Why Being An Entrepreneur Is So Awesome

As an entrepreneur you're on all the time, your income fluctuates, you get up early and stay up late, you have independent health insurance, and your retirement plan is your business.  You're constantly thinking of new ideas, and products, and strategies to reach people, to help people, to improve society.

It sounds exhausting right?

The truth is, yes, it can be. Yes, there are moments when you want to throw in the towel and go get a job flipping burgers or apply to have a cushy office position with a view.

But an entrepreneur has a desire to discover, to press forward, to find solutions. We sometimes live in self-afflicted (temporary) misery in order to move things forward. But we wouldn't trade it for any salaried job in the world. 

Entrepreneurs can't help but get there hands dirty. We have or be involved. We want to help people. 

Today I treated myself to coffee at my favorite local spot at 7am. I asked the sweet girl how her day was, and she said with a smile, "we're out of regular coffee." Her tone indicated that her regular customers wouldn't be excited about this. I immediately asked questions like, "who's your supplier?" "Aren't they right down the street?" "Can't we fix this?" I found myself trying to problem solve a business problem that 1) wasn't mine, and 2) i wasn't asked to fix. I had to bite my tongue and walk away. But.. It was hard! If I had a wholesaler coffee connection, I would've offered my services. I still am looking into how I can help. But this is a simple example... entrepreneurs can't help but get involved and seek solutions.

Ok onto the even more awesome part.. Here are a couple of bullet points about why being your own boss is so amazing:

1. Flexibility

This is so key. I personally operate 2 businesses, one which is local and requires my physical presence (personal training) and the other which can be run at any hour, from anywhere, with a smartphone or tablet. With the second option, I don't have to worry about being in a specific spot... If I have a call set up with a partner, I can be in DC or Hawaii and get the same result. With the latter, I can send a fellow entrepreneur videos and education through an app, and my newest partner can educate themselves, while I'm working out, sleeping or meeting face to face with another business partner.

2. Control 

Continuing on from flexibility. The ability to control your schedule and only dedicate time where you find to be of value. When I worked for someone else, I didn't get to decide who I met with or the terms of our meeting. As an entrepreneur, you are in control of your time & your associations. This is priceless.

3. No ceiling 

When I was naive to the corporate world, I thought that my bosses wanted to help me progress, purely. As I got "older" in the industry.. I learned... Not the case. As am entrepreneur, the only ceiling that exists is the one you place on yourself. Your expectations, your vision and the action you take toward your dreams and goals affect how your story plays out. You can write yourself in the lineup of a successful entrepreneur, and do what most don't even dare to dream about.

4. Freedom

My favorite word.. What the great United States of America was founded on. I've heard many an entrepreneur say, that you are not free in America until you are financially free. While owning your own business will take work, and it may take your blood, sweat, and tears (so to speak)... My personal training business has literally taken all of those! 

Anyway.. owning your own business and being an entrepreneur is not for the weak...it's not for the lazy.. It's not for someone looking for a quick fix. Anything that produces success is going to take work, work ethic, commitment, focus, and follow through. The reward is worth it. 

I'm going to be expanding on this topic in the coming months. It's on my heart to educate on entrepreneurism. My hope is that whether your goal is to make an extra $3,000 or $3,000,000 a year, this series will benefit you.

In health & prosperity,

Monica 

Taking Shots

Today I had a cool opportunity to shoot some hoops for a few minutes. It had been awhile, although I used to have a great shot.  I took around 30 shots and made one.. One!! 

It was funny. 

It was semi-embarrassing (although I was the only who saw--hopefully)

And it got me thinking. 

If you had seen me, it would have looked weird. I kept laughing at myself, in a jovial way, but kept taking shots, although my head was saying, stop while you've only missed 10, 20, 25 shots.. 

I kept going. 

I made 1/30 shots. 

But that 1 shot... Let me tell you... It was perfect. I knew as soon as it left my hands it was a swoosh. I could feel it. It was a win. Even a few hours later, I still remember the sweet feeling of that shot. It was beautiful and I owned that shot... 

Somehow the other 29 misses didn't matter. I may remember the comedy of the missed shots, but I think about/ remember the victory of that 1 perfect shot.

(And let me just clarify... In my mind it was perfect.. Thank goodness there is no YouTube evidence! If you're a ball player you may have cringed... But to me.. It was beautiful!)

How much does this apply to life, to success, to striving for a goal? I've experienced this other times: Crossing the finish line at my first marathon, playing the chimes perfectly during a band concert in high school (when I had no business in that position), hitting a new PR with my deadlift, starting my own business and walking away from a W-2 forever, and experiencing someone else succeed at a goal that I played a small part in. 

We all take shots, and we all fail. 

Mistakes are a part of life. 

It's good. 

If you were perfect, you wouldn't have anything to strive for. 

The goal is not perfect.

The goal is to set a goal and go after it with your whole heart. 

To do something that matters. 

Does it matter that I played basketball for a few minutes today? No. But what matters is the lesson.

Sometimes you take shots. And you may miss a lot. But with consistency and a not-giving-up attitude, you will hit that sweet shot and it'll inspire you to go for another.

What if, in your life, for ever "30 shots" you take, you get 1 swoosh?

Is it worth the fight? The repetition? The semi-potential-humiliation?!

I say yes, and I encourage you to go for the swoosh (whatever that means to you in your life). Look back on the missed shots with humor, take the failure in stride, and remember the feeling of the swoosh because it won't just happen once. 

The more shots you take, the more swooshes you'll get. You won't care about the missed shots. 

Even if you're opposed, stick to what you know!

Today at the grocery store, my meager total came to $8.71 and I gave $20 cash.

I received back 4 five dollar bills and a single (or $21).

"You gave me to much change"  I said.

"No, you gave $20 and this is your change."

I had to argue with the sweet woman at the register on how she gave me too much. She was so persistent that she was right, that for a brief moment, I wondered if I couldn't add right (when was the last time you received 4 five-dollar bills as change!).

I think she was just overwhelmed with her work.

We had a positive tiff (although I knew I was right!) and once she really realized (and after I humbly said, maybe I'm wrong!), she said, "thank you for saving me..."

How easy would it have been to walk away!.

And how easy would it be for her employer to fire her.

Living with integrity is vital. I'm not trying to boost myself in any way (trust me!), but I think that if we can all live in a way that serves others and helps them out, we will have a better society.

It doesn't matter that she fought me and thought I was wrong...it would have been so easy to take the extra $10... And then could have been fired!

Let's do people right, no matter how argumentative they are!

2 Snack Plates for 200 Calories or Less

If you love to eat but want to eat less, without feeling deprived...

If you have trouble with too much snacking and want to reduce your calories but still "eat a lot," try out one of these snack plates. The ingredients/combos may seem kind of random, but it will give you something to munch on, plus take a break between bites. Enjoy with a big glass of ice water!

Movie Night Snackers Plate
145 calories
1/2 cup low fat popcorn
1/4 green pepper (sliced)
7-8 baby carrots
2 tbsp salsa
1 tbsp hummus
1/2 cup raspberries
10 grapes

Mid-Afternoon Snackers Plate
190 calories
4 olives
1/2 cup celery
1/2 tbsp peanut butter
1 (66 g) plum (fruit+(2-1/8"+dia))
1/2 cup strawberries
60 calorie Jello pudding cup

You'll be surprised at how much this fills you up and can help stop cravings and overdo it!

5 Recipes for Everyday or Entertainment!

Recipe #2: Edamame Cups!

The past 5 recipes that I have posted on my alter-ego food blog,  www.workoutfoodie.com are all multi-functional. Each can be made at home or totally used for a dinner party, bridal/baby shower, casual get-together with friends, etc. What's cool about each of these is that none of them involve a lot of ingredients or any ingredients that leave you thinking, 'and where do I get that from.'

As we move into 2014, I know healthy eating and quick cooking is key! We are all busy, yet w
e all still want to maintain health and provide healthy options when we entertain!

Enjoy: 

1. Turkey, Avocado, Swiss Wrap Pizza: take your favorite wrap and turn it into a hot, personal sized pizza! This recipe takes 10-min and is gluten-free!

2. Edamame Salad w/ Homemade "Ranch" Dressing: make a batch to eat throughout the week or serve in cupcake cups! It's yummy, fun and high fiber!

3. My Italian Chile Relleno: I know...what does that mean? It's 4 ingredients and it happened because I was at the international market and got inspired! Everything about it is Mexican, except for the sauce, which is marinara!

4. Radish & Kale Salad with a light vinegarette: a beautiful dish filled with flavor, nutrition, iron and fiber!  A great side dish for salmon, steak or chicken!

5. Spaghetti Squash with Kale & Parmesan: exactly as it sounds! An alternative to pasta and a simple way to save money, pack a lunch and get multiple vitamins in one dish!

Self Image Victory

This post may really be girls only, but I'm going to make it appropriate for all. If you're a girl and you want to talk deeper about this stuff, get in touch with me and I'd be happy too!

Today I had an amazing experience in the fitting room while trying on dresses for my friends wedding this coming Saturday.

For the first time in my life, I tried on several dresses and didn't criticize my body.

Typically when trying on dresses, I say in my head things like, "if only your hips were smaller you could fit in this dress" or "your stomach looks fat in this" or "why are my legs so stocky" etc etc.

Girls, relate?

Today my head voice said instead, "nah, that's not the right style for you" and "this dress just isn't cut right for your figure"  and gasp... "you look totally cute in this, it just needs to be cut differently!"

This may not sound like a big difference, but it is! I've spent hours and days searching for the right dress that covers up all the right places and that "doesn't make me look fat" (insert unwelcome yet influential negative head voice)

But today, I was confident in my body. Why?

Well...I have no idea! But I will think about it.

I'm not currently in the best shape of my life and my weight is a bit higher than I'd like. I'm still fit, healthy, and strong, don't get me wrong, but there are so many factors that can mess with your self image, especially when it comes to buying and wearing clothes that are outside your comfort zone (I wear gym clothes, not dresses everyday!)

The only 3 theories I have are this: 

1.  I'm 31. Is that why? Does getting older (not that I'm old!) really affect your self image to where you care less about being body perfect?

The only comparison I have to this shaving your legs. Girls, remember when you first started shaving your legs and for about 10-15 years after, you wouldn't dare wear shorts or capris or a skirt without shaving your legs that day? Once you get to a certain point/age/personal comfort level, you don't care as much and you'll go to the gym without perfectly shaved legs! (and you still survive)

2. I've worked on my self image for years. Reading books, listening to motivational audios, and pursuing a dream that's bigger than how my butt looks in my jeans truly helps me to be more comfortable with who I am and how God made me.

3. Seeing it: Today I watched a short vid that I saw on yahoo's home page about photoshop transformations with celebrities, actors, etc.  It really hit me, that no one has the absolute perfect body, skin, etc. The crazy thing is, I think some of these chicks looked better before they were "transformed!"

This may be the reason I was confident in the dressing room today, from watching one video... a 1:37 minute video that someone put time and effort into, but that helped me (after a lifetime of personal criticism) realize that no one is perfect, no matter what the pictures say.

I watched this video this morning at about 7:30 am and it's now 5:22 pm, so obviously I was affected by it. Something about it, made me more accepting of the small bags under my eyes (when I get up close in the mirror), the little crease in my love handle area, or the shape the God blessed me with.

If you struggle with what you see in the mirror--

1) know you're not the only one--in fact, I bet we could recruit millions who feel the same way, but

2) know you are lovely, and beautiful and important and that what you have to contribute to this world is not dependent on how cute your toosh is, how flat your stomach is, how perfectly balanced your skin is, how thick, curly, straight your hair is.

3) your curves or non curves are perfect and someone is gonna like them! 

We are all made unique and we all have something different to contribute to this world.

One of the biggest things that holds us girls especially back, is being comfortable in our own skin, our own body, to make an impact.

I don't care what you look like, how much you weigh, what your education is, how much you have or haven't done toward your dream...You are important. You have value. There is something in you that the world needs. Don't waste it by being consumed with your own beauty self image. This holds a lot of us girls back, and it shouldn't. We become attractive by our passions, by that look in your eye of the pursuit, the look of resilience, the look of "I'm on a mission, don't mess with me." Yes. This is more attractive than what you think is a perfect figure.

Girls, the world needs you to step up and do what you are called too! Look in the mirror and see a strong, successful, warrior chick who can change the world.

:-) 

New Year's Resolution Tips

Although I'm not a huge fan of telling you what not to do, I am a big fan of helping you be successful for 2014! 

For one, rename your "New Years Resolutions" ..... "New Years Goals" 

Please :) 

Setting a goal has so much more potential power, than planning a resolution. 

We must set goals that have a plan, a purpose, a "yes I have an idea of where I am going" feel.

Goals have to be specific. 

"Get out of debt" is not a plan...it's a wish. 

"I am putting aside $20-$100 from my paycheck every 2 weeks" is a goal! 

"For 30 days, I only buy groceries (on a modest budget), pay my bills and fill my car with gas when needed" is a goal!

We must have a plan to get what we want, otherwise we will be at the same spot at the end of the year 2014...and I am not ok with that. I hope you aren't either. 

Your life may already be awesome. I have no complaints about mine. But...we can all be better people, give more, fulfill our dreams more and be better people.

So let's go over some generic resolutions that may need a little tlc/tough love to make them actual goals. 

Develop a "why" and a "what" to your goals, as well as a plan to achieve them!

Let's examine general new year's resolutions further:

1. Lose weight. How much? By when? Is this realistic? (check with someone who knows AND will support your goals). What do I need to do to accomplish this?

2. Exercise....  Where? What time? (schedule it!). What is my workout schedule/goal/progression? Etc...

3. Drink more water. What does that mean? How much? How am I going to do this? Do I need to buy a water bottle and refill it "x" times per day? Do I need to buy disposable water bottles and drink "x" per day? 

And so on...

Ask yourself questions about what you want to accomplish and make a plan for actually achieving it. 

You can do it. 

It just takes: 

Focus, determination, discipline and a little faith!