It’s Monday – Be EXTRAordinary.

Tags

family, friends, happy life, love, personal growth

“Don’t let the opinions of the average man sway you.
Dream, and he thinks you’re crazy.
Succeed, and he thinks you’re lucky.
Acquire wealth, and he thinks you’re greedy.
Pay no attention. He simply doesn’t understand.”   —Robert G. Allen

I posted this quote on Facebook the other day. It is one of those quotes that you read over and over because a) it really makes sense b) you don’t want to forget it, and c) every time you read it you can relate to your own life.

Who is the average man? Does he play an important role in your life? Should he?

Does it matter if he thinks you are crazy? What defines crazy anyway?
We are all a little crazy.

Luck. Defined as; the force that seems to operate for good or ill in a person’s life, as in shaping circumstances, events, or opportunities. Is there such thing as luck? Can a person have only good or bad luck? Are our lives really predetermined and there is no such thing as luck at all? Is life just a roll of the dice or is it really about hard work and choices?

Greed. That’s a touchy subject. I know many wealthy people who are not greedy. I also know many people who believe the wealthy are greedy. Saying all wealthy people are greedy is quite a stereotype…..opinions of an average man.

The average man………he has not walked in your shoes. He has no platform to judge. He doesn’t understand.

Does the average man have a place in your life? If he does, do you pay attention to him? Do you see the average man in your family members, circle of friends, neighbors, co-workers? Tough question; but maybe a good one to contemplate.

I was engaged in a conversation with a friend the other day who has been working diligently on her health, fitness, eating, self-improvement, etc. She explained to me that she had recently spent time on vacation with family members who she had not seen in a while; and was telling them about her fitness journey and the ways she had changed her diet. It was troubling to hear her share that her own family members were ridiculing and berating her for what she had not yet accomplished; instead of praising her and lifting her up for the things she had successfully achieved already. This person will read this and know exactly who she is – she is an amazing person and I am SO proud of her!!

The people closest to us are the ones we need the most support from; they are also the ones whose pessimistic words can cut the deepest…and those words are never forgotten. I am so incredibly blessed to have nothing but extraordinary people in my family; and I have the most immense love for my girls who are always there for me…they know who they are 🙂  None of them average.

Life is short. Why be average? Be exceptional.

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Well, it’s here…

Tags

40, health, life, love, Patriots, Seahawks, Super Bowl Sunday, wellness

Superbowl Sunday and the last few days of my 30s!!

On Tuesday I will officially join to big 4-0 club. I have many friends who have struggled with this age, some who have celebrated, some cried and for others it’s just another year.

For me, Tuesday will be another work day with some added bonus calls, emails, text messages and attention from family and friends. Which is awesome! Who doesn’t love some extra attention and pampering?!?!

But more importantly, if this is what my 40’s will be like – then bring it on!!

I can honestly say that at this point in my life I feel AMAZING!!

I practice what I preach. Whole body wellness. And honestly, this is the first time in my life that I truly embrace the entire circle.

My priorities and goals are clear; I know that my family is exactly where we need to be and have incredible hope and belief that amazing things will happen for us this year because we are strong and grounded.

I am in the best shape of my life physically. I am healthy in mind, body and spirit.

My faith is strong. My spirituality continues to grow abundantly each daily and I am blessed to be part of a loving community.

Emotionally,  I wake every morning with gratitude and a smile on my face. I am filled with love and joy, excited to share it and make every day count.

My relationships are meaningful, help me grow and make me a better person.

My family makes me proud of them EVERY single day. The love I have for them cannot be put into words.

I cherish my career and the opportunities it brings and KNOW that there is MORE to come personally and for Jay and I working together as a team.

So, bring it on!!  If this is the 40s – let’s do this!!

Have an amazing week and who ever you are cheering for today – enjoy, be safe and don’t hang out by the food table all night 🙂

L

 

Do You Dream?

Tags

determination, dream, friends, goals, inspiration, love, Southport NC

Thank you God; it was an absolutely picture perfect day as we rode our beach cruisers around the modest town of Southport, NC on Saturday. A small water town with the friendliest of people, out and about on what was probably one of the most gorgeous Saturdays of the year….

Spending the weekend with one of my dearest friends and her daughters;  I found myself in thought, reflection and conversation about the important things in life. One simple thought that…..life is not a dress rehearsal.

This is it. This is our chance. To live, love, laugh and cherish every moment. To make a difference. Take the good with the bad. Learn from our mistakes. To serve. To grow. Embrace and cherish our relationships. Be our best. Be present. Be happy.

That one simple thought makes ANY excuse to put “things” off seem futile.

Another thought and topic of conversation…what does your perfect day look like? From the time you wake to the time you go to bed. How would you spend your time? Do you know? Have you ever given yourself a chance to daydream about it?  It’s pretty awesome!  Take the time to dream….

And then talk about it with your spouse or significant other. Check to see if that dream aligns with the hopes and dreams of the people you love and spend the most time with. It was awesome to do this with my husband and see that our perfect days are almost exactly the same.

Enjoy and have an inspiring week!

 

 

First Blog in 2 Months…..

Tags

30s, 40s, 50s, 60s, laugh, live, love

First blog in 2 months!

I believe that everything in life is a learning experience. The ups, downs, good, bad, ins, outs, highs, lows…..we can always learn from what we are dealt and for the most part I do believe that we are not dealt more than we can handle.

It is also my opinion that life in your 30s is a time for considerable personal transitions. Those of you in your 40s, 50s, and 60s may also feel this way or can attest to this; I just cannot speak from that point of view.  Each decade brings us new lessons, new life experiences, new interactions; but we figure out who we truly are in our 30s…..or at least this has been my experience.

My 30s are not over yet 🙂 and I continue to learn new things each day. I learn from what I read and the information I educate myself with, from the relationships I have, from the people I choose to surround myself with.  Jordan and Kendall teach me daily with their personalities and tests of parenthood.

My 30s have taught me who I really am, what kind of difference I want to make in the world and what kind of legacy I want to leave. I realize what kind of person I am and I do not need anyone else’s approval or validation. I know how I want to spend my day, who I want to spend it with, the lessons I want to teach my kids. I know what goals I want to accomplish this year, what books I want to read and where I want to travel. I know who inspires and motivates me and I am certain of my belief system.

Of course, there are quite a few things that I do not know yet…… 🙂

There are three mantras that I aspire to live by daily; which happen to be the same three that I coach others to do in their lives as well.

• “Do your best everyday in everything that you do. YOUR best is not that of your partner, parents, neighbors, and friends; your best is for YOU. Each of us has our own best.”
• “Concentrate on something positive each morning upon waking and as your go throughout the day. Don’t judge. See the good in situations and in others first.”
• “Don’t take the things in your life for granted.”

When you think of “things” in life that you don’t want to take for granted; what comes to mind? Family, friends, health, job, a house to live, food on the table….. Right?  We can live our day-to-day lives and aspire not to take these things for granted, except sincerely being thankful and living that way takes thought and effort.

My 30s have taught me two important lessons:

*My family comes first; no matter what, always.

*Never take your health for granted. Being healthy and feeling good every day is vitally important and if you have the choice, to live any less than that is cheating yourself out of life.

Over the past 3 months, this has been my lesson. I did take my health for granted. Kind of a cocky attitude to not think twice about it; just because I live a healthy lifestyle doesn’t mean things cannot get out of whack.  My family and close friends know that I have been dealing with some health issues over the past several months – ones that I am still dealing with and trying to figure out. However, I can tell that I am on the mend and I will be fine!  January and February brought numerous days where it was hard to get up, let alone go teach a class or train a client with a smile on my face.

I LOVE what I do; helping others each day with health, fitness and general wellness and seeing people realize their ultimate potential. Seeing that light in someone’s eyes when they realize they can do anything they make up their minds to do, is priceless. This is one of the things I was put on this Earth to do. However, I have to feel my best to do my best; and feeling my best has everything to do with those 3 mantras.

Average Man

Tags

exceptional, goals, happiness, life, love, opinion

“Don’t let the opinions of the average man sway you. Dream, and he thinks you’re crazy. Succeed, and he thinks you’re lucky. Acquire wealth, and he thinks you’re greedy. Pay no attention. He simply doesn’t understand.”   —Robert G. Allen

I posted this quote on Facebook the other day. It is one of those quotes that you read over and over because a) it really makes sense b) you don’t want to forget it, and c) every time you read it you can relate to someone or something in your own life.

Who is the average man? Does he play an important role in your life? Should he?

Does it matter if he thinks you are crazy? What defines crazy anyway?
We are all a little crazy.

Luck. Defined as; the force that seems to operate for good or ill in a person’s life, as in shaping circumstances, events, or opportunities. Is there such thing as luck? Can a person have only good or bad luck? Are our lives really predetermined and there is no such thing as luck at all? Is life just a roll of the dice or is it really about hard work and choices?

Greed. That’s a touchy subject. I know many wealthy people who are not greedy. I also know many people who believe the wealthy are greedy. Saying all wealthy people are greedy is quite a stereotype…..opinions of an average man.

The average man………he has not walked in your shoes. He has no platform to judge. He doesn’t understand.

Does the average man have a place in your life? If he does, do you pay attention to him? Do you see the average man in your family members, circle of friends, neighbors, co-workers? Tough question; but maybe a good one to contemplate.

I was engaged in a conversation with a friend the other day who has been working diligently on her health, fitness, eating, self-improvement, etc. She explained to me that she had recently spent time on vacation with family members who she had not seen in a while; and was telling them about her fitness journey and the ways she had changed her diet. It was troubling to hear her share that her own family members were ridiculing and berating her for what she had not yet accomplished; instead of praising her and lifting her up for the things she had successfully achieved already. This person will read this and know exactly who she is – she is an amazing person and I am SO proud of her!!

The people closest to us are the ones we need the most support from; they are also the ones whose pessimistic words can cut the deepest…and those words are never forgotten. I am so incredibly blessed to have nothing but extraordinary people in my family; and I have the most immense love for my girls who are always there for me…they know who they are 🙂  None of them average.

Life is short. Why be average? Be exceptional.