Being your BEST!

August 3, 2014

Like many of you, my last twelve months have been full of great events and great challenges to match.  It wasn't long after my marriage to Jim that he developed a mysterious ailment that affected his breathing and resulted in two separate hospital stays before Thanksgiving and Christmas.  In the past, we had both been through physical and emotional trials that could get the best of anyone.  Yet with these most recent trials, came joy and intent to make the most of what had been given to us in our lives.

I believe it is in these moments of challenge and frustration that we have the chance to prove to others, and above all to God and ourselves, what we are all about.  It would have been easy to get discouraged and use medications to relieve pain.  I, personally, have often felt powerless to cope with something over which I had no control of in my own body or upon something that affected my loved ones.  Fortunately, I've learned an important lesson from the example and struggle of others whom I admire.  Rather than give in or give up on aspirations, I realized the answer was still in my control.  It would take using the path less traveled; something that all who have achieved tough goals understands.  Yes, I discovered once again that getting my home business going or making my body stronger would take hard work - even sweat and tears.  The answer wasn't adjusting my pain threshold, but the willingness to stop avoiding the pain necessary before positive change could occur.

So, if any of you are going through painful times, I pray for your patience to endure the struggle it might take to recover and succeed on your journey.   Being your best or simply getting better starts with commitment and then takes actions.  Actions like eating less and exercising through soreness.  Actions like making the outreach to clients and accepting competition and possible rejection along the way.  Actions like Jim underwent with his doctors on therapies that have made a huge difference in his health.  None of these actions were a piece of cake, but positive results started to appear with the decision to act!

Few choices that lead to being your best are easy.  Success, vitality, and even survival springs from our positive intentions.  May you have the desire and belief that you and your loved ones will improve with effort. May we all have the courage to get moving in the right direction as soon as possible!

With Love,

Lost!

April 1, 2014

With all the news about the lost Malaysian flight, it has caused me to reflect on my own life and how at times I felt off course or even lost.  During these times, I felt disconnected from who I wanted to be and knew I had to quickly get myself upright again.  In previous blogs, I’ve discussed the idea of knowing where you are and using anchors to ensure you don’t drift off course.  It’s important that if you have wandered in the wrong direction to realize it as soon as possible in an effort to resume your life as it was meant to be - sound, safe, and whole.

This is not to say that being in unfamiliar territory during our journey in life is a bad thing.  Sometimes I’ve experienced the most growth and learning by taking a course into uncharted areas of my life.  With good intent and planning, nothing should stop us from taking a leap of faith that could lead to exploring your boundaries and discovering new things about your capabilities and the big world around us.  The difference between being lost and pushing into new paths isn’t about how comfortable you feel, but how connected you are to your mission.  Sometimes during great trials and challenges, I’ve had peace knowing that I was where I was supposed to be and that God had intended for me to develop character.

May we all find our way despite endless twists and turns on this journey called Life.  May the person in the mirror always reflect what you admire and desire others to see in you.

My love today and always,

What's stopping you?

February 6, 2014

I was recently thinking about what holds us back from doing some of the most important things in our lives.  I believe that fear is possibly the #1 greatest deterrent.  Like most of us, I have never wanted to disappoint myself or others in my life, so taking that big leap towards stepping out of my shell almost always came with risk.  I’ve learned that if I want to accomplish something big, I have to eventually let my close family and friends know my intentions.  Because I feel strongly about what others might think, I noticed that by telling them, and making my commitment public, it helped me to make the big changes that I was seeking.

What I found works during time of doubt is to first be my own cheerleader.  All I have to do is look back on previous successes or lessons I have learned in order to gain that confidence.  However, to address fear of what others might think is quite tough indeed.  I’ve heard it said many times that all rewards in life come with some risk.  I also know from experience that some of the worst feelings I’ve ever had weren’t caused by risks I took, but ones that I didn’t take.  Rather than letting fear stop my progress, all I have to do is think, “What if it did happen?"  When I fast forward my vision and see my successes, instead of possible failures, it gives me the courage to face that fear knowing that I might always face regret if I didn't act upon those opportunities. Who wants to look back on their life and regret not taking the step you knew would make all the difference to your happiness or fulfill a dream? If you’ve been asking yourself “what if” lately, maybe you need to examine what is stopping you.  May we all have the strength to do those very things that might seem impossible.  If taking that first step gives you a sense of purpose and inner peace, what do you have to lose?

Let nothing stop you!!