First Bog of 2015!

Happy New Year! What are your goals for 2015?!? I have a never-ending list of them! But here are my TOP 5!

* Read the entire Bible

* Eat Clean/ Drink 120oz or more of water each day

* Become debt free/ save $$$

* Develop a closer relationship with my spouse and children

* Become a 5 STAR Diamond Coach

As you can see I have personal goals mixed in with my fitness goals. These are the MOST important things in life to me. My health, my family, and my relationship with our supreme creator. 

I want you to ask yourself why! Why are your goals important? Why do you want to loose weight/ get over an ex/ own a BMW? Why are you making these changes? 

That might sound like a silly thing to ask yourself, however you would be surprised by how many people do these things for the wrong reasons. They do them for someone else- I want to loose weight so my ex gets jealous and wants me back; I want to graduate college so my parents are proud; I want a new car so I can show off to my friends.

 My "Why"

My "why" is very simple! I just want to be happy. I want to improve my relationship with God/Gaea/Buddha/ Ala etc. , because he/she is the reason that I even exist. He/she is who I am going to be spending eternity with. I want to get to know him/her better. One thing that I have found out about myself over the past year is that it doesn't matter if your Catholic/ Baptist/ Muslim/ Buddhist etc. There is a supreme creator and I have a need to be more in touch with them. I want to read the Bible from front to back because that is the religion/church that I was raised in, and to be honest I don't understand a whole lot about it. I honestly feel if I had a better understanding of Christianity then I would be able to make a better decision for myself on what I truly believe in. Having a confident outlook on my personal religious preference will help shape me into a better person. I don't need anyone's approval, only my own. 

Eating clean and drinking more water is a no brainier to me. It only makes sense that what you put into your body, over time, will be a deciding factor in how your health will be throughout your life. Living a long, healthy, life is EXTREMELY important to me. My children count on me to be there for them and to take care of them. How can I do so if I'm not even taking care of myself? Not to mention, the healthier you are the better you feel, the better you feel the happier you are! WIN-WIN situation if you ask me.

Becoming debt free and saving money will help ensure that my family is well taken care of, even after I leave this life. I want my kids to struggle as least as possible. I find happiness knowing that my children will never go without. Life is hard enough without the stress of financial burdens. 

My family and I have been through a lot. My relationship is no where near perfect, but it is also no where near terrible. Communication and understanding are crucial when it comes to relationships. We must always continue to grow in every relationship we have, not just romantic ones. Improving my communication skills and learning how to express my needs/wants in an appropriate way are things that I need to work on for my own personal development. Just because you found the person you are going to spend the rest of your life with doesn't mean you stop trying. You should never stop complimenting one another. Self- development books are a GREAT source when it comes to improving relationships because they teach you about yourself.

Growing my business is essential in my happiness! Why? because I finally found something that I have a PASSION for! Something that I can do for the rest of my life, something that I LOVE doing; helping people. I thought that my calling was in a human service field, hence my degree in criminal justice. Even though I do love law enforcement, I have no passion for it. I love helping people reconnect with themselves. Helping people reach and achieve goals that they didn't even think was possible. By reaching 5 Star Diamond I would be able to quit my 9-5 job and solely focus on what I have a passion for. I will be able to help even more people, and that makes me HAPPY!

How to Focus on YOU

If your goals are like mine and include taking more time out for yourself, then here are some helpful tips on how to focus on *YOU*

* Keep a schedule. Even if you have to write out your entire day from dusk til dawn with a check mark box, do it! I've been doing this for a while now and I must say, it helps tremendously! Not only to I keep track in my planner, but I also have a daily check sheet!

* Read self-development books! This is a HUGE one! Self-development books can give you the motivation you may have been lacking. They also help with self-esteem and stress! My favorite so far is The Compound Effect by Darren Hardy.

* Wake up earlier. Waking up even 20 minutes earlier can make the biggest difference in your day. I give myself at least an hour in the morning to get going. I wake up, EAT BREAKFAST, and read for about 20 minutes. I drink 20oz or more of water to get my system going, then I check my emails. By this time I am ready to start my day; get ready for work, feed my daughter; pack lunch; etc. 

* Track your goals! If one of your goals is to lose weight; track your meals, track your exercise. Make small changes. For example: take the stairs over the elevator. 

* Take time out for yourself! Set aside at least 30 minutes a day for YOU. I like to stretch, do yoga, meditate, anything that lets me connect with my inner self. It's important to be able to reflect on your daily activities and future goals. 

* Learn to say NO! If you're like me, a "yes" person, then saying no to someone can be very difficult. Up until about 3 years ago I couldn't tell anyone no, I was always busting my butt with nothing to show for it. I lent out thousands of dollars over the last 10 years that I haven't seen a dime back. I've been that friend that wakes up at 4am to bail someone out of a situation when I had to work at 7am, barely getting a thank you. It's ok to say NO, and once you do you will feel a huge sense of relief. 

* Learn to say YES! If someone offers you an opportunity, take it! Try new things, visit new places, let go of bad habits. Change is a part of life, embrace it!

Decide. Commit. Succeed.

XOXO

Kristina Marie