Louise Keramaris
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Louise Keramaris is a passionate results focused experienced Coach, Facilitator and Trainer, specialising in career development and transition, inner-work-mindset-personal growth and development coaching and delivering tailored training, facilitation and mentoring services in response to the needs of organisations, workforces and individuals.
Louise has over 20 years experience in senior leadership roles across education, early childhood, Aboriginal Affairs, aged Care (community based) primary health, disability, sport and recreation, crisis support counselling and community services sectors in Commonwealth, State and local government and over 6 years experience in delivering coaching services. She brings to her coaching, facilitation and training a depth of understanding of the complexity of work environments, the qualities of positive strategic leadership, the needs of multiple and diverse stakeholders and effectively managing competing priorities. Louise understands the importance of fostering a culture of integrity, transparency, accountability and quality improvement. Louise is able to quickly build trust and credibility as she nurtures positive relationships, the foundation to successful results. She draws on a breadth of coaching tools and resources to empower people to recognize their strengths and set realistic goals that take them to achieve the next step in their careers, business and personal lives. Louise’s experience in leading change across government has given her unique insights into the psychology and mindsets that are the most adaptive, flexible and resilient in both managing self and the change process. Louise’s level of compassion and emotional intelligence enhances her ability to work with people of diverse backgrounds and careers to draw out their values, support the right thinking and empower each person to lead more satisfying careers and lives. ***************** Founder and Coaching Director Coaching | Mentoring | Career Support | Facilitation | Training Infinite Inspiration E: [email protected] M: 0438 033 434 |
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Humanitys Heart Interview
A conversation with Dr Robyn Mills and Louise Keramaris Louise Keramaris Be inspired by Louise, who comes from a place of love, service and humility. She has been driven to government roles and coaching as a practice to be in service to community to improve the quality of life for everyone and to address systemic injustice and inequality. She especially honours and is deeply connected to First Nations Peoples. Although she experienced racism as a child of Greek immigrants, the extremely horrific and painful experiences shared with her by an elder of the First Nations People with stay with her forever. The information was so painful to hear, that she is unable to share it. It left a mark on her soul. When she was diagnosed with breast cancer her journey took her to look within to heal herself. She embodies and is passionate about indigenous beliefs: kindness, caring, family, community, listening to Elders, Mother Earth… the list goes on. An aboriginal word for all of us to take away is DADIRRI, which is deep listening, based on respect, inner quiet, stillness and from the heart. |
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What's Your Story?
You can read about a version of my story on the blog on my website, you can go on Instagram and see another version, if you are friends with me on Facebook you will see another version and those of you that know me in real life will also have your own and many other versions of the stories that are me. So what’s my story. It’s all of that and more and then so much less. Me, myself and I like this version of the story…I was born on the 16 October 1964 into a family with two parents ( a mother and a father, both of a Greek heritage as far as we can tell with the generations we go back to..ha ha ha!) and then my two brothers were born five and ten years later. A bunch of experiences and events happened to me, for me, at me for the first 53 years of my life. I was moulded by them either positively or negatively or neutrally but nevertheless they touched me in some way. As part of those experiences but not necessarily the case I met a bunch of people including my family, friends, leaders, acquaintances, authors, film-makers, trainers, teachers, mentors and partners that in turn shaped me somewhat – probably a lot more than I care to imagine. I also went and travelled to different countries and met more people from diverse ages, cultures and backgrounds and found other parts of myself and at the same time was crafted some more from these people and places and events and experiences. And each and every day from this day onwards, like Humpty Dumpty I get up and some days I fall down. Other days I am gathering pieces by myself or with my friends and family or helping others to gather their pieces. Then other days I’m putting myself back together and repackaging as I pray and keep going and also help others to do the same. I try to get focused on the important stuff in my life, my key relationships, spreading love compassion, kindness and humour, take action on the issues that I am passionate about (too many to mention!) and have a focus on my evolving purpose. I’m repackaging that every day! I pray and keep going trusting that everything is unfolding perfectly for a reason. Upon waking each day I am grateful to be alive and I say a prayer out loud for all the beautiful souls that surround me (physically, metaphysically, virtually and across lives!) and give thanks to our Creator – Great Spirit – the Holy Spirit – God – Mother Mary. I take a moment to acknowledge the Traditional Owners of this sacred land and thank all Elders, past, present and future. This is about honouring all that have come before to protect and nurture this magnificent country. And so the story continues and unfolds. Sound familiar? What is the toughest decision you have ever made? There have been three equally tough decisions in my life, in no particular order. The first one, was to not go down the traditional path of conventional medicine post my breast cancer diagnosis initially and more recently discovering a lump in my other breast and continuing to make the decision to not go down the conventional approach. The second toughest decision was leaving a relationship where I had lost any sense of myself and love for myself at the expense of loving the other person so much that I would have done anything for them. The turning point was realising that the level and depth that I was seeking could not be reciprocated. There was an equal third tough decision but that will remain a private one that I will take to my grave. I like to add a bit of suspense here! I think I lied. There is probably a fourth or perhaps even fifth equally tough decision and definitely those will go with me to the grave! Meet me on the other side and I will share these with you! What is the easiest decision you have ever made? After having gone through the first 3 toughest decisions in my life every other decision after seems super easy! Is that avoiding this question? It may well be! Who is your role model and why? I don’t have one role model. I have been privileged to meet some outstanding human beings on this planet and to mention one over and above the others would not be right. Everyone that has ever moved me to grow more into my true self or be more of my true self or transform into my true self has been my role model. I have been blessed with the most extraordinary managers, teachers, leaders, mentors, facilitators, coaches, trainers, friends, brothers, mother, father, cousins, nieces, nephews and partners that have all been role models in one way or another. Either pulling me towards what I need to be or showing me what I shouldn’t be! One way or another each of these people in my life has influenced me as a role model of sorts! What is your SUPER Power? If there was only one I would have to say to be able to draw on an infinite supply of LOVE and COMPASSION is my supreme super power. When I truly look at another human being I do my best to see me in them and come from a place of love. I also look at all life form in the same way as well as our natural environment. I aim to look with the eyes of love and see behind the masks and other barriers people put up to cover up their pain, hurt or numbness. I aim to see deep into the beautiful soul that is in each person. I’m not sure this is a SUPER Power. It may be best to ask others what they think. I don’t believe I’m an expert here! Nothing super about it, other than my doing the work over the years to develop this quality in myself. Best to ask my dearest and closest friends and family that question! When have you been the most satisfied in your life? Right now. The present is the most satisfying I have ever been. That is the only answer I can give to this question. Everything that has happened in the past has lead me to the NOW and this is very satisfying! I am still here today and I feel very grateful to be here. I am now a little bit more wiser but in many ways still very naïve, more joyful as I harness my child nature more and a deeper and more sensitive soul. I am a firm believer in miracles having experienced so many in my life! I have a stronger faith and practice in spirituality. I hope to continue to grow stronger as I embrace even more new experiences and I look forward to making more mistakes and learning from them with a joyous heart and soul! What things do you not like to do? Spend time with people that have closed minds and hearts. Having said that I don’t want to mind be closed minded or closed hearted towards such people as I truly believe that given time and experience their hearts and minds can truly open up! Anything that doesn’t expand my energy and vitality. That’s a pretty broad statement so if you want to find out you will need to ASK me! What is the most important thing about what you want to do? To inspire and ignite the potential in each human being that I come across in my life (informally and formally) to be curious about their lives and to get out of their comfort zone and take a step and then another step and another and then to realise that by continuing to take such steps that eventually they will be taking massive action towards their aspirations. Do you believe books can change the world? Definitely! Particularly if you read the books! If you happen to then take action as a result of ideas or themes of inspiration you read even better! I love books on spiritual and personal development. A few books and people that have inspired me to take massive action in my life are:
What is your ultimate goal? My ultimate goal is to inspire and ignite more kindness, love, hope, faith, compassion and laughter into the world by my intentions, thoughts, words and actions. This is through formal and informal interactions and engagements. I have actually been more conscious of doing this over the last year through my every day interactions in the supermarket, with strangers and people that I meet every day – such as at the local bank, chemist, café, restaurant or bar, the person that is up all night at the 7/11 store, with my neighbours, the way I get involved in issues that are important to me in my local area, in my interactions with people I meet at events, on the street on social media via Instagram, facebook and Twitter both in Australia and across the world. I am now very conscious and intentional in instilling these values in all my interactions and work as a coach, mentor, daughter, cousin, friend, aunty or whatever role I hold in my family, community or workplace. I truly believe that as each of us embraces the miraculous within us that we are truly unstoppable in what we can achieve for the vision of the world we want to see for ourselves and for future generations! I sense we are at the crossroads right now and have a massive opportunity to make these positive changes if each of us just stretches out of our COMFORT ZONES and takes a little step, a little action towards something new and different to open up our minds, hearts and souls towards what is truly possible! My message is about changing this one thing in the world “To ignite a greater consciousness in each human being which focuses not just on thought but by taking action towards “truly being the change we want to see in the world”. This change is at its core self-respect, respecting each other and respecting and honouring mother earth with the full set of values I embody. My message is about being the change you want to see in the world and by being that by default you will ignite the change in each human being you have contact with. We are all energy beings and like the chemistry of miraculous grace that makes up our essence we can each impact on each other’s energy and ultimately our neurology, our hearts and minds to activate our soul’s expression in its fullest possible evolution. What is something you have done that has inspired others? I’d like to think that it’s not “some-thing” but “many-things” – the “small things” that are done consistently that is the key. I see the being who I am in the mundane-ness of the day to day “being-ness” “doing-ness” “human-ness” and “conscious-ness” that my sheer presence inspires others. I’m rather eccentric at times and do things a bit differently with love and humour involved. Perhaps best to ask other people this question. I hope in the way that I engage, behave, create and sustain relationships to perhaps inspire people to take notice of the little things that you do each day consistently that can create a ripple effect of energy to inspire others. Hopefully people can see that if they embrace one change, or take one action outside of their comfort zone then that can create a positive ripple effect in themselves, those around them and ultimately take each person on the journey of what they were here to create and be in the first place. What is the story behind your advice? The story goes back many generations - stemming from my ancestors and running through my DNA. A story filled with strength, courage, trauma, resilience, love, compassion and a will to survive, thrive and serve being at the centre. It’s about the combined impact of my experiences, events and the relationships that I have had – each person I have ever encountered has taught me something and I’m very conscious of this. Nothing happens by accident and I truly believe this. I have a strong intuitive spiritual connection that drives my being-ness and trust in what is unfolding. The story is strongly embedded in a belief about a greater energy or spirit or God that is the creator and a faith that all is as it needs to be as long as love, kindness and generosity of soul and heart is at the centre. If you could change one thing about the world, what would it be? To ignite a greater consciousness in each human being which focuses not just on thought but by taking action towards “truly being the change we want to see in the world”. This change is at its core self-respect, respecting each other and respecting and honouring mother earth. What is something you have done that has inspired others? I’d like to think that by being who I am in both my work and personal relationships that I have created What is the story behind your advice? What do you prefer? Beach or Mountains? Beach because I can immerse myself physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually with the salt water. I find the beach so healing to my heart and soul and I am so grateful each day to be so close to a beautiful beach! Sweet or spicy? That’s a tough one! I’d have to say sweet because I love good quality chocolate (hand-home made even better!) and hand made deserts – particularly a fantastic bougatsa or ekmek, crème caramel, flan, Portuguese tart –I guess I lean towards the custard theme in my life (that balances out with the question below – Ice Cream or Custard! I love both!!) Window or aisle? Another tough one! I choose aisle because I don’t feel so trapped!! When you are in an aisle seat you can actually – with a stretch – see out of the window and even ask the “window seat person” to take photos for you! The aisle provides ease of access (without disturbing others!) to the “restroom”, ability to freely get up to do my exercises on the plane and help myself to frequent water! Of course this assumes I am sitting in the good old economy class. Now if I was in business or executive class (that’s only happened once in my life and by golly it was an experience – somehow got to be luckily upgraded! How grateful was I!) then I suspect window or aisle wouldn’t even be a question worth asking! Ha ha ha Ice-Cream or Custard? Another tough one! I love home-hand-made ice cream – chocolate, pistachio, hazelnut, strawberry, raspberry, Cointreau, Frangelico and of course gelati! I think you get the picture! I do prefer something with a zing! Dessert First or last? I’ll go with the popular conventional approach and say last! However, if it’s the only thing I am eating it will by default be both the first and last! Ha ha ha!!! |
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“Be the change you want to see in the world” “Nothing changes, if nothing changes” |
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What Ripple Effect Would you start in the world and why?
To inspire and ignite more kindness, love, hope, faith, compassion and laughter into the world by my intentions, thoughts, words and actions. This is through formal and informal interactions and engagements. I have actually been more conscious of doing this over the last year through my every day interactions in the supermarket, with strangers and people that I meet every day – such as at the local bank, chemist, café, restaurant or bar, the person that is up all night at the 7/11 store, with my neighbours, the way I get involved in issues that are important to me in my local area, in my interactions with people I meet at events, on the street on social media via Instagram, facebook and Twitter both in Australia and across the world. I am now very conscious and intentional in instilling these values in all my interactions and work as a coach, mentor, daughter, cousin, friend, aunty or whatever role I hold in my family, community or workplace. I truly believe that as each of us embraces the miraculous within us that we are truly unstoppable in what we can achieve for the vision of the world we want to see for ourselves and for future generations! I sense we are at the crossroads right now and have a massive opportunity to make these positive changes if each of us just stretches out of our COMFORT ZONES and takes a little step, a little action towards something new and different to open up our minds, hearts and souls towards what is truly possible! |
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