Time flies!

Sooo so much has happened in the last couple of weeks! My life is a roller coaster of ups, downs, highs, lows, and everything in between...and I wouldn't change it for the world 😊

Last month was definitely an exciting one! For the last two years, I've been working on self-publishing my own book. I knew there was going to be work involved, I had no idea just how much is actually involved when you're self publishing. Let's just say it's a lot. Yet low and behold, it is now complete, and on sale! http://www.blurb.com/b/7692205-falling-isn-t-failure-pages?ebook=612284 

This past Tuesday, I actually returned to the United States after spending almost a week in New Zealand. Yep, you heard right, NEW ZEALAND 🇳🇿 It was glorious, but the jet lag coming back is a mother! 

Now look, I'm not a wealthy woman by any means. I do, however, want to grab life by the bull horns and soak up every minute of it. My point is, in a world where we stress about this and that, ask ourselves if we have enough money, or even if we are allowed to do what we want, sometimes you just have to bite the bullet and just go for it. 

If you honestly,  in your heart of hearts , want something or want to do something, you can do it. Just remember, it's never to late. For example, I wanted to write a book and send a message of hope to the world. Two years later, I did it. A year ago my fella and I were talking about heading to New Zealand. Guess what, a year later, we did it! 

Dreaming is great, aspirations are fantastic, YOU just need to make it happen, and you can! It can be a little scary and intimidating at times, but completely and utterly possible. 

Take charge of your life and the adventures you want to experience. It's a new day, it's a new you, and there's a WORLD of experiences just waiting for you to uncover! 

Nicole 

Distraction

dis·trac·tion

dəˈstrakSH(ə)n/

noun

1. 1.

   a thing that prevents someone from giving full attention to something else.

   
   

   "the company found passenger travel a distraction from the main business of moving freight"

   synonyms:

   diversion, interruption, disturbance, interference, hindrance "a distraction from the real issues"

   • 
     
2. 2.

   extreme agitation of the mind or emotions.

   
   

   "he knew she was nervous by her uncharacteristic air of distraction"

   synonyms:

   frenzy, hysteria, mental distress, madness, insanity, mania; More

   You see the definition above, distractions prevents someone from giving full attention to something. Distractions aren't necessarily a bad thing. They help us out when we're going through things, they help with pets, babies, children, conversations, and so on. However, they can also stop processes, eat away at valuable time, meeting deadlines and much more.   

   

   Recently, I've found myself getting more and more distracted throughout the day. Have you ever gone on Facebook with the intention of doing one thing, then you see a post by someone or an advertisement and the next thing you know, almost an hour has passed and you've just been scrolling away? It happens a lot with YouTube and other social media sites (don't act like you don't know what I'm talking about ). 

   

   
   

    It happens. Everyone at some point has gotten way distracted and killed minutes, hours, even days,  never completing what it was you were trying to do in the first place. So you see, distraction can be a vicious cycle. But does it have to be? Whenever you're distracted, there's a point during your distraction where you know you need to stop, yet continue on in what you're doing. What if in that moment, you stopped the distraction and got back to the task at hand? It's absolutely doable, you just have to make it happen. 

   

       With that said, I think I'm going to take a page out of my         own book. This blog has now come to a  close and now.         Instead of going on the internet and spending hours               looking at stupid websites, I'm getting ready to work out and be productive.

      Nicole

1. 
   

Fact: You are older, you are wiser, the world is yours

One of my many escapes is sitting back and taking in a good movie or TV show. I love wrapping myself into the world of cinema and just disappear for awhile into the world I'm watching. The other day I was watching "The Office", and one of the main characters gave the line "Fact: You are older, you are wiser, the world is yours". Now despite what was going on in the scene, I thought that was a pretty good line.

 There are many one liners I've heard hear and there that have been anthems for me throughout my life. Many of them you've heard, because they're famous. Then there are others I've tucked away in my memory vault I like to bring back from time to time. Just because I need a little inspiration today, I decided I share a few of my favorites your way. I hope you enjoy 😊

Jem and The Holograms

(She makes an Impression)

Ferris Buler

(Life Moves Pretty Fast)

Audrey Hepburn

Lion King

(The Past)

Scrooged

(The Miracle Can Happen)

Willy Wonka

(We are the dreamers)

The Princess Bride

Hope you enjoyed!

Nicole

Keep moving

My grandmother was a very interesting woman. She was the type of woman, that if you hurt or wronged her, she would hold a grudge over you and never budge. It was actually a running joke with my family and her friends. I never really realized how bad it was until I started to get older. I loved that woman, but man was she stubborn. Now I know where I get it from.

Holding on to a grudge was something I never thought I really did. Usually if I ever got in an argument or disagreement with a friend, I'd just stop talking to them and that was that. Little did I know, I was holding a grudge. I thought it was normal to think "well, they hurt me, I'm not wrong, and we are no longer going to speak."  Piece of cake.

There's a saying about forgiving and moving on, "Closure happens right after you accept that letting go and moving on is more important then holding on to what isn't".

The past is the past for a reason. We forget that we can't change the past, so therefore we should move forward. 

It's hard to move forward from a ruff situation. It's even harder to forgive some unforgettable situations. Holding on to the past with any sort of resentment or feelings only hinders yourself. By not forgiving and letting go, you just become a ball of toxic feelings and energy. Why would you want to hold on to a feeling that just makes you mad? What joy is there in an ugly feeling?

At times, your brain flashes back to once was, it also can be realistic and show you what is no more. Leave your grudges behind and look toward the light of a new tomorrow. It may take some time, but believe you will get there, and you will. Stop holding on to the bad and start gathering up the good.

Nicole

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

Play ball

To challenge oneself is the name of the game this week. Personally, Monday started a little slow. We are now into Wednesday, even though it's almost over, and so far so good. Hopefully I'm not alone...

With Thursday fast approaching, I hope you've made the best of this week so far. Only two more days to go. Lets kick this weeks a&%!

Nicole

I challenge me

Monday, Monday...

The last few weeks I've been dealing with a small internal battle. Ever get one of those? You may know the feeling. The feeling like your head is going through this tug of war. To be or not to be productive...this is my delima.

Working out has always been a big part of my life, lately I just haven't been that enthusiastic about it  and  I've just been taking it easy. Not that big of a deal right? Well, I'm sure at different times, and whatever the situation, at some point you've felt that internal struggle of what you should or should not do. You also make up your mind if you want to act on it or not.

That was exactly what I was going through, but how could I break the cycle? The answer came pretty clearly. What if I just challenged myself? If I'm wanting to get results and know what I need to do in order to get them, then I challenge myself to do it. Time to be my own cheerleader.

The battles we face internally are real, but in order to move forward, we have to push ourselves and do it because we know we can. It's so easy to think and say what you want, you can talk and talk and question your lack of results, but you know the truth. There isnt really much effort on your part trying to get what you want, nor is there any enthusiasm and devotion to attaining it either. But, I don't have to explain to much, you know, when you go for it, commit and go for it, that's when you really see yourself in a different light.

It's already Monday, so the week is rolling. For the remainder of the week, I challenge you to challenge yourself. What is it that you keep saying you need to do but haven't done it yet? Challage yourself to complete whatever it is. Just go for it, like Nike.

Nicole

These things happen

In our everyday lives,  whether you admit it or not, at some point you will pass judgment on someone...

Pretty good opening huh?

Nobody really wants to admit it, but we all judge in different ways. We judge fashion, food, music, sports, and the big one, each other.

We see it played out in the media all the time. There are television shows, news programs, and websites, where this is spot lighted. It's in magazines, newspapers and as we all know, the list keeps going. Ever notice how  quick we are to judge one another? Its pretty incredible. The average amount of time it takes to judge someone from one introduction, is seven seconds. That's insane!

I have been on both sides of the coin.  There are a number of times I immediately pasted judgement on someone. Some of my thoughts were insensitive, judgmental, and crude. And at the same time, there are people out there who are making assumptions about me and my story. They are likely passing judgement the exact same way I was. 

Sadly, passing judgement is something we all posses. However, if you choose to break part of the cycle, you 100% can. 

I believe when you allow yourself to have an open mind and just take in this new exchange with someone, judging doesn't seem to exist. In that moment, you are interested in an authentic introduction and pleasant interaction. 

I'm sure everyone has heard the saying "you never know what someone's going through". But, it's absolutely true. We each have a story. All of us are going through our own personal battle. 

Try to keep that in mind next time you feel the urge to immediately start talking smack about the "weird" looking lady heading into the grocery store and wearing mismatched shoes and clothing. Maybe she's homeless and grabbed the only clothes she could from the shelter. Maybe she has some brain damage, or, she could be slowly slipping into dementia and has no next of kin to watch after her. 

The point is, don't be so quick to judge if you can. You just never know...

Nicole 

The moments that make us human

As human beings, we feel on many levels. Our emotions go from one extreme to the other. They range in depth, time, spans, and much more. Whenever we get a dose of reality, whether it's good or bad, it does something to us. It reminds us of the creatures we are and just how different we are from any other species.

There have been plenty of situations I've find myself in, and I'm sure I'm not alone, where reality has slapped me in the face. Anytime I've lost a loved one or have been around someone else who has lost someone time stops for a moment, and in that moment it comes to light that someday this will happen to us. We will leave this world. It is one of the purest and most shocking moments we can have. It reminds us that this is part of our human destiny, one day, we will be no more.

The same goes with helping those in need. Let's say, you come from a good home, a good family, you have a roof over your head, food on your plate, and a place to sleep. Then you go on Facebook or youtube and see videos of folks who have none of those things. People that are homeless and search for scarps of food in the trash. Again, in that moment time stops and we see the reality of being human. We see that things like this exist and happen on a daily basis. Then we see people reach out to those in need. We see the love we as humans posses to help our fellow man.

Whenever I catch an article or video of someone who has persevered through adversity, or is determined to write a new narrative for themselves  after some life altering event, I see what we as humans are all about. I see how strong we are and just how special we are and how deep, I mean really deep we can go. 

We are unlike anything else in this world, and to quote the fabulous Gene Wilder, a.k.a, Willy Wonka:

And if you really think about it, we are. We are surrounded by life. Each of us has felt what being human truly is and how we stand apart. So its OK to feel emotions, its OK to indulge in life, and its OK to be who we are. Through out our lives, we continually have moments that remind us we are who we are. Try to learn and appreciate whatever you can from each one. They were put there for a reason... 

Nicole

Reality, tv shows, madness, and self esteem

Reality TV, how silly you are to me.

Though I find myself getting sucked in from time to time

by your crazy debauchery.

From House wives, to tour buses, bar rescues and more,

 guilty pleasures to me, but nothing more.

Why, one might might ask,

I'll tell you my friend.

Seeing craziness ensue...

sometimes isn't so bad.

I think about my life,

and the people around,

craziness like what I see on TV,

is no where to be found.

So watching these shows is truly

a guilty pleasure at best, also

a self esteem booster,

I mean, have you seen some of those hot mess?

We all have guilty pleasures. Whether it's indulging in ice cream,  taking long baths, late night snacks, fuzzy socks,  you name it and it's probably a guilty pleasure of somebody. Mine just happens to be really horrible reality shows. You know the kind I'm talking about, people getting in verbal fights for the most ridiculous reasons,  pointing fingers at one another, uncovering scandalous revelations that aren't really that scandalous at all. I think I painted the picture for you. Yes, that is my guilty pleasure.  The main reason why it is such a guilty pleasure is because seeing these people getting aggravated over the pettiest things, makes me feel really good about myself and those around me. I'm no angel, but I feel like a saint after I watch some of these reality shows.

My point is, everyone has their own guilty pleasure, the one little thing that lets them release a little bit of steam and just indulge for a little while. I think a guilty pleasure, in a way, is a sort of escape.  Your brain turns off for a little while and you just enjoy.

The other guilty pleasure I have, and I'll admit it, I like stupid pop music. That's right I said it, with certain pop songs, I go into another world and just let go for a bit, and the best part is it's perfectly OK.  Whatever pop song I'm listening to, I can shut down, unwind,  and as I sing-along, I one, think I'm the best singer of all time (I'm really not) and two, enjoy the moment for all it's worth.


Before we are really knee deep into the holidays, go indulge in your guilty pleasure for a sec. So...what's your guilty pleasure?

Nicole

Holiday bliss...or madness?

The Monday after the Thanksgiving weekend isn't exactly a walk in the park. After counting down the days leading up to Thanksgiving, having the actual day, followed with the days after that, we are thrown  into a world spin of eating way to much, crashing on the couch all day, seeing friends and family, traveling, and eventually gathering up all the energy we can to make it to this day...The Monday after Thanksgiving weekend.

I commend you all. Most of us wish we were still on the couch, but never fear. Christmas or the "holidays" are fast approaching. You'll get to be lazy on the couch all over again.

With all the holidays underway and New Years literally right around the corner, we have time to look back on our year along with utilizing the time we have left. The year is not quite over yet, so any last minute self affirming steps you've been trying to make or things you need to accomplish before 2016 ends, you can absolutely do. Even though our time before the new year is technically pretty short, you can still make an impression. You can still do what you need to do to end this year with a smile, and greet 2017 with open arms and an open mind.

If whatever you are doing or need to do rolls into the new year, then you can consider that a good sign. You ended with a positive note and began the same way. One can definitely get anxious during this time, especially with all the hustle and bustle, even the year coming to a close gives you that butterflies in your stomach sort of feeling. One important thing to remember during this time, is that it is never to late. Interpret that the way you want, but again, "it's never to late."

When you really stop to think about it, we're really not on any specific timeline other than the one we created for ourselves. Personally, I set a timeline for myself to have a book out by Christmas. Did I think it was going to happen? Well, it wasn't really looking that way, and yet, looking at the calendar, I got a boost of confidence because it's not to late. I still have time, and by God, I'm gonna do everything possible to hopefully turn it into a reality.

 Your biggest competition is yourself, and where there is a will, there is a way...so 2016, I plan on sending you off knowing that I tackled what I needed to and start getting my smile ready :)

Nicole

You think this is a game??

"You think it's funny?"
- Seinfeld

I can't believe tomorrow is the day, I mean THE DAY. Tomorrow is Thanksgiving!!! One of those holidays where we're happy, we're sad, we eat to much, we don't eat enough, we enjoy company, we can't stand company, a constant wave emotions and laziness comes over us, and bam! Before you know it, we are knee deep in Thanksgiving! I think I pretty much summed it up. If I left anything out, I'm sure you can fill in the blanks.

Something we need not forget during this time, is that it is indeed a holiday, and there are many out there that find this holiday to be very difficult. It's just a reminder that, you never know who is going through what. Try not to judge a book by its cover and pay attention to the little things. For example, think about that  guy in your office that's really quiet  and seems to have the same characteristics as Eeyore. You know the guy, the one you think can snap at any moment, only, when you think about it, you realize you know nothing about him. Well, maybe he is really lonely and just wants a friend but has no social skills to obtain one. Who knows? You might go and talk to him, next thing you know you guys hit it off, he turns out to be a really  cool guy, and you invite him over for Thanksgiving. Just a thought.

Every now and then I question us as a society. I'm curious to know where our "good will towards your fellow man" went to. Curtsy goes so far, especially when it comes from a place of humility and is sincere. Let's not forget we are all human and something so small and heart felt goes a very long way.

(On a side note, I tried some of the stuffing I'm eating tomorrow and I'm having a hard time keeping my eyes open)

Tonight, think about the art of giving and reaching out to your fellow man. Fear not what you think is, and embrace the possibility of what could or might be. It feels good to open your arms to helping those that look like they may need it. It's Thanksgiving, so give hope, give kindness, and give to those who need a helping hand in their life. 

Happy Thanksgiving 🦃

Nicole

Ruff start with a pleasant ending

Another Monday, another week, Thanksgiving week to be exact, another reason to get rolling. Personally, I had a pretty ruff start this morning getting my Monday underway. Only now does it seem to finally be in full swing.

Monday's always seem to be a toss up. Some Mondays start off on such a positive note, sometimes they begin with a black cloud hanging over it, sometimes they just simply start the week off and that's that. I've always believed that Monday's are sort of like the blueprint of your week. On this day we decide how the rest of our week looks like, we anticipate specific days to follow and constantly ask ourselves "is it Friday yet?". This week, however, is the exception.

Most people are probably happy it's Monday today, because it's count down to Thanksgiving break. It's only a matter of time until the work week has ended and Thanksgiving break begins. Schools will be closed, businesses will shut their doors for a few days, the couch will be the focal point of the week, with good eating and probably Netflix bingeing  at the top of the agenda.


So now Monday is gradually coming to a close. I hope everyone has survived and has begun prepping for the Thanksgiving break whistle to blow. All you have to look forward to from here on out is waking up, finishing up any loose ends you have in front of you  and before you know it, you'll be on the couch in your jammies with family enjoying hours of  T.V marathons and checking social Media to see what different Thanksgiving spreads your friends are posting (did I nail it?).

Happy Monday, let the games begin! 

Nicole

A little Tap tap

Having a server case of writers block, I thought today I could fill your head with some good tunes and fun music videos. I hope you enjoy. Happy Thursday!!!

                                           

Enjoy!!!

Nicole

Focus

Top of the morning, happy day, nice to see you. Happy Wednesday everyone! I feel as if the weeks just keep flying by.

I have a question for you, how many times have you found it hard to focus? Follow up question, do you ever find it difficult to focus on yourself? Personally, I struggle with staying focused. A few years ago it seemed like my focus was on point. As the years have gone by, my focus seems to get harder and harder to obtain, and I believe I know why.

There is a theory I have about trying to focus. I believe that, if you aren't giving your focus and what you're trying to achieve 110%, then you are constantly going to be wrestling with your focus. You will be in and out all the time and only focus on yourself when you feel like it, and then eventually you'll begin to complain about not seeing results and asking yourself "Why?".

Staying focused is tough. Now I could be wrong, but just from my observations of the world and those around me, including myself, it seems like our focus sky rockets after we have some major life altering incident happen to us. Afterward, we are ready to take this giant step towards focusing on ourselves and what we need to make us happy.  Crazy to think that we have to go through some monumental event to be  jolted back on the focus train.

I'm sure you've heard the expression "you can't love someone else if you don't love yourself" and there is truth to that. Giving yourself only 50% of your focus doesn't get you very far. You wind up always playing catch up to what you want and where you're going. Who needs that? Nobody. But when you believe in yourself and focus, slowly you'll begin to see doors open.

The struggle to focus is real, especially when it comes to you. There is a sense of pride when you focus and achieve what you want. I honestly believe there is no other feeling in this world like it. You know that feeling, that feeling of accomplishment, that feeling that YOU did it. YOU put in all the work, all the hours, all the dedication, all the focus...YOU. 

Just remember, focusing leads to new beginnings, new opportunities, new paths to go down. It's ok to let your focus wander off every now and then, just don't ever forget it's there, and so are you.

Nicole

Monday Monday

Hello all and hello Monday. It's hard to open our arms to Monday, but it's here so let's do it to it.

Over the weekend I had a plethora of really good experiences. I think my good experiences were mainly due to the fact, I went into each with an open mind, no expectations, and wound up having a great time.

Throughout the years I've realized something about myself as well as others that are close to me. Whenever I've approached a new situation and I've gone in with expectations, nine times out of ten, they never come to fruition and I am let down. Yet, when I decide to go in with a clear head and take in the experience for whatever it is, I almost always leave with a smile on my face.

It's easy to place pressure on yourself and on new experiences. It's almost like, if A, B, and C are not involved in whatever  new experience your in, then that's it, throw in the towel, it's over and you want to go home. But why not just embrace what is new? Why not step outside of your comfort zone? Who knows, you may actually really enjoy this new experience.

Plans are great. Plans give you a lay out of an event to come, it helps you plan for the future and be prepared. But just like life, plans sometimes change, and sometimes they are completely out of your control. Rather than getting flustered and agitated, embrace this curve ball and roll with it. Expect the unexpected, open your eyes to something new.

When you automatically make up your mind that you will or will not have a good time, you set yourself up for something to go wrong and poof, bad experience. Where as an open mind helps you to find some sort of joy within the experience.

So this week, open your mind up to the unexpected, you never know...something really cool and exciting could be waiting for you right around the corner.

Nicole