The Inchworm of Progress and What I Ate Wednesday

Have I mentioned that I love working from home?  Doing this has been my goal for quite a while, and I’m totally basking in it right now. I’m also sweating because it’s really hot in  NY…and that’s totally fine with me!

I’ve readjusted back to reality from vacation, and I’ve even got my vacay laundry in the dryer right now—I love summer clothes—they take up way less space in the washer and dryer than winter clothes do!

 

 

 

One of the biggest complaints (or barriers) noted by my clients is that they don’t have time to put their wellness first. Honestly, I don’t have a direct solution for this, but I do think that no one is as stuck as they think they are. Maybe you can’t change your situation right this instant, but what if you can do one little thing today that heads you in the right direction?

I did that in 2008. I had just started a wellness coaching job for a corporation. When I saw the job ad, my first reaction was, “Oh god, I don’t want to do that.” …but the only other jobs I could find at the time were continuing seasonal adjunct teaching and $8 an hour recreation jobs at senior centers. Apparently, at the time I also thought I was sick of personal training.

Anyway, I took the wellness coaching job, and was driving to three trucking terminals, two office buildings, and a manufacturing company every week. I had to wear khakis and an orange polo shirt–nicknamed The Monkey Suit, by my friend Monica, and I had quotas to fill. It was important for me to talk to an average of 10 people an hour, and at the same time…show that the populations’ aggregate biometrics and stats were improving. The job itself was stressful–I had to approach people while they were working and offer help/biometrics/information all while keeping participation voluntary and optional. There were two sides of the coin: make it look good to employers and actually help real live people.

I always felt like I was bothering people. It took me a long time to find my niche, and then as soon as I did, I was moved out of all those locations except one and put on one university campus 40 hours a week…to offer coaching to 700 faculty and staff, which later expanded to 1500.

I’ll be honest, I loved the people who clicked with me, and I almost gave myself a heart attack about dealing with the rest of them. I can say that even though I haven’t stayed in touch with every single person who worked with me, that I really cared about and loved all of them. I even made some friendships that will last for the rest of my life. At that time, I was training for a marathon (that I never ran, but that’s another knee-busted story), and I preferred to do my training on the Erie Canal path at 6am alone with the turtles and my garmin.

I felt stuck doing a job that stressed me out, on a schedule I didn’t prefer, and carrying my office on my back (literally—I had no office and carted with me my laptop, notes, and Tanita body composition scale...uphill both ways through 10 feet of snow). So as I ran, I listened to motivational podcasts, and even guided meditations—which maybe I shouldn’t recommend doing, but I’m just being honest. I visualized what I wanted my life to look like. I didn’t have a clue how I’d get there, but I visualized the end product and conjured up what it would feel like. Part of my vision included me working mostly at home.

It’s three years later—I’m not sure exactly how it happened, and it didn’t happen all at once, but I’m mostly working at home now 🙂

I brought fitness back into my professional life, and I attended an amazing Mind-Body Skills training…so now I am living the career trifecta of my dreams (well, about 90% there…there’s always room to make it a little better, right?). I’m working with individuals and groups on improving their fitness, food, and mind-body skills. I don’t have to sell wellness to anyone—the people who resonate with how I work come to me, and I love them all.

It also leaves me the freedom to (1) Not blow dry my hair as often, (2) Jump on my rebounder everyday and go in my infrared sauna, (3) Meditate and do yoga more often, and (4) Make my personal life just as important (more, actually) compared to my professional life.

 

 

 

Are you where you want to be in your career or your personal life? If you wanted to change, (1) what is your end goal and (2) what is one tiny thing you could do today to move yourself in the right direction?

 

Now…for some fabulous WIAW Florida food pics:

{If you missed the vegan gluten free brownie recipe from yesterday, check it out!}

 

 

Two more things:

Want to try Stevia? NuNaturals is my favorite brand (I use it in all forms in everything…all day…ok, you get the picture!). All of you can get SPECIAL DISCOUNTS on all future orders only available from ordering through their website  :   www.nunaturals.com

When you go to their website checkout page you should enter this CODE :  BLG930  and you will receive a SPECIAL DISCOUNT of  -15% on your TOTAL ORDER. By ordering from their website you ALSO receive FREE SHIPPING to the Continental U.S. on all orders totaling $35.00, and over, AFTER this special discount.

This offer is EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY, ENDS SEPTEMBER 30, 2011.

{Do you love all the CAPS in that?  I pasted it right from their email, and it made me laugh so I kept it that way—I don’t think NuNaturals is yelling at us …Ron is way too nice for that…but they’re just really enthusiastic!}

Also…don’t forget to check out my guest post on the SunButter website!