WAKE UP, you are already free!

My 2013 mantra came to me right at the new year. Over the past year I have been battling PCOS, lost 2 grandparents, had friends come and go, and injured my Achilles. Needless to say, I do not ever want to repeat being 31 again.

However, in the midst off all that mess I started to remind myself how blessed I am. Tony Robbins likes to call it emotional flooding. It is a process of listing everything you are grateful for no matter how big or small it may seem. Once you start it is difficult to stop. The heart of gratitude shines, and you snap out of your funk real quickly. My gratitude list begins with things as simple as my morning drink of Spark/BCAA, to my family, my health, my friends, my job, my new soft sheets and down comforter, trips to Mexico, ability to workout even when injured, Strictly Strength, finding a doctor to help me tackle PCOS, church, the desire to actually want to be back in church, my Ray Ban's, my MAC makeup, my curls, my eyelashes...the list could go on forever. As you can see, anything goes and the sky is the limit.

Hence, once I really honed in on having a heart of gratitude my mantra came to me-->
WAKE UP, you are already free! 

I have everything I need and more right at my fingertips. Once I get out of my own head and stop feeling sorry for myself or complaining about events and circumstances I can't control, a whole new world of possibilities opens up. I now have this mantra taped on my laptop so I can read it daily.

What phrase motivates you for 2013? Share in the comments section.

Alkalinity

My trip to the grocery store during the cleanse = lots of veggies!

Balanced body chemistry and maintaining a proper ratio between acid and alkaline foods in your diet are of vital importance to maintaining your health. Too much acidity in the body’s tissues is the cause of many types of health changes ranging from lethargy and fatigue, to obesity, and ultimately to much bigger health challenges and diseases.

One of the top priorities of your body is to make sure that the alkalinity throughout your body remains at a level supporting cellular life. At a basic level, the regulatory mechanisms such as breathing, circulation, digestion, and hormonal production balance the pH level in the body by removing acid residues from body tissues. If the pH deviates too far to the acidic level or the alkaline side, cells become poisoned by their own toxic waste and die.

After returning from Tony Robbins’s conference, Unleash the Power Within, I took on a 10-Day Cleanse. The goal was to make my body alkaline and to reset.  I applied the following guidelines to the 10-Day Cleanse:

Read the rest of my latest article, 10 Days to Tip the Scale, on The Triune.

Chlorophyll

After Jeremy, Big Mike, and Travis returned from a 10-day conference in Fiji with Tony Robbins, they brought back a wealth of knowledge on the importance of alkalinity. Below are characteristics that exist within an acidic culture and an alkaline environment.

ACIDIC ENVIRONMENT- based out of fear

• Anxiety
• Confusion
• Frustration
• Lack of sleep
• Sickness
• Anger
• Stress

ALKALINE ENVIRONMENT- based out of love & passion

• Easy
• Fun
• Happy
• Clarity
• Harmony
• Trust
• Energy
• Relaxed
• Empowered
• Focus

I know I want to be living in an alkaline state at all times, and Jeremy challenged our staff to be doing the same. We all tested our acidity using pH test strips. The 1st time I tested it I was wayyyyyyyyy acidic. I'm still convinced I messed up; however, the past two times I've tested my acidity levels I've been at 7.2 and 7.0--->ALKALINE. Go here for more details on a pH balance ranges..

One thing I added to my normal routine is 1TB of Chlorophyll to my water. I found my bottle of Chlorofresh (pictured above) at Whole Food's. It has a mint flavor and is very refreshing. Chlorophyll acts as an internal deodorant. It helps to balance glucose levels, is a high alkaline source, and balances pH. I recommend anyone adding this to their daily regimen, especially those that test acidic.

If you don't know where to start to get alkaline, go here for a detailed listing of acidic and alkaline foods. I choose to live in the culture of love and passion. Here's to thriving in an alkaline state!

Gratitude List

I started a Gratitude List about 2 weeks ago. I've had numerous people tell me how impactful this simple daily habit is on their lives. Coach Carey Kepler told me about the Gratitude List a good 2 years ago; I read about it in the The Power of Positive Thinking, and then on a Monday night when watching the final episode of Lifeclass with Oprah, Tony Robbins, and Deepak Chopra something clicked. I was sitting on the couch and chose immediately to start a daily Gratitude List.

In a few short weeks this list has opened my eyes to so many things. The goal is to write 5 things you are grateful for each day. On the 1st day I could not stop writing. I wrote well over 10. The irony behind the journal I am recording my Gratitude List is completely entertaining. The journal is one I've had since I moved to Austin in September 2006. I went back and read excerpts from when I first moved to Austin. I could not stop laughing at what I was reading. Friends, my job, boys, life--- all of it now is so ridiculous and I immediately wrote at that moment that I was grateful for how much I've grown and am learning daily about myself. That is one reason why I think journals are so powerful-- reflection and celebration. When I go back and read excerpts from the past it is affirmation that I am on the right track and moving one step closer to my dreams each day.

Today I am grateful for...

• the freedom to be able to do my computer work and meet with Adam outside on Whole Foods patio
•  my 1st day back to my track workouts in over 2 months with my new track buddy, tinyFIT
• all the donations I have received for Fight for Air in less than 24 hours
• a peace that surpasses all understanding
• my roommates

I challenge you to start a Gratitude List today, especially if you are someone who thinks their life is absolutely miserable and you are in the pits of despair. You will be amazed at what you will come up with daily. There may be a day where you are simply grateful for the breath you can breathe. Start somewhere. Post in the comments sections what you are grateful for today. Let's do this together.

reactive to PROACTIVE

Excitement must lead to immediate action or you will lose power of momentum. More dreams die because we fail to seize the moment. Do it NOW!!!- Tony Robbins

What are you doing NOW to best prepare yourself for 2012? I challenged the Relentless coaching staff and myself to shift our actions from reactive to proactive. To stay at least 1 step ahead of our client's needs and our future growth. To live in the realm of self-initiation. To get our hands dirty and straight up do work.

The quote above from Tony Robbins is my mindset. I am fired up with all the new changes for Relentless Training Systems in 2012, my new journey to compete and win a Figure competition in July, and the development of a national brand . The excitement of the new and unknown is a huge driving force for me right now. I am absolutely capitalizing on my excitement and the excitement of our team to build momentum and start the new year with a bang!

Fresh start

(I'm in the top left)

Coach Travis Holley challenged everyone on his blog to The Wake Up Challenge this past Monday. After the Monday I had from being worn out and simply not in the mood to do anything, I took on this challenge full speed ahead.

I popped out of bed on Tuesday morning at 4:50 and the 1st thing I said in the mirror, as I am popping my Advocare, was the following:

Incantation 1: Awesome stuff finds me as I live an authentic life!

Incantation 2: I make a difference. I am beautiful. I am balanced!

These are 2 incantations I have been alternating back and forth each morning. Both resonate with me from different places. After only 4 days of this practice, crazy things have been happening.

• A new possible personal training client
• Brother moving to Austin in a week
• New revenue stream for Relentless Training Systems with GGBP
• Meeting people the most random ways and developing new friendships
• After a talk with Clarkie, I am way more open to the possibility of competing in a Figure competition
• Random people asking to order Advocare care from me

These are a few examples. The biggest shift has been in my attitude and being present all through out the day. This challenge will go well beyond 2 weeks for me. Once again I understand how extremely powerful is the mind! I dare you to jump on board. 

Passage I read this morning-- Giving the events of your life (even the crappy ones) an empowering meaning is something we condition. It's something we get stronger and stronger at over time. It's not a quick fix. But we can rewire our brain (aka our thoughts) to look out into the world from a different point of view. What you look for will determine what you find. How you look out into the world will determine your emotions and thoughts, which determine your actions, which creates your life.

Inner Strength

Visit sicfit.com for more Videos

I am still fired up after last week in Jersey with Zach Even-Esh. He wrote an article, "CrossFit Central = 12 BadAss Underground Strength Coaches." Check it out HERE.

Michelle in my 6:30am Tu/Th Deep Eddy class sent me this quote yesterday.

"I run (CrossFit) because it's so symbolic of life. You have to drive yourself to overcome obstacles. You might feel that you can't. But then you find your inner strength, and realize you're capable of so much more than you thought."

The past 5 months have been a whirlwind for me. Striving to take Relentless from good to great; training for Sectionals and Life; family members moving, getting sick, losing jobs; Underground Strength Training; listening and implementing the Tony Robbins' Get the Edge collection; educating myself on how to utilize social media networks for business; and the list goes on...

The quote above reminded me I am powerful beyond all measure. Dig deep. Believe it. Don't quit. I love my job because it's the essence of what I stand for--hard work and compassion for others. Less of me; more of you. What obstacles are you overcoming?

Personal Power

"Dreams come true when a vision of the Impossible becomes the Reality of the Heart." - Unknown

And my Tony Robbins' epiphanies continue...

I went back and listened to a CD on the Personal Power series this week and had completely new insight from the 1st time I listened about a month ago. Just a heads up...I'm going to refer to my boy ,Tony, as T.R.

T.R defines personal power as the ability to act; ability to take action. The definition is fairly similar to Webster's Dictionary. However, the biggest difference between T.R's definition and Webster's is the 2nd part-- ability to take action. It is one thing to act like I am going to do something, write it down, make a list, talk about it...but it is a whole new ball game when I start to take action.

T.R. shared his Success Formula on the CD, and I want to share it with each of you.

SUCCESS FORMULA=

• Know your outcome- clarity is power. You must FOCUS on what you want in order to make it happen. +
• Use it; Take action- decide to decide! Do not settle for less than the best. I am always telling myself and my closest girlfriends to demand more in relationships; why in the world would I not do the same in every area of my life. Fear of failure is a hindering force in this part of the equation. Do not allow fear to win. Fear produces results. +
• Notice what you are getting from your actions- ask yourself if what you are doing is actually working. Be flexible. Pay attention. FOCUS. +
• Change your approach- if what you are doing is not working then switch it up.

I have been implementing these steps with my goals, and I am seeing the fruits of my labor. From a business perspective, Relentless Boot Camps are blowing up, and the classes I am coaching are all on the brink of being sold out.

From fitness, I continue to turn over a new leaf all the time. Becoming more comfortable with being uncomfortable. Pushing my limits. Challenging myself to perform any CrossFit movement thrown my way. The picture above is from Sectionals 2 weeks ago. This pic represents frustration because I could only muscle out 1 handstand pushup, but it also symbolizes hard work and how far I've come since I started this sport.

From personal, my life ROCKS!!!

I challenge each of you to take the Success Formula and apply it to at least 1 aspect of your life for 30 days. Send me an email after 30 days so I can hear all about your success.

Pain vs. Pleasure

Over the past month I've grown to learn a lot about myself in more ways than one thanks to my dear friend, Tony Robbins. A hand full of us coaches are going through Get the Edge and Personal Power. Each and every day I am challenged and pushed outside my comfort zone and forcing myself to raise the temperature. The discussion on Pain vs. Pleasure really hit home. I have listened to the CD probably about 5x. Tony reiterates how the need to avoid pain is a greater motivator for many people than the desire to pursue pleasure. Honestly, he could not be more correct.

This thought process applies to so many aspects of life. For instance, the weight/diet battle that so many people struggle with daily. So often the the pleasure of enjoying the entire chocolate cake or the huge plate of nachos is more pleasurable than achieving a fitness goal. The pain associated with resisting the indulgence is greater than the pleasure of achieving the end goal. So then ask yourself: What will be the pain if don't follow through? This concept applies to relationships, day-to-day tasks, basically everything. The goal at the end of the day is learning to control pain and pleasure.

Last year I was a mess before the Regional Qualifiers in Ft. Worth leading up to the 2009 CrossFit Games. I was still learning the sport, not confident in my abilities, and taking everything way too seriously. Fast forward to today and the tables have turned. I have fallen in love with CrossFit all over again. I am blessed with the ability to compete at an elite level with phenomenal athletes. Last year all I saw was the pain in competing, because I was scared of failure; this year I see the joy and pleasure with competition. This weekend I am competing because I can compete. This weekend I am competing in honor of my grandfather who is battling cancer. This weekend I am competing to celebrate the gifts and talents with God has blessed me.

Take that pain. 3, 2, 1 SHOWOUT!