​Cinderella had her Fairy Godmother's magic wand.
Frosty had his hat.
Rudolph had his nose
What's your magical symbol?
My wish for you today is that you discover it and learn to 
Use it to help you shift your mindset.

Have you ever experienced a moment in your life when you felt that you needed something more?That the job you were in no longer fit? That what you did really wasn't serving your needs or anyone else? You are not alone.

I  call this "Hitting the Wall" coming to that point in your life and career when you realize there is something missing. You come to a point in time when you want to explore what is next yet uncertain what that may mean or look like for you.

When I go to that point in my life and career, (which has happened more than once I must add) I began to realize and understand I had grown beyond what I was currently doing in my life. The last time I felt like this I hired coaches to help me process, explore and examine all areas in my life. This helped me open new doors both personally and professionally. 

My advice: Look at different coaches, interview them, see which one fits best, and begin the deep dive of discovering new paths in your life.

We all make choices daily. Yet how many times have you been frozen because you are not sure how or what to do?

Fear of failure, fear of success. That sense of being overwhelmed, uncertain and just stuck. How do you move forward?

First Stop: Just stop that gerbil thinking pattern. That go-around-and-around pattern of what if I can't, or just I can't thought pattern

Pause: Just pause everything then ...

Breathe: My mantra, four deep breaths. 

Receive: Give thanks for all you have and keep breathing. 

Know that you are going to be okay

You are Going to Be Okay!

You don't have to have all the answers but you do need to take a step towards your dreams. 

So when you become uncertain Stop, Pause, Breathe and Receive!

This past week I came to understand gratitude and routines in a deeper way. As a full time caregiver for my 89 year mom, I had to decide whether we should vacate or stay during Hurricane Michael.

I chose to stay since I felt disrupting her routine and uprooting her to an different location would cause more stress. The last trip we took, she became confused and disoriented in the hotel and she was stressed over the change. I debated all the way up to four hours before the storm hit on whether I should stay and maintain the routines she is use to or to leave and disrupt her patterns. 

We stayed and are okay. Here are the lessons I am learning: I am grateful for life, I am grateful for kind people who are ready to come assist as needed,. I am grateful I was as prepared as I could be and we sustained minimal damage.

Things can be fixed and replaced, people can't. 

I have learned that my mom's memory is sketchy and doesn't understand how severe the storm was. She is fine, since I didn't disrupt her routine and location. She slept through the worst of it! Her biggest concern: her toilet was running and she wanted it fixed! (I think I fixed it as of this writing.)

We had electricity back up within 29 hours. She is still wondering why there are so many people rushing to get groceries. Why are there road blocks, etc. I am reminding her that we are safe, we had a major storm and we missed eating at her favorite restaurant because we could not get there with all the debris. Oh, the simple things in life can mean so much to someone who is use to a specific routine. Her memory issues are unique to her. She remembers some things and others just slip away.

Yes, life has a funny way of turning the tables.. When I was young, I trusted and had faith in her care; now, she has trust and faith in me. May I continue to be guided in her care and listen to my intuition as to what is the best course of action to take for her best possible care.

I am so grateful for the small things: battery operated fans, my Halo (kept my cell phone charged so we could watch the local news,) ice, gas grills, and life beginning to return to a normal (whatever that is). Blessed to be here and blessed to have mom with me. Blessed to learn that patience is needed in times of stress. 

This workshop discusses the science behind gratitude and how it can positively impact our daily lives.

Learn ways to incorporate gratitude into your life

We have all heard that gratitude is an important part of our day-to-day living. This workshop discusses the science behind it and participants learn ways to incorporate gratitude into their daily lives.
·         Participants are introduced to evidence-based practices for incorporating gratitude into their daily lives.
·         Participants learn the benefits of incorporating gratitude into their daily lives.

Registration is now open for October 18th. There are two times for your convenience: 3PM or 7PM Eastern for one hour.

When I first started my coaching business, I tagged myself as the "Coach who has an Attitude about Gratitude!" I still am that coach. I have taught and practiced gratitude for over eight years. 

What I have learned is that when it becomes a chore or a "have to" then it is time to shake up how you are recording and practicing gratitude. There are so many ways to practice gratitude and the benefits of having a practice of gratitude have been proven scientifically. 

Here are just a few ways to incorporate and practice gratitude in your daily life:

1. Think back over the past year and remember those individuals who have done a kind act or helped you in some way. Send them a thank you note (not an email, but an actual handwritten note!) Not sure about their address? Message them and ask them for it. 
2. As you awaken tomorrow morning and get out of bed, say, "Thank you" for another day, each step you take, give thanks for the ability to breath, that you have warm running water, that you are able to go to work, that you have a paycheck…. You get the idea!
3. Call up a friend and invite them over for dinner to just thank them for being in your life.

As you can see, creating a gratitude practice doesn't have to be a huge endeavor. 

The benefits of creating a practice of gratitude? Studies have shown that people who practice gratitude sleep on average 30 minutes more a night. Individuals have reported having better emotional health, some have even reported weight loss!

So here is to beginning a practice of gratitude. Let me know what ways you are practicing and what you noticed since beginning the practice. 

How many times have I felt I needed something when in reality it was a want?

A need is something that is for survival and growth: Love, food, clothes.

A want are those things that are extra like the gourmet food, the designer clothes, the love we think someone else has.

What really happens is that we build things up in our minds and then feel like we have failed when we haven't achieved them.

A great way to reboot is to step back and focus on what is truly important, reminding ourselves that we are here, we are loved, we have our basic needs met. The other "stuff" is just that: STUFF.

Take a moment today and focus on what is REALLY important to you. Ask yourself, "Is this something I need or is it a want?" Create a Need vs. Want list and refocus your energy on what is needed.

Hugs,  love, and a deep bow of appreciation to each of you.

Judy

Starting on Tuesday September 18, 2018, there will be a week long Empowerment Challenge!!!

We will dive deep into what empowerment means for us individually and as women. How we empower ourselves, others and how we pay it forward to the world!

Here is to an awe inspiring week of empowerment.

Interested in joining the challenge?  Then click the following link and join the private group:  
https://www.facebook.com/groups/womenwhoempowerwomen/.

I will be doing some Facebook live events during the challenge. You need to be in the group to see these special sessions!

​See you there!

​Life is short and we all get bogged down on things "to do". 

We forget that there are times in our life when we just need to live. 

We get caught up in the whole "I have to…" mentality that we neglect to realize that our life is passing us by. 

Take a moment today to put on the brakes, breathe.

Release all the "have to's" and just be present with where you are now, in this moment, breathe.

Remind yourself that this moment is the one moment you are present for, breathe.

Release all that "stuff" we all keep bottled up, breathe and just be.