UNLEASH YOUR POTENTIAL

Welcome, everyone.

We all want to have happiness and success. Right? How about health and well-being?

Each of us has the power to achieve our goals, even in the face of seemingly insurmountable challenges.

Let’s begin by acknowledging that life often presents us with obstacles; the black holes that we can fall into. Whether it’s a health issue, a personal setback or a global crisis, challenges are a part of our journey.

Even the renowned children’s author, Dr. Seuss writes about that darkly black, waiting space where we go and wait for something…anything to catapult us into movement. But, it not just about moving, it’s about moving at a specific speed and direction, a velocity. Our velocity determines how fast and whether we get where we wanted to go. If a rocket blasts off straight up in the sky, it will return back down the way it came if it doesn’t have the thrust to reach its goal of escaping atmosphere and entering space. Its direction towards the destination must be precisely planned. Can you imagine if the direction was even a millimeter off how far the rocket would be from its goal?

Your mind is the software to plot your course. Your thoughts and beliefs have the power to carry you into a new reality. The first step in conquering challenges and boldly going where you desire is to consistently believe in yourself and your capacity for success. If you’re like me when I first heard this, you may be thinking, “BS” or “just mumbo-jumbo”. But, there is a simple way to change how you think about yourself and change the velocity of achieving your goals. In a minute, we’ll get to exactly how but before I get into that, I want to share how some people intuitively commanded the velocity of their lives, reaching incredible heights.

A while ago, I went to see Cher in Las Vegas. While on stage, Cher is vulnerable. She said, “Even though I felt unattractive as a child, I made a decision to be famous.” She explained how she became “Cher” by “knowing who she was before they did”. She imagined what being her favorite actress, Audrey Hepburn would feel like. She put on her envisioned movie star, walked into her new high school and her new life. Nobody else’s opinion mattered. She knew who she was. She gives real meaning to the saying “fake it, till you make it”. But, she didn’t leave it there, she owned who she was. She was destined to be famous.

Knowing who you are…

Look at Nick Vujicic, born without arms and legs. Despite his physical limitations and even attempting suicide as a child, he started helping children to belief in themselves, no matter what others said or did. He became an inspiration to millions. Why? Because he believed in himself and refused to let his challenges define him.

Can you imagine what it would be like to learn to walk without arms and legs? Or, just getting up every time you fall? He redefined who he was. By understanding his life’s purpose. He could bring hope, belonging and motivation to others by showing up as his uniquely loving and vulnerable self. Yeah, you could make fun of him but mostly we admire and love him for boldly being Nick.

You can redefine yourself too. Your purpose is found in what touches your heart and gives you chills combined with the experiences, challenges, skills and talents inside of you. What challenge have you been through and know how to get beyond? What hole can you fill? What can you give to the world? A service? Technology? Information?

Finding your unique treasures…

Napoleon Hill, the author of Think and grow rich, reminds us repeatedly to look inside a problem or a setback for the seed of benefit. “Need is the mother of invention” right? We all go through problems and dark time in our lives. These black holes set us up to see innovative ways to get out, and how to cover or fill them so others don’t have to fall into them too. Our darkest moments and biggest problems are what give us the lessons, treasures, abilities and momentum to solve them for ourselves and others. If the rocket didn’t have to escape the atmosphere, it never would have needed the momentous thrust.

This isn’t to belittle the horrific things some of us have been through. It does give these things purpose. Like Nick being born without arms and legs, realizing his ability to help others re-framed how he felt about himself and who he was. Your experiences are different and those differences set you up to see and do things according to your unique solutions. You are who you are because of what you have gone through not in spite of it. If you can solve one problem, fill one hole and make something better, your purpose is important!

One very simple example of seeing a problem and solving it is Velcro. Electrical engineer, George de Mestral closely looked at the cockleburs hooked from his pants and his dog. He chose a problem he could solve and he noticed nature’s way of doing it while simply walking with his dog.

Harvard’s mindset, belief or placebo effect…

It is easy to see how other, important people could imagine and become famous. But, what about us? Harvard’s Alia Crum’s simple study with hotel housekeepers demonstrates how changing your mind can change your physical body. Just by giving the women information about how much exercise and energy is expended during housekeeping, the workers began to lose weight. This was without changing their schedules or effort.

As a coach, I have seen what even the tiniest successes can do for the confidence of someone that feels stuck.  I had the opportunity to collaborate with a woman that felt stuck, as if she couldn’t control her smoking, physical activity or her weight. What she really wanted was to be able to achieve better health and moods.

She decided to start with tiny simple goals that would make her feel better about herself. For her, it was as simple as doing her makeup and wearing her earrings every day. We set a goal of her picking out her clothes and earrings the night before so she would have time to do her makeup. She was so successful at building her tiny habits and she felt so happy and empowered, she stopped smoking all on her own without any coaching or goal setting. Empowering yourself by setting simple, tiny goals, following through, and celebrating your victory, impacts your belief, success and motivation. You CAN achieve it.

So let’s talk about setting concise, tiny, achievable goals. It doesn’t matter if the end goal is small or big. Having tiny, specific goals gives you direction and purpose.

How small you ask?

As an example..

If you don’t to the gym or­­­­­ walk much, simply commit to doing the desired behavior right after an action you already do everyday, like getting off of work or letting the dog out in the morning. This is your trigger to go. Get there and do just 5 minutes the first couple of weeks is all it takes. And, I mean just 5 minutes. Woohoo! Pat yourself on the back for your tiny success. You simply did it! You got there! You are building the habit of getting there no matter what. Habits that start tiny, are specifically built to last instead of choking on a bite that is to big to swallow. Diligently keep in mind the big end-goal while consistently taking tiny actions and easily building a great habit.

Imagine you want to run a marathon, but you’ve never run more than a mile. Start with that one mile or even a half. Reward yourself and acknowledge your success when you finish. Then consistently add a little distance each week. Before you know it, you’ll be ready for that marathon. It’s all about taking small, consistent steps toward your goal.

What is fun?

Follow your heart and your spirit to the things that give you the most joy. Do you like to dance? Swim? Garden?

If you love doing these activities, they will activate your heart, mind and spirit. Easily turn off fight, flight or freeze and mightily empower your metabolism, digestion, and immunity because you are doing what touches your heart and possibly even gives you chills.

The Power of Resilience…

Resilience is the ability to bounce back from setbacks. It’s essential when dealing with challenges in health and well-being. Remember that failure is not the end; it’s a part of the journey. Resilience getting back up on the horse after a fall.

Even more critically, look at set backs as lessons and feedback clearing and clarifying your path towards success. Thomas Edison famously said, “I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work” while inventing the light bulb. Similarly, when you face obstacles, view them as opportunities to learn and grow.

Support Systems…

Don’t underestimate the importance of a support system. Surround yourself with people who believe in you and your goals. They can provide encouragement, motivation, and sometimes even accountability. A support team can help you reach pinnacles you never thought possible.

Think about your friends, family, or even support groups that can energetically support you stay on track in your wellness journey. Sharing your goals and progress can make a world of difference.

Intuitively, you may find yourself drawn to a specific coach or group, go with it if you can. You are worth it.

Staying Consistent…

I recently heard a podcast where everything was related to a training for a marathon. That hit home with me. I am trying to transition from jogging to other workouts and have had trouble reliably doing my new workouts. Hearing any real training is like a marathon, little by little, everyday, really help me.

Consistency is key in achieving your health and well-being goals. It’s not about making big, drastic changes overnight, but about making small, sustainable changes every day.

Think of a tree – it grows slowly, but over time, it becomes a towering force of nature. Your journey to wellness is just like that. Each day you make a choice – a choice to eat well, to move, to meditate, to learn – these small choices, when consistent, lead to profound changes in your life.

Find the stepping stones…

• Believe in You
• Vision your desires
• Find the reasons for your desires
• Feel why they are important
• Set clear goals
• Plan tiny steps and take them
• Be resilient
• Build a support team
• Stay consistent
• Enjoy the journey

In conclusion, I want you to leave here today with one key message: Your health and well-being are worth every effort. The challenges you face are not roadblocks but stepping stones to a better you.

In doing so, you can conquer any obstacle that stands between you and your dreams. Remember, the journey to a healthier and happier you begins with a single step, and that step can be taken today.