FOCUS

Sometimes, it is easy to lose sight of your goals. You get so intertwined with the excitement and life that you can find yourself slipping into old patterns. It is at that moment that you have to make a choice...continue to slide or break the cycle. All you gotta do is TAP IN. Never let one setback stop you from moving forward. No one is perfect remember that. Everyone makes a mistake at some point, but just learn from it and dont make it again. Even if you do...dont stop moving forward. The road to success is not an easy one, if it was everyone would have already reached it.

Responsibility

To whom much is given, much is required. I realized I have alot of valuable information that many people have no clue about. I acquired it just from my walk in life and the many things that I have gone through. With that, I must share this information even if someone else has already shared it. You never know whose life you will touch or help spark by just sharing what you learn. It is really your responsibility to do so. If your hand is closed off from giving, it is also closed off from receiving. You must open up and be willing to share even if you are imperfect doesnt mean that the information isnt valuable on some level.

As a massage therapist, it is my responsibility to provide more than just relaxation. Most people that first come to me think, oh im just gonna get a relaxing massage. Well... some of it will be relaxing but some of it will be treatment work and may not be so pleasant. Then, I also will ask questions about daily routine and based on where the tension is in your body, I will inform what emotions you may be holding on to that are making your body have tension.You will have homework to do in the form of things that I suggest that you should change to resolve some of your issues. It is my responsibility to provide the best information that will help you achieve optimum wellness. Most patients hang onto every word I say, just like most do for doctors, so I have to make sure that I am giving things that I understand will help. I also have to be able to say I dont know sometimes instead of making things up. If I don't know it, then I'll research it but I do my best not to mislead people. It is also my responsibility to educate people on the fact that their health is their responsibility. I can not fix you, only you can do that by breaking bad habits and forming better ones. You must be consistent and make it a priority. Otherwise you will be right back where you started.

The most important thing you can do is do your own research. Yes, people can provide you with information all day, but you get some much more insight when you research it and learn for yourself. I question EVERYTHING that I get from people regardless of who I get it from. Doctors, Teachers, TV, Radio, Books, ETC.  I'm not saying that I dont trust people, but I am ultimately responsible for me. Therefore, I must make sure that I understand what I allow myself to eat and do. I'm not afraid to dig deeper and look closer to make sure that it is right for me. I took responsibility for my life....have you?

Tests and challenges

Well we all know, once you say you are going to do something, you will be tested to see if you mean what you say. Will you follow through on your word to yourself or make excuses? I recently started getting sick with flu-like symptoms and for a moment I was like man I'm gonna be down for a while. Then, I said no, this is just another excuse not to push on. I pushed fluids (orange juice, water, gatorade, and pedialyte), took my multi-vitamin and omega 3 pills and took the night to get some decent rest. Woke up feeling 80% better, but I had a full day of 8 massages ahead of me. I read from my motivation book and took my vitamins again, downed a protein shake and headed to work. Pushed though my first massage and felt awesome. I really helped my first patient with basic information she just did not know. I ate some trail mix and an orange in between my massages and by lunch I was great. Took at nap after lunch then finished my day out. When to sleep that night at a decent time and then I work up at 100% ready to hit the gym. This is just proof that you can push through anything if you have the desire to do so in your heart. Once your heart confirms defeat you are doomed. But if you push through with an honest heart you can make anything happen. Test and challenges are to be passed and beat, not to make you depressed and give up. To infinity and beyond...

Time to face a fear

Ok, I was asked if I wanted to join in on doing a 5k run...AHHHHHHHH was my first thought. The reason being I have always hated running. Even when I played sports I hated it. Later in life, I realized I had extremely flat feet and that was the reason for all the pain, fatigue and foot cramps when I ran. Earlier this year I found myself wanting to run, so I took to the streets and started walking/running a mile, but a few days in my knees and shins were killing me. It took  me off my workouts for a good month to just recover. It was so bad it felt like my patella was tracking incorrectly on my knee. It finally went back to normal with some self care and therapy. So here I am, do I run or not. My mind is telling me no, but my body is telling me yes. It is time to face my fear of running. I have decided that I am going to run it, jog it, walk it whatever, just do it. I have a few months to train for it, so I plan to start training tomorrow on the treadmill. If you have any fears, face them and move forward...to infinity and beyond...

Importance of goal setting

Why set a goal? Sometime in life we get comfortable, hit a plateau, or just simply wander around. Goals keeps us reminded of why we are committed to doing something. They keep us focused and pointed in the right direction.They give us something to strive for, conquer, and look back at to see what we have achieved. Make sure that you are setting short term and long term goals and that they are realistic. Also, make sure that as you reach certain goals you adjust and add more long term goals on. Make sure that you balance out having all major goals with minor ones do you do have bursts of accomplishments along the way.

For me, even though I want to lose weight, I don't have a number that I want to get to. I prefer to use sizes or inch measurements since I want to tone as well. I have stopped buying unhealthy foods, drink only water and home brewed teas, take vitamins and minerals daily and workout 4-5 days a week. I have changed my deodorant and watch the things I put in and on my body. I continue to research health and wellness and apply things that I feel would benefit me to my life. It is a life long process that I have come to enjoy. Once you know better, you can do better. It is my responsibility to take care of myself. I can not blame anyone else for my health and neither can you. Just take one step at a time and remember to set goals and conquer them.

Great community...

One thing I can say is that having a great group of people working towards common goals is a blessing. In this case we are all women working towards our fitness goals. Even though we all have our own journey separately, the point where our paths have crossed provides each with great stability together. We are able to gain so much more knowledge together than apart and able to challenge and support each other. This is how all great communities are born. You give and you get, you get and you give. Build up instead of tearing down. Help and receive help. Learn and grow. Teamwork allows everyone to shine in their own special way. Positivity shines throughout and reinforces our commitment to be our best and live our best lives. I am glad I found this great community and will continue to be a positive force within it.

Quick Lasagna

This is a recipe I found on bodybuilding.com. It turned out very good and was quick. I may try it with brown rice too instead of pasta.

Estimated Prep Time: 5 min

Estimated Cook Time: 15 min

Makes 4 servings

Ingredients

• 1 package Bow Tie Pasta (1 pound)
• 1 tbsp Olive Oil
• 1/4 cup chopped Onion
• 1 tsp minced fresh Garlic
• 1 pound Extra Lean Ground Beef or Ground Turkey Breast
• Salt and Pepper
• 1 cup Low-Fat Cottage Cheese
• 2 tbsp shredded Parmesan Cheese

Cooking Materials

• Large pasta pot; large skillet.

Directions

1. Bring a large pot of water to boil. Add the pasta and cook according to the package directions. When done, drain well.
2. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large skillet. Add the onion and garlic and saute until the onion is soft, about 5 min.
3. Add the beef and cook, stirring to break up clumps, until the meat is cooked through, about 10 min. (There should be no grease to drain) Add salt and pepper to taste.
4. Add the cottage cheese and mix well. It will start getting gooey.
5. Divide the pasta into bowls. Spoon the meat mixture on top, and sprinkle with the Parmesan cheese.

Capable of more?!

Yes, you can do more than your mind can conceive. Why? That is because most people only use 10% of their brains...if that. Your potential is so great yet YOU are the reason you have not reached it. You can blame it on others; parents, family, your exs, society, your environment, whatever. In reality, you have control of you. Sure, when you were young some factors you could not control. But you cannot use that as an excuse as to why you are still walking that same path. Most people just don't want to make a decision because it then forces you to be responsible. Who wants that, right? Well at some point you must take responsibility for your life no matter how messed up it may be. Just know you have the power to change it, but only you can change it. No amount of money will bring true happiness that your heart seeks, so quit chasing it. No person can fill that void that you have told yourself they could, so stop forcing them to. No items can replace the desire and need for real love, so quit buying unnecessary crap. Everything you are searching for is within you. True happiness, fulfillment, real love, security...and anything else that you seek to obtain. The essence of the Creator has been placed within you and that power is beyond anything imaginable. Stop looking outside of yourself. Every time you do that you diminish your power. The fact that you were born shows that you were born through success. You beat out millions of sperm to even exist. Somewhere along the line, most of us either taught not to be more than average, forced in fear to cower, or lost that will to fight and push ourselves until we succeed. We have to TAP back IN and find that again. There is room for everyone to succeed at whatever they desire. The trick is that if anyone can make you to believe otherwise you will never amount to your true potential. What you believe, is your reality. So believe that you are one of a kind, the greatest of all time, the best of the best, and even then TAP IN because you are still capable of more.

Good habits vs. Bad habits

In reading the suggested book "The Greatest Salesman in the World", it states that 'good habits are the keys to all success and bad habits are the unlocked door to failure'. I would say this is soooooooo true. Your habits determine your consistent behavior and that behavior determine your outcome in situations. Bad habits  = bad behaviors = bad outcomes, Good habits = good behaviors = good outcomes. You have the ability to choose. If you dislike your life, look at your habits, determine which ones are not good for you and change them. Look at the ones that are good for you and do them more. Once you have done so you will create good outcomes for your life. Will this be easy...maybe, depends on how dedicated you are to make the changes. No matter how challenging it may be, you can always TAP IN and push through. Anyone has the power to do anything. Have the faith of a mustard seed and and do the consistent work required to see it through.

One bad habit I am dedicated to changing is being consistent with working out and eating healthy. I have changed first my mindset about food and now look at it as fuel instead of a time filler. If I want something I ask myself will this fuel my body or simply fill my body. With that simple question I am able to make better consistent habits. Working out has never really been an issue for me. I have always loved doing it, I just wasn't consistent or dedicated to it on a conscious level. Now that I am, I make it a priority to work out hard just as I have made eating healthy a priority. People say healthy food costs, well look at your health as an investment. If you make a good investment, you will get a good return. People spend endless amounts of money of material possessions, but when it comes to food they only want to spend a few dollars. Remember Bad habits  = bad behaviors = bad outcomes, Good habits = good behaviors = good outcomes. It's your life, you decide.

TAPPED IN

A surprise gym hr gym class after the two hrs of work I had already put in. Just sucked it up, TAPPED IN and sweat it out. You don't know how far you can go until you push yourself.

Get up and move!!!

Being a massage therapist and working in a chiropractor's office, I see alot of patients who have MAJOR issues because they simply do not get up and move. No matter how much they weight, they have issues due to lack of movement. Most people really have issues due to sedentary work spaces and alot of injuries come from improper ergonomics at work

I know I had that issue before I began a therapist I used to work at a third party claims administrator doing claims. After about 3.5 years I was having major numbness and pain in my hands. It was so bad at times when I would wake up I could not turn a doorknob. I got it checked out and it was Carpal Tunnel Syndrome...advanced. The only option I was given was surgery, since it had advanced. I filed it as workman's comp and you know what it got denied. The ergonomics was very poor where I worked, as a matter of fact they just made you watch a video and you were to set it up yourself. Some people did not even have mouse pads, the chairs were horrible, and decks were standard non moving desks. I was soooooo angry that this company was basically staying they did not cause this injury by lack of providing proper ergonomics. Regardless of that, I had to stop being mad and take my health into my own hands. Luckily I had just started massage school and learned that CTS could be managed without drugs or surgery. I started getting massages to loosen the muscles around the impinged nerves and wow what a difference. Once I left my desk job to massage full time, my symptoms pretty much vanished. It was then I knew that I had stumbled on to something that was valuable to basically everyone.

I encourage people to get up and take frequent breaks at work. Whether you take breaks or not the work is still going to be there, but if you dont take them your body will pay the price. Breaks do not include going to the restroom or lunch. Please oh Please stop eating lunch at your desk. This only encourages you to work while you eat. Employers know this that is why half of them will buy you lunch so you can sit there and work. Please make healthy boundaries for yourself at work. If you always work overtime or never take a lunch, you are setting up unhealthy boundaries. I'm not saying be lazy and not work. Yes work when you are to work, but we have become workaholics and do not balance it out with anything. A simple walk around the office will do you a world of difference. If you have a sedentary job, this is a must do. Our bodies were  not made to be in one position hours on end. You may not feel it today, but once the issues creep up on you, you will wish you had simply got up and walked around.

A MUST READ

This book is amazing!!!!! If you are judging this book by its cover, then you should read it. It will transform your mind!! It was recommended on a blogtalk radio show I listen to called 'The Remix' hosted by Ms. Blue. All I can say is this book frees your routine thought process and gives you the tools to TAP IN.

Only the beginning...

My first blog post hum...lets see how did  I tap in today? I tapped in by doing a 2 hour gym session on what is normally my off day from the gym. I tapped in and got it done, then went to work and completed 4 massages for patients.  

My reason for starting this blog was to simply share my journey in fitness, health, career and all kinds of odds and ends. The only way I have been able to continue to overcome many challenges is by TAPPING IN. So it made me wonder how many other people TAP IN and why?