Wednesday, October 29, 2008

Good luck penny

I stink - literally. Totally smell. Yuck.

I've taught a gazillion workouts this week. Okay, so that's not true. I've taught six and it's only Wednesday.

Now is the time when certain things start to play through my head... mainly - "quit, you're tired... you're old, no one seems to care much anymore anyways." WHAT? Where is this crazy talk coming from and who is this other person living inside my skin that would think so negatively?

Do you ever feel this way?

Exhausted - beat down - unable to think straight?

Well stop it already!

This is the moment when you have to dig deep. Find just that one little piece of inspiration and hold it closely to your heart. Kind of like a good-luck penny I suppose. What's yours? What inpires you? What gives you hope and motivates you?

Whatever it is - it belongs to you! And you own it. I think that this place that you're in, you know, the one where you just want to give in because it's starting to get a little hard (perhaps physically, maybe even mentally) is the determining factor as to what will happen next and the person that you are.

I tell my own kids this all the time. Go ahead and quit when it gets hard, but if you decide to stick with it and grit your teeth and push through - you'll come out even stronger than you went in and that's the difference between just being good and being the best!

Every moment is a learning opportunity. I love that. There's so much to learn. We should never stop learning - we should always strive to be better... even if that means working through the tough times to get to that point.

You can do it! And actually - luck has nothing to do with it.

Monday, October 20, 2008

Cheerleaders for the soul

Accolades: 1. An expression of approval; praise. 2. A special acknowledgment; an award.

I love accolades, I can't lie. And deep down doesn't just about everyone? Accolades keep the motivation strong. Are you getting your daily dose in?

Not that everything you do should require praise, but I believe that along life's journey we do need some encouragement. Let's face it, life is hard - why go at it alone?

Who are the people that are in your life at the current moment? Do they encourage you or do they bring your spirit down? It may be time to re-evaluate the people you have allowed in your life.

You know who I'm talking about. There are people that encourage you to be the very best person that you can be - they make you feel like you can do just about anything. Their positivity and belief in you, allows you to give more to others in return.

Then there are people that you know just want to watch you fail at what you are doing. They're waiting and watching. Though they may never voice it - you can feel it. You know it's there. You don't need them. They suck every thing out of you, making yourself feel empty and exhausted. Is having this kind of person in your life worth it?

Now think about those people that are in your life currently. Who are they?

Are you blessed to have encouraging people as a part of your life? Even if you only have one person in your life that brings encouragement... that's a start. That person is worth gold! That one person can make you feel alive and filled.

If you haven't found that person... perhaps it's time that you reach out and begin to be an encouragement to others. It will come back to you, I promise. Positive people attract positive people. Take a look at your friend inventory - begin to ask yourself, "Does this person bring positive light to our friendship or negative?" If the answer's negative, ask yourself, "Is it worth holding on to this friendship?"

Life is short. Don't waste it on negativity and bad energy. Allow yourself to be filled with positivity. After all - you're definitely worth it!

Until next time - I'll be cheering for YOU!!!

Wednesday, October 8, 2008

Setbacks

You didn't close on that big sales pitch. You didn't get the promotion you were expecting... or the raise. That project you were working so hard on didn't come out the way you expected it to. A job loss. Or how about a major injury, just days before a sporting event?

Setbacks.

How do you deal with the hurdles that are placed in front of you on life's journey?

Do you allow these setbacks to positively or negatively effect you? How do they effect you? And why?

Making mountains out of mole-hills... heard that before? But I think it's true. Often times it's hard to look past the situation and focus in on the big picture. It is possible to look past the situation and look past yourself... when you're able to achieve that task alone - you've already accomplished success.

It's taken me many years to get to the place where I am now. To the place where I accept setbacks for what they are - and realize that there really are times when I can do absolutely nothing about what has happened. I've learned to accept what's happened - learn from what has happened - and then decide from that point on what I will do with it.

Life is always going to throw you a curve-ball, but it's your reaction that determines the outcome... and in fact, it determines the kind of person that you are. Will you quit? Or will you dig deeper and allow a setback to work to your benefit?

Don't give up...keep on keeping on... and you will begin to see the sweetness of perseverance. I believe in you!

Monday, October 6, 2008

Just believe

I coach gymnastics. I love my girls. One thing I find true with many of them is their lack of self-belief.

As a coach you can tell them over and over again that they can do it. That you believe in them - that they are great at what they do.

BUT, if they don't believe it themselves... they'll often times fail at their attempts to complete a trick or a routine.

I know that I would never ask a gymnast of mine to do something that I didn't think they could already do. However, I can't tell you how many times I've run into a situation that the gymnast couldn't do something I've asked her to do simply because of her own lack of belief.

SO how many times do we do this to ourselves? How often do you find yourself lacking any belief of your own - that you can truly do something? Whether it be making that difficult call to a client or a boss? Or stepping out to network with a complete stranger? Or even tying up the laces on your running shoes so that you can take that mile run you've been saying you want to do? Or what about --- telling yourself that you look great... even if the scale doesn't say exactly what you want it to?

I believe that when we ourselves can truly believe in ourselves... the world is ours - the possibilities are endless.

Stay tuned...