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Summer Habits

Why Summer is the Perfect Time for New Habits

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Why Summer is the Perfect Time for New Habits

I know that summer often feels like that frustrating time when all your routines and schedules go out the window. The kids are home, or grandkids visit, vacations get packed in, and let’s be honest – habits can be hard to hang onto!

But what if I told you summer isn’t the habit-hampering season you think? That in fact, it could be your golden ticket to finally nailing those new habits you’ve been chasing?

I’ve been personally trying this out the past few weeks, and I’ve figured out that while it may seem counterintuitive, summer can actually be an ideal season for establishing new healthy habits. Here’s why:

* The summer mindset is all about renewal and freshness. The warm temperatures and abundant sunshine have an invigorating effect mentally and physically. We tend to crave lighter foods, spend more time outdoors, and have a spring in our step (well, hopefully most days). This vibrant energy is the perfect catalyst for making positive changes.

* Summer’s slower pace also works in your favor. With fewer commitments and a more relaxed schedule, you have the time and mental bandwidth to properly integrate new habits. Starting incremental, sustainable habits is far easier when you’re not rushing from one endless obligation to the next.

* The summer season is also a powerful motivator all on its own. Who doesn’t want to look and feel their best in warm weather and lighter clothing? New fitness routines, healthier eating, hydrating more – these habits seem so much more attractive and worthwhile in the summer.

* Finally, habits started in summer can easily carry into fall. You’ve already done the hard work of installing the new routines and patterns in your brain. By September, those habits will be second nature.

So don’t buy into the idea that summer’s lack of schedule makes it impossible to upgrade your habits. Embrace the mindset, pace, motivation and consistency offered by the season to finally make those positive changes you’ve been waiting for!

Pretty cool how summer could actually be your habit-changing power season, right? That lazy vacay time may be the secret weapon you never expected!

So get started this weekend: commit to just one new habit.

Whether it’s kicking off your day with a green smoothie, journaling your thoughts, squeezing in a morning workout (I’ve been enjoying the 30-day wall Pilates for “mature” ladies), or anything else that fits your vibe, the choice is yours.

Don’t let summer’s schedule shake-ups stop you – reframe this as your habit-building season and watch the magic happen!

You’ve totally got this!

Intuition Quiz

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Woop - Goal Setting - Generations

Transform Your Goal-Setting Process (We WOOPed it up!)

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Transform Your Goal-Setting Process (We WOOPed it up!)

A few weeks ago we celebrated my little mama’s big 9-0! birthday with a “small” gathering of her family (5 kids + spouses, 18 grandkids, 9 great-grandchildren, +2 more grand-babes on the way!) and… over 150 of mom’s closest friends. Yep, this woman knows a lot of people!

My youngest daughter River wanted a 3 generations photo, so here we are at mom’s birthday bash!

Woop - Goal Setting - Generations

As you can probably tell, we had a blast. In fact…we really WOOPED it up!

And, today I want to share with you a different kind of WOOP.

This WOOP can be a game-changer when moving from aspiration to action to accomplished. Let’s jump in:

In the book Rethinking Positive Thinking, author Gabriele Oettingen, world class researcher, tells us that it’s simply not enough to visualize our ideal life.

She’s spent her career studying the science of making your dreams come to life and says that although it’s very important to start with a vision of what we want to create, we then need to as she says: “rub it up against reality.”

Drawing from her expertise, she created WOOP, an easy to remember acronym, but more importantly, WOOP can significantly enhance your ability to achieve your goals by bridging the gap between your dreams and their manifestation.

If you’re not familiar with the WOOP here’s how it works:

W – Wish. Imagine your dream scenario, the goal that makes you giddy with excitement. Think big, my friend, but keep it within the realm of possibility.

O – Outcome. Close your eyes and envision the glorious moment when you achieve that goal. Picture yourself dancing in a victory parade, basking in the sweet taste of success. Feel the rush, the feeling of accomplishment, and the pure exhilaration that come with it. You’re a goal-getting superhero!

O – Obstacles. Oh no. These sneaky little weasels might try to rain on your parade. No worries, though. By thinking them through ahead of time, you can come up with ingenious strategies to overcome them.

P – Plans. Break down your grand adventure into manageable steps. Each step is a mini victory that takes you closer to your ultimate goal. It’s like building a puzzle, piece by piece, until you see the big picture coming together!

By combining positive visualization with a realistic assessment of potential challenges, WOOP helps you strike a balance between motivation and preparation.

So my friend, I hope you’ll give WOOP a try and see how it transforms your goal-setting process. Remember, clarity of purpose and a well-structured plan can work wonders in propelling you towards success.

Speaking of wooping it up for birthdays, it’s still my birth-month, so my 20% coupon code is good until May 31st.

If you’re in need of a 50-min or 25-min SimplyAlign session to start your summer off right, go here to book and be sure to apply this code for 20% off: BIRTHDAY20

(NOTE: if all the May time slots are taken, you can still use the coupon as long as you book before May 31st, even if your session is later).

Intuition Quiz

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Success

Things I Learned From A Pro-Triathlete

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One of my personal favorite things to do each May is to attend the IRONMAN held in beautiful St. George, Utah. My hubby, Dean-the-dream and I enjoy being volunteers and I also especially love to find a spot by the finish line and watch the triathletes run across it.

The dedication of the athletes is so motivating, as is the support of the crowd. Over 30,000 visitors flock here during the first week each May to cheer on friends and family who are racing. I love the excitement in the air, the weather, the music, all the sights and sounds, even the  smells—the whole energy of IRONMAN week is fantastic!

I think we all love to see people get rewarded for their hard work, no matter what arena it’s in. People who have paid their dues, put in the time and effort and sacrificed to complete a big goal are such an inspiration.

For the past three years we’ve had the honor of having a few of the professional athletes stay at our home the week of the race. This year “our guy” (as we refer to him), Jackson Laundry from Ontario, Canada and his girlfriend Montana stayed with us.

Two years ago Jackson and his dad Brian (also a triathlete) stayed with us, so we already had gotten to know Jackson. That was in 2017 and as only a 23 year old at that time he took 8th place, which was awesome. This year he came in 3rd place!

Being with Jackson for a few days taught me (or reminded me) of these things that are important for success in any area of life.

1) Internal discipline: Once you’ve made a commitment to yourself, keep it despite external forces. There are always challenges that crop up while moving toward a goal, so you need to remember your big WHY and make it a priority in your life. Direction and drive must come from within.

2) Schedules and Accountability: Have a great system and a plan and then stick to it for the long haul. I love that Jackson (& Brian, his dad) have their daily training schedules from their coach online, and their fancy wrist watches actually keep track of their workouts. I’ve learned from past experience if I set up a schedule with accountability (although mine isn’t this fancy), it makes staying on course for my goals so much easier.

3) Laser Focus: Later that evening after the race, Dean asked Jackson if he heard us cheering for him and shouting his name as he went past us at a few different places on the course. He said, “No, I was too focused. It’s as tough mentally as it is physically.” This helps me remember that determined, focused action will block out the “BSO” (bright, shiny objects) that try to get my attention while moving toward a bigger goal. Mindset plays such a big role in everything we want to accomplish in our lives.

4) Support System: Such intense training has ups and downs, and a pro-athlete needs coaches, friends, family they can depend on and who understand their drive, especially during tough times. In addition, there are so many volunteers along the race route to guide, hand out water, pick up pieces of clothing, park bikes, and so many other big and little things. In life, none of us get to the finish line alone. Watching those volunteers reminded me to pay attention and give gratitude for all those “helpers” in my own life.

5) Competition can be positive: I noticed anytime Jackson spoke of one of the other pros, it was always with respect and admiration. He honored their achievements in such an uplifting way. Even in competitive situations, or when tempted to compare to others, speaking well of others will always raise you up.

6) Pause to honor your achievement: After you’ve hit a goal, take time to celebrate before going right on to the next one. Both Jackson and Brian have their races planned out for the year, so they achieve one goal, have a few days to enjoy that (and learn from it), then keep moving onto the next goal. For sure, don’t miss the celebration, but also don’t rest on your laurels too long before moving on.

Have a SIMPLY great week ~
Shine On,
Carolyn

Are You a Creator or a Criticizer?

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Build up, don't tear downA good thing to remember
A better thing to do
Work with the construction gang
Not the wrecking crew.

 

 

Dale Carnegie said, “Any fool can criticize, condemn and complain and most do.”  Do you find yourself falling into critic mode more often than you’d like? It’s easy to do. We live in a society of critics. It sometimes seems much easier to be negative and critical of everything from the latest movie to our neighbor’s choice of hairstyle. But we can learn to resist this impulse. It’s destructive not only to our fellowmen but to us too.

Dwelling on the negative, broadcasting it outward, will lower your vibration.  After all, you can’t throw mud without getting some on your own hands. Nobody likes a critic.  Like the Yiddish proverb says, “A critic is like the girl who can’t dance so she says the band can’t play.”

You may have good intentions in general, but you’ve heard what the man said about the road to hell and its paving stones. So instead we can connect good intentions with creative action. Many people think that once they get the motivation they will get things accomplished. Actually, the reverse is true: action precedes motivation and begets more action and motivation in an endless positive circle.

When my kids come to me with a problem, after hearing and validating it, I usually ask (and by now they know it’s coming), “How would an extraordinary person deal with that situation?” or “If you were a super-genius, what would you do next?” In no time they have a solution figured out because the super-genius and extraordinary person within themselves gets to work and figures it out! Creativity is built into every one of us; we all possess creative powers. Be brave enough to live creatively. And the bonus of that is that when you spend time improving yourself you won’t have time to criticize others.