You DO Change The World...

GOOD MORNING.....

This week many youngsters graduate. Whether it be from pre-k, elementary school, or complete the 12 year curriculum of high school. I think there is a little more spunk in their attitudes as they become a bit older with their lives developing. What a honor it is to see your child walk across stage or stand there and get a piece of paper that says " YOU ARE A WINNER YOU DID IT, WAY TO GO". Ok well maybe they don't say that but they should.

As we become adults often times its up to us to tell ourselves we did good,and that we woke up survived the day and yes this makes us a winner. I think we should all print out certificates and give them out to people through out the month.... Imagine at work, let's take retail. Imagine being called in the office and your boss giving you a certificate that says "great job with keeping order". What does it mean, keeping order? Well interpret it how you will. Those that kept a clean floor will interpret it that way, those that kept the shelves stocked will interpret it that way, those that helped others to keep the flow, etc..well you get the point! The poi t is that person will have extra pep in their step just for receiving a little piece of paper they will hang up at home an see everyday. Honestly imagine if we gave each other high fives more.

I blogged in the past about keeping your "five hand open" have you done that? I do every day, yesterday it was a little boy he was 2 and his birthday is 2weeks. I was in the supermarket check out line. I gave him a high five, then it trickled down the line to his dad, and mom, than he told me to give the store check out girl one, which I did, and then he said to give the guy walking in the door one! I gladly went up to him and did just that. The man was a little confused but smile with the high five. The little boys smile was enough for me, but by the time I left everyone was "keeping their five hand open" and man it's fulfilling to see happiness amoungst strangers.

As these youngsters graduate I can't express how important it is to honor them and encourage them, as they grow. Hey I met a man a couple of weeks ago, 98 he was, and after his haircut he said " well I didn't know that"! I replied " yup, your still growin, learning knew things all the time". We never stop growing, we always need to encourage ourselves, and others around us. It's not about doing for yourself, it's about doing for others...man when you do that You Are A Winner, Every Moment You Do Something Encouraging for others.

So as the day swiftly sweeps over you, Remember to give some one a certificate, a High five, an encouraging jester, because today my fiends if you do this YOU DO CHANGE THE WORLD!!!!

LIVE, LIFE, LOUD

I'm on the untouchable road...

There are no words to express the feelings going through me. I have been on an incredible weigh loss journey. I have lost 42lbs since Febuary of this year using Xyngulars incredible system.

I started walking and then jogging and then running. I ran my first 5K on May 16. My daughter ran with me, well actually she ran ahead but she was there. When I made it to the finish line my husband, son, youngest daughter, oldest daughter (who finished around 10-15minutes before me), and my mother in law. They had flowers and water for me, my brother called, I talked to my dad. It was emotional. The 5K was for "Gotta Kiss Cancer Goodbye". I ran for my dad that had kidney cancer and so many others affected by cancer. Later that day sitting at my sons baseball game my husband and his aunt chatted about his mom. Valarie is an amazing mother in law, she is a great mother and grandmother. Tears streamed down my face as I've been married to my husband for 15 year and never knew his mother is a cancer survivor. Having her at the finish line was wonderful but to find that out makes it a miracle. I think about how life would be different if she wasn't part of my life, my kids life, my husbands life... I truly do love this women.

I have come to a little plataue in my weightloss. I can't seem to lose but I'm not gaining. Xyngular has been great, I love Xyng and Core4 they have really gotten me to this point, but now what. I know the answer. We have a system called Ignite. It's gaurenteed that you will lose 5-15lbs in 8days. It re-ignites your body and helps get over the plataue. It gets you started in the right direction, it is what everyone should start with, it boosts your metabolism, it detoxes, it restores, it is what I need. It is more strict than what I've been used to, it's only eight days, but I feel like I can't commit.....which lead me to Insanity.

Insanity is an intense 60 day workout program. It tests you, it makes me cry. I feel like a failure because I can't do every single workout move. I try, I compromise using the sofa to stabilize myself, to do push ups, I use the wall to hold my balance. At the end of each workout my oldest daughter and I give each other high fives. She's doing it with me. I've only began this strenuous workout, but I'm doing it. Tears stream down my face, sweat drips off my body, my legs sweat, I don't think I've ever pushed myself like this before. People have already said "I couldn't do it' so good luck", knowing this makes me want to try harder. I have to admit i took day 4 off, I could barely bend over at work, my arms were trembling as I foiled highlights and cut layers into hair, holding my arms up...the pain! I will continue but i need to learn how far to push. After all Insanity is a workout for trained athletics, which I am only beginning to become. It's 60 days of pure muscle confusing insanity....I emailed the Beachbody company to tell them of my day after struggle, they of course suggested I buy whats called Power90. For my body, my untrained, unproportioned body. Beachbody felt this would allow me to push my self, without the strain from Insanity. They were awesome, they gave me a number to call, which I did and I loved that they suggest I work at intervals, I love that they said if I do Power90 than by Christmas I would be powering through Insanity....duh why didn't I all them first.i will continue with Insanity until Power90 comes in.... I can do ignite, I can commit to it now. If I can push myself through this pain I can do 8days to reignite my body. 8 days of pure nutrition commitment, yeah I can do this! drop weight, to get healthy. My daughter has almost given up a few times during the workout, but as the trainer says " dig deep" I can tell when she's done, my response is ..."Bean (my nickname for her) your doing awesome, I can't believe your doing that move." then I will see her literally dig deeper.

To see myself going through this transformation is awesome, however, to see my daughter by my side, being inspired by me is surreal. To know that through my own will I am teaching her health, I am teaching her how to push, to go that extra mile, I am influenceing her life, that my friend is is worth every pain dripping tear and sweat. I once saw a quote that said "I wear black when I run because it's like a funeral for my fat" well my friends I'm happy to say I am still wearing black but I've added a few fairs of color as my size dwindles down....

I am alive again. On the 27th of June I will help my husband coach our sons soccer team... I have taken the road that I've never scene before, the road I never thought I'd go down, the road that seemed untouchable. I've not only taken this road im now running down it...it's my path... My friends I hope you too find your path, and if your not sure which way to go, I will tell you just NEVER LOOK BACK, and you'll be heading in the right direction!

LIVE, LIFE, LOUD

I am me. I Am Me. I AM ME....

I have been through significant changes in the last several months. I have lost 42lbs since Febuary, and I recently quit my job and started at a new salon. It's a lot all at once however it has made me more me again.

I think we all want to change our lives from time to time' some can and some can not. My husband has a wonderful job with great benefits, pension plan and about 4-6weeks paid vacation per year. Does he like his job, sure he does or he would be a bad worker. Does he love his job? The answer to this is no, it's not his dream job, but it provides for our family so he stays he does give his best, he steps up to positions no one else wants and even more he keeps the balance at work for those who like their job and those who hate it. A wonderful man' my husband.

Myself, I was born in the 70's and I think the word "freedom" must have been secretly tattooed on me somewhere. I love the freedom to make decisions, the freedom of creativity, the freedom to change. I love doing hair, I felt my freedom was compromised for one or another reason and so up and switched salons. I now have the freedom to go to my kids games, to drive them to school, I have the freedom to balance my job and home life. I am also a crafter. At any given moment you come to my house and say what are you working on now and my response will be " which one". In February I actually stopped crafting. Why I don't know a slump' a mix of my suppressed freedom, the answer I still don't know. What I do know is I picked up my crotcheted hook and yarn 2 nights ago, and I have cranked out 2 crazy kid snake scarfs and 2 adorable kids winter chin strap hats. I picked up my spinning dowel and angora wool and started spinning, and I've been drawing like a mad women. My freedom has been restored. My husband is such a fantastic guy, he encouraged the change and this change has returned my to my roots. The meals I'm cooking has flavor again and the creations are just beginning to flow out of me. Yes I have to say I love my freedom. Could it be the increase in my own income as well? It's possible, it's truly amazing how in these past 3 weeks my income has sky rocketed? Is it the new job, is it my skills returning, is it my suppression is over, is it I was blinded by past positions? This I don't know but I feel alive. Alive with soul.....and my soul is dancing to a rythmatic beat of jazz, indie, base, and a bit of rock.... Could all of this be because I've lost weight? 42lbs of nothing but weight, nothing but laziness, nothing but extra baggage...with this baggage being gone is this what is making my freedom be realized again? I love how I feel, I can't wait to lose more.

Tomorrow I run my first ever 5K. This is just a stepping stone. I joked earlier this week about eating carbs before a race, does cookies count. The fact that I'm even joking about it makes me know I am alive with momentum. I am alive with emotion, I am alive. This will be the first of several races. I will have my amazing daughter by my side and this is AWESOME. If I don't not run the whole thing I am ok with this, I am going to try harder than I have ever tried before. This 5k is for "Gotta Kiss Cancer Goodbye" I run for so many others that can't, for so many others who have crossed over, I run for so many people that are in a living hell, I run for Myself. The fact is I RUN. after the race I will watch my sons baseball game. He is awesome, he said he'd run in the morning with me, I told him his spirit will be with me but I want him to save his energy for his game. I want him to hit a home run tomorrow. This home run will be everyone that has survived cancer' everyone who has crossed because of it, everyone that is effected by it.. He said he'll try, in return I said "Buddy if you don't hit a home run its ok, as long as you give it your best everyone will know, I may not run the whole 3.2miles but I will do my best and that's what I ask". My husband will be at the finish line, and at the game with me. Tomorrow is going to be GREAT.

Today I am me. I Am Me. I AM ME. I will be working in the salon making others feel like themselves, or perhaps they will get a little of me with in themselves before leaving. Today is a GREAT DAY. Tomorrow will be a challenge, I am taking this challenge head on... I have regained my freedom....

LIVE, LIFE, LOUD

Whispers from the Devil

Each day we wake up with the Intension that this day is going to be great! What happens between the sheets snuggled up to your chin and the moment we step down on the floor? Some people I suppose have that little devil on their shoulder reminding them of everything that went wrong, and bam good day gone.

My little devil is a sneaky guy. He sneaks up in the middle of good moments, bad moments, and at the most unusual times and places. If you come to my house you'll see in the bathroom, stickers. Stickers everywhere. What do you suppoe these stickers say..."dance like there is no tomorrow", " "smile your up", "good morning sunshine", " laugh like there's no tomorrow", "live, laugh, love"...etc you get the picture. I know these stickers are small but to me they are bigger than a whale when my devil is whispering in my ear! My kids, god love them, they read them too. My lovely 4yr old pealed one off the mirror one day. That next morning I woke my kids up for school, and I crawled back into bed (sometimes these late night 1am, 3am, 5am bathroom runs really make for a sleepless night, YOU other moms know what I'm talking about). My wonderful son came in to my room to give me a kiss goodbye (thank goodness too because I had drifted off, and needed to be getting ready for work). He kissed me and said "mom, my favorite sticker in the bathroom is missing". It hit me how these little sentiments even impact my kids. How awesome is that! After that I started sneaking little notes in hit bag or pocket or even shoe from time to time. I think kids need more praise than what we actually give them, heck I need more praise than what I give myself.

Many of you know the fat devil. You know the one that tells you to eat everything is sight, even when full. My fat devil is very very bad..... I have lost enough weight now that I have figured out how to flick his lil fatness off my shoulder. This is a GREAT feeling. I need stickers that say " fat is fat", " it's only a brownie, but only take one", "enjoy your meal, and than run your ass off", "you look as good as the work you put in"... So if anyone sees these stickers let me know, I'm on the hunt!

No matter how your day starts, or what the devil tries to do to you, remember self positive affirmations. They will help block those sweet bitter devilish whispers. If you can't find a self affirmation than use mine, I use it all the time....
LIVE LIFE LOUD it reminds me to be me, to live for today, to live for tomorrow, to be myself as loud or as quiet as I may be...

Live Life Loud