10 Lessons I Learned This Year

10 Lessons I Learned This Year – We are drawing so very close to the end of 2015, and with that will come an even better 2016! I mean, even if you hate to see this year go, I’m sure the prospects for next year look even more promising.

Personally, this past year was one of the most rewarding, exciting and frustrating years of my life. But I am beyond blessed and grateful for my health, family and everything in between. I am a stay-at-home momma and devoted wife who pieced together a promising work-from-home job – which I love – and somewhere in between I manage to juggle it all while inspiring others to lead a healthier and fitness-filled lifestyle.

Here are some lessons I learned in 2015.

Cherish the little ones …

My business means the world to me. I have the honor of helping friends, neighbors and complete strangers discover a better version of themselves. It’s rewarding, and I can’t get enough of it. But with that comes the added incentive of spending more time with my three kids. No matter how busy I get, I’ve learned even more to cherish each stage of their lives. They are in the 2nd, 5th and 8th grade, respectively, so it flies by.

Incentives and rewards are great, but …

Incentives and rewards are a great way to celebrate my accomplishments – no matter how big or small. But they don’t define me. After discovering my son is not only dyslexic, but also ADD, I became the full-time manager of his school, teachers, therapy appointments and doctor appointments. Not to mention making sure all of them are on the same page. I manage everything for him, because being a mom is top priority!

Finding the right pace …

This year was a great year to learn how to strategize. We’ve all been through it where the pace of life gets a little overwhelming. Without a solid plan in place, you can get snowed under pretty quick. This happened to me about six months ago when I hit a slow time in my business. Sometimes you have to be patient and just ride it out – and I did! I’m just like you, though. Learning to pace myself is an ongoing process.

I’m human, too …

I tell my clients all the time, I am not some person who feels like they are above everyone else. I make mistakes … I am human. I typically have three cycles per year where I’m super consistent for three months only to take a few weeks off and feel completely gross about myself. Then I jump back on the wagon. Thankfully, short breaks for rest are good for the body. I’ve learned to rest and recharge my batteries, and by doing so, it gets me excited to start a new program!

It pays to be a meal-planning machine …

I say machine, but you can call yourself a boss if you want! Life with kids can be busy, so the best way to stay healthy is to plan everything out. If I want to feed them a healthy meal, it takes extra planning.

Speaking of planning …

I’ve learned that planning my month and weeks in advance helps reduce stress and limit burnout. Simply putting good old fashioned pen to paper in a blank calendar and reverse engineer how I can best help my customer, any travel plans, and family appointments, helps me stay more organized. It helps my sanity!!

Honor thy marriage …

Take time to spend time with your significant other. My husband and I both own our own businesses, and like I said earlier, it’s easy to get caught up in trying to be successful. What we all need to do is be successful in our marriage and family life FIRST. We get away 1-2 times per month where it’s just the two of us. It’s a great time to catch up and reconnect.

Working from home rocks …

If you haven’t tried it, you should. I learned this year that it’s a huge blessing. I still have commitments to take care of, but it’s great sometimes to just get some tough work done while still in my pajamas.

Stay connected with God …

Life gets in the way sometimes. I get it. But we all have to make time for God, whether it be church, Bible study groups, etc. I always start with the best intentions, and while I occasionally fall down, I get back up.

The overall lesson …

Overall, I learned it is perfectly OK to let go of certain things, accept things for what they are, be a better planner, and expect that in this phase of my life, something will go wrong.

I love this crazy thing called my life!!

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“The only limit to your impact is your imagination and commitment.” Tony Robbins

Photo By: James Niland