Fireworks

Two years ago, I would have never written this blog post because I had no direction in my life.  I didn't realize that I created my own happiness and that no one but me could create my future.  I would have made excuses to not go on vacation and I would NEVER have posed in a bikini for the world to see.  I was unhappy, stuck and hoping that life would change, but too scared to take a risk to make a change.

Today I'm different.  I'm fearless, confident and in charge of my future.  I live for the quiet and peaceful moments with my family and I'm not afraid to step way outside of my comfort zone because it is there that change takes place.  I have passion and purpose and no longer worry about what people think of me because I love who I have become.  I simply love being a Beachbody coach!

My Beachbody Success Club trip was simply amazing and hard to put into words what the experience was like.  I do know that none of this would be possible if it weren't for the coaching opportunity Beachbody has given me.  Because I live to help and serve others, I'm fulfilling my own dreams.

During our week in Paradise Island, our days were spent on the beautiful, white sandy beach watching Jackson enjoy the waves hit his feet while he passed the time digging his little toes in the sand. Cedric and I relaxed in the sun.  It was so peaceful.  I wanted to stop the clock and not let the moments pass.  It was so genuinely special.

So happy in the sand!

Believe you can achieve whatever you want in life!

We had early morning wake up calls, but for good reason.  When do I get the opportunity to workout on the beach with the top trainers followed up by a Shakeology breakfast?  It was the perfectly written morning script for my life.

Morning yoga with Tony Horton

My awesome brother and I waiting to get a beat down by Shaun T's Insanity workout!

Bottomless supply of Shakeology!

Each evening we enjoyed fabulous dinners on the beach spent with great company while acting silly and sharing stories with the leaders of Beachbody!

Having a great chat with Beachbody CEO Carl Daikeler

 

An evening dinner by the dolphins...

...followed by a little plank challenge in the sand with my brother.

 

Each day I did things that I never dreamed I would do.  I stepped way outside my comfort zone by riding down a a gigantic water slide appropriately called the "Leap of Faith" and did a photo shoot in a bikini!  ME!   Fear no longer controls me. It drives me. 

I have made the best of friends in the last couple years.  The types of friends that uplift me, support me, challenge me and believe in me.  I am so grateful for my life and the gifts I've been given.

My Success Partner and I on the beach!

  

Getting to meet Tony Horton was a delight for my boys!

I had so many 'favorite' moments, but perhaps the most electric moment was the unexpected fireworks show on our last evening in Paradise.  It was an electric and emotional moment.  A culmination of the last year and a half of all the work I have put into being a coach.  It's work that makes a difference.  It's work that is not just changing my life, but so many other people I am fortunate to cross paths with every single day.

A Magical Moment

What it all comes down to is visualizing and then creating the life that you want and deserve.  I love to help people and I love to lead others to an overall better quality of life by giving them the tools to live a more healthy lifestyle.  I've been incredibly fortunate and wonderfully blessed in my life to have the most handsome and supportive husband along with two sweet boys.  Jackson already has plans for our trip next year to Disney World and has made sure that big brother Keelan will join us next time!

Would you love to share this experience with me next year?  Ask me how.

Making Visualization a Reality

When I was in college, I needed a car.  I remember my Dad taking me to a used car dealership.  I'm sure it was filled with Fords, Chevys, Pontiacs, etc.  Tediously searching row by row, I saw reliable college cars, but nothing sparked my eye like that old, yet shiny red, 1987 Audi 4000s.  She was a beauty and I just knew she would be mine.

My dad strongly suggested other cars, but my mind was made up before we left the lot "to think about it".  I had to have THAT car.  Everything about her made me feel happy.  I knew a little sweet talking and number crunching was in order with my dad that night.  He didn't disappoint.  He never does.

After landing a sweet deal even my frugal father couldn't pass up, he helped me drive it off the lot the next day.  I never felt so happy to drive a car as I did this Audi.  Black leather seats, HEATED (perfect for Minnesota winters, where I attended college) and best of all, a sunroof!  I felt like a queen in this car!

I drove her for four memorable years and then we reluctantly parted ways in 1997 when I moved to Texas.  Since then, I've ALWAYS had the dream to drive another German car.  Maybe it is the German in my blood, but something about the way these cars are made and aesthetically look make me feel joy, comfort and happiness.

I'd settled for a Volkswagen...twice. That was economically the right choice for me at the time.  First a Jetta, then a Passat.  Good cars, but they didn't make me feel the way the Audi did.   So I started dreaming.  If that 1987 Audi made me feel like that, what would a BMW would feel like? GULP!

Remember last week when I talked about how to clearly visualize your future? You didn't think I'd stop with visualizing now did you? That's just beginning. The tough part is action. The fun part is making your vision a reality.

For the last 15 years, I cannot tell you how many times I visualized in my head how great it would be to own a Black BMW.  That same Audi feeling came over me every time I would see one.  I had several moments like the one below.  My conscious mind was visualizing that car and it kept showing up, teasing me, suggesting that I needed to get to work.  I needed to put my visualization into action.

This was a particular fun moment I couldn't resist capturing!

 

 

So I made a dream board (or vision board) about a year ago and decided to really put the thought of owning a Black BMW into my conscious mind!  I didn't know how I'd do it.  But I knew, that I would do it.  I didn't just dream anymore.  I got busy.

 

Every day...relentless.  Some days its a grind.  But if I want the things I have visualized for my future, I must put forth great effort.  I must align my values with my dreams and I must have genuine intentions for the things that I want to achieve. 

So when I got the call from the VW Dealership on Friday that the repairs on my current Passat would cost more than the car is worth, I got a little nervous.  You see, the deadline I had given for myself to achieve my BMW goal was June 2012.  Was I ready to make the plunge this soon?  Should I be achieving my goals early? Should I just be safe and get that Ford, Chevy or Pontiac or should I get what I have visualized for myself and what I have worked so hard for over the past year.

What do you think?  I'm ready for the car that parallels my life right now.  I'm not ready to purchase a Brand New Black BMW.  I never made that distinction.  But I am ready for a Used Black BMW.

So do you think that because of the vision I created, that it surprised me that the first two cars that became available on my internet search were Used Black BMWs?  Do you think I'm surprised when I test drove the car, I experienced that same exact feeling my old Audi had given back in college.  Do you think I'm surprised that the price was just right for where I am in my life today?

 

Visualize.  Work.  Achieve.

The keys to my 2007 Black BMW 328i

Visualizing 2012

It's been some time since I've posted here.  This Mama has been incredibly Motivated in other areas of my life.  However, with the start of a new year and a fresh perspective, I felt it necessary to script out my year at a glance.

I recently sat down and wrote a letter to myself, entitled, My 2012 Visualization.  You can call it an action plan, a road map, a strategy if you will.  For me, it's a conscious call to action. 

There is something very empowering and incredibly therapeutic about visualizing my future.  With this concept in mind, it's hard not to strive to reach these goals.  It's almost as if this signals a trigger of response in my brain, calls in a production team to figure out the plan, and then implements that plan in detailed and organized fashion.

A lot of people avoid goal-setting because of the fear of failure.  What if I don't achieve this and what if this doesn't happen exactly as I planned?  This is not my prophecy, this is my positive visualization.  I choose to set myself up for success rather than be fearful of unknown failures.

I've often heard that many athletes use this visualization technique before a big game or before a major race.  It is something that translates quite well for me as a marathon runner.  I never line up at the start line and tell myself, "I sure hope I finish today."  Rather, I see myself doing something crazy like this at the finish, and that motivates me to have a successful race.

Visualization allows me to dig deep into my soul and create the life that I want.  Rather than strumming through life and waiting for events to happen, I've chosen to design the life that my family and I deserve.

Have you ever said, "When I finish paying this off, then I'll be able to save more money."  Or "When my life settles down, then I can start to exercise."  Or my favorite, "Once I have more time, I'll be able to prepare better meals so that I can be healthier."

Why not try this visualization exercise?  It took me less than an hour to design 2012 in a positive and fulfilling perspective.  Some things left a giant ball in my stomach.  I scared myself a little.  Should I really dream this big?  The answer is inevitably, "YES!"

It's easy to avoid setting goals because when your life doesn't change, you have, in your mind, not failed.  But which if, you just changed your thought process a little and rather than being fearful of failure, being prepared for success?

February 1st is just around the corner and I'm looking for five people to step up to my exercise and nutrition challenge!  Do you visualize a healthier you in 2012?  This is how you get started.  Ask me how today!



Do You Want To Be A Better Runner?

Sometimes I take for granted my ability to run.  I just assume that everyone will enjoy it and have the freedom to do what I do.  Running is a gift and I am incredibly humbled and aware that it's not something I should take lightly. 

When I started running, it was a huge accomplishment to run for 30 continuous minutes.  It was a gradual process of adding minutes daily and having the mental wherewithal to realize my ability was far greater than I had given myself credit.

Today, I can happily pronounce that I've logged many, many miles over the past 10 years, but what I'm most proud about is that my journey never ends with a race.  I'm always planning the next, before I finish the last.  I envision my future races to be better, faster and more memorable.

Crossing the finish line is an awesome accomplishment and it's often THE goal when I talk to other runners.  "I just want to finish." It doesn't matter if it's pretty or fast.  What matters is what happens in the end.  Two arms raised at the finish line.

But what about those of us that have that burning drive to be better?  Those of us who don't just want to finish but rather want to finish strong and fast and dare I say....competitively.  I would have never considered myself a fast runner.  Average at best.  But something inside of me kept whispering that I was better.  I was fast.  I was a Boston Qualifier. 

Are you that person?  Do you long to qualify for Boston, but you just haven't been able to get faster?  Do you just want to be in the higher and faster echelon of runners?  Do you secretly want to not just finish a race, but actually race it.  I'm not talking elite here.  I'm talking top 20 - 25 percent.

My life and running career changed when I was introduced to high intensity cross-training and optimal nutrition.  I went from average to speedy (for me) in a matter of months.  I dropped unnecessary weight, leaned out my body fat ratio and accomplished some pretty cool race feats, including qualifying for Boston, which I never thought possible.

That's me over the course of 60 and 120 days.  I've been a runner and I will continue to be a runner.  It just took stepping up my game and focusing on nutrition that I became a better runner. 

I'm looking for five people who have that same desire as I did to join a 60-day Insanity / Shakeology challenge with me.  If you believe it, you can achieve it.  Let me help you go get it.  You'll get my daily support, motivation and advice!

Who is ready to be better, stronger, faster?  I can show you how.

The day I accomplished what I had only dreamed about in the past.  Getting ready to cross the finish line in qualifying fashion.  I believed in me and I worked really hard.  I believe in you and you CAN do this too.  Ask me how!