Wednesday, December 25, 2019

The Holidays Can be Hard, but then again, so can Life. Suck It Up.

I used to call this time of the year "The Death March." Sounds dramatic(and it was)but I had good reason; this is the time when my Mama was getting worse. The cancer had done its worst and she couldn't hold on. She died on New Year's Eve. Until I was in my mid 40's I dreaded this time of year. I could feel my mood change around November 11. Why? Because that was her Birthday! I know, Right!? Can I get a friggin' break? NO! I can't because that is not how it works. This is something my Mother would have said to me and I would have been peeved. She would look at me and ask "So, this is what breaks you?"...

"If this is what breaks you..."

Let me finish that quote for you: "If this is what breaks you, what are you going to do when something bigger happens? Life can get real hard." 
My Mama

I now know this to be true. I also know that a lot of things my Mother said sounded harsh to some, but she spoke the truth. At some point, we have lost the ability to speak the truth. To say the hard things when they need to be said. My mother was Queen of not sugar coating anything! HA! I wanted some sugar some times. Could you NOT be so blunt? When I started speaking the hard truth to myself, I realized that my mother wouldn't want me to remember her with sadness. That went against everything she was. She was a woman who went through very hard things and died too young. But, she lived! She would say to me "Don't use me as an excuse to lie in the bed and cry! You really need to get past this!" and she would have said just that. Because there is no getting "over" the death of a loved one, but there is getting past it; so we can live. 

"Sorry to tell you, you ain't the first, nor will you be the last..."
My Mere(French for Mama:)

Everyone has a story. Everyone has lost someone. I am going to say something that has been said since the era of Self - Discovery/Awareness began: When someone we love dies, let's remember their lives, instead of their death. Yup! I used to roll my eyes at that too! Lol. But what can I say? It's true. When I first heard those words I wasn't ready to receive that message. As I have gotten older, I realized that my mama was saying the same thing; just differently. "You need to get past this." You have to live...

Once upon a time, there was a woman with five children. Five children that loved and depended on her with every fiber of their beings. This woman was love, light, and laughter. She might not have been a big deal to the world, but she was the world and a big deal to her children. Then one day, her deadly foe came back! After lying in wait for ten years, it saw a chink in her armor. It nestled in and bloomed, dimming the Ladies light, but not taking her will to live. One day, as her children hovered around her hospital bed, fore they couldn't seem to move their feet far from her, their bodies were slowly turning to stone and their hearts were hollowing, the Lady asked for her purse(sidenote: A Black Mother can never get her own purse! Ill or well, she would have told someone to get the purse that is clearly sitting next to her feet! now, back to my story)She reaches in and pulls out her magical card, aka a Mastercard and says: "Take my card and get out of this room! Go get good food." NO! The children said. "We will eat here, in your room." The Lady kicked her children out and they ate at her favorite Mexican restaurant on her dime. And the children laughed and cried and lived...The Lady had made her point. 

Remember with laughter. Feel what you need to feel. Kick and scream in your car or in your bed(my personal fave)then live. Wishing you all love and peace, but mostly Peace. 

Dawn Ellen
Daughter of The Lady








Saturday, November 30, 2019

"Self-Care: The Struggle is Real"

"There are days I drop words of comfort on myself like falling leaves and remember that it is enough to be taken care of by myself."
Brian Andreas

What I have noticed over the years is that people have a hard time with the whole purpose of self-care and why it's important. They will argue with you as to why(and there are a lot of why's!)they don't have time for such "frivolous" things like pedicures and bubble baths or just sitting quietly. They will give you a laundry list of all the errands they must run, kids they have to haul here and there, work, work, and more work, not enough money or time! I usually stop this rant by asking one question "Did you speak kindly to yourself today?" Oh! The looks I get when I ask that! Self-care doesn't mean that you have to go somewhere and spend money. It doesn't just mean bubble baths with candles or exercise(but I will take both of those, thank you!) Self-care is being kind to yourself on every level. To speak kind words to yourself is the ultimate form of self-care. 

"Love yourself first, and everything else falls in line. You really have to love yourself in order to get anything done in this world."
Lucille Ball

My Mama used to say "If you don't love yourself, how can you truly say you love others." I thought she didn't know what she was talking about. Like all children, I thought I knew better. How horribly wrong I was. I thought that if you loved yourself first, it made you a narcissist. The examples I saw of people who "loved" themselves were not the best examples folks. They actually WERE narcissists! So I decided to be the polar opposite: The Selfless Giver, another extreme. The selfless giver gives all and keeps nothing for Self, enter Stage Right, martyrdom and supreme unhappiness. Why is the selfless giver unhappy? Because they have this unrealistic expectation that if they give and give, people will treat them the way they have decided to treat others. They also have a skewed definition of self-care and self-love. Once the selfless giver adjusts their thinking and finally gets the correct definition of self-care which is self-love, there is a balance. 

"The only person that can pull me down is myself, and I'm not going to let myself pull me down anymore."
C. Joybell C.

I love this quote. It is saying, simply, that it's in your power to be happy or sad, lift yourself up or drown. it's all you. People like to say the world owes you nothing and they are right. But you owe yourself a lot! Let me tell you something when I started practicing self-care, all of a sudden people started calling me conceited! HA! Why? Because every so often, when I would pass something that reflected my image back to me, I would smile at myself. This had nothing to do with how I looked, but how I felt. I held myself differently. I walked like I knew who I was and knew where I was going. I practiced self-care and how amazing, because when I did, along came happiness. I took control...of me. So when I say self-care must come from a place of self-love, now you get it. It is feeling worthy and being accountable to yourself for yourself. 
Wishing you peace & love, but mostly Peace. 

Saturday, September 28, 2019

"It's Not Your Fault! You Tried."

Care.


Most Personal Trainers came into the Fitness Industry because they wanted to help people reach Health and Fitness goals. That requires a level of care. The issue is that sometimes that caring will turn into aiding, abetting and enabling. Are we all guilty of this? We mean well, bless our little "Want to fix them" hearts. But we are making a problem bigger and in the long run, we won't see the results we want, nor will our job be fun. How can we keep doing what we love, attract Clients that want change and set boundaries? Keep reading.

"It's so empowering to say "This isn't serving me" and walk away in peace."
Anonymous


The Clients that you currently Train; how are they coming along? How long have you been their Trainer? Do they follow your program? Do they constantly have excuses? Have they reached one goal that(I hope)you created with/for them? Do they argue with you? The constant power struggle? Late with payments? If you said yes to all or most of these questions, my question for you is: Why are you still Training them? I can tell you from experience Training people like this is stressful. Ask yourself after the 90-day trial, if there is still no progress, is this Client for me? Let's be honest, a lot of times Trainers will keep Clients because, well, you are getting paid and money buys food! But the long-term is that your Brand is on the line folks. Most of us get our Clients through word of mouth. Their friends see how "Betty" has gotten fit and fabulous, and they want some of the magic, and YOU are the magician they want to hire! Do you think they will be enthusiastic to hire a Trainer that doesn't get results? This is where you must walk away.  This has nothing to do with disliking people. If you are like me, I have liked most of the people I have Trained. But this isn't about like or love, it is about business. 

"The only people who become angry when you set boundaries are the ones who most benefited from you having none."
Anonymous


My first Client, I released after one week.  No joke. It was as if, what I did for a living wasn't taken seriously(though she hired me!) Refusing to be dressed or shoed for our sessions, wanting to talk on the phone during our sessions and not wanting to ever be assessed! I didn't know what to do, I was so new.  I sought out a mature and well-respected Trainer and had a sit down with her. I laid out the situation and she laid into me. That was 15 years ago, and I still remember what she said: "How you feel about yourself and your business, is what you will attract! It's not worth the money if the joy is taken out of doing what you love." When I let this Client go, she cursed me out, and I have been cursed out, for the same thing, three times since. But once the boundaries are set, there is no going back, and that is wonderful. You are on your way to becoming a responsible, caring, self-aware, personal Trainer.

"By doing what you love, you inspire and awaken the hearts of others"

This should also read: "By being true to yourself, you will inspire others."
And they will want to Train with you! Take my word for it. Why? Because you walk the walk, people will notice, and they will come. :) You stopped making this about your ego and released Clients that wanted a therapist,  not a Personal Trainer. You stopped working from a place of fear and scarcity. Figured out that you are a fabulous Trainer, and attracted dedicated, diligent, "I am ready!" Clients. 
When it is all said and done, as long as your best was done, that is what will bring you joy. Keep growing. Never stop learning and love what you do. Wishing you love, peace, but mostly peace.


Thursday, July 25, 2019

The Rebuilding


"Only in the shattering can the rebuilding occur."
Barbara Marciniak

Sometimes the word rebuilding sounds exciting. We visualize a fresh start somewhere, new people, new places. We tend to forget that rebuilding usually happens after the building has been burnt down. After the losses are so heavy and devastating that you do feel torn apart; shattered. The last thing anyone is thinking about when going through life altering events is "How am I going to rebuild my life after(insert terrible event)…?" Most of us are just trying to survive the day to day. But I need you to see this another way. I know it's hard. But I want you to try and see past (insert terrible event)to the rebuilding. I want, need, you to see Hope. I gave the word Hope a capital H because it's such a big deal. Hope is the hand that reaches for you in the dark place. Hope is what kept me going when I couldn't dress myself, when I couldn't walk, when the pain became so bad that I felt I couldn't breathe, Hope was there. Hope was there even when I didn't want it to be! There were days that I wanted to give up and other days when I actually did. I would allow myself to roll in despondency. I wouldn't allow myself to think about rebuilding, the fear was too great. Who am I? I would ask, If I am not this? How do we rebuild after the aftermath? 

"Start today by creating a version for yourself, your life, and career. Bounce back from adversity and create what you want, rebuild and rebrand. Tell yourself it's possible along the way, have patience, and maintain peace with yourself during the process."
Germany Kent

"Have patience and maintain peace with yourself" please read that again and say it aloud. It was funny, not in a haha way, but in a sad way, how I could always have patience for others and make peace with others, but never have any for myself. So I had to go back to Hope and through Hope I found patience and through patience I found peace(I think Peace should be capitalized. It's a big deal:) 
We must allow ourselves to be...shattered. We won't die, though sometimes it might feel like it or you might want to in that moment. We aren't weak. We just need time to feel what we need to feel. Give yourself permission to be hurt, in pain, tired, sad. Be patient with yourself while healing. The same words and actions you would use with someone you love if they were having a difficult time...use on yourself! Now make Peace with your situation. Hard, huh? I know. But where there is no inner peace, there can be no rebuilding. Your "foundation" will be cracked. Love who you are now. Your rebranding or rebuilding will be on a solid foundation of Hope, Peace, patience and self-love. That is a strong building! Wishing you Peace and love, but mostly Peace.

Saturday, April 20, 2019

Fly!

"Beauty is being comfortable and confident in your own skin."
Iman 

I always loved Women who stand like Peter Pan. Hands clasping hips, elbows jutting out like twin sails, hips and legs squarely set, with eyes that challenge "Try me." Even when they laugh they stand this way. They throw their heads back and laughter, as I imagine it, starts from their toes and rises until it gets to their stomach and then bursts forth. Filling whatever space they are in with ...happiness? But I think happiness is too small a word. Joy? Some, yes. I hear freedom when they laugh. That belly laugh is pure freedom! You see these Women and you wonder...you wonder, how did you become you? You don't hide your smile. You don't dampen down your laughter. Even when people look at you to do so; you don't. I don't even think you see them staring at you! Your stride even says "I know who I am and I like who I am!"

"But really, what's so wrong with Peter Pan? Peter Pan flies. He is a metaphor for dreams and faith."
Mark Burnett 

Back to Peter Pan(if you have never seen a picture of Mr. Pan or haven't read the book by J.M Barrie, please do.)Peter Pan, for me, represents the confidence we have as children. That "I can DO and BE anything" type of confidence. All of us lose it at a certain age. All of us. Does it have to be lost forever? No! That is the great thing about life, everything can always come back to you. If you want it. If it is worth it to you. Confidence is like that as well. You can rebuild it. Brick by brick, little things, done consistently, that make you happy(and it's all about happiness!)and build you up. 

"The moment you doubt whether you can fly, you cease forever to be able to do it."
Peter Pan

Have we all been here? Doubt slipped in like the slippery snake it is, and fear burned our wings. Self-doubt is fear on cocaine! You just don't know what it might do or say. And the lies! The lies that we tell ourselves are the worst! "You aren't pretty enough, good enough, you are a fraud!" The list of lies can go on and on...when did you forget to fly? When did the moment happen when your wings got clipped? Remember that Woman in the first paragraph? I asked the question "How did you become you?" She stopped caring. The small petty things like what people think/thought about her. She stopped(to the best of her ability)listening to the negative self-talk. She did and is doing the work. And she remembered how to fly. In the face of all things...she took flight and found freedom. Wishing you love and Peace. But mostly, Peace. 




Sunday, March 10, 2019

What Do You Believe?

"The sooner you decide it's alright to believe the opposite of what the masses do, and that it is alright to trust the Universe, and you choose to be happy rather than right, the sooner you will be happy."

How often have we listened and believed what others have said about us? Even when we put up a front("I don't care what people say!")sometimes what people say will get under our skin, causing doubt and unhappiness. This is just a reminder that people have the right to their opinions, but their opinions have nothing to do with you. Once your mind is made up and you are secure in your divine right to live your life, does it really matter what others say? Unless you make it matter. Learn to trust your own thoughts and opinions. Learn to trust what you feel and what you know is right for you, without the imput of others. Isn't it funny how we second guess ourselves? Sometimes this is due to how we were raised. Or we might have had a series of bad events that has broken our confidence in ourselves. Whatever the reason, we have to get our confidence and then build it. How do you do this? By living your life. Making decisions and sticking to them. Stop defending your decisions to others and apologizing for making them. It is our divine right to be happy. It is our divine right to be at peace, to have inner-peace & to feel fabulous! Wishing you all peace and love...but mostly Peace.

Sunday, February 3, 2019

What's Your Definition?

"When you judge me without knowing me, you don't define me, you define yourself."
Goodvibe

I had a whole blog written in my head. I knew exactly what I was going to say and then I had an epiphany. I hate when I have epiphanies that ruin my best-laid plan(s)! I was going to write about how I define myself and how defining yourself doesn't necessarily mean "blocking" yourself in. Blah, blah, blah...Then I had an epiphany about myself that would have made me a hypocrite if I would have written what I was going to write. It all started after reading a Tweet from someone that I didn't agree with and the debate, regarding that tweet, with my Eldest daughter that ensued. I have never lied to myself about my faults(or I have tried not to)I don't pretend to be on a "higher plane" than everyone else or a person that walks around calling herself an "empath" or "Healer." Can you dub yourself these things? And am I the only one sick of people calling themselves this? (insert eye roll) I do suffer from impatience and this has been a thorn in my side since, well...forever. But with all of my obvious imperfections, I did believe I was a great Instructor or teacher if you will. WRONG! Not only am I a Gaw-awful teacher, I expect people to know certain things by a certain age! This horrible epiphany has ruined my wonderful illusion about myself! This tweet, from a woman asking to be educated about Black History Month and Historic Black People, rubbed me the wrong way. Why? Because in my world, I was raised to know things about other peoples Culture. And by a certain age, I do expect you to be well read enough to where you don't expect me to be your "Cultural Mammy." I know that Google exists! You don't even have to leave your home anymore to go to the library! As a child, I was told to read about everything and everyone. As my Mama would say "Only fools speak about what they don't know" and I never wanted to be seen as a plum fool, so I read.  It is arrogance to expect anyone, of any culture, to break down their cumulative history in...tweets? To give a quick summary for your benefit because you are unwilling to learn on your own. By the way, I shan't do that for anyone. To know your history and the history of others is to know yourself. So, yes, my Daughter is right, I have no patience(Duh!)and I am not a good teacher. She said except for Personal Training and Group Fitness. Thank you! So, my definition of Self has changed and I am humble enough to acknowledge it. I shall leave you with a word of advice: Be aware of the differences around you. Respect them. And if you can't or are unwilling to do that, be quiet. No one knows a fool is a fool until they speak(or Tweet!). Wishing you peace and love, but mostly, Peace.