Trying to Juggle it all!

It's been almost one month since I have made my last blog post!  That's a long time and it has forced me to examine my schedule and where I am spending my time.  I have been working to get my health/fitness coach business off the ground for about 1.5 years now.  I absolutely love working for myself but it takes a lot of discipline, dedication and consistency.  It takes doing the mundane, non sexy, tasks day in and day out (especially on the days you don't want too!)  It takes the ability and the courage to fail forward and to stop at nothing!  Above all else it takes time and nobody can tell you what that amount of time will be.
I do know this journey, has taught me so much more than business skills.  I have learned so many life changing skills, that have entered into every part of my life.  So what are the two practices that brought on this profound change in my life?  1.  Personal development & 2.  My gratitude project.

Personal Development
I had no clue what this was when I started my company and in fact hadn't picked up a book since college.  Beachbody encourages all their independent coaches to engage in personal development daily.  We're not even talking a great deal of time here, we're talking a minimum of reading 10 pages or listening to 10 minutes of an audio daily.  When I first heard that I remember thinking, "what good is that small amount of time going to do?"  Little did I know what a HUGE impact just those 10 pages per day can make!  It's completely changed my life!  Ok so the question I get a lot is, "How do you know where to start? or how do you select your materials?"  So what I do is take the areas I have the most questions in or the areas causing me the most friction and  .... jump right in!  You have to be willing to get really uncomfortable with yourself!!  So maybe it's a:  Communication issue you're having with a friend or partner, or you're terrified of public speaking or you have crazy control issues .... whatever your triggers are, jump in and be willing to work on them.  Having freedom from your issues is the most liberating feeling on the planet!

My Gratitude Project
As some of you know, and some of you may not, I am doing a gratitude project this year.  So everyday, in 2014, I am selecting one thing each day I am grateful for.  This project has really shifted the way I view my life.  We all have days that are stressful or just down right not so great!  I have found by selecting one thing I'm grateful for, it completely shifts the focus from the not so great day, to the one thing I'm grateful for.  It is forcing me to not just acknowledge and celebrate all of the big things that occur but to stop and appreciate the small things just as much.  I have found that by placing myself in a space of gratitude daily, whether I was going to or not, has shifted my energy.  I am so much more conscious of everything around me not just those blatantly good things that are coming my way.  It places me in a space of gratitude everyday and has brought so many blessings into my life.  I would highly recommend this practice to anyone.  Make it a family affair and get everyone involved :)  If you'd like to check out my project and see what i'm grateful for, check out the tab on this blog labeled The Gratitude Project. 

8 Tips to Instantly Boost your Energy!

Here are 8 tips to instantly boost your energy!  If you like these tips and would like access to more, send me a friend request at facebook.com/heather.dalton.754 and I can add you to my free health group!

1.  Yawn - Yawning is your body’s way of cooling down the brain, essentially waking it up.
2. Get moving - By just taking a quick 10 min walk, you can feel revived for up to 2 hours!
3.  Laugh -  A good laugh raises your blood pressure and boosts heart rate, too, which can pump you up when you’re feeling sluggish.
4.  See Red - Seeing the fiery color makes your muscles move faster and work harder, giving you a burst of energy when you need it most.
5.  Eat Chia Seeds - They’re packed with a revitalizing combo of B vitamins, fiber, and protein, so they pick you up without making you jittery.
6.  Stretch - Dragging?  Take a few minutes to stretch!  Stretching reduces pain and stimulates the sympathetic nervous system.
7.  Exercise - Fifty-eight percent of women feel most energized after they've had a workout.
8.  Eat healthy - Studies show omega-3 fatty acids improve mood and brain function, essential for avoiding a midday slump.