What We Need...

We need people to encourage us.  We need to encourage others.  Always look for the positive - remember to support each other because we are all in this world together.  We all have hopes and dreams.  We all do things well and we all make mistakes.  We all want to love and be loved.  We all have emotions and fears.  And we all are the best we can be at this very moment.    Remember to look at everyone with compassionate eyes and encourage them on their journey.

You are perfect and deserve the best.  If I can help encourage you to follow your dreams and your passion, please leave a comment.  You do deserve the best and never forget it!!

You've got to try

"Don't worry about failures, worry about the chances you miss when you don't even try." ~ Jack Canfield

Too many people give up on their dreams because they think it will take too long or be too hard!

What is it that you really want out of life?  What are you doing to get there?  If you don't try, you'll never get there.  Take some steps today to move toward that dream.  Try!  If you keep at it, you'll eventually get there or to something even better,

What's holding you back? Right now, get a piece of paper and pen and write down at least one step you can take to move you toward your dreams!!  Get started today.  Take little steps if you need to.  Take time to identify what you really want.  Go for it.  Have fun.  Remember this is your life and you deserve to be happy!!

Keep me posted on your successes because I know there will be many.  May you have as much faith in yourself as I have in you!!

Take Action Today

What can you do to take action toward your goals today?  Pick 5 things that will move you in the direction of your goals and do them.  If you have only done one, you will still be moving in the right direction.  Too often we get caught up in every day life and not only fail to take steps toward our goals and dreams but sometimes even forget that we have them.

Today, join me and recognizing your ultimate goals and taking at least one action in that direction!  You can do it!!  Let me know what your goals are and what step you are taking to make them a reality!!

January recap

So how did everyone do this month?  Did anyone (besides me) attempt to complete the January challenge?  Here it is and my results.

Every day in January I'm planning to do the following:

1. Meditate2. Run or Walk (3 miles minimum each day)3. Nature - get out in nature and enjoy the world around me4. Mirror Exercise - before going to bed every night I will look at myself in the mirror and compliment myself on my achievements for the day (big or small) and tell myself "I Love You!" ***5. Goals - review them morning and night6. Inspiration - read inspiring books at least 5 minutes7.Sit-Ups - Do at least 308. Push-Ups - Do at least 159. Fruits/Veggies - each at least 5 servings



Okay - I believe I did mediate every day.  Some days were definitely longer than others and I may have missed some because I wasn't tracking it but.  I think I got that one.

I completed 61.9 miles for the month.  Which I think of as a success and as moving me toward my annual goal of 700 miles but I didn't do it every day and not always 3 miles.

Read inspiring books every day!!  

Ate at least 5 servings of fruits and veggies most if not all days!

I've got to work on the rest of these.  I'll come up with a challenge for February and add the ones I think are most important back onto the list.  

I'd love to get your feedback, too!  

Dream Big

What would you do if you knew that you couldn't fail?  What do you really dream of having, being, or doing?  Not just what you think is doable or attainable but what do you really want - what is your big dream?  Do you have a big dream?

Today, I want to suggest that we all create a vision of what our ideal life would look like.  What do you really want and why?  This is not something you need to share, especially in the beginning if it seems too big.  But eventually you absolutely want to share your BIG dreams with someone and anyone who may be able to help you attain it and who will be supportive.

Don't let anyone tell you that your dream is not attainable because we can really do anything if we believe in ourselves, we take steps in the right direction, and we keep at it until we get there.  It's important to listen to feedback along the way to make sure you are headed in the right direction and it's important to re-evaluate from time to time to make sure your goals and dreams haven't changed.  By that I do NOT mean give up on them but sometimes our passions shift and what was once important to us is no longer very important.  Spend your energy pursuing the big dreams that really make you happy and your life will be spend in joy!!

Believe In Yourself

How often do we look for the answers to life's challenges outside of ourselves?  I believe that is one of the reasons that I read so many self-help books - to find the answers I've been looking for.  But the truth is all the answers we need are inside us.  We have them, we just need to quiet our minds and listen.  I remember the first time you could ask God, Source, the Universe for help or answers through prayers but to hear the answers you must meditate or quiet your mind.  It makes so much sense.

What is all comes down to is believing in ourselves and our power.  We all have it.  The only difference is that some of us accept it and allow it and others of us don't believe enough in ourselves to even try to truly listen for the answers.  I challenge each one of us to allow our power to shine through.  Our power is our light and it is a good thing.  People who use "power" to control or hurt others are not really using their power - that's a lack of self-esteem and true self-confidence.  We don't need to be afraid of our power, we need to own it and allow it to flow freely through us every day.  It will inevitably benefit us and everyone around us.  Believe in yourself.  I do.  You can do anything you put your mind to.  You are an amazing person who can have the life you dream of and you can make a positive difference in the world every day!!  

Make today amazing!!  Believe in yourself.  Go share your light and your power with the world and see how things begin to change for the better every day!!

A Journey of a Thousand Miles Begins With a Single Step

As a society we want everything right now.  This goes back to what I was saying about patience and my working on that myself :) Sometimes things take time but if we let ourselves be impatient and give up, we stop moving in the right direction.  If we are moving toward our goals, we are moving away from them.  I am making a commitment to myself to take steps daily toward my goals - or at least toward some of them - to ensure I am not going in the wrong direction.   Will you join me?  Remember that "a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step." ~ Lao Tzu

It doesn't have to be a big step but if you are moving in the direction of your dreams and your goals, you will get there as long as you keep moving!! 

Remember to look at all steps you have taken and give yourself credit.  Don't focus on how far you have to go, focus on how far you have come.  Each step counts.  Each step is important.  Each step energizes you and snowballs your momentum!!  Small steps become steps and then huge jumps until you didn't even realize that you are already there and you've done it!!  You can do it!!!  Don't give up and don't let chances pass you by.  Take a step toward your goal today!!   Join me and move toward your goals and dreams!!  I'm with you on this journey!!

Run Your Race

I am so excited that my friend Mayra's book, Run Your Race, is finally available on Amazon. This book is about making your impossibles possible.  It tells her story (and other's stories) about how running a marathon seemed impossible for them and yet they set a goal and completed at least one marathon.  After they proved to themselves they could do that, things change because they know nothing is impossible.  This is the book that has inspired me to complete a marathon and to take on all the other things I want that seemed "impossible".  It's on Amazon so check it out.  You can watch the trailer here:  http://youtu.be/RQ9rv7tUWDc

Walking in the snow

Here's a picture from today's walk and you can see it was absolutely beautiful. I only got pelted from the salt of the snowplow once but I did see deer tracks which was really neat. I only wish I saw the deer. I think the sound of my shoes crunching on the snow was probably too loud to have the deer stay nearby. Yesterday was freezing rain and today it was snowing. I didn't put in a full 8 miles like I had planned but I did put in 5.3 miles. It was absolutely freezing but I know it's only going to get colder so I have to figure out what to wear for this type of weather. I'm open to any suggestions for people who know.

Simple Steps to Become Fit

Have you noticed how some people are just fit?  How is that?  Well... to be truly fit doesn't "just happen."  If you want to be fit, you will need to work on that.  However, it doesn't have to be "work".  We'll talk later about ways to make fitness fun.  It is easier to create new healthy habits that last when we get enjoyment from them.

1. Decide what you want in terms of your fitness

Often we don't get what we want because we haven't clearly determined what it is that we want.   That applies to all areas of our lives not just fitness. But if you say, "I want to be fit."  Well, was does that mean to you?  To some people it may simply be a number on a scale.  To some people it may mean being able to keep up with their kids running in the back yard.  Others may want to run a marathon.  What does being fit mean to you?

You may think, well I know what being fit means.  That's great, you are a step ahead of many of us.  I still want you to be as specific as you can in terms of how you would measure that fitness.

If you are one of those who see fitness as a number on a scale, I do want to ask you to rethink that as the sole criteria.  Our weight is important but is only one factor.  Being a health and wellness coach, I immediately think of heart health when I think of fitness (also as just one factor) but we've really got to exercise that heart muscle for fitness.

Also, just because you don't want to be a body builder or look like one, that doesn't mean that weight training is not important.  Building lean muscle mass is important for health and well-being at every age.  It also doesn't have to come from going to a gym and lifting weights.  There are many exercises that use your own body weight for strength training.


2. Write down your definition of fitness

Now that you've clarified it in your head, write it down. This helps to set your intention to achieve that level of fitness.

3. Create goals around your definition of fitness

All goals need to be SMART goals.

Specific
Measurable
Attainable
Realistic
Time driven



Here's an example of a well-written goal.  "I will run and complete a marathon by May 31, 2013 at 5 pm."

It is specific - running a marathon.  It is measurable. It does say by when this will be completed.  But now is it attainable and realistic?  Are there any marathons happening at a location you can be at this month?  Are you ready to run a marathon?  If you are currently 100 pounds overweight and completely sedentary, you do not want to set a goal to run a marathon this month.  You can absolutely set that as a goal but you want to be realistic in all aspects of the goal including time frame.

I always have long-term goals in all areas of my life but I find it very useful to have short term goals that when I achieve I move closer to the long-term goal and I have that feeling of accomplishment more often than if I have wait 5 years.

4.  Start imagining yourself as that fit person you want to be

How do you feel?  What do you look like?  What kind of external feedback to you receive?  Feel it.  Enjoy it.  Know that this is you!

Some people think of this visualization exercise as silly but it is much more powerful that people realize.  Professional athletes use this all the time.


5. Make your fitness (and your health) a priority

When you opt not to do some form of exercise (gardening, running, jumping jacks, cleaning, dancing), what are you doing instead?  What are you making a priority?  Is that newest reality TV show really more important than your fitness.  There are plenty of TV commercial based exercises that I'll share, too.

6. Take action

I know for years I have said that health and fitness were my priorities but never took action on it.  In fact, I have studied health and fitness unofficially and officially for over thirty years.  The reality, however, is that it has only been in the last few years that I have started applying all the knowledge I built up in that time :)  I'm not yet at the fitness level I would like to be but I'm on my way.

7. Celebrate your actions

It is so important to celebrate or at the very least acknowledge our achievements.  We often focus on what we didn't accomplish instead of what we did.  So if you want to workout 5 days this week but only did 3, congratulate yourself for doing 3!  Next week you can work toward the goal of 5.

8. Reward yourself

This goes along with the celebrating your successes but we feel good when we are rewarded.  As such, we are more likely to keep going in that right direction.  I do not recommend rewarding yourself with food but occasionally a nice, healthy meal can be the reward.  If one of your goals is to become thinner and you've achieved that, I find it more fun to go out an get some new clothes that are smaller and reinforce my success!

Find An Exercise Partner

It's always more fun to do things with our friends.  Exercise is no exception.  Find a friend (old or new) who also wants to be more active and set a plan for what you'll do together.  It can be as simple as going for a walk every day after the kids go off to school.

Working out with a friend is more enjoyable and holds you accountable so you don't miss your workout.

Here are a few tips:

1. Find someone who really wants to do this.  You both want to motivate each other rather than talk each other out of exercising while having coffee and donuts instead.
2. If you plan to go walking in the neighborhood, have a plan for rainy days or days that the weather keeps you inside.  The right workout video can make all the difference in the world.  Make sure you pick on that resonates with you or you won't do it.  
3. Make sure you both have similar exercise goals and objectives.  If one of you is a couch potato and the other is already an avid exerciser, this may not make for a great partnership.
4. Mix it up a little.  Add weight training or yoga once a week.
5. Make sure you both have a common time that will work every day so that scheduling doesn't become more work than the exercise. (One tip is that if your kids are on the same sports team, you can exercise together while they practice. That won't get you five days/week but it's a start.)  
6. If you are married or in a relationship, recruit them as a partner.
7. Go to some exercise classes at your local Y or any gym.
8. It's okay to have more than one exercise buddy - in fact, it is better.  If you are all friends and want to workout together, that can be great, too!!

Remember if you are really not enjoying getting active and exercising, you are not likely to keep it up.  Make it fun for you!!  Make it social!!  Make it happen!!

You can do it!!  Start today!