Hang in there.

That moment that you want to give up, and often do give up, is also the moment when things are about to turn around for you. You have got to hang in there. Do not give up. The Universe always provides, but only at the last second. If you give up, you will miss it. Your patience and your strength will be tested. Stay the course. It is all within your reach if you have enough faith to stand strong, and persevere. Namaste.

Be Proud.

On Friday, I was invited for an interview at Calgary’s Independent Radio Station, CJSW (90.9 fm). I feel blessed to have met and chatted with Kevin Brooks and Grant Burns on their show ‘Road Pops’.
 
The station is located inside the University of Calgary. Strolling through the campus, I became aware of how rapidly time had passed for me. Walking past the old smoking lounge, the ‘Black Lung’ immediately brought back vivid images of chain smoking, coffee drinking and late night studying.
 
I suddenly realized how far I had come since my University days. A degree in Psychology, quitting smoking, a wedding, 3 children, 2 liquor stores,  4 years of Wednesdays with my mom and my sister, and the release of a sensational new book. I realized that I should feel proud of myself for my achievements to date. So I gave myself a good old “Thatta Girl Tina”!
 
I would encourage you to be proud of yourself for where you are today…right now. Don’t wait until some future date when you feel that you will have achieved even more. Tell yourself now how proud you are! Do not compare yourself to others; that is not what matters. What matters is what you have done with, and for, yourself to date. You are amazing, and you should tell yourself that more often! Talking positively to yourself will motivate and encourage you to go farther.
 
You are your own worst critic, and unless you stop and say “Great Job!” to yourself, your achievements may never be good enough for you. It is okay to want more and strive for better, but you need to embrace the present and look at what you have accomplished already.  Be proud of you. You deserve it.
 
Namaste.

Be Prepared for Monday.

What causes stress? Anxieties about time management. How will you get it all done? Alleviate stress and be more prepared, calm and excited about your week by doing a few simple things each day. Here are some simple tips to help you get more efficient, and feel more prepared, quick.

  • If you have not done so already, you need to keep an agenda or binder that accurately shows your time. I was taught by one of my coaches to use an agenda with one day on each page, and to use my own hand to write in it (versus typing everything into a computer). Writing with your own hand is very powerful. You can print daily calendar sheets from Outlook and keep them in a binder if you are anxious to get started right now.
  • Write down everything that you need to do each day in the appropriate time slots, and then include the stuff you want to do (there is a difference). Need: get groceries. Want: go to yoga class. Although I could see myself arguing for need on the yoga class…
  • Use the notes section to write down all of the projects that you are working on, or tasks that need completing. Things like “book dentist appt” or “finish writing article for yoga journal” or “look up easy easter crafts to keep my kids busy, and me sane, while they are on Easter break”.
  • Cross off tasks as you complete them, or put check marks beside them. Do what feels right for you. If you do not complete a task on the day you had it written on, just keep moving it forward to future days. Eventually you will do it. When things come up suddenly, you will need to assess how to prioritize it based on everything else you have going on. Only make changes to your existing schedule if what comes up is an absolute emergency, or is something of extreme importance to you. You may be able to tackle it the next day, so do your best to stay focused on your original plan. But be sure to write everything down as it comes up so you never forget a thing.
  • Look at your week and see where the tasks you need to complete might best fit in. If you drop your kids off right by a registry office, perhaps you can squeeze in your vehicle registration renewal when you drop them off, then get groceries, pick up your mail, and get the coffee that you earned. Work smart, not hard. There is always time to do what you need to do, but you need to plan for it.
  •  Every day, at the end of the day, review your day, and then look at the next day. Create a plan in your mind of what you would like to get done based on the time you have, and then write that down. Seeing your next day all laid out for you can really ease the anxieties of a busy lifestyle. It is easy to feel overwhelmed with everything you need to do, but when you see it all written down, you will know that it is achievable.
  • On Sundays, review your week, and plan everything accordingly. You will sleep much better on Sunday night knowing that you have a plan that is scheduled to suit your needs.

Allow for some flexibility in your schedule, but if you want to take on the world, you have got to be accountable to yourself and your schedule. Plan it, then do it! You have full control over your time, and your stress.

Happy Monday!

When in doubt…

When in doubt, write it out!
 
Having a journal that you keep on you at all times is a powerful way to talk to yourself and to the Universe. If you are questioning things, you have a decision to make, or when you are experiencing doubt, simply write down how you feel about the situation, without over-analyzing. After you write down your feelings, sleep on it. Assess your feelings again in the morning. This process can really activate the Universe, and you! Namaste.

 

Make Monday Fun!

A thought on positive thinking about work.

The Seven Dwarfs always seemed happy (except for Grumpy, of course), so what was their secret? Was it because they were mining diamonds all day? Perhaps. But I think it was because they chose to whistle while they worked!

So today, no matter what you do with your time, “whistle while you work”. And if you can’t whistle, add some music to your day somehow.

Enjoy your Monday!

Hold on tight.

Some songs just seem to give you what you need when you need it.

Electric Light Orchestra was singing right to me the other day…

Hold on tight to your dream
When you see your ship go sailing
When you feel your heart is breaking
Hold tight to your dream


And now I cannot get it out of my head. It is important to create a dream in your head. Visualize that dream and then never, ever let go of it. Things may not always go the way that you thought they would, but you will still end up with the results you want…if you can “hold on tight to your dream!”

See where you want to go and then have a little faith in the process. It matters not how you get there, only that you end up getting there. So enjoy the adventure, and the unknowns, that life gives you. The unknown will only be an unknown for a little longer. Clever advice from my mom, Janet Legere.

Dream big and then never let that dream fade or be taken from you. You are in control, even when you tell yourself you’re not.

It’s TGIWWW (Wicked Women’s Wednesday) tomorrow…and I am looking forward to my standing Wednesday lunch with my mom and my sister. We are coming into our fourth year of choosing to spend Wednesday afternoons together! And even after all these years, the time always goes too quickly on Wednesdays.

Thanks for choosing to read my inspirations. You ROCK!

Birthdays.

We all deserve to have at least 1 day of every year where we feel like we are the most important person. That day is normally your birthday. The phone rings for you more often that day and you may be able to take liberties like longer lunches or sleeping in, and feel good about it. Today is your reminder that age is a state of mind.

I am constantly preaching about looking at results and using those as a basis for judgement and action. When I look at people who practice yoga, I see the kind of results I want. They may have grey hair, but their bodies are tighter and more flexible than most people in their 20’s! I am looking forward to feeling like a 25  year old until I am 105, and I want to have the body to back those feelings up.

Do what you can to preserve the wellness of your body so that you can continue to do all of the things that you feel like you should be able to do, for as long as you want to do them. And don’t let a number like your age restrict you. Remember, you’re only as old as you feel…how old is that today? Me, I’m 25 and holding. Namaste.

Faith.

It’s Sunday, a typical day of rest, reflection and worship in a lot of cultures. No matter what your religious background is, today I want to remind you that

“you gotta have faith…oooh you gotta have faith. You just gotta have faith, faith, faith….”

-George Michael

I awoke to this song the other morning on my clock radio. That same day at  school while volunteering with my daughter, I was cleaning up after an activity and there was a sticker affixed to the paper tower rack. It simply said “Faith”. I had to take a picture of it!

What is faith? Defined per the Merriam-Webster dictionary, Faith is a”firm belief in something for which there is no proof.”

So today, have faith in the universe and its ability to provide for you. Have faith in your wildest dreams, and faith in your ability to create everything you want and need in your life. Have faith that no matter what, everything is going to be all right. Have faith, even when there is no proof! If you believe in something, you make it real.  Namaste.

Get what you want…or at least what you need.

I want to inspire you today with two of my favorite music quotes.

Oh, you can’t always get what you want, but if you try sometimes, you just might find, you get what you need.”

-Rolling Stones

Followed by….

“All you need is love, love. Love is all you need’

-Beatles

Take some time today to consider what you have in your life right now. Are you constantly chasing what you want when in actuality you already have everything you need? Embrace the love that exists all around you and allow yourself to feel supported and content. Namaste.