In the process of moving, I’m coming across many (new) old friends that I haven’t seen in at least a year.

Nope, not talking about people. Talking about stuff. 

It’s amazing to me how much I’ve accumulated in a single year since I’ve moved from California. Pieces of paper that I print out on a whim, recipe cards gathered from grocery stores, lotion samples, heart burn samples, magazines, makeup kits, etc. Stuff, stuff, stuff that I look at once and then forget about even though they’re in plain site.

So this past weekend, I made a HUMONGOUS decision (for me) that I would get rid of a few books. I say this is huge because I love my books. They feel like old companions, friends whose voices I hear beyond their pages. But I had books I never read (always meant to) and books I read once and didn’t intend on reading again. What good are they to me now? Wouldn’t they better serve by being useful in the library? Donated to Goodwill? Read and enjoyed by others when they clearly weren’t being enjoyed by me any longer?

So half of my library is gone now and it feels AWESOMELY FANTASTICALLY WONDERFULLY SWEEEEET.

It also puts me in the state of mind that just because I am moving into a bigger home does not mean I need to accumulate more stuff! In fact, I think the “book release” process has made me more aware of what I bring into my life, what I call my hoarding tendencies. Do I really need all those lotion samples when I have a huge freaking bottle of lotion that will take me a year and a half to finish? Do I need makeup, heartburn medicine and aspirin vitamin samples? Do I need to buy that magazine I will read once and never look at again? Do I absolutely, 100% need to print out that email or article? Simply no.

A year ago, one of my favorite coaches wrote on her Facebook status that she had finished her clothing shopping for the year. Her blowout? 2 dresses from Target. I admired her for it, but didn’t think it was conceivable for me.  This year, my goal is to live simply. I don’t need all those outfits and shoes. Today, I will get rid of 1/3 of them (because I know there’s at least 1/3 that I haven’t worn in at least a year).

I already feel the mental release, the clarity that I’ve been seeking for a while. It feels GOOD. I challenge you to get rid of stuff that is in your plain site but you never tend to “see.” Who could benefit from it? How can you do good by clearing out? Start with the junk food in your pantry. That’s how you’ll start with doing good for yourself.

Today’s post is actually from a guest, and one of my favorite business gurus, Ali Brown. Seriously, she is amazing. Check her out here: www.alibrown.com

“How to Make Your Appearance Count” by Ali Brown

I’m having a very low energy day. Partly because I’ve been running around like a chicken with my head cut off, partly because I’ve been too much in my head lately and partly because of a few snaffoos regarding our new house (nothing humongous…just not in line with our plans). We all experience those down days where our chakra energy fields are all gray. Instead of the lovely peacock strutting her stuff with vibrant colors, I’m a harpy and not that pleasant to be around (yes, I do realize that).

The best way to deal with these moments or days (that I’ve found) is to come back to center. For me, I nest at home. I’m definitely a Cancer—I love making my home comfortable, I love decorating, painting and baking. I love my little menagerie. I love Disney movies and I sometimes have them on in the background. My home is my haven. Today, my nesting involves delightful, new agey music, essential oils burning in a beautiful ceramic dish, the windows open to allow breezes flowing through the house, and English breakfast tea. I did have a schedule today, but I’m letting it slide. Because while schedules and to-do lists are all fine and dandy, sometimes you just have to be flexible or you’ll just break.

Allow yourself to be at peace with yourself. If you are frustrated that something isn’t happening the way you want it to, whether you are trying to lose weight, publish a book, gain some customers, whatever–instead of forcing the situation, remove yourself from it mentally and come back to center. Go outside and commune with nature. Take a nap under a shady tree. Garden. Watch a Jane Austen movie. Slip some cashmere socks on. Pour yourself one glass of wine. Journal. Think about the 5/5/5 rule. Will this situation or choice be important in 5 days? In 5 months? In 5 years? No? Then it can wait.

I’m sending all of you who are experiencing an unfabulous day a hug, a virtual mocha latte and cashmere socks.

I used to obsess over a lot of things. It can be very debilitating, that need for perfection.

That was the case with this blog for a very long time. Same thing with starting a business. I obsess over needing to know e.v.e.r.y single thing about writing a blog or starting a business. There is never enough learning, so I find myself continuously learning, never starting.

At least, that was the old me. I’m not as obsessive anymore because I’ve realized that all the learning, all the needing to be perfect doesn’t matter if you don’t have a result. I would rather have an imperfect result than nothing at all.

With my blog, I used to obsess over every little word, every sentence. Did I spell it right, was it grammatically correct, was it a run-on, was it interesting, was it boring, what would my friends think, what would my clients think, what would my family think, etc etc etc ETC!

I especially worried about my reputation as having an Masters degree in English. Holy hell if I wrote something that went against the standards of the MLA format. I used to complain about others’ spelling (your vs you’re vs ur) and then I would obsess about making a mistake that would mark me as a total hypocrite.

I realize now that IT DOESN’T MATTER. Who cares if someone makes a spelling mistake, who cares if I make a spelling mistake? The important thing is to get it out there, finish a project, be productive. Balls to the wall, who cares about the little stuff?

I guess what I’m trying to say is that life is short, go for it. What have you got to lose? It doesn’t matter if it’s not perfectly right. The fact is that you did something. You ran a marathon. Who cares if it takes you 10 hours? You wrote a blog and shared it with the world. Who cares if you wrote “there” instead of “their”? If you are worried about what other people think, who cares what they think? If people are obsessing over your spelling, over the zit on your face, over the way your pronounce “AMEX,” then they clearly have their own obsessive issues and they are haters. <– Yeah, I said it!  The successful people who have mastered their crafts (Richard Bronson, Chalene Johnson, Aimee Mullins) have all made mistakes. But the fact is, they mastered their crafts by making mistakes. They progressed from their mistakes. They still aren’t perfect, but hell. They are masters of their craft.

So today, I will not reread this post and check for spelling errors. And I don’t care if you tell me that “hater” is not a word. Who cares about the small stuff? I don’t (at least, not much, anymore).

I’m a huge advocate of working out first thing in the morning. Why?

1. It wakes me up.

2. I have more energy during the day.

3. I don’t have to worry about working out for the rest of the day.

4. Working out is my ME time. When I get ME time to reflect and better myself, I’m a happier person and I’m more pleasant to be around.

Yeah, it’s tough sometimes. Sometimes it’s cold out, my dog feels so warm and cuddly next to me in bed, I’m tired. But I know that after the first 5 painful minutes of moving, I’m awake. And that’s basically the secret: I tell myself I’m awake, I’m up. I say it out loud (or in my head if Jeremy is still sleeping) and I just do it. No thinking twice. Just get your booty up and don’t think too much. Because if you hesitate for a few seconds, those tempting thoughts about it being cold out, the warm puppy, etc…those creep in and take over.

Helpful Steps to Being a Morning Workout Person:

1. Set your outfit out the night before and have your bag packed and ready to go by the door.

2. If you are really tired in the morning, drink coffee or take a couple caffeine pills (unless you are allergic, then don’t).

3. Drink a tall glass of cold water first thing in the morning.

4. Maybe take a quick, 2 minute shower.

5. Set your intention to work out first thing in the morning for an entire week. I suggest Monday-Saturday. Yes, Saturday. Because the weekends are no time to slack off. Studies show that it takes 21 days to form and set a habit. So even better–workout first thing in the morning for 21 days. You don’t have to do the same workout every morning (and I really don’t suggest doing that, you want to change your routine so that your body benefits from all sorts of different motions). I suggest cardio 6 days a week from 1/2-1 hour, in any form: running, elliptical, spin, kickboxing, swimming, group exercise classes, etc. Alternate with yoga, strength training (3-4 times/week) and stretching.

Tomorrow I’ll post my typical workout schedule.

Happy New Year! Hope you all had a great holiday and are feeling refreshed and rejuvenated for an awesome year ahead! Are you familiar with that one song Jennifer Hudson sings on the Weight Watchers commercials: “It’s a new dawn, it’s a new day”? Well, it’s been ringing in my head constantly. I’m not sure what it is, but I certainly feel that 2012 has a lot coming this year.

2011 was a great year, don’t get me wrong. I moved clear across the nation to unfamiliar environment and culture, I moved in for the first time with my boyfriend, I started my Chicks In Motion business, website, and blog,  got PT certification, got a puppy, got engaged, and then right before the year ended, bought a house. So yeah, 2011 brought a lot of change but at the same time, I felt stagnate for a lot of it. I think what it is was that I wasn’t focused enough on my business. I was enjoying a lot of time getting accustomed to this new land and new venture in life. This year however, I feel the change, I feel the MOVEMENT!

Maybe I’m thinking too much of that Aztec calendar. Thinking that life could be over in a year is scary but it’s also lighting a fire under my tush. Over the holidays, I read a book called A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness. The book involves vampires and while I don’t normally like that sort of stuff, the subject matter really made me think. The main vampire, Matthew Clairmont, describes throughout the novel his experiences in the world beginning during the Crusades, his involvement with the men and women who helped shape our world as it is today. The way that Ms. Harkness weaves the story, it is clear that life passes by very quickly. And maybe I was in a very thoughtful mood, but I started thinking about my own life and how short 80 years is (if I have the blessing to live that long)! Today, we have so much at our fingertips to help us achieve our greatest desires and passions. In the Middle Ages, they did not, yet people like Da Vinci, Newton and Shakespeare discovered and created so much for the world. With all that we have today, why can’t we do the same?

This year, resolve to get out there and make a difference. Add some value to the world by developing your passion even further. Go big, live large and be loud about it. You have nothing to lose by offering yourself to the world. Start today.

DO GET BE BETTER 2012

And the thing is, don’t care what others will think. Don’t worry about whether it “looks” right. Just do it. Maybe you don’t have the confidence, but sometimes we have to start with false confidence in order to achieve the real thing. So what if you don’t feel you’re “there” yet. Tell yourself you are, ACT as if you are. Hang out with others who are positive, successful people. Maybe you need to break up some friendships or romantic relationships. Stop being in someone else’s limelight and star in your own. You are a star and I am rooting for you.