Archives for July 2015

Source: Inc.com

So today was a big day for me- I was performing an extremely overdue spring cleaning of my inbox! I was going through my old emails and filing away ones from my former life as a CPA. As I was going through, memories came flooding back to me. I thought about co-workers that were such a big part of my daily life, the old habits I used to have that helped get me through the long days (coffee, pizza, etc), and also the business clichés people LOVED to use. I can clearly remember hearing, reading, and (unfortunately) even saying many of the following:

“Look for the synergies”

“Make sure we’re using best practices”

“At the end of the day”

“Have you been managing expectations”

“Let’s take it offline”

“Grab that low-hanging fruit”

“I’ll circle back with you”

“I’ll be out of pocket then”

“It is what it is”

Uhhhh what does that even mean? The last phrase is completely non-sensical! It used to drive me crazy when people would use that as an end to a conversation. Even so, I would hear it on a daily basis while sitting at my cubicle desk up in my downtown high-rise. One thing I noticed that was missing was the efficiency-based idea of “not making things harder than they need to be.” A lot of these clichés are just ways to put off or excuse not getting something done. So while a corporate office has it’s own jargon that takes some time to decipher, there are some very valid underlying lessons here of what NOT to do…

Now in business, completing a task is often times easier said than done due to the back and forth approval process, checks and balances, and constantly changing data that often adds time and headaches to block progress of a task (especially if you are in a client services industry). One of the biggest differences I noticed in my own life, is how these blockades don’t exist (if you don’t want them to). You have the power to simplify things; so don’t make things harder than they need to be!

Unlike the in some corporate environments, we have the power to streamline the path to getting what we want. Here are a couple tips to help:

1. Determine what you want and WHY you want it. It’s really easy to rattle off things that we want in life. I always hear people say how they want to lose weight (like literally everyone talks about this). What might not be so obvious is WHY people want this. In the losing weight example, people may want to improve their self-esteem, look hotter in a swimsuit, or get more intimate in their relationship. Once you tap into WHY you want something, you’ll be much more motivated to get it!

2. Find the path of least resistance. What is a potential blockade to getting what you want? Let that settle in. Now think of ways you can prevent this blockade or totally avoid it. My favorite example of this is money. If you really want something but it costs too much do you walk away, or do you find places in other parts of your life where you can save? Try making a list of all the other places you can “tighten up” expenses and you’re on your way to creating an easier, faster path towards getting what you want.

3. Get it! So here’s the fun part: don’t stop til you get enough (thank you Michael Jackson for those words of wisdom)! It’s time for the payoff, so do whatever it takes to obtain what you’re after and don’t let up. Make a plan, commit to it, find support. Do whatever you need to do to get there!

One of the most liberating things about leaving my accounting job and branching off on my own was knowing how much was now in my control. I used to get really down about the standard operating procedures and lack of open-mindedness towards increasing efficiencies and reducing the time spent on insignificant details. Basically, I missed striving for doing something better and faster and being encouraged to do so. What I found is that, in our personal lives, we can take advantage of this freedom in a much more direct way than at work. It’s so much easier to take control!

Ever stopped and realized how much more difficult you were making something? Maybe it took seeing someone else do the same thing to realize this about yourself. Share your experience in the comments below! If you’re looking for the “simpler way” and need some help, email us at info@wholefoodlove.com! We’d love to hear from you 🙂

Live your WHOLE life,

Shannon + Meg

P.S. In case you missed it LIVE, the replay of our webinar training on “How to Succeed at Weight-Loss Even If You Have a Super Busy Schedule” is still available!  Oh happy day!  Click here to access.

Yesterday I woke up and had one of those slow-moving days. I was up until 1am the night before, which resulted in a very groggy next morning. Needless to say I wasn’t nearly as productive as I wanted to be that morning, and as a glanced at my calendar and list of daily to-dos, I saw “go to the gym” (circled for added emphasis). “Blah” the last thing I felt like doing today was going to the gym, even though I KNEW I’d feel amazing if I went! My gym partner (and new fiancé) was gone, and he may have taken a bit of my motivation with him…

I walked past my gym shoes at least 10x, charged my iPod, and even planned my workout. I was really good at planning, but it’s the doing that I needed some help with today… What was holding me back? Leadership expert Michael Hyatt believes that “our goals represent the things that matter the most to us.” I agree- so why didn’t I feel like going to workout, something I knew would get me closer to my goal?!

The answer was resistance! Author Steven Pressfield compares resistance to a “destructive force of nature that arises whenever we face a tough, long-term course of action that might do for us or for others something that is actually good.” We encounter resistance any time we try to do something important, and for me, right now that was getting my butt in the gym, because once I was there it’s not like I hesitated to lift weights.  Haha I was avoiding the easy part of driving there, not the hard part of actually working out!

External Resistance- The Good Kind

Let’s talk about resistance, since there is good and bad. Resistance can be defined as “a force that makes an action more difficult than it needs to be.” For me this was showing up as a trip to the gym, but there are so many other ways people experience resistance- can you relate? That day there were two types of resistance ahead of me- the internal and the external. The internal resistance was this made up struggle in my mind and the external was the helpful kind, that causes my muscles to contract (resistance training with weights 🙂 Both types tear you down, but the external kind builds you back up stronger and the internal kind deforms your spirit and stunts personal growth.

What are you supposed to do when hit with this feeling of resistance? Well first, acknowledge what is actually going on.  When you can’t bring yourself to do something you KNOW you should be doing, something you know is good for you, then you can bet the resistance is all in your mind.  It’s important to be able to get out of your head! For me this required some outside motivation and I knew exactly where to find it.  I popped in my headphones and turned on the only audible book that I keep on hand at all times, the inspiring (and butt-kicking) work by Steven Pressfield- The War of Art. It was exactly what I needed to hear!

So when I finally got in my car I laughed, embarrassed almost at how much harder I had made this whole process than it needed to be. I know I’m not alone, and I felt so inspired to share this little hiccup I experienced because I know there are some of you out there who can relate, and (hopefully) benefit from this story of tiny triumph! I’ve learned that when you can string together enough tiny triumphs, you have an arsenal of success with overcoming resistance, and you are so much more motivated to continue on that positive path, you are well on your way to personal success!

I re-committed to my goals last night. The only kind of resistance I want to invite into my lifestyle is the kind that makes increases the my strength, tone, endurance and provides that well-deserved muscle ache the next day. Keep things simple. Keep things easy. Keep yourself on track. Remember WHY you made those goals in the first place!

Look Who Made it to the Gym 😉

Have questions or want to share your own “overcoming resistance” success story? We’d LOVE to hear from you! Share your tiny triumph with me in the comments below! And if you need a little extra motivation, own it and look for a way to find that motivation.  If you’re looking for help go ahead and email me at shannon@wholefoodlove.com and we’ll chat about some ways to overcome whats holding you back, you may be surprised at how easy it can be 🙂

Live your WHOLE life,

Shannon + Meg

My invigorating Mt. Rainier hike!

So I just got back from vacation in Seattle, and I had the most amazing time! It was so breathtakingly beautiful and I’m so happy that I ventured to that part of the country (the Pacific NW), somewhere I’d never been before. I saw wildlife & amazing scenery (including a hike up Mt. Rainier) and enjoyed some of the freshest seafood! I feel like my mind finally had a chance to relax…

It’s interesting because in the week leading up to the vacation I was in busy mode, like let’s see how productive I can be before I leave. Since I’m such a planner, this contributes to that mindset. What I ended up doing was spending hours and hours planning for the vacation AND for the days right after I return. So of course I had the standard laundry and dishes to do (coordinating of the mail and puppy-sitting) but I also spent hours doing some Extra Credit: cleaning the whole house, washing the sheets & towels, and making batches of breakfast and dinners. Too many times I’ve come back from vacation and had that feeling of hitting a wall, the instant that your “vacay brain” goes out the window and with a thud you realize all the crap you have to do (at work, at home, at school, you name it). What if you could ease back in? It would be like the difference between waking up to your favorite song on your alarm or to someone pouring a bucket of ice water on you.

I’ll take the favorite song approach, thank you. It’s rare that we get to shut down the way we do on vacation and I invite that lazy, slow moving “I’m not from here” pace because it’s so important to reset every now and then. Plus it frees up brain space so you can fully enjoy and be 100% present in where you are!

Homemade Veggie Chips at Pike Place Farmers Market- YUM!

So this mindset may stem from years working in the accounting, but basically I wanted to make sure that I had everything in place so that when I come back from vacation I don’t have to worry about 1) immediately going grocery shopping or 2) that I have nothing to wear because I avoided all that laundry before I left or 3) my house smells because I forgot to do the dishes, take the trash out, empty produce from the fridge….you get the picture. For some of us, it’s so hard to disconnect long enough to get that calm vacation feeling, so wouldn’t it be nice to keep that calm feeling for a little bit longer, sort of an easier way back into transition.

Some of the discomfort transitioning back to “real life” is unavoidable, but there are things that you can do ahead of time to make it easier to come back. Sort of extend the mental vacation if you will, keep the calmness and preserve the clarity that you gained when you were on vacation. I have a couple tips that have always helped me and came in handy with this last vacation to Seattle J

Tips for a Shock-proof Homecoming

1st– Try to have at least two days worth of meals on hand and prepared before you leave for vacation. This is easier than it sounds because there’s a lot of meals that you can make in bulk, divide up and put in the freezer or snacks that you have on hand. Head to the grocery store before you leave and make sure that you have some nonperishable items on hand as well. This ensures that you’re not stressing out about what you can eat since you probably already spent your entire vacation time eating out, so it is nice to come home and have some options. You won’t have to continue that cycle of eating out.

2nd– Tidy up your living space as much as possible! Now I know this sounds really annoying because chances are you’re probably running around really busy getting ready for vacation; tying up loose ends at work, coordinating everything, but this makes such a huge difference! It’s amazing how much better you feel when you walk into a house after you been on vacation and the bathrooms are clean, there’s no dirty dishes in the sink, and your sheets are fresh. After staying in a hotel for a week, what’s better than your own bed? Your own bed with clean sheets!

3rd– I recommend having all of your laundry done, folded & put away before you leave for vacation. Some people already do this because their packing process involves going through the whole. Best case scenario is that you’ve (only) built-up a week’s worth of laundry, but that quickly worsens as you spend time catching up everywhere else as you wear mismatched socks staring at 3 full laundry baskets… Try to make it so the only clothes you have to wash are the ones you pull out of your suitcase.

4th– This one has to do with your refrigerator. Purge and throw out all your leftovers that will go bad by the time your return. This includes any fresh produce + any refrigerated leftovers + anything that is going to create a mess if you leave it in there untouched. Doing this will make sure that your house not only smells better when you return but you’ll have less to worry about!

5th– Enjoy! As soon as you close that door behind you en route to the airport you can relax. You can be really present and focus on all the enjoyment that lies ahead of you. Sit back and know that you don’t have to worry about pulling a Home Alone moment (you forgot to close the garage door, you left the candle on, or you left your middle schooler home, alone). You’ll be prepared for your transition back to real life by putting in the time ahead of time.

Veggie Breakfast Scramble- one of my favorite meals from the trip!!

Most of us veer from our healthy routine when on vacation. This can be a great thing: a break from your routine + exposure to new and different foods at restaurants you’ve never been + different types of relaxation (when you’re not worried about getting in your daily run).

In a study by Trip Advisor 29 % of vacationers noted that they gained weight due to an abundance of food and beverage temptations. In addition, a third of all respondents said they planned to start a diet once they returned home. Avoid this roller coaster by easing your way back into “real life” when you get home from vacation. Be prepared and then feel great about your healthy choices! Remember, real success is about the long-term commitment. So don’t be too hard on yourself for (gasp) enjoying vacation! Let loose! Recharge those batteries! Lose the guilt and instead just accept it, move on, and get back into your routine.

Have any tips that work for you? Let us know in the comments, what works and what doesn’t!  If you enjoyed your vacation but are finding it difficult to get back on track, shoot us an email at info@wholefoodlove.com and we’ll work with you to get back where you want to be!

Live your WHOLE life,

Shannon + Meg