I ran across this article and had to share it. I give full credit to the author - Vito LaFata at Fitness Evolution, Laguna Hills, CA
Change and transformation require energy. I’m not going to lie… it’s difficult to focus in a hyperactive world. But, if we are to succeed at creating outer change for our body and our life; it involves us changing inside as well at the mental and emotional level of our being.
There is always a period of inner work before evolving. The greater the outer change you wish to see happen, the greater the inner change that needs to take place first. You have to “BE” that thought, “DO” that action in order to “HAVE” the transformation you desire. You have to lead with serious intentions and a hunger and desire to evolve that requires you to dig in with your emotional motivation.
If you can focus your intentions, which is a subtle energy that attracts what you want, you can transform your goals into reality. Your decision to change begins with a thought. This is how behavior is modified, and change takes place. You are more likely to change your behavior by focusing on your intentions. If you can see the obstacles that get in your way, you can visualize getting past them to your goals.
My experience for success has always been to keep it simple.
Small incremental changes over time result in life-long rewards that are absolutely profound and worth the effort.
Share and communicate your plan of action and goals with others for added accountability and you will find yourself taking what was once a mere thought right into reality!
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
Thursday, June 3, 2010
What motivates you?
I was asked today by another Life Coach, "What drives you?" "Is it good food, love, wealth,interesting people?"
Gosh, I hope this Life Coach has a bit more awareness of what some if not most of her clients are going through day to day. I hope that if she is aware, that she has more compassion and is readied to offer some sound coaching and motivational input.
Please understand, I love a good bottle of wine, I love...no, wait, I LOVE shoes, I love to shop. But with the economy the way it is, and hearing stories day after day from clients and friends who have lost their job, not able to make a mortgage payment, or taking lesser jobs, etc. That dose of reality does not have me or anyone else I know being motivated by good food, love, wealth or interesting people. Just being brutally honest here.
Here was my response;
The motivation to make a difference in this world, not only for me but others as well.
The challenges facing us all at this time are exactly what we don't want yet which give us a unique opportunity. An opportunity to look inside our hearts and ask, "If I am truly committed to having an outstanding, brilliant, fantastic life, one where I live and treasure each moment and share that with the rest of the world to contribute to it's magnificence, what would that look like, feel like, be like?"
Am I willing to rely on the government to make my life better? Am I willing to rely on outside forces or influences to make my life better? I ask myself this, "if not me, who?" "Who else is going to make MY world great and how can I expect anyone else to do something I'm not prepared to do myself?"
That's what motivates me every single day.
Gosh, I hope this Life Coach has a bit more awareness of what some if not most of her clients are going through day to day. I hope that if she is aware, that she has more compassion and is readied to offer some sound coaching and motivational input.
Please understand, I love a good bottle of wine, I love...no, wait, I LOVE shoes, I love to shop. But with the economy the way it is, and hearing stories day after day from clients and friends who have lost their job, not able to make a mortgage payment, or taking lesser jobs, etc. That dose of reality does not have me or anyone else I know being motivated by good food, love, wealth or interesting people. Just being brutally honest here.
Here was my response;
The motivation to make a difference in this world, not only for me but others as well.
The challenges facing us all at this time are exactly what we don't want yet which give us a unique opportunity. An opportunity to look inside our hearts and ask, "If I am truly committed to having an outstanding, brilliant, fantastic life, one where I live and treasure each moment and share that with the rest of the world to contribute to it's magnificence, what would that look like, feel like, be like?"
Am I willing to rely on the government to make my life better? Am I willing to rely on outside forces or influences to make my life better? I ask myself this, "if not me, who?" "Who else is going to make MY world great and how can I expect anyone else to do something I'm not prepared to do myself?"
That's what motivates me every single day.
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
Simple (but you must commit) Secrets of Success
This simple routine can and will inspire greatness. And, don’t be surprised in what direction it may take you.
Take a piece of paper and on the top write the words 10 Goals along with today’s date.
Now ask yourself, if you could only accomplish one goal, but you would have to accomplish this goal within 24 hours, which one goal would have the greatest positive impact in your life?
Really think about the goal that would give you the greatest positive impact: it could be financial, it could be emotional. Trust me, that one goal will jump off the page at you.
Circle that goal, turn the paper over and write that goal at the top of that page, along with a deadline to achieve that goal.
Underneath that, write down anything and everything you’ll need to do in order to accomplish this goal. Do a mind dump; writing everything that immediately comes to mind in order to accomplish this.
Some of these may be obtaining a higher education, becoming certified in your desired field. Or these Must Do’s may be something more immediate such as signing up for a gym membership, or starting the process of putting your house up for sale.
Leave no Must Dos in your mind. Everything necessary to achieve this goal must be written down.
Then, every day do one thing necessary to getting you closer to achieving this goal. One thing, every single day.
You may have to work on one thing for days, or weeks, or even months - but commit to doing one thing every day to get you closer to your desired goal.
The key word is commit!
People begin to become great when they determine their purpose. In one year’s time you can look back at that paper and not only be astonished at where you are, and what you’ve achieved but you’ll have a great sense of purpose and accomplishment.
Take a piece of paper and on the top write the words 10 Goals along with today’s date.
Now ask yourself, if you could only accomplish one goal, but you would have to accomplish this goal within 24 hours, which one goal would have the greatest positive impact in your life?
Really think about the goal that would give you the greatest positive impact: it could be financial, it could be emotional. Trust me, that one goal will jump off the page at you.
Circle that goal, turn the paper over and write that goal at the top of that page, along with a deadline to achieve that goal.
Underneath that, write down anything and everything you’ll need to do in order to accomplish this goal. Do a mind dump; writing everything that immediately comes to mind in order to accomplish this.
Some of these may be obtaining a higher education, becoming certified in your desired field. Or these Must Do’s may be something more immediate such as signing up for a gym membership, or starting the process of putting your house up for sale.
Leave no Must Dos in your mind. Everything necessary to achieve this goal must be written down.
Then, every day do one thing necessary to getting you closer to achieving this goal. One thing, every single day.
You may have to work on one thing for days, or weeks, or even months - but commit to doing one thing every day to get you closer to your desired goal.
The key word is commit!
People begin to become great when they determine their purpose. In one year’s time you can look back at that paper and not only be astonished at where you are, and what you’ve achieved but you’ll have a great sense of purpose and accomplishment.
Monday, May 31, 2010
Your happiness is a gift
It is because the world is so full of suffering,
that your happiness is a gift.
It is because the world is so full of poverty,
that your wealth is a gift.
It is because the world is so unfriendly,
that your smile is a gift.
It is because the world is so full of war,
that your peace of mind is a gift.
It is because the world is in such despair,
that your hope and optimism is a gift.
It is because the world is so afraid,
that your love is a gift.
I found these words in an old article I was reading, I believe it's the vision statement of The Happiness Project UK. Read it slowly, let it sink in. Read it over and over and over again until the words penetrate your heart.
Have a wonderful day!
that your happiness is a gift.
It is because the world is so full of poverty,
that your wealth is a gift.
It is because the world is so unfriendly,
that your smile is a gift.
It is because the world is so full of war,
that your peace of mind is a gift.
It is because the world is in such despair,
that your hope and optimism is a gift.
It is because the world is so afraid,
that your love is a gift.
I found these words in an old article I was reading, I believe it's the vision statement of The Happiness Project UK. Read it slowly, let it sink in. Read it over and over and over again until the words penetrate your heart.
Have a wonderful day!
Thursday, May 27, 2010
The Power of Positive Thinking!
The story about the tiny frogs and the pole climbing contestThere once was a bunch of tiny frogs who arranged a pole climbing competition. The goal was to reach the top of a very high pole that was erected in the middle of the town square.
A big crowd had gathered around the pole to watch the race and cheer on the contestants. The race began, and honestly . . . there wasn’t a soul in the crowd who really believed any of these tiny frogs would reach the top of the pole.
But the whistle blew and the climbing began. From the audience you could hear: "Oh, way too difficult! No way they'll ever make it to the top." "Not a chance they're gonna get there."
Soon enough, a bunch of the tiny frogs started falling off the pole. But some kept climbing. Higher and higher.
The crowd continued to yell: "It’s too difficult! No one will make it!" “They’re too small, they can’t climb that high!”
And sure enough, more tiny frogs got tired and gave up.
And then there was one. One frog who continued to climb higher and higher and higher...
This one just wouldn't give up! He looked exhausted, and yet he continued to climb.
But . . . he made it! He won! Once back down from the top of the pole, all the tiny frogs gathered around him to ask him how he did it.
It turns out that this tiny little winning frog was deaf.
Of course the wisdom of this story is to never, ever listen to other people’s opinions and tendencies to be negative and pessimistic. People have their own opinions on what can and can’t be done. What can and can’t be accomplished. And, if you listen, if you allow those individuals to penetrate your thoughts, they will crush your dreams, they will suck the sunshine right out of you.
Being positive on a daily basis takes time, patience and practice, practice, practice.
Think about when you were just one year old and were starting to take your first steps. No one taught you how to walk. There were no guide books, no “How To Walk For Dummies” to take you step by step (no pun intended…but it’s pretty funny, right?) through the process.
There was just you with your sheer determination and a gaggle of loved ones cheering you on!
You got to a standing position, took one wobbly, drunken step and wham, fell on your face. You either cried, or you laughed but you got right back up and tried it again. Why? Determination! Persistence!
And because you didn’t think you couldn’t do it. There was not one negative thought in your head – not one! You didn’t mind failing, you didn’t mind the fact that you had to keep trying and trying and trying until you were successful.
As adults, we don’t have a cheering crowd continually telling us we can do it. Picture yourself at work faced with a presentation that seems overwhelming. You most likely don’t have a cheerleading section in the corner of your office cheering: “You can do it! This will be perfect, the clients are going to love this!”
Or, maybe you’re toying with the idea of going the entrepreneurial route and opening up your own business. You probably don’t have that same cheerleading squad cheering, “You’ll get the loan, this business makes great, practical sense!” “This business will grow and thrive, it’s a fantastic business model and will be successful!”
Or…..do we?
The fact is, we all do. We have the power of positive thinking. We can drown out any outside negative thoughts if we practice positive thinking on a continual basis. Wikipedia tells us (and if it’s in Wiki, it must be true) that the average human has 60,000 thoughts per day.
Don’t you start to wonder how many of those 60,000 are negative and how many are positive?
Positive thoughts came naturally as a child, but as an adult, the opposite seems to be true. Learning to identify negative thoughts and turning them into a positive takes time and effort but it can be done. Here are a few simple steps that can get you on the path to a more positive way of thinking:
1.Cultivate gratitude – keep a journal next to your bed and before you fall asleep at night, write down 10 things for that day that you’re grateful for. This can be as simple as ‘I found the best parking spot at the post office’ or as complex as ‘I am so grateful to have a partner who loves and appreciates me.’
2.Foster forgiveness – this one is tough! There are 5 steps to forgiveness. (a) Recall the hurt. (b) Empathize and try to understand the act from the other person’s point of view (you may be surprised at what you find) (c) Be altruistic, you may find a time in your life when you’ve done the same to someone else and you were forgiven (d) Commit to putting your forgiveness into words and (e) Try with all you have to hold on to that forgiveness.
3.Wake every morning saying to yourself, “I feel terrific, I feel terrific, I feel terrific”. My husband and I do this out loud and we end up in laughter every single morning before getting out of bed. I say this mantra in the car, I say it standing in line at the grocery store, I say it before making a phone call that I’ve been dreading to make. It just puts you in a better frame of mind.
The bottom line is that life is full of choices. You can decide whether you’re going to have a crappy day or whether you’re going to embrace whatever happens in that day and make the best of it.
I commit to having a fantastic day today, no matter what comes my way. How about you?
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
Let's Take An Energy Quotient Quiz
Fatigue accounts for 80% of all doctor visits.
20% of Americans claim to have fatigue so intense that it interferes with their ability to lead a normal life.
80% of women are expected to experience adrenal fatigue at some point in their lives.
50% of adults who seek medical treatment complain of feeling tired all of the time.
YIKES!!
I found this quiz in one of my Vegan or Raw magazines and I think it’s fairly thorough. Let’s take a look.
1.Do you need caffeine to get you going in the morning?
2.Do you drink diet cola on a daily basis?
3.Do you experience that sluggish feeling mid-afternoon?
4.Do you have persistent aches, pains (your loved ones don’t count) or areas of inflammation?
5.Do you find yourself waking up un-refreshed in the morning, wishing you could sleep longer or hitting the snooze button?
6.Does fatigue prevent you from doing things you’d really like to do?
7.Does fatigue interfere with work or family life?
8.Did fatigue and other symptoms that trouble you begin after an acute illness, trauma, infection or emotional stress?
9.Do you frequently say no when you want to say yes to social engagements?
10.Do you get less than 7-8 hours of sleep each night?
11.Are you exposed to toxins on the job or at home (i.e., pesticides, chemicals, unfiltered water)?
12.Do you feel exhausted after exercise?
13.Do you have problems with short-term memory or difficulty with focus? Have you been under stress for a prolonged period of time?
14.Do you have dry or thin skin?
15.Do you have low body temperature, or are you cold when others are warm?
16.Do you experience premenstrual tension?
17.Are you frequently sad or depressed?
18.Do you have food allergies and sensitivities?
19.Do you crave sweets?
20.Have you noticed any heart palpitations?
21.Do you get headaches fairly often?
22.Are you frequently moody, nervous or easily irritable?
23.Do you overeat on a regular basis?
24.Have you experienced any of the following in the past 5 years?
•Death of a spouse or family member or loved one
•Divorce
•Marital separation
•Personal injury
•Loss of job
•Relocated/moved from one home to another
Count up all the YES answers and score yourself as follows:
0 points – Congratulations! You are full of energy and handle life with a positive attitude and outlook. 1-5 points – You’re likely experiencing a mild loss of energy. Optimizing your diet and removing the sunshine suckers in your life can help restore you and prevent you from ending up with a more serious fatigue problem down the road. 5-10 points – You’re likely experiencing a moderate degree of fatigue or loss of energy. Restoring balance to your body, mind and spirit through diet, lifestyle and spiritual proactices is a good idea to start restoring your energy reserves. 10+ points – You are showing signs of a sever loss of energy, burnout and fatigue. It would serve you well to begin to address the problem with a professional right away.
The reason I blogged about this issue is two-fold.
I’ve been exhausted lately due to stress. I was waking up tired, I felt exhausted after exercise and I wanted to hit the snooze button much longer than it would allow me to. The good news is I’ve found something that really aids in giving me the vitamins, nutrients and energy I need to get me through the day. Doctors are recommending it to their patients. You can go to http://shakeology.com/yourbestlife to see what doctors and customers alike are saying. You certainly don’t have to take my word for it but I will say that it has made a huge difference in my life. Hence the reason for sharing – my passion is motivating and inspiring others to life their best life yet! I hope you enjoy!
20% of Americans claim to have fatigue so intense that it interferes with their ability to lead a normal life.
80% of women are expected to experience adrenal fatigue at some point in their lives.
50% of adults who seek medical treatment complain of feeling tired all of the time.
YIKES!!
I found this quiz in one of my Vegan or Raw magazines and I think it’s fairly thorough. Let’s take a look.
1.Do you need caffeine to get you going in the morning?
2.Do you drink diet cola on a daily basis?
3.Do you experience that sluggish feeling mid-afternoon?
4.Do you have persistent aches, pains (your loved ones don’t count) or areas of inflammation?
5.Do you find yourself waking up un-refreshed in the morning, wishing you could sleep longer or hitting the snooze button?
6.Does fatigue prevent you from doing things you’d really like to do?
7.Does fatigue interfere with work or family life?
8.Did fatigue and other symptoms that trouble you begin after an acute illness, trauma, infection or emotional stress?
9.Do you frequently say no when you want to say yes to social engagements?
10.Do you get less than 7-8 hours of sleep each night?
11.Are you exposed to toxins on the job or at home (i.e., pesticides, chemicals, unfiltered water)?
12.Do you feel exhausted after exercise?
13.Do you have problems with short-term memory or difficulty with focus? Have you been under stress for a prolonged period of time?
14.Do you have dry or thin skin?
15.Do you have low body temperature, or are you cold when others are warm?
16.Do you experience premenstrual tension?
17.Are you frequently sad or depressed?
18.Do you have food allergies and sensitivities?
19.Do you crave sweets?
20.Have you noticed any heart palpitations?
21.Do you get headaches fairly often?
22.Are you frequently moody, nervous or easily irritable?
23.Do you overeat on a regular basis?
24.Have you experienced any of the following in the past 5 years?
•Death of a spouse or family member or loved one
•Divorce
•Marital separation
•Personal injury
•Loss of job
•Relocated/moved from one home to another
Count up all the YES answers and score yourself as follows:
0 points – Congratulations! You are full of energy and handle life with a positive attitude and outlook. 1-5 points – You’re likely experiencing a mild loss of energy. Optimizing your diet and removing the sunshine suckers in your life can help restore you and prevent you from ending up with a more serious fatigue problem down the road. 5-10 points – You’re likely experiencing a moderate degree of fatigue or loss of energy. Restoring balance to your body, mind and spirit through diet, lifestyle and spiritual proactices is a good idea to start restoring your energy reserves. 10+ points – You are showing signs of a sever loss of energy, burnout and fatigue. It would serve you well to begin to address the problem with a professional right away.
The reason I blogged about this issue is two-fold.
I’ve been exhausted lately due to stress. I was waking up tired, I felt exhausted after exercise and I wanted to hit the snooze button much longer than it would allow me to. The good news is I’ve found something that really aids in giving me the vitamins, nutrients and energy I need to get me through the day. Doctors are recommending it to their patients. You can go to http://shakeology.com/yourbestlife to see what doctors and customers alike are saying. You certainly don’t have to take my word for it but I will say that it has made a huge difference in my life. Hence the reason for sharing – my passion is motivating and inspiring others to life their best life yet! I hope you enjoy!
Monday, May 24, 2010
Amazing Women
I came home from a Woman’s Retreat this weekend tired but refreshed and inspired.
This retreat was up in the mountains of Arizona, 7000 feet. Driving up to the campus my ears kept popping and my sinus was confused and sometimes angry. I was constantly air chewing and yawning to keep the pressure in my ears from blowing! The air was crisp and clean, the sun glistened on the lakes, the trees smelled of pine. If I closed my eyes and forgot where I was, I would believe I was in Wisconsin. At night the stars appeared brilliantly in the sky, I was awestruck. Being away from the bright skyline of Las Vegas was welcoming.
I met many inspiring women. Women who have gone through trials and tribulations that you wouldn’t wish on anyone yet have come out stronger and more beautiful than they ever would have imagined. This wasn’t a retreat to pour your heart out and hope that someone was there to pick up the pieces. This was more a retreat to introduce yourself, to connect, to talk about what matters most to you and to share, if you were willing, your fears, your dreams, your aspirations.
The most awe inspiring of the weekend was the simple fact that these women have such a strong faith in God. A faith that is unwavering, a faith that is constant, neverending. Let me give you a few lines of a song that they sung, to give you a better idea of the level of their faith;
Nothing can separate, even if I ran away
Your love never fails
I know I still make mistakes but
You have new mercies for me every day
Your love never fails
You stay the same through the ages
Your love never changes
There may be pain in the night
But joy comes in the morning
And when the oceans rage, I don’t have to be afraid
Because I know that you love me
And your love never fails
‘Cause you make all things work together for my good
I have to be honest, I do not have a faith like this. Don’t get me wrong, I believe in God but I do not live at the level that these women do. They’re on a first name basis with God, they have daily conversations with God. They have devoured the Bible at Bible study classes. They put their hopes, their fears, their dreams in his hands and … let go.
I, on the other hand, am a continually reforming control freak. I, most times, feel that if I only did this…or if I would have done that…or, I can and will do this and it will fix that. It is exhausting! And, when things are going well, I can pat myself on the back and say “great job!” but with that thought process, when things are not going well I can beat myself up knowing that I must have done something wrong and only I can and will fix it NOW. What an ego! Seriously!!
I truly believe as women, mothers, sisters, daughters, wives, business professionals, we think we should have the answers for every situation that arises. Is the title we carry how we define ourselves? Why is this? Is this the way we were raised? I don’t have all the answers. All I know is that I honor and respect these marvelous women I spent a weekend with. I honor and respect them for who they are and the faith that they live by during good times and bad. I honor and respect them for the passion that lives inside them and keeps them going day after day after day. And I hope to call them friends.
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