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.

 

 

The Struggle or The Prize?

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The Struggle or The Prize?

Dear Readers, It is time once again for us to play the game of … I didn’t do it yet, but I will.
I am in the process of moving towards the goals I want to accomplish and that isn’t a neatly wrapped present with a bow..

When you ask God for patience (like I did two years ago) he doesn’t just give it to you. He provides you with circumstances, situations and people that help you to gain it.

Also, when you shoot for the moon, you can’t get there in a day.. You have to use math and astronauts and science get the guys at NASA to let you play on their rocket. All of these things take time. So while it may look like to you (the person pursuing the goal) that its hopeless and you will NEVER get there.. What is actually happening is that you are taking one step at a time to get there. I share the following picture to illustrate that point. This picture is the before picture of the first 5K where I ran/walked. My goal was to half run, half walk. This picture is a representation of success because it represents the following:

1. I did not sleep in, but actually went to the race.
2. I have others with me, helping me along that road.
3. I did not make my goal of running half but I did not QUIT.
4. I ran more than I had previously which proved to me that I could.
5. Most importantly, it was a stepping stone to the next 5K.

In my acting class yesterday, I was reminded that anything worth doing is worth doing well.
I am often impatient with myself and my progress but must remember that when you are a student, the lesson is the struggle and the prize.

Just because I didn’t write it, I see no reason not to share it. Please click on this link to
read the perspective that inspired me to write the post you just read!

What Students Really Need to Hear
http://affectiveliving.wordpress.com/2014/03/08/what-students-really-need-to-hear/

Good health is the prize, my friends!

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Well dear readers, it has been a rough few days. I don’t think you truly appreciate good health till it leaves you even for a few days.

The things you take for granted are staggering. To name but a few.

1. The ability to kiss or hug my husband.

2. To just plain feel normal.

3. Being able to work out (yes, this one was surprising to me too)

4. Missing out on socializing opportunities with friends and family (you know who you are!)

I have been miserable for most of the week, stuffy nose and sore throat but in stark contrast to other times I have been sick, I stayed home and rested and made sure to take care of myself and not push myself too hard, I still went to work but thanks to my boss who saw how pitiful I was feeling and sent me home early yesterday, I feel SO MUCH better today. I still have a little stuffiness of the nose but my goodness what a difference rest makes. Your parents say it all the time and its true, sleep is the best curative.

I have to wonder if i wasn’t eating healthy and exercising, how long would it have taken me to feel better. Points to ponder! That in and of itself, is reason enough to exercise. Think about it!

I am stronger than how badly I want a cookie

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Picture it, Austin 2014..

There is a box of cookies from Tiff’s Treats sitting right next to me. Not only did I not have any, I passed them out to people so that they would be sure to get some. Not only were free cookies here today, there was also deli sandwiches and CAKE. Now I am no saint and there are going to be days when I will succumb and eat the cookie but today for now, this minute, the last two hours I have resisted.

The lesson I think is not the resistance to the cookie but the focus on how I walked/ran 3.6 miles and one cookie will really derail a lot of that progress so I will do my best to avoid temptation and not eat a cookie, trying to remember how each mile I ran today was a slog and it was hard and it was totally worth it when I finished. Will a cookie make me feel that same sense of satisfaction?

It is about will power and the choice to eat healthy 90% of the time and then truly cheat one day a week. We got so far away from that, which is one of the reasons I think eating well every other day is now so hard. We formed the habit of not cheating and then fell out of it, so we have to reform.. (funny how that word fits) our habits anew. So away I walk from the cookie, and happy to have beaten the sweet. This Time.

What do you find hard to give up? What is easy?

To give you a taste (ha I kill me!) of how it’s easier than you think to eat paleo. I am noting a recipe for Paleo Gumbo- I am from New Orleans, born and raised and I know gumbo. I don’t know much about how to cook it but luckily my husband does and was kind enough to help me put this together for you to cook it. Try it and report back!

Paleo Gumbo- what you will need:(this makes about 16 portions) if you want to make less, cut it in half 🙂

4lb bag boneless,skinless fajita meat

4lbs smoked sausage

2 big (40 oz) bags frozen cut okra

2 small bags (16oz)- frozen normandy

(4 cans) 28 oz diced tomatoes

4 full bay leaves

.03 lbs chili pepper

12 teaspoons sweet potato flour

14 oz Creole Seasoning Mix

12 teaspoons olive oil

1 lb bag of quinoa

Chop chicken into bite size pieces

Slice sausages into circles cook all ingredients as directed

Combine 1/2 chicken, sausage, vegetables and bay leaves and tomatoes and quinoa (half of all) ingredients into stock pot-

Warm up 6 teaspoons of olive oil add six teaspoons of coconut or sweet potato flour stir until dark brown(color like peanut butter)

Add roux into stock pot, let simmer on medium heat for twenty minutes add file (pronounced like filet)powder to mix– Eat and enjoy!

Directions and Baby Steps

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whirlwind of a weekend!!

Friday afternoon, I drove to Dallas for a business trip (more on that in a bit) and usually road trips are stressful for me because despite being a good director, historically I have been bad at following directions.

This started when I would drive the 9 plus hours to New Orleans and I would contantly panic at the 610 split, is it North or South? Once I got to the signs saying “Beaumont” I knew I was okay and on the right track but the panic would constantly grip me at the worst part of the trip, when I had to choose left or right?

I am delighted to tell you, dear readers, that with three separate destinations, I did not get lost once which opened my eyes to the notion that maybe it hasn’t been difficult at all but rather my thought process about it that made it more difficult.

Bolstered by my hat trick, I headed to the Smart Conference featuring prominent speakers on career, marriage and parenting. I volunteered to attend for free and met some like-minded people who are working to get out of debt and happy to serve the organization for the day.

I could do an entire series of blog posts on all things I heard so I will just hit on a few quotes from each speaker and tell you that I learned so much and am filled with a renewed sense of motivation and purpose about living intentionally.

“A good test of a relationship is how a person responds to the word no.
Love respects no, control does not”
-Dr. Henry Cloud-

“Giving is the antidote for selfishness” -Rachel Cruze-

“Be open to the idea of being known
and knowing someone-
-Dr. Emerson Eggerichs-

“Outrageous Generosity is a character quality of people
who win with money”
-Dave Ramsey-

“You can’t please people. You just have to speak the truth.”
-Dr. Meg Meeker-

“Nobody really cares how you feel. They only care how you act”
– Andy Andrews-

Then after it was over, I drove home and then this morning I walked/ran 3.1 miles. I have a great support team, not the least of which is my husband who came to support me and some good friends cheeered me on, it was fun and tiring mainly because when I work out on my treadmill I am insulated from having to find a place to run, or avoiding people in front of me walking really slowly likely because they just stopped running and were cooling off themselves. My running buddy told me later that when I ran I was going really fast more than when we have jogged together. I was not prepared for “hitting the wall” since I have comfortable going 3.5 miles every time I run my treadmill. It was shocking to find myself ready to quit so close to the end. Susie Gidseg was AMAZING! “Just take it nice and slow” “30 seconds from now, you are going to hit that finish line and feel amazing” “you are doing great”

I really wanted to quit, and would have but for my partner. Once again, I am learning, the baby steps matter, one builds on another and you get there one baby step at a time.

I am planning to do this again, till I am able to run it from start to finish and will continue working intervals and slowly, steadily make my way to the next goal. What are you working on?
What baby steps are you taking?

5 days to a 5K

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Well, dear readers, it is almost here.. I set a goal for myself to slow jog at 5K (originally the goal was a 13 mile half marathon) but I wised up after a quick conversation with my more experienced marathon running friends and they set me straight.

I set this goal in December, which feels like a very long time ago but really it isn’t.

http://www.biggestloserrunwalk.com/Austin_TX-Half-Marathon-5K-2014

In today’s workout, I got to 3.9 miles which means 4 miles is not that far away, who knows I might even hit that mark by Friday and then I will be consistently going 4 miles at least twice a week, then the next goal is 6 miles in an hour… (still moving toward that slowly but moving there all the same! )

Also worth noting, free pizza in breakroom, untouched by me, determined to stay paleo till Wednesday which makes a full week of no cheating!

Compared to where I was in January? “Workout 3- got up to 3.1 mph!! Ran 30 seconds walked 30 seconds – went 3.00 miles!!”

Normally, I am not a fan of comparison as it tends to be defeatist but comparing where you were to where you are, usually works out!

I am sooooooo close to 4 miles I can taste it.. I am coming for you 4 miles.. when to think I used to only do 1 mile on the treadmill…. I think I can, I think I can!!!!

Think about it!!!

Last place is asleep…

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This morning I had a breakthrough in my workout routine. It should be noted this has been followed by two weeks of inconsistent working  making lots of excuses for it. That’s okay, I am giving myself grace for the past, but its important to note that sometimes just showing up and making the effort is worth mentioning.

I have a 5K I am walking/running on 3/30/2014 and the last time I did one of these it was in January. However, as my loving and math centric husband pointed out, every time you work out and do 3.2 miles or more, you have done a 5K. (I love that man) He has vision and can see what I could not which is that I am accomplishing my goal each time I work out. I couldn’t see that because I am so focused on getting up to 4 miles, or 1 mile in less than 20 minutes.. I am gaining on each of those goals but could not see that I have already accomplished so much. So, today, I got to minute 2 of the running, (for those not keeping score I have been alternating walking 2 minutes and running 2 minutes for about a month now. I said, “I think I can for run for another minute.” and then I did.

I went back and looked and its been walking the whole time to running 30 seconds, walking 30 seconds and then a minute and then two and now three. So, I am feeling very accomplished at the moment and I think its important to take stock of that.

I also want to remind myself when I DO NOT have a good day working out, its just one day closer to meeting another goal down the road and that road is filled with baby step after baby step of getting up, working out and getting up and showing up because remember, Last place is asleep, even if you just show up and suit up, you are doing better than someone who didn’t show up at all.

Where do you need to show up today?