Words can sting can't they?

"Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me."

Unless you've been living under a rock, you should have heard this expression. My grandmother told it to my mom who eventually told it to me. Growing up, that saying was always in the back of my head. I'd think about it when I was at the playground and some kid would say something mean to me. I would also think about it whenever I'd go to auditions, and not get cast because I didn't have the right "look" or whatever the casting directors didn't like. No matter where I was in life, and no matter what anyone said, I could always go back to that saying and be ok for a bit.

In our everyday lives, there are different things we hear that we're able to let go of. And there are other things we hear that aren't. Maybe the older you get, the easier it may become... or maybe not. I'm certainly becoming more sensitive with certain things I hear. Personally, I'm finding it just a little harder at times to just let it go.

Just because words don't leave physical bruises or scars, they can leave lasting mental and emotional ones. As my parents say "That's the thing about words. Once they're out there, you can never take them back". Have you ever found it difficult to remember what you wore to school or work two weeks ago? Yet, have you ever found it easier to remember something hurtful someone said to you almost six years ago? ... yup ... still with you.

Now look, not all things people say to you or about you is warranted. Those words could be brought on by a slew of things like jealousy, false information, anger taken out on you (hunger and a bad mood are weak excuses), love, stress, etc. Then there are those times when we are in the wrong. When that happens, we get the authoritative, truthful, and sometimes "hard to swallow" words. The words where you feel attacked and ask "how could they", but when you're in the wrong, shouldn't those words be validated? Sure you may not agree with what is being said, but again it was YOU that is in the wrong.

Words can hurt, they can sting, they can burn, they can effect. That's the big thing to remember, they can effect. Think twice when saying something, be wise about the words you put out. There is another person on the other side of them. If you were the ear receiving them and not the mouth saying them, how would you take them? The choice is yours.

Nicole

"And now that it's over.."

Now that 2016 is ended, shutting the door on this past year and opening the next one, 2017 feels pretty darn good.  We are now in the double digits of this month, and the new year is rolling along. Going into this new year, have you asked yourself yet if you're holding on to any bad juju from the last year? Did you start with a clean slate this year or are you still caring any unnecessary baggage?

The other day, I was watching these dance videos and workout videos I had sent myself last year. When I first watched them, I would get inspired. That inspiration slowly turned into resentment. I was getting jealous of the people in the video and what they were able to do that I wasn't. Their bodies looked like the epitome of health, and mine was somewhere in the middle. I told myself as the year was coming to an end that,  going into the new year I'd buckle down and focus on building muscle and control. That means, daily exercise, eating properly, drinking more water, etc. I told myself "There's is no need to feel those bad feelings when I watch dance and workout videos, go back to being inspired and motivated."

The new year started, and I have a positive mindset. My goal is to get stronger and improve, not to get mad and jealous. Then the other day, I pulled up one of the workout videos from last year...not good. My bad attitude came back. I realized I haven't let part of my bad attitude go yet.

Holding on to some of those bad feelings from last year won't help me improve. They just hold me back. At the same time, going into the new year easy breezy, isn't always that simple. Attaining that mind set however, is completely doable.  If anything, make sure to remind yourself of that. 

Nicole 

love yourself, even if it feels hard

Earlier today, as I was working out, and my play list was blaring, I started to notice a theme. All the songs I had randomly picked, dealt with loving  yourself. I had been working out to this play list, that I had created, for almost two weeks and never noticed it until now.

After this discovery, a question popped up in my head. Why is it so hard to love ourselves? For majority of Americans, this is something that feels at times, impossible to achieve, but why? Why is it that when we look in the mirror, nine times out of ten we immediately start cataloging all our "flaws"? Instead, we should be looking at what we think are "flaws" as what actually makes us unique and who we are. Sure, you could blame the media and what their idea of "beauty" is, and why your so critical about your reflection. I mean, women have an entire empire built on beauty. Men aren't far behind either.

It's so easy to criticize ourselves. Why we do it? I'm not sure. I just know, that when we look in the mirror we should feel good and empowered about ourselves. Aside from our physical features, we should also be proud to be look at our reflection and know that we are a good person.  The person we see in the mirror should be the very best person we know.

Its time to feel good about yourself and those around you. Be the best version of you, you could possibly be. Which is guaranteed to bring pride and humility to the person you see in the mirror...YOU!

In the words of Kendrick Lamar:

"I love myself"

When you ignore the silly things you think are so major, for example your nose being a little crooked,  and just focus on loving ourselves, and doing good in our daily lives and interactions, then we bypass years of staring into the mirror and  secretly praying for a do over.

Well put,

Nicole

You want it? Then go get it 😊

2016, 2016, I had high hopes and then they took leave. No worries now, for it's a new year. Am I ready to make it happen? Absolutely my dear!

New Year's resolutions, we all have them. We want and wish and declare...then the year gets rolling, and well, you know the rest. Let's be realistic,  50% stick to their intentions, and the other 50% go back to bad habits. It's just the nature of the beast. For 2017, I have my own goals and intentions, but now it's a matter of sticking to them and trying not to slip.

I have a friend of mine who lives in California, Julie Turner http://www.julieturnermovement.com/,  she has come up with this type of rehab fitness. She uses physical rehabilitation through fitness and uses a combination of dance, Pilates, rehab fitness, myo-fascia release, and Reiki. In other words, she knows her stuff. We've been Skypeing back and forth for the last year and half. We've been figuring out what works for my body and how these exercises can help rebuild muscles and nerves I have not used or felt since my accident. So far, the results have been incredible. There's just one issue, I haven't kept up with it the way I should, therefore, I've only seen real results in spurts when I'm concentrated and being consistent. I'll see results for a few days, I'll then stop for another few days, pick it back up again, and realize I have to start from square one all over again. The moral of the story, Bruce Lee said it best:

My point is, I've never really set a goal while working with Julie. So, yesterday when we Skyped, we both talked about goals and what we are trying to accomplish here. We decided that starting small then building off of that is a great way to keep the consistency going. Which is actually a smart way to tackle what it is you want for the new year.

If you have big goals you're trying to make this year, more power to you. If you have goals you want to achieve but know that you get side tracked easily, then set small goals for yourself leading up to what it is you truely want. Julie and I have set a two week goal as of now. Starting now, for the next two weeks I plan on doing specific exercises every day to improve the way I walk.

Once these two weeks are up, we're working on something else, then something else and so on and so on. What will be the outcome? That's what we're looking forward to seeing 😊

Set goals for yourself, do what you need to do, but be realistic. Be smart, be wise, and be the best you you could possibly be!

Nicole

So...it's finally here. Hello 2017

To the theme song of "Ding Dong the witch is gone" from The Wizard of Oz:

"DING DONG, it's Gone, gone, gone. What is gone? Last year is gone! 2016 has finished and gone away!"

Good morning, good morning (I began writing this this morning, then my Internet crashed)! Yes my friends, 2016 has come to an end, and 2017 has now taken its place. Last year was a mixture of a little good, a little not so good, some of us had a great  year, some not so great, some felt a roller coaster of a year, others faced a bumpy year, but one thing is for sure, 2016 has finally come to an end.

There was a quote I found the other day that simply read, " One year = 365 Opportunities". It's a very simple quote that is actually pretty big. I mean, 365 opportunities? That's exciting is it not? 365 opportunities are now at your feet. Now, you can be cynical about it, looking at it as 365 opportunities to screw up, but what's the fun in that?

Last week I was hanging out with a friend of mine and she told me about an idea she saw someone posted on Face book. She told me that you take a jar and label it "Awesome". Anytime something awesome happens to you in the year 2017, you can write it down and put it into the awesome jar. At the end of 2017, you can then pull it out and read all the awesome things that's happened this year.

This is my advice for 2017. Don't talk, do. Try to make your year count, so when 2018 rolls around, you can look back at this year with a smile knowing you took full advantage of every opportunity available to you. At times the year may hit a lull, but try not to let it get you down.

So here's to another year, and making yours AWESOME!

Nicole