Remembering...

Everyone will at some point tomorrow remember where they were, what they were doing, who they called first, who they hugged first.  We will remember and reflect and pray in our own different ways.

At the the time I was fortunate to be part of an international team at DaimlerChrysler Financial. Belonging to an international team added a perspective to this event and provided a sense of support beyond the boundaries of my own country.

I was also fortunate that  my company did everything possible to bring me home safely that week. A long trip from Prague, to Germany to Paris, became even longer when I heard the news while in flight heading to New York. 

There was a uniqueness being on an international flight and sharing this experience with so many non-Americans.  We were also initially removed from the horrific pictures and news accounts, as we remained on the plane until 9/12 and ultimately in the care of the Canadian Red Cross and Navy for several days following. 

While reflecting, I pulled out a folder of emails I received the days following from my colleagues from around the world.

This line came from my boss Stephen Jepsen of Berlin...

"So far as I see, nobody was able to go back to work today without the feeling that something fundamental had changed in our western world in seconds yesterday. ..and  that these buildings, symbols for freedom and pride, don't exist anymore."

 

9/11/01  From the plane window in St. John's Newfoundland

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sept. 11, 2001

Yes, something fundamental did change that day.  I hope that what we hold on to is the reminder of what's really important in life.  I believe that we can keep the kindness and courage that was shown during that time alive in our words and actions every day. 


The moment that will forever be burned in my memory is finally reaching US soil and seeing the American flag, the true symbol of our freedom and pride, flying brightly.

Guest Blogging

I'm the guest blogger today for Here's to Life Now.

Thanks Susan for the opportunity and a special shout out to the fabulous Heidi and inspirational Anna for their input. http://herestolifenow.com/blog

Read on for thoughts on staying motivated.

Get Entrepreneurial with your Life!

As an entrepreneur, I spend a lot of time on business planning. It's essential to be focused and organized when running your own business.  This way things don't fall through the cracks and I don't get to the end of the quarter wondering where the time went or what happened to the bottom line.  

I also make sure I spend time on the various aspects of business like marketing, PR, staff development, customer relations, promotions, and much more.   If I only concentrated on one area, it wouldn't be a very healthy business. 

I use the same approach with my personal life.  It helps me stay balanced and give energy to what's important in my life.

I decided to to share an example, so here's what's on tap for September....

• 
  
  Solve the water issue in the basement (the joys of home ownership!)
• Do a detox (this is so important for your health plus a great idea to do seasonally. I'm kicking it up a notch this time)
• Plan a Chick Flick Night with my girl friends to see "Eat Pray Love"  (girlfriend time is key)
• Find & register for a class to take this fall - so far I have my eye on Italian Cooking or Wine & Cheese Pairings  (I'm always up for learning new stuff)
• Volunteer at the Soup Kitchen  (giving back is important to me, so I always make time for it)
• Visit my nephew in NJ (oh, and my brother & sister-in-law too)
• Play golf with my hubby (gotta have those dates!) 
• Entertain (this is something I love to do and a great way to stay connected; last month it was a big bash, this month a small family get together)
• Get a massage  (I used to think this was a luxury, but there are many affordable options - look for deals on Local Ginger, Living Social and Spa Finder Deal Days, plus the CT School of Massage offers a very low priced massage to give students practice time - but trust me you'll still reap the benefits)
• Clean out my dresser & chest of drawers  (I'm on a kick to purge and clean out)
• Participate in a Reiki Share (I love giving, &a getting, a session every month; energy is powerful)
• Plan something nice for my mom's birthday (ssshh)  (need I elaborate on this one?)

Of course, just like entrepreneurial life, it's important to make a plan and be flexible enough to change the plan when necessary. 

Finally, create a way to be accountable.  I have Mastermind partners that keep me accountable in my business.  For my personal goals, well, I've just posted them here, I'd say that's definitely putting it out there! I'll be sure to let you know how I do.


So, to recap here's how to get 'entrepreneurial' with your life:

• Plan
• Keep the plan balanced and varied
• Be flexible enough to change it if necessary
• Find a way to be held accountable

Now it's your turn. Create accountability by sending me your ideas for the coming month!

Now it's off to meet with the Roto Rooter man to work on item #1.

Making a difference for good

I received the quote below in an email newsletter and it echoes a sentiment I truly believe.

It is not by accident that the happiest people are those who make a conscious effort to live useful lives. Their happiness, of course, is not a shallow exhilaration where life is one continuous intoxicating party.

Rather, their happiness is a deep sense of inner peace that comes when they believe their lives have meaning and that they are making a difference for good in the world.
- Ernest A. Fitzgerald


It also happened to fit with my day today. Today' was Soup Kitchen Day and I spent time at the  Norwalk Emergency Shelter  volunteering at the Soup Kitchen along with some ladies from my church, my mom and friend/customers Sandra. I've been going there for about nine years and really can say I feel like I've seen it all there!

There have been plenty of heartbreaking scenes and stories, and even though I know they'll never be reading my blog, out of respect, I won't share them. But there have been lots of laughs as well. The real message though, is that as much as I think I'm making a difference for good in the world, I get a lot back in return.

Each time I leave there grateful for the blessings in my life and hopeful that I've contributed something positive to the world.

How will you make a difference for good today?

Authentic Friendship

The last time my friend Beth and I got together was at her wedding three years ago. Before that it was another four years prior at my wedding.

Our friendship now spans 40 years. We've evolved through Barbies, bras, report cards, mortgages, recitals and career changes. During the course of our friendship I think we've lived in a combined total of eight states.

We met recently for lunch, margaritas and shopping when she drove down from LA to meet me while I was vacationing in San Diego. We picked right up where we left off.

We always do.

That is one sure fire sign of an authentic friendship. In catching up, the conversation is immediately real. We do not try to paint a perfect picture of our lives. We do not give all glowing reports about how wonderful everything is, like a Norman Rockwell Christmas letter (you know the ones!). 

We don't need to, because we know better.

Sometimes people put so much energy into projecting a particular image, they may miss out on an truly authentic relationship, conversation or moment.

I am grateful for true friendship and I know authentic friendship, like I share with Beth, is a gift.

It is good to be reminded of this, and so when we said good-bye, we agreed not to let another three years pass.

Change of plans & taking a break

I'm getting ready to head to the West Coast for some fun, so I definitely have play time on the brain right now.

I also had the rest of August pretty well mapped out, but had a big unexpected change in plans.


As the saying goes the best laid plans...


And now I have to be open & flexible to a change in plans for now (ooh, how I hate that!)


So, other than work, I'm faced with a fairly blank slate for a change. Rather than be frustrated (ok, I'm a little frustrated). I decided to embrace the change to take a break, maybe even play a little more.


In writing this I googled Taking a Break (actually I was just looking for a photo to use for this post, but nevertheless...) What did we ever do before Google?

I came up with this information on About.com .

Ten Tips for Taking a Break from Life

If you feel like you can hardly remember the last time you took a break, check the following ten tips to taking a break from life, reality and yourself. You are guaranteed to start to feel rejuvenated, revitalized and ready to take a real break sometime soon.

1. Make a shopping trip especially for something new to wear which is bright, colorful and just perfect for breaks and vacations. Then leave right away and enjoy your purchase.
   
   
2. Take a break from skipping lunch at work and making do with eating fast food. Instead, eat something simple, colorful, fun, exotic or with wild flavors and textures. Enjoy!
   
   
3. Take one day out of your life and vow not to say a single word. Relax, enjoy the peace and silence.
   
   
4. Take a break from routine. Drive to work a different way. Break your usual daily habits. Expect the very best all day and be ready for the unexpected.
   
   
5. Dream a dream of your perfect break or vacation. Promise to put a little money aside regularly to make it happen. You'll be amazed of how easy and painless it is to do.
   
   
6. Take a break from life as you know it by sitting down and being still for ten minutes. Close your eyes and relax. Let your thoughts come and go. Focus on your breathing. Allow your body to relax and your mind soar.
   
   
7. Take a break from the image that you have of yourself and the image that you project. Just let yourself be whoever you feel like being in the moment. Give yourself permission to be you.
   
   
8. Make a regular practice of stopping whatever you are doing and checking in with yourself to feel how, who and where you are in the moment.
   
   
9. Take a break from reality. Look at a simple object, a flower, a tree, or a building. Imagine you are looking at it as if for the very first time.
   
   
10. Take a break from barriers and boundaries. Do something you did not know you could. Overcome your fear and amaze yourself.

It gave me some good ideas and challenged me to come up with some of my own. While I'll still be working, I've decided not to work quite so much during the rest of August, and play a little bit more. Now I'm looking for some creative ideas and maybe some company too.


Anyone up for a play date?

No regrets: An anniversary & inspiring video

This past Saturday, July 31s,t marked eight years since my departure from corporate America. I traded heels, a good benefits package and cubicles for the unpredictable challenging entrepreneurial life.

I can't say it's always been the easiest road, but it was definitely a leap of faith. Single at the time, with a Fairfield County size mortgage, I made the choice to follow my passion.

Why?

I choose to live with no regrets.

My story was featured in Sixteen Weeks to Your Dream Business (McGraw Hill) and I am still proud of my choice.




What choice can you make to ensure you live without regret? It doesn't have to be a dramatic change, and it certainly doesn't mean a job change or giving up a really nice salary (unless that's what you want). But it should be a choice that never once leaves you pondering the question why didn't I ?

And if you need a little extra inspiration, this woman says it best.

We are what we think

We are what we think; as we desire so do we become! By our thoughts, desires, and habits, we either ascend to the full divine dignity of our nature, or we descend to suffer and learn. - J. Todd Ferrier

It used to be you are what you eat, right? Well that's still pretty true too.

I wanted to share this powerful quote, because it was a needed reminder to me to choose my thoughts carefully.

Last week I had a challenging experience, probably one of the tougher ones I've had to face. And it's been dominating my thoughts for days.

Then I read this quote popped into my in-box and I decided to focus on what I wanted to be this week. And I can assure you it wasn't someone who was stressed and losing sleep!

If I am what I think and if that shapes who I will BE...then what do I want to be this week:

• A supportive friend who listens
  
• An instructor who teaches four awesome classes this week
• A volunteer at the Soup Kitchen donating time & lots of energy
• A manager who gives positive feedback to the people around me
  
• A person who is healing (and thus getting a massage this week for those stubborn injuries!)
• A great date for my hubby to Tressa's wedding (including not forcing him to dance -- too much)

"....as we desire so do we become! "



What do you want to be this week?

Running Through Sprinklers

(Written last Thurs. 7/14)

I am sitting at a playground in New York City on 70th Street as I write this. It's a hot day and kids are splashing through the sprinklers with abandon.





Can you even remember when you moved so freely, so at home in your body, so uninhibited?

As I watch I am wondering when the turning point occurs. When do we become self-conscious, ashamed of our bodies, critical and judgemental?


Maybe there's a lesson to be learned form them. Sometimes you need to embrace what you've got and let loose. Channel the self who used to charge confidently onto the Slip & Slide (come on, you remember those days, don't ya?). Go back to the time when you cared more about what you were doing (riding your bike, cannon-balling into the pool, racing after the kick ball), rather than what you looked like doing it.


Go back to a time before you counted carbs, tracked your heart rate, and analyzed and agonized over your thighs, butt, or whatever!


Remember when you embraced movement AND your body, for the pure JOY of it!


Now go find a sprinkler to run through!

PS I really would have run through this one if I wasn't on my way to a play at Lincoln Center. No, really I would have!

10 Reasons to be Optimistic Right Now!

There are PLENTY of reasons to see the glass half full. Better yet, why not see it overflowing! Check out this article from Ali Brown for 10 Reasons to be Optimistic Right Now.

Click below to read more:

10 Reasons to be Optimistic Right Now!

Have yourself a little dance party

I am fortunate to work in an environment where cranking the music and getting my groove on is actually part of the job. Obviously that's not going to fly in every workplace, so you may have to try this challenge at home.


It's simple. Turn on the music and let go. No other preparation is required. Your dance party can be as short or as long as you like. Most pop songs are about 3 1/2 minutes so don't even think about making the excuse that you are too busy.


Involve your kids, get your husband to shake his hips or make it a solo act, it doesn't matter.


This blog was inspired by this video from this amazing individual who isn't making excuses or accepting limitations.

Now it's YOUR turn. Put on the music and DANCE!



K



PS I want to hear about it! What song did you use? How did you feel afterward? Did you dance solo or with others? And most importantly, when's your next dance party?

Even your Blackberry gets to recharge....

Or in my case my iPhone.

I made a last minute decision Monday night to take two days off to head up to one of my favorite spots, Kirpalu in the Berkshires, for a little R&R. Since I work on Saturdays and most holidays, it's very rare to have two full consecutive days off. Now I see why weekends were invented!

For me recharging meant unplugging from email, voice mail, & the internet (though I confess to some texting).

Here were some of the highlights which I think are key to fully recharge:

• Exploring movement - Because I'm recovering from an injury some of my usual activities like kayaking and biking were off limits. So for movement I took some wonderful Gentle Yoga classes and went on a nice walk. It was a nice change of pace to my usual workouts
  
• Getting a good nights' sleep - I actually got a full 8 hrs! I don't remember the last time that happened, but wow it feels great!
• Finding the Silence - I attended a meditation session which reminded me how such a simple practice can be so powerful
• Enjoying fabulous healthy meals - I even finally bought their cookbook after years of leafing through it in the Gift Shop. Now I hope to bring a little of the Kirpalu kitchen into my own.
• Making a connection - I made an interesting new acquaintance (my husband says I can make friends anywhere, even during the Kirpalu silent breakfast!), and we had a wonderful conversation. We initially chatted about the World Cup (he's a former professional soccer player), but as the conversation evolved I was reminded that everyone has a story to tell if you really listen, and often it is the exact message you need at the time.

Movement, sleep, silence, nourishment & connection....a perfect recipe for recharging. Mix in the beauty of the Berkshires and you've got a feast that will have you wanting a second helping!
Namaste!

Invest wisely

If you don't spend your time, others will spend it for you. Or better still, if you don't invest your time, others will invest it for you.

Do you want someone other than yourself investing your precious time?

No, I didn't think so!

I challenge you to think about five things that are important to you and then look at how you are spending the next four days - Thursday through Sunday. This way you get some weekday & some weekend time. I'm sure there are more than important things in your life, and maybe those things change from time to time. But are you investing your time in what you believe to be most important?

What are you doing related to those five priorities?

Are you investing well?

I'll go first. Here are five things that are essential in my life and how I'm investing my time over the next four days:


1. Faith - going to mass on Sunday morning with my family.


2. Family - hosting a Sweet 16 party for my stepdaughter & immediate family on Sunday


3. Friends - spending Thursday evening with one of my best pals, Melissa, who is in town for a visit.

4. Self care - participating in a Reiki share on Saturday. I'm actually going to be giving & receiving Reiki at this event so not only is it a beautiful way to take care of myself by receiving a treatment, but I can also give back as well since Community Service and giving back is also on my list (but I promised we'd only work on our top five). This also supports another priority of mine Health because this energy work is very healing and the event takes place at The Bloodroot, an excellent vegetarian restaurant, so there will be a delicious healthy lunch as well. See how one choice can support many priorities? But I did say five, didn't I?


5. Business - exhibiting at a corporate Health Fair on Thursday and then spending a full day of working on business strategy with a fellow biz owner on Friday. We're heading up to the Mercy Retreat Center in Madison so we can really focus. Not only will I be brainstorming on how to help my business to flourish, I'll be spending time with a good friend and we'll be making it fun as well (sunscreen, bathing suits and wine will be packed and ready to go).

Now it's your turn. What investments will you be making in the next four days and how to they support your priorities? Feel free to share all five or please share at least one and spread the inspiration!

A Father's Day reflection

My dad, Thomas V. Hallett, was definitely an energetic, make things happen kind of guy. Although he died suddenly just days after his 52nd birthday, his legacy is always with me.



He is my daily reminder of the "life is short" cliche which shapes my choices and actions. His example encourages me to ask myself often what kind of person do I want to be? How do I want to be remembered? What kind of contribution do I want to make in this world?



Business Insurance magazine ran a wonderful story/obituary following his death.



In honor of Father's Day, I thought I'd share the following excerpt from that article which ran in March, 1993:



"Tom was a bundle of energy," [a friend & colleague] said. "He was an instigator, and was always provocative and always a joy to be around. " "He really felt that he wanted to be a success in life and in business," [observed another friend & colleague] "He was relentless in touching all bases and doing everything possible to make things happen. He was a real inspiration."




So today, be a joy to be around and honor your father.



Miss you and love you dad!

It’s mid-year 2010. Do you know where your intention is??

I'm excited to introduce the inspiring Lorin Beller Blake founder of Big Fish Nation our guest blogger today. Lorin is about getting it done! She is author of From Entrepreneur to Big Fish: 7 Principles to Wild Success. I had the fantastic experience of participating in one of her Big Fish programs.

Since I'm a big advocate of setting intentions and creating accountability, I really wanted to share Lorin's Twitter Party concept with you. You can follow Lorin on Twitter at LorinB or follow me at khrzasa!

Looking forward to hearing your intentions and to begin setting some of my own.

Take it away Lorin.......

It’s mid-year 2010. Do you know where your intention is??

Intention is the tone we set and keep as we carry out everything we do (business, personal, or something inbetween), or simply what we want (or intend) to accomplish or complete.

Although it’s not difficult to set an intention, it is sometimes challenging to remember on our own to set an intention every day.

So in March of this year, we launched the Big Fish Twitter Party – a virtual shared “intention journal” for us to each post our DAILY intention.

It’s time to re-energize that party, so this blog post is your invitation (or re-invitation) to join this intention-setting movement. Note: Everyone is welcome, this is not exclusive to Big Fish Nation members!

Here is how it works: You just tweet your intention for the day, and at the end of your intention, be sure to add the hashtag #BigFishIntention. (See recent blog post for more details).

Why do this??

1. FOCUS: Setting our intentions DAILY requires us to clarify our priorities and our focus each day, and writing them down makes them even more powerful. Twitter is the perfect tool for this, keeping our intentions short and to-the-point.
2. ACCOUNTABILITY: Sharing our intentions adds accountability to each day. A quick Twitter search on “#BigFishIntention” shows each person’s tweeted intention for the day, so others can see and support your intention. Accountability is a strong business tool, so let’s add it to our intentions!
3. CONNECTION: The more we tap into our network of resources (see recent blog post), the richer our businesses can grow – literally and figuratively! When others tweet their intentions, we get insight into what is valuable to them and their business. This is important information for making powerful connections, and we find new people to follow on Twitter.
4. INSPIRATION: We all need inspiration to keep moving forward. Sharing our daily intentions gives each of us new ideas for motivation and inspiration, and even new approaches for handling practical issues.
5. EXPERIENCE: Each of us who tweets an intention with the #BigFishNation hashtag is a member of the (unofficial) Daily Intention Tribe. As I said in last week’s blog post, tribal membership and leadership need to become part of everyone’s business toolkit, and this is a perfect “practice tribe” for you. Do you want to lead? Lead by example then encourage others to also post their intentions.

If you’re not using Twitter, you can still participate in any of the following ways:

1. Join Twitter: It’s free — just sign up at http://www.twitter.com), and you can immediately tweet today’s intention.
2. Start your own Intention Tribe on Facebook: Post a status update telling people your intention for the day and asking “What is yours?” You can do this *any* day!
3. Start your own Intention Tribe via email: Ask people in your valued network to email their intention to each other daily. Most of us have overflowing email IN boxes, however, so I recommend keeping this email tribe to just a few members. Even just one other person can make a big difference in accountability!
4. Create your own solution: What other ways can you think of to effectively and efficiently share daily intentions?

I have a challenge for each of us today: to set today’s intention to begin or renew the practice of setting and sharing our daily intention. I hope to see you online!

Write Your Way to Weight Loss

You’ve tried it all before - counted calories, joined a weight-loss group, and exercised until you could hardly walk. And even if you succeed in dropping a couple of inches, the pounds seem to come back faster than they left.

Does anything really work? According to study results from Kaiser Permanente Center for Health Research, keeping a food diary is the best predictor of actual weight loss. A food diary is a written log of all the food that you intake each day. The diary can give you insight into your eating patterns. But, it only works if you stick to a few specific guidelines.

Judi Sheppard Missett, founder and CEO of Jazzercise, Inc., offers these suggestions for keeping a food diary.

• Log everything. That’s right. Record everything that you eat – from the handful of peanut M&Ms off your co-workers desk to the three bites of macaroni & cheese you eat from your kids’ plates. If you don’t have paper handy, then scratch it out on a napkin. When you actually see every morsel that you’ve eaten recorded on a page, you may be surprised at the volume of food you’ve ingested in a given day.

• Keep track of the details. Write down the time you ate, the food that you consumed, the location where you ate (i.e. – your car, your desk at work), and your feelings. Logging your feelings can be a helpful tool. You may find that you reach for crunchy snacks when you’re stressed or creamy treats when you’re sad. Then, you can determine some alternate ways to cope with these emotions that don’t involve food.

• Stick with it. Keep your food journal for a minimum of three consecutive days. Include at least one weekend day in your food journal, as your weekend habits may be vastly different from workdays. After these few days, you may begin to notice patterns. From there, you may wish to continue your food journal until you’ve reached your goal weight.

• Be proactive. Once you’ve noticed patterns in your food diary, take some proactive steps. If you find that you constantly celebrate with food, then choose another way to reward yourself for your next success, such as a manicure or massage. If you notice that you eat from the vending machine between 2 – 4 p.m., then toss some nuts and dried fruits into a desk drawer for your mid-afternoon slump.

• Write it down first. Once you’ve had some success with keeping your food diary, you may want to step-up your tactics to another level. The next time you’re tempted to reach for a pint of Ben & Jerry’s, grab your notebook and pen instead. Commit to five minutes of writing down your feelings. During the course of writing, you may be able to identify some emotions – anxiety, guilt, sadness, or even hunger. After the five minutes is up, if you’re still craving Chunky Monkey, then go ahead and have a reasonable portion. But, in many cases, you may just save yourself from mindlessly ingesting 500-plus calories.

This post is compliments of Jazzercise, Inc.

Project :Touch Your Toes

When was the last time you touched your toes?

We all know flexibility declines with age, and if you spend a lot of time in front of the computer, your hips and psoas muscles (which connect your lower back to the front of your hip bones ) and hip flexors get tight. In addition to flexibility, posture becomes compromised.

For many of us, touching our toes has become further out of reach. So, inspired by my yoga classes, as well as a few recent articles I've read recently, I've decided to call this month's Fitness Challenge Project: Touch Your Toes!

Every day for 30 days we challenge you to do these 3 stretches.

Downward Dog Get onto all fours, hands, shoulder-width apart, knees under hips. Press down through your hands and lift your butt until feet are flat on the floor. Keep knees slightly bent. Hold for 30 seconds.

Supine Stretch Lie on your back with left knee bent, foot on the floor. Bend your right leg in and pull towards you. Extending the right leg and flexing your foot. Hold for 30 seconds. Repeat on other side.

Standing Stretch Bend at the waist, knees soft. Alternating legs, contract your quadriceps muscle (down the front of your thigh) and you’ll feel a stretch in the back of your thigh. Hold for 30 seconds.

You'll be touching your toes in no time!

Not sure what the moves look like? Check out our Fitness Flick.

Jessica's "Daily Affirmation" & my choice today

I saw this quote on someone's Facebook status today.

"Worry does not empty tomorrow of sorrow - it empties today of strength. "

No credit as to whom originally said it, but I like it and it fits my mood this week.

In the same vein, I've noticed that "no worries" is a popular response these day. I hear it said and written often and I like it. I think it's a step up from the "Don't Worry, Be Happy" phase of the late '80's.

It's been a challenging week or two, all things without of my control. And I've decided to find more strength and less worry in both the quote and this adorable video which has been flying around the web for weeks - "Jessica's Daily Affirmation." Definitely worth 49 seconds to watch it.

Today I'm choosing, like Jessica, to put my energy into strength rather than worry, to positivity rather than 'what ifs'. I'm even going to steal her line about liking her hair, cause I actually am having a good hair day.

What are you choosing today?

Take a moment to say it

Yesterday I was corresponding with a Jazzercise colleague whom I have always respected. She's a top notch professional and is great at what she does. I had gotten the info I needed and thought about writing a last email just letting her know what a good job she does. Then I thought, nah, she knows she's good. She probably gets hundreds of emails a day and why needlessly fill her in box?

On second thought, why not?

It took me all of one minute (maybe less) to write a quick one liner to let her know that I appreciate and admire her.

Well she took a minute to reply:

"Awe......thank you so much. That really means a lot to me to hear that from my peers! You made my day "

Now I'm very glad that I made the small effort.

And 'they' always say - what goes around comes around........later in the day I received a private Facebook message from a fellow owner who wrote:

"Some day I hope to be established like you! : ) "

Now that made MY day! So I guess 'they're' right!

Take a moment to say it today!

National Fitness Month 30 Day Challenge

Take our 30 Day Fitness Challenge!

We dare you....


Thanks to Jazzercise customers Mirella, Rachel, Lori & our camera woman - Beth! This is our first Fitness Flick and we did it in one take!

Blog thoughts on the bike

Last weekend I rode in the Five Boro Bike Tour for the second time, and once again it was truly an amazing experience. It was also a good reminder of a few important lessons I sometimes overlook.




1) We can really surprise ourselves. - We make things much harder in our mind and often we can do much more than we think .

It's been two years since I've done this ride, which obviously makes me two years older! And I've been on my bike probably a total of two hours since that last ride. Not exactly what you'd describe as sufficient preparation. Since I was able to complete it last time (including riding the bridges - the biggest hurdle), I decided to be easy on myself this year. I figured I'd proven I could do it and this year I'd have no qualms about dismounting and walking the bridges if necessary. But guess what? It was much easier and I really sailed through this year.

Had I built it up too much in my mind? Maybe, but it was a good reminder to believe in my own abilities.

2) Enjoy the ride and take in the sights. We've all been told to take time to smell the flowers, yada, yada, yada. And these days we don't feel the experience counts unless we've put it on Twitter or captured the photos for Facebook. However, when you're riding a bike among 32,000 people, you really have to be in the moment.

In the first hour I saw many sights which I'd have liked to take pictures of - the Gospel choir on the street corner in Harlem, the family on a bicycle built for three, the man with a blow up doll in the kiddie seat behind him (ok, that was just plain weird), the double amputee pedaling his recumbent bike with his arms.

And while I'd love to have captured the moments with photos, I had to keep my hands on the handlebars and simply enjoy the experiences.

3) .Ask yourself what else you're capable of. I got to thinking about how many other cool experiences are out there waiting for me. Maybe it's another physical challenge, but maybe it's stretching the boundaries in other ways. How can I make choices and create experiences to enrich my life so that I life it to the fullest?

Well that question will have to be answered in another blog post, but as you might suspect, I am cooking up a fun new challenge with a friend. Stay tuned.

Don't wait for a rainy day....

I was happy to have a rainy Sunday this weekend to regroup. When my schedule gets too busy, I like to clear off a day to just BE and it helps if it's a rainy day.


So I spent a perfect Sunday leaving the house only to go to church. Then it was a day full of relaxing, cooking, puttering, and watching a French film. I'm much better with subtitles in the afternoon!


I also had a chance to browse through my growing stack of magazines. One of my favorite parts of"O" magazine is Oprah's column "What I Know for Sure." In April's issue she talks about how our relationships with others reflect your relationship with ourselves.


How right she is! In order for our relationships to flourish we really have to care for ourselves, yet so often caring for ourselves is viewed as selfish or followed by guilt.


I think she sums it up with this: "The key to meaningful connections with the people in your life is making yourself whole by honoring your body, mind, and spirit - filling the voids that cause you not to love yourself. You can't give love if you don't have it. And you can't receive (or even perceive) it because you won't recognize it when it shows up. You've got to care for yourself in order to be able to care for others. "


Oprah, I couldn't agree with you more! And this time I won't wait for a rainy day to do just that.

What's your excuse?

In the fitness industry we hear a lot of excuses as to why people don't exercise. I know how it is. I've made my own share of excuses when something I want to achieve seems too difficult or daunting.

Do you frequently use excuses to get yourself out of doing what it takes to reach your goals?

Any of these sound familiar?

“I don’t have time.”
“I don’t like to sweat.”
"I have kids with busy schedules."
“I feel claustrophobic when I’m out of breath.”
“The rest of my family would never eat that.”
“Then I’d have to shower before I go to work.”
“I have to travel a lot in my line of work.”
“My shins hurt when I do that.”
“I have asthma.”
“I get a rash when I do that.”
“Then what do I do with all those sweaty clothes?”
“I’ll start Monday.”
“I’ll start the first of the year.”
"I have bad knees."
“I’ll focus on that next year.”

Lots of people talk about making a change. But when it comes right down to doing the hard work or making the tough decisions, they prefer to offer excuses as to why they continue living their lives just as they are.

This applies to any life changes, not just your health.

I know for me it comes up sometimes in business. For example, prior to opening the Jazzercise Fitness Center, I operated out of a church hall. A commercial space was out of my price range. Fairfield County prices were just unattainable. There's a small profit margin in this industry. Get the picture. I had a long list. AND I might add, all true statements, right?

BUT I realized (with the help of a fabulous biz coach) that I was a victim of my own excuses. I would never find a space if I continued to operate with this mindset and let the excuses take the forefront.

Whether it's making a career change, a relationship change, or changes in your health habits don’t be a victim of your own excuses. If you keep doing what you've always done, you'll keep getting what you've always gotten!

We've all heard the famous quote "Insanity is doing the same thing and expecting different results." It just isn't going to happen.

So ditch the excuse and make the change.

Prepare your body

I've registered for the Five Boro Bike Tour (my 2nd time) and today I got an email letting me know that it's only 24 days away.

YIKES!

Now I exercise most days of the week, so I should get too worried, right? The last time I did this race - oops, sorry Joe, I mean TOUR, I had not been on my bike for probably a decade. And I didn't train. I just showed up.

But isn't showing up half the battle sometimes?

With record breaking temperatures this week, we are thinking summer. Maybe you've already unpacked the shorts and are eyeing the bathing suit.

Beautiful weather can inspire you to get out and get moving. So whether you're embarking on a 42 mile bike tour without training, or simply committing to a new exercise routine, there are a few things you need to think about to prepare your body. That was the theme of one of the Five Boro emails sent weeks ago which I hadn't bothered to open until now. These tips were loosely inspired by that email....

If you're new to the world of exercise, start at the beginning. Everyone needs to start somewhere. So dust off your bike helmet, or sign up for a Jazzercise membership, or call a friend to go for a walk (better yet - do all of the above!) A varied workout routine is more likely to keep you interested and on track.

Make a date with yourself to exercise. Check off 60 of those required activity minutes by making a plan. Your schedule will always be full, there will always be laundry in the basket, and there's always going to be some excuse not to do it.

Step it up a notch. Once you're on a roll and exercise has become a habit, keep it fresh. Try new classes, use heavier weights, or give yourself a challenge - like riding 42 miles!

Start small, start now and prepare your body -- not for bathing suit season, not for summer weather, but for LIFE!

Here's Team Checkered Flag at the Five Boro in '08.

Go team!!

Easter Blessings......

You're never too old to color eggs

After a glorious Easter of mass, conversation, family and chocolate (and some delicious deviled eggs), I am curled up reading Mitch Albom's "Have A Little Faith." This is purely accidental. It's not by design that I've been reading a book about faith during Holy Week. In fact, from the stack of library books I took out recently I could have just as easily been reading the "Fudge Cupcake Murder."

At some point midway in the book, Mitch asks his Rabbi about the secret of happiness and the following conversation ensues:


"Be satisfied."
That's it?
"Be grateful."
That's it?
"For what you have. For the love you receive. And for what God has given you."
That's it?
He looked me in the eye. Then he sighed deeply.
"That's it."

So as Easter winds down, I ask that you think about what God has given you and all of the love you have received. And be satisfied and grateful.

I know I am.

Feel the difference

This thought comes from a favorite blog beU. Bookmark it and check in when you need a dose of inspiration. What I really love is their pledge:

the be pledge

I WILL be more, do less

I WILL be and let be

I WILL be who I am

I WILL become what I want

I WILL begin inside

So now that work is done for the day, laundry is spinning, kitchen is clean, I think I will just BE. Maybe read, maybe not. Maybe just let the words of pledge above seep a little deeper into my consciousness and remind myself that I am enough, and that no matter what swirls around me, I will begin inside.

Go ahead and just BE.

I dare you.

Begin again.

These days people are working harder than ever, but often are still struggling. This tends to breed a lot of frustration and complaining. Have you ever noticed that people have a tendency to "bond" by complaining to each other about all of the bad things happening to them. I often experienced that when I worked in Corporate America. It was just easier to commiserate and complain about the company than to look for the good.

For me however, focusing on the negative has a tendency to bring my mood down even further. When you are around this type of "glass half empty" person, does it make you feel better or worse after listening to a litany of complaints? Negative tends to attract negative.

My challenge to you for this month is to observe how often you complain. I've tried to be more aware of this during the season of Lent (and we're halfway through, so far so good!). It definitely helps me to make that attitude adjustment more quickly. A complaint can be something simple, such as "Ugh, my back is hurting again, " or "I really hate my job." I read recently (can't remember where) that instead of focusing on the negative energy created by the complaint, try to "begin again." In other words, try to find a solution to the problem instead of wallowing in the negative mood state.

So, if your back is hurting, you may want to say to yourself, "Hmm, I'd better get back to yoga class because that really helped last time." Or, "Maybe I should polish up my resume and look for a better option."

Sometimes, we complain because we feel powerless to change a situation. I believe that there is always a way to change a situation or at least change our attitude towards it.

When you do this exercise, don't be surprised if you find out that YOU are looking at the glass half empty at times.

That's ok--just "begin again!"

K

PS A great website for encouragement on learning how NOT to be a complainer is www.acomplaintfreeworld.org