You Don't Have To DO More...

I have been thinking a lot lately about what I'm creating for my life in 2019.

The New Year is always my favorite time of the year and one of my favorite holidays. I have always loved new beginnings and fresh starts.

Peace or Chaos ~ the Perspective is Yours.

The right perspective makes the impossible possible...

Perspective is always a hot topic for me. I am in a constant exercise of keeping the right perspective on my life and my goals. There was a period of time a couple of years ago where I was doing way too much. It was typical of me to get overwhelmed very easily and make life miserable for everyone around me. While it's clear to me now why, back then it was just a vicious cycle of stress that I couldn't get to the bottom of. I believed that I had to DO everything and always be perfect, or life was never going to be great. The problem was that nothing was working out, I was never happy and much of my life was falling apart. Since then, I have learned there is a paradoxical magic in learning to say no and balancing my work load, and believing that we're all capable of much more than we usually allow ourselves. 

How is that possible? What has to change to create more balance and peace in your life? Your perspective. Your view. Now, don't get me wrong. I'm not trying to say that it's an easy feat. But when you can alter your view and see the bigger picture rather than getting stuck inside of one seemingly stressful circumstance, then the level of stress that you have to experience becomes less. Sometimes I freak out, stress out, break down, cry for stupid reasons, but at the end of the day I can look in the mirror and know that I'm moving forward on my path. I can allow myself to ride the roller coaster of life and know that it isn't the end of the ride just because it gets bumpy. Now, I intentionally set up my life so that I can reach goals, follow my dreams, build a career, be a positive example for my kids and a loving, supportive partner to man. If I am actually going to fulfill on all of those things, then keeping the right perspective is key.

Stress really is ALL about perspective. The ONLY time you are ever incapable is when you SAY that are! You can be negatively impacted by a long list of things to do; you can be stopped in life because you don't like the way things are going. Or you can be thankful that you're the one to get the job(s) done; thankful that you have a life that is full and plentiful, and that you have the ability to reach great accomplishments; thankful that you have the power to change things that you don't like and that you really are the one in control of your destiny. It really is a choice - choose wisely!!

Thank you for reading!

Yours in balance :)

~Mimi

Rising from the ashes...

I'm ready for 2015!! I absolutely love the renewal of the New Year and always use this time to reflect on where I've been and where I'm going...

The last 2-3 years have been huge for me on pretty much every possible level. There have been many drastic ups and downs. There were times I found myself lying in a puddle of my own tears and other times standing on top of the world.

I chose to put myself through various personal development programs (Landmark and The School of Inner Beauty) in an effort to be free from my past and live into the life and the woman that I've always wanted to be.

I had no idea what I was in for...

At one point, I ran myself into the ground and a nervous breakdown trying to HAVE it all, DO it all and BE it all.
From that, I learned that I'm perfect just the way I am.

I went through a divorce and learned an insane amount about myself.
From that, I have an amazing partnership with my now ex-husband. We did some crazy-hard work to make sure that we could still give our kids the best life possible.

I spent a couple of months dating men that were insufficient for what I'm up to in life and then made an agreement with myself to be single for a while.
From that, I met a man that showed me that it's possible to love again.

I put myself in school (again), dropped out of school (again), and then went on to become a certified nutritionist.
From that, I learned belief in myself and the ability to accomplish things.

I found my passion in life and then started my own business which was not my passion, yet was quickly on the way to success.
From that, I learned that I'm capable of doing whatever I put my mind to - especially that which I'm passionate about!
And from that, I met the right person at the right time and launched myself into my dream career.

There are some things about 2015 (January alone!) that I'm terrified about. More big changes and risks are taking way.
But from that, I know that there are the greatest gifts, growth, success, accomplishment and reward on the road ahead.

2015 will be the year of the Phoenix for me. I'm launching myself up and out of the ashes. I will always struggle, but I will always persevere.

Love and abundance to all,
~Mimi~

This photo is absolutely gorgeous, but it is not mine and it is not signed.
If you know where it came from, please do let me know!

Facing the Forces of Fear!

Fear. 

What comes up for you when you hear that word? Does it create more of itself or do you run to it with open arms? Surely it depends on your perspective, your experiences, and where you're at in your journey of life, but no matter who you are, fear is a stranger to no one... 

What if we could learn how to navigate fear and use it to our advantage. Could it actually lose its power? Could we learn to recognize it when it shows up and then use it to propel us on our path? I say YES.

I spent this past weekend shedding a lot of tears around some big changes occurring in my life. Some of them are around amazing opportunities that I've been creating for a LONG time (such as my nutrition programs). Some of them are plunges into the unknown, worries about finances, uncertainties around relationships and worries about losing people. Nonetheless, they're ALL rooted in fear... of the unknown, of loss, of failing, or not being good enough.

As I grappled with these thoughts going through my mind and the heaviness that was on my heart, the light turned on when I realized I was actually robbing myself of enjoyment... of the time that I have to spend on nourishing activities, the ability to grow myself and propel my life, and the time to love on people that are dear to me.

I think it's important to let yourself swim around inside of those fears for a little while. Let yourself feel the feelings from the experiences that have already happened or situations that you avoid because you're fearful. 

Definitely allow yourself to FEEL. Cry if you need to cry, even if you think it's totally ridiculous. Feeling the fears lessens their power.

Then when you get sick of loathing - when you're sick of being paralyzed, stopped or limited in the things that you're trying to accomplish - get to action in stirring things up for yourself! Ask yourself some questions and journal your answers so that you can begin to rearrange your priorities and empower yourself. Here are some ideas to get you started... 

Why am I so afraid? 

Is it more important to live in fear, or to conquer that which I'm afraid of? 

What am I NOT accomplishing because I'm afraid?

Have the things that I'm afraid of already happened in my life (most likely they have)?

Who is benefiting from my being stopped by fear?

Who or what will I be helping when I overcome my fears?

What will become possible when I start taking actions against my fears?

What's are the first 5 action steps I can take to start conquering that which I'm most afraid of?

Ready... GO!! 

What are some ways that you overcome fear? What are some triumphs you've had? 

Let us hear from you!

Yours in health,

~Mimi~

Affirmations for Finding True Joy~

Happy Monday, friends! 

I took some time today to look over these blog pages because I'm thinking about revamping some things as I finish up my nutrition certification. As I read over my previous posts, I reflected on how far I've come over the past year and realize just how thankful I am for my progress. It hasn't always been smooth sailing, and sometimes it feels like one step forward and two steps back, but the *not giving up* is the gold! 

I decided to slightly edit and re-share these insights with you because I know how valuable they were/are for me, and I hope they can shed some light for you as well... 

~ All of whatever lacks in my own experience of life and love is within me. It can't be found outside of myself. It can't be filled with someone else's presence or inanimate objects.

~ I must always seek and find ways to love myself. It is then that I remain fulfilled. In loving myself, I can then be loved.

~ Perspective is a jewel. Sometimes taking a step away from a situation, as well as spending time alone, is the key to seeing the answers we need.

~ Life is happening and passing. Now... And now... The extent to which I pay attention to the experience is up to me.

~ Being too busy and filling my time with overcompensations will always dull my joy. I can be fulfilled in any moment, if I choose.

~ I am perfect just the way I am. Really. (and so are YOU!) :)

Wherever you are in your journey - whether it be health related or anything else - remember that the inner journey is the one with the highest payoff. You can't be healed or fixed with external measures. You must first go within.

Yours in health and always love,
Mimi
xoxo

And they call this FOOD?

Ok well, I think I've made my point and I can finally throw this in the trash where it belongs! 

I've seen a lot of posts on this same exact experiment over the years, but I really wanted to see for myself if it was real. So, I bought this hamburger from McD's in March 2013 to run my own test. All I bought was a plain hamburger on a bun. I sat it next to an orange because I knew the orange would last a long time before it actually rotted. I sat it on an open pie dish in my garage and let it be. 

March 3rd, 2013

It sat and sat and sat... as time passed people poked and prodded with curiosity... through spring... summer... winter... all the temperature changes and the high heat that happens in most people's garage...

I threw the orange away months after this because it was attracting gnats, but forgot to pay attention to how long ago that was. At any rate, you'll get the point...

June 18, 2014 - one year and three months later

The only thing that slightly changed was the size. The top bun didn't make it through the poking, prodding and banging around because people and kids were so curious. Otherwise, I assure you nothing was preserved or tampered with. It reminds me of the fake food toys my daughter used to have in her play kitchen. 

And they call this FOOD? Not in my book!

Yours in health,

~Mimi~

It's all about the LOVE!

You haven't heard much from me for quite some time. I've been dealing with some pretty big life stuff, and  I've been taking special care of me. This has been one of my biggest lessons lately - making ME a priority - and it's absolutely crucial for all of us.

I'm still getting over 2013... What a crazy, soul-searching, heart-wrenching, mind-wracking year. I'm ready to take the power of 2014 into my own hands. One of the things I've recently realized is that over the past year or so, I have been my own worst, self-destructive enemy. As much as I've wanted more for myself and as hard as I've worked to try to get it, I've spent a lot of time beating myself up and spinning my wheels and getting nowhere. There was a point in the year where I learned the true meaning of "working harder, not smarter." I was literally running myself into the ground to try to prove that I was going to be somebody and that I was someone who was lovable. I was fatiguing every sense of myself, from physical (adrenals), to mental (inability to get anything accomplished), emotional (imbalanced moods), and spiritual (sense of loss in life and the world). This was a downward spiral that led to my emotional breakdown and certainly played a huge roll in many relationship issues, among many other things. Ultimately, I had to just start dropping all of the excess in my life and inadvertently things started falling away. Even things that I didn't want to lose were lost. But through all of the interpreted "failures" and "losses" (which are all just based on perspective anyway), I have gained a whole new sense of myself. A world where *I* matter and a world where the connections with the people in my life are increasingly rich. My path is being led in a way I've never experienced, and I'm learning to trust the process and the journey like never before.

While I know that there's still work to do, I'm now in the space of actually acknowledging the ground that has been tread. I'm a survivor and I will continue to be. This year is about continuing to expand on the message of self-love. I will continue to explore what my inner self desires and live my life from there. There's nowhere to go, nothing to do, nobody to try to be. I have everything I need inside of me now, and it all stems from love… for me, for you…

So, I leave you with this for now… 

Just for today, do ONE thing for yourself that you wouldn't normally do. Take a walk, take a nap, dance around your living room to your favorite song, call a friend just to say hello, write a love letter to someone… you get the gist. Then do it again tomorrow. And again the next day. It doesn't take long. Just do it and see what starts to open up for you. Let me know how it goes! 

Yours in health and happiness,
Mimi
xoxo

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