It’s very interesting to me how easily some people accept mediocrity in life or even less than mediocrity. WHY NOT EXPECT EXCELLENCE?
I’m a trainer...no psychology degree here (in fact, I’m not even sure I spelled that correctly). But I have seen enough in my interactions with people to know that the majority are willing to accept, jobs, health, relationships, and incomes that are less than desirable. WHY? I have to think that what we strive for in life is a direct reflection of what we think we are worth. Accepting less than ideal relationships and circumstances is a dead giveaway that we believe that is all we’re worth.
People often justify their acceptance of mediocrity too. Regarding a relationship, we might say “No one is perfect” or “We all make mistakes”. Regarding a job, we might say “I don’t love it but it pays the bills”. When buying a new car we might say “It’s not my first choice, but it gets me from point A to point B”. Regarding our health, we may say “I’m overweight but it runs in my family”. True, every relationship, job, circumstance, and even material thing has its pros and cons. But, why would anyone welcome any person, profession, physical condition, or possession into their life that is anything but PERFECT for them? ONE OBVIOUS ANSWER…Because they think that is the best they can do.
Sometimes it takes serious soul searching, personal growth, effort, time, and adjustments to find excellence. Sometimes we have to go weeks or years alone, working both ends to the middle, seeking help, trudging uphill through the transitions of trial and error, before it is found. It takes the most time for those who don’t know what they want. They don’t know because they’ve never been told they can have it...ALL OF IT.
In my job, it’s a daily practice to dig deep and help people get to the bottom of what they really want. It’s interesting that people will say “I just want to lose 50 pounds” when they really need to lose 100. Or “I just want to make $500/month” when they are $20,000 in debt, living pay check to pay check, and raising 3 kids. Or “I just want a job that provides for my family” even if they barely get to see their family because it sucks their time. ASK and you SHALL receive. It doesn’t matter who you ask (Jesus, Allah, Buddha, The Universe, YOURSELF… it doesn’t matter!) If you ask for less, you will receive just that. At the core of these limited requests is FEAR. Fear of failure, fear of judgment from others, fear of inadequacy.
Do you believe you are worth more than what you have right now? Do you believe you are worth THE BEST relationships, job, income, and things? Some people think it's unrealistic to think you can "have it all" or that it’s selfish to want it. But the truth is there IS enough to go around and that every single one of us can have whatever it is we want. It’s only those who think they are worth it and who will invest the soul searching, personal growth, effort, time, and adjustments that will actually get it. In the end, it will always be worth it. Anyway, it’s my belief that the journey and adventure that makes your dreams come true is way better than actual realization of the dream itself.
For whatever reason, this is on my mind/heart today for those in my life, including myself. It’s a work in progress for us all. The nature of the beast is that the more we achieve, the more we expect. We never get to the point where we sit back and say “AHHHHHH now my work is done. I’ve achieved excellence and it gets no better than this”. It’s my hope that we can always be growing, stretching, and becoming more while still enjoying where we are and appreciating all that we have. Happy Monday ya’ll.
WOO HOO! First the AdvoCare Independence Bowl on ESPN, then our National Spokesperson, Drew Brees, breaking records on MNF, and now another Rookie Bonus Earner in Indiana! Listen to the Rookie Bonus call back to hear how people like you are earning a share of $20,000 every two weeks with this amazing company (888) 760-7517. 2012 is gonna be a GREAT year!
This pretty lady's smile is getting a little bigger these days = ) As one of my FIRST Z90S participants she has lost 8 pounds, 2.2% body fat, and 5.75 inches in 17 days. YOU GO GIRL! WAY TO COMMIT! Keep it up J. You are such a beautiful inspiration!
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AHHHH. I love Will, everything he says, and everything he stands for. On work ethic: “I’m not afraid to die on a treadmill. I will not be outworked. You may be more talented than me. You might be smarter than me. And you may be better looking than me. But if we get on a treadmill together, you are going to get off first or I’m going to die. It’s really that simple. I’m not going to be outworked.” Successful people just get it done. That simple!
 Made these with the kiddos this weekend...they are pretty healthy and a big hit! Good fall treat. ENJOY! Ingredients- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup whole wheat flour
- 3/4 cup granular no-calorie sucralose sweetener, e.g., Splenda ®
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
- 1/3 cup milk
- 2 apples - peeled, cored and chopped
Topping: - 1/2 granular no-calorie sucralose sweetener, e.g., Splenda ®
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup butter, cubed
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
Directions- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Spray a 12 cup muffin pan with cooking spray.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the 3/4 cup all-purpose flour, 3/4 cup whole wheat flour, 3/4 cup sweetener, salt, baking powder, and 2 teaspoons cinnamon. In a separate bowl, mix 1/3 cup applesauce, egg, and milk. Stir the applesauce mixture into the flour mixture until just blended. Fold in the apples. (Mixture is very thick fyi). Spoon into the prepared muffin cups, filling about 2/3 full.
- In a small bowl, mix the topping ingredients until crumbly. Spread evenly over the muffin batter.
- Bake 25 minutes in the preheated oven, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean.
 Made this tonight and it was SOOOOOOO good. I'm cleansing, so left the butter off my fish but still put it on my fiances (and he actually put it on a sandwich). Even without the butter, it was to die for! Added a side of my mom's brown rice recipe (see below) and some peas & carrots & voila!
Lolli and Pop's Favorite Rice
Place 1 tablespoons of olive oil in a pan
Add 1 1/2 cups of rice
Stir for several minutes until it is getting darker in color (this adds a nutty flavor to the rice)
Add your favorite Mrs. Dash seasoning
Add 3 cups of chicken or vegetable stock.
Cook covered, on top of the stove for 45 minutes, on a low temp. Do not remove the cover.
If you want really moist rice, after turning the burner off, leave the pan covered for another 30 minutes or so, letting the rice continue to steam.
 I always bake peas because it gives them a “nutty” flavor that makes you forget they are peas! When in a rush or out of fresh veggies in the house, I just toss some frozen peas in olive oil, sprinkle them with Mrs. Dash seasoning, and bake them for 20 minutes on 375- EASY! This recipe is delicious and can stored in a container for weeks of snacking without losing any of their flavor/crunchiness! Ingredients:- 2 cups green peas (I used frozen) - MAKES 1+1/2 cups roasted green peas
- 2+1/2 Tbsp. oil
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1/4 to 1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper (depending how spicy you want them)
- 1/2 tsp. ground cumin
- 1/2 tsp. garlic salt
- 1/4 tsp. paprika
- 1/4 tsp. ground coriander
- 1/4 tsp. white pepper (available in most spice aisles or at Asian food stores)
- optional: a sprinkling of dried, crushed chili (if you want them very spicy)
Preparation:- Preheat oven to 375 degrees and prepare a baking sheet. I covered mine with parchment paper, but you could also use foil or a cooking oil spray.
- Thaw the green peas and pour off any water. Use a paper towel to gently pat them, ensuring they're as dry as possible.
- Place peas in a mixing bowl. Add the oil and toss to coat.
- Now add all the other ingredients and toss again.
- Spread the peas out on your prepared sheet. Gently tamp them down with the back of a large spoon to ensure they're in a single layer. Place them on the centre rack of your oven and bake for 1 hour.
- Remove from oven and try them. I like mine very crunchy, so I usually shift them around a bit, then return them to the oven for another 20 to 30 minutes. They will reduce to half their size, and should be brownish in color (see photo).
- Allow to cool completely before covering or storing. These peas will keep for weeks in a jar or other covered container (no need to refrigerate them). Pair with a cold lager, a cocktail, or other drink of your choice, and ENJOY!
ENJOY!
 One of our household favs! I'm not a huge sweet potato person (unless maybe it's Ruth's Chris sweet potato casserole...yikes!) but sweet potato fries are better than regular fries in my opinion! Kind love 'em! Try them out and get creative with seasoning...can't go wrong! Ingredients:- 2 lbs sweet potatoes (approx. 2 large potatoes)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- Sea salt or Mrs. Dash seasoning
Directions:1. Preheat the oven to 425. 2. Wash and clean potatoes. 3. In a large bowl, stir together the olive oil, paprika, and cumin and set aside. 4. Cut the potatoes into medium"french fries". 5. Toss the potatoes in the oil and spices until well coated. 6. Arrange the potatoes in a single layer on a baking sheet prepared with cooking spray or lightly oiled. 7. Bake for 25 to 40 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the fries are golden and crisp. (Time depends how crispy you want them and how thin you slice them) 8. Sprinkle with salt to taste and serve immediately. ENJOY!
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