Have you ever wanted to take a step back, reassess what it is that you are trying to do with your life, your business, your relationships, your health? Have you ever felt like you're in a rut even though you are checking things off the list on a daily basis? I have. It's why I've been M.I.A. (missing in action) for the last few months. You might say I took a sabbatical of sorts.
At the end of April I took a trip to San Francisco to attend a conference called "Experts Academy" with Brendon Burchard. Although I've spent the last few years taking tons of classes and mentoring programs about coaching and felt really good about being a coach...promoting myself as a coach in the online marketplace was just not coming along as I'd planned. So I signed up for the class, got on a plane and headed off to find my answers.
I got so much more than I bargained for. The marketing tools where exactly what I needed and for those of you that have been kind enough to keep me in your circle during my absence you'll start seeing the fruits of that labor in the new year! I got an unexpected bonus though...a good swift kick in the pants.
What I didn't expect going in was the complete self evaluation of what was holding me back emotionally from pushing this thing forward. I'd done the work. I'd gone to "school". I thought I was ready. I realized though that part of being a thought leader in the online marketplace is to be able to lead by example and there was one piece that I was NOT ready for.
I wanted to stand on a stage or record a video and KNOW that if someone was struggling with their health, their diet, their exercise, their energy that I could speak to that struggle from a place of mastery. I wanted to know that I'd been able to overcome my own issues before I could talk to others about theirs. I know WHAT to do (I was a personal trainer for 18 months in my younger years and have been surrounded by family in the healthcare industry all my life). I just wasn't getting it done. I struggled with a horrible diet coke addiction (if you think that's not truly an addiction you can watch my blog later for an article about my story...it IS an addiction and a very damaging one at that). I had ridden the rollercoaster of diet and exercise, weight gain and weight loss, and the fading energy of a busy entrepreneur for years. It was time to break the cycle!
See the question that came to me at Experts Academy was this...if you keep doing what you're doing right now...what will your results be? Are you living a life where others would see you as a positive role model? If your weight continues on the same path what will you look like in 5, 10, 20 years? What will your energy be like? How will your health at that point affect your relationships? Your dreams? The impact you want to have in the world? OUCH!
So...here I am. A work in progress but TOTALLY STOKED for the path I'm on and excited to share it with others who are struggling. I haven't had a Diet Coke since Memorial Day (6 1/2 months as of this writing). I'm walking and working out 5-6 days a week. I've dropped 14 lbs. I sleep better, I eat better and I'm happier than I've been in a very long time. I haven't been 100% consistent, I've fallen off the train a time or two in the past 6 months but I'm keep it all in focus.
Why do I tell you all of this? Two things...two takeaways that have changed my life for the last 6 months...and now I'm addicted.
First - Sometimes, you have to focus on one thing and make that one thing...THE one thing. I had to take a break from social media, traveling with my husband, building the business, everything for the first 30 days...in order to make changing this lifestyle the primary focus. It took time to establish new habits and figure out which ones I liked, which ones I didn't and which ones I needed to keep looking for something else. For example...I hate the gym...not my thing. Tried to just force my way through it but it wasn't happening. I decided to get outside and walk and rediscovered my love for hiking. HARD hiking...we are talking like 5-20 miles a day kind of hiking. Now, I'm addicted to hiking instead of Diet Coke and I can't begin to tell you how much better I feel.
I spent time learning. I have several dvd series that I listened to about what different foods do to our body. I had to re-educate myself based on current science, to know what would work. I also had to learn from my own body what it was ready for and what was too much too soon. FYI...when you can't sit down because you're not sure your legs will support you to stand up again...you've probably worked out too hard.
Second - Defining the Vision is everything! Rather than saying I wanted to lose weight or look better I went deep, real deep. I reminded myself that the real reasons I wanted those things are so I'd feel more empowered on stage. I reminded myself that I wanted those things so that my husband couldn't keep his hands off me (not that I've had that problem but if things had continued in a downward spiral I'm sure at some point the drive would have dwindled somewhat). I didn't just define what I wanted...I defined WHY I wanted it. Then I found out how.
It all ties back to defining your vision...what you want. Define your purpose...why you want it. Define your power...what resources you have and what resources you need to get there. Whether it's weight loss, building your business or enhancing your relationship your Vision, Purpose and Power is what will help you create the life you love!
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