dreams Archives -

I’ve learned a lot this year…

12|27|2016

When I came across this quote on Pinterest, I thought it was the perfect theme for my first blog post back since being hacked! It’s been about a month since I’ve been able to post and publish and I’ve missed my little outlet!

First, here’s the quote I found and a pic taken by Amanda Magnuson during a Mother’s Day special. 🙂

And, now for my part…..

I’ve learned that it’s okay to fall down. What’s not okay is to stay down. And, it’s even OKAY to fall down over and over and over as long as you’re always willing to try and get up again. We learn more about ourselves (AND others) in our losses than we ever will in our wins.

I’ve learned that having a victim mentality only leaves you more….of a victim. It will leave you stuck. Take ownership of your own life. You don’t have to be a victim of your circumstances. Have you ever heard the saying, “Things don’t happen TO you they happen FOR you?” ~ Michael Hyatt #onpoint ~ Now, of course some of those things will be devastatingly sad and often tragic. But, it’s so true that how we get through life is how we face those things….how we come through the storm. Horrible things have and will continue to happen to all of us but we have a God to thank for letting us LOVE. If we didn’t have the gift and the ability to love, we would never know pain. And, if we never knew pain, we would never need belief and Faith. And, what does Julia Roberts say in Steel Magnolias….still one of my favorite lines in a movie like EVER ~ “I would rather have 30 minutes of wonderful than a lifetime of nothing special.”

I’ve learned that we should be more like kids and be persistent in asking for the things we want in life. When was the last time your kid only asked for something he or she wanted once?!?

I’ve learned that there are some cartoons I can tolerate more than others. Barbie and the Dreamhouse, YES. Peppa Pig, NO.

I’ve learned that it’s okay to ask for help, even if it makes you look silly. If you’re not willing to look silly from time to time, nothing great will EVER happen for you.

I’ve learned that being vulnerable is healing, even if it makes you look silly like I mentioned above…from time to time. I have no doubt I’ve make myself look silly since I started this blog and sharing my story. I’ve talked about binge and closet eating….about hiding food….about being a jealous person….about comparing myself to others…about being lost in my Faith….about bad habits….about starting different workout programs and not finishing….I could go on but I digress… 😉 But, I can also say that having someone reach out to me saying they’ve been in the same place before and can relate to something in my story and that it just helps to know they are not alone made everything worth me looking a little silly. I would rather look silly for a while and help myself and others heal in the process than to only show y’all my highlight reel.

I’ve learned that sometimes our joy is just broken and we don’t always know why or when it happened. And, that there aren’t always answers for it. AND, sometimes you can spend way too many precious moments that you’ll never get back looking for answers that don’t exist. Sometimes you just have to let it be. Sometimes you just have to let go so you can find your joy again. #letgoandletGod

I’ve learned that trying to please everyone but yourself will only leave you empty. Learning how and when to say no and when to say yes is the best service you can do for yourself. People will learn to respect you.

I’ve learned you’re never too old to change and to dream big. I’ve known this one for a few years now but this past year was the epitome of embracing this. As a coach, I’ve had the pleasure of connecting with people in their 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s, 60s and 70s! Your age doesn’t define you! Just like the damn scale, it’s just a number. You’re only as old as you feel. I let it hold me back but I realized this year that although I wished I would’ve found coaching earlier in life and I wished I would’ve started my blog and written a book already, I probably was not ready to accept the opportunities. I had some learning and growing and coming into my own to do. And, I’ve been very busy doing that these past 3 years. We can play the whole woulda-shoulda-coulda-wish game OR we can just live for the day and keep pushing to live our lives by our own design….no matter if we’re in our 20s or our 80s!

I’ve learned that there is still really good, wholesome TV out there. #ThisIsUs #bestshowthisyear

I’ve learned that doing the best I can as a mom is GOOD enough! I’ll be straight up that there are many days I wake up and ask myself “How bad am I gonna screw her up today?” And, while it’s taken me over 6 years, I’m finally getting to the point where I’m okay with just doing the best I can. Some days I work too much at home. Some days I give in to her demands too much and too often. Some days I am short with her for no fault of her own. Some days I forget to sign her school binder until she’s getting ready to get out of the car at school. Some days I don’t make her go to church. And, some days (okay ALL the days), I buy the cupcakes (and the cookies). But, I just started to embrace the fact I’m a #hotmessmom. I stay the bath tub and read with a glass of wine too long sometimes. I hate baking so I buy the cupcakes. I let her eat popcorn in bed. And, she STILL drinks chocolate milk from a sippy at night and falls asleep to Netflix. And, here’s the deal….I probably just made myself look rather silly to a lot of you moms out there and that’s freaking OKAY. AND, quite possibly, I just made a LOT of you moms out there feel REALLY good about your parenting skills. #heyigotskillstoo but #youdoyou ~ ‘cuz you know what, if you’re the complete opposite of me on all those things, I would EMBRACE and ADMIRE you….because….again….#youdoyou #maybeyoucanshowmehow ~ These past few years are the first years in my life where I started to just be okay with being…..ME. I’m tired of apologizing to and for myself for just being…..ME….the hot mess that I am. And, I’m pretty sure despite all my craziness, B still knows I love her and that I would give anything to protect her.

I’ve learned that having depression and anxiety is nothing to be ashamed of. I was dealing with it most of this year and unlike the two other times in my life when it was really bad, this time I had the courage to talk about….to ask for help. And, I wouldn’t be where I am today had I not been honest….with myself and others about it. One of my mentors has said you should wait until you’re through a storm to talk about it openly….and mostly because if you haven’t healed, it can be counter-productive for you and you’re also not at a stage to help anyone else maybe dealing with the same. It can also honestly just look like you’re complaining or playing the victim. But, since I’m coming through it, I feel like I want to share some of it in the hopes it can maybe help someone else. I made a lot of mistakes working my way through this time and if talking about it could help someone else, I’m all for it. And some of the #hotmessness above is in part a reflection of what was going on with me. It’s hard enough to think about what it does to you but to think of what it can do to those around you is heartbreaking. Now, don’t get me wrong ~ I’m a hot mess regardless. I own that shit. But, there are things that can make it worse if you’re me. I’m working on a separate blog post but I want to stress that if you’re fighting that fight and you haven’t told anyone, you don’t have to suffer in silence. You can overcome so much sooner and in more healthy of ways if you talk to a professional or ask someone for help. There’s no shame in it what-so-ever and I truly believe it should be talked about. It seems to be a taboo subject for many. I’m here to talk about it openly.

I’ve learned that my love of baseball caps and beanies knows no boundaries. And, I love the mystery of “Am I on day 1 of clean hair or day 4 of not-so-clean-hair? #givemeallyourdryshampoo

I’ve learned that doing one thing really well when it feels like you suck at everything else is OKAY. I was really good at working out this year as long as I wasn’t limited by a few minor injuries and being sick. I focused hard on that one good thing I tell ya! And, I think I owe a lot of my sanity to my fitness!!!

I’ve learned there is TOTALLY a difference between really good wine and box wine. #iknowright?!?!

I’ve learned I’m still a total kid when it comes to Christmas. While I don’t care about a hundred gifts anymore, opening a box full of things that were all TOTALLY me from my sister, a new pair of Nikes from Daryn, and a Fearless Dogearred necklace from my mom made me smile. It made me smile almost as much as seeing all the excitement and smiles that B had every morning with the dang Elf on the Shelf and with Santa and the Tooth Fairy BOTH on Christmas Eve. YES, girlfriend was visited by Santa AND the Tooth Fairy on the same night. #whatarethechances

So, there you have it. I will have more of what I learned this past year and other things about how excited I am for a new year coming soon. But, wanted to say HEY….so HEYyyyyyyyY! I’m back and I’m SUPER excited to just be….back.

Bringing Unsexy Back

07|20|2016

Ok, so this is gonna start out kinda random…..

but I feel sorry for Tuesdays.

Monday gets a bad rap but is also #motivationmonday so there’s that. Wednesday is hump day and wine day. Thursday is one day closer to Friday. Friday is….well FriYAY. Saturday….well, seriously probably the best day of the week for most, so enuf said. Sunday is…well, for me anyway…..a relatively and usually restful and peaceful day and a day to be inspired, spend more time with God and be hopeful and get ready to kick butt in a new week ahead.

BUT, TUESDAY?!? What does Tuesday have on the other days? Hmmmmm, I can’t really think of much that stand outs that people talk about. Well, maybe #transformationtuesday but apparently that’s not as powerful a thing for most people lol. (My hubby for one…he would have no idea what transformation Tuesday even means.)

So, I decided I wanted to spice up our Tuesday with a new series, #unsexytuesday. (Ha, it’s got quite the ring to it, right?!?! Yeah, not so much….so if anyone comes up with a better hashtag I can use, drop me a comment!!! lol) Why?!? ‘Cuz EVERY day matters! Every day you choose to do the unsexy matters….stay with me here 😉

I have the #realtalk series ~ and I have more “series” in the works…and really the unsexy series will be QUITE similar to REAL TALK….’cuz….well….the title speaks for itself.

What’s the unsexy? According to Google, it partially means “not exciting.” So, the unsexy in the context of this new series I wanna write about is about doing the things you don’t really wanna to do in order to achieve all your goals and finding a way to let go of the things that don’t serve you any longer, if they ever did.

For example, the sexy for me would be eating popcorn with real butter followed by a few cupcakes, while watching Nashville or the Bachelor on Hulu. Sexy for me would be reading Gone Girl. UNSEXY for me is eating turkey sweet potato burgers and a strawberry broccoli salad leftover from last night, while listening to a podcast on becoming a better leader. UNSEXY for me would be reading 15 Laws of Invaluable Growth by John Maxwell. Now, obviously the UNSEXY things are not terrible at all. And, honestly, the more I do the unsexy, the more comfort and peace I find!

So, yes, It’s about doing the mundane, seemingly unimportant things day-in-&-day-out that lead to big things. Things like losing 50 lbs. You don’t do it overnight. You make mundane, unsexy choices like eating turkey burgers and broccoli every day for days and days and days in order to do it (okay not EVERY day but you get my point). Things like saving $5000 dollars. You don’t do it overnight ~ unless you’re really wealthy OR win the lottery or something. You make mundane, unsexy choices every day to not spend beyond your means for days and days and days in order to do it. Things like going back to school for a degree. You don’t do it overnight. You make mundane, unsexy choices to study and research and learn for days and days and days in order to do it. Things like working for that promotion at work. You don’t get it overnight. You get it by doing a series of mundance, unsexy things for other people for days and days and days in order to get it. Bottom line: The unsexy things are the things that make you uncomfortable at first but that result in big rewards and start to become second-nature.

I first talked about my unsexy over a year ago. I’m gonna go off for a little bit here but I’ll bring you back 🙂 You can read about it HERE. And, I’ve thought a LOT about it since. One of the funnest (I always wonder if I should use a word like funnest…it’s not really a word and I’m supposed to be a writer….but that’s my writing style…using things I like to make into words “‘cuz” they fit my personality “lol”) things about blogging is to look back to something I wrote a year ago. To remember how I felt at the time. To look at how much B has grown. To remind myself of how far I’ve come.

The post was over a year ago (seriously, just go read it and then come back). It was the beginning of a really hard year for me. It was a year that I seriously wish I could just have a time machine and travel back and do just about EVERYTHING differently.

But, while life is about second chances, life is also about letting go and forgiveness and learning to move on from mistakes and guilt and weakness and loss. It’s taken me months to really believe this but there are things that happen in our lives and choices we make that will forever change us and those around us. But, the silver lining is, often the hardest things we go through, whether we choose them or not, are what mold us into stronger versions of ourselves.

My unsexy truth is that I often ~~forgot about~~ chose not to DO the unsexy things this past year to honor my goals and my dreams and the people who are most important to me….not ironically, the very things I talked about in that post. And, believe me it makes me cry. My counselor has told me on more than one occasion that I’m pretty hard on myself. I’m hard on myself to a fault and it often paralyzes me, so I have to work really hard at overcoming. If you can guess where this is going, I was pretty hard on myself last year. And, when I do that, I retreat. I withdraw from everyone, especially those closest to me. I make poor decisions. I lose some of my Faith. I stop doing some of the things I really enjoy. There was a lot of everything. Pain. Regret. Loss. Sadness. Depression. Self-doubt. Guilt. Food starting to become a coping mechanism again. Spending starting to become a coping mechanism again. I got lost in periods of instant gratification….in failed attempts to feel better. And, then the guilt would just snowball. And, after having come so far the year before, it was so confusing to me what was happening. How was it seemingly so easy to start self-sabotaging myself again??…and in some instances to extremes. To say I’m not proud of this time in my life is a drastic understatement. And, yet, while I somewhat recognized it, I didn’t know how to fully change it. Now, don’t get me wrong…there were bright moments and a lot of wonderful memories and periods of time when I rocked my goals and was present and I am so blessed for the family and friends I have who try their best to understand and be there for me even when I’m not there for them…..there is always a silver lining to the struggle and I’m trying my best to right the wrongs. But, I was perpetually taking 2 steps forward and 3 back. Until, finally, I knew I had to make a decision to keep going down the path I was OR I could get back track. Because you know what? I was SERIOUSLY uncomfortable most of the time. I was happy and inspired when I was writing and I look back at blog posts and I KNOW I was confident behind them because reading them even now I know my words were heart-felt and true! But, my passion and inspiration would quickly fade and I would lose sight of it all.

So, while doing the unsexy is uncomfortable, my self-sabotage was a heck of a lot MORE uncomfortable.

This quote maybe only relates to weight BUT you can turn it into anything in life ~ you choose your hard every dang day.

And, so, I decided to start choosing unsexy again instead of self-sabotage for my comfort level and I took action to move on and move forward.

I know I will fall back sometimes…..that’s just a little thing we call life.

But, if I fall down 7 times, I will get up 8.

I’m choosing my hard. And, I’m choosing it every. dang. day. ‘cuz that’s what it takes to stay in the game.

What’s my new unsexy focus you ask?!? My first 5 things….

1. I started meal planning again! I had told myself I didn’t enjoy it AND I didn’t like to cook….but that wasn’t true! And, these past few weeks of being back in that game, I remember that I DO like it! It’s like a game to meal plan ~ I actually like to have my week figured out ~ and while I don’t like to take a TON of time in the kitchen, I do enjoy cooking! I had even TOTALLY let B’s nutrition slide. I wanna let her be a kid and not be too limiting to her for fear of her turning that into what I did and start HIDING food. We have so many fears for our kids….my behaviors with food being carried down to her is one of my biggest. It may seem trivial to you but for something that has consumed so much of my life, I know I want no part of that for her life.

2. I started a fitness and nutrition journal! I had been journaling BUT I hadn’t really been talking to myself about my health & fitness goals, how I was feeling every day, how I was actually going to accomplish everything I set out to! I’ve barely started this and I’m wondering to myself WHY oh WHY wasn’t I doing this since day 1 as a coach?!? I HIGHLY recommend getting a fitness journal or if nothing else, use an online tracker to track your workouts and your nutrition! Something like MyFitnessPal (my fave!)

3. I told my coach about my goals and I committed to 3….ha, yes, 3….different challenge groups ~ 2 that I’m hosting and 1 I’m just sitting back and participating in like a new challenger! I need lots of accountability and inspiration to keep this momentum going and these are my go-to places for both. (If you’ve read the 10X Rule, I’m all about 10 x’ing what I do.)

4. I downloaded a new 60-day devotional on my Kindle. My last devotional was A Confident Heart ~ so so good! Highly recommend! And, my new one is a Lysa Terkeurst Made to Crave one. I LOVE her and her books and everything Proverbs31!

5. And, I took new before pics. I just took some a few weeks ago and shared but to be straight up, I had a tank top on to try to hide. I’m not interested in hiding or retreating anymore.

And, today was day 24 of PiYo, so I’m almost halfway thru this round of PiYo! It’s going really well! I will say I miss running and my weights and REALLY miss Hammer & Chisel right now but I committed to this program, so I’m gonna see it through. And, I was going to try fit some interval running in a few times a week but my foot just isn’t ready. (btw is anyone singing a little JT in their head right now?!?)

I challenge you to really think about the unsexy things you can do to start knocking out your goals 1 by 1 ~ IF you’re not already of course! You DO have the POWER. You can take your POWER back. Today is all that matters.

And, your bonus for the day 🙂 I love Proverbs31 & the First5 app! Check it out if you’re looking for daily inspiration 🙂
AND, remember, the only time you should look back is to see how far you’ve come and have the confidence to keep moving forward.

Real Talk with Dina #dreambig

07|16|2016

As I sat drinking my morning coffee this morning and relishing the quiet of my favorite morning of the week, I realized in just 2 weeks at this time, I would be in Nashville with upwards of 25,000 other coaches….most of whom just got done sweating it out at the SUPER WORKOUT. YES, this is what the super workout looks like!!!

This year will be my 3rd Coach Summit. I’ve been to Vegas and to Nashville last year and so excited to go back to Music City again this year! It’s an amazing experience and I learn so much every year.

This was our Team Impact party last year!!

But, what’s ironic about what I learn at this “business conference” is that it’s not about learning how to SELL anything to anyone.

It’s about learning more about myself….about my Faith….about how to best HELP and INSPIRE others…..about how to provide HOPE to someone else….about reaching out a hand to someone who’s fought the same battles….about the value of teamwork…..about humanity and how there really is so much more good in this world than we often see….about living an above average life….a life by your own design!

I’ve been busy these past almost 3 years DREAMING BIG. I want to live a life by my own design. I want to sleep in with B…on a Tuesday in the middle of the summer! I want to take her swimming if it’s sunny and beautiful in the middle of the week! I want to have more time to write and have the words touch someone’s heart. I want to give to my church and charities that I’m passionate about. I want to have more time to volunteer. I don’t ever want to be that mom again with her daughter in Target holding her breath and praying that her debit card will go through. I don’t ever want to be that insecure girl again who thought everyone around her had an easier life.

I’ve had setbacks and struggles, yet when I struggled and I questioned myself the most, I KNEW quitting was never an option. I’m in this for life my friends!

Workshops and good food and team building!

Coaching has seen me through one of the hardest times in my life and I truly believe God brought me to it to bring me through it….because I’m not sure where I would be right now without it. I’m not sure where I would be without the community of #lifepushers I have found. We’re not a community of perfect people. But, we are a community of people who strive to live a more than average life. We reach for the stars! And, when we fall, we get back up and we reach for the next one….and the next one may be even further away than the one before. But, we keep on reaching. We keep on dreaming. One of my main missions in life now is to motivate, mentor and help people live a life beyond average.

This was on the jumbo-tron last year at Nissan Field and when I saw it, my heart skipped a beat. This. Is. Us. THIS is what I thank God for every day that he brought into my life!

I’ll leave you with this for a little inspiration….it’s something I’ve been asking myself every day.

Don’t ask how long it will take. Ask how far can I go.

ANDDDDDD, the bonus today! I’m doing a 5-day clean eating challenge starting Monday! If you want to do this with me, leave a comment on this post or email me at fitstrongpink@gmail.com! One of my friends lost 4.4 lbs! AND, it’s one of my coach’s amazing meal plans and it looks DELISH! Lots of summer grilling recipes in it!! YUMMO!

Faith In Motion

06|30|2016

I remember sitting in a Subway restaurant with my sister, Kristi, years ago when she asked me a question that stopped me in my tracks.

Yes, it was years ago….but I remember it like it was just yesterday.

It was totally casual ~ we were munching on sub sandwiches and catching up after not seeing each other for a while, when out the blue she asked, “Can I ask you a question? How is your Faith?”

I was honestly speechless….and uncomfortable.

I had no idea what to say to her. I had no idea what my answer was.

The truth is, I’m not sure at that time in my life Faith was even important to me. And, to this day, I can’t remember how I responded and that makes me very sad.

I was still going through a time where I questioned how a God that is supposed to love and protect us could allow such tragedy and loss in our lives.

I was feeling alone and helpless, and I’m certain at the time I hadn’t prayed in a long, long time.

Kristi is a lot younger than me. And, I remember thinking at the time, this girl is smart. To be so sure of her own Faith at her age really touched something in me. And, there she was, challenging me and honestly asking me one of the hardest questions I’ve ever been asked.

As I sat there trying to find my words, I remember feeling this overwhelming sense of sadness….like who was I and who was God and could I find Him again? And, then it was as if her question opened up my heart and to this day when I think of that moment, I’m overcome by His spirit.

It would be years later that I found New Hope church and finally felt like I as home. It would be years later when I decided I wanted to be a Christian writer. And, it would be years later when I finally arrived to a time when I can answer that question comfortably and with hope and complete God-confidence.

I always believed in God and that there was a Higher Power. But, I didn’t always believe I deserved or trusted His Grace.

Though the road has been long, I think of that question almost daily, “How is your Faith?” and I finally feel like I’m finding my peace and my place.

So, something hit me at the end of service last Sunday, and I thought about Kristi and that day yet again and I decided I wanted to do something I haven’t done yet and start Faith-based private coaching groups! I want to inspire others and ask the hard questions! I want people who are lost to maybe be able to find themselves again. At the end of every service, the lead Pastor will say, “We don’t just leave the Church….we go and BE the Church.” I want to do for others what my sister has done for me. Because of her Faith and her love and her belief in me, she pushed me to keep finding my way and to find Him again. I’m finding the strength to forgive and maybe more importantly the strength to ask for forgiveness and Grace. I have so many people to say to “Because of you, I didn’t give up.” I want to be that light for others.

For most of my life, I had no self-confidence. I felt weak and as I’ve said in other posts, I’ve battled depression and hopelessness. But, what I found was that the one thing I was really missing was right in front of me….around me….always with me. It was Him. I have spent far too many years looking for something to make me feel better. I can tell you there’s nothing magical about those dang cupcakes I talk about all the time. But, there IS something magical about Faith.

If you are out there struggling with your weight or with food or depression AND if you are the believing kind, I would love to connect and invite you to my newest group ~ FAITH IN MOTION. We will be reading the book Made to Crave by Lysa Terkeurst. This is an AMAZING faith-based book about why we are made to crave what we do and how we can change and grow our relationship with God to overcome. I have so many people to thank and stories to share about how Hope has changed my life. And, as I start the process of writing my book, compiling stories of Hope, Faith, strength, Grace and life warms my heart and makes me even more passionate about taking the LEAP OF FAITH to write.

If you’ve been following me, you know one of the reasons I’m so passionate about what I do is to be the example I want to be for my daughter. She’s the epitome of my “Because of YOU, I didn’t give up!” Brooklyn’s favorite books right now were a gift from my dad called “My Bible Friends.” They are books filled with stories from the Bible written for kids and they are amazing. I grew up with these books. I even had them on cassette tapes and listened to them over and over. And, the books always remind me of course my dad, but also of Kristi and my step-mom. Those of you reading this who know them know they are three of the most faithful and gracious people you could ever meet and I would not be the person I am without their love and support. And, I want to be sure to instill in Brooklyn what they did for me. I am watching her grow and sit by me in church and want to stand in the aisle during music and it is all amazing to me. We witnessed baptisms in church a few months ago and she was so curious and I told her that I was going to do that some day soon and she asked if she could too. I want to do my best to make sure she never loses her Faith like I did.

And, I honestly have found my way back by surrounding myself with positive, full-of-faith, like-minded people and hosting groups just like this have change my world as I know it! The people I’ve met and connected and bonded with have become my light. I want to keep paying it forward and keep finding new ways to change the world. I’m reminded of a saying on the marquee in Nashville last summer at our Coach Summit ~ “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.” ~ Margaret Mead

INDEED.

As coaches, we are far from perfect. But, we do have a passion for health and fitness and believe that God wants us to move and honor our bodies!

If you would like more details on this new Faith in Motion movement, you can fill out the app below or email me at fitstrongpink@gmail.com to learn more! AND, anyone who joins TODAY, June 30th, 2016, with the requirements and the commitment to themselves, will get a $25 Scheels gift card and this tank top!! *Must not be a coach or be working with another coach.*

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Faith ~ Family ~ Fitness ~ Food ~ Fashion ~ Fun

04|25|2016

I’m sooooooo in love with my new blog design!! If you’re a blogger and looking for a new design package, I have to HIGHLY recommend Smitten Blog Designs! My girl, Lindsey, has been so hands-on and we talked almost daily while this was in production to make sure the look and feel and content was exactly the way I wanted it to be. I do still have some pages to work on and tie together, so please be patient as it gets organized!

I was looking for something that better displayed my passions!

Faith.

Family.

Fitness.

Food.

Fashion.

and

Fun.

AND, finding and living in my PURPOSE. (AND, a few more things….like writing and friends and golf and coffee lol).

(Click the image above to follow my fitness page on FB ~
a lot of giveaways going over there as I transition from where I post the most on FB!)

I was looking for something that would be easily searchable for people with a light and fun feel!

I was looking for something that popped with simple color!

And, I was looking for something that can become so much bigger! My 2-year bloggiversary is coming up in May and I’m gonna have some fun giveaways to celebrate so stay tuned! Who knew when I started this little thing almost 2 years ago that I would have so much to say! Well, trust me….I have a LOT more to say! I was sooooooo scared to start this! I had moments of doubt that I would fall flat on my face but then I realized that if this speaks to even ONE person out there, it’s all worth it. So, not only do I have big plans to make this blog something even more fun and useful to people but also to help me write my book……which, btw, in case you haven’t guessed it, I’m sooooooo scared to write! But, I like to do the things that scare me now! It’s the only place I grow in.

HaPpY mOnDaY and stayyyyyyyyyyyy tuned AND remember…..

What’s YOUR dream? I’m living mine. Are you??

REAL TALK with Dina ~ #thespacebetween

04|9|2016

Wow, has it been like 2 weeks since I posted a blog!?! Eeeek. I know I haven’t been writing a lot but didn’t realize it had been that long! I’ve been having a hard time putting thoughts into words lately. And, I’ve been refocusing on my health & fitness goals after 6 weeks of chaos in that department!

I realized today as I finish up this post on my progress for my fitness competition at the end of July that I’ve been living in “the space between.”

I went from the lowest weight I’d been since 2014 at around 164 to the highest I’ve been around 177 in the span of 6 short weeks. (No, this isn’t just about weight ~ this is just the perfect example of the “symptom” of what happens when my mind isn’t in the right place).

Ha, all the girls in the house are like, UGH, why does it seem so easy to gain 13 lbs. in 6 weeks but so hard to lose 13 lbs. in 6 weeks.

#ifeelya

Now, I realize not all of that is real “weight”…..it’s a lot of water weight (and i’m already down over 5 lbs. since Monday so yessssss water). Enter in a trip to Arizona where I ate and drank freely (I made good choices at the beginning of our days….not so good in the evenings…but honestly I still feel like it was worth it!), our Caribbean cruise (I had Shakeo every day, lots of fruits & veggies….BUT, I drank and I drank early lol.), some stomach issues where nothing sounded good but pasta, bread, chocolate and CUPCAKES (and I ate them ALLLLLLLLLLLL) and honestly a lot of laziness and lack of discipline in my to meal planning, eating right and simply honoring my health & fitness goals.

The week I was sick and for several days after turned into some closet eating again after going so so long without that behavior. I was getting up in the middle of the night to eat reese’s pb and snicker eggs from Easter. #whatdontyoudothat? 😉 #imeanhaventyoutriedthem?

ANDDDDDDDDD, before I knew it, the scale was on the verge of 180.

NOW, ya’ll know I hate the scale and for most of my clients I tell them to base their success on their measurements, their pics AND most importantly how they are feeling! HOWEVER, for me and this competition, I still am clinging to that scale. I have said that thing will be gone after this is over and that is still my plan! I have to keep one for my Biggest Loser competition and if I haven’t reached my goal, I will continue to participate in that and I have entered a 6-month long transformation on Dietbet.com!! I need as much accountability as I can get right now.

So, for the past 2 weeks, I’ve been refocusing. I was still working out during those 6 weeks BUT as I know just as well as anyone who’s tried, you can NEVER….I’ll repeat NEVER….out work a bad diet. Thank goodness I was tho ‘cuz what it does for my stress and energy levels is amazing ~ and I still felt tired since my nutrition wasn’t on point! Hate to think how I woulda felt without exercise!

And, then on Monday, I saw something on Facebook that caught my attention! A 60-day #summerstrong challenge where Beachbody is giving away transformation prizes and you could join different accountability groups based on what fitness program you wanted to use during those 60 days. Of course I joined the Hammer&Chisel group right away and since I had already committed to dialing in my nutrition again, I FULLY committed to 60 days of no cheats (except ONE Diet Coke on Fridays and coffee creamer). This means I have to go thru my birthday and who knows how many events without indulging. And, if you know me, you know I love to golf and drink beer….and women’s stag starts soon. Yep, #sucksforme. BUT, I can do this! I’m tired of living in the space between.

The space between being as bad and as self-destructive with my food and addictive behaviors as before I found coaching AND finally having the transformation picture I can look and say although I’m never done THIS is what I’ve been working for.
The space between utter self-sabotage that I can remember a few times in my life where things were spiraling out of control AND the day I finally feel like I’ve truly overcome.
The space between being consumed and paralyzed by my guilt AND the day I finally let go.
The space between being so depressed that I called in sick to work AND the day depression had no hold on me.
The space between feeling lost AND the day I give my marriage 100% and expect nothing in return. (Have you heard of this 100/0 rule? I think most people would say marriage should be 50/50 or 100/100 but to honor God and your relationship, if you put 100% effort while expecting even NOTHING 0% in return, it can change everything.)
The space between feeling like I had no idea what I wanted to be when I grew up AND knowing without a doubt I will be able to repurpose my life way earlier than “the rule of 85!”
The space between feeling like a complete hot mess and failure of a mom AND the comfort and realization that I’m doing the BEST I possibly can.

So, yes.

I’ve been living in that space in between. I’m nowhere near as broken as I was YET I’m not where I want to be. My weight crept back up again because I let go of my goals.

And, maybe that’s life. Maybe we are always living in the space between. Or at least we often go back to that when life gets hard or we get lazy.

But, I’m reading this new book called The 10X Rule and it’s speaking new life into me.

I don’t want to be average. I don’t want to settle for the SPACE BETWEEN. I want the 10X life….my champagne life as Cara Alwill Leyba would call it. The life where at the end of the day I pray and not only do I pray and thank God for everything he has given me BUT I fall asleep KNOWING that I gave Him and my family and my passion and the day everything I had.

Are you living in the space between???? Ask yourself. Be true to yourself and the answer.

One of my favorite parts of The 10X Rule so far ~ “Your last breath is not nearly as important as your next breath.”
I’m just gonna BREATHE! I’m gonna think about my next breath and let go of the past. I’m going to honor myself and my goals! And, as part of honoring my goals, I’m making sure I’m staying in touch with my coach! I would want my clients to do the same! So, when I started struggling on Thursday and had the urge to turn to food, I instead reached out to her….and she talked me off the ledge. I’m happy to say I didn’t give in! I didn’t give up! That’s what we do as coaches and friends! We’re not experts or perfect BUT we are damn good listeners and #lifepushers!!

Click on the image to go to Amazon! I’m listening to it on the Audible app! LOVE Audible!!

I just finished re-reading Girl Code for the 2nd time and found even more nuggets for life!
You can find out what the champagne life is in this book.

I’m working on a post about the changes in my coaching business! LOTS is happening behind the scenes and I’m BEYOND excited for them!!! Stay tuned! I’m adding to my tribe my friends! Will it be you?!

Ya’ll know I love Chalene Johnson! I love my Erin Condren day planner BUT for actually planning and mapping out my #girlbossgoals, THIS rocks my socks off! Click on the image to get your free copy!!

And, as part of what’s happening with my tribe and my champagne life, my blog and my social media outlets are getting a new face! Eeek, I’m excited!!! I’m gonna be doing some fun giveaways over these next several months in honor of the changes coming AND can you believe my 2-year bloggiversary is coming up in May!! Be sure to LIKE my fitness page if you haven’t already so you can be the first to know when these prize giveaways are happening! I’m gonna be challenging you in order to be eligible BUT I promise it’s gonna be fun!!

And, I couldn’t leave you after several weeks with no post without a pic of this little angel. (Ha, especially when she’s asleep!)
I started the #100HappyDays posts again! Guess who was my Day 1! Join me will you? Just use the hashtag #100HappyDays and I’ll look for you! OR feel free to email me at fitnessopendoors@gmail.com if you want to do this! It’s like a virtual gratitude journal!

OKIE DOKIE guys! Thanks for tuning in!
I’m hoping I’m over my writer’s block and anxious to start blogging more with my new design! It goes live next week!

Have a WONDERFUL SaTuRdAy! And, what if you honored your health & fitness goals TODAY like you would on Monday!?!?
I know I am!

#justbreathe #realtalkwithdina #thespacebetween #dontliveanaveragelife