Costa Women Meet… Katja Rusanen

Ali talks to Katja Rusanen, Coach and Mentor to ‘Lightworkers’.  Originally from Finland, Katja now divides her time between Marbella and California.  Katja believes in the importance of trusting your intuition.  Scroll to the end to join her free course: Speak Your Purpose – 5-Day Quickstart 

When I was 6 years old, I told my mom that I’d move abroad. It took me some years as my studies and then competing in karate kept me in Finland. I swapped the Finnish winters to sunshine in 2002. I chose Spain as I got a seasonal work opportunity at a hotel in Palma Nova, Mallorca. After the summer, I moved to London but I missed Spanish sunshine. If I would have moved directly from Finland to London, I might still live there, but I had got a taste of Spanish lifestyle. I got enough of rainy days after two years and I gave up an opportunity to become an Assistant Manager in a hotel and moved to Barcelona with one suitcase and my dog. Barcelona was my home for 10 years but 2014 I felt called to continue my journey and say “adieu” to the beautiful cosmopolitan city. I moved to Santa Monica, California, to study Master’s Degree in Spiritual Psychology at the University of Santa Monica. After I completed my studies, I did some traveling including 3 months in Australia and pondered where shall I go next… I found extremely affordable one way ticket from Los Angeles to Malaga and I booked it. I had visited Marbella years ago for a holiday but had not fallen in love with it. This time I had a different experience; Nueva Andalucia and La Concha Mountain charmed me and I felt like I have found a place where I want to stay. 

You now call Marbella home – three reasons why we should move there?

1) Sunshine, sunshine, sunshine
2) Beautiful scenery – Mediterranean Sea & La Concha
3) International atmosphere – more than 130 nationalities live here

What is your own purpose driven life story?

My search of purpose began at an early age, when I was overwhelmed with despair after my boyfriend died by suicide. That experience led me to seek answers from spirituality, discover my karmic lesson with loss of loved ones, and break free from my own repetitive pattern. Now I’m deeply committed to helping others get free from old patterns and blocks so they can shine their Light, share their gifts and succeed on purpose.

What were you doing in Spain?

I work as a Spiritual Counselor and a Mentor for Lightworkers. I am so called ‘service Soul’ – I love helping people. When I started to feel a strong calling from my Soul to do what I do today, at first I ignored it and tried to push it away… When I first experienced this feeling as a teenager I’d kept myself busy competing in karate and chose more traditional choice to study Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration. Then I became busy climbing the career ladder first in European Forest Institute in Finland, then hospitality industry in London, UK, and then in banking in Barcelona, Spain.

But when I started to feel pain in my chest area, I began to slow down. I knew what I needed to do. It was time to leave my current career and start doing what I came here to do. It wasn’t easy to say goodbye to a steady paycheck, and people called me crazy when I shared my plan. They said I was going woo-woo and had my head in the clouds. There was so much FEAR! And it kept me stuck, but my heart was telling me that I must do this. I must be true to myself. I must take a leap of faith.

And when I did… The pain in my chest area disappeared, but the fear didn’t. I had to work through many layers of fear to begin sharing my purpose. I’m grateful for all the teachers and friends who have accompanied me through this process.

What are Karmic patterns?

They are patterns that keep repeating again and again. Almost all of our patterns are karmic.

Karma means action, and we carry over unfinished karma from the past – this life or past lives – to this moment. It’s like karma pushes you to situations or towards people who will give you an opportunity to work through your unresolved issues. This opportunity might feel more like a curse than a blessing when you are going through it.

Karma is often seen as a b***h that’s coming to get you. But actually, Karma can be seen the most patient teacher who won’t give up on you until you learn the lesson it has for you. It gives us opportunity after opportunity, and I believe that is possible to set yourself free from the karmic cycle of suffering through awareness. We can use our Karma for learning, uplifting and growth.

How do we discover our talents and goals particularly when we are notoriously bad at recognizing the good and talents and in our lives?

It does take practice and sometimes some support to start seeing your own natural talents. Sometimes we also might take things granted and not recognize them as a gift. This was my case with intuition, I thought that everyone is connected with their intuition as I was until my teacher pointed out that it’s not always the case. You can start by observing what comes easy to you and write them down. Also, you might want to write down things that bring you joy as the joy can lead you to your purpose.

For the person who thinks the idea of your coaching would be too woo-woo for them, how do you balance with practical steps?

Yes, I understand that my coaching might sound too woo-woo for some and luckily I am not the only option! There are many coaches available with different styles and approaches. You need to find a coach that resonates with you.

I combine my spiritual awareness with my pragmatic approach that helps my clients get results fast. I love practical spirituality and help my clients to leave sessions with action steps that they can take so that they can keep moving forward.

Do you believe being a registered and trained coach is essential in supporting people to get where they want or need to go?

From my own experience I’d say that training is very helpful as it gives tools and methods that a coach can use with her/his clients. A diploma on the wall gives credibility but it does not make a coach great itself, the results that the coach can help his/her clients to achieve speak volumes. I’d also like to point out that here is also the responsibility of the client to be willing to do the work, you can be the greatest coach in the world but if your client is not willing to be coached and take action, your client won’t get the result they want.

Favourite piece of advice you have been given?

“Trust your intuition” advice from my mom.

All time favourite book, or blog and your keep learning from it?

There are so many that it’s very hard for me to choose one. It seems that there are books that come to me during certain time as I’m ready for the lesson.

One book that I keep going back to is “Soul Plan: Reconnect with Your True Life Purpose” by Blue Marsden as I do Soul Plan Readings that help people to gain clarity about their purpose. I’m grateful that I have got an opportunity to study with Blue Marsden in person and I use the book as a reference when I prepare the readings. As each reading is unique, it seem that each time I read the book, different things are highlighted to me, so I definitely keep learning from it.

You use video a lot for your business, top tips for a Woman who is thinking of being brave and going live!

1) Prepare – Spend some time preparing what you want to talk about. Choose a topic and its key points. You can make a couple of bullet points or write the whole idea down.
2) Practice – Practicing can help you become more comfortable before you go live. You can also do your first Facebook live on your personal profile.
3) Push the button – Just do it! And have a loads of compassion with yourself. Share with your friends that this is your first FB live and you might be surprised how much support you receive. Remember that done is better than perfect!

Once you have done your first FB live, celebrate this action step and reward yourself! You did it!

Something you would tell your teenage self?

“I love you! Just know that there are brighter days ahead you will find joy again.” 

When I was a teenager, I was in a very dark place and I had almost lost all the hope. I’d like to let her know that she is lovable and there is a way out from the darkness that I experienced back then.

Where do you see yourself living in the next 10 years?  

Ideally I’d be serving clients online from two home bases, Marbella & California. This way I wouldn’t need to choose and would get the best from both of the worlds. But I’m wherever Spirit sends me, I follow the guidance that I receive. I just keep my fingers cross that there will be palm trees!

Something you will achieve in 2018

I’m excited to create and launch my online program called “Ignite Your Purpose”. It’s designed for alternative therapists, coaches and healers who want to serve more clients.

** Special invite: Speak Your Purpose – 5-Day Quickstart
I’ve just created a brand new program called Speak Your Purpose – 5-Day Quickstart and it’s completely free!

Join Speak Your Purpose – 5-Day Quickstart today, as the world needs to hear your message!
            
http://bit.ly/SpeakYourPurpose 

Where do we find out more?
I’d love to invite you to visit my website and connect with me on social media:
Website: www.katjarusanen.com
FB Page: www.facebook.com/katjarusanen22
FB Group: www.facebook.com/groups/LightworkersWhoSucceedOnPurpose/
IG: www.instagram.com/katjarusanen

Or email me at katja@katjarusanen.com