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Courage Inspiration Your Mentality

Inspire Moment #113: Socially Accepted or Self-Accepting

Most of this world seems to be more concerned with being Socially Accepted (fitting in, gaining the approval of others) than being Self-Accepting (embracing your true self with all of your unique imperfections).  Well, it doesn’t have to be this way for you.

Think about it this way…what if you re-frame how you look at your imperfections and choose to embrace all of you?  And really, why are we so concerned with what the average person out there thinks of us anyway?

You can make the choice each morning to be Self-Accepting by taking off the façade and just being you.  That might be scary, but the more you practice being you, the more natural and comfortable it will feel.

God created you just the way you are, perfectly imperfect.  What a gift!  Life is a gift and it’s what you make of it.  When I choose to let go and embrace my imperfections to make the choice to be Self-Accepting, I can tell you, it’s absolutely freeing!  You can “test it out” for yourself today and it starts with letting go of what other people think, letting go of trying to gain the approval of others, and letting go of trying to be someone you aren’t.

Below are four statements that can help you feel more Self-Accepting.  Speak these throughout the day and see how it feels…

  1. I am Perfect just the way I am.
  2. I am choosing to be Self-Accepting.
  3. I was designed this way for a reason.
  4. I really am Perfect just the way that I am!

You get to make a choice each morning and it’s up to you!

Categories
Achiever In the Zone Motivation Your Mentality

Inspire Moment #110: Pre-Game Warm-Up

Whether you’re playing in a local pick-up game, the next World Cup Final, or giving a listing presentation to a new client that wants to sell their home, a Pre-Game Warm-Up can make all the difference.  When your shot gets blocked or your presentation isn’t going well and you have lost focus, having pre-set mentality can ensure you stay focused when the going gets tough and you feel frazzled.

Being in the right frame of mind is essential in any circumstance. To prepare yourself mentally, visualize yourself performing at an optimum level, think through all and every possible challenge and those scenarios, prepare yourself for objections that will come your way, and having a Pre-Game Warm-Up will help you focus and win.  Don’t just trust me, try it for yourself and see what happens!

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Inspiration Test It Out Your Mentality

Inspire Moment #106: Get Anchored

Do you realize HOW you start your day can make a huge impact on the WAY your day will go? Take Inspire Moment #106 and grant yourself some time today to Get Anchored before going out into the world.  When you take time each morning to get centered with your thoughts and focus on the positive, the seas will be much calmer and the waves won’t set you adrift.

Coach Angie’s suggestions below will help you get anchored before heading out to sea…

*Turn your Cell Phone on at 8am (That’s right, shut it off at night!)

*Stay in bed until you speak out loud “5 things I’m grateful for in my life right now are…”

*Take 10 deep breaths and sing out loud “Today is gonna be a great day!”

*Read a Devotional

*Expose any unhealthy thoughts by writing them out in your journal

WHEN you Get Anchored in WHO you are and WHAT you are living for before you head out, the day will go much smoother and you will have more peace!

 

Categories
Confidence Courage Inspiration Your Mentality

Inspire Moment #99: Sunny-Side Up

How do you want your eggs?  I’m sure we have all been asked that question before at breakfast.  Maybe you like them scrambled, over-hard, sunny-side up, or over-easy.

Now ask yourself that same question but replace the word eggs, with life.  How you do want your life?  Scrambled, over-hard, over-easy, or sunny-side up?

Inspire Moment #99 is to help bring happiness to you today and suggest the Sunny-Side Up way for life.  If life is over-hard or scrambled for you right now, Sunny-Side Up could just be the approach to take.  If life seems way over-easy and you need more motivation or balance in your life, Sunny-Side Up could be just the answer for you.

Here a few suggestions on how to begin living Sunny-Side Up…

Try different things in life.  Example- Maybe the scrambled eggs you got at that diner weren’t that good, so instead of ordering the same dish the next time you go do something different and order Sunny-Side Up.  Try something different in your life today.  It could be very simple.

Be open to life and don’t be afraid to ask. Example-Maybe you already like Sunny-Side Up eggs but you don’t feel full when you are done and it doesn’t taste as flavorful of a dish anymore.  Usually there are some potatoes or bread on your dish to dip into the yolk, but lately it’s just been the eggs at the diner.  Next time you’re there be open to ask for a side of bread or more potatoes.  Don’t be afraid to ask!  You never know unless you ask.  You could even be open to spicing it up by putting some hot sauce on those eggs.  Test out something new and see how it sits with you.  Try to be open to life and all the different results you will feel when you try new ways.  Remember, you can’t experience what you don’t know.

Just like you have a choice on how you want your eggs cooked, you also can make a choice on how you want to live your life.  Ready.  Set.  Go…for Sunny-Side-Up!

Categories
In the Zone Your Mentality

Inspire Moment #92: Get In-Focus

You know when you quickly snap a photo on your digital camera or push the button on your Smart Phone to take a photo that sometimes the image is not in focus?  It comes out blurry.  You probably then take time to adjust the lens or wait until the image is clear on the Smart Phone before you click the button again, right?  Well, sometimes in life we can get out of focus too. We may know the goal(s) we want to achieve, or the picture we want to shoot, but they may be a little blurry so we must take some time to Get In-Focus, like Inspire Moment #92 suggests.

Whether in your personal life to lose weight or professionally to get back in the saddle to get your business organized, we all need to Get In-Focus sometimes.  So how do we do it?  Here are a couple of Coach’s suggestions to start –

1. Think about your thoughts of what you want to accomplish and write them out as goals.  Get them out on paper.  It doesn’t matter how messy your handwriting is or even if you are jotting them down on a paper napkin, get them out!  You wouldn’t carry your camera around with you all day at the zoo just thinking about taking photos.  You would actually take photos so you can see and print them.  Again, get the goals out!

2. Let go of any noise or mental waste that will keep you from focusing on the goals.  If you don’t like the backdrop of the photo you are taking at the zoo, don’t take the photo there.  Move over to the right a little more or go to the Lion’s Den where you know you love to shoot photos and feel your best.  Example- Don’t ever say “I could never do that.  That’s way over my head.”  If the mental waste is in your head it will be harder to get through it.   Just get rid of all of it by changing what you are thinking about and Get In-Focus.  No need for extra noise in life!

3. Hydrate your mind with In-Focus thoughts and ideas.  If your camera is out of film, you have too many photos on the card, or your Smart Phone doesn’t have enough memory to take pictures of the Shark Tank at the Zoo, then delete old photos so you can take new shots to Get YOU In-Focus.  Sometimes goals that are in our head on the back burner need to be tossed out or they just still need to simmer on the back burner for some time.  The goal of step three is to hydrate your mind with current, right now, this is what I want to accomplish, goals and objectives.

Categories
From the Inside Out Your Mentality

Inspire Moment #91: The Spirit Inside You

It takes you over like a blustering gust of wind.  Sometimes you don’t feel it coming but when it hits, it sure is powerful.  Do you know what I’m talking about?  That feeling that comes over you to ignite your entire being.  Pushing you to take that step to do something for someone or about something, in your own life or the people around you.  If you don’t know what that feeling inside of you is called, welcome to Inspire Moment #91, The Spirit Inside You.

The spirit just came alive in me at Panera Bread just now when I saw an older lady with an O2 tank and cane waiting for her food at the counter.  I glanced because I was just going to the counter to a napkin to wipe down my table.  As I went back to my table The Spirit Inside of me pulled me over like a police officer pulling over a speed racer on the NJ Turnpike.  It slapped me with the feeling of “you can help her. Go back and see if she needs help Angie.  Go ask her now.”  So I listened to it, went back, and I learned that she didn’t need my assistance but she appreciated and thanked me for the kind gesture.

So enough about me and The Spirit Inside me, let’s learn how you find The Spirit Inside You or re-kindle that relationship!  First step is to begin noticing your thoughts.  It seems like these days we are too busy in our own lives to even notice our own thoughts.  Action – slow down now, right now, and take notice.  Second step is to acknowledge what the thoughts are telling you to do.  Action – listen closely and listen often.  Third step is to follow what the spirit is telling you to do.  Action – give yourself the permission to follow that leader.  Trust it.  It’s all about becoming MINDFUL.

The Spirit Inside You has always been there and today it welcomes you to its divine place.

Categories
Your Mentality

Inspire Moment #89: Your Crusade

Imagine your life is like going on vacation to that place you always wanted to go and experience those things you always wanted to experience.  Well, since your vacation I’m sure you would take time to think about them and even take chances to achieve those things and experience that fulfillment, right?  I mean you’re on vacation, so what does it matter anyway!  You probably would think to yourself “I’m not going to be here on vacation for very long so I might as well just go for it now.” You might even think, “Now is the perfect time to do this or that because no one at home is watching, friends won’t make fun or judge me, and I can really just be myself.  I love this feeling!”

Inspire Moment #89 is about Your Crusade.  Your life.  Your journey.  You are on a vacation.  You don’t know how long that you will be here for, but you do know that you have all the opportunity while you are here.

Now it’s time for Coach Angie to ask some questions to get you thinking one step further to get you moving forward…are you vacationing in the spot that you want to be?  Do you like where you are staying or do you need to change or upgrade?  Did you sign up for the events/activities that bring you joy while you are here?  Do you need more time to relax?

Change your thinking.  Change your life.  It’s Your Crusade.

Categories
Confidence Courage Your Mentality

Inspire Moment #87: Embrace the Unexpected

Unexpected events can occur in our life at anytime.  Some can be wonderful and other can be very traumatic and damaging.  Often times when the unexpected occurs in our life we don’t understand why it happened to us, and not the other guy.  Sometimes we can try and understand it and others time we cannot.

Inspire Moment #87 is advice from me, Coach Angie, suggesting that when those events occur today, tomorrow, etc., to Embrace the Unexpected.   I have a lot of experience in this area of life and I want you to trust me in knowing that no matter how difficult the circumstances are in your life right now, how hopeless you may feel, how easier life would be if you just threw in the towel and gave up, how lonely, how disappointed, how different, how lost, how threatened, how dark, how low, etc. (I hope you are getting the point) to NEVER lose the ability to embrace it and see it as a bigger part in your life journey.  Hope is something you always have and the level of how much you have stored in your heart is controlled in your mind.

Rather than ask why when the unexpected happens, ask what.  Flip the Switch example – instead of why did this happen to me, ask yourself what can I do about this now?  Instead of why me, ask what can I learn from this?  Instead of why me, ask what is God trying to teach me here?  Instead of why me, state that what an opportunity it is for you to Embrace the Unexpected no matter how hard it is.

You have a choice today and I want you to choose to Embrace the Unexpected.  The journey will be probably be bumpy when the unexpected comes into your life, but it doesn’t have to damage your mind during that season because the hope that you need is always with you, you may just have to let go and let God.

Categories
Gray Area Your Mentality

Inspire Moment #86: Sticky Notes in Your Mind

You know when you have sticky note on your desk or at home as a reminder of the task you have to do or person you need to connect with?  You eventually get to it (hopefully) and probably throw the sticky note in the garbage once you do, no?

Inspire Moment #86 is about the Sticky Notes in your Mind.  Do you take time to address them or they have been up there for a very long time?  Maybe it’s been stuck for too long that now you have a couple of duplicate up there.

This morning I addressed a sticky note that had been in my mind for awhile, which was contacting a friend that I haven’t spoken to in awhile.  What I did and what could potentially work for you was to send an email to that person right away as it came to the forefront of my mind this morning.  It didn’t take long.  It didn’t have to!  I didn’t get my computer out.  It came to my mind again so I grabbed my iPhone and did it.  Simple as that.  As soon as I was done writing, it was like throwing the note in the garbage.  Task completed.  It made me feel content on the inside, which leads to balance.  So let me ask, do you have any Sticky Notes in your Mind to address today or this week?  Get the message/clutter out of your mind and sent it to the person, complete the task, or just start with a baby step.

When you release it and throw it away upstairs (in your mind) it’s one less sticky note and thing to do.  Less clutter on the inside means more balance as a whole.

Categories
Change is Coming Emotion Your Mentality

Inspire Moment #84: Keep Your Head Up

On my drive home today I saw a guy on his bicycle pedaling on the side of the road with his head down.  So I thought to myself, “he should pick his head up and watch where he is going.”  Then Inspire Moment #84 hit me to pay it forward to you…Keep Your Head Up!

Keep your head up on your journey through life.  If you look down you won’t be able to see what’s coming your way, good or bad.  Isn’t it better to keep your head up no matter how heavy it feels some days?  See, the key is to keep it up to anticipate if you need to slow down, stop, or change direction in life.  It sure beats looking down and never having any hope or idea of where you are going in your life.  It’s better to anticipate when to slow down or stop then to run right into something you want nothing to do with, right?

I hope the wheels are spinning in your head because that is the point of these Inspire Moment posts.  If you have been feeling down lately, a way to remember to Keep Your Head Up is to put a uplifting reminder in your cell phone or just keep reading my Inspire Moment posts.  If your head is already up and you’re feeling pretty good, increase you awareness and take notice of ways on how to grow deeper into that feeling.  That could be as simple as jotting down those ideas and letting them come to life.  See what happens!