Our Distant Goal

It is for us to pray not for tasks equal to our powers, but for powers equal to our tasks, to go forward with a great desire forever beating at the door of our hearts as we travel toward our distant goal. 

Helen Keller

We were out of town the greater part of last week and this weekend and the week before that I was completely crashed out with a cold. I had a lot of that deep fatigue and joint pain back and all I wanted to do was sleep. My inclination is to look at this month (which is just a little more than half over) as a wash out.  I have to keep telling myself that the only way that I will fail is if I just give up. I know that I can't lose 45 more lbs overnight and that I won't build a business in a month but I've STARTED! I have had the courage to take the leap and now I need to keep finding the courage to build my business one day and one phone call at a time. I must continue to press on towards that distant goal!  

SeaSource Detox Spa

Starting Monday I plan on doing the full week program for the SeaSource Detox spa.  After a walk this morning with the family that involved getting swarmed by mosquitoes I took advantage of my hubby being home and decided to try these products for the first time.  As of now I have a new favorite Arbonne product(s).  The Renewing Body Gelee. Where has this been all my life???  And the Re-mineralizing Body lotion, WOW!!!  I'm in love.  I followed the directions for day 1 that come with the spa set and I feel scrubbed, polished and completely refreshed.  It was so good to get some quiet time for myself and know the kids weren't swinging from the ceiling fan.  I can't wait to follow the 7 day program and see how I feel at the end of next weekend.  And can I just say, I'm LOVING my job right now.  I love that my "work" is to do research by taking time for myself to try products that make me feel so good and relax in a warm bath.  Does it get any better???

It's September!!

My September got off to a great, though muggy and hot start!  I kicked it off with a 5.25 mile walk with an amazing friend, I got super inspired for the HOLIDAYS on a training call today, got a shower, went to the zoo AND the grocery store!!

Here are some of my personal goals for this 30 days:

1. Take my vitamins!! Seems SO basic but I lack consistency.

2. Pick two business related books to read.

3. Consistency with working out, at least 3 days a week walk or run.  Strength training 3 days too. 

4. Keep pushing to shed pounds, if I REALLY push hard I can get close to my ultimate goal weight.

5. Get plugged into a Bible study or quiet time, I need to stay connected and refreshed. 

6. Organize and clean my room and bathroom, create a sanctuary of calm and quiet in my living space. With three little ones this can be difficult to do.

7. Keep reaching out to others, not just as business prospects but just to let them know that someone cares.

8. Use the Detox Spa kit consistently for a week, planning on this starting Monday.

As far as the business side of things goes my good, great and awesome goals are this:

Good: 5 parties and 3 new preferred clients

Great: 8 parties, 2 new consultants and 3 new preferred clients

AWESOME!: 10 parties, 4 new preferred clients and 3 consultants

For those in on the challenge, if you'd like to share your story, goals, etc... Please email what you would like posted to my email address listed in the box at the top right.

The Challenge!

INSIDE & OUT 30-, 60-, or 90-Day Challenge:
BOOTCAMP I: Begins August 15th for 30 days
BOOTCAMP II: Begins September 1st for 30 days
Weekly Fitness Calls begin Monday Sept 5th

Choose whatever you'd like to apply for this week- one point per application; 5 points per book; 50 points per 30 day feeling fit kit ordered; 1 point per meal replaced or healthy snack altered; aka, every step in the right direction deserves a point to celebrate! Keep track of your points & what the step was you took that you are celebrating, and email them back to me at the end of the month! But Celebrate EVERYTHING!!!

$100 shopping spree (for new wardrobe;) for most points in a 3 month period and a $25 shopping gift certificate for top earner each month! Invite ALL you know to participate~ the more people that join us the more people who get to WIN!!!

~ Feeling Fit INSIDE~

BODY:
Order 30 day Arbonne's Feeling Fit Kit, and apply the principles as best you are able! Celebrate EVERYTHING! What are we putting into our bodies and how can we fuel and support our internal systems working at optimal levels? EX: 7 Day cleanse, Daily power packs, Detox Spa...How can we each encourage diet changes or challenge~ do it on your own, or get together and share a "clean" meal once a week together! Options to consider altering? No sugar, giving up sodas, etc.

MIND:What are you reading? Strive for one book per month. Book list to come soon. Great start: Developing the Leader within You (John Maxwell), The Flip Flop CEO, The Help, Believe that You Can, Captivating, The Business of the 21st Century (Kiyosaki)
SPIRIT:A daily devotional time. Write out affirmations in the morning. At the end of the night, write in your gratitude journal to be thankful for all you did RIGHT!! SUCCESS is in all the small steps! 

OUTSIDE~ 

SELF:
Skin
Before & After pics/Ultimate facial/try something new, like the FC5 Hydrating Mask, have a makeup tips party or an ultimate facial party just to learn as you go with some friends or clients!
Weight/Inches LostWhat's your goal weight? What size do you want to be in in 30,60,90 days?! What about a Fitness Focus Workshop with your friends to jumpstart your 30 day feeling Fit Challenge & Activity?
Fitness/ActivityEither personal or group challenge. Can you commit to walking/running a certain # miles per month? Or maybe someone has a personal goal to be encouraged in (100 situps, working up to a certain number of planks, toning, cardio (like couch to 5K), learning what to eat and fuel out bodies for these goals

SPACE:Simplify, Organize, Declutter for a stress free environment

SUPPORTING OTHERS:Who can we help or encourage/ support/ volunteer with?

The Inspiration

Back at the beginning of the year I was miserable.  Depression followed me like a cloud, I was obese (how I hate that word!), energy was a foreign concept and I felt like I was failing everyone around me. At an appointment for my youngest kiddo our doctor looked at me and asked how I was doing.  The following bout of tears resulted in an appointment for myself the following week and that is where my journey over the past 6 months began.

Diagnosed with depression I started Zoloft and fell much better, for awhile.  It did help get some roadblocks out of my way and I began working out with the Couch to 5K training program.  My goal was to run my first EVER 5 K on July 2. (Which I did!!!)  Enter Arbonne.  I had a 30 Day Feeling Fit Kit hiding in my pantry and I busted it out and started following the guidelines it came with, I had to make some eating modifications because I was still nursing my baby.  The following 6 weeks brought HUGE results!  17 lbs lost, inches gone, I was laughing again and I was starting to appreciate life! June rolled around and we got to go on vacation to see family.  I had plateaued in my weight loss and it seemed like something still wasn't right.  I was constantly battling bone numbing fatigue, my joints hurt, I felt foggy and drained and even with the relaxed nature of our vacation I couldn't pull out of it.  When we got back home I had a follow up with my doctor and I had some FUNKY blood work results. Three days and some another round of blood work later I found out I have Hashimoto's Thyroiditis. (Try saying that 10 times fast...)  While not awesome (at all) at least I wasn't just crazy and I finally had a REASON for how I was feeling. Again, sparing the minute details, I saw an endocrinologist, bought several books, read for hours online and began to understand the monster that I was up against.  I'm now on some thyroid medication and I have gone gluten free. The latter is not nearly as hard as one would think, especially if when you eat gluten again after being off of it you feel MISERABLE for a week afterwards. I'm feeling amazing and while I still have a long way to go to reach my weight loss and personal goals, I'm on the right track.

Enter Arbonne again. I had been rolling around ideas to help my family out financially as well and finding something for myself that helped me get out of the invisible mommy mode. For some reason I was thinking about starting up some venture in January and at some point had a light bulb moment when I realized that I'd be missing out on the biggest quarter of retail sales, THE HOLIDAYS!! So a couple of phone calls in with my amazing friend and now up-line, Jules, and I jumped in with both feet and haven't looked back! My first month has been awesome, I have much more focus for where I want to be in 1 and 5 years.  I've evaluated what I want more of in my life but also what I want less of.  I want more options and less financial stress, I want to vacation with my family and I want a venue to share my journey. I want a way to let women know they are not alone out there feeling overwhelmed by all life throws at them. I want to encourage, love and support these women, just like myself, to feel BETTER from the inside out.