s really a bridge that helps people go from where they are to where they want to be. That supports them. It’s like putting a structure of support around them so that they will consistently and repeatedly begin to think in new, more expansive ways which welcome in new actions that lead to new results, and it takes time to think and live into a new way of being, because all of us have some familiar ways that we tend to think and operate. So coaching is a great structure of support around us that helps us to consistently install, if you will, some new ways of being and acting that welcome the changes that we want to see. And so being in transition is is a great opportunity to have some coaching if there’s a desire for a change or an improvement, but there’s a lack of clarity around what that, you know, exact image of the ideal relationship or the time freedom that you would love or a shift in your vocation. There’s you’re desiring clarity. Coaching can help bring about clarity and helping to discover a life giving vision that you can practice living into. And also, coaching is great if you have been trying to create certain results and you’re not seeing those transpire. Coaching can help accelerate the process. Oftentimes we try to make changes on our own, but it can be hard for us. There’s a saying one of my mentors says it’s hard for us to see the picture when we’re in the frame, because we’re not aware that it’s actually our thinking and our beliefs and our perspectives that are actually limiting us and blocking our awareness to the opportunities that are all around us. So coaching can help expand a person’s awareness to open up to new opportunities.

Lee Kantor: Do you find that a mistake people make sometimes are that they stumble upon a tool or, um, a method, but they really don’t address the mindset shift or belief shift that has to occur in order for any tool really to be effective.

Stephanie Puente: Yes, that’s that’s a really great question. And and I’ve experienced that myself. Where, where I’m deciding to use a tool or a strategy. But I’m coming from a mindset of maybe there’s a belief, let’s say I’m welcoming in, um, a loving relationship. But my attitude and my mindset is things never work out for me. You know, my experiences, you know that, um, I always attract the wrong person. You know, my relationship always goes down in flames, and we’re not even aware that that’s in the background. But if we’re taking an action or we’re using a tool or trying to employ a strategy from an energy of constriction and our thinking, then that can only bring about constricted results. And so it’s so important when we’re utilizing a tool or a strategy that we also assume a mindset of, even though, you know, my past experience has been X. I’m open to a new experience. Something as simple as that, where we endeavor to hold that this use of this tool and this strategy going forward is bringing about positive change. So it’s important the attitude and the energy with which we’re taking the action or employing the strategy so that we inside ourselves are a match, if you will, to that expanded result if if we’re looking to fall in love, but inside we’re filled with, you know, you know, constricted energy about ourselves or our past experiences. We’re not a match, if you will. So, so much of it is that inner work that we must do so that we’re aligned with the outer results that we want to see and coaching can the coaching that I, that I support people with helps them learn how to be in alignment with the results that they would love.

Lee Kantor: Now, speaking of tools or maybe daily practices, are there any? Do you have any favorites that you like to recommend to your clients?

Stephanie Puente: Well, one of the most important tools is having a clear vision, knowing what it is that we want. And so often it can be really challenging to really let ourselves know what we really want. Or we’ve had a lot of past experiences that shape what we believe is possible for us, or we allow current circumstances and conditions to determine what we think is possible. So really spending some time getting clear on what it is that I would really love and knowing that that that isn’t just a fantasy, but actually when I am living from a place of expansion and I’m leaning in to what is most life giving to me, that that not only benefits me, but it benefits everyone else around me as well when I’m when I’m coming from an expanded place. So letting ourselves know what we would really love is so important, because in order for those results to occur, that vision can help us today to know, how am I showing up today? Who am I being today? That is a match to those results I want to see in my life. And the vision is also a navigation point to make decisions from today. Saying yes to things and saying no to things that are in alignment with what matters most to me. So that is a number one tool. And, um, supporting people and learning how to live from that vision because we’re we’re creating our day.

Stephanie Puente: We’re creating every moment that we’re in. And we’re either creating our experience by design, where we have a clear picture of who we want to be and what we want to create. Or we’re creating our day by default where we just we just wake up and we create from the same patterns of thinking, the same mindset, the same attitudes, the same beliefs, and all of that brings about similar results. So that would be my number one invitation for people is begin to really experiment with letting yourself know what would I love? And it doesn’t mean I necessarily have to act on it today, but just by becoming aware of what is it that I would really love, it opens our awareness to begin to to recognize that there is a step I can take today. There’s there’s an action I can take. There’s opportunities all around me that are here supporting me. Because when we’re leaning in to what’s life giving, you know, life is life is happening through us and and there is support here that that we presently can’t see because we may be tuned in to a limiting belief. So the clear vision begins to open our awareness to ideas and opportunities and solutions for steps we can take to begin moving in that direction.

Lee Kantor: Yeah, it’s one of those things where you can be proactive and and move with intention, or you can just, you know, kind of just let things happen as they happen. You know, there’s choices. There’s a choice every day, in every moment.

Stephanie Puente: Absolutely. That and I think that is such an important awareness is to recognize that we do have a choice and it doesn’t matter, you know, if we’ve tended to think a certain way for 50 years, it doesn’t matter what the circumstances and the conditions are, we can’t we may not control what’s happening outside of us, but we have a choice on what’s going to be going on inside of us, how we want to relate to what we’re going to make things mean. And I like to say, if you know, I’m already making meaning of what I think is happening, so why not choose an empowered meaning, not to deny the circumstance, but to deny the power of the circumstance, getting inside of us and causing us to feel limited or constricted?

Lee Kantor: Yeah, I agree 100%. It’s one of those things where your day is your day, and you could look at your day through a lens of, this is everything terrible is happening to me, and you can find something horrible every hour on the hour. Or you could look at it as this is a day, and look at it through the lens of gratitude and find the good thing that’s happening every hour on the hour you can decide where to put emphasis and, uh, and attention. You don’t have to. And I’m not saying to, you know, be Pollyanna about it, but there are good things happening every single minute of the day. Just like there might be bad things happening every minute of the day. But you can decide where you want to spend your time. You don’t have to marinate in one more than the other unless you want to.

Stephanie Puente: Yes, absolutely. And and just becoming aware begin to really notice. So, so many of us, myself included, were not even aware that we are letting our day. We are running our day through that familiar lens of, you know, everything bad is happening, so to speak. But as soon as we become aware that, oh yeah, this is what I’m giving my attention to, that’s the opportunity where we can now shift, as you were saying, and move to gratitude. Or I also love celebrating. Celebrating, you know, the progress that is happening and that the more that we celebrate, even if it’s like a teeny tiny little movement forward, we’re making room for more things to celebrate, and we’re raising our inner state to where we can shift our perception and and see more that we can do to keep moving forward.

Lee Kantor: Yeah. Somebody said something to me that really resonated. They said that if, uh, if today you ran into someone that was a jerk, you ran into someone’s a jerk. But if every day you’re running into lots of people that are jerks, you might be the jerk.

Stephanie Puente: Yes, yes, yep, I heard I believe it was Wayne Dyer once, uh, was talking in a in a talk that I was hearing him speak on, and he was asking someone, oh, my gosh, I’m so sorry. Just one moment. I’m about to cough. He he was asked he was talking with someone and she was asking him, you know, what are the people people like in Chicago. And he said, well, what are the people like where you live? And she said, and the person said, oh, they’re grumpy. They’re not very nice. They’re this or that. Uh, they, you know, they don’t they’re not super friendly. And he said, well, that’s how the people are going to be like in Chicago. Um, and then someone else said, what are the people like, you know, where you live? And he said, well, what are they like where you live? And she said, oh, they’re so friendly. They’re kind. They make an effort to this or that. And he’s like, well, that’s how they’re going to be. You know, where, you know, when you move. And so the idea is, you know, that life reflects to us oftentimes who it is that we’re being and that we can make the changes with ourself first to welcome what we want to see in the outer.

Lee Kantor: Now, speaking of changes, uh, is there a story you can share about how you were able to work with somebody? Don’t name the name, but maybe share the challenge they came to you with and how you were able to help them change or transform into a new level.

Stephanie Puente: Yes. Thank you. Yes. One of my clients prior to coaching Ching was feeling challenged in pretty much every life. She wasn’t taking good care of herself physically. She, um, had several bad, you know, several habits that weren’t really serving her with her physical health and her relationships. She was in a romantic relationship that was toxic that she wasn’t happy in. She really had a desire to improve her communication with her adult children. Those tended to be explosive, and she really wanted to have a deeper connection with her kids and her business. She had a desire to bring more order and organization to our finances. When she would walk into her office or sit down to do her bookkeeping, she would just immediately get overwhelmed and walk out, uh, and, you know, go and, you know, eat or do something to avoid the feelings of overwhelm and In relationship to that. And then in her creative expression, she really had a desire to dance. She felt this deep desire to dance, but up until that point, she had always held herself back and just told herself she was a horrible dancer. And through the process of getting clear on a vision for what she would really love and over time and, you know, navigating that bridge from where she was to where she wanted to be, she was able to transform that and began to install new habits for taking good care of herself, employing meditation and time in nature as she connected to seeing herself in vibrant health, she welcomed in some resources that really supported her.

Stephanie Puente: With her diet and her nutrition. She was able to really begin to work through the challenges in her communication with her adult kids to where her adult her adult kids, but had had children and they she became the matriarch of the family and her kids began began to come to her to really, you know, use her support and love to not only be with the grandkids, but just for that advice as parents. And the communication was restored and healed, she was able to let go of that toxic romantic relationship. She was able to create a system for how to work with her bookkeeping and little by little, spent as little as five minutes in her office and built up from there to create a momentum of of bringing order and organization to her her finances. She also is the manager of, uh, an apartment building. And there was a long period of time where many of the tenants would be delayed in their payments.

Stephanie Puente: Um, they wouldn’t respect the The property. But as she got clear on the kinds of tenants that she wanted in her building, and she also took steps to create even more beauty, um, and, um, up leveling and the, uh, the space. It attracted really wonderful tenants and a beautiful community of people renting from her. And with her dancing, she started with just five minutes dancing alone, uh, in her room to then, you know, filming herself to then doing some videos online, to then having the courage to go and take some private lessons, to then joining a dance school, to then performing with her dance school in live performances, to becoming, um, an aide to the instructor and helping with the beginner classes. And dancing has become such a beautiful like metaphor for her life, and has just brought so much joy to all aspects of her life because she, you know, is really experiencing the joy of life through the joy of dance. And so this is one example of transformation that came about from longing and discontent to living in and from a life giving vision.

Lee Kantor: Yeah, the impact is real and not necessarily just on her. I’m sure it affects all of us, her loved ones around her.

Stephanie Puente: Absolutely. When, as I mentioned earlier, as as we live in to what we would truly love and we make decisions coming from what feels life giving. It absolutely lifts up and raises everyone around us. And as our awareness expands, as we realize that we’re not limited to our history or current circumstances, although it’s really wonderful to manifest those results, if you will. The greatest gift of really and, you know, we call it like building a dream. The greatest gift of that process is who we become in the process, who we discover ourselves to be. And as we transform in our thinking, that absolutely lifts up and raises and positively impacts everyone in our life as well.

Lee Kantor: Well, Stephanie, if somebody wants to learn more, have a more substantive conversation. What is the website? What is the best way to connect with you?

Stephanie Puente: Thank you. The best way to get in touch with me is through my website. It’s Stephanie train.com. And you can find their information, uh, about coaching as well as the opportunity for people that would love to, you know, have some time to invest in themselves to gain clarity about what they would love, the changes they would love to make in the next empowered steps they can take. There’s an option there on the website to sign up for a complimentary Vision Breakthrough session. And I have time in my schedule every month to offer some of those for people that are are ready to move forward and would love to take a next step. I invite you to sign up for that complimentary Vision Breakthrough session.

Lee Kantor: Well, Stephanie, thank you so much for sharing your story today. You’re doing such important work and we appreciate you.

Stephanie Puente: Well, thank you as well. Again, I really appreciate this opportunity to be here today, and I celebrate the great work that you are doing, supporting people like me to help spread the word about all of the impact that that the business owners that you are meeting with are making in this world. So thank you so much for this opportunity.

Lee Kantor: It’s my pleasure. All right. This is Lee Kantor. We’ll see you all next time on High Velocity Radio.