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Friday Fun: Defy Gravity... And Everything Else!

7/18/2014

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PictureUp or Down! You are where you are! Embrace It.
Life has a way of getting you down sometimes.  But down't fret...it's ok.  No one can stay up on life's peaks indefinitely. Being in the valleys is part of the journey.  In fact, it's MORE than ok...it's a good thing.  Because it's during those down moments that you discover what you truly want.  

When you feel low, you have a choice.  Do you broadcast it & spend your time with friends who want to commiserate?  Or do you share that you're back, ready to kick ass, & find the friends who will help you get past whatever got you down? I've learned this lesson many times, most recently in the amazing group of women that have assembled for The Boudoir Body Challenge, each with her own goals to help her feel more comfortable in her own skin.

The third week of a 12-week challenge was the turning point.  Motivation was high the week leading into the challenge, week 1, & even into week 2.  But during week 3, reality set in (am I really willing to make a life change in the way I look at food and exercise or is this just another temporary short-term fix to  deprive myself of one of the food groups so I can fit in my jeans this fall?).   And life happened (big work projects, family obligations, fill in your own blank).  The normally chatty online group was quiet.  Fewer inspiring quotes, not as many diet & exercise updates...the board felt like a bit of a ghost town. But then there was a post that caught my attention, especially after so many of the group's most active members had gone "radio silent" for several days.
"For all the Dr. Seuss fans:   I am here, I am here, I am here!

Sorry for the days of darkness
I shall be back on track with stickers and posts tomorrow...
And I refuse to list the dramatic reasons for my absence 
They will not conquer this feisty southern gal."
PictureSurround yourself with people who help you FLY!
What you share in the world (which in this day & age usually means what you tweet, Instagram, or post as your Facebook status) determines the path forward from where you are now.  

When you are in one of life's valleys, will you post something negative, reflecting the truth of that moment but likely to keep you there longer?  OR...will you post something like this feisty southern gal that alerts your friends you are ready not only to start walking up to the next of life's peaks...but you are ready to FLY!?!

Friends who will talk out your valley moments with you are good.  But friends who help you defy gravity, climb life's peaks, accomplish more than you ever thought possible...friend who help you FLY...those friends are GREAT!  Find out who they are by making statements & asking questions that let them know you're not interested in wallowing in today's valley.  You're ready to start tackling tomorrow's peak!
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What Kind of Messenger Are YOU?

7/15/2014

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PictureOn the set of "The Secrets of the Keys" with Don Miguel Ruiz.
Recently I participated in a film project with someone I have admired for ages—Don Miguel Ruiz, author of The Four Agreements, a spiritual book that has been guiding me since I first picked it up in 1999.  It’s one of only two books I’ve read more than once as an adult…and will probably read many more times in my life.

Just like many things in life, the book’s message is simple…but not easy.  Each of us has likely heard it’s four main concepts a million times…and forgotten just as often.
  • Be impeccable with your word.
  • Don’t take anything personally
  • Don’t make assumptions
  • Always do your best.

I ask myself frequently if my thoughts & actions are in accordance with the agreements.  After 15 years of working really hard at it, I find that much of the time they are.   When they are not, I usually don’t feel so good.  So I try to figure out what WOULD align with the agreements & think or do that instead.

But it was a new idea that caught my attention the day I got to spend on the set with Miguel.  A question, actually.
What kind of messenger are you?
PictureDon Miguel Ruiz & Michael Bernard Beckwith
He said each of us is here as a messenger…to share something only we can.  To spread an idea.  To live a purpose.  To fulfill our greatest potential.  

The conversation stopped me dead in my tracks.  Am I living my purpose?  Delivering my message?  Am I even sure what the heck my message IS?!

The question has been floating around my mind since I left the set that day.  And it occurs to me that just like his Four Agreements…this question is so simple, and yet we all remember & forget it a hundred times.  Maybe even a hundred times TODAY!

The thing about purpose is that we’re likely to be living it when we’re not trying too hard.  In those moments when we’re just being ourselves & having a great time.  When we’ve stopped TRYING to be someone we think we SHOULD be and just being who we truly are.  

But then we talk ourselves out of the idea that being ourselves could possibly be enough.  We figure anything that comes to us that easily isn’t worth anything.  How could it be?  Besides…life is supposed to be harder than that, right?
PictureI am calling BULL on easy being worthless!
Well…no.  I am calling BULL & throwing a penalty flag.  Life is NOT supposed to be harder than that.  We’ve just made up a bunch of silly rules & complicated structures that make it feel that way.

Look…I’m not saying I have all the answers or even that I have my purpose figured out once and for all.  But I sure love the question.

And when I think about it…I believe I’m being the messenger I came to be when I AM just being myself.   Laughing.   Appreciating what I have.  Spreading happiness. Making every moment as fun as humanly possible…even the tough ones.

I know, I know…it’s not so wonderful to take out the trash, pay the bills, or lose someone you love.  But guess what?  All of those things are part of life.  The question isn’t “How do I avoid them?” (Spoiler Alert: You can’t!).  The question is, “Am I going to approach them with a scowl on my face…or a smile?”  THAT you do get to decide.

And since smiling feels more on purpose than scowling, I say why not try to do a little more of it?  Yes, even in the face of garbage removal, debt reduction, & saying goodbye.

What I have learned about my own purpose over the years is this:  deep down, I really DO know what it is.  I just haven’t wanted to say it out loud because it has never seemed like enough.   But am I being the kind of messenger I came to be if I don’t acknowledge it?  Sure doesn’t feel like it.

So…It’s time to share.  Luminous or lame, here is my purpose as I see it:  

I am a messenger of goofiness.  
ESPECIALLY in the places where goofiness has no place.  
Because when we forget how to smile, we have forgotten how to live.  
And we are here, after all, to LIVE!

PictureLaughing & playing with my BFF & her family.
Yep.  That’s it.  

You know what they say about comparison being the thief of joy?  Well…when I think about people like Gandhi & Mother Theresa changing the WORLD by living their purposes, I definitely question whether my purpose matters.  Compared to others, it seems so small.  

But then I think of my friend Allen asking if I would sit at the front of the church as he delivered the eulogy for his dad’s funeral.  Turns out he need someone to give him a big goofy grin if he started to cry.  And that someone was me.

Of course, I said yes (must’ve known it was an “on purpose” moment).  Because of his request, I knew that all the work I’d done to build the muscle that helps me stay present and HAPPY no matter what life throws my way…MATTERS.  That my goofiness has power.  That my presence makes a difference.  And that I do, in fact, have a purpose. 

And…so do you.  The question is, are you willing to admit it? 
The Messenger
I have a purpose.
And so do you.
I cannot tell it to you, for that is not my business.
But I can share mine in the hopes it will inspire you to remember your own.

I am a messenger of goofiness.
Because laughter is aliveness…and to be alive is what we came for.

I am on purpose when I belly laugh.
I am lost when I try to “figure it out.”

I am on purpose when I trust.
I am unhappy when I become skeptical.

I am on purpose when I’m curious.
I am shut down when I know.

I am on purpose when I am myself.
I am false when I aim to please & impress.

I am on purpose when I live in the moment.
I am disconnected when I worry about the past.

I am on purpose when I believe in the goodness of people.
I am unconscious when I doubt them.

I have a purpose.
And so do you.
I cannot force you to seek it, for that is not my business.
But I can hope you want to remember.

To be found.
To be happy.
To be open.
To be true.
To be connected.
To be conscious.

I have a purpose.
And so do you.

Leslie Stein—July 9, 2014

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Thank you for reading!! If you enjoyed this post or think a "purpose pep talk" might help a woman you know step into her power more fully...please share!!  Special thanks to Robin Jay of The Key Movies for the amazing opportunity to share this experience with an author I so greatly appreciate & admire!

This post brought to you by Leslie Stein & the number 10.  Because life is grand and YOU...are...a...10!!!
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Mommy Monday:  Suck It Up 101...Character Training for Tweens

7/14/2014

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 “Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us.” ~Hebrews 12:1
Picture
Part of my mom-job includes shaping my girl’s character. Many times this calls for me to sit back and allow her to face  consequences  (i.e. forgetting her flute at home for the 3rd time equals after school detention with the bonus of walking home because she’s missed the bus). Other times this calls for severe interventions on my part, such as last fall during her first cross country season. 

This is what I said to her after she skipped practice:   My darling daughter, fortunately for you, your mom  graduated from West Point and served in the US Army during her 20s which means I have discipline in spades; unfortunately for you that means I’m a bit lacking in the empathy department. Since you have the added bonus of a combat veteran father, you and your sisters will be taught what it means to have integrity.  We hope that you choose to embrace this character trait as it will guide you towards a bright future.
PictureLife’s uphill battles are the most teachable moments
SO:

If you call your mom at 2PM because you forgot your running shoes, I will wake up your baby sister from her nap and bring your shoes to school.

If I have to stop preparing dinner, and bring both of your sisters with me to pick you up from cross country practice THAT SAME DAY, and you cheerfully tell me you played with acorns instead of running with the team because you “broke” your leg during stretching, there will be a consequence. Instead of attending fun activities, you will run with your mom. I'm not in Army fighting shape right now, so running at my pace won’t kill you. However your incessant whining may lead ME down the path of insanity.

In case you haven’t noticed, our family may be a bit different from other kids in your middle school. We’re so glad to have you as part of our team, and in a decade or two we hope you will realize we tried our best, and be thankful for your years with us. In the meantime, let me introduce you to your first rules of operation. I’ll call them “Suck-It-Up Cross Country Style”:

1.  It’s not “fair” is a 4 letter word in our household.

2.  Church youth group will never trump cross country practice.

3.  Learning how to survive a side splint builds character, your mom and dad think it’s awesome you’re learning this at age 11!

4. In our family, if we start something, we will finish it, even if it takes 10 times longer than it should. (I had to remind myself of this when I trained for my first half marathon).
  “Train up a child in the way she should go, and when she is old, she will not depart from it.” ~Proverbs 22:6
That whole “training” of the child is where I am right now… doing my best to put one foot in front of the other.
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TASTY TREATS:  The BEST Breakfast Casserole

7/9/2014

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College Roomy shared this recipe with me 18 months ago and this is the only thing I ate for breakfast 5 months in a row.  IT IS THAT GOOD!  Even better:  my three year old LOVEs it (just don't tell her she's eating spinach in every bite)!




Try it for yourself and feel free to modify and let us know your results; sometimes I add mushrooms or whatever vegetable is on the counter!

Ingredients

    • 9-10 Eggs
      8 oz cottage cheese (not skim)
      1TBS butter
      ¼ cup brown rice flour (substitute as needed with whatever flour you have on hand)
      5-7 oz fresh spinach leaves- rinsed and dried
      9x13 baking dish sprayed with oil or greased with butter
      1 sweet onion (diced)
      2-4 cloves garlic (diced)
      OPTIONAL 7-10 strips of crisp turkey bacon (chopped up)




  1.  Directions
  2. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.  While it’s heating up I place my strips of bacon on a cookie sheet and let them cook in the oven until they reach my desired crispness.

  3. While the bacon is cooking, sauté the onion and garlic in the butter, then pour them into a mixing bowl.  Then add the cottage cheese to bring down the temperature of the onions.  Next add your eggs and flour.  Mix thoroughly.

  4. Lay the spinach in your greased 9 x 13 pan then pour the egg mixture on top.    Sprinkle the chopped turkey bacon on top of the eggs and place in the oven.

  5. Bake for 1 hour at 350 degrees.


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Filling & Nutritious... the breakfast casserole for Super Heroes!
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Mommy Monday: The Days Are Long... But The Years Fly By!

7/7/2014

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After my military years I really enjoyed running my own financial planning business! My efforts in this 100% commission job even earned me and the hubby an all-inclusive trip to Hawaii! (Don’t be too jealous, I was 5 months preggo with girlie #2 at the time, so I didn’t even get to taste a Mai-Tai). Two kids and the hours required by that job proved to be too much, so along came career change #3… the most difficult of all. I became a stay at home mom/ momager/ household executive. Unfortunately no one was offering free-trip incentives, the hours were even worse that my last job, and they pay was atrocious.

A wise mom a decade ahead of me in parenting-mode was kind and encouraging and shared these wise words, “The Days Are Long Yet the Years Fly By.” I didn’t get it at the time as I was dealing with a hyperactive 4 year old while nursing a 3 month old baby, in my new job as housewife (AKA maid and milk cow). Fast forward a decade and I totally understand. 

Now I have all stages: a tween that is still sweet, yet overcome with angry hormones at times, my happy-go-lucky & slow-as-a-slug-when-it-comes-to-chores 3rd grader, and my 3 year old baby girl who still thinks (and says) “MOM IS AWESOME!” 
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My first little angel “baby,” the one who gave me the title of Mom, turned 12 in April. 

TWELVE! 

- As in we’re 2/3 of the way done with parenting her at home.

- As in next year we’ll have a teenager (Heaven help us)! 

- As in SIX years she will be gone… 
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Six years ago she made this face for me…. She said, “WOW, Mom I’m six! Get it? My mouth is open as the O in Wow and my 6 fingers spell the W’s.” Then she pointed her fingers towards the ground and said, “Look Mom! It spells MOM now--- because I love you!” I remember that moment like it was yesterday.
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So if you’re like me today:  trying to prepare dinner/fold clothes/ wash the dishes while one kid slathers jelly on your freshly cleaned countertops, the other is crying b/c she ran into a wall as she walked around with closed eyes “for fun,” and the other one is busy dumping the entire contents of her backpack in your entry way….. just STOP…  Take a breath and a mental picture of your life this summer day.  Embrace the chaos. Find the HAPPY in the crazy days as those years keep zipping by.  
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    BLOGGERS

    Leslie Riley
    AKA SUPERSOL

    Picture
    Meet Leslie.  Some  call her by her name.  Others call her Wonder Woman.  Everyone calls her an inspiration! Lover of all things Wonder Woman...including a pair of adult underoos she wore during her first Ironman 70.3 triathlon.  Mostly because committing to her own health moved her from one end of the health scale to the other.  When she started training in July 2012, she couldn't do a sit up or run a single mile.  She also thought green smoothies & protein bars were a waste of calories.  What a difference 9 months makes...

    In May 2013 Leslie completed her first Ironman 70.3 event.  In December 2013 she run a 50K trail race.  AND...she now thinks green smoothies & protein bars are delicious.  Proof that anything is possible when you have the right attitude & are ready to believe in yourself.     

    MH 
    AKA MAMMARAZZI

    Picture
    Meet MH, marketing and sales guru moving the mountains and delivering the happiness while donning her SUPER MOMMA cape! She is a beautiful and bold Southern Belle from the state of Texas! Currently living in the cold tundra of Michigan with her husband of 13 years and her 3 daughters that keep her days full of surprise and adventure! MH is currently training for her first half marathon which includes daily training of running after her 3 year old toddler and finding other creative ways to build smiles into all those miles. MH Rocks and is going to bring the Mammarazzi to her blogs!

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