What exactly is a #girlieboss?

Hi fellow Girlieboss!

Let's break this down....what is a girlieboss?  

A Girlieboss is in charge of her own life. She gets what she wants because she works for it.
As a girlieboss, you take control and accept responsibility. You are a fighter. You know when to throw punches and when to roll with them. Sometimes you break the rules; sometimes you follow them. But it's always on your own terms. You know where you are going but can't do it without having some fun along the way. You value honesty or perfection. You ask questions. You take your life seriously but you don't take yourself too seriously. You are going to take over the world and change it in the process. You are a bad ass.

The rules are simple for us girliebosses!  I have them narrowed down to 12 but if you think that there should be more added -- connect with me on Facebook!   I love hearing from my girliebosses! Let's start off with our girlieboss rules:

12 #GIRLIEBOSS RULES 

1. If it feels wrong, don't do it!
2. Say exactly what you mean
3. Don't be a people pleaser
4. Trust your instincts
5. Never speak bad about yourself
6. Never give up on your dreams
7. Don't be afraid to say no
8. Don't be afraid to say yes
9. Be kind to yourself
10. Let go of what you can't control
11. Stay away from drama and negativity
12. LOVE

13,  DREAM

Are you chasing your dreams?  In your high heels, of course!  Or, a close second, your gym shoes. ;) Every morning you have 2 choices. Which one do you choose?

1. Continue to sleep with your dreams.

OR

2. Wake up and chase them!

If you don't make the time to work on creating the life you want, you're eventually going to be forced to spend a lot of time dealing with the life you don't want.  Design your life!  I designed mine over 5 years ago...and I am proud to say that I am living the #girlieboss lifestyle that I chased!!!

What is my story?

I love fitness and I absolutely have a passion for helping others in their journey!  

Many people think that I've always been in shape and have had this passion for fitness! That's not true!  It's only been since 2008 that I really started to get serious with my own fitness journey and made the changes that finally gave me results.  I thought Twizzlers (a fat free candy, after all!) and working out at 50% was 'enough'.   But, I had a BIG wake up call when I saw a picture of myself!! It was time to make a serious change! I became a Beachbody Coach, started to work out SERIOUSLY (100% for every workout and added the important aspect of lifting weights) and I changed my diet. I now drink Shakeology and eat 5 to 6 small meals (about 300-350 calories each) a day.  But my changes from coaching were not just physical - they were mental.  I gained confidence (not because of the physical changes, although that certainly was nice) because working out gave me mental strength! I started to believe in myself.  I started to realize just how powerful I was; physically and mentally - and that is an empowering feeling!

Not only did I start to see changes -- but  others saw changes in me, too!  I smiled more, laughed more, and became more confident in the person I am!   I was cruising thru 2008 on a girlieboss dream! Until, in September of 2009 my world came crashing upside down. We discovered my husband had a brain tumor. It was a grim prognosis in the beginning… they told him he may only have a year and a half. They removed the tumor successfully and it ended up being a grade 2 instead of the grade 3 or 4 like they were suspecting. So thank the Lord we were given TIME!  So here we are many years later and he is doing fantastic!!

When you have a life changing moment like that, it really opens your eyes to what’s important! Follow your dreams! Life is so precious, we have NO idea what the future holds for us so GO BIG, DO MORE and of course, DON’T SWEAT THE SMALL STUFF!!  And my girlieboss mantra was born.  I knew I was a girlieboss along - but I found the power to believe it. And after our life was changed - I knew that I needed to share this message with YOU!

SO,

Stop being unhappy with yourself, you are perfect.

Stop wishing you looked like someone else or wishing people liked you as much as they like someone else.

Stop trying to get attention from those who hurt you.

Stop hating your body, your face, your personality, your quirks, love them.

Without those things you wouldn't be you and why would you want to be anyone else?

Be confident with who you are.

Smile - it'll draw people in.

If anyone hates on you because you are happy with yourself then you stick your middle finger in the air and say screw it.

My happiness will not depend on others anymore.

I'm happy because I love who I am.

I love my flaws.

I love my imperfections.

They make me and ME is pretty amazing.

And don't you forget it!  You are a Girlieboss!  And you are AMAZING. Repeat after me:  This is our girlieboss mantra: 

I believe anything is possible
I see opportunity when others see impossibility.
I take risks.
I am focused.
I hustle.
I know that nothing is unrealistic.
I feel overwhelming love.
I embrace my childklike wonder and curiosity
I take flying leaps into the unknown
I contribute to something bigger than myself.
I create.
I learn.
I grow.
I do.
I believe it's never too late to start living a dream.

If you haven't already, I'd love to connect with you and hear from you!  Are we friends on Facebook already?  If not, find me there - send me a friend request and share your girlieboss story with me!!!

STOP! Drop! And drink some water....

Hey you! 

If you are reading this - STOP! And take a drink of water - here is why: 

Water suppresses the appetite naturally and helps the body metabolize stored fat. Studies have shown that a decrease in water intake will cause fat deposits to increase, while an increase in water intake can actually reduce fat deposits. Here's why: The kidneys can't function properly without enough water. When the kidneys don't work to capacity, some of their load is dumped onto the liver. One of the liver's primary functions is to metabolize stored fat into usable energy for the body. If the liver has to do some of the kidney's work, it can't operate at full throttle. As a result, it metabolizes less fat, more fat remains stored in the body, and weight loss stops.

Need some tips to drink more? Try these:

1. Make a bet with a co-worker to see who can drink more water in the course of a day.

2. Have a big glass of water at every transitional point of the day: when you first get up, just before leaving the house, when you sit down to work, etc.

3. Make it convenient - keep a big, plastic, insulated water bottle full on your desk and reach for it all day.

4. When you have juice (apple, grape, or orange) fill half the glass with water.

5. When you have a junk-food craving, down a glass of water immediately. You feel full quickly and avoid the calories, and it lets time pass till the craving fades.

6. Have one glass every hour on the hour while at work. When the work day is done your water quota is met.

7. Substitute a cup of hot water with a drop of honey for tea or coffee.

8. While at work, get a 20 ounce cup of ice and keep filling it up from the office water cooler. The key is drinking with a straw - you take bigger gulps and drink much more.

9. Freeze little bits of peeled lemons, limes, and oranges and use them in place of ice cubes - it's refreshing and helps get in a serving or two of fruit.

10. After each trip to the restroom, guzzle an eight-ounce glass to replenish your system.

11. Don't allow yourself a diet soda until you've had two to four glasses of water. You will find that you won't want the soda anymore or that just half a can is enough.

12. Let ounces of water double grams of fat: When eating something containing 10 grams of fat, I drink 20 ounces of water.

13. Drink two full glasses at each meal, one before and one after. Also, drink one glass before each snack so you don't eat as much.

14. Carry a small refillable water bottle at all times and drink during downtime; while waiting in a bank line, sitting on the train, etc.

15. Use a beautiful gold-rimmed glass and fill it with cold water from the tap.

16. Drink two glasses of water immediately after waking up.

17. Bring a two-liter bottle of water to work and try to drink it all before you leave work. If you don't finish, drink it in traffic on the way home - it's like a race.

18. Always keep a 24-ounce bottle of water handy while watching TV, doing laundry, making dinner, etc.

19. Add drinking two glasses of water to your daily skincare regimen. Drink, cleanse, moisturize, etc., then drink again.

20. Drink your water out of a big Pyrex measuring cup - it's a good way to keep track of how much water you are drinking.

Have questions or comments?  Find me on Facebook and be sure to say HI!