Inspire Joy Success Story: Meet Laura!

I'm so excited to share another success story from my latest health and fitness coaching group! Laura and I connected via social media and this girl is a POWERHOUSE of inspiration and drive.

She's currently pursuing a degree in chemical engineering with plans to attend medical school in the near future. She's passionate about healthy living, travel, discovering her own "best self," and inspiring other early-20-something women by sharing her experiences on her blog!

Laura is one of the newest coaches on my team and is already establishing a strong foundation for her business. When I think of our values like authenticity, excellence, success, positivity, and courage, this girl comes to mind. I can't wait to introduce her to you!

You can read more Inspire Joy success stories HERE! 

Meet Laura!

How did you feel before you decided to commit to the Inspire Joy August Challenge?

I felt like the days were going by too quickly, and I wasn’t moving forward. I wasn’t making any progress towards my goals, health related or otherwise. I had put on a bit of extra weight, just enough that it was starting to show & affect my self confidence. I felt really down about so many things that were out of my control, and I didn’t have the motivation to change the things that I could control. I finally decided that it was time to take charge & own my life, starting with my health & fitness.

Why did you feel that way?

I think I felt that way because I wasn’t taking care of myself. I know it sounds so cliche, and some people might think it’s selfish to take care of yourself first, but I disagree. I think that showing up for the people I love as the best version of myself is far from selfish. Don’t my family & friends deserve a version of me that loves herself?

How do you feel now?

Now, I feel amazing. I have so much more confidence and it’s completely made over how I carry myself. I make sure that I have enough time in the day to put myself first, to workout, to drink my shakeology, to eat healthy. I think that by respecting myself and the boundaries I set, it’s helped other people to respect my boundaries as well. For instance: when I went on vacation with my family, they had no issues taking me to buy groceries, because they respected that I didn’t want to eat unhealthily. Honestly, I never could have expected how much focusing on my health & fitness would allow me to improve other areas of my life (my relationships, my focus, etc). I feel like I’m on top of the world.

(Side note from Anna: Laura lost 10 pounds and 11.5 inches in her first round of the 21 Day Fix...you can read her full review on her blog!)

I finally have a sense of confidence that I can’t shake. I feel so good about my body, and I know it’s because I’m treating it better. I’m saying to myself: you are worth it, the time, the effort, the burpees, the meal prep.. you are worth every bit of it.

What struggles or challenges have you overcome?

As someone who works full time at restauraunt, I had to learn to overcome temptation REALLLLLL quick. It was quite a habit for all of us to crowd around a dessert that one of us had ordered at the end of the night, or get an order of fries to munch on while we cleaned up. It was hard to resist a lot of the time, but I decided that I needed to talk to the kitchen staff to figure out what I could eat that was healthy. I was very lucky that they were willing to accommodate my strange requests & mixed plates.

I also had quite a mental block in place, that I just couldn’t really ever lose weight. I just ran heavy.. as long as I didn’t look like I was overweight, did it matter that my BMI said I was? Correct answer: yes & no. I’m back to a healthy weight according to BMI (although I don’t think that BMI is the end all be all). What was wrong was allowing my mindset to dictate whether or not I could lose weight & tone up.

Why did you decide to become a coach?

I decided to become a coach because I was so amazed with the progress that I saw from the 21 Day Fix. I had always been one of those people who knew what eating healthy & working out looked like, but I held myself back from losing the weight. I knew that there were too many people like me out there who would want to know what I had done, and I couldn’t wait to share it with them! I wanted to help people who had been struggling FINALLY achieve their health & fitness goals!

How do you keep yourself motivated on your own health and fitness journey?

I think one thing that really motivates me is the confidence that I have when I’m taking care of myself. I never want to come down off of that kick! I also love being in accountability groups! The support that we all can give each other is awesome. Seeing the progress in the mirror never hurts either ;)

Favorite workout?

I love Lower Fix from the 21 Day Fix, and after just starting Cize, I can already tell that all of these are going to be so much fun!

Favorite healthy food?

I love a spinach, strawberry & goat cheese salad with balsamic glaze! I also just made a healthy beef & broccoli with brown rice & I’m loving it! :)

What advice would you give someone who’s just starting out on her health and fitness journey?

• Don’t give up just because you’ve had one setback. Bad days happen to all of us.
• Drink your water. You’ll have to pee all the time. That’s okay too.
• Take pictures. Sometimes you can’t see how far you’ve come until you put where you are side by side with where you’ve been.
• Stick to your guns. If someone is trying to make you feel bad about not ordering a glass of wine or dessert with them, it probably means that your choices are making them feel uncomfortable about the choices that they’re making.

What advice would you give someone who is thinking about coaching?

Go for it! What’s the worst thing that could happen? You get a discount on your Shakeology & extra accountability to workout and eat healthy? That sounds like a pretty great worst case scenario to me. Becoming a coach has been the extra boost I needed to get to this happiness level. Trust me, you won’t regret it! :)

Where to find Laura online:

BLOG
FACEBOOK
INSTAGRAM
TWITTER

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• Curious about coaching? Learn more about our team HERE.
• Interested in joining my next health and fitness challenge group? Click HERE to apply, and I'll be in touch to chat about your goals!

August Favorites

It's the last day of August. Ben is back to school, and I'm sitting in my little home office room with the window open, listening to the cicadas and the airplanes in the background. A strange yet comforting country/city blend of sounds.

I've been quiet this month on the blog, and as I scroll through my iPhoto feed I understand why: I was out living LIFE! August was super crazycray. I'm kind of relieved it's over, because I'm craving a little more stillness and quiet and peace and creative space after the hustle and change and expanding.

If July was the month of calm before the chaos, August has been the month of embracing the chaos with open arms!

Here are some of my favorite memories, experiences, books, recipes, and things I learned this month.

Favorite Change

MOVING!!!! The most exhausting weekend ever, but we did it!

Out with the old, in with the new. I am so in love with our new apartment and I promise to share more pictures now we've had a chance to settle in! I'm still working on my office and our bedroom, and we still need to find a smaller kitchen table that fits into our space, but overall I've been blown away at the effect this new home is having on me. We lived in our old apartment for three years, so the change was welcome. 

I read all the time about "how to manifest your dreams into reality" or "project positivity into the universe and you will attract abundance" and all that mystical feel-good stuff, and it's easy to blow it off but IT WORKS!

I'm constantly writing down my big life goals and dreams all the time, because I know for certain that when you put something on paper it has an 80% chance of happening within the next 6-12 months, no matter how crazy it sounds. Like, seriously, it's almost scary. And the remaining 20% will happen with a little more time.

Some of the things that have happened in the past year after I wrote them down:

- We discovered and joined an amazing church community
- I quit my job
- I am attracting the most ridonkulously inspiring team of coaches who are taking on the world
- Ben landed a job that fills him up more than his last one
- We bought a newer used car with cash
- We traveled to Europe together for the first time
- We are making more "couple friends"
- I put printable watercolors in my Etsy shop
- I am traveling more (a. lot. more....should have been more specific with that one haha)

It's scary to write down something specific that you may or may not have control over, but you can never predict the crazy things that start to fall into place once you put your vision out there! Be intentional with what you want, and opportunities will happen.

So anyway, one of my TOP goals this past year has been to find a cozy apartment that feels like home, with a deck or outdoor space, updated kitchen, space for home office, in our budget, in Lincoln Square. Yup, super specific, but I figured why not??

Our lease ended in July and after looking at 5 crap-tastic apartments, and I was starting to give up, but then we walked into this place and I think I literally heard angels singing. BOOM. I could cry.

So anyway, the moral of the story is DON'T SELL YOURSELF SHORT, don't settle, and don't be afraid to dream big! You never know...

Favorite Breakfast Obsession

Kodiak Cakes Power Cakes protein pancake mix.

I've been seeing this mix all over my health and fitness Instagram account and wrote it off for months as just another gimmick (and even made my own homemade protein pancake mix recipe, which is good too!) but I finally caved and there's no going back.

SO. GOOD. I find it at Target or Mariano's (our "nice" grocery store). It's a just add water pancake mix that meets my healthy standards, has extra protein to keep you full, and tastes so so so so so delicious. 

Favorite Experiences

So much happened this month! No wonder I'm kind of exhausted haha. Some of my fave experiences...

+ Blueberry picking in Michigan!
+ An impromptu mid-week trip to the zoo and the beach to soak up the last bit of Ben's summer break
+ A mind-bogglingly incredible trip to Orlando, Florida for a leadership retreat with my coaching mentors!
+ Throwing impromptu dinner parties on our new deck
+ Hosting my first ever live Google On Air webinar to share my story and explain the Beachbody coaching opportunity (you can watch the recording here!) THIS WAS SO FUN. I can't wait to make more videos!

Favorite Books

I'm currently working my way through the beast of Awaken the Giant Within by Tony Robbins. This is the most intense and impactful personal development book I've read (aaaand I have a collection two shelves deep). I'm planning to blog my way through it, so stay tuned!

I'm also making an effort to read more fiction books "for fun" :) I try to keep my TAKE ON THE WORRRLD empowerment books to the daytime and wind down at the end of the night with something fun and fluffy. Go Set a Watchman wasn't fun or fluffy, but I thought it was really good and I highly recommend! It was our book club pick for this month, and my amazing sister in law hosted us with the most delicious homemade strawberry basil ice cream, brownies, and a signature cocktail. So that made the book really good too...

Fave Shakeology Recipes

I've been drinking Shakeology every single day for 18 months now, so i guess you could say I'm a fan. You can read my official review here! It has boosted my immune system so much that the only time I've been sick is when we got back from Holland, where I wasn't drinking it. I've also officially been converted by my friend Katie to the Vegan Chocolate formula...for some reason it's just better than the regular chocolate (which has dairy protein). However, I've been getting a little crazy recently with the Greenberry flavor, which is really refreshing in this late summer heat wave.

Here are my current go-to recipes...I have it either as soon as I wake up (if I'm too lazy to work out), or as a mid-morning boost.

The Anna Special

+ 1 scoop vegan chocolate Shakeology
+ 1 cup unsweetened almond milk
+ 1/2 banana, frozen
+ Handful spinach
+ 5 ice cubes
+ (optional: 1/3 c Greek yogurt if you are in a chocolate cheesecake mood!)
Blend blend blend!

Tropical Green Smoothie

+ 1 scoop Greenberry Shakeology
+ 1.5 cups water
+ 1/2 frozen banana
+ 1/2 cup frozen pineapple
+ Handful spinach
+ 5 ice cubes

I have a third and secret non-smoothie Shakeo recipe that deserves its own post...stay tuned ;)

So that's a snapshot of my life lately! It's been a lot of hustle and a lot of change and growth. In September I'm looking forward to re-connecting with my creative side (oh hiiiiii scarf season!!!), BLOGGING MORE, and continuing to grow and develop my coaching biz!

I don't like when life gets too whirl-windy. It distracts me from the reason I'm here: to create a life that gives me the maximum amount of joy and pass the good vibes on to you!

xo Anna

How to deal with big change

In life, there are moments that rock us to our core, challenge us, and force us to redefine how we perceive ourselves and our place in the world.

Starting a business, quitting a job, having a baby, beginning a new relationship, graduating from school, and other big life transitions are really hard to process. Growing and changing takes time, patience, and a constant awareness of your own energy cycles so you don't immediately turn to destructive or addictive comfort behaviors like emotional eating, drinking, or self abuse.

In the general cycle of my week, Tuesdays are almost always a low energy day for me.

This has been the case ever since I quit my job last August and had to take control and ownership of my schedule and time, and my life became one big chaotic whirlwind of constant change and growth.

I use tons of mental and emotional energy on Mondays, getting back to work, checking in with my coaches and clients, doing calls and training webinars late into the night, creating grand inspired action plans for the entire week, and so by Tuesday I wake up and feel the kickback. My confidence is low, and I feel like there’s no way I’m ever going to be able to actually do all the things I was so excited to put on my agenda on Monday. I basically start to doubt my ability to do anything, when just 24 hours ago I felt capable, confident, and on top of the world.

Introvert problems!

Do you ever notice that you feel overwhelmed, slightly panicked, and emotionally vulnerable right after a busy day or a high-energy experience? This is totally normal!

I used to always beat myself up on Tuesdays, berating myself for my inability to keep the momentum going and get shit done, but I’m learning that it’s only natural to want to contract after you expand. So I’m learning to do my best to listen to my body and my heart, and to back off a little bit. Sometimes it works, sometimes I still beat myself up a little for not being able to operate at 100% productivity at all times...even though I know deep down that's an unrealistic expectation. 

Through these ups and downs, I’m learning that emotions we feel are temporary and pass like clouds over the sun. Just because you feel small and insecure, doesn’t mean you ARE small and insecure. Back off, do some self-care, and trust that your confidence and energy will bounce back!

So yesterday was Tuesday. I felt restless, unsettled, lost, anxious, miserable, strangely desperate, and ended the night in an ugly internal fight with my inner perfectionist.

I’m learning how to recognize and ignore that inner voice that tears me down, beats me up, and tells me I’ll never be good enough, but sometimes it creeps a little too close to my heart and I have to beat it back down.

Every month I am growing and expanding more and more as a person, leader, small business owner, and coach, and it is so. freaking. hard.

I want to do it all, have it all, and be it all, right now! But I have to shut my ego up and remind myself that it’s ok to evolve, to get messy, to play, to embrace the journey and not the outcome.

As a recovering perfectionist, embracing change is hard, and there are a couple lessons I’ve been processing this week.

I think they’re relatable to any type of change, whether you’re changing jobs, newly married, in a life transition, having a baby, losing weight, working on gaining confidence, or launching your own business.

CHANGE MAKES YOU FEEL VULNERABLE

Whenever I'm pushing my comfort zone, I physically feel blown open, raw, and scared. This quote from Julia Cameron pretty much sums it up:

When we are changing sizes, we feel large, clear, and powerful one day, tiny and defenseless the next...this is good. This is healthy. It just doesn’t feel that way. We want to be “finished.” We want to be “good at it.” Unfortunately, change--and the risks that go with it--invite feelings of vulnerability.

LIFE IS NOT LINEAR

Neither is growth, change, or success.

When we’re trying to meet big life goals, or embarking on something new, it’s easy to want the process to be linear. To want a pretty, clear cut checklist to get you from point A to point B. Unfortunately, that’s not how life works.

We have to give ourselves permission to mess up, to go one step forward and two steps back, to make mistakes, to "fail."

I'm starting to believe that there's really no such thing as failure, just experiments and learning moments.

HOW TO DEAL WITH BIG CHANGE

(without resorting to emotional eating or destructive numbing mechanisms)

So how do we react to these growing pains when life is moving a million miles a minute and our comfort zones are growing faster than we might like?

It's easy to want to go into hermit mode and protect ourselves when we're feeling vulnerable, but that's not an option when you have things to do and a life to live.

It's also easy to turn to numbing behaviors, like emotional eating, self sabotage, over working, or drinking. Last night when I had my vulnerability breakdown, my first instinct was to head to the freezer and dig into Ben's ice cream with the biggest spoon I could find. Luckily I knew not to listen to my emotions...but sometimes you're desperate enough that you can't connect with your inner voice of reason and sanity.

Here are a couple ways I'm learning to not only cope with change, but embrace the lows and bounce back stronger than ever.

1. GIVE YOURSELF SPACE

Give yourself permission to wander.

You don’t have to hustle 24/7, work 12 hours/day, or tell everyone you're "busy" to be successful.

Mental white space and unproductive downtime matter, because that’s where ideas marinate and breathe and take shape.

"Anything worth doing takes time, especially building a body of work you’re proud of."

Self care self care self care! Put on your own oxygen mask first. Journal, yoga, meditate, read empowering books, listen to podcasts, get outside for walks, be unproductive. Give yourself permission to evolve, to take as much time as you need, to explore and play and experiment as you get to know the new and bigger version of yourself you're growing into.

2. MOVE YOUR BODY

Simply getting out of your head and physically into your body is the fastest way to change your energy and pull yourself out of a slump. Bonus points for taking it outside! You don't have to do an intense workout. Walking, yoga, even heading to a park and skipping through the grass will probably boost your mood instantly.

Tell yourself you're going to move for 5 minutes, and then see how you feel! Keep going if it feels good.

3. KEEP GOING!

It doesn’t get easier, but you get stronger and more resilient. Success comes to those who simply don't give up for long enough.

Remember that even when it feels like you're falling back into old patterns, life only moves in one direction: forward. You are NEVER going back to the "old you" ever again...she is already long gone.

The process of finding your voice is the process of walking through that long slog. You’re not always going to know exactly where you’re going or what to do, but it’s the courage to continue taking small risks day after day and pushing into uncomfortable unknown places that really matters.
-Todd Henry

Have the courage to set your own pace and run your own race.

It’s your purpsoe to be happy, your only job is to take care of yourself so you can be the happiest, healthiest, most vibrant version of yourself you can be. Don’t feel guilty for putting yourself first. Say “no” to other people more often so you can say "yes" to yourself.

You are already good enough. Believe that little voice deep down, not the mean voice in your head.

I can't wait to watch you fly.

xo Anna