Icons don't make excuses. Legends don't sleep in.

Two mornings in a row I was up at 5AM (not on purpose) and I went back to bed.  I am not going to lie, Mind over Mattress is not easy.  I don't know how many of you struggled to do this the first time you said you were going to, but I wonder if you struggled too.

I find myself using my children as an excuse.  Part of me wants to be validated and part of me knows other successful people have had children and made it work.  

On Twitter this morning I saw a quote tweeted by Robin Sharma.  It said At the heart of mastery is consistency.  This may be where I am going wrong.  I haven't been very consistent with my bedtime, eliminating distraction before sleeping and using meditation (or hypnosis).

This is a vicious cycle.  If I was up at 5AM, I could plan all of that into my day and find time for it.  But because I don't get up, I don't plan a consistent day.

I really thought this was going to be easy. Sigh!!!

But alas, Icons don't make excuses. Legends don't sleep in.

Another Tweet by Robin Sharma

Inspiration and Day 1

I've been struggling to articulate exactly what I am trying to achieve.  And then today, while searching for books written by Robin Sharma on his website, I came across the summary of his book, "Who Will Cry When You Die"

Taken from Robinsharma.com

and it is that summary that I strive for in addition to what I have already.   And here it is...

Ready to live with greater meaning-while you experience greater achievement?

Do you seek more significance as you realize more success?

Do words like “legacy”, “impact” and “contribution” speak deeply to you? [...] 

Discover how to live your dreams, get the most from your days, awaken your power, have more fun, lead the field and make a difference in your life so that when you get to the end, you will feel you've lived greatly.

Taken from Robinsharma.com

That is it!  That is it!   So I'm getting that book to read along with other sources of inspiration I am gleaning from whatever sources I am led to.

I feel this journey is coming from a higher power.  I purposed in my mind and heart to make a change and it is all of this hypnosis and findings that are coming my way.  

So here is my update for Day 1:

I would like to start off each day with an Attitude of Gratitude and today I am thankful for the family I have created.  My loving, engaged husband who is an awesome life partner, my 2 healthy children and my own health and well being to be the best Mom I know how to be.

I am not happy to report that I did not wake up at 5AM today.  I told you I would be honest and tell the good, the bad and the ugly.

I went to sleep at 9:30 PM last night so I felt I was off to a good start.  There were no distractions before bed - no technology or TV.

This is not meant to be an excuse.  Part of me thought in the beginning this might be challenging with having two young children.  My children are almost 1 and almost 3.  Last night I was up 3 times between the two of them from 2 AM and 4:45 AM.  So I was thinking at 4:45 when I was nursing the one baby back to sleep that I could just stay awake at that point but my body screamed, NOOOOOOOO.  I just didn't have that rested feeling I had been having all last week when I was getting up at 6AM.

However, all is not lost.  I have reviewed my goals and today I:

• start my Pilates class
• I am going to do something I have resisted for about 6 months (calling the dentist to make an appointment)
• and I am going to do something generous today (I don't want to do this part for any recognition so I am not going to go into a lot of details about this one).

Off to start another beautiful day!

My Goals and Immediate Changes!

I have received some feedback already about my first post.  I want to emphasize I am not ungrateful for my wonderful life.  I have a great husband, two very healthy and happy girls and I am a happy, content and healthy woman who is dedicating these years of my life raising my incredible family, something I've wanted to do since I remember remembering.  The goals I am striving to achieve are in addition to what I already have, not a replacement and I will not sacrifice any time raising my children for these goals.  

And so...

 What sort of extraordinary am I looking for?

I want to be more in control of my life.  I want to think things into fruition, I want to feel more vibrant, make a difference in others lives around me.

Here are my goals not necessarily ordered by importance (to be honest, I hadn't thought to write out my goals on my blog so I am happy the thought hit me because now I am accountable):

1.  Become more physically fit.  I am a thin person and always have been but I have never, in my life, been fit.  Yes, I have exercised and been parts of teams but on minimal levels.  My posture is lacking and my core is weak which leads to back pain - common problems that I am committed to changing.

2.  Become more generous and giving.  I am very blessed.  I want to share the beauty and awesomeness of life with others.

3.  Become established as an icon (if I could call it that) of some sort.  I can't think beyond that and I have no idea how it may happen, but I want to make a difference in others life by written or spoken word, to pass on positive messages to change just one person's life.

4.  Create a deeper relationship with my husband.  We are true soulmates and best friends and I want to nurture all the pieces that make life long relationships work.

5.  Create more financial discretionary income.  This point goes along with point # 2.  I am grateful for everything I have and part of this goal would be to travel the world with my children, spend more time with my husband and kids together, give generously to my family and those people and organizations in need.

6.  Wake up at 5AM and apply the 20/20/20 Formula for performance.  

• I will exercise at home because I still have children that may wake up at that time.  Some ideas I have are use my TheraBand while watching YouTube videos, walk up and down my stairs for 20 minutes, jump rope, stretching (guided by YouTube videos), sit ups and push ups (guided by an app on my smart phone), practising my balancing using items around the house; all easy things to do at home, that don't make a lot of noise and yet accomplish the goal.
• Plan my day; activities I have to do that day, people to call and appointments to make, meal planning, review my goals and itemize what I can do each day to help achieve them.
• Learn.  This is the part I am most looking forward to.  I love to learn and right now there doesn't seem to be enough time in a day to do it.  So TED talks, books from my local library, Google, YouTube, apps are all going to be my best friend.  I have a list of things I already want to learn about.  I have already started but am looking forward to a structured time each day to learn.

I look forward to looking back in a few months, a year or even 5 years to see what I have done!

Changes

Just with the mentality change and desire I have put into words and intention, I have noticed a change in my energy already!  Here are a few other things I have seen an improvement on.

I am jumping out of bed at 6 or 7AM gladly (that is the key word) and feeling well rested.  This is even during my 2 weeks of sickness.  YEY!   Before I would go back to bed and fall back to sleep only to wake up feeling groggy and cranky.  So that is already a victory for me and on the road to my 5AM early starts.

I've signed up for a Pilates class, something that has been on my list for a long time.  This is part of of my fitness goals.  I am working on getting energy through exercise but also to make my body healthier.  Improving my posture is big on my list of goals.  

I am making healthier choices like putting sweets down after dinner, eating smaller portions (and still feeling satisfied), walking when I could be driving, running a few blocks instead of walking, only drinking 2 cups of coffee in the morning and then dumping the remainder out so it doesn't tempt me; little wins on the way to a healthier lifestyle. 

I started this blog.  One of my life goals is to become a writer of sorts.  I have so many ideas for blogs and documenting this journey is one of them.

I started a small project and finished it within 5 days - start to finish.  That has not happened in FOREVER.  My mother asked me if I had a growth chart for my kids last Friday and with inspiration from a friend who did her own, I started it last Saturday and put it up on the wall on Thursday.  

I want to stress that all of things I have started to do in terms of exercise and making different, healthier choices, has not been a huge sacrifice.  I want to make a lifestyle change that I can sustain so if it's gradual that is fine!  

You can do all of these things too.  You don't need expensive exercise equipment, a gym membership or fancy clothes to get a little more active.  It starts with a little bit and grows as you get better.  Get off the couch the first time - that is the hardest part - because it's a vicious cycle whichever way you choose.  If you exercise, you get energy which helps you exercise more.  And the same goes if you sit around.  You are too tired because you haven't exercised but you can't exercise because you are tired.  Vicious Cycle!  Only you can break it!

I am so excited to start the 20/20/20 5AM Club on Monday morning.  I have committed to doing it 5 days a week to start.  I am healthy and feeling so much better so no delay, I'm starting Monday!

The Journey Starts with a Desire!

The idea just hit me a few days ago to journal my journey through this phase of my life, the phase where I am looking to better myself and my life.  Don't get me wrong, my current life is WONDERFUL!  But I feel ordinary.

I need to preface this whole blog by saying I am not trying to be egocentric.  This blog is strictly to demonstrate the power within us using myself as a tool.  It is a teaching tool for others who want to become extraordinary!  

If I can do this, ANYONE can do it!  I am going to be very real about this.  All the ups and downs will be documented.  Do I think it will be easy?  I don't know but I WANT THIS SO BAD but I know it won't be perfect.

The story begins...

Rewind about 2 weeks.  I was cleaning the desktop of my computer, deleting things on there that were no longer relevant to our family's life.  One folder I had on there was called "Gale Glassner Reprogram Your Subconscious".   I have had that folder on my computer since April 2013 - one and a half years.  Holy Procrastination!  I created a playlist in iTunes with the contents of that folder and then loaded it up on my cell phone.  In all my "spare time" I listened to most of the 62 clips.  Most of the contents were talking about Self-Hypnosis and how to reprogram your subconscious to get out of your life what you want.  I am also a big believer in The Secret but that hasn't really stuck and I think because The Secret fails to explain exactly how to go about adopting the Law of Attraction in your life - at least for me anyways.  I will explain that later.

Anyway, I was getting tired of looking at my To-Do list and an idea popped into me head to start using YouTube to find hypnosis-related videos that support what I learned in Gale's program.  First video I searched for was for procrastination.   I have procrastinated for years, well maybe all my life. That is evident that it took me so long, 18 months, to get around to listening to Gale's program.   Thinking back to my school years, I would leave studying and homework until the last minute, sometimes until I got on the bus to go to school.  It is time for a change NOW!

I have a list of things I want to change about my life, but one thing at a time, Gale says, as you don't want to overwhelm or confuse your subconscious.  I found a few videos that I listened to while going to sleep and within 2 days I started to tackle one thing that had been on my list for 1 year.  I was painting letters for my baby's bedroom before she was born.  She is now 11 months old and the letters have been in a bin this whole time, unfinished.  

Then, I stumbled upon someone I had heard about from a friend but had never paid attention or even looked into him.  When I searched on YouTube for Beat Procrastination, ROBIN SHARMA came up and his video, How I Beat Procrasination" resonated with me. Then I found another video from Robin Sharma about the 5 O'clock Club - getting up at 5:00 AM.  The video is called How To Get Up Early.  Watch it as the message is amazing.

Here is what resonates with be from those 2 videos:

• If you want to be extraordinary you have to do what extraordinary people do
• Only 5% of our lives are happening in our conscious mind.  So if I can assist the 95% of my mind - the subconscious - with positive images and statements, my life can change BIG TIME for the better.
• Dream Big - you can have all your dreams come true.  Why does it have to be someone else?  Why not me!?!?!?!  
• "Change is hard at the beginning, messy in the middle and gorgeous at the end."  Robin Sharma
• Exercise is so important for many reasons.  We all know this and it's perfect that it's part of my transformation because I have been procrastinating on exercising.  So it will accomplish two things for me:  assist me in achieving my goals and it will be a goal I will accomplish.
• Many other things but I fear this blog is getting just about too long and there is still so much I have to say.  

I purposed in my mind to get up at 5:00 AM weekdays only.  I have 2 very young children so we'll see what kind of rest I'll get doing this.  Bedtime must be 10:00 PM and no later.  That is going to be pretty easy most days.

Monday morning was going to be DAY 1.  Do you sense some procrastinating excuse coming your way?

Not so!  Even extraordinary people get extra rest when they get sick.  I am currently battling a sinus infection and cold so I've put off my 5AM risings until I am better.  After 8 days of this sickness I'm happy I made the decision.  I started listening to Sleep Hypnosis videos for wellness, health and boosted immune system to get better.

My next post I will start to discuss some of my wins and accomplishments already.

I am hoping by Tuesday morning (Monday is Canadian Thanksgiving) I will be well enough to get up at 5.