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I just finished the advanced workshop for Self Discovery Life Mastery. It was intense, transformational, and one of the most empowering weekends of my life. One of things that I so appreciated about this time was that I was able to connect with remarkable people that I never would have met otherwise. I felt so much appreciation and love for the fellow students in that workshop, and I only knew them for 2 days. But over that period we all grew very close because we were being completely authentic and open with one another.

At the end of Sunday night we were all saying our goodbyes and sharing how much we appreciated one another. As I was leaving that I began to think about my first impression of these people when I had walked in the room Saturday morning. It’s fascinating to me how quickly I could just look at someone and size them up. The dumb jock, the tough guy who won’t show emotion, the self important business man, the depressed housewife, the uber spiritual hippie, etc…. I didn’t even know these people, but I was already judging them and deciding who they were. And of course those first impressions turned out to be dead wrong. They were none of those things. They were all beautiful, dynamic, soulful individuals.

This made me realize how easy it is to go around judging another person by their appearance or first impression. When really you know nothing about them. I’m guilty of doing this all the time. When I’m out at the grocery store, when I have a new client, when I’m introduced to new company. I automatically decide who they are. It isn’t until I develop a deeper relationship with someone that I begin to see them in a whole new light. But what if I could drop the judgement? What if I realized that everyone I come across has a story, has a heart, and has amazing qualities. Maybe I could look at people through the eyes of love and kindness. I wonder how many new people I would meet and connect with if I gave off that energy instead of my judgmental energy.

This might seem like a pollyanna view, but I’d like to think that it’s possible. If we all assumed the best in one another can you imagine what the world would be like?! Or if you don’t want to go that far just think how it could affect your life. That smile you gave that stranger might be the only smile they receive all day. Perhaps you’ll find yourself connecting with someone new who will turn out to be a friend, client, or even lover….. It’s also a reminder to realize that you never know what someone else is going through. If you come across a stranger who is mean and guarded, don’t assume the worst about them. They could have just lost someone they loved, been diagnosed with a terrible disease, or maybe they are just having a really bad day. And aren’t we all entitled to those every now and then? Let’s try being a little more open minded, a little more loving and kind to one another, and a lot less judgmental. And see what happens, you might just find that you are surrounded by awesome people.

If you have been reading my past few blogs you might have picked up on the fact that I have been a tad bit overwhelmed to say the least. I have been so consumed with the expansion of my practice that I haven’t had much time for anything else. There are just never enough hours in the day. This has left me frustrated, stressed, and completely burnt out.

Now I knew there was only so long I could play out this unhealthy pattern before I had to make a change. And that change came this past weekend. I decided to attend a workshop in Ft. Lauderdale called Self Discovery Life Mastery. I am not going to go into all the details about this workshop in this blog, but to say that it is life changing is an understatement. I have walked away with a whole new level of awareness and a new way of being.

What I do want to address though is the fact that I pressed the pause button on the rest of my life and did something that was just for myself. This workshop required my full attention. There was no time for emails, phone calls, accounting, etc… It was 48 hours dedicated to me and my own self growth.

It was also an investment in myself. With my new office I’ve got a lot of big bills to pay, and still more to buy. So paying for a workshop and a hotel didn’t seem like the most practical thing to do at the time. And while I have to spend a great deal on my business right now, I also realized that my own well being is very valuable.

I walked away from this experience feeling like a whole new person. In fact I am headed back this next weekend for the advanced course so I can continue to grow and expand. But what I am really proud of is that I took the time for myself. In the midst of all that I had going on, I decided to take the time and spend the money on myself. I gave myself the opportunity to expand.

When is the last time that you did something just for you? I’m not taking about getting a manicure or a massage (although that’s all good). But when is the last time you did something to really better your life? Have you taken the time for you? Have you invested in you?

I have to say I am so proud of all of our health coaching clients who are taking the time and spending the money to invest in themselves and their well being. It takes commitment to truly do something to better your life, and it is not always an easy choice. Often we wait until our life is in a more settled place before we make that type of commitment. When I finish this project, when my kids are a little older, when I retire, etc… What if you stopped waiting for the perfect time and just decided to better your life now. Decide to take charge of your own life and your own growth. Invest in your happiness. Invest in your well-being. And take the time for yourself, you deserve it.

The process of expanding my business has been pretty intense to say the least. I went from being an acupuncturist and coach, to wearing many hats. I am now also the nutritionist, secretary, book keeper, marketing director, office manager, interior designer, and maid. Not to mention that I practically have to get my MBA to learn how to properly navigate this expansion!

So yes I am a bit worn out. My days are spent treating patients, meeting with potential clients, never ending paperwork, conference calls, meetings with attorneys and accountants, and not to mention I’m still furnishing the office. And maybe somewhere in there I get to sleep for a few hours. Needless to say my brain is a bit scattered and I’ve made lots of mistakes, and I am sure I will make more. Basically I am going through the typical growing pains that occur whenever you are changing, expanding, and taking things to another level.

However, I can’t really complain (ok that’s a lie, I bitch a lot). But the thing is, all these challenges that I am facing now are good problems. They might be a pain in the ass, but they are still good problems to have. All of this has come as a result of creating a bigger better business that is going to literally change lives.

I know that I have to put in the extra hours right now. There are going to be obstacles and bumps in the road as I develop proper systems and protocols for the office. And I also know that I won’t have to play all these different roles forever. This is just a temporary phase on my way to the top.

So whenever I get caught up and overwhelmed by this process I remind myself that these are qualified problems, and that I chose to go down this road. In fact I don’t even like to refer them as “problems”, I would rather say “challenges.” Because really that’s all this is, a series of challenges. Just changing the wording takes me out of victim mode and into leadership role. And I know I can handle any challenge that comes my way.

In your own life can you identify the good problems? What are the challenges that maybe you’ve been complaining about, but are actually part of the process towards building something great? When you stop and really think about it, a lot of the so called “problems” in our life are actually qualified problems. We choose them. Once we really own that our perspective begins to change. If you can view the challenges in your life as simply a necessary part of the bigger picture, suddenly they don’t seem quite as annoying.

This week examine the good problems in your world and work on changing your attitude around them. Who knows you may find that you’ll even become grateful for them!

If you’ve been reading my blogs for awhile you might have picked up on the fact that I am a pretty classic Type A personality. I’m always busy, constantly checking off my to-do list. When I want things done, I want them done yesterday. I am constantly trying to race time.

Now on the positive side I do get a lot done. I’m efficient, detailed, and focused when I work. The negative side to this is that there are only 24 hours in the day and there is only so much I can realistically do. And I am constantly pushing that time boundary. I take on projects by myself that are too big for one person to handle. I don’t tend to budget in enough time for what it will take to complete a task. The result is that I overextend myself and get burnt out. Happens every time.

Right now I am getting a new office set up with all new state of the art equipment, plus all new health services and programs. Needless to say the to-do list is a mile long. Setting up protocols, buying furniture, re-doing the website, and all the never ending paper work. It’s exciting and overwhelming all at the same time. This is a huge task, and I just want it done. I want the place furnished, I want the documents and protocols to be in place, and I want the new website up. Now I know that these things can’t happen over night, but I feel like I can’t relax or have downtime until they are done. Obviously if I continue on this path with this mentality I’m going to crash and burn.

I’ve been down this road many times before so I am doing my best to try a new approach. Instead of constantly pushing for the end result, what if I could enjoy the process? What if I could have fun during these initial stages of getting everything set up? Maybe then I could have a little more balance in my life. Knowing that everything will get done eventually, and I don’t have to spend every waking moment working on the office.

If you are a goal oriented person it is easy to get so fixed on that end result that we don’t enjoy the little steps along the way. It could take years to reach that goal, but you can’t put your life on hold for years. You can’t stop having fun and enjoying a social life. There needs to be a better way to still push forward and reach for our goals, but to also enjoy the process and be ok with where we are at in the present.

On a practical note something I started doing was breaking my big goals into much smaller goals. Instead of getting the whole website done, my goal is get the copy done for my bio. Instead of buying and installing the whole kitchen for my office, I’ll make my goal this week to order the fridge. These bite sized goals are manageable. And I still feel like I accomplished something big by completing them. Every time I finish one of these smaller goals I let myself celebrate. Maybe by going out to dinner, buying a pair of shoes, or just giving myself the night off.

I still have a lot to accomplish, but I am over driving myself crazy trying to get it all done in an insane amount of time. I am determined not to live in a state of overwhelm anymore. Everything will get done in good time, and in the meanwhile I am going to enjoy the process.

Are there any major projects that you are facing? Do you tend to get overwhelmed and overloaded? This week evaluate how you work. Are you actually enjoying the process or are you just trying to check off your to-do list? See if you can make a shift this week when it comes to whatever project you are facing. Break things down into smaller goals, enjoy the process, and don’t forget to celebrate!

A few months ago I was lectured on the dangers of drinking coffee. Now I know that coffee is full of acids and is damaging to your system…..but it also makes me really happy in the morning! I adamantly explained to my friend who was lecturing me that I have a really healthy lifestyle and that coffee is my one vice, so I’m never going to give it up.

One month later I stopped drinking coffee and have been coffee free now for 3 months.

So what changed? My belief more then anything. I had a belief that I can’t go without my cup of coffee in the morning. And it wasn’t just about the caffeine boost. For me it was more of the ritual. The smell of the coffee, the taste, the few moments it gave me to relax and enjoy my breakfast. I felt like my morning would be ruined without it.

I decided to challenge that belief. You see I also had a goal of becoming the healthiest I can be this year. In order for me to help others with their health, I knew I had to really get mine in check. There were going to be changes that I was going to have to make. And I knew that coffee was one of them.

So I gave it up. Just like that. I didn’t ween myself off, I just stopped. My whole morning routine changed, and surprisingly it didn’t bother me one bit. I gave up my coffee and oatmeal for a protein smoothie. But it didn’t feel like a sacrifice, it just felt different. My mornings are still just as good, and I am feeling even better.

Now this is not a blog on why coffee is bad for you (which it is). But this is about questioning these deep held beliefs that we have held on to. 4 months ago I was 100% certain that I would never give up coffee. And in just 30 days I completely overthrew that belief. This showed me that we can change. We can challenge these deep held beliefs. We can be open to new perspectives and new beliefs.

At our center we offer an intense year long nutrition protocol. This protocol has been used with a 95% success rate to eliminate any disease or disorder. But it takes commitment. And it always amazes me how people can be suffering and have a very poor quality of life and would give anything to feel better. But when you tell them that they have to give up coffee and alcohol for a year, they say they can’t. That can’t is just a limiting belief. And that belief can be changed.

What current beliefs do you have that are holding you back right now? Are there changes that you want to make in your life, but feel like it would be impossible? If so try to really challenge those beliefs. Be open to a new perspective, and a new way of being.

The bottom line is that there is nothing we can’t do if we really want it and are really ready to commit to it. Don’t let your limiting beliefs hold you back in life and keep you stuck in an unhealthy pattern. Take charge of your belief systems and never say never.

Our bodies are always communicating with us. And if we are self aware enough and open, we might just get the message.

The month of June has been a whirl wind for me. I moved my practice from an 8 by 10 room to a 1500 sq ft office. Took 2 trips to New York City. Worked on creating a new website. Started a cleanse. All while still maintaining an active social life, taking dance lessons, and running 25 miles a week. Needless to say I didn’t sleep much.

I knew that I was operating at warp speed, but I felt like I had no choice. I gave myself a lot of deadlines. I wanted the office fully furnished by the end of the month. And I wanted all the paper work to be done as well. I gave myself the ridiculous task of having a whole new website built in 30 days. And while I love going to New York City, trying to travel while I was moving my practice wasn’t the smartest thing. I really put the pressure on myself and became beyond overwhelmed.

During this time my mind kept going at a million miles a minute, while my body was struggling to keep up. Somehow I ended up injuring my right leg. Dancing? Running? Who knows. It was pretty sore and some days I even had a little limp. But with everything going on I didn’t pay it much mind. But things came to a head when I was in New York. On one of my last days there I had a bunch of appointments and meetings to go to all across town. It involved a lot of walking, and fast. That day I woke up with a pain in my right foot. I wasn’t sure what caused it, all I knew was that every step I took hurt. But that didn’t stop me from racing all around town (limping is more like it). As I was flying home that night exhausted, my foot hurt so much that I thought I must have broken something.

Now my body was clearly talking to me this entire time, but I continued to ignore it until I had no choice. The pain in my right leg was trying to slow me down, but I wouldn’t abide. So the Universe decided to stop me in my tracks literally, and make it practically impossible to walk. That time I got the message. When I finally got home that night after my painful run around day in New York, I realized I had to slow down. My body was literally forcing me to whether I wanted to or not. I had put too much pressure to get everything done in an impossible amount of time. I needed to accept the fact that things are going to take longer then I would prefer, but that’s ok. The office doesn’t need to look picture perfect by the end of the month. The website isn’t going to be done in 30 days. And the less important paperwork can wait. I went to bed that night making an agreement with the Universe that I would slow down and take care of myself. Funny how when I woke up that next day my foot didn’t hurt at all.

Now I’m paying more attention to my body. I’m tuning in to how it feels and letting it guide me as I go about my day. The past two weeks I ended up skipping my early morning yoga class (which I love) just because I knew my body need more sleep. I’ve been spending a little more time going to the movies and relaxing at the beach as a way to slow down and rejuvenate myself. And even as I was writing this blog I stopped to take a little 20 minute power nap.

I believe that there are definitely times where you need to buckle down, push through, and just get shit done. But you can only do that for so long before the stress is going to take a toll on your body and your mind. That pain in my foot was the message I needed, and I heard it loud and clear. Has your body been talking to you? Tune in today and see if you can get the message.