YOU have the power!

    Power. Such a strong word. There are actually so many definitions for this word, because it can be used in so many different contexts, but the one I'm going to be talking about is the power within ourselves.  Power can be a birthright, it can be given, it can be broken, it can be given to someone else, it can be taken and it can be developed. Tricky thing this "POWER" is isn't it?
   Well, everyone is unique. Everyone has their own story. And for me, well, honestly, I never felt my story had much power, I didn't think it was special in any sort or way. You see, I never felt powerful, ever. I grew up in an unconventional home, and left at the tender age of 14. At the time that I left, well, I felt powerful, being 14 and being "free", boy, did I have another thing coming! At home, I didn't have much power. And actually, I had more power than my other siblings, until they left, also at an early age, but our home was pretty strict.  In which, I am not saying some kind of strictness in a home is bad, but like I said earlier, it was unconventional. The power was in the hands of my Father most of the time, and well, that turned out well apparently. (insert sarcasm here).

My story resumes as one mistake and one bad decision after another, leading me into a world I never wish on anyone. The only good thing that came out of my decisions, was the decisions to keep my 3 beautiful girls that I gave birth to by the age of 22, and my now husband, whom I couldn't live without. And those haven't come without their own struggles of course.

The world I'm talking about, is the world of negative thoughts, doubts, FEAR......lots and lots of it, thoughts of death and thinking everyone would be better off without me here, no self esteem or confidence in my physical appearance or my abilities to be anything in life ( I would be an overweight, unloved housewife that would do as she was told because she was nothing better than just that), overweight with high blood pressure, a night time junk food binge eater (and drinker), stayed up all night, slept until the kids came home from school, a 12 pack a day soda drinker (Mt. Dew was my coffee every morning) and insomniac (going without sleep for almost weeks at a time, even ON meds), a smoker, an alcohol addiction (drinking at least a 30 pack of beer a night), a dependency and addictions to anxiety, depression and sleeping pills (had been on them since the age of 16), being surrounded by people and feeling alone at all times, no trust in anyone, blaming others especially my mother and other family for the way my life ended up and always expecting apologies, always feeling like people didn't "really" like me, like I was tainted in some way, always using excuses as to why I couldn't accomplish anything, or why I was the way I was and why it wouldn't change even if I did try, feeling like the worst mother in the world, loving my babies more than anything, but not being able to show it the way I wanted to so badly because of how my life had ended up to that point, I didn't feel I COULD be the Mom I wanted to be,  fear of constant judgement, being a people pleaser, but always ending up not feeling good enough when I did try, fear of leaving my house alone, fear of my husband (boyfriend at the time) loving, liking, looking, wanting to be with other women instead of me all the time because I felt disgusting....and there is MORE to this dark place believe it or not, but you get the gist.

WHERE was the power in that?!!

   Well....fast forward to today. I am graduating next week from the Institute for Integrative Nutrition as a Certified Health, Wellness and Nutrition Coach. I have met the most amazing new friends over the past year in IIN and one of them, Caroline Cosgrove, writes for a website called fitlife.tv the Drew Canole website. Drew Canole is a Transformation Specialist , a Nutrition specialist and spokesperson for the benefits of juicing and vitality. I've finally shared my story 2 years ago when I became a Beachbody Coach. Frightening isn't even the right word to describe how I felt about it....all those fears popped up. But the response I got, really sparked a passion for helping others. She told me she was truly inspired by my story and asked if she could share it on the site. WHOA....WHAT?!! This was such an incredible honor to even be asked to do this, and I would have been stupid to turn it down...haha! You can read my story on the fitlife.tv website. But what about the power? What's the point of this blog post? Well...

   Again, with my own story, throughout my life, my life of "feeling" powerless inside. Of telling myself and thinking I was powerless, I was NOT. I relied on the circumstances of where my life had lead me to THINKING I didn't have the power, when all along, I just needed to shift my focus.

"Strength doesn't come from what you can do. It comes from overcoming the things you thought you couldn't."

  Along with the shift in my mindset, and doing things ANYWAYS by putting one foot in front of the other, and distracting my negative thoughts and doubts with positive ones, and SEEING and FEELING myself as I wanted to be, and letting go of all of it, and seeing that my circumstances are not what defines my future, I GAINED POWER WITHIN. Along with power within myself, I gained growth, confidence, health, and happiness! The more I stayed consistent, felt the fear and did it anyway, the more the power came along with all those other things too. This life TRULY is what we want it to be, and what we FOCUS on most is the way we will live, period.  You are NOT powerless! Is it time to make a shift? Don't wait any longer!


                                                                     

Happy Saturday all!!

Much Love,
The Invigorated Soul

It's National Health and Wellness Coach Week!

What an exciting month! Why? Well...for one, it's the last one until I am an official graduate of The Institute for Integrative Nutrition as a Health and Wellness Coach....and TWO.....me and my fellow classmates got a letter from Congress announcing that we as Health and Wellness Coaches will start being recognized nationally from January 12th - 18th! A whole week!! To celebrate what we do as coaches! What is that exactly?

Well, the range for Health and Wellness Coaches is pretty broad! What I mean by being a Health and Wellness Coach we can work in many, many places, or we can do our own thing......it's amazing! Going through my course at The Institute for Integrative Nutrition, has helped me no only learn how to guide, motivate and support others along their path to health and wellness, it has also helped ME in my own journey....to help learn to start with myself, by learning self love and care, and how to manage my own health and  life and the life of my family so that I can better help others on their path.


I personally came to Integrative Nutrition (IIN), after having my OWN life transformation, and becoming an Independant Fitness Coach through Beachbody, a company that provides in home fitness programs, and also provides you an opportunity to pay it forward in helping others in reaching their goals. Being a Fitness Coach is amazing, it truly has become my passion, but I wanted to know more....I wanted to truly learn HOW to incorporate what I've learned through my own journey and also, I wanted to know everything I could about nutrition, health and wellness, so I could help those around me that need it......I am honestly one of those people who will always be a student! I love to learn, and I especially love to learn how to help the lives of others.

What I've come to love about being a Health Coach, is I'm there to guide and motivate, and to help my clients know that they're not alone! The journey to health can be daunting, confusing and frustrating at times and knowing which steps to take, can make or break a person's efforts, and send them spiraling backwards, sometimes giving up completely, and suffering the consequences later. Being able to be a part of someones transformation, is close to indescribable. Just knowing that you are the inspiration for another to continue on this path, knowing the rewards will be plenty,not just for themselves, but their families, and their future's,  is a beautiful thing!

IIN opened up my eyes to many, many things....including bioindividuality and the concept of Primary and Secondary foods! Primary foods. Our environments, relationships, physical activity, cooking, career choices among other things have a GREAT impact on our health, and it needs to be balanced in order to live healthy and fulfilled! Secondary Foods being the foods we eat, and how it affects our
bodies and our health.  Bioindividuality. Learning and studying over 100 dietary theories, and learning that diets are NOT a 'One size fits all" concept! One persons food, may be another's poison, and that alot of time, just learning how to eat a healthy diet, made up of whole, unprocessed and unrefined foods can heal our bodies from so many ailments and chronic conditions and sadly, it is unrecognized from our society!
I've had the pleasure of learning from some of the best in the world! Dr. Mark Hyman, Andrea Beaman, Dr. Andrew Weil, Bernie Siegel, David Wolfe, Dr. Oz, Oprah....and literally hundreds more!! And I got to do this all in my own home....and it wasn't taking up my entire day, or interrupting other engagements!

Being recognized nationally through congress is a step in the right direction for Health and Wellness Coaches, and a positive future lies ahead, and I'm beyond thankful that I have been given this opportunity.  If you are in need of a Health and Wellness Coach, or even just have questions about how I could possibly help you, you can set up a free 45 minute consultation with me to see if we are a good fit, you can email me!

If you are wanting to know more about what IIN has to offer, and you are thinking about beginning your own journey and path to helping others you can call (877) 733-1520 or you can check out the IIN Cirriculum guide. I for one, will be celebrating this week, and giving thanks to the universe for allowing me the opportunity to not only change my OWN life, but now, being given the chance to help others as well!! Have a healthy day!!

Much Love, 
The Invigorated Soul

New Year!

2015!! WHAAAT>!!! Where did 2014 go so quickly? I'm sure I'm not the only one that feels this way!! While there is really no point to this blog post. No words of wisdom, or something to teach, just a regular old blog post about how I feel this year is going to go for me and my life. You see.....the last couple New Year's Eve's have been bittersweet for me.....and by bittersweet.....taken some getting used to...haha. Me and my husband were talking about this yesterday. How that while we really never needed an excuse to drink to get obliterated, and fight our little hearts our about things that should never be fought about or even brought up or doing things that put the word shame to shame and not remembering it.....my husband was talking about how "NON-exciting" it felt to get dressed to go to a party, and not that it was a bad thing to be social, which is important, it's just hard being a sober couple and being around alcohol, and going to a party and feeling like we don't fit in any longer.  Don't get me wrong....the ones we were with last night, did NOT make us feel like out casts AT ALL....far from it. Actually....it was the opposite. 3 years ago....we were much more anxious to bring in the new year because of all of the alcohol that would be involved and to us...that was what brought the "life" of the party. Well....things have certainly changed. One....we are now in our mid-thirties, sober, and our bedtime is usually 9pm...haha. Two.....we now realize that alcohol is FAR from what brings the "life" to a party or social gathering, it's actually who you surround yourself with, and the thoughts about life that YOU bring to it, and how you allow your past and present situations to control it.....and Three....life should ALWAYS be celebrated on a much grander scale of things than partying and puking and waking up with no motivation to celebrate life at all.

While I'm am NOW grateful and accept and understand the things I've gone through in life, I am still learning myself. 2014 was definitely a bumpy road. And everyone can say that I'm sure....but honestly...I've learned so much. I feel like something is shifting in my life. Things are more easily letting go. I'm no longer allowing myself to be defined by my past, I now realize that that girl no longer exists. I have discovered who I am, truly.....and I'm confident in my career choice, because I care so much for people. I have a connection and feel a bond to those who have struggled or are struggling to get through things I've gone through myself, or even those who have a totally different struggle, once I feel a connection to someone....I can't help myself....I have to do what I can to help them get through, or succeed. I have ALWAYS been this way.  But this wasn't always a good thing. Being this kind of person, has lead me to some heartache. It made me build huge walls and have NO trust in anyone almost. Not that I didn't care...but my trust was broken. I let this define my character after a while. I felt I was unlovable. I started holding grudges and not forgiving people and started blaming others for not being able to who I truly am. I became selfish. Selfish with myself, my time, and who I thought deserved it, because I didn't want to get hurt again and I felt I would rather just be alone to avoid the pain I just "knew" it would eventually entail. I know better than this. This left me lonely. This began to make me doubt my abilities to help others, because I was stuck in my own prison of not trusting, not forgiving and not moving on. WAKE UP CALL....

2014 has been ALL about wake up calls for me! It has shown me that life is EXACTLY what I focus on! While focusing on being pissed off at people or situations, and focusing on things holding me back, instead of focusing on just being MYSELF, accepting myself, having faith and believing I can be great and help many, many people, I was missing out on life!! 2014 showed me that a life with limitations is created by  thoughts. There is NO one to put limitations on my life without my consent....it was all an illusion I allowed myself to believe! 2014 has definitely taught me that LIFE ALWAYS GOES ON.....no matter what! No matter if someone you love passes away, no matter if you stay stuck on the negative things holding you back and remaining miserable or you break free, open your mind to trying new things, taking control of your life, your thoughts, your values, your choices and you MAKE the decision to change.....it STILL goes on! No one or nothing is going to stop what they are doing...the world is NOT going to stop spinning because we are unhappy, and CHOOSE to remain in a miserable place! Life is about making positive choices......forgetting the negative. Pushing through...even when you feel you no longer can...because honestly....you can! I didn't realize this until 2014 either. I see many people wanting to make these big changes, but they are missing the part where you have to LET GO of the things that aren't allowing you to change. You have to MAKE changes to see changes. It doesn't just happen....and these changes have to be consistent, and they have to come from a place so deep down inside of us to stick. If you want it, but you don't want it THAT bad....it will show.....plain and simple. Life is so much about the ups and downs......staying up through the storms of life. Living the calm inside the storm. Well....I'm so ready to brave the storms in 2015.
I have many goals for 2015. I plan on reaching every single one of them, but if I don't, I realize now that it's not because I'm a failure, or I should just quit. It's because life is about growth. If there is a goal I failed to reach, it means I'm supposed to push harder to reach it. I see it as a stepping stone to success now. I learn, I grow, I get better and better, and I love this life.

I pray that you too have many, many goals and aspirations for 2015. I pray that you too learn to celebrate even the hardships that may come your way, because they are there for a reason.....and they are inevitable. I pray that you love yourself, so that you can love others even more......it's the MOST important thing and I pray for good health for you ane your families!

Much Love,

The Invigorated Soul