“You Answered the Call”- Paul Kerzner, L.Ac., Presence Coach

Above & Beyond Acupuncture: https://www.aboveandbeyondacupuncture.com/

The Presence Projects: https://www.areyoubeingpresent.com

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With every person we come across, there are times it is obvious and we begin to understand that they are placed by design in our lives to help each on our paths.  On my journey in meeting all the people in my life, I realize that all are divinely placed in my path.  We are all here to help each other in some way.  We grow from each experience through inspiration, challenge and awareness.

Those who walk their calling openly being who they are spiritually, mentally and emotionally are unique in this world.  We are raised to be fearful of who we are and showing that into the world.  We are great and powerful beings of light. Actualizing this realization is what Paul Kerzner has done.  He is a Licensed Acupuncturist, Herbalist, Public Speaker and Presence Coach.  He has answered the call with courage and determination to help those who are seeking wellness and awakening on their journey. Sometimes, it is just having one person see our own uniqueness and believe in us that can shift our whole reality sparking courage to take action in becoming the real person we are.

Paul is more than just an acupuncturist.  He is there emotionally, spiritually and mentally for the people he works with. He has helped many who have struggled with anxiety, stress and depression find healing and relief. By listening to the call in his own life, he is able to help his clients find and listen to their own calling. I asked Paul if he would be willing to be interviewed for the “Answer the Call” blog to inspire readers to tap into their own calling.

Paul you are very gifted in your intuitive skills and in your career as an Acupuncturist, how did you answer the call to this journey?

I don’t feel there was much of a choice. The universe made my life quite challenging and pushed me to recognize I had to move forward with my own healing.   Acupuncture appeared in my life and was the only thing that gave me long lasting relief.  At the time, I was living and working in New York City and was going through a variety of physical and emotional issues.  I had to make some changes to move forward and was able to achieve a certain level of peace and see the direction I was headed by using Traditional Chinese Medicine. There came a point where I knew I had to leave New York City and fulfill my destiny.

On New Year’s Eve 2010; I made the decision to pursue a career in acupuncture and visited six schools on the west coast.  Eight months later; I packed up and moved to Tucson and never looked back. I left Manhattan and only knew one person in AZ. During the three years in school, I spent a lot of time by myself and did deep introspective work. I realized many of the decisions I had made came from a place of pain and had to change that.  During this process, I learned about presence, mindfulness and life’s amazing synchronicities.

The day after I graduated, I moved up to Scottsdale, AZ and opened my clinic six weeks later.  I can tell you that being a small business owner has been one of the greatest challenges I’ve experienced in life.  Again, up this point, I felt that I had no choice but to answer this call.  I accepted that I was supposed to be an acupuncturist without question. My calling in life was to be of service to others.  I have this desire to provide the highest level of care that I was given by a select few practitioners in my own life. When I attempted to ignore my calling, life became uncomfortable.  When I accepted my calling, my life moved forward. This lesson of resistance and acceptance is one I work on every day.

I believe if I resisted the call; I would have been continuously pushed to accept my destiny. I could have resisted but that would have created undesirable results.

On your journey to this call to greatness, even though it may have had ups and downs, when you look back, would you do it all again?

It has been a challenging path and it is not for everyone. There is a certain amount of intestinal fortitude to be a small business owner and be of service to others, the community and to believe in something when it seems like it isn’t working out.

What is the advice you can give to someone who wants to be a small business owner?

You need to speak to as many people as possible in your desired field and to learn how they did it. Remember, your path may not be identical to theirs but learn from other people’s mistakes as well as your own.

Do you remember any one defining moment that changed your whole outlook on life and your journey?

One moment that really stands out is the day I opened the clinic doors and there were no clients. Nothing can prepare you for the journey of opening a business from scratch. In the beginning, I couldn’t even give my services away. I did what I had to do and I don’t regret my decisions but don’t want to do have to do it again.

How did it make you resourceful? When you are all in, I mean all in and have no exit strategy, you have to move forward and make it work. There is literally no choice. I had to create stability. I am still moving towards this on a deeper level now as a motivational and inspiration teacher/coach to access larger groups of people to share my message.

As a business owner, I find I am always moving towards greater stability and expansion. Do you feel that is something you will always be doing? Depends on what your definition of success and wealth is. I believe there is an end game and once I achieve my desired number and level, I won’t have to push as hard once my goals are achieved.  You have to have goals, achievable goals and mile markers or you will never be able to measure your success.

I saw a video the other day where this young lady, who is very successful in business, explained that her dad asked her and her brother every day what their failures were for the day and after a while, she realized that is was only where she was not taking hold of opportunity.  Do you think this is something that can help you measure your success and where you can see where you are not taking hold of opportunity? I feel that the word failure is a very limiting & negative word. I would like to reframe failure with the word opportunity.  My goals are more fluid than rigid. I have bigger lofty goals that may make it harder to exactly mark where I am at any given moment. That is great!  Words we use are very influential in our achieving our goals. If we use very unhealthy, negative and limiting words that cause a state of being and vibration that is against what our goals are, it is going to be harder to achieve the goal.  When we look on our day, it is about looking back on every opportunity and how did it make us feel and think accordingly using healthier perspective.

That is how I would summarize it. Not every opportunity is a good opportunity for us.  It is important to listen and be true to ourselves.  We have to pay attention to how the opportunity makes us feel. I also have to look at my fears and resistance. Is it fear or is it something that is not in resonance with me?  This can be a challenge.  I have to be honest and see things clearly as it can be hard to discern between fear/resistance and resonance.

We all have challenging moments and people in our lives. What do you do in order to overcome these situations and people? Any specific thoughts or tools you use?

I sometimes talk it out or internalize it depending on the situation. Being present will ultimately help detach from experiencing unnecessary levels of pain and is the best coping mechanism to put things into perspective.

What were the top two beliefs you had to overcome to create the life you have now?  How did you do it?

I don’t know if I have fully overcome them just yet. Truth be told, I have been working on them and will continue to do so. Two limiting beliefs that I’ve been addressing are “that’s impossible and I am not good enough”. Many people have those beliefs.  Being present gives the ability to perceive those beliefs and work through them.  Do you feel this is how being present works for you in overcoming these beliefs?  Again, sometimes, I feel I have no choice. I have to push through it. It has to happen. In my life, I tend to respond through pain and that is what moves me forward.

You have a very strong intuitive gift, how does this gift help you daily in your life?

Being intuitive can be a blessing and a curse at times. While it certainly comes handy while working with patients, there are other situations where I wish I didn’t know the things I do. It can be a mixed bag but I am deeply grateful to have this gift and use it to help others.

Can you describe how a typical day is for you? What are the practices that are a must for your overall wellness?

I start my mornings with a mindfulness practice that is composed of three different exercises; an inspirational reading, affirmations and meditation. It is important for me to start my day that way so I can achieve an inner state of peace and stillness. How do you end your day?  I read the clearing statement you gave me to help release any energy that I unknowingly took on.  More importantly, I take a shower to cleanse physically and energetically. I make sure I leave work at work.  I rarely dwell on anything that happened at the clinic once I am home.

What do you feel is the greatest need for people to be their greatness?

They have to be present! If you are not present, you will never really see and know who you are. You will always be thinking of the past or future.  You won’t be able to fully actualize your dreams, potentials and desires. You won’t act on opportunities. The mind is a wonderful tool and also a terrifying tool. If you allow it to control you, you will always be the victim of your thoughts.

To follow Paul’s podcasts, learn about his presence coaching program and read his blogs go to: www.areyoubeingpresent.com.  His podcasts are also on iTunes and Facebook.

What would you tell someone who is struggling with fear and belief systems that keep them from being in their greatness?

It is understandable at times to struggle with fear.  As humans we experience a variety of emotions, some negative and some positive.  We must remember we have a choice. You can choose to be scared. It’s ok, but we still have to move forward and do what needs to be done. Anyone that tells you that they are not scared of anything isn’t being honest. We all have fear.

What you said is true and I like the acronym F.E.A.R is False Evidence Appearing Real.

Thank you Paul for taking the time to tell your story and be very honest about your journey to help inspire our readers!  Paul is an example of great courage in “Answering the Call”  Are you ready to “Answer the Call” that is calling you?