Let's rock the box in 2012!

Sometimes you receive insights or revelations that would just make you totally selfish if you didn't share them. Well today I have some to share, so buckle up!

As we close in on 2012 there's a lot of planning involved. Lots of wrapping things up (pun intended) from 2011 and dreaming, planning and calculating for 2012. What are our goals? What do we hope to accomplish? Where do we start? How do we move forward? These are all questions I've been mulling over for a couple months now, and as 2012 draws near I feel the anticipation increasing.

YOU will do big things in 2012 if you set your mind to it! Are you ready?

"Watch your thoughts, for they become words.

Watch your words, for they become actions.

Watch your actions, for they become habits.

Watch your habits, for they become character.

Watch your character, for it becomes your destiny."

- Anonymous

I read this recently in Joyce Meyer's book, "Power Thoughts." EXCELLENT book by the way. (Learn more about it here.) I'm still working through it and learning a heap load.
As I read this quote I first registered it as a warning. But then, as I read on, I realized it is also an encouragement. Here's my spin...

"Positive thoughts become life-affirming words.

Life-affirming words become necessary actions.

Necessary actions become healthy habits.

Healthy habits become Godly character.

Godly character becomes a fulfilling destiny that touches many and leaves a legacy..."
- Maddy Vieth, The getREAL Coach

Before 2012 gets here, complete this sentence... "I can _____________________." Be determined to see it through this coming year, no matter the obstacles you face. Remember, you can do whatever you need to do through Christ. (Thanks for the power thought, insight and wisdom, Joyce Meyer! ;))

Some other things I realized today while studying during "Power Thoughts..."
The world is filled with people who are pros at telling us what we can or cannot do. Ordinary people CAN do extraordinary things if they just flat out REFUSE to give up.
Proclaim today...
"I will continue forward in my circumstance and let God guide me in growing and establishing my business (or other endeavor you are on). I refuse to listen to any nay-sayers (including Satan) who say 'I can't' because...
a)________________________________
b)________________________________
c)________________________________
d)________________________________
or ANY other reason presented. I REFUSE TO GIVE UP.

This is my personal business prayer that I prayed this morning. I will continue to pray it throughout 2012, but I feel like it can be applied to whatever area in your life it is needed as well. Join me in proclaiming these things in prayer over our businesses, families, and lives!

Photo credit mdhca.org via Google images

Lord,

Help me to rock my box until it breaks. I want to break it into so many pieces it doesn't even look like a box anymore! My trust, hope, faith, and confidence is in You Jesus. 

I know You called me to this place, so here I am Lord. I'm not running from it. I'm here. I'm going to see this thing through, even though I know it won't be easy. I refuse to be deterred because You are bigger than my circumstance God! After all, "I can do anything I need to do through Christ!" 

Protect me as I walk Lord. Guide my steps so I do not fall. You are my rock. Thank You for Your grace in this. Thank You, too, for Your favor as I begin/continue this journey. I know I am not alone, even when it feels like it. You are always there. 

I'm ready. I'm ready to be strong in You. 

Keep my hand steady, my eyes focused, and my heart lifted up to You. 

Help me bless as many people as possible as You bring them across my path, through my door and into my life. Give me the courage and insight to say, "No," when I need to. Whisper to my heart when I need to say, "Yes..." 

You are so good, our Almighty King! Thank You, God, for walking me through the fire and keeping me from getting burned. 

Grant me the ability to give every time I can; to touch a life, to make someone smile. Thank You for caring about the details of my life. Thank You for the opportunity to reach out to those who may need it.

You rock, Jesus!

Amen

One month ago, today...

One month ago, today, my friend, mentor and business partner, Denai Vaughn, died in a car accident.
It's still hard for me to really wrap my mind around the fact that she is gone.
The life she lived was just that... a life. She was full of life. She didn't stand on the sidelines, waiting for things to happen for her. She got out there, she made them happen. She enjoyed life's little moments as much as she enjoyed life's big moments...
and she saw God in EVERYTHING.
Denai didn't waste a minute living her life. She didn't put things off until tomorrow. She didn't wait to tell people that she cared about them. You knew she cared about you just by the tone of her voice.
When she entered a room, she immediately grabbed the attention of everyone in it without commanding it in any way. When she hugged your neck, she made you feel like you were important, appreciated and special. She always said, "YOU are WORTH IT!" More importantly though, she really made people feel like that.
I met Denai simply because God told her to send me an email. Our friendship was a whirlwind of blessings, excitement, and fun. I learned more from her in the time we shared as friends than I ever dreamed possible. Neither of us entered the friendship with any sort of gain in mind, but what we came out with was more than I had ever hoped for.
All of a sudden I loved this woman like my own sister. All of a sudden we were close enough to call one another at midnight...
"Happy tomorrow! I figured you'd still be up working... I was thinking about something and wanted to run it by you..."
Those are conversations I will never forget.
Denai made an imprint on the world that won't soon be forgotten. She made an imprint on thousands of people's hearts that won't soon be forgotten, either...
There are still voicemails from her on my phone that I can't bring myself to delete. When I really need to hear her voice I listen to them.
There are still emails from her, sitting in my inbox, awaiting a reply... I can't delete those yet, either.
Some day I'll be able to. For now, the wound is still fresh.
I don't cry every time I think about her these days, like I did at first. This is the first loss I've felt so close to home, and man was it a big one.
When Denai died she took a piece of my heart with her. There's now a hole there where the light of her life shines through.
Somehow she reminds me every day to find God in everything... that God is good... that family is everything... that we are here to bless people in whatever ways we can.
I learned so much from her in our short time as friends, and I continue to learn from her after her death.

So this is my prayer for today;
Lord,
Please help me to live like a bright, shining light like Denai did. You are so good God, so faithful and just. Thank you for the knowledge that Denai is in heaven, "WOOHOO!!!"ing it up with the angels, singing praises at Your feet, networking and keeping everyone busy. Also thank you that she is reunited with her little heavenly children, and with her brother. What a wonderful Christmas she will spend in the heavens with You. I can only imagine how amazing it will be.
Father, help us to remember the important things, especially during this time of year. Your blessings are truly astounding on every level. Guide us as we walk, day to day. Help us to enjoy the moments we have here, and not take them for granted. Help us to live a life that reflects Your love, a life that makes an imprint on those we encounter. God, help us bless as many people as we can in the time we have here... for only You know when our hour to reunite with You in heaven will come.
Oh Jesus we sing Your praises... Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come! You, Father, are sovereign and good. So, so good.
Continue to be with all of those mourning the loss of our sweet Denai, especially her precious family. Lord, hug her for us, because we sure do miss her down here...
Amen

Guys, we just never know when our time will be. Life is so short. Love everyone you encounter. Find ways to bless people, because what is life for if not to love one another?
During this Christmas holiday, remember God's love... a love so strong that He sent His Son to die for us.

Today, I remember my friend's amazing life. Forever, I will remember the legacy she left...

May your day be filled with blessings, your moments be warmed with laughter, and your praises be sung to the Most High.
- Maddy

May you rest in the arms of our Lord and Savior forever, sweet Denai.
July 26, 1974 - November 7, 2011

And the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will Himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. - 1 Peter 5:10

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. - Romans 15:13

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose. - Romans 8:28

Get thin or die trying?

Since February I have been on what I like to call a "health journey." Really it was a belated New Year's Resolution, but I didn't want to put that title on it because, well, how many New Year's Resolutions have you kept? Anyway, I had gained a significant amount of weight and I was sick of it. I was sick literally, and I was sick of being sick. I won't lie, I contemplated some different diets. Slimfast, Acai Berry, HCG drops... Yuck, yuck and BIGGER yuck. I was the health reporter at the Amarillo Globe-News at the time, and essentially read studies on all of these. I knew how dangerous and overall double-sided they were, but like practically every other American, I wanted instant results. Like a microwave, I wanted to pop it in, set the timer, and voila! Fit and healthy.
I couldn't do it. I knew in my heart of hearts that taking the easy way out just wouldn't cut it. I would get to an end result, yes, but not one that was maintainable. We've all seen it over and over. Every woman who diets is like a yoyo... up, down, up, down... fat, skinny, fat, skinny... I didn't want to be that girl.
So, true to my headstrong self, I dug in my heels and determined that I was going to lose the weight and get healthy again... the REAL way. The NATURAL way. The HARD way.
Here we are, 15 pounds later. It has been one heck of a back-and-forth journey so far, but I'm proud of every painstaking pound I lost.
A few days ago, after feeling particularly crappy because of the crummy food I had put into my body, I decided to get reinvigorated. I'm on what I call a 30-day challenge. For 30 straight days I am going to stay at or under my calorie count. (For those of you who need a good resource, My Fitness Pal is a free app on iTunes and it is amazing! It calculates how many calories you need to eat a day to lose the weight based on how much you currently weigh and your goal weight, but it forces you to focus on losing it gradually. Oh and yells at you when you don't eat enough that day with a warning in bright red, bold letters: YOU ARE EATING TOO FEW CALORIES! My absolute favorite thing about this app, though, is that it gives you a weight estimate after you log in each day that reads, "If every day were like today, you would weigh ___ pounds in 5 weeks." It's very encouraging to see what you COULD weigh if you keep on keepin' on!) So, this week I sat down and started journaling. Somehow I ended up coming up with the top 10 reasons I want to lose the rest of the weight, get to my goal and be healthy for a lifetime.
Enjoy!

Photo courtey of weddingclipart.com
via Google images

1. A healthy heart.
Earlier this year I was put on a heart monitor and sent through all kinds of tests to determine why I was having heart flutters. Turns out (thank you Lord) it was no big deal. Even though I wasn't to a dangerous point on the BMI scale, the doc lectured me about my current weight and said I needed to eat healthier. (I know your curiosity is killing you, so I am going to bury what my weight was deep into this blog... on my 5'8 frame I was at 176 pounds at that point.) Talk about a wakeup call!
"...be strong and courageous; do not be afraid or lose heart!" 1 Chronicles 22:13

2. To look good for my husband.
Ok women, quit your scoffing. I have no doubt that my husband loves me no matter what, no matter my body shape and size. He is the best at reminding me how beautiful I am on a regular basis. But the bottom line is that it really IS important to look good and take care of ourselves for our spouses! For men, what with them being all visual and everything, I think it's especially important. Yes, he loves my heart, my personality, blahdeeblahblah, but it's important to me that he finds me unequivocally attractive. When we're together, I want him to be like, "Ohhh yeah! She's with me!"
"Since they are no longer two but one, let no one separate what God has joined together." Matthew 19:6

3. To feel comfortable and confident.
Everyone's confidence and comfort levels are different, and specifically tailored to who they are, how they were raised, who and what surrounds them, etc. For me, comfort is being physically fit. I was an athlete growing up. Physical fitness wasn't just something I desired, it was something I needed to function in my sport of choice. I feel the most comfortable when I am physically fit. Don't misunderstand; physical fitness is not the same as being skinny. I was never skinny (my big booty was the "butt" of many a joke... pun intended. lol). But being able to run, walk, climb stairs and so on without being winded... that's important. I literally noticed that I would get winded walking up stairs. So NOT a good feeling! And confidence... I have always been a relatively confident person. Yes I've had my inner struggles with confidence just like every other human being capable of feeling on this planet, but for the most part I've held my own. I do not believe that your confidence should specifically be TIED to your weight, or your body image. That's just plain unhealthy. But I'm not so ignorant as to think there's not a connection between the two! If you are eating right, exercising regularly, and your body reflects that... trust me, you are much more likely to walk around feeling confident.
"It is the branch that bears the fruit that feels the knife." - Annie Johnson Flint

4. To honor God with the abilities He gave me.
This goes back to the whole physically fit thing. God gave me the athletic abilities I have. He gave me the desire to continue on in the athletic field I work and thrive in. He gave me my headstrong nature. He gave me my curves, big volleyball thighs included (lol). He gave me the ability of leadership. He gave me so many things that are very closely tied into taking care of my body. If I don't take care of my own body, how in the world could I preach to my volleyball players the importance of getting in shape to play their sport? Hello hypocrisy! I can't do that. I won't be that person who preaches one thing and does another. It is important for me to honor the position God has placed me in, and that includes taking care of myself.
"But as for you, be strong and do not give up, for your work will be rewarded." 2 Chronicles 15:7

5. To prove to myself that I CAN.
Boy oh boy is weight loss an up and down ride. There are high highs and there are low lows. But basically, one of my reasons is to prove to myeslf that I really CAN do whatever I set my mind to, with the help of the Lord. If I committ to Him what I am doing I know that my plans will succeed. Why? Because the Bible tells me so. ;) It also tells me that I can do ALL THINGS (not some things) through Christ who gives me strength. Talk about a promise! I definitely feed off of feeling successful. This has proved both a blessing and a curse, because when I am unsuccessful at something it frustrates me terribly. Luckily in this situation, each pound or inch is a small victory; a small battle won in the war. Since I thrive off that, it keeps me pressing forward.
"Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart." Psalm 37:4

6. To set a standard for those in my circle of influence and be a good example to those under my leadership.
Like I mentioned before, I refuse to be the person preaching one thing and practicing another! I see a desperate need in the world around me for people to quit blaming and complaining and step up! I take full responsibility for the weight gain, and therefore I take full responsibility for the weight loss. If everyone in a leadership position stood up, I guarantee others would follow. And by leadership position I don't mean you have to be an athletic coach, a business owner, or the President. You lead in many areas of your life that you don't even realize. Are you a mom or a dad? You are a leader to your children. Are you a school teacher? You are a leader to your classroom. Are you a nurse? You are a leader to everyone who steps through the doors seeking medical care. Let's all step up and set an example for those around us!
"Without good direction people lose their way; the more wise counsel you follow, the better your chances." Proverbs 11:14 The Message

7. To practice discipline.
Oh discipline. Just the word typically makes us all shudder. It seems like such a hard thing to achieve, doesn't it? And let's be REAL - it IS hard to achieve! But I think it's worth it. If I didn't think it was worth it I wouldn't be going after the goals I've set. I know for myself that if I can be disciplined in the area of taking care of my body, God will entrust me with other things for which I have to exercise discipline. I have to start with me. I have to be disciplined in the area of MY life. For those of you wondering, I am so not naturally, intrinsically disciplined. I am headstrong, which helps, but being disciplined is not a natural thing for me. Actually, I am literally a part of the so-called "entitlement generation." I have to FIGHT to not be lumped in with that term! I despise that term! Nothing comes easy, and nothing is free. We have to practice discipline in our lives, without someone holding our hand everyday. I have to take these things one at a time, or I get overwhelmed. I am not disciplined about keeping my house tidy, or the laundry done. I am not disciplined about eating healthy foods. I am not disciplined about working out (even though it's something I very much enjoy). I am not disciplined about getting up early (I hate mornings). I am not... but I CAN BE. One step at a time, no matter how small. I know that the more I exercise discipline in the small areas of my life - the areas that I have total control over - the more responsibility I will be given in say, my work life.
"The road to life is a disciplined life..." Proverbs 10:17
"For God is working in you, giving you the desire to obey Him and the power to do what pleases Him." Phillippians 2:13

8. To feel better.
Bottom line: I feel crappy when I eat crappy. I feel good when I eat good. It's like that whole "you are what you eat" thing. Man if we really think about that it's sort of gross. At the same time, it's true! When I eat lighter, smaller portions... when I add vegetables and fruit into my diet... when I drink enough water... I feel lighter. I feel more comfortable. I have more energy. I am more focused. When I eat heavy foods, I feel heavy. I feel sluggish. I feel lazy. I feel like I want to just sit on the couch and watch TV. I feel unmotivated. I feel overall... crummy. When I work out, I feel invigorated! When I work out, I feel energized! When I work out, I feel successful! So why... why in the world would I choose NOT to eat healthy and exercise? You got me. But I do. So to feel better, I'm going to make the CHOICE to live better.
"I have chosen to participate, rather than spectate; to do, and not just dream; to risk stumbling, and rise to try again." - Anonymous

9. To not become another "fat stat."
Yes, I said it. Fat stat. Have you read the statistics on obesity in our country? It is literally TERRIFYING. I don't want to hear the whole "but obese is based on your BMI and blahdeeblahblahblah"... the bottom line is, we need to TAKE RESPONSIBILITY for being overweight. We've got to stand up and say, "I'm done." Do we seriously want our children to FEEL the way we feel when we are overweight and out of shape? I don't have children yet, but looking down the road, I NEVER want them to feel the way I did when I was 15 pounds heavier than I am right now. And I'm sure, when I reach my goal, I will look down the road and say I NEVER want my children to feel the way I did when I was 30 pounds heavier. Have I mentioned that my all-time favorite foods are Mexican food and Italian food? I am Italian. We Italians love to eat! I could live off bread, cheese and wine. Having a home cooked meal, sitting around the dinner table with family and catching up... I LOVE doing that! But boy do we need to be careful. Portion sizes... smaller. Ingredients... healthier. After all, we'd all like to live a little longer to enjoy those meals, wouldn't we?

10. To prove that the hard work of losing weight by exercising and eating healthy ALONE is worth it.
Man have I been tempted by every diet fad out there. The cleanses and the pills and the powders and the juices and... oh the list goes on. It's especially hard when friends and family get on the bandwagon of these fads... and guess what? THEY LOSE WEIGHT. It is REALLY hard to feel "left behind" them as they skyrocket to their weightloss goals, losing literally 1+ pounds per DAY. Yes, it's dangerous. But do I see that when I see them shedding pounds? Of course not! I see results. And I so yearn for those same results. What do I not yearn for? The FINAL result. The final result, a very large amount of the time (pun intended), is excessive weight gain. Gaining what they lost PLUS some. This isn't necessarily because the diet isn't effective (some are), it's just that people lost the will to maintain it, because most of those plans just aren't realistic. Maybe they ran out of the money to continue paying for it. Who knows. But the end result is usually weight gain. That's a sad twist of irony. The end result of a diet is usually weight gain. Hmm. Bummer. So, every fiber of my being is aching to show the world that hard work really does pay off. I'm itching to show everyone, one painful pound at a time, that by counting calories, eating smaller portions, making a few healthier decisions, and adding some activity in your life, even if it's just walking for exercise, you CAN lose the weight and be healthier.

I hope that you'll join me on this journey. My goal is to reach my desired fitness level before the one year anniversary of when I started this journey. Please be encouraged, I know this route is not the easiest. Trust me, I know it's hard. I'm right there with you. But I also know we can do it. We can get back to healthy... one step at a time...

"Anybody can quit. It's easy to quit. If you don't have any other testimony, at least have this one... 'I'm still here...'" - Joyce Meyer

Blogtalkidy!

I am so excited today!
1. Two good friends of ours are tying the knot this evening! YAY! So excited for them. Congratulations again, Jake and Whitney! You guys are going to love married life.

Chris and I are in the wedding, so today we will be busy busy getting all ready. Fun stuff!

and 2. The introduction to my NEW radio show, Get Real with The getREAL Coach, launched TODAY! Yippeeee! It is a 30 minute segment that tells about what the show will encompass, and explains a little about who I am and what's important to me. Listen in here. It is a special episode so my portion doesn't actually come on until minute 88, but once it loads you can scroll over to that time to tune in.
Happy Friday everyone!

Holy huge croc! ... and raging wildfires

Photo credit: AP Photo found on Toshiba News link

This 21-foot beast was captured Sunday in Agusan del Sur Province (where in the world is that?) in a creek. That's right, a CREEK. Not 100% sure what their defintion of creek is, but the AP used the terminology, so it must be legit. The male crocodile weighed in at 2,370 pounds. Oh. My. Gosh. That's just beyond enormous.
As for the Captain Obvious comment of the day the story reads, "Residents of the farming town of about 37,000 people have been told to avoid venturing into marshy areas alone at night, Elorde said." HA! You think?
To top it off, they think there might be an even bigger one lurking around...
Check out the huge croc story here.
In other news, wildfires are still raging in Texas. It sort of feels like our entire state is burning up. Not sure what we did to piss off the fire gods... (KIDDING. I do not believe in fire gods). Regardless, keep everyone in your prayers. Especially the brave men and women out battling those blazes. As the wife of a firefighter, they tend to stay at the forefront of my mind.

Here are some fire stats (updated yesterday) that I found on the Texas Forest Service website:
· It appears that in the past 48 hours, more than 700 homes have been destroyed. As better assessments come in, we will continue to update the situation report.
· Yesterday (Sept. 5) Texas Forest Service responded to 22 new fires for 7,544 acres, including 10 new large fires.
· In the past seven days Texas Forest Service has responded to 181 fires for 118,413 acres.

Just in those 48 hours more than 700 homes destroyed. 700 folks. That's really hard to wrap your mind around.
On that note, if you have friends, family, or just someone you know who has been somehow affected by the wildfires in Texas or know some brave soul out fighting said fires, please leave a comment below. Let's turn the comment board into a prayer wall how's-a-'bout?

Happy the-week-is-half-over day...

It's personal.

Ok so it's official - I have decided that this blog will be a personal blog. Not to say it won't occasionally incorporate business-ish stuff, but it means I am giving myself explicit permission to talk about everything from the goings-on of my family, to why I had a fantastic day and you should too, to the irresistable adorableness (is that a word? came out of my mouth didn't it? HA!) of my dogs. Basically, I will be blogging about what matters to me.
My life
God has recently been taking me down a new and very exciting path! I have established myself as The getREAL Coach, and am in the process of starting my business. To find out more about what I do, click here, and here, oh and here too. 
One thing after another has started very quickly falling into place, and I can't wait to see where He is taking all this!
So today it feels like fall is coming. And I LOVE IT. Yes, capital letters love it! According to a USA Today poll, only 28% of the adult population's favorite season is fall. Well guess what? I am a part of that 28%! What's your favorite season and why?
Moving on.
I seem to say this everytime a new month rolls around, but seriously people, is anyone else blown away by the fact that it is already September? I mean, holy crow! The year's end is creeping up on us all Ninja style. Sheesh.
The high school volleyball team I coach, Arbor Christian Academy, has already been in season for over a month. A month! Feels like just yesterday we had our first day of two-a-days. Speaking of two-a-days... totally brutal. But I love 'em.
...I digress. Anyway, we ended up having one big varsity team this year. We are calling it our Gideon season. We started with more than 20 girls and are currently at 13. It's sort of our joke that we're like Gideons army. God keeps whittling us to smaller numbers. So no doubt every victory belongs to Him! (Don't know the story of Gideon? Read it here.) So far it has proved true time and time again. We have a very young team and so it's been pretty up and down lately, but they're a great, hard working group of girls.
My family
Chris is now fully certified and can be hired on with the Amarillo Fire Department. They test again sometime during the beginning of 2012, so for now he's working EMS standby and security. That will probably change soon though, because it's totally boring him to death and he can't stand sitting still, so he's applied for a couple different positions. Here's to hoping he gets one of them so he can have the holidays off! He's also still volunteering for the county fire department as well. 
My dogs... you know, I just love to talk about my dogs. You get me going and look out, I will completely forget anything and everything we had formerly been talking about and all of my focus shoots in one direction faster than you can blink. Seriously though, my dogs are like my children. I just love 'em! But I'm not that crazy person who lets their dogs get away with anything they want (up on the furniture, hogging the bed space, eating people food, misbehaving). That, in fact, drives me bonkers. I mean really people, if you can't even train a disciplined dog how in the WORLD do you expect to have well-behaved children? And it is so not cool to go to someone's house who has no control over their dog. I think having a dog is good training for having kids. You know, minus the whole, when your baby cries you can't just put it outside thing. Oh and the learning how to walk part. Oh and talk. And uhm, school and such. Ok whatever. Point is having pets really shows you in a hurry the similarities (and differences, oh my the differences) the two of you have when it comes to training (hello parenting!) styles. Luckily for my husband and I, we've found we're pretty much on the same page. (Hallelujah thank you Jesus.) 
What's your take? Did you and your spouse get a dog before having kids? If so, did it bring to light some fundamental differences you guys had?

I think that will do it for today. Be sure to follow this blog and comment below! Oh and head's up - my business blog will be launching soon!

Top 5 things I learned from my dad

In honor of Father's Day, here are the top 5 things I learned from my amazing dad. He and my mom continue to be the best examples I could ever ask for, and I still learn so much from them every time we're together.

1. God first, others second, self third. Moral of the story... selfishness gets you nowhere; selflessness gets you anywhere you want to go.

2. You can do anything you want in life as long as you work half the day. You choose which half; the first 12 hours or the second. Moral of the story... Work hard, play hard. You have to work hard in life and be disciplined. But when you are, reward yourself by making the time to do things you enjoy.

3. Don't complain about the problem if you're not willing to be part of the solution. Moral of the story... Sitting around complaining about a problem without working towards solving said problem is a monumental waste of your time. Take action toward change, or you have no right to complain.

4. Ask God to help you accept the things you cannot change, give you courage to change the things you can, and grant you the wisdom to know the difference. Moral of the story... This serenity prayer speaks for itself. It's something my dad taught me at a young age and something I've held on to ever since.

5. Eat life up with a big ol' spoon. Moral of the story... You don't know what this life is going to dish out. All you can do is make the best of every moment you're given.

Dad's play a fundamental and irreplaceable role in our lives. Some of us are blessed to still have our dad's around. Others celebrate their fathers that are now in heaven. And still others never knew their real father, but had a special person step in and fill that role during their lives. No matter your situation - real dad or adopted dad, grandfather or uncle, older brother or friend - tell your "dad" thank you today.

The "D" word

Today I had a good ol' fashioned schooling on the "d" word...
Discipline.

Illustration found on forthelovemagazine.net via Google images.

Nothing like a little Godly reprimand right? That's what I had this morning.
I'm currently studying the book of Proverbs, and am finding that every chapter holds serious gems of wisdom, whether I want to hear them at that particular moment or not. And of course, I'm human, so being reprimanded for something does not quite make my top 10 list, if you know what I mean.
But today, it was necessary. Ever have those moments? They're not enjoyable, exactly, but they are freeing. It's freeing to admit you were in the wrong about something, and it's freeing to receive a new sense of determination to make change in that area.
For me, that area is discipline. One of the definitions for discipline on dictionary.com is this;

to bring to a state of order and obedience by training and control.

My life has been anything but that, lately. It amazes me how quickly things can get out of control. I've mentioned before that I should be nicknamed the "Queen of Procrastination," but all jokes aside, it's a terrible truth. 

Maybe you're like me. Maybe procrastination is your middle name and you go with the excuse, like I do, that I "work best under pressure." Ha, you know you've said that before, don't lie! And, although that is somewhat true for me, what happens when there is no pressure to do something? Like keeping my house clean, and staying on top of the laundry. There's no "deadline" for that. It's up to me to be self-disciplined and get it done. And, oh I don't know... how about, say, writing a book? I don't have a publisher yet (keyword: yet), so it's up to me to practice self discipline and work on that book. There's no deadline. It's up to me.

Discipline is so way easier said than done! I'm a volleyball coach, and discipline is essential to the success of my athletes and my team. It starts with external discipline. That's where I come in. As the coach, I create an atmosphere of discipline - a set of requirements the girls must meet or there are consequences. I do this in hopes that, after awhile, the girls will develop internal discipline. They won't need to be told certain things to do or not to do, they will be disciplined enough within themselves to do what needs to be done.

So here I sit... I'm past the external discipline. Now it's all up to me. I have to exercise internal discipline. 

Where are you at? Are you, like me, practicing procrastination instead of self-discipline? 

 

Nuggets of truth:

*Discipline means not doing everything I want to do.

Uh oh. Nobody likes to hear that. You mean I have to prioritize? You mean I have to learn how to say NO? You mean I can't do what I want, when I want to? Yep, I sure do. Questions to ask myself: Do I have time to do this? Does it benefit me? If I choose to do it, does it bring me closer to my goals?

*Discipline means living a balanced and controlled life.

I don't even know what those words mean most of the time. Balance and control? Who really has balance and control? Well, although I might not be able to have that 100% of the time, I can strive for it. In fact, for the sake of my sanity, I have to strive for it. Questions to ask myself: What feels "out of order" in my life? What steps can I take to keep things balanced? Am I inviting and accepting this lack of control?

 

I wrote down these little nuggets of truth after reading an article by Joyce Meyer in the Enjoying Everyday Life magazine. It's called "The Best Life Ever." Some other things she said...

*God designed us to be dreamers. 

*Ne need to train and cooperate with God for those dreams to be fulfilled.  

*To turn potential into completion we must make time, be determined, and work hard.

 

Do you have these obstacles, too? How do you practice discipline in your life?

 

Chew on this...

Image found via Google images search

"You can't become a leader and expect to stay a leader without developing the necessary skills and doing the hard work yourself." - Joyce Meyer

"Doing things with excellence means you don't take short cuts." - a very wise family friend, Kristine George

"Hard work always pays off; mere talk puts no bread on the table." - Proverbs 14:23, The Message 

The Granny in the Weight Room

She had to be in her late 60's, at least. Sweet, gentle, grandmotherly smile. Short, tidy, salt and pepper-colored hair. About 5'4, maybe, slender build.

Fragile. She looked fragile.

But she wasn't, apparently.

She bent down to lift the plates onto her weight bar in our workout class. Effortlessly, might I add. I looked at mine, and back at hers.

It took only a fraction of a second for it to register...

You have got to be friggin' kidding me! She had more weight on her bar than I did...

Image from fotosearch.com via Google images.

And so it began. My competitive nature kicked in faster than lightning striking a lone tree in an empty field. I mean come on, was I really going to let a granny out-do me in a weight lifting class? If you know me at all, you know there was no way on God's green earth that was going to happen.

So, show of hands... who has ever been outdone by the granny in the weight room? This could be a figurative granny, of course, but for me it was a literal granny.

I go to group workouts at the Amarillo Town Club and attempt to get my butt into gear with classes like Body Attack, Body Combat and Body Pump (yes, they are as hard as they sound). Last week I decided to double up on classes one day. What possessed me to do this I have no idea, but I went for it. First, 60 hardcore minutes of Body Attack. To give you an idea of how intense the cardio in this class is, if you exert 100% of your energy and go as hard as you can for the entire class, you can burn up to 1,000 calories, according to my class instructor. That's right, do the math; that's almost 17 calories per minute of class time. Now, following this class I committed myself to attending a sissies-beware weight lifting class, Body Pump. This one is 60 minutes of high-rep weight lifting. Thing is, you can set your own standards, deciding how much weight you want to lift throughout. You can go as light or as heavy as you need. So, since I had just nearly killed myself in a class the hour before, I figured I'd take it easy for this hour and get the reps in. (You'll come out of this class sore even if you do light weights). I noticed the older lady to my left after I loaded my weight bar for the warm up track.

'Nice and easy,' I had been thinking to myself. That thought vanished like mist on a hot, dry day. She was smiling, oblivious to my rude gawking. It took less than 2 seconds. Less than 2 seconds for me to quickly throw more weights on my bar before the class instructor cranked up the music... and before granny could notice that I had lighter weights than she did.

I matched her weight-for-weight during each track. Sometimes I put a little extra on, just to make a point to myself. After that class, I could barely walk. Once simple tasks like sitting on the toilet became catastrophic feats. Sneezing made my whole body quiver in pain.

If it weren't for that dang granny, I could walk without looking like I had been hit by a bus.

But if it weren't for that dang granny, I wouldn't have pushed myself as hard. I wouldn't have lifted those heavier weights... those heavier weights that, over time, will make me stronger. Much stronger.

That experience got me thinking about a question my friend, Denai Vaughn, recently posed on her Facebook page. "Collaboration or competition?" I have a naturally competitive personality. I want to win at everything, all the time. Basically, you won't beat me at anything. Ever. I can find competition in just about anything (I am the direct result of two highly competitive parents. I mean, 2+2=4, you know?). 

Now here's my question. What is your stance on competition? Was that granny a blessing to me, or a curse? Was it a positive thing to use that competitiveness to help push myself harder than I would have otherwise? How can that competitive nature help, and how can it hinder?

For me, a spirit of competition is essential. It's essential to our survival. It's essential to our success in the work place. It fuels drive, and determination, which breeds strength and endurance. We need that in everything we do, from our relationships (these days more than ever before we have to fight for our marriages to survive), to our work promotions. Strength. Endurance. Focus. Determination. These things can be learned from healthy competition. Of course, sports, in my opinion, are an excellent platform by which to gain these skills that will pour over into adulthood. Traits like commitment and passion are learned in an arena of competition.

There is always a place for collaboration, as my friend Denai strongly advocates. Collaboration is also essential. But for me, you can't have one without the other. Even when you are collaborating in the business world, you are still competing with other businesses in your field, yes? This makes your team strive to do more, be more, achieve more. When you are collaborating with teammates on the court, in the field, you are still competing against your opponents, correct? 

How do you implement a healthy sense of competition into your life, into your work? How about collaboration? Do you think it's true that, although different, the two can complement each other and work toward a common goal when used correctly? 

Competition and collaboration are as different as opposite sides of a coin... but they still represent the same coin.   

Thrive'n Jive'n!

Tuesday's Thrive With 5 event at the Sleep Inn & Suites, 6915 I-40 West, was fantastic! If you missed Breaking Down Business Barriers, here are some key points myself and the other two speakers, Denai Vaughn and Carol Henderson, talked about...

I discussed how to overcome "I Can't" - Information, Communication, Act, Notoriety, and Truth. It's so important to evaluate the information we are telling ourselves. Is it positive or negative? Do you have an attitude of "I can" or an attitude of "I can't"? The first step in overcoming ICS ("I Can't" Syndrome, pronounced 'icks') is to recognize what kind of things are going on inside your head!
Highlights:
"In order to move forward we have to have information about where we're headed. We have to know where we're headed to get there."
"We can know all there is to know, but if we don't take action, nothing will ever happen."
"In order to see the truth - to live in it, claim it - you have to recognize the lies you might be telling yourself out of fear."


Denai, The Networking Queen, spoke on BRAND - Branding Basics, Recognizable, Advocates, Networking your Brand, and Discernment.
What are the basics of branding? Denai advised to choose a brand and an accompanying logo that people can easily identify you with. Also, prepare to be married to your brand! What you choose, you should stick with! Recognize your brand advocates - the people who have your back and will help you protect your brand!
Hightlights from Denai:
"Find what you're passionate about in that industry, find the continuity. Ask yourself, do I want to be branded by the company I'm with or by my passions?"
"If you have advocates they will love what you do because of how you do it. Hurting people, hurt people. You're gonna have some haters, you have to let them go."
"If you're networking your brand, (people) will want to imitate you, but they can't duplicate you."


Carol Henderson, a longtime successful business owner, spoke about budgeting. She talked about MONEY - Mouth, Options, Networking, Excellence, and You.
Carol said it's important to listen to the words you say, because what you say is what you get! When budgeting, options are very important. Pay attention to where you're advertising. What audience are your reaching by advertising in that particular area? Also, the ever-true statement, it's not what you know, it's who know. Get connected! It all comes down to you, Carol says. It's your choice to pursue excellence in your business and your budgeting.
Highlights from Carol:
"Try to bring more to the table than what you promised. Over-deliver."
"Excellence isn't perfection, it's doing the best you can with what you have."


If you'd like to read more about what each of us discussed Tuesday, let me know! We will start working on our Breaking Down Business Barriers online magazine soon (available in print, too). In it we'll have a more in-depth overview of the seminar, and some excellent insight from our four expert panelists. 


What are some of your expert tips about how to break down those barriers inhibiting your success in business? What have you overcome in the past and how did you do it? Share your story here, or email me at mdcoach@live.com for a chance to be featured on my blog!

Thrive with 5

Please allow me a little room to promote, because I am way beyond excited about this conference!
Tuesday, May 17th I will be one of three featured speakers at the first seminar in the Thrive with 5 series, 'Breaking down business barriers,' and I cannot wait!
It is so important to continue pursuing excellence in your business, and in your life. (*ahem* I will also need a little room to preach in this blog post.) If you quit seeking the next best thing and new, potentially better ways of doing things, your business will become stagnant and out of date. You can't broaden your clientele if you don't broaden your reach, that's for sure.
At 'Breaking down business barriers' you will hear insight from professionals on what has worked for them, and what hasn't. You will be able to ask questions and leave with answers. 
I will be speaking about how to turn "Can't" into "Act" and overcoming a little something I call ICS (pronounced 'icks') or "I Can't" Syndrome. No one wants the ics, but it happens. How do you overcome it? "I can't" essentially translates into "I won't." I'll talk a bit about my own journey so far, and how taking chances and turning day dreams into actions led me to places I didn't think I could go. 
Also speaking will be The Networking Queen herself, Denai Vaughn. Denai is amazing and talented, and has tons of insight and good advice! Come ready to take some serious notes, you'll want to remember what this lady has to say.
Our other speaker will be Carol Henderson. I'm meeting with her tomorrow and can't wait to hear what great things she will have to share at 'Breaking down business barriers.'
If you're out of town but want to get plugged in, don't worry, this conference will be available virtually. Yes, I am super pumped about that. I love it when technology trumps circumstance. Ha!
Check out the Thrive with 5 Facebook page for more info. 
To register and for more info check out this website.
If you have questions about this seminar, comment away!
Do you ever attend events like these to learn more about broadening your options in your circumstance? 

Osama bin Laden is dead.

Citizens hang off a lamp post cheering in celebration as thousands of people celebrate in the streets at Ground Zero. Photo: Spencer Platt/Getty Images. Image from colorlines.com via Google images.

Osama bin Laden is dead.
My first emotion? Relief.
Yes, possibly unfounded relief as we obviously have to be prepared for potential retaliation for his death. But I felt relieved, none the less.
It immediately brought my mind back to the families of the victims of 9/11. The heartbreak, the pain, anger, sorrow. Whatever emotions they felt upon hearing the news of Osama bin Laden's death, among them was vindication, I'm sure. But I also have no doubt they felt sorrow. Sorrow because bin Laden's death, although just, can't bring their loved ones back. But hopefully it has brought some closure.
My second emotion was pride. Pride in the country I live in. Pride in the troops, the brave men and women who daily risk their lives, that represent us, that protect us. I have had family die for this cause. That's something I don't take lightly, and that pride swelled in me like an overblown balloon. 
My third emotion was confusion. But why, I wasn't quite sure. After a lot of thought, I've realized that the confusion stemmed from my warring emotions between wanting to jump up and down and chant, "U.S.A! U.S.A!" in the streets, and mourn the fact that a man had to be murdered because of his murderous acts. A just death, by all means. I don't think celebrating the death of an enemy is right, but I do think celebrating good triumphing over evil is. I believe that when righteousness wins out, when our country stands up under fire and says, 'We will fight, and not back down,' that is something to celebrate.
Regardless of personal feelings, Osama bin Laden's death was a victory for our great country. I do agree that to fill the streets in celebration of the death of a fanatic makes us fanatical. I do understand that the Lord instructs us not to gloat when our enemies fall, and I see how celebrating in the streets could be perceived as gloating. For many, it may well have been gloating.
But for me, for my urge to run into the streets shouting, "U.S.A! U.S.A!" was more about pride in my country.
I get why people wanted to wave our flag in the streets, hold it high. They're proud. They're proud of our troops, as we all should be... they're proud of this victory against a kind of terror thousands have experienced... they're proud to call themselves Americans.
As am I.
God bless the U.S.

What was your initial reaction to the news? Do you think it was wrong of people to celebrate in the streets?

Bloggin', blogger, bloggy



Image found on prospectresearch.com via Google

 Blogging is an ever changing area, and there's nothing black and white about it. The area in between, actually, is quite vast. There are very few set "rules" about blogging, so I want your opinion.
How do you decide what "type" of blog you're going to have?
I tend to favor the personal intermixed with the professional. I love going with the flow of the day, how I'm feeling, and writing what I want to write about. But do you think this is counterproductive for readers?
I've heard mixed opinions on the matter. Some people insist a topic-specific blog is essential to holding on to readership, others disagree. What is your opinion?

Just since I started this new blog, multiple people have said to me, "I really want to start a blog, but I'm not sure how, exactly." Well I don't have it all figured out (I know, you thought I totally knew what I was doing here. Fooled ya!), but here are three things I've learned about blogging in my endeavors so far.

  1.   Your blog needs to reflect who you are.

• Nobody wants to read some stuffy, boring, textbook style blog post. Make it fun! Make it a unique reading experience every time they open your page. Are you feeling angry about a new law that was passed that you disagree with? Show it! Happy about some new restaurant that opened in your town? Let's hear it! If you have a happy, fun, outgoing personality, we should be able to gather that from reading your posts. Same applies if you have more of a withdrawn, deep, poetic personality. Being able to relate to the blogger on some level keeps readers coming back, and keeps you, the blogger, real.

    2.   Find the relevance.

• Yes, you are going to post some things that maybe only those close to you will care about sometimes. But before posting ask yourself, "How is this relevant? Why does this matter? Why should people care?" Some readers might not realize it's relevant until they read your post. YOU convince them, by what you've written, that it's important. Sometimes the relevance can be found in simply bringing a smile to a readers face, making them laugh. Sometimes it's deeper, challenging their opinion on some heated topic. If you think it's important enough to write, people need to think it's important enough to read.

    3.   Make it interactive.

• Ever read a blog that's just 1,000 words? BOR-ing. For example, if you talk about some great new miracle product you tried that's working wonders on your hair, share a link where people can go buy it themselves. Or if you read some fantastic feature article on some couple that battled cancer together during their engagement, post the link! Hyperlinks are your friend. Help people get clicky. And how about some pictures? Or video? If you go on some grand vacation to Italy and blog about it, I'd like to see some pictures, please! Even a graphic, fun or serious, can be helpful and intriguing. And lastly, don't pretend like your readers aren't there. Ask them questions in your post. If they comment, respond to them. Now, you don't have to respond 100% of the time, but keep your eye out for commentary. Again, readers want to connect.

What it boils down to is this; you make your own rules in the blogging world. You decide what works for you and what doesn't. A little trial and error never hurt anyone. Kinda like my blog... it's anybody's guess what will work for me, and it's my job to find out!

Happy blogging!

Here's a link to some useful tips about blogging.

Back to the blog-0-sphere

Back to the blogging world! Time to talk life.
At first glance, you might find the name of my blog interesting. Or maybe not. But either way I'm going to explain it to you.
Let's go back, back to when I was growing up. My parents were those super cool parents, you know, the kind who all your friends liked? The kind who friends would say, "You should consider yourself lucky. I wish my parents were that cool!" Well, now that I'm older... married... "grown up" if you will... I have to say I agree with all of those friends. I have some pretty cool parents. I admire their advice, and value their wisdom. They are some pretty smart folks, in matters of the head, and of the heart. They know when to interject, and when to back off and let a life lesson play out.
My dad's motto has always been my favorite and something I have used many times over. He always said to "eat life up with a big ol' spoon." To this day I think that's genius. Such an oversimplified statement, obviously, but genius in its simplicity. I mean really, what's not to enjoy about life? And why do we get stuck trudging through it, just managing to get by day after day? His motto stands as a constant reminder to me that life is good, life is a gift, life should be enjoyed. To the fullest. Work hard, play harder.
So therein lies the decision to call my blog "big ol' spoon." Because on this thing, we'll talk about life... what it's made up of, how to get the most out of it, how to grab hold and eat it up with a big ol' spoon.