GoHuman Blog

As week four begins of my eight week journey to wellness, I’m amazed by the various stages of transition this process is taking me through. Not only from a physical- being perspective, but from a mindset one, as well.

When I committed to blogging about this journey each week, it meant reporting the good, the bad and the not so good moments of my experience.  As important as it is to have the support of others on the sidelines rooting us on with their encouraging words during moments of success, it’ equally as important for us to know they’re there to lean on in moments of weakness, as well. It’s during these times when some of the greatest opportunities for learning and growth are present, in that we’re able to witness how others embrace a challenge and break through the barriers, to get to the other side.

This past week, the detoxification process I had experienced the previous week, had finally subsided. I began feeling more like myself, had great levels of energy and all the anxiety, lightheadedness and nausea had dissipated. I felt great all week and the clothes gradually, continued fitting better. By the way, I’m still making the choice to “not” know my weight loss/gain each week, when visiting the Dr. My focus is on what “the process” is doing for me and not the goal. At the conclusion of my eight weeks and final blog posting about the journey, I will reveal the initial goal I had set as a benchmark, along with the actual results.

Week three brought a whole new set of challenges only this time, they were all self inflicted, as I had total control over the choices I made. Simply put, there were a couple of days where I gave in to temptation and made some poor decisions about the things I ate and drank. My reasoning and justification for having made these choices are nothing short of lame excuses and completely irrelevant to why I signed up for this program. Furthermore, placing the blame for my actions on outer circumstances or the influence of other people, would be stupid and irresponsible. I accept full responsibility and take ownership for the actions I took. Time to regroup, remind myself why I’m doing this and take the actions necessary, that will allow me to move ahead.

So to fast forward and skip over the pity party, where is my mind at today and more importantly, what steps did I immediately take, after acknowledging the detours I encountered were completely unnecessary and of my own doing? I’m working out harder and longer. I’ve increased my water intake and my diet is back on track to involve no grains, no dairy, no sugar. I’m determined and motivated now more than ever to not let these setbacks discourage me, but rather push me harder to getting the results I want!

“It is inevitable that some defeat will enter even the most victorious life. The human spirit is never finished when it is defeated…it is finished when it surrenders.”

~Ben Stein

In week 3 of my 8 Week Wellness Journey, the biggest difference in how my body is responding to eating healthier and more frequently is my loss of appetite. That, frequent bouts of lightheadedness and some difficulty sleeping. But my energy level has definitely improved, big time! No sluggishness when waking up or after eating. No feeling of exhaustion.

I described these symptoms to my Dr. last week, who wasn’t surprised.  She explained that most likely my body was going through a detoxification process. When poisoning substances are drawn out of the body, detoxification symptoms accompany with the flush of toxins. It’s a healthy part of the process, but it is important to learn how to manage them.

I read about how to handle the detox process and one management technique is to consume healthy whole foods with a high fat content, i.e. nuts, avocados, seeds, etc. It’s also important to get a good night’s sleep, since the body is working harder than usual to cleanse itself and therefore, more rest is required. Daily water consumption of 2 liters is also recommended, to give the body a vehicle for flushing out the toxins.

You may wonder if this is really all worth it; and for some people, perhaps not. For me, it was absolutely necessary! A body needs fuel to run properly and more importantly, the right kind of fuel, just as a car requires the correct type of octane fuel. Good nutritional habits and a balanced diet aren’t developed in one day, nor destroyed by one unbalanced meal. Healthy eating means a lifestyle of making choices, decisions, planning and knowing how to make quick and smart choices when you haven’t planned.

My motivation comes from thinking about the person I am becoming, as toxic obstructions are removed from within. When health and energy are flowing around our system, we’re able to become the best person we can be. New ideas, plans and talents that were previously unknown, will reveal themselves, as the journey continues.

FYI- I asked to NOT be weighed this past week for no other reason than I didn’t want to be encouraged or discouraged if I had lost more/less than what I anticipated. My focus is on the actions I take today, that will lead me to the results I want.

As I blog about the start of week 2 of 8 eight of my wellness journey, I finish the last slice of a bowl of oranges.  I can’t recall a single breakfast of “cut up oranges”, but I am actually full after eating them! Who would have thought something so great tasting and good for you would also satisfy those morning hunger pains?

Let’s back up to last Friday’s first week progress visit.  Dr. Angela asked numerous questions and in particular wanted to know if I noticed any significant changes in energy level. Surprisingly, I didn’t feel much different, but my mindset was a completely different story. I let her know that every morning I’d wake up in a completely happy mood ! Why? Because for the first time in several years, the first thoughts to run through my head weren’t “Why did I eat all that junk food yesterday and then a snack at 10pm?” To not have those lingering, daunting feelings or thoughts be the first thing I think of when waking up, is quite empowering.

Next, was the weigh-in. Stepping onto the scale, I specifically told the Dr.  I’d intended on closing my eyes and didn’t want to know the results, because I wanted to give the diet one more week, to ensure I wouldn’t get discouraged, if I hadn’t lost anything yet.  As I stepped off and was putting my shoes back on, the Dr. had a huge smile on her face (my guess is she doesn’t play poker) and could barely contain herself. She asked if I wanted her to tell me the results and before I even had a chance to respond, she said, “You lost 5lbs.!” Maybe not a big deal to most people; however, for me, she might as well have told me I lost 30lbs. What that meant to me was that I had finally found a different system to follow that WAS giving me the results I had wanted for so very long, but had failed to accomplish in the past.

What’s on the agenda for week two? Changing up my fitness routine to consist of more high intense/low impact workouts and muscle building, to strengthen resistance and expanding my eating habits and cooking skills. For those of you who know or don’t know my cooking skills, this in and of itself, is a huge taking on for me. To put it mildly, the only appliance I’m familiar with in the kitchen, is the microwave. But I’m up for the challenge!

A George Patton quote sums it all up, “Accept the challenges so that you may feel the exhilaration of victory.”

My journey to living a healthier life by establishing better eating habits and a more regimented workout routine has officially begun!

What’s occurred for me over the past 3 days since transitioning my body and mind to a completely different way of eating and thinking? Surprisingly, I’m learning a lot about commitment. More importantly, I’m understanding the real value of how important it is to my own personal well being and the communication I have with others, when I make a commitment to myself and following through by doing what I say I’m going to do.

Day one started out great! I went to the grocery store and made a b-line for the produce section. I picked up a lot of food that, up until that point, had been pretty foreign to me. All day long, I followed the diet to a “T” and then came an evening (preplanned) party we were hosting with some friends and family. Let’s just say that I allowed all the fun and festivities of everyone being together, as an excuse to cheat and outdo any progress I might have made, earlier in the day.

From past experiences, after blowing a diet on the first day, I would have just given up and gone back to eating the “breakfast of champions,” which ranged anywhere from a few handfuls of M&M’s to a fully loaded egg omelet with bacon, toast and potatoes on the side. So what was different about this time? I told myself that this time was going to be different and that regardless of what challenges I encountered along the way, I wouldn’t allow my mindset to shift back into that “comfort zone” I was all too familiar with. Thinking that way had never served me in the past and as many of us know, the best predictor of future behavior is past behavior. Giving up and going back to such poor eating habits, certainly wasn’t going to make me healthier or live longer. I wasn’t going to lose the extra, unnecessary weight I’d gained and complained about every day, over the past few years. More importantly, I wouldn’t be following through with a promise I had finally made to myself. A promise to change the things that weren’t working for me and to introduce many new things that have been missing, in order to get a different outcome.

My focus is on the actions I take today! My intent is focused on the process that I follow today, not the end result. I’m focused on following today’s diet plan that’s been created by someone who’s thoroughly evaluated my previous eating and exercise habits, knows the goals I want to achieve, and is a highly skilled and trained professional in areas unfamiliar to me.

Until next week’s update, shift your mind to focus more on the moment and the actions you can take today and less about the future. Paradoxically, every moment and how we spend it, is what creates the future.

The past few weeks I’ve been gearing up (myself and those interested in reading my posts) to begin a wellness program I recently enrolled in, through a local chiropractor. I know, who knew a chiropractic office offered wellness programs? I’ve chalked it up to a basic business philosophy that many entrepreneur’s/organizations tend to lose sight of which is that they clearly understand how important it is to the success of their business to continuously find ways to add value to those they serve.

Last week marked my first visit to the office, which was the initial consultation and program review. The Dr. was definitely on a fact-finding mission and asked a multitude of questions ranging from current fitness regimen and eating habits, to why I chose “now” to take action.

Some of you may be wondering what (if any) purpose does it serve others, for me to track such a journey, through weekly blogging. What’s more, how or does it even relate to coaching? The good news is that the two are very much in alignment with one another and “no,” I’m not self absorbedJ.

Coaching is about commitment, accountability, taking action for the results we want and doing whatever is necessary, in order to get those results. Coaching is a structured relationship designed to help the person being coached to move forward, to reach the goals that they have set, and to reach their potential.

Those who remain hesitant, may then be asking “Why would someone who’s built a career for themselves that’s designed to lead others to realizing the untapped potential they have within, seek their own assistance of an outside source to get more fit, become healthier by adapting new eating habits, to live a longer and healthier life?” My response is simple and nonetheless, truthful. I understand and know the value of having a support system who’s in my corner, rooting for me every step of the way. I know the value of having someone to help hold me accountable and offer a different perspective when it’s difficult to see the forest through the trees. I know the value of having someone on your side who isn’t there to criticize, but rather offer their encouragement to continue moving forward, after not having reached a weekly goal. I also know (all too well) that in order to change the things that aren’t working or are missing from my daily diet/fitness routine, means that “I” must make the commitment and “I” must take the action required, to affect the change “I” want.

When multiple award winning actress (and dubbed as America’s Sweetheart) Sandra Bullock landed the lead role in The Blind Side, in order to really get into her character as the headstrong football mom Leigh Ann Tuohy, one of the first moves Bullock made was to hire dialect coach, Francie Brown. Bullock hired Brown to help her refine her southern-style accent and incidentally, she won best actress for her role in the movie.

How about one of the best golfers of all time Tiger Woods who, regardless of the personal challenges he’s endured these past few years, also works with a coach. The coach may change from time to time but nonetheless, he always has one. Why does someone with his talent, his skills and his record have a coach? Because he takes constructive feedback from another golfer who he could undoubtedly beat with some regularity, if he were to compete against him. Just imagine what it’s like to not only be the very best in the world at what you do, but to be humble enough to admit than you can always get better and don’t know it all.

My commitment to all of you is to post weekly progress updates, as my journey continues.

Learn your fear of raising prices and stand up to it. Don’t allow the fear you have about money and prices to be the decision maker. Acknowledge the fear, set it aside, and then get creative and make a non-emotional decision, regarding your prices.

When you’re having a conversation with a customer, whether in person or via advertising, focus on “the value” of the product/service you offer. People love to hear stories about other happy customers who have experienced the joy of doing business with you. Talk more about value and less about the price. Being enthusiastic and passionate about what you do is viral. Customers want you to believe in yourself and your business. They want to buy from someone who is proud, passionate and confident about what they do.

When you raise your prices, you’ll have more money to gain more, and better customers. The additional income allows you to market, advertise and promote your business in ways you couldn’t afford to before.

Operating a small business is vastly different than running a corporate giant. Small businesses can be more creative and opportunities to succeed are greater. Very few principles can be taken from a corporate giant and applied to a small business with similar results. Your advantages in a small business are the complete opposite of theirs. They have mass volume, distribution and leveraging advantages.  You don’t. Don’t be misguided by the pricing war behavior they engage in because thankfully, it doesn’t apply to you!

One falsehood many people fall for is that by lowering their price, they’ll “make it up in volume.” Here’s a great example…..a guy buys a boat load of money change-making machines and someone says, “How will you make a profit? People put a dollar in and you give them four quarters. How in the world can you possibly make any money on that deal?” The guy responds by saying, “I’ll make it up in volume.” Really?

Much of the fear of raising prices comes from the whole small business self esteem factor that says, “I’m not worth it and would feel guilty raising prices because my customers trust me for this price and therefore, if I raise them, I’m taking advantage of them.” Really?

Take yourself back to the state of mind you had when you first started your business. Remember all that energy you had? You were so excited that you stayed up all night researching and writing down all the limitless possibilities you could create? Never lose that game element because it’s what keeps every business’s energy and creativity flowing.

There will never be a shortage of opportunity for you to raise your prices, when you are continually raising the value of the buying experience. You won’t lose customers, you’ll gain them.

Communication is key to creating, building and growing relationships, whether in our business or personal lives. We spend our days in various forms of communication to enhance relationships. Everything we say and the actions we take are a direct reflection of ourselves and our businesses.

In business, advertising; a website; making client calls and networking, are all forms of communicating your message to contacts, clients and prospective clients. Having a conversation about your business with someone is a direct opportunity to demonstrate the value and service you provide others, who will want to pay for your product/service and do business with you, or refer you to someone who will. People do business with people they know, they like and they trust.

Communicating the right message and in the right way can be the link to creating successful, life-long relationships with clients, associates or new acquaintances. Being genuine, trustworthy and in integrity to those you connect with shows how much you value the relationship as a solid foundation for you both to build upon and use for improving business.

Your work ethics and communication skills with others not only enhances the relationships you create in business, but also has a huge impact on the personal success you achieve in life.

The gift of “giving” inherently, means you must be open to receiving, as well. Being a good and effective communicator provides many opportunities for rewards, from gaining new clients and more financial stability to new friendships that are life transforming. By routinely communicating with clients and contacts, you’re building relationships that will support every aspect of your business and personal life.

Have you ever heard the saying, “Doing it now is more important than doing it right?” It doesn’t mean is don’t do something as well as you can, rather if you wait until the timing is perfect, it’ll never happen.  Just do it now.

Those are some pretty powerful words. Words that actually came from a book my friend, best-selling author and world renown coach Steve Chandler, who co-authored with Sam Beckford, called 100 Ways to Create Wealth. Ironically, both authors had formerly been bankrupt. Sam had many unsuccessful businesses under his belt. Then it happened. Circumstance lost all meaning.

So the story goes……everything took a dramatic and life changing turn for Sam one day while he and his wife were shopping at a grocery store. They were at the check-out counter and ready to pay for their groceries with his debit card and the card didn’t clear. He tried the card again and again and it still wouldn’t process. On the third attempt, the cashier commented to Sam how there must be a problem with the card. Sam said, “Yeah, I know the problem-there’s no money in the account.”

He and his wife had to leave the store without any groceries. There was something very painful about reaching a point where he couldn’t even feed his family.

“It was the most embarrassing, humiliating thing,” Sam said. “I said, ‘This is never going to happen again. I’m sick of being broke. I’m sick of being poor.’ I’d been playing the odds that there’d still be a little money left in the account. Walking out of that store that day was the turning point for all the business achievement that happened after that. It’s the moment I woke up.”

Sam tells this story to many people who are trying to make it as small business owners and professionals of all kinds. Sometimes they come up to him afterwards at a seminar and say, “You know, I can identify with that grocery store story because it happened to me two weeks ago.”

The entire country has experienced some sort of financial hit over the past couple of years. It’s affected all of us, some more than others. The pain is there, it’s real and will not be ignored. Don’t try to push that pain away. Allow yourself to really feel what you’re missing. Because that’s when you will be focused enough to say “no” to feeling that way ever again.  Find a place and take a stand.

This is the power of negative thinking! Be completely negative about what you no longer want! Refuse to let it consume you! Stand up to it and draw your line in the sand and dare it to ever cross that line again.

Use a moment like that to be your final resolve to say, “Never again!”  There’s a positive turning point hidden in everything; even in something that feels that bad. That turning point becomes reality when you acknowledge and live your life knowing that all the power to change what you no longer want, lies completely within YOUR control.

People, like Steve Chandler, who have recovered from addictions, eventually reach what they call a “bottom. They can’t go any lower without dying. Once they’ve hit bottom, they often find new strength to say, “That’s it. There’s just no way I’m going to live like this anymore. I don’t care what I have to do, I don’t care how uncomfortable it is, I don’t care what they tell me to do, I’ll even go through those 12 steps.  This is the end of this life.”

Wealth has steps, too. Just like addiction recovery. And the steps work. And the first step is to draw a line in the sand.

The second step is to team up.

One excellent principle to be applied in business is the element of surprise aka “doing the unexpected.” In sales and marketing, this means to continuously seek out ways to out-do, or upset your competition. Always look for ways you can add more value to the product or service you offer and adjust your prices accordingly. Staying a step ahead of the other service provides within your industry, allows you to have a competitive advantage.

Often, “doing the exact opposite” of what you have been doing can be the perfect solution that will give you the results you want. The natural tendency for a person who finds themselves in a hole, is to continue digging or doing the same things that clearly haven’t been working, thus far. The key is if you’re not getting the outcome you want, why continue doing the things that aren’t working? Change things up a bit. Continuing to tweak your system or process, allows you to discover what’s working, what’s not working and what’s missing, that if present, would make all the difference in the end result. Remember, the definition of insanity is often referred to as doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.

How important is follow-up and follow-through in business? Both can and will make or break a business. When opportunity strikes you take full advantage of it. If you offer a great product or service, you sell as much as you can to your target market. Use every opportunity imaginable to capitalize on it.

The ability to work effectively with others and lead responsibly are an organization’s greatest attributes and best path to travel, to achieve success.

One favorite question many people love to ask or at least are always thinking, is “what’s in it for me? A good and effective leader is always looking for ways to help others. Leaders understand that assisting others is a sure way to create within them, a desire of wanting to help you achieve your goals.

Implementing these success principles into your daily routine, will allow you to accomplish far more in a shorter period of time than you ever imagined.

Once you begin living your life with purpose, notice how your resentments are mere obstacles in the way. The focus and energy you have are so strong that you can’t wait to remove them altogether, so you can feel the deep power of your life’s purpose.

Listen to that internal, driving force that continues to draw you near what you really love. Pay close attention to it and respond.  Live life consciously and be aware of the happy moments you experience in life. Ask yourself, when have you felt most alive?

The movie Shawshank Redemption is a superb illustration of the amazing things that occur when people wake up to their purpose. They carry that purpose with them throughout the day, every day and that purpose becomes the driving force of all the actions they take. They ask themselves every morning when they wake up “How could I use this? How does that help me with my intention of breaking out of here? What’s useful here that would be of benefit for what I’m trying to accomplish?”

Living a life of purpose, versus personality, is a way of converting bad news into useful news. Most people, upon hearing “bad news,” will allow themselves to slide down the ladder into a state of depression or adapt their mindset to a negative way of thinking about the world.

On the contrary, if you’re in the midst of creating something and some particular news comes in, you’re able to look at the situation different and ask, “Given what I’m up to in life right now, how can I use this?”

When I work with a client, I lead them down a path that allows them to gain great clarity about what their purpose is in life. Next, we create and when we’re creating, the energy is flowing into them because they’re so focused on “purpose” and not “personality.” Being focused on who you think you are, forces the energy to flow away from you, giving you the false perception that all the power lies outside of you.