Case of the Mondays

Feel in the blank:

This week has been ______

The answer I have heard several times? BLAH. On a rare May week, the sun did not shine most of the week. Instead we had gloomy, rainy days.

I pride myself on being the motivator...the cheerleader...the happy go lucky trainer. Believe it or not, I struggled the beginning of this week as well. Trainers need motivation too. We need it daily.

Then I remembered to stay up to date on those things that keep me on track and that motivate me to keep moving forward, especially during those "blah" weeks. These are a few of my favorite things:

• Podcasts 

Lewis Howes "School of Greatness" is one I listen to religiously. His guests are inspiring and uplifting and even on the "blah-ess" days, I find motivation.

Go ahead and try not to be motivated by this episode: http://lewishowes.com/podcast/eric-thomas/

Ted Talk Podcast

Fear, Success, Education, Life...you name it. They talk about it. 

• Daily Motivating Emails

Monday-Friday, NY Times Bestseller, Darren Hardy sends out a 2-3 minute video + journaling exercises. It immediately starts my day off on the right foot and takes less than 5 minutes. 

http://www.darrendaily.com

• Workout

No workout is too big or too small during a "blah" week. Cannot make it to the gym. I have been there and these 3 exercises instantly get the endorphins going. 

25 Push-Ups

25 Squats

25 V-Ups

• Gratitude

Feeling blah? Take out of piece of paper (yes, now!) and write down 7 things are you thankful right now in this moment. Feel blah again tomorrow? Do the same thing. 

• Act of Kindness

Ironically, the bible verse from my devotional last night- "It is more blessed (makes one happier & more to be envied) to give than to receive"- Acts 20:35

I have now learned that we do not even know what happy is until we forget about ourselves and start focusing on others. Try a random act of kindness today....bake cookies for a neighbor, pay for the person behind you at Starbucks. 

I hope just one of the motivating items I listed above turns your not-so-great week into something better. Remember, your energy is contagious.

Insert Mommy Guilt

"Raising a child is hard work"- Said Everyone

Add chasing a toddler on top of a work-from-home/stay-at-home mom lifestyle, I crawl into bed at the end of the day exhausted.

Yesterday I finished a majority of my work and decided to squeeze in a quick workout while my daughter was at preschool. It hit me as I jumped off the treadmill...guilt. My daughter is in preschool and I am working out. On the weekends, I am not there when she wakes up, I am at the gym. When I receive a text message that she is up, I sometimes rush through so I can hurry home and be with her.

A few weeks ago I typed away at my computer finishing up my workout programming and glanced over at her, sitting on the couch with her i-pad. It hit me again...bad mom.

Mommy guilt is real, especially when it comes to working out! Some may think working out is luxury, the first thing you should cut from a list of priorities. however, I know now more than ever, its a necessity. On days I workout, I am without a doubt a more energized mother. I know she is getting the best of me. She deserves the best from me.

Michael Hyatt, a NY Times Bestseller and personal development guru mentioned in a recent School of Greatness Podcast his #2 priority behind God is himself, followed by his wife & children and then his career.

Wait a minute, he put himself before his wife & children?! My first initial thought, no way! I thought about it some more and reflected on a quote I use frequently with my clients...

"You cannot pour from an empty cup"

It's so important to take care of yourself first so when you give to your loved ones, or heck even your job for those who do not have kids, you pour from a cup full of your best effort.

After training mostly women for years, do you know the most used excuse or reason as to why they can no longer workout? The #1 reason is their children.

And in my opinion the #1 reason you should workout....your children.

I feel the mommy guilt and probably always will, I hope its what makes me a good mother, however I rather my daughter have confident, happy mom than a frumpy, tired mom.

It Takes A Village

I looked down while running a boot camp a few weeks ago & noticed these two:

I immediately snapped a picture of Tracey and a fellow boot camper's baby. 

This picture manifests everything I am about, everything my business stands for and ultimately why I love my job as much as I do. 

You see, life is hard. Everyone can agree. Relationships, careers, kids &  money. I got a little overwhelmed just typing it. And then I think about this picture.

The little baby girl in the picture is Karley. Her teeny tiny mother, Belinda, (not pictured) is a beast in my mid-morning boot camp. Her mom does not need to lose weight. Her diet is spot on and she knows how to exercise on her own. Karley is a little over a year old and suffers 8-10 seizures a day. After multiple brain surgeries, they are not sure if they can fix it. Why does Belinda work out? Well, she workouts to get away and to de-stress, but I do not think she realized she would uncover this "village" of support from her workout group. From babysitters & playdates to gifts for no reason, they have taken Karley on as their own. 

Karley started to fuss in the picture while her mom was running. Tracey stepped right in to make her smile, even during a side plank! (well done Tracey!) 

I love the unwavering amount of support in all of my classes. These individuals do an amazing job not only motivating one another, but man, they motivate me as well. I want the best for them...the best workouts, the best information, & the best support in the world.The only way to get better is to surround yourself with people who believe in you.

Working out = Not Easy

Life = Not Easy

Sometimes it takes a village of people to survive...and this is my village.