2017 has come….and is about to go.
For some of you, you’re celebrating the most amazing year of your life and for some of you, you’re praising a new year because you’re sick of this year lol. Totally get it. I’ve found myself somewhere in between the two of those. When 2017 started, I had solid goals, intentions, focus and a plan. Yet, life likes to happen like it does and I found myself just two months in realizing that this year would be more of a test then I could have imagined.
Initially, this was going to be the year that between my business and my traveling job I would pay off enough debt to finally move home and pursue options at a more balanced pace. Did that happen? Nope. Did I end up moving home? Yup. Left my traveling job? Yup. Paid off debt? Yup. But it didn’t happen even remotely how it intended.
Professionally, I was being moved every 6 weeks instead of every 3 to 6 months, talk about stress, anxiety and overwhelm. Instead of saving money, I was spending my savings to pay for constant moving fees. I found myself using my business income instead of as a savings but to live off of because of a decrease in monthly income from my traveling job. Slowly, it became clear that when you feel like you can’t breathe it’s time to do something different.
But, I’m stubborn, tried to stick it out….and then my car literally died while driving lol. Three parts of my transmission failed all at the same time. You can’t be a traveling therapist when you don’t have a car lol. So I made a trip home after my car died because the next day I found out my assignment was ending. No car. No job. It didn’t take a genius to know that every door was being closed for a reason. So…I came home. Didn’t intend to stay (total gypsy heart over here). But…. I did end up staying.
With no beneficial assignments being offered, I started the process of job hunting. First time in 5 years going the traditional full time therapist route in one area. Eventually, after two months, I accepted a full time position because bills were due and I was using my coaching income to live and that’s not what it was intended for. For now, I am going to continue working at home until more light is shed into where I am intended to go. Not expected but accepted.
When I first joined an online health and fitness focus group I didn’t intend to gain a job, career or business lol. I wanted a thigh gap and a six pack. Now now. Don’t judge…I was naive. I was still in the dieters mentality that thin is king and your self-worth is determined by a number on the scale. Thank God I’ve found my way in that aspect lol.
But from that community experience I found myself accepting just that, a new job, a new business and something that eventually became a career. Coaching this year has been my life line. Because of my job as a wellness coach and my brand Gina Marie Fit I was able to travel to California for my first ever business conference, went to Punta Cana for an all-expense paid trip from my company rewarding me for changing lives. I was fortunate to go to Florida, twice, to visit family while also going to New Orleans to attend our annual training and celebration with my team. Lastly, I traveled to Vermont and Boston to visit fellow coaches turned life long friends. All seven of my trips this year were paid for because of coaching.
For me, I weigh the success and value of my life on experiences not things. Instead of buying designer anything, I spend my money on trips. This gives me opportunities to learn, grow, experience new cultures and remind myself of my ultimate goal of FREEDOM! To me life is most worth living when spent freeing myself from the daily constraints of working for someone else’s dreams and manifesting my own life by design.
Personal Growth
This year was by far one of the most challenging years mentally. Between work stress, financial stress of not having a job, constantly moving, and realizing that after 5 years always living on my own away from everyone I knew that I had changed. It was time for me to take a step back as the motivator and focus internally.
Ever hear someone say, “fake it until you make it?” That’s all well in good until you’re faking life. Like all of it. That’s where I found myself in August. No one knew. I played the game of life well but slowly I found myself doing less, talking less, experiencing less. After work I would come home and crash, sleep, sometimes eat sometimes not. Binge watch TV in the dark until eventually I started to skip workouts (and for me that’s unheard of). That’s how I knew that this depression thing it doesn’t fully ever go away. Especially when life is stacking the deck against you and you’re working harder than ever.
So. I came clean to myself that I needed to change things or I was going to lose myself and everything I had been working for. It started with personal development, I started reading books to teach me how to not give a f*ck honestly about what other people thought of me, my life and my posts. From there it laid a foundation for me to learn self-worth, I started to read books about finding the true value in yourself and what you bring to the table. To learn to stop giving discounts and accepting half-assessed people into my life. This enabled the second layer to learn to respect my time and not waste it. Lastly, I started reading books about life, goals, plans, and dreams. This was the icing on the foundation cake to re-establishing who I was and what I wanted to manifest.
Now, I don’t mess around. I don’t take shit from anyone. I don’t care who it is. I will not allow anyone to make me question my worth or decrease my value. Now, I expect nothing from anyone and only set expectations for myself. I live my life by a certain standard so that each day I can be fulfilled. I’ve learned to say yes when someone wants to do something fun instead of worrying about finances and as a result I have some of the most amazing opportunities coming in 2018.
For the fist time in a long time, I am PROUD of myself for moving forward when everything was stacked against me even though I don’t feel like I accomplished enough goals. I feel I achieved the most important one, learning the right mindset to achieve the life I’ve always dreamed about but never thought possible.
It’s Monday. A new year. A fresh start literally….100% fresh today. What are you going to do differently? For me. It’s starting today off with goals, a to do list, a successful workout and a new personal development book. Each day starting today, I am going to follow my plan, look at my vision board daily and check off allll of the boxes on my daily today list for my life by design.
If you want a different life, you have to be willing to do different things. We cannot keep living the same way expecting different results. So, 2018, we are gonna go big because what’s the point of living if you aren’t fulfilling your dream life?
To anyone disappointed in 2017, no worries. Utilize it like I am as an opportunity for growth, to learn what you don’t want and set a new foundation of goal crushing awesomeness to achieve what you deserve.
Friends, let’s crush this.
XOXO
Gina
