Turn it up

Having a rough day? Place your hand over your heart....feel that? That's called purpose. You're alive for a reason. Don't give up.

- from the Sean Corey carter Facebook page

Lemons to lemonade

Pick up the stones people throw on your way to success and store them for making your house one day.

- from the Sean Corey carter Facebook page

Words of wisdom

the process of discovering who you are is like being on a path. There's one path on the east side and one on the west. You have a choice : discover your true self or escape by pleasing everyone. I say do the first choice make it more places

- from the Sean Corey carter Facebook page

Fitness update & my sexy new addiction

Sooooo.

Yes I have been busy. Busy living life, working hard, getting rest and continuing the nurturing to my body. Learning new things that I can do and discovering the new found strength that i have. It's very awesome and I am just so grateful for this time in my life.

I really am amazed at how my body is able to do so much. It's the little things that make the biggest impact. For instance, when walking to the train, i get to the train station at least 2 to 3 minutes faster than I used to!!

I can carry heavy bags and my arms don't even really burn. And whenever I break a sweat... I love it.

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Now for a really cool update! So I am all about taking risks this year right? If I am to accomplish the impossible, I've got to get my feet wet right? I've got to get out of my comfort zone right???

Well, I bought a series of "introduction to pole dancing classes" Hahaha !! I've always loved to dance and the next thing I wanted to add to my workouts was dancing!

Yesterday I went to my first class and it was so intimidating! I was fighting a lot of emotions including "what the hell am I doing??!!!" But I relaxed and decided to just have fun and do the best that I can. I could barely do any of the pole moves but I loved the sexy dance warmup. I def am going to buy more of these classes!

Here are my top reasons why....

1. Intimidation is healthy.

It's been a long time since I did something that I wasn't good at. I am starting from scratch with this and I think that it's so good for me! The instructor is the real deal and she is not playing around. I loved her no-nonsense attitude and swag-- that's that stripper business swag. I hope some of that I can acquire.

2. Body love.

In these classes you get up close and personal with yourself. I've never been the girl to be outright down and dirty sexy.... But I've always dreamed of being THAT girl! And now I'm on my fucking way!

3. Fitness elite.

This is a real workout; no joke. It's fun, sexy and once it's over you are sweating and sore in all the right places.

I can't believe this is me. I can't believe I'm about to go back next week. I can't believe I'm becoming this person who gets scared but does that shit anyway. I love the old me-- but excited of the new me emerging! I'm so grateful for this journey. At this moment I am so moved to tears. I am in awe at myself and what I have accomplished and continue to do so. I am proving to myself that if I just pay attention to my own life and stand in graciousness I will open my eyes to all of the wonderful blessings and abilities I have been given.

My Intention Prayer

Setting intentions for 2013 is on the agenda for today. As one of my new favorite astrologers Kelley Rosano talks about these days leading up to march 22nd as a window of opportunity! This Morning in my morning pages I sketched out an idea of where I would like to take this year.

2013 is a new clean fresh slate for me. Since January 1st, my whole life has changed. And I intend to keep changing for the better this year. After i write each intention, I will visualize and meditate on that intention and vision.

1. I intend to improve my fitness and eating to get my body fit.

I've struggled with body weight issues for 20 something years. This year, I am using all the things that used to set me back as a way to push me forward. I am focused on improving the look and the health of my body. I have found a way to exercise that is fun!! I plan to continue doing that-- finding ways to exercise that bring in the fun. Dieting is not on my agenda. But improving my diet is. It's like it all goes hand in hand. The more I exercise the more aware of my body I become and the more I want to eat better. I also plan on eating things that are delicious and nutritious. Taking the fun out of this journey is where I'll fail. Keeping the fun in-- will bring me across the finishing line with flying colors and a hot bod.

2. I intend to be a positive force in my personal and business relationships while maintaining balance.

My relationships are the focus for the year. This year I have to learn to let go of being controlling and learn how to be effective. I want to help change lives and change my life. U cannot do that alone I need to strengthen my clan.

3. I intend to strengthen my spirituality so that my days are filled with more peace, vitality, love & happiness.

i have grown so much over the past few years due to the opening and deepening of my spiritual growth. Yesterday, a thought came into my head that i was wasting time watching astrology videos. However, i came across the "window of opportunity" video and i just knew that what i was doing was exactly what i was supposed to be doing. Spirituality, meditation, and education is necessary for my everyday wellbeing.

4. I intend to open up my creative abilities in songwriting and create songs that resonate and touch people.

Songwriting is new to me, but is the truest form of therapy. Everytime i listen to a song I love, I wish I wrote it. I want to be the person that can emote her feelings through lyrics and melody.

5. I intend to successfully become the singer/songwriting, performing artist that I have dreamed of my whole life. 

I can't let go of the dream. Lately, i've been obsessed with the dream. After today's intention prayer, I will say my intentions and then let them out into the world. i free myself today, right now from the anxiety and the fear of not achieving my dreams.

6. I intend to present and style myself with the confidence i have grown.

It is now my time. It is now my year, to be, act and look like how I have always wanted. I am the CEO of my life and I am calling it now... a new year and a new me.

Week 10: recovering a sense of self protection

Note:

In striving to clear the way for our creative flow, we must look at our work habits clearly.

Morning pages

I finished my morning pages notebook. It's time to get another notebook! This will be my 3rd notebook of morning pages. I will have to find a place to put them as I plan to do morning pages for a very long time. My first notebook I decorated. This one I didn't, so the next one I plan to create and decorate. This is amazing. The morning pages have opened me up to my artist voice , but they also help me during my fitness journey and they helped me while transitioning out of exhale. What pure therapy it is for me! The permission to write out my thoughts -- no holds bar-- is exactly what I need.

Fitness, health and beauty rant

I haven't ranted in a little bit. I'm about 6 days away from doing another photo update on my fitness journey.

As far as that goes, I had a low key week last week. But i did add a new workout to my regimen and it is gonna be so beneficial. I'm adding core fusion yoga and squat series to my fitness routine.

Lately, I have been focusing on my nurturing and how bad it has been. I have watched myself make the worst choices. What's better though is that I'm fully aware of my decisions. Now that the new moon is here I am hoping to use this energy to really turn my eating around. There are lots of changes to be made but what I'm focused on is...

1. Having breakfast
2. Eating healthy after a workout
3. Portion control
4. Sneaking in veggies
5. Staying away from high fructose corn syrup.

I am also working in pushing my water intake. My waterlogged app is jut amazing and I love it because it keeps me very conscious of my water intake. But now I'm ready to push. As I've said last week was very low key--- not a lot of push in the workout or eating. It was an off week.
And while it feels my energy is depleting, I am looking to get and stay on track.

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Health and beauty

I have been focusing on adding simple changes to my health and beauty routine.

With my skin, it's about cleansing and moisturizing. So I've been faithfully using the sircuit xtrap and the activism antioxidant. I am going to try to stick to these cleansers because they prove great for me. So why change a good thing? I have recently tried the bentonite clay mask-- it is really good so far. I have used not for 2 weeks so I will give a 6 week update on that soon.

My hair is just --- it's in the backseat. It def looks thicker but it is still shedding like crazy and my ends are not that great. But it does look like it is growing. I really have to sink in and settle into my hair routine. This is the one part of my journey that should be the strongest. It saddens me that I can't get my best asset together. But I will keep trekking.