Here we are, embarking on not only a New Year but a new freaking decade. I am already hearing people talking about next year using words like, “In January I am going to do… or, my New Year's Resolution for 2020 will be…” Why wait? Here is your 2020 wake up call. Stop talking, stop planning, and start work now. Nowhere is it written into law that changes can only happen at the beginning of a New Year. Quit being a chicken and start doing all the things today. Talk is cheap, and excuses don’t pay bills.
At this point in time, are you reflecting over the last decade or year wondering where your time went? Why you are no better off than a year ago? Stuck in the same place? Or thinking, “Man I should have done… or, I didn’t take enough chances. I played the last year on the sidewalk, where it was safe, where I could blend in and be small.” Goals aren’t crushed (conquered) on sidewalks. Dreams don’t come true without risk. The risk is either actually dreaming big or doing the work.
The reason some people are successful, and I use that word lightly, isn’t because they know all the secrets. They don’t have a special sauce that makes life easier for them. It has nothing to do with them coming up with the best resolutions every year. It is simply because successful people actually do things, and do them consistently. Did you catch that, they actually work and not just talk. That is the secret sauce, my friend.
Let’s sideline this topic (conversation) for a second. Success is not defined by wealth, life status, followers, friends, fame, or initials after your name. I don’t really care what Webster’s dictionary defines success as. Success has a different meaning to just about everyone. What I view as successful is not what you will see as success. For example, when I fail at something, that is still a success to me. It means I did something, I didn’t just talk about it. Our differences are what makes this world so great. So quit trying to be like everyone else. You were not created to fit inside a box.
Ok, sorry, I am back on track. The secret to success is constantly showing up. Even on the hard days. I borrowed my husband’s favorite analogy to help build a picture for you, so you can relate to what the work looks like in real life. Thanks, babe for this story! We all know people that want to lose weight. One person will join the gym, work their ass off daily, change their eating habits, and in the end, accomplish their goal. The other person will start off going to the gym, but as soon as working out gets hard or inconvenient, they tap out. The same goes for eating better. It takes a lot of work to shop, wash, cut up and prepare fresh foods. So once that aspect gets inconvenient, weak people tap out. One person consistently showed up when the other person quit. For the person that didn’t succeed suddenly, the gym didn’t work. Which that statement right there is rather amusing. The gym didn’t work. Not that the person let themselves down by not actually doing the work, but the gym failed them. I am pretty sure a treadmill is a treadmill, no matter which gym you go to. Yes, some treadmills are smoother, but the gist of the machine are the same. Friend, the gym didn’t fail you, you failed yourself. You can pull every excuse out of the sky as to why you didn’t meet your goals and the other person did. Until you are ready to admit you are the reason the gym didn’t work because of your lack of commitment, no gym will work for you.
What is your “gym” or treadmill that isn’t working out in your life? Have you been toying with a career change? Relationship change? Move to a new place? Playing on the playground and not the sidewalk? Make a commitment to yourself today. Do the work. Don't find yourself in the same place next year wishing you had changed.
Go into every day with intention. Be intentional (mindful) with your thoughts and actions. Chase your goals. No need to wait for another year to start again. Every day is a blank canvas, a do-over so to speak. You will never be successful in playing it safe. If you have BIG dreams and goals, you have to quit making yourself small. This is hard in a world that wants everyone to be small. You can’t be big and small at the same time. Choose to be BIG in 2020. Best wishes to you and get off the sidewalk.
Quit looking in the rearview mirror! When you are driving and look in your rearview mirror to see what is behind you, your eyes are not focused on what is right in front of you. Hence the reason when driving, we typically only look in the rearview mirror for a few seconds at a time, if at all. We do this because we know that the situation on the road in front of us can change instantly. (which is why you shouldn’t text and drive people, sorry not sorry) Your surroundings can change in a matter of seconds. Therefore we are paying attention to the road ahead. So why in life do we waste time focusing on events and/or moments from the past to the point we can not see what is going on today. Let me say this another way. When you are fretting over events that happened in your past, you are consumed with events that you can't change and are missing out on the present. Your life is moving on, with or without you. Life is like the car behind you on the road that speeds past, in a passing zone of course, because you are going so slow. Even if you are going the speed limit. You are completely distracted by a previous incident that you are no longer aware you are the person creating more wrecks.
If you are the person in the car driving past everyone on the road because they are going so slow, you my friend, need to slow down. You are the other end of the spectrum, so to speak. Quit being in such a hurry that you can’t embrace the moment directly in front of you. You are so consumed with worry or fear that you are constantly running from one place to another. (You could also be running late. You running behind is the cause of not being in the present, and always focusing on what’s next.) The fear of missing out on something that everyone else has is consuming your life. You are always focused on your next move, permanently living in the future. Never fully being present, and always distracted. Your mind is being pulled in multiple directions, never accomplishing a complete thought before it bounces into another lane. You are then left feeling drained and unworthy. As if you can not become successful in life no matter how prepared you are. Slow down.
Quit cheating yourself and everyone around you. The people in your life deserve more from you. You deserve more from yourself. Be intentional with your time. Your people want you to be present and aware. And when I say present I am mean the quality of time and the attention you give is more important than the quantity of time. If you are only able to see your people for a short period of time, cherish that time. Don’t fret over when you will see them again, or complain about how short your time is. Be intentional with the time you are given. Fill that time making memories that will last a lifetime. I will say it again, it is more about quality than quantity.
More is not always better and the sooner we realize that concept the happier our lives can be. We have been convinced that we can buy unlimited access to our wants. Moreso than we deserve all of our wants. That happiness can be bought... But the reality is there is no such access. When we have unlimited access to something we take that thing (relationship, toy, job, etc,) for granted. We set that “thing” to the side until we are ready for it. We assume that person/thing will always be there even though we have either been too busy looking back or hustling into the future. Either way, you have wasted the present.
Everything comes at a cost. Sometimes you can buy your wants with money but often times happiness (satisfaction) comes with a price tag that money can’t buy. What are you willing to risk? Are you willing to risk everything that is precious to you? Are you gambling your future with the present or wasting the present looking into the past? Learn to control what you can control. Invest quality time into the things that bring you joy and happiness. If something is important enough to you, you will find the time. Again it isn’t about the quantity of time or attention you give, it is the quality that matters.
Here we are at the beginning of December, full-fledged Holiday Hustle. This season, instead of spending your time shopping and wrapping gifts, make yourself the gift. Be present. High-end toys and expensive gadgets have a short shelf life before they are forgotten about. Since we do not know what our shelf life is, make the most of the moments in front of you. It may be your last encounter. This year I am saving myself the added stress of shopping for family and friends, no one is getting a present. Sorry, parents! Just me, whether it is a lunch or dinner date, a girl’s night out, or an extended family outing that is what this season will be about. Memories last forever, so why not make some good memories starting today.
I absolutely love my wool dryer balls. What I do not like is having to add essential oils to the dryer balls between loads.
Adding the oils to the dryer balls is not hard. It doesn't even take much time. But it is just a tad inconvenient. And it never fails, I always end up adding more drops of essential oils than I tend to.
Enter in my life a DIY Wool Dryer Ball Spray. OH MY! It is quick, easy, and all my kids can do this. I love my dryer spray and have no doubt you will also.
DIY Wool Dryer Ball Spray
*2 oz glass bottle- Amazon
Distilled Water
Witch Hazel (2.5 MLS)
20 drops of Young Living Essential Oils. My faves are Lavender, Purification, Citrus Fresh and Lemongrass.
Add your Witch Hazel and Essential Oils in your glass spray bottle. Swirl for a minute. Then add enough distilled water to fill the remainder of your glass bottle to the top. It is that easy. Now spray a few squirts on your dryer balls as needed and you are done. Not only is it quick and easy, but it is simple.
Check out how quick and easy this dryer spray is to use.
When I first started out on this wellness journey I called BS on just about everything. As with many things in my life, I have to see to believe. Here is one story I thought was BS.
I would hear other people say that they could not walk down the cleaner aisle at the grocery store anymore because it made them sick. It was all I could do to not laugh.
Well, God as a funny way of always using his sense of humor to make me learn a lesson.
I was preparing for a ditch and switch class when this incidence happened to me. I had to borrow a few cleaning supplies from people. I laid these products on the table with the rest of my supplies, and proceed to clean up the kitchen from breakfast.
In no time at all, I started to get a severe headache followed by a nauseous spell. I ended up having to cancel my plans for the rest of the day. It took me a while to figure out it was the fragrance of the products I brought home.
Needless to say, I stuck the products on my front porch. It took nearly six hours for my severe headache to turn into a mild headache and the nauseous feeling subside.
I can not urge you enough to start to remove products from your house. You seriously will feel better.
A very wise man once told me. It is better to learn from other people's mistakes. In this case, I must agree.
Here is a video where I discuss this topic just a little more. Ya know me, I like this short and sweet.
It has been a while since we have talked about where it all began. We have been on a little health kick now for 4 years. WOW, when you say it like that it seems much longer.
I have learned a lot about myself and kids through this journey. Rarely is something as simple as it appears.
This has been a slow learning process. One can easily get overwhelmed and shut down. I did many times. However, I never stay down for long. I always get back up and continue to find easy and simple ways to support my kids and their health. One day at a time.
In life, we tend to over complicated many things. Stay true to yourself and your beliefs. You can't go wrong that way. Life only gets complicated when you lose focus on your goals and start following others.
Remember this simple truth, this your life. It is your job to live it to the best of your ability. No one else's.
Let me leave you with this. People will criticize you either way you go, why not travel down the path that makes you the happiest? Afterall it is your decision and life.
