Changed the Title of My Blog

I just watched a video this morning that is worth watching by Robin Sharma.

At one point in the video, I paused the video, came to this blog and changed my blog title.

My blog title used to read, "My Journey to More, Just an Average Gal".

Now when we are affirming things in our life, we have to carefully pick the language we use.

So you'll pick up on this right away - "just" and "average" gal.   Two of those words are not what I want for my life.

I want to be more than JUST!   I want to be World-Class, not AVERAGE.

So please excuse the change, I am building BETTER!

Timing Is Everything

Today I had a little glitch in the system. A little tiff in a close relationship of mine sent me to my basement to really work out a good vision/dream. Usually moments like that would stop most people in their tracks and get discouraged. And until just recently, the same would've been true for me. But this time, it was a motivator to work on my dream even harder and just spend some dedicated time on it. 

You see, even though I have homework or should I say life work every week for my life coach, I still procrastinate. But I'm at that point, and I tear up as I write this, where I know change is completely necessary for my happiness and that thought pushes me.  

If you are struggling and you feel that change is just too hard, do not give up. That's what your ego wants you to do. I know it sounds ass backwards but it's not. 

You deserve better. I deserve better.

So I Finally Hired a Life Coach

My last post was last January and frankly not much has changed in my life until December 1st when I got invited to a Dream Building workshop.  This is no coincidence.

It was the first time I actualized my dream - knew what I really wanted.

That is the hardest part.  Discovering the dream that you are truly passionate about.  If you haven't found just what you WANT, find some silent time with no technology, no distraction and allow your mind to dream about your ideal life.  Ask yourself this question.  If I was to see myself in 3 years, what would I like my life to be like.  Then spill all the details of how you want to see yourself in 3 years.  Think about your career, relationships, money and health.

Then I signed up for the follow-up session: a 45-minute follow up/sales pitch for the life coaching.  This is when my coach asked me that question above.  With so much energy, I was able to rattle off a pretty elaborate story.  And I wasn't ashamed.  Yes, I am grateful for what I have right now.  Life is awesome!  I want more - simple!  And there is nothing wrong with that.  We only live once so go for broke.

I was hooked on the idea of having someone push me over the edge.  So I signed up.  It's scary spending that much money on life coaching but worth it.  I believe it is money well spent.

So I start in January but I've already listened to 2 of the 17 disks, started thinking about my DREAM, created an AFFIRMATION statement, created a VISION board, started thinking about the answers to the questions/statements in the workbook.  The program I am in is Mary Morrissey's Dreambuilder.  It is exciting, it is thorough, it is fun and thought-provoking.

I am excited and frankly relieved that my LIFE will be all I want it to be.  Join me, once again on my journey as I bridge the gap between now and DREAM.

Frustration Leads to Change

My husband said something to me today that made me think. He said something along the lines of Not every is as strong as you to go work out and stick to it.  You have entrepreneurial spirit and you do well as an entrepreneur.

This discussion came up because I made a comment how people make excuses for not working out - anything they can justify, my husband is no exception to this rule.  I don't apologize for my comment.  If people were really honest with themselves they would realize the comment is true.  I am a direct communicator.  I never intend to be rude.  Yes, sometimes I am judgemental.  I am not perfect.  I have a lot of things to work on and issues to work out in my life.

Anyways, I digress.  

I have really been sticking to going to Pilates, trying a new workout called Barre and daily doing push ups with the help of an App on my phone.  All before the New Year as well.  I don't like Resolutions.  I make changes when I get fed up with current life and change is required.

This is what I am discovering, in myself and others.  People don't want to change until something devastating happens in their life (unfortunately, it takes desperate measures to kick some people in the ass), or they are so fed up with the way things are, they finally make a change.

I am tired of back pain, lack of flexibility and strength and lack of hormonal balance, that getting fit is necessary.  I don't want to wait until I get sick or someone I love gets sick.

So if you are not happy with your job, your weight, your relationships, GET ANGRY about it.  Get fired up and do SOMETHING about it.   

I am learning nothing comes without dedication, sacrifice and getting out of your comfort zone.  That lesson was learned hard at my first Barre class.  It was so hard.  I actually muttered the words, "I can't do it" and then I felt ashamed for saying that.  

Anytime I get close to the edge of my comfort zone, I quit.  I say I can't do it and I complain.  I become a whiner and I never realized it until I went to Barre. 

I apologize to myself for not realizing this sooner.  I am happy I know this now.  I can set goals around it, push a little harder to achieve goals.  A comfort zone is something to be broken for anything that is worth it!

Peeling the Layers of an Onion

Photo Taken from Amazon.ca

My husband bought me a book for Christmas called "Procrastination Why You Do It, What To Do About It NOW" by Jane Burka and Lenora Yuen.  I joked with him and said I would start reading it next year but I started reading it that night and I'm really glad I did.

But this is like peeling the layers off of an onion. The more you try and help yourself the more things you find need helping.  I used to think I was standing on the ground with a ladder in front of me and I was gonna start walking up it. But now I feel like I'm in a deep hole and the ladder is in front of me and I have to get out of the hole first before I can continue up from the surface.  I know that sounds dismal but it's not meant to be.

If you are a procrastinator, I highly recommend this book. It reaches down into the core of your soul to determine the root causes of procrastination.  But it goes beyond that. It digs deeper. I had no idea I had as many issues as I do until I started reading this book.  I am being completely vulnerable to admit this.   I find myself reading the book and saying to myself, "Oh my, that is so me" or "Yes, I can relate to that" or even more strongly, "Are you sure the authors haven't been in my head??"

I am very happy.  The winds of change are blowing in my life.  Now if only I had countless hours to read it.  I am a slow reader and I don't have patience for that.  

I am building up my library so tell me, 

Do you have a self-help or other book that resonated with you so strongly?  

Personal Development Plan

I am very excited that I have become a member of Robin Sharma's Extreme Achievement Formula 2014.  I  have just started to scratch the surface of the program.

I haven't been active in my own personal development lately.  Although, I have started my binder and added pages, notes and tabs to start it out, there is lots of work to be done.  

Then I got sick, AGAIN!  So one thing I remember is to become master over self.  I have taken some time off from "learning" to take better care of my health to prevent such regular illnesses.  All that means, is I'm loading up on essential vitamins, probiotics and iron to get back to a better physical state.  Also, sleeping as much as I feel comfortable to repair my health.

Now that I am on the mend, I am ready to get back to blogging, learning, the 5 AM club, setting goals.  This process certainly is a rollercoaster.

The cool thing about all this, is the New Year is just around the corner.  I am not about resolutions but a full year to make goals and work towards them kind of feels like a clean start.

Do you ever feel like you just get started on something and then a hiccup comes along to upset things?

Impressionable Children

I took my 3 year old sliding recently and as we were leaving the hill to come home I was watching her slowly walk behind me to the car.  And a thought hit me.

NOW is the right time to make a positive change in life.  Rather than teaching our children to be positive they can watch us be positive, work hard for success and succeed.

I am thankful I am making changes now in this stage of life, as a parent to young children.

We owe it to our children to raise them right instead of telling them how to live.

I have enrolled in a personal development course put on by Sharma Leadership International.  One of the "to-do's" is to create a personal philosophy.  What kind of person do I want to be?  What kind of Mother and Wife do I want to be?   How do I want to live my days?  How do I want to be remembered?  Answering those questions provides clear insight into ourselves and our personal goals.

Just knowing about that personal philosophy and having that in the back of my mind has helped me in difficult parenting situations lately.  When things are getting a little tough, I think about what kind of Mother I want to be and my reactions and responses change.  I immediately become more patient, I find myself counting slower and more controlled to get through a few tough seconds until the world settles down.

I am not striving for perfection, I just want to improve a little bit each day.  1% each day means a 30% improvement in 1 month.