Uno Focus

This week, my brain has been working overtime. I've been distracted by so many thoughts, activities, friends needs, family concerns, you name it. I'm sure many of you have experienced this. You know you need to just take a chill pill (sorry, that's such a 90's reference!), but for some reason you think that going on and on like the energizer bunny (shoot...more 90's), will produce the result you are looking for.

Have you ever heard the phrase, "you have to slow down to speed up" ?!

I have and it kind of drives me crazy sometimes, 'how can I slow down, when I want to move forward quickly?!'

The truth is, sometimes we have to remain oober focused on a goal that we set in place and commit to achieve. Whenever you set a goal, no kidding, obstacles will be placed in front of you. It's not like skipping through a field of daisies. Sometimes, I think we get so excited about setting a goal, that we forget that it's a process to get there, to achieve the goal. Setting the goal doesn't mean it's done. Getting up and doing something gets the goal moving in the right direction.

Sometimes we achieve right away and sometimes it takes time. I believe if you set a true goal that you are passionate about, that you will wake up thinking about it. Does anyone remember in Sister Act 2 (omg, so much 90's!!), when Whoopi Goldberg talks to Lauryn Hill about her passion for singing. This has always stuck in my mind. Watch the clip.

If you're like me, you could wake up thinking about one thing, and then throughout the day get distracted by a dozen others. How do you know what you are passionate about, or what you should do for your future?

I challenge you with this.

The other day I was playing tennis with my good friend and I had all sorts of stuff on my mind. Pretty much everything but the tennis game. And guess what? I was playing like..awful. He was about to serve and I said, "Monica, for the next hour, all I want you to focus on is that little yellow/green (who really knows what color!) ball and just beating it over the net as powerfully as you can.

Don't you know I played better. I had laser focus on that ball and how I wanted to hit it low and fast over the net. Now, let's not be overzealous and think that all of a sudden I was a Williams sister, but the point was, I was playing at my best.

Can you focus on something and do it at your best?

Your best is different than my best, which is different than your best friends best or your bosses best. Be you. Perform at your best. Keep focused. Focus on one thing at a time and master it for you. I bet if you do this, you will move forward.

In health and prosperity,
Monica

There's Something About 30

What is it about turning 30? I can't stop thinking about it! In a very good way, I'm excited about 30, because I feel like it's a really good time in life to step out and just go after dreams.

Actually, the truth is, anytime is a good time in life, if you choose it; 30 is just where I happen to be :)

I find myself asking, "where did 24-30 go?" (and this is the only thing that makes me feel a little old, having that thought!)

My 20's have been great, filled with so many memories, some I'm proud of and many I'm not. But there is something about 30, that has sparked my brain into thinking about my birthday and the month of September, all the time. I honestly have to stop myself and live in the moment, as in my mind I've been 30 for a couple months now, even though my birthday isn't until September 9!

I remember being 18 and thinking 30 was so old :) I remember when I turned 21, my younger sister (only 18 months younger, by the way) said, "oh my gosh, you're 21, that means you're almost 25 (gasp!), that means you're almost 30." I remember just looking at her and thinking...well... let's leave that at a thought ;)  It's become a joke in our family related to all birthdays. I'm the oldest sibling and first cousin, so I get to hear the brunt of it, ALL the time, but I appreciate the role :)

The truth is, I feel younger, more energetic, more athletic and definitely more driven at (almost) 30, than I ever have in my whole life. I have such big goals for the future. If you want inspiration, read this blog titled 7 Famous People Who Found Success Starting in Their 30's. Wow.

As a tribute to my 30th year, I have decided to take on the challenge of doing 30 different hikes in 30 days, blogging about it and then hopefully publishing it into an E-book. It's not going to be all about hiking, but about attitude, about pursuit and about hitting a goal you set out to do. See I have set this goal and put it out there, so there is no way I'm not going to complete it. It doesn't mean it will be easy, in fact, I'll be away in Alabama for 3 days at the very end of the month, so there will need to be adjustments. But it will happen..

I challenge you, to take 30 days and pursue one thing. Make it positive, keep it simple and dedicate it to something to move your life forward. We are all in different life stages, on different paths, in different industries, with unique passions, and specific life goals. We can unite together with one common goal: to move forward. 

In health and prosperity,

Monica

Get a New Perspective

I know you have goals. You wouldn't be clicking into a blog about a healthy attitude if you didn't have goals, dreams, ambitions, or simply a drive to improve your life. I really like blogging about attitude and health and helping people realize they are capable of more (and just in case you were wondering...you are capable of so much more!). For the last 60-days, I've taken a break from this blog, because I had to make sure that I was living out what I was posting here. This was a decision based purely on my own personal goals and dreams. It was effective.

Today's topic is how to gain a new perspective and get your creative juices flowing. The premise is simple. It starts at home and then extends to your sphere of influence and people that you meet out and about living your life.

Let's start with the home.

Sometimes, we can get so focused on our routine or the rut that we've created for ourselves, that we lose perspective on the goals we set out for. It's easy to come home from a long day of work or a grueling weekend with the family, it's easy to come home, plop on the couch and not pursue your goals.

In my experience, here are a couple of things that you can do at home to liven up your regular routine and change your perspective on the home front.

1) Rearrange furniture. Changing your view from your favorite chair is a great way to get creative juices flowing and set up a new habit. This week, I moved my couch from along a wall to kind of caddy cornered along another wall and faced my favorite arm chair toward the windows. It's a whole different view and I've been even more productive since.

2) Get new sheets or curtains for your bedroom. Changing up the colors that you are surrounded with when you wake up and go to sleep can help get your creativeness sparked. If you've got white or cream colored sheets, go for something bold like red or something mellow and soothing like a light turquoise. Changing a color of a view from the bedroom can inspire you in the morning, because it is showing you something new.

3) Stock your fridge with something fresh and healthy that you've never put in there. It could be seltzer and lemons (make some lemonade in a pitcher!). It could be a big fruit salad that looks you in the eye everytime you open the fridge. The point is, break out of your regular routine and try something new!

4) Be spontaneous. Go to a movie after work on a whim. Take a Saturday morning and ride your bike outside for a couple hours. Go to that big flea market you see advertised and have never made it too. Make coffee and sit and read a magazine or a good book. Grab your spouse or your best friend and drive 2 hours out of town just to go out to dinner in a different state. Just do something you don't regularly do and you will find that your stretched mind will look for more ways to get what you want!

5) Dream big. Think of something you want that you can't afford or can't get right now (today). Print out a picture of it and then write out what you would have to do to get it. It's not about being materialistic, but about being honest with yourself about how you can meet a goal, if it is a true desire. Write out the plan and then post it where you'll see it daily, maybe the bathroom mirror, your car or your bedside. It could be anything, a new car, a designer purse or shoes, or it could be a charity/community organization you've had the heart for, for years. Whatever it is, put it in front of you, and you'll be more likely to move toward achieving it!