Do you have all the answers?

Today I was thinking about a time a few years ago when I was working with my husband with some real estate investing.  We were providing a rent to own option to people who needed some time before they could qualify to own their own home.  I had all of the energy and enthusiasm to make this business be a successful venture.  I understood the ins and the outs of the business.  I believed in what it was that we were doing.  I truly felt we were offering a win/win solution.  It was a business I could put my name behind.  There was just one problem...I was afraid to talk to people.  All I wanted was for the phone to ring with someone interested...as long as it rang when Chris was home.  

Chris thought this to be hilarious.  He would talk to them with ease and laugh and joke with them.  Sometimes they were interested.  And sometimes they were not.  

When I would go to talk with them I would be so worried that they would ask me a question that I wouldn't have all the answers to.  Have you ever felt that way?  That you need to have all of the answers?  For all the situations in your life?  And the lives of your family?  And the lives of your friends?  Does it seem like it is an overwhelming amount of pressure?  

I know that when I was in that situation I felt trapped, inadequate, and fraudulent.  I would lose all sense of self confidence.  Had the roles been reversed and they were trying to convince me of something I would have hung up the phone. 

After a couple of weeks an amazing thing happened.  I gave myself permission to not have all of the answers.  Instead I would say, that is a good question, I don't have the answer.  Let me do some research and get back to you.  And if I was really frazzled, I would hang up the phone.  Take a moment to collect myself and call them back.  When they would answer, I would say "I'm sorry, I totally hung up on you." and I would carry on the conversation.  Never once did I have anyone upset with me.  They appreciated the honesty.  

I moved on from the real estate game however, I found myself repeating the cycle.  When I first started coaching people I wanted to be the one with all of the answers.  I would crush myself with the immense pressure to give all of the right advice and provide all of the answers.  My advice fell flat.  And more often than not it was given without anyone asking for it.  

There are times I still do that.  And I apologize to those that end up having to hear it.  Feel free to take what you need and disregard the rest.  The more I coach and the further I walk along my journey I give myself permission to be quiet.  To listen more.  To truly listen.  As I sit in the quiet I find that the answers that rise to the surface are clearer and of better quality.  By listening more, and talking less, I am becoming a better person, friend, wife and coach.  

Are you willing to give yourself permission to be quiet?  To not have all of the answers?  To just be authentically you?  Even just to try it for a moment, a minute or a month?

As I move forward it is my goal to ask better questions.  Those are the key to release the answers that life within us all.  So instead of fabricating the answers I will strive to create better questions.

The question is....what will you do?

Much Love,

Lisa

What Would You Do?

Normally I am the type of person who says too much in a situation.  I'm that annoying person who gives you advice even though you didn't ask for it.  My friends are used to it and either take it, or blatantly ignore it.  Each of you know which category you fall in.  LOL.

Tonight's blog is about what I should have said.  Have you ever been presented with a chance to say something and you didn't seize the opportunity?  This afternoon I witnessed something that has stuck with me.

Chris and I decided to take advantage of the beautiful afternoon.  We picked Delaney up early from the day home and went to the spray park.  During our initial lap around the park I noticed that there was a young dad who was walking across the park carrying a small pair of shoes and keys.  I also noticed a 6 year old girl playing with a mounted water gun that sprays and swivels around.  As she was having fun with the spray gun she managed to get the young dad wet.  I continued to watch to see what his reaction was.  It was far from pretty.  He was aghast that he got wet.  I mean the absolute nerve of a 6 year old spraying him with water.  How dare she get him wet.  Didn't she realize that he was simply there to watch his child play.  He of course was just there to watch his son play, not to play himself.

What would you do if you were walking through a spray park surrounded by no less than forty children and water spraying everywhere?  I for one, expected there was a high risk of getting wet.  He on the other hand started yelling to his girlfriend that this kid soaked him.  Then, he proceeded to grab her by the arm and pull her in from of the gun and sprayed her from chest to ankles and back again.  I am sure that he meant this to be a form of punishment.  The girl just laughed and ran to the next spray area.  I looked to see if the girl's parents had witnessed this act of manliness but alas they were nowhere to be seen.

I should have said something to him.  Part of me would like to hid behind the excuse that I was simply too shocked to react instantaneously.

We continued to play at the spray park.  Delaney was running back and forth while Chris and I watched from our perch on the retainer wall.  A few minutes later an organic smell wafted across the park.  Chris snidely commented that he suddenly had the munchies.  I told him that I sincerely hoped it was an actual skunk. The smell continued to get stronger.  I decided that we either had to leave or move up wind.  As I stood to investigate the source was instantly clear.  It was Mr. Manly Man from the earlier. I am not sure that this surprised me.  As I looked closer I realized that him and his girlfriend were smoking the joint in the van WITH HIS CHILD IN IT!!!!When they get finished smoking their joint they sauntered back to the spray park.

I wanted to say something to him so very badly.  I couldn't tell you what would have been the exact words I would have chosen but they would have been scathing.  Lucky for me I had my voice of reason by my side....Chris.  He was telling me that I needed to stay out of it. And truth be told I have no way of determining how he would react.  Chris also told me that the joint could be keeping Mr. Manly from beating his girlfriend and his child.  Maybe that is the case.  Maybe it is not.

What I do know for sure is that the next time I am presented with a situation that sets off alarm bells I am going to follow my instinct and react.

What would you have done?  Have you ever faced a situation like this?  How did it turn out?

I would love to hear your thoughts.

Much Love,

Lisa

Returning To Reality

Wow I can't believe it has been over a week since I last posted something.  This month has been a challenge for me to keep up with my blog.  I have received phone calls and emails from some of you asking if I just gave up on my blogging.  The answer - absolutely not.  I have been letting my ego take the reins a little too often.  And my ego likes to make excuses.  Do you ever have that happen to you?  Ever stop yourself from doing something because of something that you made up in your head?  I know that it happens to me.  I can admit it.  My ego does not like to admit it though.

I have been trying to write a blog post for a week now.  And each time I allowed my ego to stop me.  It kept telling me that what I was trying to say wasn't relevant.  Why do we listen to such liars?

Anyway...I am back in the saddle.  I have signed up for another 31 Day Blog Challenge for October and I am going to try and post every day between now and then without needing a challenge to motivate me.

Recently I completed a 10 Day Metabolic Detoxification Challenge.  Wow what a challenge that was.  10 days without meat.  No caffeine, No refined sugar.  No processed foods.  And every day for the first five days I cut out more and more from my diet.  For three days I was limited to cruciferous veggies, raw dark greens and apples and pears.  I could use select oils and any herbs and spices that I wished.  For awhile there it was touch and go.  Luckily no one was injured during the 10 days.  The hardest day for me was Saturday.  I was already a day and a half into the cruciferous veggies and I wanted....EVERYTHING!  Mostly meat.  And berries. And cucumbers. Lol.  What I found to be the most interesting was that I didn't crave anything processed.  Still don't.

Earlier today I was feeling hyper. My heart was pounding and my ears were ringing.  I couldn't figure out what happened and then I realized...I had drank 1/3 of a cup of coffee.  My first one in 11 days.  I think that I can stay away from it a little while longer.

Some people are curious as to what I got out of the cleanse.  I can tell you that I am feeling much better.  I have energy.  I have a spark.  I have enthusiasm.  Can I credit the cleanse to that?  Maybe...but I am typically energetic and enthusiastic.  And while I was doing the cleanse...I was the opposite of that.  I ran out of energy climbing the stairs in my house.  There are a whopping thirteen of them.  I did lose 9 lbs.  And two days later I still have it off.

The most important thing that I gained from it is that I can do things that I set my mind to.  It would have been easy to stop after day three when the caffeine headache was splitting my brain in two.  Or at lunchtime on day five when I was walking around whyte ave with my girlfriend.  Or day eight when I made it through the hard part.  But I didn't quit.  I got through it.  And I feel better for having done so.  I wish I could say that I did it all on my own.  But I didn't.  So a huge thank you to my Husband and Daughter who lived with me during it.  And to Angela who cheered me on every day.  And to the women on the football team...thank you for understanding that I was totally drained and not my bubbly self.  And to anyone else that talked to me...thank you for your patience.  I appreciate it greatly.

So now what????

I have started a September Clean Eats Sweeps.  It is a facebook group of Ladies who are interested in cleaning up their eating habits for a month.  Entry is still being determined.  We are thinking $10 or $20 a person with all money going to the winner.  All you need to do is join the group, create a my fitness pal account and get started.  The goal is to motivate one another and create a positive habit.

What does September hold for you?  What are you looking to achieve?  I would love to hear from you and cheer you on.  Feel free to share here or visit my facebook page at www.facebook.com/catalystcoachingandconsulting or email me at Lisa@DreamItAchieveIt.ca

Wishing you a day as Beautiful as You!

Much Love,

Lisa

Trust In Yourself That Indeed You Do Know!

How often do you find yourself saying "I don't know"? We often use this answer to allow the ego to deflect dealing with something that may be uncomfortable. It becomes an automated response. It signifies that we are no longer leading our life. We are simply going through the motions. What do you want for supper? I don't know. What do you want to do today? I don't know. 

The truth is we do know. We just need to take the time to be quiet and still and connect with our inner self. All of the answers we seek are within us. We are divine beings. We are deserving beings.

Today, take the time to be aware of all the times you are wanting to say "I don't know". Pause, get in touch with yourself. Shut off the auto pilot and respond with the answer that lies within.

I wish you a day as Beautiful as you.

Lead Life Joyfully,

Much Love,

Lisa

Day 2 of 10 Day Metabolic Detoxification

So today is Day 2.  And I am 3/4's of the way through the day.  I am really feeling the effects of no caffeine as of noon today.  It feels almost as if I am trying to see through a hood that is pulled way down over my eyes.  As much as I am not loving the physical discomfort I am really looking forward to the clarity that this cleanse will bring for me.

When people ask me what I was hoping to get from this cleanse I haven't really had an answer. I wasn't doing it for the weight loss.  I wasn't doing it because it was the latest craze.  I was doing it because I was wanting to hit the reset button.  I was feeling like I was becoming disconnected and disenchanted with a lot of things.  My naturopath recommended me try this detox and see how it worked for me.  As I reflect on what it is that I want to achieve from the detox I would have to say that I am wanting clarity.

I have been trying to write this blog all day long.  And at the moment...it is not really working.  So I will leave it as day two is a bit of a haze.  Thank goodness there are only eight more days!

Wishing you a day as beautiful as you!

Much Love,
Lisa

Day 1 of My 10 Day Metabolic Detoxification

Have you ever noticed the way your ego reacts when you give it advanced notice that you are going to deprive it of something? I am starting a 10 day Metabolic Detoxification.  I am craving foods in abundance that I would not even eat everyday.  But I figure that I need to have it right now in this moment. Over the next ten days I imagine that I will be sharing with you what it is that I am learning about myself throughout this process.

Today starts off gently. I am to eliminate all:
Refined sugars
Caffeinated Drinks
Artificial Colors, Flavorings and Sweeteners
Flesh Foods.

I know that I haven't yet finished the first day but I am closer than I was when I woke up this morning.  Speaking of waking up...I swear I could taste the cup of coffee that I wasn't able to drink.  LOL.

Day 2 promises to make me grow a little more.  Tomorrow I get to start the delicious powdered beverage mix. Mmmm sounds so good!  And I get to eliminate dairy and eggs.  On the bright side...I am making a spicy black bean and tomato soup and a red potato and green bean salad.  It sounds delicious to me.

Have you ever done a cleanse or detox before?  What did you learn?  What did you love about it?  Did you see the results that you were looking for?

Wishing you a day as beautiful as you,

Much Love,
Lisa

What A Beautiful Day To Get MUDDY!!!!!!!!! AKA The Mud Hero

What would the mud hero be without a little mud?  Last year when my husband and I took part in the mud hero we felt it was lacking in mud.  The event planners hadn't planned on the heat wave and the sheer number of participants.  This year...they made up for it in spades.

What a difference a year makes.  Last year was completely unknown.  I was so full of nervous energy when we all piled into the corral last year.  It was hot, the music loud and the obstacles were somewhat unknown to me.  There were traffic jams coming into the venue.  They ran out of water which meant that the best way to clean up included a steep climb down a river bank and a quick plunge into the mountain river.  I remember feeling refreshed for all of 7 minutes until I realized that I had to climb back up the bank in order to go home.

This year traffic flowed relatively smoothly into the venue.  Race kits were quickly picked up.  We broke the rules by jumping into an earlier heat.  No sense in standing around for another hour waiting to race.  After all it is our timing chip that gets us a free beer...so we couldn't stand around enjoying a pre-race beverage.  We were happily in the back of the pack.  We had no interest in running the mud hero this year. Instead it was going to be a nice, leisurely stroll through a ski hill.  I fervently prayed that the chair lift would be running.  It wasn't.  What twisted individual decides to make the race on a ski hill?  Next year I am running it in Saskatchewan.  Surely the grounds will be flatter.

I loved the mud hero obstacles compared to the Spartan ones.  The obstacles were fun, not incredibly daunting and still made you feel like you accomplished them.  I think that my favorite obstacle was one of the last.  A giant bouncy slide.  I giggled the entire way down.  My second favorite obstacle was the water slide aka super slide.  Who wouldn't love a 12ft high winding water slide that delivers you directly into a 4ft deep pit of mud.  There was no staying clean on this obstacle.  I wasn't all that happy to see the spidey web back again this year.  It is about 20 feet of trail with bungee rope tied this way and that.  I never fail to get hung up as I am trying to make my way through it.  Hamburger Hill was another beast of an obstacle.  It was an incredibly steep climb up a hill.  I knew it was going to be ugly when we approached and they had ropes hanging down to assist with the climb.

When we completed the Mighty Spartan Sprint I was able to write about moments where we motivated others and brought Liz onto her team after her own team left her behind.  This race was different.  I was the one being motivated.  A woman was struggling along so I decided to spark up a conversation with whatever breath I had left.  She was here with her boot camp class.  She signed up for the mud hero weighing 240 lbs and she was racing at 190 lbs.  I was very proud of her.  As we moved on past her we came to yet other steep climb.  As I was swearing my way up the hill and thinking that it would be easier to quit I looked over to my right and watched a women who was in her 70's climbing right along side me.  Sure she probably even had to stop and take a break or two but she was doing it.  My girlfriend looked at me and said...we better still be doing these races when we get to that age.  I have to say she was very inspiring.  I stopped swearing, kicked it into another gear and made it to the top.

It doesn't matter to me how fast I finish these races.  What I focus on is the finish.  My team makes me proud as we finished as a team.  Trish, you could have left us in the dust.  Chris, the fact that you were willing to compete even with your calf and achilles in bad shape makes me love you even more.  It also makes me shake my head at you and call you crazy.  But I have known you were crazy ever since you married me.  And I am proud of myself.  It would have been easier to sit at home on the couch.  It would have been more thirst quenching to sit on a patio and drink slushy drinks.  But like my finisher medal says "The Best Part of The Race Doesn't Wash Away".

 I did this.  And no one can take the feeling of accomplishment away from me.

There is one last person who made my day.  As we were sitting in the beer gardens enjoying a burger and a beer (hey don't judge - we earned it) a lady gave my daughter a toberlone bar.  Delaney was fussy and not happy that she had to sit next to her muddy mother.  So to the soft spoken security guard who bought me enough time to scarf down my burger...Thank You!

To Melanie and Bailey - Good Luck Tomorrow!  Don't wear white!  Keep your mouth tightly closed in the last obstacle.  Laugh and have fun.

To the Event Organizers and Volunteers - Thank you!  Without you this event would not have the amazing energy that it has.  The Mud Hero reminds me that I am a work in progress.  It is a highlight of my summer.  And we will be registering for next year.

To everyone reading this and thinking...hey....why not spend $65 to abuse your body and get muddy...feel free to join me next year.  We are adding the Tough Mudder to the race card.

Have an absolutely beautiful day!

Much Love,

Lisa

What A Beautiful Day To Get MUDDY!!!!!!!!! AKA The Mud Hero

What would the mud hero be without a little mud?  Last year when my husband and I took part in the mud hero we felt it was lacking in mud.  The event planners hadn't planned on the heat wave and the sheer number of participants.  This year...they made up for it in spades.

What a difference a year makes.  Last year was completely unknown.  I was so full of nervous energy when we all piled into the corral last year.  It was hot, the music loud and the obstacles were somewhat unknown to me.  There were traffic jams coming into the venue.  They ran out of water which meant that the best way to clean up included a steep climb down a river bank and a quick plunge into the mountain river.  I remember feeling refreshed for all of 7 minutes until I realized that I had to climb back up the bank in order to go home.

This year traffic flowed relatively smoothly into the venue.  Race kits were quickly picked up.  We broke the rules by jumping into an earlier heat.  No sense in standing around for another hour waiting to race.  After all it is our timing chip that gets us a free beer...so we couldn't stand around enjoying a pre-race beverage.  We were happily in the back of the pack.  We had no interest in running the mud hero this year. Instead it was going to be a nice, leisurely stroll through a ski hill.  I fervently prayed that the chair lift would be running.  It wasn't.  What twisted individual decides to make the race on a ski hill?  Next year I am running it in Saskatchewan.  Surely the grounds will be flatter.

I loved the mud hero obstacles compared to the Spartan ones.  The obstacles were fun, not incredibly daunting and still made you feel like you accomplished them.  I think that my favorite obstacle was one of the last.  A giant bouncy slide.  I giggled the entire way down.  My second favorite obstacle was the water slide aka super slide.  Who wouldn't love a 12ft high winding water slide that delivers you directly into a 4ft deep pit of mud.  There was no staying clean on this obstacle.  I wasn't all that happy to see the spidey web back again this year.  It is about 20 feet of trail with bungee rope tied this way and that.  I never fail to get hung up as I am trying to make my way through it.  Hamburger Hill was another beast of an obstacle.  It was an incredibly steep climb up a hill.  I knew it was going to be ugly when we approached and they had ropes hanging down to assist with the climb.

When we completed the Mighty Spartan Sprint I was able to write about moments where we motivated others and brought Liz onto her team after her own team left her behind.  This race was different.  I was the one being motivated.  A woman was struggling along so I decided to spark up a conversation with whatever breath I had left.  She was here with her boot camp class.  She signed up for the mud hero weighing 240 lbs and she was racing at 190 lbs.  I was very proud of her.  As we moved on past her we came to yet other steep climb.  As I was swearing my way up the hill and thinking that it would be easier to quit I looked over to my right and watched a women who was in her 70's climbing right along side me.  Sure she probably even had to stop and take a break or two but she was doing it.  My girlfriend looked at me and said...we better still be doing these races when we get to that age.  I have to say she was very inspiring.  I stopped swearing, kicked it into another gear and made it to the top.

It doesn't matter to me how fast I finish these races.  What I focus on is the finish.  My team makes me proud as we finished as a team.  Trish, you could have left us in the dust.  Chris, the fact that you were willing to compete even with your calf and achilles in bad shape makes me love you even more.  It also makes me shake my head at you and call you crazy.  But I have known you were crazy ever since you married me.  And I am proud of myself.  It would have been easier to sit at home on the couch.  It would have been more thirst quenching to sit on a patio and drink slushy drinks.  But like my finisher medal says "The Best Part of The Race Doesn't Wash Away".

 I did this.  And no one can take the feeling of accomplishment away from me.

There is one last person who made my day.  As we were sitting in the beer gardens enjoying a burger and a beer (hey don't judge - we earned it) a lady gave my daughter a toberlone bar.  Delaney was fussy and not happy that she had to sit next to her muddy mother.  So to the soft spoken security guard who bought me enough time to scarf down my burger...Thank You!

To Melanie and Bailey - Good Luck Tomorrow!  Don't wear white!  Keep your mouth tightly closed in the last obstacle.  Laugh and have fun.

To the Event Organizers and Volunteers - Thank you!  Without you this event would not have the amazing energy that it has.  The Mud Hero reminds me that I am a work in progress.  It is a highlight of my summer.  And we will be registering for next year.

To everyone reading this and thinking...hey....why not spend $65 to abuse your body and get muddy...feel free to join me next year.  We are adding the Tough Mudder to the race card.

Have an absolutely beautiful day!

Much Love,

Lisa

GET OUT FROM UNDER MY SKIN!!!!!!!

Do you ever find that people around you really irk you?  Like they have an instruction manual on how to get under your skin?  

I know that in my life I currently have three people who do stuff that make me see red.  I get angry, frustrated and annoyed just thinking about what it is that they do to make me crazy.  
I was thinking about that this morning and I realized that there is a common denominator in all of these situations.  Can you guess what it is?  Want a hint?  It is me.  

These individuals are just reacting to a situation and doing the very best that they can in that present moment.  They are not purposely trying to make me annoyed/irritated/angry.  They quite possibly are feeling the same way themselves.  So it is my job to figure out what they are triggering in me.  Perhaps someone in my past always reacted in a similar way.  And I need to revisit that memory, send it love and forgive myself and the event.  

One person likes to play the role of the victim.  It is always someone else's fault that their life is turning out the way that it is.  They live to play the blame game.  This annoys me.  Especially when they are blaming me.  LOL.  Do you ever have a person like this in your life?  Where they just refuse to take responsibility for anything?  Does it make you crazy?  Do you ever just want to grab them by the shoulders and shake them?  That is how I would like to react.  Going forward what I am going to do is show them love and patience.  I recognize that they are in victim mode.  That does not mean that I need to switch into that mode with them.  I can stand in my strength and help them negotiate the situation or at least not fuel their flame.  And when I get home, I can look for areas in my life where I have lived in the role of the victim.  I can remember how it felt to act that way.  I can send love to the person I once was.  And I can forgive myself for how I acted then.  That wasn't my true self that was showing up in that moment.  

Another person who irritates my ego is the know it all. The person who likes to argue with me on the topic I know the most about it.  I don't get why they do it.  It is crystal clear that I know more than they do.  Why are they still talking?  LOL.  Can you tell that they offend my ego?  When I step back from this situation I am able to see that this triggers a part in me that was once not heard.  Where I voiced my opinion and the other party was not willing to listen.  I felt that I was not heard.  My ego wants to react in a way that would cause me to speak over top of them.  To be louder.  Because everyone knows the person who speaks the loudest is the one with the most intelligent thing to say.  LOL.  In an effort to let go of this trigger I will think of all of the times I felt I was not heard.  I will listen to what I was trying to say.  I will acknowledge the lesson.  And I will forgive myself and the situation.  I will also be more understanding whenever I come across the "know it all".

The third person hits me closest to home.  This person works hard to live up to everyone else's expectations of them.  And people aren't expecting many positive things from them.  So they are living up to stereotypes that move them further and further away from their true self.  I know what this is all about as I spent years living like that.  It hurts my heart to see them living this way.  I would love to wrap my arms around them and tell them that they are loved.  I believe in them.  They can and will do amazing things.  They just need to learn to love themselves rather than seek love and acceptance from outside.  Their actions trigger me because I am still forgiving myself.  And that is okay because we are all works in progress.

Moving forward I will do my best to let my true self show up in every situation.  And if for some reason it is my ego that appears then I will debrief the day with my true self and see where I have work to do.  Do all things with love and you will see the best outcomes.  At the end of the day...it all works out the way it should benefiting our greatest good.  Rest easy believing in that.  

Holding all of you in Love and Light.

Much Love,

Lisa

Free to Be Me

I Used To Be Bound…But Now I Am Free To Be Me

There was a time in my life where I was bound by the thoughts and opinions of others.  I lived my life based on their gospel.  And then one day an awakening happened.  I realized, I didn’t necessarily agree with their views.  Their opinions felt as shallow as a grave dug in haste.  I vowed from that moment to run far and fast like a soul being chased. 

You see I am a believer that you can only live one life at a time.  And that life is meant to be lived with greatness.  You need to challenge all that you know and all that you believe and you need to see where you grow to be.

Pre- awakening I lived in a corporate world, crossing items off a never ending to do list.  I was trapped in a life of Banana Republic seasonal sale.  Each month I adjusted my persona, I fell into my role and I acted exactly as I “should”.  I was never the talk of the runway.  In fact I was probably the last season sales rack until….

I woke up.  And I took an inventory and realized…screw this…this is not me.  Ever since that moment I do what rings true.  I do what I love. What I am passionate about. I fight for what I believe in and those I love. I no longer ask…am I fitting in…I ask…am I standing out.  And if I am blending in and feeling comfortable I tell myself I need to readjust the sails. 

The act of falling in love with one self is not without hardship but it brings with it great reward.  It is really quite freeing actually.  You see you no longer care if you are meeting the expectations of others, your only focus becomes exceeding the expectations of yourself.  You don’t even have to focus on yourself as an individual.  You can start to ask the question…how can I serve others?  What can I do to brighten the day of someone else? How can I make an impact? This freedom is not offered when you are living the rules of someone else.

I fill my days counting my blessings and looking for ways to bring blessings to others.  I lend an ear to anyone who needs to share.  I give love to all that are around me and hope that I touch a life. I look for ways that I can grow myself and the opportunity to grow others.  This was never possible before when I was bound by the agenda of others.  Back then I feared judgment.  Someone may think I’m being soft, a bleeding heart, an enabler, weak.  Since I found freedom a day isn’t complete unless I am being compassionate, caring and supportive.  If I am not lifting someone up towards their dreams, the day was not used to its fullest. 

If you are bound…I urge you to take the steps to become free.  Answer the call of your soul.  Run with it.  Embrace it and watch the miracle happen.  Step to the edge, leap and realize that you will fly rather than fall….

I used to be bound but now I am free…free to be me…and I am AWESOME.

I Used To Be Bound But Now I Am Free....

I absolutely love how life comes together.  As I have mentioned in several posts I am taking part in a 30 Day Bravery Challenge.  I have been quite lax in completing the exercises because I was partaking in a slo pitch tournament and I was too impaired and distracted to be able to focus.  Not to mention that there was never a quiet moment to string two thoughts together.

So tonight I sat down to follow through on the exercises.  One of the challenges asked us to comprise a list of five things that we have overcame in our life.  We were to choose one and journal about how it is that we felt when we were in it and also how it felt when we rose above it.

I was able to come up with five challenges that I was able to overcome in a matter of seconds.  The hard part was to chose one to journal about.  In the end I chose the experience of when I was sexually assaulted by an authority figure.  I have mentioned it briefly in a previous blog post.  And the exact event details do not need to be discussed here.  The events that followed are the ones that needed to be overcome.

I am not certain if you can relate to my story.  This event happened in a small community.  In a community that was so close knit I was the new kid because I did not attend kindergarten in that school.  The event occurred in Junior High.  A young girl accusing a school principal of something of that nature rocked the community.  Everyone instantly had an opinion and very few opinions were forged on facts.  My life and the life of my family was turned upside down.  When I returned to school the day after the incident I was filled with trepidation.  I had hoped that no one had found out.  That life would somehow be normal.  Instead what I met was a bunch of angry junior high students who were not mature enough to form their own opinions.  They were only able to repeat the opinions of their parents.  These opinions were steeped in fear and an unwillingness to believe that a principal could ever do such a thing.  Rather than consider it being a possibility it was easier just to slander a young adolescent.  I went from being a tall, skinny, awkward tomboy to a slut and a liar.  Everyone felt it was their right and obligation to tell me that.  Even the teachers were cold and unwilling to step in and stop the running commentary.  The comments only gained more fuel as time went on and we inched closer to the trial date. At the end of the day the courts determined that I was indeed telling the truth.  This did nothing to repair my reputation.  Since I was still considered a leper in the community my parents thought it was best to allow me to complete high school in a different school district in an entirely different town.

It wasn't until I sat down to complete this exercise that I realized that I continued to be a victim of this situation for many, many years after it was over.  My confidence and belief in myself was bruised and battered.  I lived my life based on the opinions of others regardless if they were supported by facts.  I acted out and attempted to live up to whatever label society decided to place on me.  There were times that I didn't see fit to respect myself just because others wouldn't.  It took years for me to realize that I first need to respect myself and then others would in turn respect me.  The way I felt in that moment and in the years that followed is not anything that I would like to feel again.  I can however, say that as I reflect back on the place I was in then and I compare it to where I am now...I have certainly rose above that challenge from many years ago.  And realizing that I have rose above that feels fantastic.  And even though that experience was a painful one, I am grateful for it.  It has brought me to where I am today.  And today - I am Beautiful, Courageous, Strong, Loved, Loving, Lovable and Worthy.

I used to be bound...But now I am FREE!  Free To Be Me!

Tomorrow I will post an article that I submitted to a magazine.  As I reread the article that I wrote a few months ago I realize that it was this event inspired the article.

Do you have any challenging experiences that you have lived through?  I am sure you do.  We all do.  Spend some time reflecting on how you felt in the moment.  And then think of how you felt when you rose above the challenge.  Remember all of the strength and courage that you need to face the challenges in your life already lives within you.  You only need to give it permission to be set free.

I wish you a day as beautiful as you!

Much Love,

Lisa

Have you ever taken a break....

Do you recall the month of July?  You know that month not so very long ago when I wrote every day?  Well it seems like it was many moons ago.  I have been trying to come up with an amazing idea for a blog post.  I know that I could write about the Edson Ball Tournament but I have to make sure that I am not divulging too much information.  In fact one of the things I heard repeated over the weekend is "What Happens In Edson Stays In Edson."  So does that mean that Edson is the new Vegas?  Or perhaps it is just the Canadian Vegas.  Regardless, Edson is certainly not full of peaceful tranquility nor is it a place conducive to quality writing.

Anyway I am sure that this blog post did originally have a point.  And sooner or later I will get to it.  Oh right.  Ok.  So I am sure that you have at one time taken a break from something that you were doing regularly.  Perhaps it was going to the gym, eating clean, meditating.  And when you went to go back to your usual routine you found that it was a bit of a struggle.  I can relate.  It feels that way writing this blog post.  At this moment it would be easier to just give up on the writing.  Just like it is easier to hit a drive thru rather than cook clean food.  Or sit on the couch rather than go to the gym.  However, there are very few rewards with doing that.  So let us get back into the swing of things together.

Step One:  Forgive Yourself for taking a break.  We all need a break once in awhile.
Step Two: Start Back In Your Routine.
Step Three: Remind yourself that it was hard when you first started but you will be right back where you left off if you keep at it.
Step Four:  Smile and Remember Why You Started The Routine In The First Place.
Step Five:  Repeat Steps Two through Four Over and Over.

Feel free to share with me what routine you are going to return to.  Regardless of the length of the break.  I will see you back here tomorrow.

Have a Day as Beautiful as You!

Much Love,

Lisa

The First Of August

Today is the First Day of August.  It brings with it a clean slate, fresh promises and the beginning of a new challenge.  I will get more into this new challenge in a moment.  But first I would like to say that today also marks my Father In Law's Birthday.  His 65th Birthday to be exact.

So this August 1st marks his 23, 741st day on Earth.  He is 3391 weeks and 4 days old.  Or 780 months old. The reason why it is that I broke that down into such detail is because my FIL is a details guy,  It is one of my favorite things about him.  He carefully weighs and measures everything before making a decision.  When I am seeking advice and I want to talk to someone who is going to give me sound advice...I go to Robert.  Not that I don't think others in my inner circle possess good advice.  They do.  But Robert doesn't make decisions from an emotional standpoint.  He looks at all the sides. He gives advice based on years of life and work experience.  And he certainly is not afraid to disagree with me or play Devil's Advocate.  And I appreciate and value that greatly.

Robert, I am so proud and blessed to call you my Father In Law.  I am wishing you the happiest of birthdays.  My wish for you is that you find that this will be the best year yet.  May it be filled with adventures, much love and laughter and pleasant surprises.

Now back to the new challenge.  I am partaking in the 30 Day Bravery Challenge.  Our first day of the challenge asked us to determine the one thing that we want to be courageous about during this challenge and to journal about it.  I was wanting to see exactly how far it is that I could push the limits.  Something that would cause me to stretch beyond my comfort zone and make me work every day.

What I came up with is...I am going to grow my business more in the next 30 years than I did all year. I am going to gain major momentum and become an unstoppable force.

The voice in my head says - You can't do that.  You are crazy. You will fail.
The voice in my heart says - Worst case scenario you only grow for 20 out of 30 days.  It is still growth. If I think of it from an abundant and positive mindset...anything is possible.  And when you are living out your purpose and staying out of your own way the Universe opens all sorts of doors for you.  So...I am going to bring it on.  Look out world...Coach Catalyst is on her way.  

I have also joined forces with my friend, Angela.  We have been compiling a list of items.  Brave things for us to do every day.  Some we will do together and others we will do on our own.  But at the end of the month we will be...BRAVER!!!!  More Confident!  And Better versions of our already amazing selves.

So I ask you...are you willing to get brave? Are you willing to step outside your comfort zone?  If you answered yes....Get Ready! Get Set! Grow!!!!!

Wishing you a Day as Beautiful as You!

Much Love,

Lisa