PERSPECTIVE

The last few months have been a bit crazy.  Lots of big things going on in my personal and professional life.  At times I felt like I was in the middle of a tornado!  Lots of situations beyond my control.  For someone who prefers joy and to see the good in every human, I was not happy.

I was trying to keep lots of balls in the air and the universe kept throwing more for me to juggle while insisting I dance and drink a glass of water at the same time.  No one can do that successfully.  I was tired and depressed.

While on the outside I looked like I was holding it all together, on the inside I was hurt and angry.  Why was this happening?  Does it all have to come at once?  It was easy to get lost in the crazypants that had become my life.

Difficult times can cause a loss of perspective.  Every situation began to grow in size.  My usual way of handling things is to find the solution.  I kept hitting brick walls.  I grew tired and whiny and all victim like.  Ugh!  I knew that I needed to go back and get some tools to handle all that was being thrown at me.  I went to my therapist.

Therapy is a great way to get the proper set of tools to handle all those crazy situations that make up life.  It gave me my perspective back.  There is nothing wrong with seeing a therapist or a coach in order to move forward in life.  Many of you reading this have gone through life changing events.  If you don't have the proper tools in your pocket to handle these changes, things will not go smoothly. 

The fog has begun to lift and I am finding joy again. I want to share a small victory I noticed during this stressful time.  I decided my body wouldn't suffer.  I actually exercised more, not less.  I made sure I ate my protein every day.  I kept the sugar monster from joining the pity party.  These were things I could control about my situation.  In the past, I would have justified having lots of ice cream and no exercise.

    Find the positive, even in the roughest day. 
    If things get crazy, then see a coach or therapist.
    Get your perspective back.

My New Addiction!

 

I have a new addiction: Online Yard Sales!  My friends will tell you that is pretty much all I talk about anymore.  There is everything for sale from door knobs to Dior!  People have even sold cars and homes via the online yard sale.  Now you would think that I am buying, but NO!  I am selling! 

It is wonderful!  I have been selling all our extra stuff.  I brought a lot of items into our marriage and have been storing it.  I have sold lamps, tables, shoes, purses, crystal, storage materials, and even a chandelier!  Pretty much, you name it, I will sell it.  We have deleted so much stuff that we now have empty drawers in the house!  I was up in our attic this morning and we actually have space up there!  Wahoo!

My husband has even gotten into the act.  He will be grabbing something off a shelf and he something will catch his eye.  Next thing you know, we are taking a picture and posting the item!  The best thing about online sales is that you don't have to sell a bunch of stuff at once.  You can do an item here and there.  No pressure!  If it doesn't sell, you can hold onto it for awhile or put it into the donate pile.  Currently, we are concentrating on the garage.

The people on these yard sale sites are very nice as well.  If you ask for a referral for something, in minutes, you will get 50 responses.  It is a truly amazing way to use the Internet for good for everyone involved.  Even my friends are getting in on the act.  I have helped some of my best girlfriends put things up to sell.  You should try it.  Almost every city or suburb has an online garage or yard sale.  It feels great to purge your life of the things that no longer serve a purpose in your life.

It is wonderful to have empty space in your home.  It is even better knowing that someone else is getting to enjoy an item that you owned.  The best?  Getting a few dollars in your pocket to do as you please.  What am I going to do with mine?  Well, my dog ate our window seat, so that will be my first purchase.  And my husband has a big birthday coming up...
 

What You Allow Will Continue

Yesterday I wrote "What you allow will continue" on my status on Facebook.  This is my mantra for 2014.  Quite a few people emailed me privately or spoke to me in person about these 5 little words.  Think about it...    What You Allow Will Continue.

Eating fast food: what you will allow will continue.

People making comments to you that are a wee bit nasty, yet you laugh it off: what you allow will continue.

People taking advantage of your time: what you allow will continue.

Choosing to ignore your health: what you allow will continue.

Being the victim all the time.  It is always someone else's fault: what you allow will continue.

Sitting on the couch watching Real Housewives instead of working out: what you allow will continue.

Get it?  We choose our present. 

So let's turn this around.

I will do some sort of exercise 6 times this week: what you allow will continue.

I choose to get more sleep and not let the distractions of work or home get in the way: what you allow will continue.

I drink water over high calorie liquids: what you allow will continue.

I have no time for toxic people: what you allow will continue.

I choose to put myself first so I can be a better person for my family and friends: what you allow will continue.

I make healthy food choices: what you allow will continue.

I am the person I want to be: what you allow will continue.


You have the power to make a difference in you and in the people around you.  I challenge you to move forward and make a difference in your life.
 

What You Allow Will Continue!

Dreams Do Come True!

Last week I started a new job!  Actually it is my dream job.  I had always wanted to be head of bariatrics for an entire hospital.  I am the Director of Bariatrics for USMD Hospital of Arlington.  Yippee! 

 

Lots of changes going on in the O'Kelly household.  Change is good, but change is change.  It is hard.  I have been out of the corporate world for almost 2 years.  Getting back into the swing of things is going to take some time.  I am used to having a fluid schedule and now things are a bit more rigid.  I do a lot of driving and am truly exhausted when I get home. 

 

People ask me what am I going to do about working out?  I tell them that my days have gotten longer as I now have to take the 6am class.  Trust me when I say that it would be so easy to let it go and sleep in but my health is a priority.  Exercise is important.  I don't compromise on that issue.  At least that is what I tell myself every morning when that dang alarm goes off!

 

Chores did not change nor did the needs of my family.  Husband has been great at picking up the slack.  We are a team and he really has stepped up to the plate.  I have had to become a better manager of my time.   No longer can I surf the internet and get lost for hours.

 

The positives?  I am making a difference!  They like that I am a weight loss coach!  It is going to be awesome!  Happy dancing all the way to Arlington every day! 

 

 

 

Problem Solver

I am a problem solver.  That is why I am a good life and weight loss coach.  I have the ability to see the entire picture and can help people move forward.

At times I have someone who says they have a problem, and wants to solve the problem, but they are clearly happier not moving forward.  They like being miserable.  They are living a lie.

Life will always be hard for liars.  They choose not to look in the mirror and accept the truth and move forward.  It breaks my heart when I come across one of these people.  They are the eternal victims.  They can't catch a break. 

What they don't seem to see is that they are the ones who can give themselves a break.  It is all up to them.  Their choice.

Each and every one of us has the power to change our own lives.  If you are a doctor and you don't like being a doctor, you can be something else.  You limit yourself, no one does that for you. 

So grab a mirror, look in and have a chat with the one who is looking back at you.  Make some decisions.  Solve some of your own problems.  Once you do, life can be amazing!

Confessions of the Band!

Lately I haven't met a carb I haven't liked.  For the past 6 weeks, I have had every kind of bread, potato and sweet I could find!  Why might you ask?  Well, I got some fluid out of my lapband. 

My band has always been stress reactive.  The moment I am dealing with something tough, my band gets even tighter.  No big life changing events here, but a bunch of little events caused my band to tighten up and I wasn't getting sleep.  You can't go without sleep...it can quite literally make you crazy.

So, I did the smart thing and went to get an unfill.  Then I decided to have a little more taken out than normal.  I wanted to take a holiday.  I developed my taste for carbs again.  I loved every minute of it...until my pants got too tight. 

Reality check.  I don't want to gain back all my weight.  I can tell not only in my clothes, but in my breathing and in my workouts that I have too much weight on my body to be healthy.  So, I made the call and by the time you see this, the fluid will be back in.

I have had my band for almost 15 years.  I have been successful and of normal weight for 13 of those years.  I have worked in weight loss in one form or another for those 13 years.  So, why am I confessing this bump in my healthy weight and not just losing it and being 'the success story' without you ever knowing about this?  Because I am human.  I needed to do what is right for me.  The point I am trying to make is that it is ok to deviate from your path once in awhile, but always keep it in sight and be sure to get back on.  Don't get lost and lose your focus.

I am getting back on the bandwagon.  I am also paying attention to my hunger scale and only eating when I am hungry. 

Do you need to re-focus?  Let's do this people!  www.losinggracefully.com

Words Hurt!

Recently, an ugly memory from my youth jumped up and slapped me full on the face.  I hadn't thought about it for years and then all of the sudden, wham!

From age 8 to 17, I went to Nakanawa, an all girls camp in Tennessee.  The camp was 7 weeks long. This is what was done in the summer.  It wasn't an option to not go.  Most of my friends went to a 2 week camp and then had fun by the pool for the rest of the summer.  I was always so jealous!

I thought I loved camp, but I was never a special camper.  I wasn't really good at any sport.  I was one of the members of Octet (which was kind of a big deal), but that was singing and not sports.  I never really fit in.

I made the best of my situation.  I grew up at camp.  I learned manners, how to play many sports, and how to live in the same room with 10 or more people.

Every year in the fall, the camp owner would come around and show movies from the previous summer.  It was always fun to see yourself on film (this was before videos and the fact that everyone can be in their own movie via smart phone today). 

After my final year, I went to the movie.  The owner was handing out applications to some of the other girls asking them to come back as counselors for the next year.  I mentioned that I might be interested in an application and she laughed in my face!  She said "You?  Why would you want to come back?"  I was mortified.

Needless to say, I was never a counselor.  For years I ruminated over her laughing at me.  I tried to figure out what it meant.  What had I done to bring on that response?  This was someone that I admired.  Was I a horrible camper?  What was wrong with me?

I had forgotten about this incident until a few weeks ago.  It's always icky when you remember something negative from your past.  Sometimes it can release your inner "mean girl" and cause you to flog yourself for ridiculously long periods of time.  This time my mean girl didn't get a chance to pull out her whips and chains.  I am no longer that young girl who just wanted to be a part of a group.  I like who I am and what I do. 

I release that negative experience into the past.   Those words cannot hurt or haunt me anymore.  Do you have some experiences that continue to haunt you?  Can your "mean girl" appear and smack you around?

Let's talk about it.  www.losinggracefully.com

Awesome Women!

I had the privilege of attending a working retreat the other weekend in Savannah, Georgia.  I am currently in a class with the women in this picture.  I had spoken with them on the phone, but had never met any of them face to face.

It was remarkable!  For three days I was with twelve amazing women.  We learned, we laughed, we cried.  I am bursting with ideas for business.  It is easy to come up with new things when you are in a supportive atmosphere.

The picture is one of the unusual exercises we did.  We were to write an uplifting message on a piece of poster board.  We had to take our message through a large (very active) park.  Then we were told to stand on a busy corner of the street with these messages and see if we could get cars to honk.  Yikes!  I am one to put myself out there, but not one to put myself WAY out there.

You know the feeling you have when you are driving and see people with poster boards?  I always think "Ugh!  Make it through the light, I don't want to deal with their posters and whatever slogans they yell or crap they are trying to sell."  When you think about it, usually posters are negative or they are trying to sell you the best thing since sliced bread.

Our posters were positive. We were not selling a single thing. I loved watching the faces of people who were driving up to our group.  At first, it was negative, the "oh no" face.  Then their expressions transfer to the "What?" confusion face.  Finally, once the messages were read, we saw lots of smiles and got many honks.  Often people asked what we were doing.  When we told them we were just spreading good thoughts, the answer was always positive.  It was fun!

I learned so much by standing on the corner.  People are not used to positive statements without cost.  That is hugely wrong.  We need to encourage others and often.  Maybe not on the street, but at every chance you get.  Then again, the street corner hit many people in a short period.  A positive thought will always make a difference.

Do you need help with positive thoughts?  I can help.
www.cynthiaokelly.com

 

This picture totally cracks me up!  These are my dogs, Molly and Stu at the dog park.  Molly is the one with her tongue hanging out, the joyful look on her face and her paws in the water bowl.  Poor Stu is the one with the nasty glare.  What you don't see is that Molly has the ball and has placed it into the water bowl.  Stu, being the dutiful brother, is patiently waiting for her to allow him to grab the ball and bring it to me.

I learn alot from these dogs.  Molly is 2 years younger, loves to counter surf and always full of energy.  Stu is my little gentleman. He takes care of his sister.  He has wonderful manners but is all about the ball.  He is focused.  He lives for our daily dog park visits. 

Each day, Stu will run into the park and check out every ball in order to find the "ball of the day".  No other ball will do.  If Molly catches the ball, he will follow her until she gives it to him.  If another dog steals the ball, he will not get aggressive.  He will wait until they lose interest.  Then he grabs it and brings it to me.  When I am throwing the ball, Stu is completely in the moment.  Nothing exists outside of that tennis ball.  No matter what else is going on at the park, he won't get involved.  The ball is king.  I am amazed at his ability to tune out all distractions and concentrate on what he finds important.

I wish I had such focus!  Often I find myself getting muddled in the brain due to having too many things going on at the same time.  The important things get mixed in with the trivial events an instead of doing one thing well, many things get done half assed.  I need to focus like Stu.  He does one thing and he does it very well. 

Straight From The Oval Office

Yesterday instead of putting out my blog, I snuck off to the Bush Library with a close friend.  I had only been to one other presidential library.  It was amazing.  President Bush was the president when our lives changed for good.  When we learned that we were not safe from terrorist attacks. 

The team that put the library together did an excellent job.  They handled the acknowledgement of a very sad and scary time in our world, with dignity.  My friend and I (and many others) had tears in our eyes as we read letters from people (not just dignitaries) and speeches from President Bush.

We are so lucky to have a Presidential Library in Dallas.  Regardless of your political affiliations, you need to put visiting the library a priority.  It is history.

They also have a replica of the Oval office.  Note the picture!  Me running the world.  Watch out!

Pretty Things

I love purses.  My close friends call me a purse whore.  I actually have quite a collection.  I take care of them and rotate them for years.  At this time, I have enough purses to outfit everyone in my Zumba class with at least 2 per person.

I have enough. 

This of course did not stop me when I saw the lovely piece of awesomeness that is pictured here.  The moment I saw it, I rushed right out and snagged this beauty.  I justified it because I didn't have a purse that had white leather.  I quickly brought my purchase home, but for some reason, I didn'tput it into rotation immediately.

After a few days, I realized that I did not even think about my purchase.  I saw it and basically shut my brain down and bought it.  No thinking allowed.

How many times do we do that in our eating?  Do you ever sit down at the table or better yet, in front of the TV and choose not to pay attention to the food in front of you.  Then suddenly it is gone and you are stuffed.  Remorse and regret set in.

I didn't need a new purse.  Once I sobered up from my "got to have it" high, I returned my little lovely so it could end up in someone else's collection.

Think before you do.

Do you need some help with your thought process towards weight loss?
www.losinggracefully.com
Let's change your thoughts and get you to your heallthy weight.

No More Buts

I have noticed lately that there are way too many buts in my life.  I am sure you know which buts I am talking about. "I meant to but..." type of but.

Friends, clients, and even family seem to be using these words quite often.  I won't go into detail about them, but I want to mainly talk about my buts.  I am butting myself silly.   What benefit is the word but?  It is an excuse word.  You know after every but, an excuse will follow.

Actually, I have been writing this one post for 2 weeks because I seem to get stuck in the buts.  Ugh!

I am forcing myself to get through this so I can post something completely different tomorrow. 

The big promise I am making to you and myself is that I will try to drop the excuse but from my vocabulary.  No more buts!

Almost Finished!

I must admit I am completely bored with my subject.  Kitchen is not done yet.  But we are close.  Very close.

It is exciting and excruciating at the same time!  In the next week, I should have my home back.  No longer will there be legions of men in my house, making loads of noise at all hours of the day.

I will have my bedroom back as a bedroom.

I can move the kitchen items back into the kitchen. 

My office will be relocated from the 6 bags of files in the closet, back to my office.

My dogs will be able to live in the whole house and not just our bedroom.  Molly will no longer destroy everything in site just to let me know that she isn't happy to be trapped in a room with scary noises outside.  My house will smell better.

I have been busy waiting.  The best part about this situation?  I have been coaching the heck out of myself!  I have learned so much about thought work.  I am confident in my craft.

Now I am ready to coach the heck out of you.   www.losinggracefully.com  Lets work together.




Eat Healthy? Ha!

 

We are doing a kitchen remodel.  Nick and I have wanted to do this for 8 years.  A dream come true!  Now that it is happening, we are in the midst of a nightmare.  We have been with out a working kitchen for 2 weeks.  I have learned so much from this experience. 

 

The project was to start in February.  Due to a hiccup, they could not start until March.  I handled that situation with grace.  People were amazed at how I was so calm and cool while dealing with complete craziness.  Since the construction started and we lost the use of our kitchen, I have turned into a complete witch!  I have no patience, I am grumpy, and my poor husband has to put up with this behavior.  He is a saint.

 

I spent some time trying to figure out why I am not happy while this change, that I have desperately wanted, takes place.  I believe it is due to the fact that we are eating out everyday.  We love to eat at home.  We eat pretty normal.  I would say healthy, but we do eat some evil foods, so lets just stick with normal.  When we started this process, we thought we would have salads everyday and lose weight while we have no kitchen.  I had visions of chopping all sorts of raw foods at our dining room table.  Ha!  We have either dined out or brought home take out every single night.  I am sick of it!   I have people in my house all the time and there are loud noises and weird smells.  Dust is everywhere!  The dogs are being needy as they don't understand what is happening.  Everywhere I go, they follow closely.  I feel like I am leading a school of fish!

 

Enough!  The positives?  The crew are very respectful and it looks like we only have one more week to go before they will finish.  We have some great friends and family who have taken us in and fed us.  When it is over, we will have an awesome new kitchen! Once we have it back, I believe we will be eating at home for awhile. Wahoo!

 

                                           

 

What Brings You Joy?

Meet Griz!  Griz is a 10 month old golden retriever that I see almost daily, when I take my dogs to the park.  Griz is the funniest dog I have ever met.  I would say that he brings me 80% of my daily belly laughs.

I believe that everyone should have, at the minimum, one good belly laugh a day. A belly laugh is a laugh that comes from the gut.  A laugh that is joyful! We spend too much time being serious.  It is so easy to lose sight of the day to day comedy.  Our lives are hilarious!

Take Griz and his sweet, very patient Momma.  She is trying to teach Griz some manners.  Griz is a bit of a slow learner.  Momma is trying to teach Griz not to jump on people.  She has tried absolutely everything from yelling 'NO' to sprays and now currently a tin pan (dogs don't like the sound).  Griz's mom has become a ninja, trying to get there in plenty of time when Griz wants to jump up to say hello.

Of course we are all bad enforcers.  Griz is just so stinkin cute that you kinda want him to jump up and say hello.  I mean seriously, look at that face?  He is a happy dog!  Griz's antics can get a laugh from me everytime.  I am so grateful for Griz and his Momma.

What gives you a belly laugh?  Are you laughing every day?  Give it a try, it is good for your health!   

Sometimes Me Gets Lost

I have a very full life.  I have a husband, 5 fantastic stepchildren, and 2 dogs that continuously shed!  I have a great career as a coach with clients I adore.  We are currently making some changes to our home and that require a good deal of time interacting with contractors, inspectors, et al.  There is a lot going on at our house all the time.

I am not complaining, but sometimes I get a little lost when there is so much going on.  Husband needs things, kids have issues that need attention, and the dogs want the ball!  Taxes need to be done.  Items need to be moved from one area to another.  I have no place to have my office during the renovation.  There are never enough hours in the day!  It is so easy to lose Me when life is busy.  The old Cynthia would have been grumpy and  whining to any and all who will listen while shoving a cheeseburger and fries into my face as fast as possible.  Oh and I would wash it all down with a side of chocolate cake and a huge vat of wine!

Through out all the craziness of my day to day life, I have found that if I take at least an hour for myself, I can deal with anything that lands in my lap.  I would not consider myself as an exercise junkie, but during crazy times, I have found that in order to keep my focus, an hour of Zumba or Bar Method gives me sanity and keeps the unneeded calories away.  I have also got meditation on my to try list, just don't have time for that yet.

My point is that no matter what is going on in your life and how busy things can be, take some time for yourself.  Remember that you have to be you in order to be at your best for everyone else!  So what keeps you sane?

Take The Leap!

I have not written in a few weeks but so much has happened that I believe I will have plenty of material for multiple blogs! 
That is me flying through the air.  A few weeks ago I went on a girls trip to my favorite place, Miraval in Tuscon, Arizona.  It has become a very special place to me.  Last year, while at Miraval, I learned about being Mindful and made the decision to become a life coach.  I spent the rest of the year studying and getting certified.

This year, I decided to try the Quantum Leap.  This is where you climb up a 35 foot telephone pole and get on to a one foot by 2 foot board, stand up and look around, say something profound and jump!  When I saw the climb, I thought I would never make it.  They made me go first.  Deep breath!  So, harnessed up and shaking, I started up the ladder.  Made it up there pretty quickly with no issues.  Now I needed to climb onto the actual pole.  The pegs or staples are spaced for normal height people.  I had to wrap my hand around the pole as I was climbing up to the next staple.  I was amazed that I could lift my body weight so easily.  I was able to get to the top at a normal pace.  Then I had to climb onto the teeny tiny platform.

It was a windy day and the pole was swaying from that height.  My legs were shaking as well.  I took awhile before I stood up.  I didn't want to give up and just fall.  The goal was to stand up on the top of the pole.  So, I did.  I stood up and just jumped. 

IT WAS AWESOME!

I never thought that I would be able to climb up a pole and jump off the pole 35 feet in the air.  I was amazed that I wasn't scared to leap.  I knew all was ok.

My take away from the exercise?  It is good to experience things that will make your heart beat a bit faster. I am in better shape than I thought.  It is ok to trust.  The rewards are amazing!  I still giggle when I think about it or see the pictures.

What will you find out about yourself if you were going to climb up and leap off of a 35 ft telephone pole?  How about if you go ahead and commit to that food plan.  What's the worst that could happen?  The best that could happen?

I can help you get to the point where you can enjoy a challange.  www.losinggracefully.com
Contact me for a free 30 minute session.

Thank God For Coaching!

This is a view from my back door.  It has been this way for the past week.  What was going to be a 3 day event, has turned into a week and counting. 

The reason the incompleted fence is crazy and out of mine and my contractor's hands.  The City of Dallas is currently ruling over this situation.  It is enough to place someone on an IV of valium.

In past years, I would have been ranting and raving and stuffing my face with every sweet available.  When I got the phone call about the stop work order, I must admit that I did growl for a minute, but that was all.

My mind immediately went to all the information I have learned on how to handle things.  This situation was out of my control, so I wasn't going to lose control.  I was able to coach myself out of a dangerous moment.  Nary a cookie was eaten and all the people I have had to interact with over this matter have gotten the kind and relaxed Cynthia and not the angry, out of control Cynthia.  It felt wonderful!

I hate that my backyard looks trashy and icky, but I love the fact that I stayed calm and focused and that I know my coaching ability.  The backyard will get done, just not as quick as I would like.

Wow!  I am an awesome coach! 

I would like to help you feel wonderful and focused too.  www.losinggracefully.com

Nom Nom! Food Crazy!

  Ever felt like this picture?  Have you ever thought about a food so much that you were obcessed by the time you got it and crammed it into your mouth?  Did you even really taste it?

We do that.  We deny ourselves something and quietly it builds up in our mind as the absolute best thing ever.  Like a snowball rolling down the hill, it gains momentum until it is HUGE and we become quite crazed at the thought of getting whatever it is we wanted.

Once you get it, is it really worth all the press your brain gave that food?  In most cases, I would bet no.  This has happened to me many times.  I will start thinking about a food, say in this instance, a cheeseburger from a local joint.  At first it sounds good but the thought lingers.  Then I go through the deny thought process where I tell myself I don't need the calories and should make better choices.  Now that might quell my desire for the cheeseburger for a day or so, but the thought always comes back.

Then I decide that I can make a healthier cheeseburger at home and will do so.  It just doesn't taste like it did at the local burger joint.  Still not satissfied and still want that cheeseburger.  Now, if you are like me, I will finally give in and eat so fast that I feel sick.  I will eat more than I want and usually I come away thinking that is sounded better than it tasted.  Not a happy ending.

I am going to try a new way when the craving for some particular food creeps its way into my brain.  I am going to go and get it.  Stick with me here as you are thinking I am encouraging you to eat unhealthy, etc.  If you find that you are craving something, why spend countless days and calories trying to avoid that particular food, when you can just eat it and move on.  Savor the flavor.  BUT (and there is always a but), follow the rules.  Go slow and only eat until you are full and leave the rest.  If you are honest with yourself it might be only half the cheeseburger.  You got what you wanted and you didn't end up gorging yourself.  Win win if you ask me.

If Not Now, When?

Yesterday,I heard someone say "If not now, when?" and I actually stopped in my tracks.  I have no idea in what context this person was using this statement, but it was a total game changer for me. Why do we wait on making changes?  Let's look at some of the answers people give:

 

"I want to research this"  Really?   Haven't you been thinking about weight loss, moving, going back to school, or whatever it is for awhile now?  Is there a difference between thinking about and 'seriously' thinking about a change?

"I am too busy"  Busy being unhappy.  If there is something on your mind that you know would improve your life, why are you even wasting one more day?  Take a deep breath and leap!

"I am scared" Change is always scary.  You can 'what if' yourself to death.  But you are a strong person and can handle whatever happens.  You have gotten this far in life.  Why cheat yourself out of a victory?  If you do nothing, then nothing is what you will get.  Everyone's mission in life is to move forward.  How will you move forward?

There are so many things going on currently in my life that I would love to say, "Whoa lets slow down for a little while and ponder on these decisions."  That would be the wrong thing to do.  It is very hard to leave the comfort of my bed every morning, but things must move forward.  Life must be lived!  Am I scared?  Yes!  Do I push through?  Yes!  The reward will be fantastic because I have earned it.

I am standing on my soapbox because lately I have seen way too many people who are miserable in their lives, because they are choosing not to live it!  So, I encourage you to take the leap of faith and just go ahead and do it.  Don't try, do!  The worst that can happen is that you end up where you are now.  The best?  Well that is whatever you want it to be.  New Job?  Lose weight? Better relationships and less toxic people in your life?  You name it and then do it!

I can help.  I can guide you through this process.  www.losinggracefully.com