Something we all have in common as adults is the need to exercise and the continual search for that "perfect routine" you actually enjoy and look forward to. I, like many of you, have been re-evaluating my routines this last week, with the start of a new year. We all know we need to be getting 20-30 minutes of cardio everyday- not just to fit into those skinny jeans, but for our heart health. I heard recently that if your mind moves at a pace that is not matched by your body, you will feel off balance. Makes sense to me. My challenge as of late has been the answer to this question: How do I …
Be Honest
Pass the Peace, Please
(Say that five times fast!) We have so many choices on our "menu of life." The freedom we have is such a gift and it's time to order up the best that life has to offer. To be able to do that we have to ask ourselves a very important question... What steals your peace? I caught a minute of author and speaker Joyce Meyer on TV the other day asking that question. She suggested that as soon as you figure out the answer, you can work to proactively avoid those things. …
Whatever You Do, Don’t Cause a Scene
We as a human race tend to take ourselves WAY too seriously. Especially the grown-up faction. The child who would be quite content to wear pajamas and a cape with cowboy boots to church next Sunday does not seem to have "Make sure people don't laugh at me" very high on his list of priorities. But for adults, lots of time and effort is spent doing everything possible to not appear foolish or silly. God forbid someone might laugh at us. As if that would be the worst thing ever. …
Love Your Body, Love Your Life
(This is an excerpt of an article written for Kim & Jason magazine by Jill Fleming, MS, RD, a registered dietitian and amazing wellness speaker.) Do you love your body? I do now, but I didn’t always. Nineteen years ago, I went to college and gained 40 pounds in just 2 years. I had a very low self-image and made terrible lifestyle choices. I now refer to these lifestyle choices, such as eating junk food, inactivity, excess consumption of food or alcohol, sleep deprivation and chronic (uncontrolled) stress as “Crap Choices.” I made crap choices daily and I felt like crap! After earning …
The Truth is Out There
Chuck Westbrook has a blog called I Hate Your Job. While poking fun at cube life, it offers funny, irreverent, yet practical advice on how you can enjoy your job more (or find another one). He's 23-years-old. Does that make him too young to offer valuable advice to someone in the middle of their career? That's the question Rennie Sloan of Motto Magazine proposed. Here's an excerpt: …
Own Your Feelings
As I mentioned last week, I am compiling a list of lessons to help adults move "Beyond the Elementary," in order to overcome stress and acheive success. Lesson #1 was "Smile and say hello." Now for lesson #2. 2. Own your feelings One of the social emotional development curricula I was required to use while teaching focused on "I feel" statements. The lessons required students to look at photos of people showing exaggerated emotions. After they identified the emotions I would model the language, such as "Tommy feels sad because his dog is lost." Eventually, after lots of practice …
Walking For a Change
"Everything has changed now, except our way of thinking. And we've got to find ways to change our way of thinking." -Albert Einstein Chris Clarke-Epstein, our friend and colleague, shared this quote in her recent "Thinking for a Change" newsletter. (I highly recommend signing up for this weekly bite sized nugget of wisdom.) This quote really spoke to me because as you know we recently underwent a big change in our business, moving into our new office space. In a way it does feel like "everything has changed." It's now time to start asking some uncomfortable "why" questions. If you've ever …
Birds of a Feather
Jim Rohn once said, "You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with." That's an incredibly powerful truth. If you hang around with stumblebums and losers, you're likely to become one yourself. Hang out with people who are where you want to be, and you'll eventually get there. Birds of a feather flock together. The most powerful aspect of this old adage is the unsaid: you have the ability to CHOOSE who you spend time with. Kim and I chose to spend last week in San Diego at the National Speaker's Convention. All I can say is...wow. When you spend that much time around …
Find Your Gift
Last week Jason and I flew to San Diego for the National Speakers Association Annual Convention. What an amazing week! So many lessons learned, I'm still digesting it all. Jason and I modeled the Adultitis-free lifestyle by leaving our "business casual" attire in our closets at home, collecting dust. We instead wore the new limited edition t-shirt adorning the Adultitis definition and inviting others to "Get Tested and Get Cured." They were a huge hit! Fellow passers-by would come up and ask us about "Adultitis." The shirts started many conversations. It didn't matter that we broke the …
Adultitis Prescription: Honesty
You are inundated with long lists touting the things you should do to reduce your stress levels. These lists are not revealing new secrets. Well, I'm throwing down the gauntlet- it's time for action. Stress is linked to everything that kills us. Two out of every three doctor visits are stress related. You don't need a degree from Yale to know that stress is a reality for any grown-up with a pulse. Stop being overwhelmed with the long lists of things to change. I am confident that if you tackle these two your life will definitely change. Drum roll please... 1. Get ENOUGH sleep. …
