Use What You Have

OK, I admit it...I'm a bit of a hoarder. LAWRD! I just finished cleaning out my recipe/cookbook cabinet. It was a HOT MESS! I got rid of about 2 years worth of  The Vegetarian Times, Dierbergs Everybody Cooks magazines and those monthly recipe club cards from the 80's and 90's. My husband has been on me for a while to de-clutter this cabinet among other things. Certain closets in my home are kinda "Open at Your Own Risk" situations. He also made the great point that would not be using many of those recipes anyway due to the change in our eating habits. Now that the cabinet is done I see the wheels turning in his head. What will he set his sights on next?!? There are clothes, purses, wigs, kitchen appliances, Hello Kitty EVERYTHING, etc. I have to either use it or lose it. At this rate I'm waiting for Peter Walsh to come banging on my door...LOL. 

He' been making comments about my fitness collection…OH HELL NAW!! This is where I draw the line! Now I DO have a fairly large fitness DVD (and VHS…DON’T JUDGE ME) collection. On last count there were about 70 DVDs, 25 VHS tapes and 10 programs saved on the DVR from the old FitTV days. I also have my fair share of machines and accessories. I knew that I had to come up with a way to take the heat off my beloved collection and well, I came up with something quite awesome I must say.

I always tell my clients that the best workout is the one they will actually DO. I figure what’s good for the goose is good for the gander. I have a wealth of items at my disposal and some of them haven’t even been taken out of the packaging yet. THAT is about to change! I am embarking on a little journey to challenge myself mentally and physically. I have decided to brush off the ole DVD/VHS player and take these workouts for a drive. I will use 1 DVD, VHS, DVR’d program a day until I have gone through my entire collection. Now some of these collections are mulit disk sets and 30 day programs so I’m geared up for a long haul. Sunday’s are my rest days but I have a few stretch DVDs that I can knock out during the first month of this challenge.

Now, I have a tendency to over-schedule my days (something else I’m working on) so I’ve created a consequence for myself if I miss a workout. For each day I blow off a scheduled workout I will have to dig in my closet and give one item to the Goodwill. This will make the hubby happy I’m sure. His half of the clothes closet is currently located in our 9yr olds room.

I know I’m not the only person out here with unused fitness DVDs/equipment, and this is where YOU guys come in! Won’t you join me on this endeavor? When you think about it, it really is one of the simplest challenges ever. You already have everything you need to get started! C’mon…jump in with me.

Having measurable results is key when goal setting. In addition to the goal of getting through the DVDs/products, treadmills, Total Gyms etc, I would also like to see what physical transformation occurs during this timeframe. I will be tracking my weight, inches, and dress/pant size numbers.  I encourage you to do the same. There is ONE small rule however:  do not take your measurements or weigh yourself after day 1 until you have REACHED the goal. My reasoning for this is quite simple. So many of us let that scale determine our mood/attitude and how we see ourselves. I don’t want a temporary day of bloat to discourage anyone.  There is also no meal plan or suggestions with this challenge either. I just want you to get up and USE what you already have.

So there it is. The challenge has been issued. Are you game? I hope you will join me in using what we already have. You can follow my progress on my Facebook page by clicking here. I will be posting a picture of the item I’m working out with/to (if I can find them. Some of these mugs are OLD).

Let’s get it started!!

Give Yourself Permission to LIVE!

Have you ever wondered what you could accomplish if you simply gave yourself permission to do it? I mean, instead of listening to all the negative self-talk or what I like to call the "You're Toos (too old, too young, too fat, skinny, short, uneducated, etc.) what would happen if you just said TRICK IT and followed your passion? This is a question that I have been asking myself a lot lately. This blog is the first step on the ladder for me...and I'm not trying to look down.

As I look back on my career vs. my passion, I can rattle off a laundry list of reasons why I delayed doing what I feel I was meant to do with my life. Hell, I've had some SHIT go down in these 42years and it could be considered a small miracle that I'm still around. The more I think about it though, the more I realize that it is just fear and excuses...mainly fear which leads right back to the "You’re Toos". So the question is how do you kick the "You're Toos" to the curb and give yourself permission to LIVE?

For me it required a change in perception. I was listening to a Tony Robbins seminar and he spoke about the Pain and Pleasure Principal. The crux of the Principal is this: All human behavior is motivated my two things-seeking pleasure and avoiding pain. Seems pretty simple right? NOT! I was finding pleasure in destructive habits and mind-sets, mainly because this was familiar territory due to my upbringing. When the time came to take a risk, branch out and step out into unfamiliar territory I would instantly freeze, the Pain Principle would set it and I would stop and eliminate the source of the Pain…even if it was a golden opportunity for growth. Thank God one day it finally hit me that my unfulfilled passion was MORE painful than the fear, doubts and the “You’re Toos”. From that moment I gave myself permission to LIVE my life and pursue my passion and make it my career.

So what about you? What is holding you back? Are you finding pleasure in the wrong things? What steps do you need to take to live your passion? Are you currently in a career that is not satisfying or allowing you to leave a footprint on our world?  What would happen if you just said TRICK IT and followed your passion? Hit me up and let me know.

***Special thanks to Kris Carr for the inspiration to write this blog***