When plans go awry!

I have to keep telling myself that it's necessary to follow the river. Bend as it bends. Just know that rigidity won't work in this like of business. My daughter was sick today and so everything was thrown off. My workout got done late; my cooking and meal prep was delayed and a bit sloppy. 

I think one of the coolest things that came out of today was the fact I formed a new team with some coaches I have not worked with before. It was simply for a fun, internal competition. I thought to myself it might be really rewarding to be with new people, and I was inspired by their excitement. 

Then I got a little juju with a surprise enrollment for a trip to the Dominican Republic, with a colleague in my organization - something I'm very much looking forward to. I was fairly certain the trip was not gonna happen - be sold out. 

A wonderful message from a client of mine came next, sharing with me how she lost 9 lbs in one week using her new plan. I always get the most excited when someone who is NOT a newcomer decides to try again and makes major progress. It's wonderful to see! 

But I think the highlight of the evening was getting in touch again with the reason I started this whole journey. It happened by accident - I was just texting with a friend about why I do this. He said something to the effect of he can see my 'reason' and why it's so real. I appreciated those words. And it made me reflect on the bottom line of my work as a coach: 

"...And I met all these great clients. People from all over the country .... Nice .. Really great people, when you see them change it's like a ripple effect. Their families get better ... And so forth...My parents taught me you have to do those things for people ... Make a difference. That's why I do it. I want to see people be the best they can be.  Live 'in motion' .. Be in motion and just enjoy what is left of their life ... If I can 'extend ' their lives even by a few years and make it good for them, then it will have been worth while..." 

Somehow in chatting with my friend, I had a good reminder of why it matters. 

~Jedi

Allergies and Life

For those of you who follow me on Facebook you know I took my daughter to the allergist today. Like me she is growing up with allergies. Not the asthma thank goodness, but she's similar in that she's got mold, dust. She also has dust mites and birch trees and mild milk and dog allergies. Not so great given we have a dog! 

It's hard seeing your kid go thorough this. She has flare ups of her eczema and it pains me to see her scratching . Then she's dealing with the onset of a mild stutter. Sigh. Sometimes you just can't outrun family history. 

I grew up with asthma, allergies to pollen, dust, mold and tree nuts. Fortunately I overcame the tree nut allergy, dust and pollen we hit with allergy shot treatments in elementary, but mold is still my enemy. 

I remember my Mom putting me in the shower to allow the steam to open my lungs, holding my hands up above my head as my doctor taught me, to help with air flow, carrying my inhaler in gym class, and Theodore 300 that she would crack in half. 

Then the joys of allergy shots every week. The doctor let my mom administer them herself since she had been a lab tech in a hospital. I hated Wednesdays for this reason; the humiliation of your own mother giving you a shot. It added to my list of f***-up-ed-ness. Freaky tall, stutter, allergies, asthma, skin scars from growing too fast. You know what I'm talking about -- the little things. 

My goal this time around is to model life a little different for her. To help her see that burdens and obstacles don't have to define you. I have to do more than just say 'oh stop scratching.' I have to get her to see she can be strong and learn to take punches as they come with rationaility- to know she is more than just her outside skin. Her being is what is so beautiful. At least I am relieved to know we have a remedy on the horizon and we know what to look out for specifically now. Still as a Mom I want to wrap her up in my arms and tell her all will be ok. And you know what? It will . 

~Jedi 

Trust

Today I was blown away by something which could have easily been overlooked I suspect. A client of mine who is not new at all, in fact she's been with me for about 8 months or so decided to get back on track. We had been talking all along as I always thought of her, but didn't want to be all over her case. I care about her so much, if she only knew how much I wanted her to succeed... So she finally said she had just had enough and needed to try again. We reviewed balanced eating, and I checked her meal plans for tomorrow; she bounced some ideas off me. I'm really excited for her - the thought of making it happen , taking action and hoping again. She even said she was looking forward to the exercises tomorrow morning. 

But what really struck a cord was when she mentioned that she had never disclosed her measurements to anyone not even her own mother. Think about that. The kind of trust and commitment to confide what's most 'secret' to you. I get it. I do. She's likely feeling disappointed in her current progress, but she's turning it around today. I felt touched but maybe even a little awkward that someone would entrust me with that. These are sacred things, you handle with great care. I just wished her the best and hid the measurements in a notepad  in code. But it was what made my day today knowing she is trying again. I appreciate her trust to give me that gift 

Jedi 

Super Saturday tomorrow with Anny

Super Saturday tomorrow! Can't wait to share this with Anny my eldest daughter . 

She's one of my biggest supporters of my career change to coaching. Let's see what the day brings! 

~Jedi 

Cursed Cardio Day

It was almost about 7:00 I think and I still hadn't exercised. As you know that is so not like me. Jedi is usually up and all done with that sort of thing by 6:00am, so to be getting it in that late was so weird for me. My daughter wasn't feeling so great from her eczema - the poor thing has these flare ups . Then I got to thinking : flex your entrepreneurial muscle today . It's your earned right to just keep her home if she's not up to going into pre-K. It'd be one thing if she were in the older grades, but not this little munchkin . I felt really bad for her; and it was so nice, I must admit, to just snuggle under the blankets on the sofa and watch a movie with her. I waited 11 years to be able to do this with one of my girls: not have to send them in to school sick or have to scramble at the last minute to see if a friend or someone could help out, most of the time changing my schedule was not gonna work, or I'd lose the money and could never afford to take the risk. 

I am very grateful that I can at any moment make that choice. Well today I did and it was a reflection on my decision last year to truly focus all my energy on wellness (myself and others), that I made the right choice. The road less traveled can often be lonely. You make others uncomfortable when you suddenly disrupt the norm, everyone begins to question themselves and what 'they' are doing; your decision causes self-reflection in others - like holding a mirror to their own faces, and typically they do NOT like what they see. They want you to just stop all that shit and go back to the status quo, no rocking, no molecule disrupting, haha. But it doesn't work that way, does it? You're not going to compromise your values and your dreams so that others don't have to get uncomfortable. 

Today I discovered through a value conversation with my partner that we actually diverge in our dreams and belief systems. It will be a lonely road for me, as I had hoped my vision would create teamwork , but that is not to be after all. I can accept it but I'm not happy about it. Still I'd chose reality any day of the week over kicking a tire, which is what I seem to be doing lately. 

After finally getting in my workout belfry 8:00pm -- phew I hate exercising at night . I don't know how people can do that! I will definitely avoid this again. The excuse to tend to Regina, my mother's namesake, my last princess was worth it.  Can I still say I cursed out Autumn several times. I think the girls heard me, lol. 

Until tomorrow then ! 

Jedi 

CIZE of your confidence

So here I am preparing for my new group fitness class in dance: CIZE

It starts next Monday. I know my heart is in it, I feel great when I'm in the middle of doing it, and my mission to help others slim down and gain confidence is always foremost in my mind. With that, I feel less nervous. Anytime you lead with goodness and honesty, you can't go wrong. There's a place for you. There is success and care coming your way because your intentions are based in love and concern. 

Like anyone, I've got those first-time jitters. Wondering will the equipment fail (like my Mac blows up, I forget some rhythm) I guess any of those things could happen, but I'll try to stack the deck against that of course! 

It's funny to remember Shaun T is July, muscular and such a 'large' presence in that auditorium teaching us...class #1...

What a terrific momento to put in your scrap book. Shaun T, so humble and sincere. You want to just reach out and hug the guy - his heart is so big. I remember the music, the original choreography from that day, our breakout groups, people in my class, my assistants...

I'm laughing still because seriously if someone had said to me: "Julie, a year from now you will not be sitting in your corporate office, you will be launching a class, and you will be leading others in a healthy lifestyle .." I don't know. Would I have thought they were on crack? Perhaps! Yea. 

It's been a year of growth in confidence for me. I've overcome so much too. Not that everyday isn't a struggle; my weakness is always my family and my intimate relationships. Somehow I can lead in so many other areas yet get all snared in the love twist. I guess that's the part I am still trying to unearth and refine. 

Always a work in progress. 

Memory Board & My Single Days

Tonight I posted about a board I have in my house, well actually it was more like the attic, because unfortunately I have moved dozens of times in the last 8 years and this poor thing keeps getting packed and unpacked - I got it in a junk sale I think and painted it red to match my earth tones of my home in Port Jefferson and then Huntington. I was almost 30 and getting divorced from my first husband. I was a single mom with my daughter Anne split between our respective homes half the week. Our divorce was very bitter and cost me about $40K. Hard to believe even now what that kind of money could do for me now . 

But this board meant a lot because I saved the little momentos from our years together before I remarried . I referred to them as 'dark times' and they did seem dark then but someone reminded me this evening that they're not really dark, just different. They were ours and no one else's. We made the best of what we had and we have fond memories now. She and I did so many activities! Theatre, games, after school activities, horses, trips to beach and Maine; she still loves apples as much as she did then too. I loved her crafty butterflies and her photo from her preschool cubby. I'll never forget her napkins where she drew Turkeys for Thanksgiving. She was always the artist. 

I often talk about the program now as a coach serving as my beacon through rough times . When I was single I endured much hardship and I had to remember to keep a lot of it from her, or at least try to; I was hustling 3 jobs, and still finishing my doctoral degree. I just remember being very confused, tired, and often angry. But we had some of the most amazing times together. She was my beacon then and I'm glad I'm around to show her the best of me now. 

Tonight I shared my dream board of 2016 with her. She has faith in me she says. I am honored to have her as a daughter. Thank you for believing in me the way I once did in you.