Month: May 2014

Change one thing. Change Everything.

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Dear Readers, Today is the day of my week I look forward to the most. Today is cheat day on my diet. Most days I am (along with my husband) eating a paleo diet and I experience the joy of weight loss, energy and overall good health forsaking all those foods that my former fat girl self loved and adored. How did I get here?

I gave up soda. It sounds harder and yet was easier than I thought.

I work in a wonderful place that offers free sodas as one its many, many perks but they don’t have my favourite soda so I justified it like that. I said, okay well they don’t have what I want so I will decide to do without it. After a week without it, I no longer thought about it.

The next thing I gave up was chocolate and the same thing happened. I no longer thought about it after not having it all the time and so on. After we had adapted to the paleo lifestyle for a month, we had a glorious meal full of all the foods we loved and had temporarily given up. It was delectable and oh so very choice. I remember that meal and it was one night over a year ago.

Today, though it is cheat day, I am actually planning to only cheat with one meal instead of three, baby steps, people!

Expand your imagination, and find one thing that you have been talking about doing something about  it, today!

Until one is committed, there is hesitancy, the chance to draw back, always ineffectiveness, concerning all acts of initiative (and creation). There is one elementary truth in ignorance of which kills countless ideas and splendid plans: that the moment one definitely commits oneself, then Providence moves too. All sorts of things occur to help one that would never otherwise have occurred. A whole stream of events issues from the decision, raising in one’s favor all manner of unforeseen incidents and meetings and material assistance which no man could have dreamed would have come his way. Whatever you can do or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, power and magic in it. Begin it now.

~ Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

 

Do it, and watch what happens.

 

Push past your comfort zone

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Push past your comfort zone

I hate getting dirty, I like to stay clean and neat. But when my friend Jessica said, let’s do a colour run, I said, Sure, why not!

I was scared of getting it in my nose and my hair and choking on a cloud of toxic (albeit colorful) paint but you know what?

It was fun and easy and I liked being covered in all that paint!

My husband got up at 6:30 this morning to come cheer me on and of course make sure the car was properly covered in towels and sheets so I didn’t get paint on the car later. He smiled and took pictures of me (which he HATES) and cheered me on like he does in everything I do, not just races. There is nothing like having that kind of support to push you past what you think you can do. I treasure it, so thank you Jeremy Haston.

The best part of my day though? When I was busy getting unpainted, my husband made us a healthy breakfast instead of getting fast food which I know he really wanted. I appreciate that he was strong with me and for me as we continue working on healthier eating habits!

So the conclusion, pushing yourself outside of your comfort zone is not bad and in fact something you SHOULD do.

It makes life so much more exciting, not to mention colourful!

Think about it!

Epiphany. It’s not what you think..

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Dear Readers, I have been valiantly struggling to get a concept in my acting class. It has eluded me week after week. Ever the diligent student, I watch intently in class, taking copious amounts of notes, and consciously practicing the skill and failing.

Then last night, I got it. It was so clear and all of a sudden like tumblers clicking into place the knowledge was revealed. I wish I could tell you there were blinding lights, choirs of angels singing and a very enthusiastic audience to applaud the moment but I can’t because it wasn’t like that at all.

It’s very quiet when it happens and if you aren’t paying attention you might just miss it.

Notice that I posted when I accomplished it, not when I was struggling? That’s not an accident. I did not know if I would ever really get it, and now that I have it seems easy. Have you ever stopped to think about that? Put another way, Nelson Mandela says “It always seems impossible till it’s done”

It’s done now, so it’s no longer impossible. No one is perfect, and it takes time and energy to get something worth doing right. Think about it!

Take a picture or capture the moment?

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Take a picture or capture the moment?

Dear readers, I am an unapologetic shutterbug and usually snap a picture a day but recently I realized something important. If you take a picture, you aren’t “in the moment” any more.

Yes, you can put the camera down and get back “in the moment” but the second you “stop to get a picture” something is lost.

I experienced this firsthand at my friend Susie’s wedding. It was beautiful and meaningful and everywhere I looked there was another image I wanted to snap a photo to commemorate the experience but something the rabbi said, “Take a moment to drink in your surroundings” and it got me thinking about how often we DON’T do that in life.

Now, does this mean I am going to stop taking pictures!? Not at all.

Exhibit A- (see photo above) my foot clad in my favourite leopard print pumps and my husband’s injured foot in its orthopedic boot. That photo tells a story about how he was injured and hurting but went anyway to be there for Susie and Victor.

I made a resolution when my niece was born to tale more pictures with my heart and less with my phone. This weekend, I finally realized why it’s important and that makes it a lot easier to do.

The next time you start to take a picture, ask yourself, do I want a picture or do I want to capture a moment?

Think about it!

A small gesture to you can be the world to someone else

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Hello dear readers!

I do my best to pay it forward and go so far as make my birthday the “give everyone else a present and don’t tell them” day…

 

Today, I woke up a little late, didn’t get my work out in, (will be doing it tonight!!) and was overall not in the greatest mood. I had in mind a gesture for a team member at work and almost forgot due to all these complications and “life” getting in the way. Man, am I glad I took another minute to do it.

What took me a few minutes to think of and then put together cost me literally nothing but time.

The look on her face and the gratitude that she expressed will stay with me long past today’s early frustration. It occurred to me that if we all took a beat to do something nice for someone else, it might just improve a rough or already good day.

Think about it!

You have no excuses, only opportunities

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You have no excuses, only opportunities

So if you are a regular reader, it will shock you to see two posts in one week but something so great happened last night and this morning, I feel compelled to share.
1. I saw the super awesome speaker Ryan Avery last night
(you can check him out here)
http://howtobeaspeaker.com/ryan-avery/
2. I worked out continuously for 26 minutes this morning !
3. I love this awesome shirt and wanted to share.
You can get yours here
http://www.cafepress.com/+busting-mine+gifts

One of the points of Ryan’s talk last night was to tell all of us-
When you are a better speaker, you are a better leader. I am currently working on that goal right now. I have a speech I am giving at Austin Toastmasters on June 3rd that is a personal message and I am shaking in my boots over but its time to put my money where my mouth is. I am either a professional speaker or I am not. So I say I am. I am a professional speaker.

Okay, so now I will talk more about Ryan and why he inspires me and so many others. First of all, when he set out to the “World Champion of Public Speaking” I don’t his goal was to be the youngest but he was. Last night, he talked about his failures and that takes guts. Something he said, “Think if Edison quit” really resonated with me. So the message I took away is work at your goal, and work at your goal and work at your goal and fall down and then get up. Also, ask for help. I struggle with this one and I have a hunch, maybe you do too.

Surround yourself with like-minded people who will help you get to your goals and give you honest feedback. Chelsea Turner Avery (along with many others) helped Ryan along the way to become the writer, speaker and champion he wanted to be.

So secondly but no less importantly, I bought this shirt pictured a few weeks ago because it really appealed to me. It captures competition and snark in a way that fits me to a T. (insert groan here) I wore it today while working out on my treadmill for the first time in 17 days. Yep, you read that right.. 17 days.. I was corrected (and rightly so) I did work out (paddleboarding is a workout) but neglected to post it as I was unable to take pictures and not drop my iphone in the water. Details, Details.

I hope this inspires you to reach for what you REALLY want and remember, no one has a voice like you!

Think about it!

Meet yourself where you are…

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Hello dear readers, I come to you to tell you today about a failure.

 

I did not work out yesterday, but I did not eat unhealthy foods, either. I feel like this is a small victory but an important one.

Having to confess that to you hurts, as I know that my energy and posts sometimes spur you on to accomplishing your goals.

Let my inactivity inspire you as well. If it helps, I went paddle boarding on Monday without knowing what to expect and got a sunburn (despite using sunscreen) and my arms hurt for a day or two afterwards. But you know what, after getting over the initial, “am I really going to do this” (which by the way is the feeling that floods me any time I do something new) It was fun and exciting.

So what is today’s message? Meet yourself where you are. If you didn’t work out today, pledge to do so tomorrow.

Think about it!

No one has a voice like you

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Someone recently said to me, Jennifer, you inspired me to…… (fill in the blank)

That really touched me. I was glad that I accomplished my goal which is to inspire one person a day. So if I inspire you to work on something that matters to you or that you were scared to do or not motivated to do, please let me know. Let me widen that scope.

If anyone inspires you for the greater, please tell them. You never know but you might just be the driving force in their life that has them try one more time or post another blog or write another speech. You have tremendous impact. Yes, I am talking to you.

Do not ever feel like “I am just one person, how can I matter?”. Trust me, you do. Go and Be Awesome.