Meditation Challenge Pivot! New 21 day plan challenge...

Thank you for sharing in this Commitment Journey with me and working with me as we take a small pivot in our meditation practice plan. I received quite a few emails regarding a cost associated with the Calm - 21 Days of Meditation Series. As a subscriber I didn't realize this series was locked, but my goal through this challenge was not for you to make a financial investment. The goal was for you to make a time commitment to yourself through yoga and meditation, utilizing resources that had no costs associated.

Meditation and yoga are tow extremely vital components to creating mindfulness and an awakening within your life. It's said that the two most important days of your life are the day you were born and the day you discover your why (purpose). Mindfulness creates that awareness to provide you clarity on your purpose, as well as, improves your ability to respond to the various triggers of stress that are thrown at us throughout our everyday lives.

Therefore, the series I have selected for us to use for the remainder of our meditation challenge is an Oprah and Deepak Series - 21 Day Meditation Challenge - The Journey to Perfect Health. I have completed several Oprah and Deepak's meditation challenges and enjoyed all of them. This series has been captured on YouTube, and we are going to gratefully take advantage of the access to this series, while also pursuing a journey to perfect health. In the event you would like to invest in this challenge, use this link!

This challenge will explore the many ways we can take control of our health and well-being.
Week 1 - Gain a better understanding of what our minds and bodies are capable of.
Week 2 - Learn techniques to invite balance into our lives!
Week 3 - Integrate all the techniques to truly begin to live perfect health.

Ok, so that is our mediation game plan! I hope enjoy the series and I look forward to hearing back from you all on new habits you have created through this meditation challenge.

Please visit the Lovelee Motivation Facebook Page or Lovelee Motivation IG page to receive daily motivations and inspiration.

The Success Nonsecret...Commitment

Every quarter I complete this somewhat thorough analysis around various aspects of my life; health, spiritual, financial, business/career, and personal (love/parenting). I use this tool, the Annual Guide Book, provided by fitness professional and thought leader, Trish Blackwell.  Part of this exercise is to evaluate my performance in the previous quarter, identify areas of improvement and set goals. One thing I usually do is select a word to depict what I would like to see in that quarter and then drill down further really quantifying and qualifying what my exact desires are in detail, how I plan to get there and why its important to me. I actually really love that part of the planning process, because the analytical side of me is able to be extremely detail oriented in the documentation and the direct side of me gets to tell my self what a loser I have over the last 3 months. Lol. Totally kidding, I actually do have areas where I "WIN."

In theory it's really a great exercise, BUT when I started the process this year for 2018 first quarter I realized something that I've known for some time, MY COMMITMENT SUCKS! I plan, I start strong, then I let things get in the way. I allow "life" to happen and things take a drastic turn and I don't fulfill all the things I set out to complete. Unfortunately I have to admit I've seen this in other aspects of my life as well, such as with friendships, various projects I've volunteered with...and I can't allow it to continue. I've asked God for "Focus" for some time now and that was even my word for the last quarter of 2017. Yet, in prayer and evaluation, I realized the secret to success in any venture in life is COMMITMENT. Commitment drives all of those other adjectives, verbs and nouns that I've been using over the years. Without commitment, there is no focus. Without commitment, there is no completion. Without commitment, there's a journey that doesn't produce fully desired results.

Let's face it, the journey still exists, but without commitment to the goal in mind it's like driving with no real destination, whether it's yoga 30 days, prayer 40 days, meditation 21 days. So this year, I WANT COMMITMENT. And can I just take a moment to allow my analytical side to chime in...I want commitment in other areas of my life, such as a relationship and deeper friendships, but if I am not giving it, how can I expect it, right?! Basic Law of Attraction working here...therefore commitment will lead to relationships full of reciprocity.

There are 3 major commitments I want to complete over the next 30 days and I am going to use the blog, IG and my Facebook page to make it happen and create accountability. 
1. I want commitment with my Lovelee Motivation blog and Lovelee Motivation Instagram page, because there are so many accountability factors connected to it.
2. I want commitment in my yoga practice, because I always immediately notice the difference in my body and mind when I'm consistent. True - Yoga by Adrienne
3. I want commitment in my meditation practice, because in those treasured moments of calm and meditation, my mind opens up in ways that create this better human in the way I conduct friendships, the way I parent, the way I love others, the way I connect with God and just so much more.

So, for the next 30 days my goal, starting January 19th, is to post daily my meditation practice, my yoga practice and some type of creative inspiration on Facebook and/or IG. I know it's the new year and you're like "So this is your New Years resolution?" This is my life resolution. I have lost really amazing habits and created really terrible habits. So I am COMMITTED to breaking those bad habits in the most vital areas of my life and creating really rich ritual habits to enhance the woman that I am...

Are you interested in increasing your commitment level and making some changes in your life? 
Here's a few tips to help get you started... 
1. Write down your goals. Describe why this change or goal is important to you. 
2. Create some level of accountability with someone. 
3. Start with a small, digestible time limit to deliver on this goal. Like start with 21-30 days, re-evaluate after that time, then start again with another 30 days. 
4. Plan, plan, plan. Whether it's a new diet lifestyle, workout plan, a new morning ritual, whatever it is, make sure to plan a day ahead for what you will do tomorrow. Planning reduces opportunities to not commit. Mark off that time in the day to complete your goal, wake up in the morning, review your schedule and set your intentions to get it done!

As I referenced in the beginning of my blog I really LOVE, LOVE, LOVE Trish Blackwell's Annual Guide Book. It gives you that full view of what you are going for and what you want to accomplish. If you are into podcasts she has also done many podcasts on how to accomplish goals and so much more. Please check out her site for her "Confidence on the Go" podcasts episodes.  

So Friday, January 19, 2018,  is the big day...You may say "Why wait till Friday?!" Because I want to, lol...and are you really going to let a day of the week dictate your journey towards improving your life, your soul, your body and your mentality? 

I look forward to taking this journey with you!

Until next time, stay motivated, stay positive, and trust God!
Please visit the Lovelee Motivation Facebook Page or Lovelee Motivation IG page to receive daily motivations and inspiration.

Buffering...

We are in control of how we respond to an event we can't control. 

My life is currently in a buffer. Do you ever feel that way? Like things pause, but they are trying to be in motion and you are STUCK on this one action and NEED it move forward to the next scene. But no, that one action, that one situation that you really don't want to deep dive into has that freaking icon on it...IT'S BUFFERING. Right now I am in a scene with the buffer circle and I want to break it! 

I've cried, I've gotten angry on the inside, I've taking my meds and I've PRAYED. So now what? Maybe I stop hitting the mouse and the keyboards and I ask myself "why?" And here I am blogging. Why is this happening? What am I supposed to learn from this devastating situation completely out of my control? How do I move forward? 

That's usually the process right? When the computer stalls, the YouTube video buffers, life gets crazy...What do we do? Our normal instincts are to go into fix-it mode, which sometimes leads to frustration, i.e. throwing an innocent mouse across the room. But how about, SURRENDER? Surrendering gives us a chance to reclaim our sanity. We are in control of how we respond to an event we can't control. We are in the position to walk away, breathe and analyze. Sometimes its hitting a hard reset and sometimes it's answering hard questions. 

So today in my pain, in my fury, as my life buffers, I walk away, I breathe and I ask...
Why is this happening God? What do you want me to learn from it? How do I move forward?

Buffer moments...sometimes simple...sometimes complex...
Why didn't I get that job? Why didn't that relationship work out? Why did my child make that poor decision? Why did I spend my hard earned bill money on a non-essential item that I can't return? Why can't my baby daddy behave and pay child support? Why is may manager making my life a living H-E-double hockey sticks? 

There's beauty in the buffer. There's insight in the buffer. Appreciate the buffer...

How do you handle your buffer moments? Be honest? Do you scream? Do you take it out on innocent bystanders, friends, and loved ones? I do sometimes...a matter of fact before I surrendered I started to block all of my friends who were not responding to my buffer the way I wanted them to respond. (Don't judge me!) Do you hurt yourself verbally or physically? 

I challenge you today, tonight, this moment to handle your current or next buffer from a space of grace and control. Step away. Breathe. Analyze. Can I be honest...when I don't do those things or let's say when I attempt to, but don't fully commit, then I hurt myself physically, I cut. Why, because I can control the cut, I can control the depth of the blade entrance, I can control the placement, I can control the quantity. But then I don't get to enjoy the buffer...a matter of fact, after the cutting ends I'm still buffering. The situation still exists.  

So take my challenge, rise to the occasion and love yourself, LOVE THAT FREAKING BUFFER, give it the tightest hug and show that buffer gratitude. I showed my buffer gratitude today and it was HARD. I can't tell my buffer situation, because it involves my child and that's a violation of her privacy. But it was a huge buffer. But I journaled through it and even though I am still weak from the buffer, the video is starting to play again, the website is beginning to load everything on the page. And remember what God told us is Matthew 11:28, Amplified version, “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavily burdened [by religious rituals that provide no peace], and I will give you rest [refreshing your souls with salvation]."

Until next time, stay motivated, stay positive, and trust God!
Please visit the Lovelee Motivation Facebook Page or Lovelee Motivation IG page to receive daily motivations and inspiration.

P.S. If you are not in immediate danger because of thoughts of suicide, but need someone to talk with about your suicidal feelings, please do not hesitate to call one of the following national suicide prevention lines: 1-800-SUICIDE (1-800-784-2433) or 1-800-273-TALK (1-800-273-8255).

Consistency Challenge Reboot #Dr Sims #ConsistencyChallenge

Long time no blog!!! So, I will keep this short, because it's rather late and I didn't plan to blog at 1 a.m. on a Saturday, but hey when God encourages you to do something you should do it! "We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, therefore, is not an act but an habit." Monday I started a consistency challenge, because I needed to sleep people. I was CONSISTENTLY starving myself of rest and my body was suffering. When your body suffers your mind suffers, your behavior suffers, your commitment suffers, your productivity, your creativity. I just needed a reboot!

So, with the encouragement of my Life Coach Dr. Walter Sims I chose to be in bed by 10 p.m. every night, read a small devotion, followed by sleep by 10:30. I did that until today, which was a bit intentional. I can actually work late on Friday nights because I don't have to wake up at 4 a.m. to get to work by 6 a.m.. With all that being said, consistency has truly resonated with me these past 5 days. What I found was in an effort to be consistent I was really restrictive of my schedule and my time and what got my focus. I also allowed myself to not do it all. It was a true moment of self love and I felt it. I really felt the difference. 

Take the challenge, pick ONE THING, that you will do consistently for 7 days. I know, I know, the rule of thumb is it takes 21 days to create a habit, but just start with 7. And can I just say, sleep was my focus, but it turned into devotion, time with God, creating beautiful image quotes for Lovelee Motivation again, all from sleep! So, don't get caught up with "I only picked one thing, I need to do 3." I can promise you that one thing, will catapult into more and you will take a step back and see that it wasn't just ONE THING! It's Saturday, do this ONE THING for yourself. Lol. Love yourself and be consistent. 

Enjoy your weekend! Hopefully with consistency I will be back with more eventful blogs in the coming days. 

Listening to Your Body...Giving Yourself Grace

Wow, so it's been a couples of weeks since I blogged. Honestly, I took on too much too fast, my Chronic Fatigue Syndrome flared and my body said, "NO MORE!" Over the past couple of years I've learned to listen to my body when it does that, because trying to produce quality work when you are not functioning at your best usually doesn't work out. It also drives my anxiety into overdrive.

Normally I would have really mentally badgered myself over not blogging and starting this process and not being consistent, but I became the Honey Badger (A.D.D. moment where you can meet the Honey badger) and basically didn't care about anything but myself. I trusted what was right for me and whether I would best serve you in a frazzled, overwhelmed, completely exhausted state. That's part of this process of overcoming depression for me, being confident in the decisions I make and ensuring that I am treating myself with grace and love.

During depression, that is often something we neglect doing. We really beat ourselves up and get in a mode of identifying negatives and areas that we feel we have failed. Yet, as I am being more graceful with myself I took this 2 weeks to really appreciate and be grateful for how well I cared about myself. Yes, I had moments of disappointment with taking on so much and not being able to perfect my time management, but I dug deep to redirect that thinking. And sometimes the easiest thing to do in the evenings, when I found myself completely upset that I hadn't accomplished something, was throw in the towel and go to bed! It's not always bad to throw in the towel. Throwing in the towel can also be an expression of love to your body!! And an expression of divine love, is actually grace.

So, this is a short blog as I get back in the routine of things. A matter of fact, after I post this blog, one of the things on my list is really developing my routine including my added responsibilities I have taken on this quarter. But just remember to listen to your body. We are moving into the holiday season where we all push ourselves too much in an effort to do for others. That's all well in good, but don't allow your mind to push you into overdrive and into a negative mindset when you just can't do it all!! We don't have to do it all, we don't have to be perfect. We just need to hold ourselves to a standard of grace!!

Please visit the Lovelee Motivation Facebook Page or Lovelee Motivation IG page to receive daily motivations and inspiration.

P.S. If you are not in immediate danger because of thoughts of suicide, but need someone to talk with about your suicidal feelings, please do not hesitate to call one of the following national suicide prevention lines: 1-800-SUICIDE (1-800-784-2433) or 1-800-273-TALK (1-800-273-8255).

7 Happiness Hacks!

We all can have tough days where things don't seem to be aligning the way we would like them to, but we have the power to turn it all around!! Here are 7 happiness hacks I use when things seem to be out of whack for me.

1. Exercise.
Who can fight endorphins? Show me the person who is completely pissed and frustrated after they finish working out. I make it a goal to give myself time every morning to get in some type of physical activity, even if its only 10 minutes! Three days a week I have to be at work by 6 a.m., which requires a 4 a.m. wake up. I schedule myself about 20 minutes to get in a quick bike ride or yoga practice, but I give myself permission to only fulfill 10 minutes. My overall goal with this morning workout is not to lose weight or create some huge calorie burning session, but just invite my body into some physical activity. Giving myself that 10 minute obligation takes the pressure off of me in the event I can't get in full 20 minutes, because let's face it, that's a super early time to get up in the morning. In the evening I have much more time to get in at least 30 minutes, but do your best to give yourself some physical activity first thing in the morning!

2. Music.
There is nothing better than turning on music that makes you feel good. I wake up to great praise and worship music every morning and listen to it throughout the day to keep myself in a state of happiness. In moments when I am feeling down, praising God in advance for turning a situation around always makes me feel so much better. So turn on your favorite tunes and get that immediate happiness fill.

3. Be Present. Be Grateful.
Stop, breathe and be present. Look at where you are in that very moment. You are alive, you are breathing, your children are healthy, you have shelter, food, etc. Just be present in everything that is happening around you and tell God "thank you!"

4. Smile. 
Yep, smile, you're on candid camera. When I am feeling at my lowest, it's crazy how forcing myself to smile does something for me. First of all, you are being present. You are taking that very moment to stop, acknowledge your feelings, but pressing through and bringing forth that smile. Also, serving that smile up to other people gives you a boost as well. You never know what someone is going through and sharing your smile with the world can not only be a happiness hack for you, but for others!

5. Pray. Meditate.
As I have progressed through my depression, prayer and meditation has brought me the most resolve. At times when I am most overwhelmed or upset, simply going into my prayer closet, turning on some praise and worship music, sitting there for a minimum of 7 minutes in complete silence and allowing God to speak to me is the best therapy. This was actually a meditation method suggested to me by my life coach Dr. Walter Sims. Sitting quietly for 7 minutes and on the 8th minute, the number of new beginnings, writing down everything that God spoken to me during that last 7 minutes. See a lot of times we go into meditation to empty our minds or we go into prayer sending up our petitions to God. Yet, what if we sat silently and just asked Him to speak to us and tell us what He wants us to hear? Doing this has truly deepened my relationship with God.

6. Laugh. 
Who can fight the power of laughter? It's true medicine for the soul. Anne Frank said "There's only one rule you need to remember: laugh at everything and forget everybody else! It sounds egotistical, but it's actually the only cure for those suffering from self-pity."  Laughing about a situation can prevent it from defeating you! On mornings where I am not at my best or just because, I will sometimes wake up, stare at the ceiling and just laugh for no reason for at least 10 seconds. No reason at all, just laugh. Afterwards I feel really silly, but it definitely changes my mood!

7. Help Someone. 
In the midst of our own pain, you can find joy in helping others. Do something for someone else during the rough patches. It doesn't have to be anything big. An act of service could be a smile, going out of your way to pass that overwhelmed mother a buggy at the grocery store, opening the door for someone, or if you are feeling extra chummy, picking up the tab for someone when you grab your Pumpkin Spice Latte at the drive thru. Just be of assistance to someone out of the blue and it will immediately increase your happiness factor!

Please visit the Lovelee Motivation Facebook Page to receive daily motivations and inspiration.

P.S. If you are not in immediate danger because of thoughts of suicide, but need someone to talk with about your suicidal feelings, please do not hesitate to call one of the following national suicide prevention lines: 1-800-SUICIDE (1-800-784-2433) or 1-800-273-TALK (1-800-273-8255).