Mindfully Made

Hello quiet time that is only going to last for a moment! As our gym is approaching its opening date, I am finding less times these days to reflect. But this one should last for about another 20 minutes. :)

Let me first start by saying what a huge risk I have taken this year. I moved across the country to marry my best friend, who within the year of me living in Louisiana became my business partner. Together we continued to take risks as opportunities presented themselves and they are, for the both of us, the biggest scariest adult kind.

But this week, when I brought my girls to the gym. I held back happy tears as I watched them instantly fall in love with the gym we have created for them. All of us girls have always loved being in a gym! But for the past 6 months, we have been training in living rooms, play rooms and Crossfit gyms while the gym has been building. We loved the progress we made and enjoyed our time learning gymnastics, but no-one anticipated how long it would take for us to be back in a gym again, or how much we would miss being away from it!

While watching them smile, run, tumble, discover and play, I remembered then and there that this gym is not for me! It's for these kids to find their happiness, confidence and independence! I will probably experience more of these moments where my clients happiness move me to tears, but I think it's supposed to! I have put my heart and soul into this program and to see it alive on such a big scale is like I am living my dream, because I am! We are so ready to be back in the gym again! And their happiness and restored love for gymnastics makes all the risk taking worth every late night, every sacrifice, and every penny! I am so blessed to be able to coach gymnastics for a living! It is after all, my first love!

S.S.W
Silent. Sustained.Writing! 📓
Don’t forget to take some time for you this week!
Happy Sunday!

How you posture yourself is so important! It doesn’t seem like it would influence, or effect much, but I believe how you posture yourself reflects what kind of mindset you have and what kind of success you will find.

Think about it. If you are expecting the worst and default to negativity, you will wear it on your face and it will weigh you down. It will blind you of the opportunities that present themselves and rob you of the drive to cease them. But if you stay hopeful and believe in your abilities, you walk a little bit taller and will be ready to take on the world! You will clearly see your circumstances differently and will therefore be able to do more with the opportunities that are revealed.

I think opportunities are constantly showing up for us. They are there for the taking and determine our future and in turn determine the kind of success we will have. Ceasing opportunities is a powerful thing! If we can posture ourselves to receive them, we are opening the doors to limitless possibility! I believe success-filled opportunity is offered to everyone! We just have to know how to spot them and be in the right place mentally to know what to do with them.
What kind of posture you have really does make a difference!
What kind of posture do you default to?
Posture yourself for success!

Being a gym owner is such a strange feeling. As an athlete, I have relied on taking correction and am now in the position of being THEE decision-maker.

I see people out in the world and have watched people who are making things happen and are doing big things. I have always believed that making a difference in the life of a child is one of the most rewarding goals you can strive for. But now, I have the opportunity to effect a lot of lives and positively influence the world around me! It looks different for everyone, but If you want to see a change! Be the change, make a movement, be the difference!!

What would you do if you knew you couldn't fail? Especially because I am a perfectionist, I usually don't pursue something unless I know I can be perfectly successful at it. In some ways this is good. It's what makes me prepared and ready. In other ways, it is a hindrance and can easily become a mental block. I was recently informed that Business ownership is about trials and errors. The errors is the one I am not so excited about because that means somewhere down the road, mistakes are waiting for me. So even though mistakes are bound to happen, should I still pursue my business? ABSOLUTELY!!! I am learning that mistakes and failures are simply space makers for new opportunities. I hate to admit it, but failure will be my main contributor to success. So go ahead! Fail Forward! Be free to be imperfect! Take Risks and learn from them! Be unstoppable!

Well, look at me! I have some time to myself! Should I read, write, or stretch? I haven’t been able to reflect in a while, so writing it is. 📖

This past year has been so wild! And all I can say about it is that I am so glad that God has a plan for my life! Without someone orchestrating the magic, ✨ I would most likely live a life of comfort and dream according to a smaller vision. (Which to the perfectionist that I am), sounds great! But in this phase of my life I am fulfilling a plan that is bigger than anything I could have ever imagined. And the only way I am able to do it is because of His strength and guidance.
Pursuing my own business has stretched me past my ability and has placed me in front of mountain⛰ sized challenges that could easily overwhelm. But thankfully, God is bigger than the mountains I face and this process will grow me into someone who is taller than my current challenges. The real challenge in that, is to simply trust Him and have faith that everything will be ok.
And it will. As long as I relax and believe that:

My business will be beautiful
My hard work will pay off
My Employees will be wonderful
My impact will be extraordinary, because of the God that is constantly working on my behalf!

Happy Sunday! 💜

Every season of life has something to teach us! What is the season you’re in teaching you?

I love this design by Laurie Linn of Laurie Linn Designs! She captures the boldness to dream so well and reminds me of the beauty that big dreams can create.
I think sometimes we can shy away from ambitious goals because we think we aren’t qualified, or that our dreams are too big, or we simply, don’t prioritize them. I am discovering that when we pursue what we perceive to be too big, the journey getting there grows us to be ready for it! It’s a process that grows us to be as tall as the dreams we used to look up to. So really, we are ALL qualified to make our dreams a reality, because WE ALL have our own journey to go on.

To find more of Laurie’s art work, check out her page, Laurie Linn Designs Studio. If I could, I would plaster her work everywhere. Just to spread that much more creativity into the world!

Life is full of things, (in this case furry things) that try and get in the way from taking some time for yourself. Try and fit it in anyway. Wish me luck! 🐕 😂
Happy Saturday!

One of my favorite Disney movies is Cinderella. Beyond the unique theory that there can only be 1 woman with the same size shoe 👠, I love the message.
Cinderella is the beautiful story of redemption. From rags to riches. She goes from being abused and mistreated to royalty. Despite her class, or the unfair life she is made to live, you can see glimpses of who she will be. Whether she believes it or not, she has all the qualities to make a great queen. It’s in the way she walks, the way she exudes kindness to others and how beautiful she looks in her ball gown dress 👗 to meet the prince for the firs time.

The biggest risk we can ever take sometimes is to courageously walk like we are worth all the riches and to allow others to see us for who we are becoming. Even if we’re not there yet, and even if others fail to see our greatness, doesn’t mean it’s not there. It just means we need to stay true to ourselves until our time comes to sit in the palace. 😉 In the mean time, we should walk like we are queen! 👑

YAZ!!!💪🏾❤️

And remember to stop along the way to be humble and grateful.! There is so much power in looking back to see how far you’ve come, to where you are! Lately I am filled with gratitude for the love and support that surrounds me and sometimes all I can say is “Thank you God!”

There is so much I want to say right now, but am not ready to speak about. My heart is racing both in anticipation and excitement! And I am learning so much!
Today I learned to Believe in the impossible and Rejoice in the triumphs! There is so much to rejoice about, and in time, you all will see!
But in the meantime! I have to keep working and be thankful that God is good, ALL THE TIME and ALL THE TIME, GOD IS GOOD!

Following your dreams can be scary business! I know it has been for me, but I am leaning so much!

Today I learned:
1) To be courageous and to use your resources. People cross your paths for a purpose and a single interaction with someone can change your mindset so you see your situation differently.

2)When you’re stuck, Sometimes you just need another persons perspective to find the answer.

3) Always believe in yourself and be thankful for where you are!

Oh the twists and turns life takes. In my life so far I have accomplished many things I never thought I would achieve. I either worked my tail off to make a dream come to life, or was divinely lead, but everything I have done in the past has lead me to what I am today and what I will do in the future. I don’t believe in coincidence. I believe that everything happens for a reason. If anything, to prepare us for the next place we will go.

So now that I am here, what do I do next? A dear friend told me to make a clear map of what I am going to do and follow it. I am also encouraged by another friend to figure out the specific things I have to offer and live by them! So in shorter terms. Plan, do, repeat! And always have faith that a successful outcome is waiting for you.

Arah McLaughlin
Michelle Krista
Jaime Cheramie Falcon

If you haven’t purchased your copy yet, click on the link below. 💪🏾❤️

https://www.amazon.com/Heart-Athlete-Conquer-Mental-Blocks/dp/1507511353?crid=3UL8SR70CH9AI&keywords=the+heart+of+an+athlete&qid=1533872195&sprefix=the+heart+of+an+ath&sr=8-3&ref=mp_s_a_1_3

Being a good athlete/coach/parent/teacher/leader is serious business. In order for your kids to be successful, you have to be a good example yourself. Gymnastics isn’t just about gymnastics to me. It’s about the process of personal growth and self discovery. To bettering yourself. So that when faced with opposition, you can stand tall in who you are and just keep doing what you were made to do. Thank you to the people who have and are encouraging me to kindly shut out the noise and simply do me!
The Heart of an Athlete vol. 2 is coming soon! And this will be one of the topics covered.

Oh The beauty of beginnings!
❤️💪🏾

Fear is a liar! The only use it has is to stop you from doing what you were made to do. So when in doubt, puff up your chest, stand tall and keep moving forward!
Nichole Richardson-Gardner

And so are you!!!! Happy Sunday!!!💗💪🏾

Today’s Focus from Proverbs 31.

Enough said! 😊❤️!

Where others would normally quit, continue!
❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

https://www.amazon.com/Heart-Athlete-Conquer-Mental-Blocks/dp/1507511353/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1531585565&sr=8-3&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=the+heart+of+an+athlete&dpPl=1&dpID=51uK-6L5B7L&ref=plSrch

Sometimes believing in yourself means putting on a tiara and lifting your head up a little higher!
❤️

A wise woman once told me to train them all as if they were champions, and one day, you might just get one. I whole heartedly believe that if I believe in them and teach them to believe in themselves, the champion in them will arise! After all, an empowered gymnast, is an unstoppable gymnast! 😊

Being at Congress this weekend made me realize 2 things. That my job as a coach is so much more than just a job! It’s a platform to influence the kids around me and 2, How rewarding it is to keep their fire for their sport alive!
The more I can instill confidence, determination and a positive perspective in them, the further they will go! The great part about that is I get to be as creative as I need to be in order to reach them and also get to see them grow into stronger people, right in front of me! Which for me, is the ultimate reward!