My beautiful sister-in-law has been complaining about how she feels about herself lately and has wanted someone to help her learn proper nutrition and exercise. Now I am no expert in how to teach someone nutrition of exercise, but I do know how to motivate someone! So I went on a mission to find her some information to help her in her quest for better health. What I found was a challenge for myself and our entire family! I found a book at our local Christian book store called Fit for My King by Sheri Rose Shepherd. Sheri is a former bulimic and beauty queen who now teachers thousands of women to eat healthy and exercise because our bodies are the temple of the Lord. Well I thought, this is perfect for her so I picked up the book. Funny thing is while I was wandering the aisles and looking for other material I heard a little voice say "go and get that book for yourself" (of course there where two of them!).
As a coach I can't lead someone where I have never gone. Health and nutrition have always been important to me, but since the baby I have not put myself high on the list of "to do's" and that baby weight is hanging on for dear life! So instead of just motivating her and coaching her...I'm walking along side her and for the next 30 days we are fasting out processed foods, white sugars, white flours, soda's and all fake food. It's not going to be easy, because taking your body off sugar is the equivalent of an alcoholic or drug addict detoxing! Sounds great doesn't it?! Thankfully my children refuse to eat potatoes, love whole grain pasta, and would rather have a carrot or an apple than a potato chip! It won't be easy but we are committed to living better and feeling better, plus we have the support of our husbands, our God, and each other.
My goal for this week is to drink approximately 70 ounces of water a day ( I don't drink soda so I don't have to wean off of that, thank goodness!) which is approximately 3 jars if you know my family well! To exercise for 5 days at least 20 minutes a time, and to not eat after 7pm.
This is more than a resolution...this is a revolution, time to prepare for battle :)
Saturday, January 22, 2011
Monday, January 10, 2011
Is it a job or is it your ministry?
Thoughts on your job from one of my favorite authors Max Lucado...happy Monday!
http://www.christianity.com/Christian%20Living/Features/11622657/
http://www.christianity.com/Christian%20Living/Features/11622657/
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
Renewed Vision: A little leap of faith...
Renewed Vision: A little leap of faith...: "When is the last time you felt like someone really believed in you? Really believed in not only who you are but what you could accomplish in..."
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A little leap of faith...
When is the last time you felt like someone really believed in you? Really believed in not only who you are but what you could accomplish in your life? When is the last time you felt like you could really conquer your fear of failure and really do something extraordinary with your life?
Have you ever felt that way?
Tonight I had the privilege of being coached by one of the industries finest Dani Johnson. A dear friend of mine was able to get in on this coaching call for her business and she invited me to participate. What a difference an hour can make! What a difference it makes to know someone believes in you and the vision you have for your future. What a difference it makes to know that you are not crazy for wanting to start your own business and radically change the future of the clients you touch!
I believe in you too. I believe that the dreams you have in your heart can someday come to fruition. I believe you can equip yourself with knowledge and surround yourself with people who can encourage you and keep you accountable to see these goals realized. I believe everyone of us has a chance to make a difference in the lives we touch everyday. Really, I do! This is not just "coach" talk, this is my honest to goodness belief that every person on this earth has a vision and a plan for their life, all they have to do is figure out what that is.
Well now that is the hard part now isn't it! How do you figure out what it is you are supposed to be doing with your life?! That is a very good question and every person will have a different answer. One way to figure this out is by asking yourself this...."If you knew you would not fail, and money was no object, what would you do?" The answer will probably not surprise you. Most people have a good idea of what they want their life to be like, however, most have no idea how to get there! That is why my mission in life is to coach others to realize their God-given potential, achieve their wildest dreams, and live their life physically, emotionally, mentally, spiritually, and financially healthy. It is possible....all it takes is a little leap of faith!
Have you ever felt that way?
Tonight I had the privilege of being coached by one of the industries finest Dani Johnson. A dear friend of mine was able to get in on this coaching call for her business and she invited me to participate. What a difference an hour can make! What a difference it makes to know someone believes in you and the vision you have for your future. What a difference it makes to know that you are not crazy for wanting to start your own business and radically change the future of the clients you touch!
I believe in you too. I believe that the dreams you have in your heart can someday come to fruition. I believe you can equip yourself with knowledge and surround yourself with people who can encourage you and keep you accountable to see these goals realized. I believe everyone of us has a chance to make a difference in the lives we touch everyday. Really, I do! This is not just "coach" talk, this is my honest to goodness belief that every person on this earth has a vision and a plan for their life, all they have to do is figure out what that is.
Well now that is the hard part now isn't it! How do you figure out what it is you are supposed to be doing with your life?! That is a very good question and every person will have a different answer. One way to figure this out is by asking yourself this...."If you knew you would not fail, and money was no object, what would you do?" The answer will probably not surprise you. Most people have a good idea of what they want their life to be like, however, most have no idea how to get there! That is why my mission in life is to coach others to realize their God-given potential, achieve their wildest dreams, and live their life physically, emotionally, mentally, spiritually, and financially healthy. It is possible....all it takes is a little leap of faith!
Thursday, December 23, 2010
Building your strengths
If someone asked you what your strengths are would you know how to answer them? Would you say something like "I'm a people person." or possible "I work well with others."? Chances are you will probably have a hard time articulating what you strengths are. Sadly, if someone asked you what your weaknesses are you could probably rattle off a list 10 miles long! Are you building your life around your strengths or are you overcompensating for your weaknesses?
One of the books on my recommended reading list is "Now, Discover Your Strengths" by Marcus Buckingham and Donald O. Clifton. I'm not quite finished with it yet but the concept of the book is fascinating! It is based on the findings of a study by the Gallup Organization of over 2 million people who excelled in their choosen fields. The interviews were conducted to find out what they could learn about human strengths. What emerged was 34 "themes" explaining excellence in performance. It poses the question, "What would you life look like if you based it around your strengths?"
I love the way they explain this belief we have of improving our weaknesses..." Guided by the belief that good is the opposite of bad, mankind has for centuries pursued its fixation with fault and failing. Doctors have studied disease in order to learn about health. Psychologists have investigated sadness in order to learn about joy. Therapists have looked into the causes of divorce in order to learn about happy marriage. And in schools and workplaces around the world, each one of us has been encouraged to identify, analyze, and correct our weaknesses in order to become strong"
So true isn't it!! The authors explain that strengths are built on top of talents. Your talents are the raw material you are born with, determine your decision making, and are the building blocks for your strengths. So in essence what you are actually discovering is your strengths and your talents at the same time! The book contains a thorough explanation of each of the 34 themes and a way to access the testing material online to see what your top 5 are. However, you will be surprised to see how much of your strengths and talents you already knew. They explain it this way, "The irony is that since they influence every decision you make, you are already intimately familiar with your talents. Yet they are so influential, so interwoven in the fabric of your life, that the pattern of each one is hard to discern. Hiding in plain sight, they defy description. But they do leave traces."
Because I rented the book from the library I did not have an access code to take the test online (a very smart marketing ploy I must say!) so I went through each one and picked out which ones would best explain my strengths. Here they are: Belief -enduring core values, family oriented, altruistic, spiritual, responsible, ethical-want to have a job that means something to you. Command -impose views on others easily, take charge, look at confrontation as a way towards resolution, push others to take risks, people are drawn to you to lead. Developer- see the potential in others because everyone is a work in progress, you challenge others, you looks for experiences to help people grow. Discipline-world needs to be predictable, ordered and planned, impose structure and routines, want to feel in control, dislike surprises, impatient with errors of others and self. and Relator- pulled towards relationships you already know, deliberately intimate with a few friends.
One of the things they teach in this book is that strengths are enduring and unique (they last our entire life time and every person's are different) and our greatest room for growth is in our strengths. Most of these strengths I feel quite capable in to make them work for me. However, one of them I can see is in the baby stages of growing...Developer. This goes hand in hand with the goals and focus of coaching! I had no idea this was a strength of mine and I'm excited to see it grow and become stronger.
I challenge you to read this book and discover more about the things that make you unique and special. It's refreshing to focus on what you are good at instead of what you are not so good at!
Happy reading...
One of the books on my recommended reading list is "Now, Discover Your Strengths" by Marcus Buckingham and Donald O. Clifton. I'm not quite finished with it yet but the concept of the book is fascinating! It is based on the findings of a study by the Gallup Organization of over 2 million people who excelled in their choosen fields. The interviews were conducted to find out what they could learn about human strengths. What emerged was 34 "themes" explaining excellence in performance. It poses the question, "What would you life look like if you based it around your strengths?"
I love the way they explain this belief we have of improving our weaknesses..." Guided by the belief that good is the opposite of bad, mankind has for centuries pursued its fixation with fault and failing. Doctors have studied disease in order to learn about health. Psychologists have investigated sadness in order to learn about joy. Therapists have looked into the causes of divorce in order to learn about happy marriage. And in schools and workplaces around the world, each one of us has been encouraged to identify, analyze, and correct our weaknesses in order to become strong"
So true isn't it!! The authors explain that strengths are built on top of talents. Your talents are the raw material you are born with, determine your decision making, and are the building blocks for your strengths. So in essence what you are actually discovering is your strengths and your talents at the same time! The book contains a thorough explanation of each of the 34 themes and a way to access the testing material online to see what your top 5 are. However, you will be surprised to see how much of your strengths and talents you already knew. They explain it this way, "The irony is that since they influence every decision you make, you are already intimately familiar with your talents. Yet they are so influential, so interwoven in the fabric of your life, that the pattern of each one is hard to discern. Hiding in plain sight, they defy description. But they do leave traces."
Because I rented the book from the library I did not have an access code to take the test online (a very smart marketing ploy I must say!) so I went through each one and picked out which ones would best explain my strengths. Here they are: Belief -enduring core values, family oriented, altruistic, spiritual, responsible, ethical-want to have a job that means something to you. Command -impose views on others easily, take charge, look at confrontation as a way towards resolution, push others to take risks, people are drawn to you to lead. Developer- see the potential in others because everyone is a work in progress, you challenge others, you looks for experiences to help people grow. Discipline-world needs to be predictable, ordered and planned, impose structure and routines, want to feel in control, dislike surprises, impatient with errors of others and self. and Relator- pulled towards relationships you already know, deliberately intimate with a few friends.
One of the things they teach in this book is that strengths are enduring and unique (they last our entire life time and every person's are different) and our greatest room for growth is in our strengths. Most of these strengths I feel quite capable in to make them work for me. However, one of them I can see is in the baby stages of growing...Developer. This goes hand in hand with the goals and focus of coaching! I had no idea this was a strength of mine and I'm excited to see it grow and become stronger.
I challenge you to read this book and discover more about the things that make you unique and special. It's refreshing to focus on what you are good at instead of what you are not so good at!
Happy reading...
Friday, December 10, 2010
Practice what you preach
Two years ago I facilitated a group at our church through the Dave Ramsey Financial Peace program. It was awesome and really put us on the right path to be debt free. Along the way we've hit a lot of bumps in the road. A year ago we were on the verge of bankruptcy. My husband has worked in the oilfield for over 6 years and they had slowed down to the point that we were fearing for our future. We had just had our second child and our income had been cut by 50%. We were so greatful for the job, but nothing was gauranteed and we didn't know how long we could last. We decided to sell our house and move back home. Slowly things started to improve and Brandon's company started to give back their income.
They say it takes a few years to recover from bankruptcy (or near bankruptcy in our case) and I'm thankful to say that we are finally starting to pay off debt again and hopefully soon we can start rebuilding our savings. It has not been easy but we have managed to pay off nearly $12000 in medical bills (when the company changed insurance's they didn't cover Eli being born or a surgery Claire had inbetween the switch-it was a mess!), and around $12000 in car debt and other bad debt! That is quite the accomplishment! I trully believe what it says in Proverbs that the borrower is servant to the lender. It is one of the worst feelings to be in bondage to debt. I cannot wait till the day we pay off the very last cent. It will definately be a celebration!
As I look to the future I can see God preparing us for great things financially. But, it really doesn't matter what kind of income you make. As long as you have debt hanging over your head and continue to make impulsive financial decision you will never have true freedom...and you will always live paycheck to paycheck. We have earned an income of $20,000 a year to over six figures, but we always managed to find a way to spend everything we earned! How stupid! Then when life took a detour, and we were not able to earn the income we had been at, we nearly fell apart. I don't ever want to be in that situation again. I don't ever want to have to choose between feeding my family or paying my bills.
I HATE debt with every fiber of my being and the bondage that it has over so many families. It destroys marrriages and tears families apart. It is tearing this country apart because when it comes down to it, we are a country of debt. Debt is so normal to us the thought of someone not having any is crazy and unattainable. Let me assure you that it is attainable. It is not easy and it sucks sometimes but it is worth it.
We are no were near paying off all of the debt we have accumulated but we are chipping away at it one penny at a time. And every month we are one month closer to freedom and a debt free life!
They say it takes a few years to recover from bankruptcy (or near bankruptcy in our case) and I'm thankful to say that we are finally starting to pay off debt again and hopefully soon we can start rebuilding our savings. It has not been easy but we have managed to pay off nearly $12000 in medical bills (when the company changed insurance's they didn't cover Eli being born or a surgery Claire had inbetween the switch-it was a mess!), and around $12000 in car debt and other bad debt! That is quite the accomplishment! I trully believe what it says in Proverbs that the borrower is servant to the lender. It is one of the worst feelings to be in bondage to debt. I cannot wait till the day we pay off the very last cent. It will definately be a celebration!
As I look to the future I can see God preparing us for great things financially. But, it really doesn't matter what kind of income you make. As long as you have debt hanging over your head and continue to make impulsive financial decision you will never have true freedom...and you will always live paycheck to paycheck. We have earned an income of $20,000 a year to over six figures, but we always managed to find a way to spend everything we earned! How stupid! Then when life took a detour, and we were not able to earn the income we had been at, we nearly fell apart. I don't ever want to be in that situation again. I don't ever want to have to choose between feeding my family or paying my bills.
I HATE debt with every fiber of my being and the bondage that it has over so many families. It destroys marrriages and tears families apart. It is tearing this country apart because when it comes down to it, we are a country of debt. Debt is so normal to us the thought of someone not having any is crazy and unattainable. Let me assure you that it is attainable. It is not easy and it sucks sometimes but it is worth it.
We are no were near paying off all of the debt we have accumulated but we are chipping away at it one penny at a time. And every month we are one month closer to freedom and a debt free life!
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