You have no control over me... thanks anyway!

I am in control. I control my own emotions, feelings, thoughts and behaviors. Everyone in the world is off the hook, you can't be blamed for my actions or reactions to anything. This is true detachment... knowing that I am in control of me and nobody else has that power. It can be scary because you hold only you accountable. So many people want to blame their parents, their kids, their upbringing, the job, the mean neighbor, the cruel teacher, the abuser or even the dog but guess what, we are the ONLY one responsible for how we feel. Each and every moment we are blessed with "choice." We have the opportunity to look beyond our physical circumstances and choose to be happy. When our inside is happy, our outside environment follows. So today, take control, choose happiness and Live Inspired Now!

*The Power of Detachment teleconference can help you learn this.... see the right side of this page for registration info!*

I got an original!!!

You all know how much I love art and I am so happy to show you this picture! Yesterday I got an original Michelle Cady painting! Her paintings are so fun and colorful and just make you feel good! I hung this is my dining room where I usually sit to work and write. I love it! It just makes me feel at peace while I sit here. I love to support artists, in fact today, I am off to send out a portrait that Harry did of a famous youtube kid! So today, consider supporting an artist by purchasing some of their work and Live Inspired Now!

View or purchase Michelle's work here: Michelle Cady

Hunkering down!

Today, we are supposed to have thunder storms on and off all day and even possible tornadoes! (Apparently we had some pretty good storms this morning but I slept through them.) So we are hunkering down for the day. A relaxing day at home is just what I need too! I plan to spend the entire day hanging with the kids, editing my book and watching whatever storms may come. FUN! So today, hunker down and spend a quiet day at home and Live Inspired Now!

Good in, Good out...

What you focus on is what you feel, what you feel is what you attract to your life. Good in, good out. Bad in, bad out. Let go of attachments, it is our attachments to things we can't control that cause us misery. You only control yourself, your thoughts, feelings, emotions and your beliefs about things. As much as we might like to believe, we don't control our children either. Learn to trust the Universe to care for you and your family, have faith that things will work out. Detachment is the gift of freedom and with that freedom comes peace and clarity. So today, learn to detach and Live Inspired Now.

Want to learn more about detachment, attracting good things to your life and detached parenting??? Register for The Power of Detachment Teleconference! You can register right here on this page... in the right column! Thank you!!

Get super duper excited!!!

Get excited... use awesomely explosive words to get yourself unbelievably stoked and passionate about something spectacular! I hope you all have an extremely, mega, ridiculously excellent, exceptionally brilliant, absolutely mind blowing, immensely perfect day!!! Get fired up with fun and fantastic words and Live Inspired Now!!!

I heart money!!!

That's right... I do, I LOVE money! Money is not evil, it is awesome! It allows you to do so many things that you cannot do without it! I would encourage you all to adopt a different attitude about money if you think you don't like it or think it's evil.
Money is just a tool, one that allows us to get what we really want... more time with loved ones, fun toys to share, quiet time with our lover on the water or even a home to share with family. When we see money as bad or we see ourselves as unworthy to have it, we set a block against it coming into our lives. I love money and I want to open myself up to receiving lots of it. I can then do what I love to do most: GIVE! Thad and I love to give and help people as much as we can and the more money we get, the more we can do!
Are you pushing money from your life because you are living in lack, or have a negative attitude towards money? If so, rethink your attitude on money, decide to live in abundance and understand that money is just a tool that will allow you to do great things and Live Inspired Now!

Build Something....

Yesterday, with the help of our kids Harry and Mattie, Thad built a loft bed for Carrie. It is really cool! Carrie has the smallest room and her bed took up much of the entire floor space so Thad built her the loft bed and now she has all the room under her bed to play and work. Carrie loves the bed and Harry and Mattie enjoyed helping Thad and I think they learned alot too. Building things with your own hands can be empowering and fulfilling. So today, whether a bed, a birdhouse, a rock sculpture or even a model plane, build something by hand and Live Inspired Now!
PS... encouraging and allowing kids to build things and do things on their own can really set their passion on fire!
PPS... keep the band-aides handy! :)

Break a WHAT on your neck?

Last night I went to a firewalking seminar, I am hosting one in August and wanted to make sure I knew what to expect! It was really awesome. I had no worries about walking over the hot coals, or breaking wood boards, or even the trust fall, I have done those things before but snapping an arrow in half with my NECK? WTH? I did it though and in true Inspired Heather fashion, I just went forward and made it happen. Some people learn they are afraid but can still do things, some people learn that they can do it but not until everyone else does, some people learn that they will do it simply because everyone else does. When we try things like this, we learn alot about ourselves and we learn to push through the fear or pain to get what we want. It is very empowering!
If you are local to Upstate NY, I would encourage you to sign up for the August Empowerment seminar in Willseyville, NY. If you live elsewhere, find a seminar in your area! You will be so proud of yourself when you are able to push through fear and you will walk away feeling so empowered and capable of accomplishing anything! Don't just sign up to walk on fire, sign up to LIVE the rest of your life INSPIRED NOW!!!

*Sign up on this page in the right hand column!*

Express yourself!

Last night I took Carrie Sue and her friends to see the Katy Perry movie for Carrie's birthday celebration. I must admit, I wasn't really looking forward to the movie but I kept an open mind and I ended up really enjoying it! The movie was all about self expression and Katy's journey to stardom.
How do YOU express yourself? Do you take the time to know what you TRULY like or are you liking what you were raised to like? We often just continue what our parents did and never really look at what we like or who we are or what WE believe in. How do you define yourself? What fun ways can you let your personality shine through? Don't be afraid to stand out from the crowd and do what you love. You only get one shot so take it!!! Today, whether it is pink hair, a crazy outfit or just speaking your mind, find a way to express your individuality and Live Inspired Now!

Grace...

Remember Mrs Cosby, the character played by Felicia Rashad back in the 80's on The Cosby Show? Her character is how I define "grace." An intelligent and successful woman with poise and femininity. I think that we have forgotten grace in this day and age, we have forgotten how to be elegant and charming. Sometimes, women are so busy being strong and independent that they forget they have an effortless beauty that they can let shine through when they get in touch with the feminine side. We as women sometimes take on masculine characteristics to fit into the workplace, to feel more powerful or to keep people from getting too close but when this happens we are not living in alignment with our true selves as beautiful, loving, caring beings. Being vulnerable is a strength not a weakness. It takes far more strength to allow yourself to be vulnerable and then you open yourself up to accepting help or making change.
Ladies, take down the protective walls, allow your natural beauty and grace to shine through, allow yourself to be girly girls and Live Inspired Now!

What's Good?

Ok, so "what's good" has been around for a while but I am whole heartedly jumping on the "what's good" bandwagon! In an effort to fully promote all that is good and attempt to always focus on the positive, I am not going to ask people "how are you?" I am going to ask them "what's good?" I am MORE than willing to listen to someone vent and get their frustrations out, but in passing if I only have a moment to greet you, it will be the greeting that asks about your positive things rather than leaving me open to hear about the bad knee, the daughter drama, the husbands crappy job or whatever else you think of when someone innocently asks "How are you?" So for me, I am all about "WHAT'S GOOD??" Today, try asking "what's good" and see if you get a better response than "how are you" and Live Inspired Now!

Routine Maintenance

Just a reminder that every single day you need to connect with your partner. You must make time to talk, connect, share intimacy, be romantic and silly and spend quality time alone without the kids, friends, work or other distractions. Daily connections and maybe a weekly date night or a monthly overnight getaway, whatever works for your relationship but make time for one another. It is easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of life but remember to put your relationship FIRST always and keep up the routine maintenance that will keep your relationship healthy! So today, take time out for some routine maintenance or at least schedule it soon and Live Inspired Now!

Adopt the phrase....

"...it will all work out!" Things always work out the way they are supposed to and if we continue to tell ourselves that, we can adopt a positive mind set that will help us get through tough times. When things are challenging, we need to remember that things always work out, never once has a problem been so big that the entire world ended. People live and people die, people get hurt and heartbroken but we can always move forward from things and learn from them. If we have faith that it will work out, if we remind ourselves that everything has worked out so far, if we tell ourselves "this is challenging but I can handle it," we will be more able to accept those things we have no control of. So today, adopt the phrase "it will all work out," say it during challenges and Live Inspired Now!

Re-arrange!

I have spent the past 2 days re-arranging our furniture and re-organizing my kitchen and dining room and it looks great! I love to re-arrange, it gives a fresh new look without any expense and it gives you a chance to clean those spots that don't get much attention like behind and under things! So today, re-arrange some furniture, get a fresh new look for free and Live Inspired Now!

WAIT!!!!!

Anticipation is defined as "expectation or hope" by Dictionary.com. I remember being a kid on Christmas morning, it was so exciting and thrilling. My parents always made Christmas so huge in our house but as I got older I realized that for ME, the anticipation was even better than the actual event because once the event happened, it was over. Nowadays, the only thing people actually WAIT for is the page to load and if that little wheels spins for more than 10 seconds, things are going to get ugly! I think we have lost patience and our current generation has never known the excitement of anticipating and hoping for things. Our world is instant, we no longer have to wait for a letter or stay home because we are expecting an important phone call. I love all of our modern conveniences, but I would love it if people would learn to wait for things too. If you don't get something right away, just wait for it! Try teaching the kids patience too. When my kids were little, we started a "puffy jar." Every time the kids did something great, like an act of kindness or good grades or extra chores, they would get a cotton ball to add to the jar. Once the jar was full of cotton balls (the kids called them puffies) then we would go to the toy store and pick out something fun! We did this with a change jar too, we added change to it and when it was full, we cashed it in and went out for dinner. It taught the kids to get excited about working towards something and I think that learning patience and anticipation is a wonderful lesson! So today, just wait for something, think about how long you might have had to wait 20 years ago before cell phones and computers and Live Inspired Now!

Make Room!

When you want something in life, you need to take a look at what you are doing and determine whether or not you are actually making room for what you want. I have a friend that says she wants to find "Mr Right" yet pushes men away and says she wants to be independent. She is saying one thing but acting in an entirely different way. You have to be able to make room for what you want, make some accommodations to allow what or who you want to have room in your life. Another example is our garage, my husband Thad has wanted a new garage for some time but the spot where the garage was to go had bushes and a tree and a large amount of tools, saws and debris. So he cleared the entire spot where the garage was to go, staked off the area, chopped down the tree, removed the bushes and cleared the spot completely. It was so much easier to envision a real garage with the spot cleared and marked off and now we are actually getting the garage built! We all say that we want things but if we truly want them, we have to make room for them in our life and allow/trust the Universe to provide for us. Living in abundance, being pro active and believing that our needs will always be met is the best way to manifest what you really want. So today, make room in your life and Life Inspired Now!

YOLO my ass!

YOLO is the new catch phrase these days and it has become an excuse for young people to participate in stupid and risky behavior. Every time I see YOLO on facebook it is followed by an image of an under dressed young person or the absurd tale of inappropriate behavior which usually involved sex, drugs, alcohol or some other sort of dangerous behavior.
Guess what? YOLO is a concept meant to empower people, not give them an excuse for stupidity! You only live once doesn't mean take risks with your health or safety, it means live life to the fullest with passion and purpose. It means do something good, help someone in need, take a risk that could enhance your life not stop it. So today, don't use YOLO as an excuse for bad behavior, rather step up and be a person who will be respected for making the MOST of their life, be remembered someday for living well and loving lots and Live Inspired Now!

Positive is better!

Being positive takes practice; do in order to become! You can always see things in a positive way or a negative way so why not choose positive? It does take practice though. You have to do it daily and make an effort. Every time you are inclined to see the bad in a situation, resist and find the good! Even if the good is "I am not sure how this will play out, but I trust it WILL work out for the best!" There is always a silver lining, so today focus on the positive and Live Inspired Now!

Sleep In!!!

I am not a huge fan of sleeping in, I like to get up and get going each day... there are just so many awesome things to do! (I know Mom & Dad, this was NOT the case when I was younger, I liked to sleep in when I was a teen!) BUT... sometimes you need to let your body rest. This was today for me! After a wedding, 10 days of adventure in Montana, a torn back muscle, a week in California, writing an entire book, the flu, a ruptured ear drum, a packed red eye flight, a missed flight, lost bags and lack of sleep.... I needed to sleep in today! (Poor Thad had to work today) Every once in a while you need to take a break and rest up! So if not today... maybe tomorrow, or at some point... take time to rest your body, sleep in and Live Inspired Now!

PS: I will be sharing pictures and inspirations from the past few weeks in future blog posts. Thad and I have had an amazing few weeks! My book is about 90% done and I can't wait to get it published! Thank you all so much for you support and encouragement and for your well wishes!

I'll be backkkk....

Hi everyone! I am currently in Southern California working on my book! I am going to take a few days off from blogging so I can focus and recover from a flu bug that I picked up on my way out here... yuck! I will be back on Tuesday, July 10th! In the meantime, hope all is well and I appreciate all your well wishes! Thank you all so much!!! Feel free to browse through older INSPIRED posts... there are well over 400 to choose from! Love you all!

What's that smell???

Go fragrance free! In this day and age with asthma, allergies, respiratory problems, toxic chemicals and all the other environmental irritants, I think fragrance free is the way to go! I have a huge pet peeve about being stuck in another persons "pew." We have all experienced it, you just sit down on the plane or in a restaurant and someone with very overpowering cologne or perfume sits near you. It can cause headaches, watering eyes, breathing troubles and just overall frustration. Personally, I never wear perfumes or body sprays, but if you must, here is a better way to spray. Stand in the center of the room, spray your scent into the air and walk under the falling mist... ONLY once, that's right, just once. A good fragrance is reserved for people who get close to you anyway, not for the entire office to smell when you walk in. I know I know... "it's the most expensive perfume out there and there isn't anyone who wouldn't like the smell" but just to be safe, follow my tips! So today, go fragrance free or at the very least, spray with discretion and Live Inspired Now!

Metaphors and Meaning by Skip Corbin

Metaphors and meaning are the key to understanding the world around and how others react to you and the world. As an example, there is a symbol of Christianity known as the "ichthys." It is the little fish-like symbol commonly seen on bumpers across the USA. Have you thought how many people would still have them on their cars if they knew that it had been used as a symbol of a vagina long before it was thought to be a fish? (Read more about that here).
The words we use and more importantly the meaning we attribute to them is KEY to understanding ourselves and others. "Who do you think you are?" Ask yourself that question. Then pay VERY close attention to your answer, the words you use and the meaning you attach to those words. In fact, if you write down what you are thinking in response to the question, you can reflect upon... is this the person you want to be? Or perhaps can you be so much more? For yourself, for your loved ones, for your community, for your society, for your planet? What beliefs about yourself do you cling to that may not be serving you well? There is no judgement here, the exercise is to identify that which is in you and if it is congruent with whom you wish to be. From there you may choose the changes that will make you happier. Until you are happy with yourself, being happy all the time with the others around you is not maintainable. What meanings do you use? Can you decide to associate a new meaning to ideas you have about yourself or others? I know you will never see an "ichthys" on a bumper the same way EVER again.

Skip Corbin
Life Coach in the Mohawk Valley
coach@corbins.org
http://www.facebook.com/gcorbin

Liberate yourself from BS.........

Liberate yourself from all the bullshit that keeps you from being free! People hold on to limiting beliefs and rules that they set for life and it holds them back from so many experiences. Life is about being free and trying new things. I can't stress it enough folks, you ONLY LIVE ONCE! Do not set limiting guidelines for yourself and use them as excuses to under achieve or live without passion. Do that thing you have always dreamed about, tell that certain someone that you LOVE them, take that vacation, take the leap of faith! Cut the bullshit and Live Inspired Now!!!

Mom, Mom, Mom, Mommy, Mommy....

When you take the kids to the park or to their sports practices or gymnastics lessons or wherever you go, watch them! Kids LOVE to be watched! Ever been at the park with your little one and every 3 seconds they say “Mom watch this, Mom watch this, Mom watch this!” They are just going down the slide on their back but every single time... “Mom are you watching, Mom did you see me, Mom it’s going to be so cool, Mom watch me this time, Mom this time I’m going to close my eyes... watch me!” lol. Kids love to have the audience and get the same smile and nod over and over and when they are teenagers and live in their teen cave and only emerge for food, you will wish for these days back.... trust me! So today, no matter how many thousands of times you have seen the awkward cartwheel or the shoe tie, or the amazing slide down, watch the kids do it, get excited and Live Inspired Now!

Surprise!!

So what that it’s nobody's birthday or anniversary! Throw a surprise party for someone! Maybe your friends been going through a tough time, surprise her with a small party with friends and a cake. Or how about your husbands 1/2 year birthday? Or even for one of the kids just for the heck of it! So today, plan a surprise party for someone and Live Inspired Now!

Accept Suggestions with Grace....

When people offer suggestions I often hear people say things like “I already knew that” or “yea I was just going to do that.” When people offer you a suggestion, just smile and say thank you. They are usually just trying to be helpful and even though you may already know how to do something, you should honor the fact that someone cares enough to offer you help. It is your ego that says “I don’t need you to tell me how to do something, I knew it already without your input... look at me look at me... I'm smart!” Tell the ego to be quiet because being courteous is a gift to others and to yourself. So today, accept suggestions with grace and Live Inspired Now!

Support kids by letting them learn from experience...

Sheltering children from pain doesn't protect them from the world, in fact it makes them more vulnerable. Instead, teach children how to deal with pain and disappointment in a healthy way. Teach them to communicate their true feelings, teach them to allow themselves time to feel badly and then to move forward without carrying the baggage of past huts with them! This will teach children how to overcome challenges without giving up on them, it will equip them with the skills they need to persevere in life. Toddlers fall down so many times before they ever learn to walk... you wouldn't hold them back from learning to walk because they might fall. So continue to allow them to "fall" as they get older, these are life lessons that shape their destiny and make them stronger and more capable. So today, don't protect your child from natural consequences, allow them to learn valuable lessons that only come from experience and Live Inspired Now!

Ending relationships with grace....

Relationships don’t end badly, people sometimes act badly when relationships end! Not all relationships are meant to last forever and that is OK, but when you do end a relationship you should do so with dignity and grace. Don’t stalk the person, don’t talk badly about them, don’t try and get people to dislike them and never ever post your grievances on facebook! Allow yourself time to mourn the relationship if you need, take time to reflect before moving on and respect that the person had a special place in your heart at one time. The relationship might be over but your dignity and self worth should remain and even if the other person is acting badly, do not engage in it. So today, if you are ending a relationship, keep your cool, allow yourself time to get over it, don’t act badly and Live Inspired Now!


Upstate NY Fans:

"Making Relationships Work" class
Thursday, June 28th @ 10:30am
Family Resource Center

72 North Ave Owego, NY
RSVP: 607-687-1571
On Facebook
Join Us!!

Our last day in Montana....

Today is the last day of our honeymoon in Montana. We have had such an amazing time and enjoyed every single magic moment of this trip! We have seen and done it all and today we are taking it easy and going to the movies to see "Brave." (I have been getting comments that this young cartoon reminds people of me... it's the hair. So I will have to go check it out!) There will be no post tomorrow as I will be flying home all day but will resume on Wednesday. I am looking forward to showing you all the pictures from my honeymoon! Until then... Live Inspired NOW!

FIREWALK!!!

Women Ablaze: Living Powerfully with Inspired Heather Paris: August 18th, Ithaca, NY

Amazing, kick ass, empowering workshop for women! You will build confidence, supercharge your dreams, enhance focus, and overcome fear! Bring your daughters (16 and older) and give them these gifts at a young age and help them become more positive and self directed!

This will be one of the most exciting nights of your life. You will become a firewalker and you will learn bone-deep that you are unstoppable.

You will witness and experience incredible moments, you will deepen your connection with the people you came with, and you will have a whole lot of fun.

It will change your life for the better!

Register today at:

www.liveinspirednow.com (scroll down on the right side and register for firewalk)
or
http://ithacafirewalks.com/ (be sure to click on the August 18th date)

LIVE INSPIRED NOW!!!

Time out for ME.... by Jen Zatorowski

“Later, let me do this first, someday or how about I don’t have time.” Sound familiar. Too often fun times are lost and our lives are spent making excuses; sacrificing what we enjoy for what; work, money, an expected outcome? When was the last time you said “That was fun! I am doing this again! Or spent the day reminiscing on what you and friends just did, instead of project deadlines, big meetings or the next task you will be assuming. Can’t remember? Well, that is when you know it’s time. Time to put yourself in “time out for ME” and go do something spontaneous, something fun, something you have not done in a long time- something besides work! We tend to get in this vicious cycle of work life, taking work on, losing sight of the fun, since we can’t have fun we take on more work. We stay busy to trick our minds into believing we have no time for fun with all this work. It is a cumulative cycle with negative results on our social, personal and HEALTH patterns. Break the work cycle just once this week, do something FUN! Spend the money you would normally not spend, go somewhere you have wanted to go, do something on your bucket list. See and feel the difference in yourself. This is NOT dress rehearsal! You are on stage NOW, giving the performance of your life- make it fun!

Jen Zatorowski
NASM certified personal trainer
NASM corrective exercise specialist
INBF natural bodybuilder
elitephysiques@msn.com

It’s Just Me… by Peg Haust-Arliss

So, I have this friend, and every time she calls me to leave a message she says: “Hi Peg, It’s just me……..” in her kind, carefree, slow monotone. I love you girlfriend, but I must say that every time I hear you say that I want to scream:
“AAHH what do you mean it’s JUST me!?”
It’s JUST me; REALLY??? Why must you minimize your importance! Why do you constantly minimize your inherent power and beauty? How can you not realize how magnificent you are? Even the fact that you walk this earth is nothing short of a spiritual and scientific miracle! Oh, but, it’s just me. YOU are unique! There is no other creature on this earth like you! Even identical twins are slightly different, but never mind that, it’s just me. If your parents never met, YOU, as you are, would not exist! YOU are a biological masterpiece! YOU cannot be replicated! OMG, you are crazy! I am going to kick your ass! Stop it! There is no JUST about you!! You ARE Love! You ARE Special! You ARE Divine!
However, if you are my client, you very well know that nothing has any meaning until we give it one. That being said, hmm, what else could this mean? Maybe it just means: “Hi Peg, call me.”

Peg Haust-Arliss, LCSW-R

www.PegHaust.com

www.LiveMoreLifeCoaching.com

www.twitter.com/@PegHaust

www.Facebook.com/LifeCoachPeg

Act Before You Think by Gloria Pavey

Why do kids learn new things so quickly and easily? Because they don't wait until they understand something to try it. They simply see the result they want to achieve and mimic those who are already achieving that result, learning in the process and adjusting the process to their own taste once they 'get it.'

If you want to learn something new, you must act without understanding. Learn to think like a kid, and think like a kid to learn! ;)

Gloria Pavey
Inner Light Coach

www.gloriapavey.blogspot.com

Long Happy Marriage by Kevin Klein

Married for 80 Years! How'd they do it?
When you're looking to succeed at something, it's a good idea to model your behavior after someone who's done what you want to do. This holds true for relationships as well as other goals. And although it's not the only measure of a successful relationship, generally speaking how long a marriage has lasted could be considered a standard of success. Relationships don't usually last if they aren't any good. Following this train of logic, the best way to learn how to have a good, long-lasting relationship is to model someone who's done it.
I heard an interview once with a couple who claimed they had been happily married for 80 years! He was 102 and she was 100. When asked for the secret to their long, happy marriage she replied, "Always speak your mind." He simply added, "Don't listen."
To me this little exchange overflows with honesty, humor, affection and attention (he was listening for his cue wasn't he!) Smile and think about it. It's like a haiku; simple, yet profound.
Wishing all of you a long and happy relationship!
Kevin Joseph Klein
Personal Life Coach

www.theroadtofindout.com

Feeling Stressed by Jeffrey Whittaker

Most people are aware of stress and experience some form of stress on a regular basis. Stress actually shuts down the digestive system and raises cholesterol, raises cortisol levels in the body and depletes essential nutrients that our body needs to function. The problem is if you experience stress on a regular basis you are affecting all your major organs. A little stress can lead to anxiety, affect your mood and people around you.

So what are your stresses?

Common stresses are:

Money, Work, Family, Commute, Financial Problems, Too busy, Not enough free time and Major life changes.

These are just a few of many things that can trigger stress in ones life, take steps to reduce the stress, meditation, seek counseling, change in lifestyle. If you think you many be under stress and would like to learn more on how to reduce or eliminate the effects of stress on your health, please contact me to learn more.

Jeffrey Whittaker – Wellness Coach – GotStress@Jeffreywhittaker.com

Inner Commitments by Martin Lanzas

I like to think about the actions we take as stemming from a network of various inner commitments, and like to investigate people's results by the commitments they maintain.Many of the people I work with tell me they would like to become more social,but spend countless hours NOT talking to people. This is what Robert Keagan calls a competing commitment. It can be said that these people are more committed to NOT talking to people than to talking to people. People take action when their inner commitments align. One of the most important indicators I've found of whether someone will follow through on accomplishing a task is the inner commitment to accomplish something even if they deal with disappointment, struggle, and not getting things perfect.
So I ask you: what are you committed to? Are you willing and committed to dealing with all of the inevitable BS that it may take to accomplish what you want? If so, I honor your determination; if not, good luck - you'll probably need it.

Martin Lanzas
Life Transformation Expert and Coach
martin@martinlanzas.com

Happy Thather Day!

One year ago today, I married my best friend and life has never been the same! The past year has been an exciting one, full of fun, laughs, tears, trials but most of all love. Other couples might have crumbled under the weight of the chaos from outside influences we have experienced but we have grown stronger together in love.

We have combined and built a loving family with strong bonds and provided stability for our children. We have opened our hearts to many and are teaching our kids to generously share our lives and our home with the people we care about. We live each day to the fullest, making memories in every moment and teaching our kids that life waits for no one. We have taken risks and been brave together, we have leaned on one another, we have motivated each other but most of all we have INSPIRED each other. We choose to live each day as if it were our last, knowing that the most important moments in life are the ones spent together.

Our lives began the moment we met. We are blessed to have found in the other what was missing in ourselves. Our love grows stronger and bolder every day, taking nothing for granted, making memories in each moment, always remembering to put each other first, always each others biggest fan, best friends forever, learning from and appreciating one another, protecting each other, raising healthy kids, setting a good example, helping those in need, opening our home and hearts, not caring about what others think, never judging, living with passion and most of all..... loving without limits.

I love you Thad, now and always!

**We are renewing our vows today and then off for our honeymoon! I will be featuring guest bloggers over the next week... please enjoy their posts! They are all truly amazing and INSPIRED friends and colleagues!**

LIVE INSPIRED NOW!!!

Don't be ridiculous... actually... GO AHEAD!

Being silly the other day I randomly responded to my friends facebook posts with things that made no sense. It was really funny! My friend Dawn and I posted nonsensical mumbo jumbo just to get a laugh and the funny part was that people responded seriously to it. (Kind of like the time I posted about my utter disdain for raisins) lol. So today, insert a little zaniness, respond ridiculously to people in person or on facebook and Live Inspired Now!

PS.... picking up my HOT PINK convertible today!!! Pics tonight or tomorrow... check back soon!

I'm your parent, not your friend!

My friend Chris and I were swapping parenting stories the other day and she said something that inspired this post. She said she told her daughter: “I expect you to be a teenager so you better expect me to be the Mom!” That quote is perfect and I fully agree! I work with so many parents that want to be friends with their teens but that is unrealistic. Friendly yes, but friends NO. As a parent you have to do the hard work of sometimes being the bad guy, setting guidelines and telling kids no when needed. You cannot skew the boundaries with kids because kids by nature test limits and push boundaries. If they don’t know where the lines are, they are sure to cross them. It is hard enough to parent in this day and age when there are so many outside forces influencing kids, they need to have one place (home) where they know their role, they fit in, get unconditional love and acceptance as well as structure, stability and consequences. I work with kids all the time that actually crave some sort of structure because their home life is so loose and there are no boundaries. So today, let your kids know that you are the parent and they should expect you to be the “Mom or Dad” and do whatever it takes to keep them safe and healthy and Live Inspired Now!

The benefits of swear words!

I am always amazed by people who tip toe around subjects and use words that don’t truly express the intensity of emotion that they are feeling. Now I'm not saying become a complete potty mouth, and there is definitely a time and place to be more proper but there is some amount of power that comes from using a swear word in the appropriate connotation! I actually swear all the time when working with clients because the “taboo” words incite an emotional and often physiological response that you just cant get otherwise. I could have my client say “Yes, I plan to lose weight” but that really would not resonate with them on a deep level and will set them up for failure. Instead, I have my clients say things like “I AM GOING TO LOSE THIS FUCKING WEIGHT... I FUCKING HATE IT AND I WILL NEVER BE FAT AGAIN!!! You are more likely to have success with these words because they have emotion behind them! They are powerful and remap your thinking. So today, use some powerful swear words and Live Inspired Now!

PS... I am all for using swear words to facilitate personal changes and to paint a picture of reality but never for use as a name calling weapon against someone.

Relaxed Response!

So much of our life is out of our control, we falsely think we have control but we really don't. Nobody knows what will happen from day to day. Like the ocean, life ebbs and flows through the good and bad. Sometimes bringing us what we want, other times bringing us challenges but it is all part of life. When we adopt a relaxed response to life, we have decided to enjoy what comes our way, confident in the knowledge that good things even emerge from tragedies. When you accept what life offers you and you know each day is a gift, it is easier to be relaxed because you know it will always work out the way it is supposed to. When the kids are screaming, the deadline is looming, the family is visiting or your just overwhelmed, sit back, take a deep breath and relax. Everything will still be there, take a moment to sit in silence, listen to the world around you and relax. So today, try a relaxed response to life, see if it feels better than the hustle and bustle, you might even find you actually get more accomplished and Live Inspired Now!

Age is experience...

Never use age as an excuse to hold you back from doing something. Age is just the amount of experience you have living! So today, do something despite your age and Live Inspired Now!!

Thanks to Karen Wulf for the inspiration for this post! Go get em Karen!!! xo

Compliment the chef!

Last night Thad and I discovered a new restaurant called "Cobblestone" in Geneva, NY. It was incredible! The place itself was elegant and charming and the food was beyond delicious! We were positively giddy with delight over finding such an exceptional restaurant. The food was so delicious that I sent my compliments to the chef who was thrilled to get the feedback because it was apparently a new menu. I think too often people forget to pay compliments when things are good so we were sure to thank our servers as well as the chef for a well prepared meal and for such a pleasant experience! So today, if the dining is good... Ask to compliment the chef and Live Inspired Now!

Cultivate....

Prepare your life for good things to come by putting good into the Universe. I am always amazed when people say things like "I just don't get it, I am surrounded by people who are angry," or "How do I meet all the jerks?" Guess what? You get what you put out there! Your energy attracts things to you so if you are in constant drama, don't blame others, you are bringing that to your own world with your words, actions and thoughts. If you are always in conflict, start thinking about how YOU can let things go. If you are surrounded by negative people, start being more positive. If your co-workers aren't doing their job, make sure you are doing yours above and beyond! Hold yourself accountable for YOUR behavior, not everyone elses. ALL of your life experiences can be changed by altering our OWN attitudes and behaviors. So today, cultivate joy, happiness, peace and abundance and this is what you will enjoy and Live Inspired Now!

Host an INSPIRING movie night...

Last night some of my girl friends came over to watch the movie Fried Green Tomatoes! We had an awesome time!!! If you haven't seen this movie I HIGHLY recommend it. It is such an empowering movie about two women who become friends and inspire one another. It is a tear jerker in some spots and totally hysterical in others, you won't be disappointed!
It was nice to have a "ladies night" with my friends. We all brought snacks and wine to share and just so you all know.... All foods are calorie free on ladies nights! ;) So today, plan an INSPIRING movie night, eat lots of junk food and laugh with your friends, get inspired by an empowering flick and Live Inspired Now!

Yes Ma'am!

I was on the phone yesterday with a friend and he asked me to hold on while he placed his drive through order. At the end of the order, the attendant said something and I heard my dear friend say "Yes Ma'am." He got back on the phone and I mentioned how I don't hear that very often at all and praised him for being so polite and respectful. I hear all the time people (especially teens) talking about wanting respect but what are they doing to earn that? If you want to be respected, act respectful. If you want to be taken seriously, be professional. If you want to feel important, make yourself an asset to other people. Nobody get respect by acting like they belong on a Jerry Springer episode. Treat people with a higher level of respect and dignity than you desire. "Yes ma'am, no ma'am, yes sir, no sir," are great ways to start showing respect for your fellow man. Earn respect today by being respectful yourself and Live Inspired Now!
PS... Tony, stop eating at McDonalds!! ;)

Be your own HERO!

It is so awesome to have friends and family who are supportive but sometimes you have to be your own HERO! Have you ever met those people whom no matter what you suggest to help their situation they have a reason why they can't do something or can't be happy? They are determined that their happiness hinges upon what others do or say.
Other people impact us for sure, but it is up to US to choose happiness, to advocate for ourselves and to be our own hero. Put on your imaginary cape, shoulders back, chest out, strap on your confidence, speak up for yourself, meet your needs, set an example of leadership and LIVE INSPIRED NOW!!!

Re-purpose...

This weekend Thad and I went to a festival and we met artist John Jackson that makes these cool statue sculptors out of recycled items. He had found purpose for discarded bikes, instruments, tools, auto parts and more! These sculptors were adorable and very animated too! So today, think about how you can re-purpose used or old items. Maybe you could become an artist and create something new, or use something old in a new way. For example, I have a kitchen Hoosier that I use in my bedroom as a media cabinet and it looks amazing! So today, think about how you can re-purpose an old item, breath new life into it and create something useful or cool and Live Inspired Now!
PS: Here is a link to John Jackson's website: www.whimsicalmetalsculpture.com

Don't turn a blind eye...

Don't turn a blind eye to people in need. So the other day I was pulled over because my car needed transmission fluid (it has a leak.) I was on a back road and the car had steam pouring out of it and a man pulled over and asked if he could help. I asked if he knew where to put the transmission fluid and he did so he very kindly helped me. (Good thing too, I was going to put it into the oil thingy... ooops!) Anyway, plenty of people had driven by without even asking to help. If you see someone in need, ask to help them, don't just turn a blind eye and think that someone else will help. There are so many opportunities all the time for us to step up and help someone and it feels awesome when you lend a hand! So today, if you see a person broken down, or you see someone drop something, or maybe you see someone hurt, don't turn a blind eye, stop and offer assistance and Live Inspired Now!
PS... my husband bought me a brand new Jeep after breaking down! ;) Thanks baby!!! <3

All or nothing!

Yesterday, my daughter Mattie told me she was running for Secretary of her class at school. While we were talking about it, she mentioned that she really wanted to run for President but thought she had a better chance at getting Secretary. I told her, aim higher, RUN FOR PRESIDENT! I would rather see her run for President, give it her all and fail then to settle for something she didn't really want because it was easy to get! She agreed and got very excited about the idea and I helped her write a really great essay about why she should be allowed to run. By the end of it, she was making "Vote for Mattie" pins and was more determined than ever to give it her all! I could not be any prouder! Folks, so for GOLD, don't lower your standards for what you want to achieve, take a risk and if it doesn't work learn from the experience and it may work next time. Keep giving it your all! So today, think of something you put your ALL into and Live Inspired Now!