Finding Yourself: It's An Inside Job

I have a chronic fear of being stuck. As in, this (relationship, career, home, job, city, environment) is sucking my soul and how will I ever get out of it?

Up until "adulthood" (aka post-graduate life), most of us live in the distinct time frame of a school year. Semesters, quarters, summer breaks...if a class is miserable, you know you'll be done with it in December. If your roommate and apartment suck, you know you can move at the end of the semester. The chapters are short. There is always an end date.

But after graduation, at least for me, it was a wide-open expansive land of time and I guess it freaked me out more than I thought. I'm always afraid of being "stuck."

Physically, in a relationship, a career, a city, in a certain environment. It's not fear of commitment. Hell, I'll 150% commit to something I believe in and if I think it's a good thing. But it's "stuck" in the sense of believing there is no way out of a situation that drains me of energy, positivity, passion and strength. A stagnant, negative relationship. A energy draining, anxiety-filled job. Scares the crap out of me if I ever think of getting stuck in either of those things.

But at the same time I have to laugh at myself. If I ever got myself in those situations, I get the hell out. I'm just that kind of person.

So what am I afraid of?

Being vulnerable enough to stay put for more than 6-months and see what happens? Being at peace and open to whatever the Universe brings me, whether that's tomorrow or in 5 months? Currently, there is no end date to anything I'm doing. I'm fortunate to I love all that I'm doing now and where I live (yes, the car situation in SF sucks and I miss my sunny home and family in San Diego), but overall, it's pretty darn dandy.

It's the no-end-date lifestyle that I need to get used to. In the past, I probably forced those end dates a little too soon and a little too often. I would get restless and scared that I wasn't going anywhere or that I didn't know what I wanted to do...so I would try and solve that by moving. Again.

I feel as though part of my restlessness is coming from the false sense of security I get when I move to a different city or job or apartment. I think that by picking up and moving, everything will be figured out. I'll have left my problems and emotional angst in the last city. I'll be in the right place...finally. I'll find my true purpose...finally. 

But it doesn't work like that.

I realize that when I have those emotions to pick up and leave, to travel and explore (if I got a dollar for all the times I went on Hipmunk to find the cheapest plane ticket to Spain, I could pay for the damn ticket), it's because I'm outwardly searching for answers I can only find on the inside. It's a sign that I need to explore inwardly to find what I'm attempting to discover while on those daring, romantic adventures. I need to explore what is currently and presently surrounding me. Be present and real with it in that moment.

I'm where I am for a reason. The Universe is giving me all the tools to "find myself" right where I am. So by drastically shifting and moving my environment to "find myself," I prolong the whole experience. Because finding yourself isn't really a destination. It's an everyday journey that we're continually on. Yes, I believe one day we can discover our higher purposes and innate reason for being, but until then, finding ourself is being present with ourself. Where we are in that moment.

So as romantic as it sounds to "find myself" in a small cafe at the end of a winding cobblestone street in Italy or on a sunny beach in Greece...I'm not going to find myself any more than I would at the coffee shop down my street. Certainly, I can have grand discoveries or epiphanies or light-bulb moments while in those dreamy places, but it's not going to lead me any closer to that forever elusive thing I'm trying to find.

Maybe if I stop searching, I won't need to find anything. The answers are always here anyways.

What the heck is a Fitness Coach?

Happy Thursday! I hope you are having a wonderful week! So very excited and nervous (I'll be honest) to share my newest video with you. In light of my recent blog post about my friend and fellow coach, I wanted to create a video to share my coaching story: what inspired me to become a fitness coach, why I was scared as hell in the beginning and how I will continue to help others and grow a team of fit and fabulous people wanting to do the same! Lots of love heart emoticon 

Beachbody coaching and health coaching isn’t 100% my life. My life is mine and mine alone to define, through many other things. But Beachbody coaching helps instill my life with purpose, direction and gives me an incredible way to inspire and help others live a happy and healthy life...and earn an income while doing it. 

When I became a coach...

What I expected:

1. Discount on Shakeology and Beachbody programs

2. Ability to run challenge groups to help people get fit and reach their ideal weight

3. Earn enough money to pay for my Shakeology every month

What I actually got...
1. An opportunity to inspire and motivate others to be the healthiest and happiest versions of themselves
2. My team: an amazing community of coaches and friends who inspire and mentor me every day.
3. The incredible honor to watch people's life change beyond fitness and nutrition. The motivation, energy, confidence gained in the challenge group spills over into your life!
4. Easily pay for my shakeology order, and then some, every month.
5. A second source of income. I didn't expect to grow a business, but my business and income grew through HELPING people, so it just sort of happened naturally.
6. Confidence to be a mentor and leader.
7. A sense of fulfillment and purpose.
8. TRAVEL to Nashville in July 2015 for Coach Summit and fucking JAMAICA in spring of 2016 for the Beachbody cruise. I mean, WTF.
9. Oh yeah, the bomb-ass discount on my Shakeology and programs ;)

So yeah, you can imagine it was sort of like Christmas morning when I realized everything that I was blessed with when I took a chance and leap of faith to become a coach. 

Think you'd be a good fit? Questions? Interest? Want more details? Email me at: theglowstickdiaries(at)gmail.com. 

Coach Spotlight: Stephanie Madison Podgor, Fitness Coach and Total Inspiration

A few weeks ago, I had the pleasure of interviewing Stephanie Madison Podgor. She is a fellow teammate and Beachbody Coach and couldn't be more of an inspiration. I mean, seriously, her energy and enthusiasm crossed time zones and cyber space...I was in awe. I had been drawn to her unique, genuine and positive posts on Facebook, but it was her blog post that me realize I needed to interview her pronto. We chatted about what got her started with Beachbody, her journey as a coach and her "why." Which is always my favorite thing to learn about someone: What is their story? What is their why? 

Our interview lasted over 30 minutes, but I have put together a video that highlights all those points above. She also has some great advice to anyone wanting to get fit and healthy, but is finding a lot of excuses (legit or not) to avoid that positive change.

(**sidenote** Our WiFi/Internet connection was a little shaky, so there are times when the picture and voice do not match up. But...we're all adults here, we can handle it ;)

Enjoy watching!! She's an absolute delight.

You can follow Stephanie on Facebook here.

Meltdowns, Mascara and Organic Peanut Butter

I think we all have this expectation that when we have a meltdown, we’ll somehow look like the Disney princesses as they flawlessly toss their heads into their arms and do a few snot-free, back-heaving sobs. Who are then suddenly surrounded by their small woodland friends, all of whom have a vocabulary larger than mine, who comfort them in their weaker moments. 

But “flawless” was the furthest thing from my meltdown today as I found myself sitting in my car, full-on sobs, nose running, eyes dripping and with nothing to wipe my face with other than the sleeve of my woolen-ish sweater (ew) and my hands.  

If you’re like me, you can kind of tell when a mini-meltdown will be happening. Like how weather/science/geologist people predict something will happen within a given timeframe, they’re just not sure exactly when and what will set it off. 

Welp, I am a super-scientist when it comes to my meltdowns. I know they’re gonna happen, but since I'm a fairly even-keeled person, I don’t know what will set them off. Although when the switch is flipped, it’s usually because of something completely unrelated…that “cap on the pickle-jar” scenario. It's usually something ridiculous, like the trash bag not fitting on the lid of the trashcan. And rather than pleasantly giving up and buying different trash bags like a normal, sane person, we stretch that sucker until it breaks and the trash can flips over. 

“Oh my gosh, why are you crying Lindsey??”

“The f*cking trash bag won’t fit on the f*cking trash can and it’s so stupid and I’m just so sick of this shit!!”

It wasn’t a trashcan that set me off today; it was finding zero parking spots in my neighborhood. Like zilch. All the ones I did find were free because of the street cleaning tomorrow, which was exactly why I was moving my car in the first place. After about 20 minutes of zooming around, I finally gave up and angrily jerked my car from drive to reverse from drive to reverse until I was backed into an open spot that was indeed marked for street cleaning tomorrow. And then I burst into tears. 

A few weeks of going from my day job (which I love) to my apartment to do my work (building my health and fitness coaching business), with too little sleep and too much coffee, already had my poor adrenals on high alert. I wasn’t giving myself enough breathing time. 

I love every single thing I am doing; it is a lot of work, but at the same time, it doesn’t feel like it. If I need to stay up until midnight to get my projects done, then so be it! I’m full of passion for what I’m creating and doing. The last few weekends have been great…but filled with work. Again, something I’m totally, 100% willing to do. Another under-lying factor is that I am confident in what I’m doing, but at the same time, I also feel like I have no idea what the hell I’m doing. I just keep believing in myself, taking action and feeling so blessed that I have support from amazing people.

But I could feel the breaking point coming where I would need to release the stress and adrenaline. I had hoped that it would be via a sad movie sob session or maybe even through a longer meditation (in my dreams), but no. Blubbering in my car. And then proudly prancing down Broderick Street to my apartment, face mildly streaked with make up and mascara (it was cute. And one more contributing factor to #thesinglelife.)

So, my meltdown wasn’t flawless. It was gushing, full of snot and clearly non-waterproof mascara. At the same time, it was fantastic and much needed. 

But I can tell you what I am flawlessly doing right now is sitting on the floor of my apartment writing this with a spoonful of peanut butter in my mouth (it’s organic with no additives, thank you). This was post-forced-cuddle session with my bird, which, for those of you who know birds, “cuddling” isn’t their forte. He loved it though. I know it.  

Anyways, I’m gonna go make dinner. 

I know, there were no “action steps to make you life healthier and happier” in this post. But I hope this was a story that provided entertainment and a sense that we all have “those kinds of days.” A relatable "fairytale."

Lots of love from the health and fitness coach who still stress-eats peanut butter once in a while. Peace out friends. 

Trust Your Body: A different piece of healthy holiday advice

I am writing a different kind of "healthy holiday advice." Something that isn't in the mainstream "how to avoid gaining weight over the holidays." But I think it's equally as important to consider.

It's about trusting your body. It's about trusting it to know when it's hungry, when it's full and when it does and doesn't want to eat. Granted, this is a mindful and intuitive habit that comes with practice. But if we ever want to get to a place of trust and intuition when it comes to our bodies and eating, it's a good idea to start thinking about it now.

A lot of the advice we see plastered all over the place during the holidays is valid. It is, in many ways, needed and necessary. But it also feeds the belief that we don't trust our bodies enough to not gain weight over the holidays. This mainstream advice stems from the belief that our bodies don't know any better. Without tons of rules and mind control, it will go on a rampage at every holiday party and stuff itself silly.

That's not what our bodies want. Ever. Our bodies want ease, nourishment and equilibrium. As do our minds. But we allow our minds and bodies to be on two different teams, one against the other. If we don't control our bodies with our minds, we'll over-eat and gain weight.

But if we trust our bodies, its signals and cues, we most likely won't gain the 10-15 pounds of weight over the holidays. We'll naturally know when to eat and when to stop. We'll naturally know that we don't want any more rich, sugary foods or alcohol. Bring your minds and bodies back on the same team and go into those parties and holiday gatherings with complete trust that you, your mind and body, know what's best and the healthiest.

Respect and love yourself enough not to create a self-fulfilling prophecy of "Oh, I'm going to gain weight over the holidays. I'm going to eat so unhealthfully. I'm not going to be healthy." When we tell ourselves that, it usually becomes true. So trust your body, there's no need to over think. If you do eat a more than usual one day, we naturally eat a little less the next day because we aren't as hungry. Our bodies instinctively know how to balance out and create equilibrium once again.

Mindful and intuitive eating comes with practice. So begin practicing by holding this advice in the back of your mind when you enter the holidays. While you're creating that trusting relationship with your body, certainly, look toward the healthy eating and fitness advice going around. It's not a bad thing! I myself have proudly made "Your Guide to Healthier Holidays" and a "Christmas Day Action Plan." But it can subconsciously feed the modern belief that our bodies don't know what to do, so our minds have to take the lead and control, control, control around food. Consider that.

I made a video about the topic as well. It basically reiterates everything I said here....but in video format ;)

I wish you all love, peace and happiness during this time!! Sending my best <3

Get Your Guide to Healthy Holidays!

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