Entrepreneur · family · fear · gratitude · Healthy Eating · Inspirational · Life · Overcoming

Dear Future Self

Hello Beautiful People! “That sounds like a problem for future me.” ~ Too many people

I use to be one of those people who would say, “That sounds like a problem for future María.” Then one day I was listening to a podcast, I do not remember who it was by, but they said something that really gut checked me. They said something like, “You say you want to leave a legacy, something for your children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, but yet you say, ‘That sounds like a problem for future you.’ But when that future comes will you be ready to handle those things? Have they been dealt with?” I am completely paraphrasing, but you get the gist. As a person whose family means everything to her, I really had to sit with this. The 20-year-old me (pictured) was so scared of the future and life. I remember the feelings I had in this picture. I remember every detail from this night. If only she knew, everything would be ok.

There are things in my past that I wish I would have handled differently, but such is life. I decided that I need to do things now to make future María proud. I wanted to be a friend to her. How do you be a friend? You keep your word, you show up when you say you are going to do something, you listen to them and offer help when you can. You spend time with them and learn likes and dislikes. I am a great friend….to others. Showing up for myself has been hard. Keeping my word to myself, hard. The “I will do it tomorrow” was so easy for me to say to myself. I would never do that to others. Then one day something clicked. Not only do I need to do this for me, future me, but this will effect my family. Not dealing with the past will cause challenges not just for me, but my family. Going to therapy was eye opening. Learning to show up for myself, physically and mentally… game changer. I wanted to be the best me for me. I wanted future me to like who I had become because I took the time to do the work. So here I am, still soul searching and learning, wanting future me to know I am going to continue on being the best friend to you that I would want for me.

Dear future me… My friend, I hope you laughed more than you cried. I hope you danced in the rain. I hope you traveled and had adventures that make you smile. I hope you lived a life of love. I hope you are happy, truly, genuinely happy. Happy with your life, your friends, family, happy with yourself. I hope you are successful in accomplishing your yearly goals. I hope you wrote books that made people fall in love with reading. I hope you took risks and still end up happy. No matter what happened in the end, I hope you always Find The Good In Your Life.

Entrepreneur · family · fear · gratitude · Healthy Eating · Inspirational · mind set · over coming · Overcoming · Uncategorized

Hello Again

Hello Sunshines, it’s been a moment. Let’s just say 2020 happened, twice. I’ll talk about that a little later, but right now, it’s good to be back. How are you? Like many people, I dealt with depression, weight gain, sickness, loss of family and friends, and just the lack of get up and go. I really do celebrate those who took the last 2 years to better themself, get in shape and show up for themselves. I found myself watching and getting inspiration by people on TikTok (not sure how to post, but trying to figure it out). Besides Youtube it’s my favorite thing to watch. (Don’t judge me, this is a judgement free zone). I have written so many blogs, but they all remained in draft because “I just didn’t feel it” once I was done writing. However, something happened that made me realize it was time to be me again and get out of that shell I was in.

My ex-husband died from Covid. That slapped me in my face and in my heart. One of the last conversations he and I had was about time and family. He hoped he had more of it and wished he hadn’t spent so many years being angry because he realized he was angry at people he and I no longer were. We had a family dinner a month before he got sick and talked a few times after that trying to catch up on lost time. We were making plans for when he was going to come out next and we were going to celebrate our granddaughters birthday. We talked about doing another family dinner and just surprising the kids that we were all there and showing them that we really did move past all the anger we had towards one another. When he got sick, I really thought he would be ok, we all did. Unfortunately, I guess it was his time. I grieved so hard, and still have bad moments where I wish he could see the kids being amazing adults and parents. I was asked by someone “why are you so effected by your ex-husbands death?” I realized they had no clue because they had never been married or had children. They didn’t realize just because things didn’t workout between you and that person doesn’t mean that you didn’t still care for them. He was the father of my children, and their pain is also my pain. Plus, I lost someone I had just became friends with after many years of hurt and anger. I know you are thinking, “Aren’t you married?” Yes I am. To the most amazing man who held me for days/months as I cried and mourned the loss of Rohn. Matt is sitting across from me as I write this and smiles every time I wipe a tear because he knows that my words will help someone else one day. If I have taken anything from Rohn’s passing, it really is to not wait to live. He said when he got out of the hospital he was going to spend more time in California with the family and take care of himself better. So to that…

I have a friend who made a life change, he lost over 100 pounds. He said something in one of his posts that has stuck with me, he said “Commit to yourself“. I realized I was showing up for others and making commitments to others once again, and I had gotten into the past habit of not showing up for myself. I know back in the “old days” women put themselves last and our husbands and children came first. Thank God we figured out that we can’t show up for them at 100% if we don’t show up for ourselves first. It’s so important to make time for us, to commit to yourself first. We all know we are stuck with ourselves forever, so we might as well be the best us we can be, mentally, physically, and emotionally. So, I did it, I committed to myself. I decided that I would show up daily as my best self. I will work out and eat better, I will continue to grow as a person and I will heal from the things that once broke me.

I do not believe in New Years resolutions, but I do believe in change. Anyone can change if they want to. We usually change when there is a life changing event that happens. This time for me it was Rohn’s passing. I do not want to wish I would have done anything. I want to say “remember that time I did____.” I have always been the one who sees the good in everything and everyone, and for a moment I forgot who I was. My motto has always been, “if it’s not positive, uplifting and encouraging, it doesn’t need to be said.” I still believe that for myself. Any how, as I said, I’m back, and I hope you will enjoy reading my blogs, that I WILL post, because they are good enough (self talk is important). I hope you commit to yourself and Find The Good In Your Life, even in those dark moments, even if it takes a little time.

Entrepreneur · family · fear · gratitude · Healthy Eating · Inspirational · mind set · over coming · Uncategorized

80 Days To Slay

Positive, uplifting, encouraging, entrepreneurs, goals, setting goals, mindset, family, life,

“Nothing stops the man who desires to achieve. Every obstacle is simply a course to develop his achievement muscle. It’s a strengthening of his powers of accomplishment.” ~ Thomas Carlyle

Hello Sunshines! Long time no talk. There is only 80 more days till January 1, 2020. How are you going to end 2019? Not just 2019 but the end to this decade. I didn’t give it a lot of thought going from 1999 to 2000 or from 2010 to 2011. I take that back going from 1999 to 2000 everyone was worried about how computers would handle everything at midnight and would the world come to an end. I laugh at these things now, but back then, it was serious. We didn’t go out to celebrate, we stayed with family, you know “just in case”. Everything seems so different in my life from 2000 to now. When someone says 10 years ago, I still think the 90’s, 20 years ago I think the 80’s, boy am I off. So what has changed?

My Life almost feels like a blur for the past 40 plus years. No, I never did drugs. Why does it all seem to be coming into focus now? Is it because I can see my goals more clearly now than ever before? I almost feel like everything before now was just a “wish” with very little action. Then one day I woke up and realized how to actually put action behind those wishes and make them a reality. Tomorrow will be one year that I released my first book, and went #1. I have written 3 books (chapter books for elementary kids) this year and I’m now working on a novel to come out May of 2020. I’ve traveled, done some public speaking (not as much as I’d like to do) for Find The Good In Your Life, and have become healthier than I was before (not where I want to be).

But really, what changed? Why are those “wishes” becoming a reality? I seriously took action. I know what I want, and how I want it. I/We have 80 days left till 2020 and I am going to finish strong. I have some goals to still reach this year and I will accomplish them. One thing I have seriously wrestled with this year is discipline. The next 80 days will be me being disciplined with the things I need to do, to move forward. I said 2019 was all about “Expecting” 2020 will be the year of “Receiving” but I set my self and my family up to succeed by laying down a foundation to make those “wishes” a reality. It’s not too late. Right now, you can stop “wishing” and start doing. I want you to ask your self a serious question, “Am I only wishing things will get better or am I doing something to make it better?” Whatever, “IT” is, you can change it. Your health, your marriage, relationships, self discipline, work, whatever it is, let’s work together to Find The Good In Your Life. 

Entrepreneur · family · fear · gratitude · Healthy Eating · Inspirational · mind set · over coming · Uncategorized

September Is The New January

NPP Delta II LaunchHello Sunshines! “Be willing to be a beginner every single morning.” Meister Eckhart

Happy New Year!!! I know you’re thinking I’ve lost my mind. It’s been 9 months since you made your 2018 New Years resolution….How’s it going? I know I fell off track some. I said I would write daily and post weekly. Well, y’all know that didn’t happen. I was going to start Vlogging… ummm, I’m scared of the camera. I wanted to work out at least 5 times a week and lose 20 pounds. LOL, now I only need to lose 25 pounds. I wanted to finish my book by May… well, I didn’t finish it till July.

What were your goals in January? How did you get off track? Was it the holidays, spring break, summer, vacations, the kids? This is why I said September is the new January. The kids are all back in school tomorrow. The next big holiday is 2 1/2 months away. Think of all the things you can do if you truly focus for the next 2 months. You’ll also be ahead of all those people who don’t start till January. Why do we wait to start? I know so many people feel like Monday is the best time to start because it’s the start to a new week. However, I’m going to challenge you to just start or pick back up where you left off. Don’t wait till next Monday, start tomorrow. Heck, start today! Whatever the goal is that you had in mind for this year it can still be accomplished, this year.

Tonight I want you to write down your to do list for tomorrow. Make sure to include those things you wanted for yourself. You may have to get up earlier. I promise you if you get up before everyone else to do what you want to do, it will set the mood in a positive way for you. Tomorrow morning when your alarm goes off, do not hit the snooze. I want you to count backwards… 5,4,3,2,1 and then get up like a rocket ship (listen to Mel Robbins- Outsmart Your Brain to fully understand why this works) You have a 5 second window to make decisions to change your life. Tomorrow morning will you decide today is the day or will you continue to let your dreams not come to life in 2018?

September is my January! I am writing again. My first children’s book is done. The second will be complete by the end of the year and I have other things in the works too. What is it that you said you were going to do but got sidetracked? Really, I want to know! That business you wanted to start, DO IT! I’m waiting to hear how you decided that this 4th quarter was going to be the best part of your year. I believe in you and I believe that this September you will Find The Good In Your Life.

Entrepreneur · family · gratitude · Healthy Eating · Inspirational · mind set · over coming · Uncategorized

Discipline

bruce lee

Good Morning Sunshines! “Discipline is the bridge between goals and accomplishments.” ~Jim Rohn

I have been writing a piece called being a crockpot in a microwave world. I hated it! I deleted it! I also cleared out the other 12 that I haven’t published because they just weren’t good enough. Have you ever just been working on something and said “NO!” I have in the past, been working on a project for months and trashed it and started over when It was due in the next few days. Seriously I have no idea where this is going today…

Discipline, I am not a fan of the definition that is given in the dictionary, they all sound so harsh (the practice of training people to obey rules or a code of behavior, using punishment to correct disobedience😧). I think of discipline as practicing a specific desired behavior.

I had to have mind shift the last few days. I had a “belly ache” last weekend. You may think that’s not a big deal. Well, when you have the GI challenges like I do, you know, this is a big deal. I did it to myself. I won’t tell you how many doughnuts I ate, but it was just wrong. After being hospitalized for this almost a year ago you would think I had learned. But apparently I needed one more reminder before getting it. I would try to start eating healthy, but then I would say “I lack discipline” to give up the sugar, cake, donuts, sweets in general. I was listening to a podcast and, what was it on, but discipline. As I was listening to this I realized, I didn’t lack discipline. I am disciplined. I get up every morning at about the same time, with no alarm clock needed, I read, I journal, I have a To Do List, I know my Why, I workout several times a week, I get my work done in a timely manner. So what the heck!?!? I have literally spoken to groups of people about being disciplined but never when it came to this… eating healthy.

So, what happened you asked? I had a wake-up call. After listening to the podcast on discipline, I listened to Warren Buffet in one of his podcasts. He was asking the kids, “If I told you I would buy you any car you wanted and when you left today it would be outside waiting on you when you left, you would ask me what the catch is. The catch is, it’s the only car you get for the rest of your life. How would you take care of it?” The kids were saying they would take great care of it, getting regular oil changes, putting the best gas in it, and take the best care of it. Then Warren Buffet had a drop the mic moment, he said, “Well, I’m here to tell you this is the only body you get, take care of it!”  I realized it wasn’t that I wasn’t disciplined, it was I was lacking my WHY. I have always had a why when I do anything. Yes, I knew this was my only body I would get, but hearing it like that was a smack in the face. What was going to happen when I had grandkids who lived here and were over every day and they wanted me to run around with them? I know that when I eat sugar the inflammation that happens in my body is serious. So, I found my why and I decided to make a change. I know I can be disciplined in all areas of my life, including food. Yup, it’s hard just like it was waking up every morning and following my morning routine. But I found when you want something bad enough, you will find a way. I want to be healthy and be an example for my family and others. It’s why I do anything I do, to help others. I always want to help you Find The Good In Your Life.