Be The Weirdo

Have you ever felt like a 'loser'?
You know what I mean, right? Like you don't fit in, or you really suck at life, or you don't really know who you are... I used to feel that way all the time! I learned a lesson my senior year of high school, though, which I have recently been reminded of...

I wasn't very 'popular' in school... I didn't have one tight group of friends that I stuck with and because of that, I always felt that I didn't belong. It was something I constantly struggled with. I didn't eat lunch in the same place twice in a week... I floated between 'cliques' and although as an outsider, I felt that I didn't really agree with the exclusivity of my cliquey friends, I still couldn't shake this feeling that I didn't fit somewhere. It was in the most unexpected place that I learned how I could find true happiness, and that I could create it, because trying to 'fit in' was never going to work for me...

Gerardo stepped into my life, and showed me that everyone deserves a fried, and what the word friendship REALLY means.

You see, Gerardo has Downs Syndrome,but while he doesn't speak much in words, he speaks volumes in his actions. I found that when I was with him, I could be 100% myself, and I never felt that he was judging me. There was absolutely zero awkwardness there that seems to come with friendships at that stage in life. I had been comfortable with him in the classes we shared in school, but the biggest lesson I learned from him was on our senior trip.

We went down to Lagoon, in Farmington, Utah. I had been there before, but always with family, who I spent the most time with and enjoyed their company the most, anyway. I remember arriving at the park and having a really lousy morning. I just didn't feel totally welcome with the group that I started out with and had shifted through a few groups by late morning time... I was ready to go home, thinking that I really didn't have a place there... theme parks are no fun on your own.

It was about lunch time when I ran into Gerardo and, while I first questioned what people would think of me if they saw me hanging out with him, I figured that I wouldn't see most of these people very often after a few weeks anyway... so I let go of all pretenses, and decided I could really care less if people thought I was weird for choosing to spend my day with him.

Let me tell you... the moment I made that decision, I suddenly began having the best trip to Lagoon that I can remember. Gerardo is a true friend, in the sense that he's not trying to fit in or impress anyone. He is elated by small and simple things and he passes absolutely zero judgement to those around him. The most important lesson I think I learned, though, was that it starts with HIM. He knows his purpose, and while he might not be able to express himself in ways that I can, through words, I can FEEL that he knows it. His innocence is the reason that I was able to let go and have such a great time.

I walked away from that trip thinking to myself, "I hope that I can someday be in such a position that people feel around me, exactly how I feel around Gerardo."

I later chose Gerardo as my walking partner for graduation, and it broke my heart when I received ridicule from some family members because of that decision.  

So, why am I telling you this?

My first semester of college, with this experience fresh on my mind, was one of the most happy and rewarding times of my life. For once, I felt that I DID fit in, and that I was what my friends considered, "a good friend." However, life happened, and I'm sorry to admit that I forgot about the lesson I learned from Gerardo, and the goal I had set. I became hardhearted and the pretenses started forming in my life again... and guess what? I began feeling like I didn't fit in AGAIN! The depression that I had in high school began to take form in my life again, and I was miserable.

I have found ways to make the pain subside, but it was personal development, and reaching deep inside of myself that brought these memories back into light for me.

Here's where it starts: Inside.

If you're not happy with who you are. Your true self, then you'll never find true happiness or friendship. It's a weird thing, but for some reason, when you concentrate on your own faults and weaknesses, it seems that that's all you can see when you look at others as well. It's taken me a long time to figure this out. Fortunately, when you turn your focus to what you CAN do, and look for what you do well, you begin to see that in those around you. The less judgmental you are of yourself, the less you will feel the need to judge others. And let me tell you, when you can completely let go of all of those pretenses, you'll hop on the 'tilt-a-whirl' we call life and have the funnest ride you've ever had... and your really friends, they're going to be there squished up right beside you. They bursts of laughter ingrained in your memory forever!

Trust me, I know, because I've experienced it!

True health is an inward thing.

This is it!

(Taken from my Facebook...)

I don't even know who's awake right now, but if you are, maybe you need to hear/see this...

I want everyone in the world to know that regardless of the hard things you'll go through, there is always good to be found.

I used to watch these amazing people and think, "What is wrong with me... why can't I do that, too?"

A year ago, I started reading personal development books everyday, and I've been listening to anything I can get a-hold of when it comes to growing myself and over coming my set-backs.

It doesn't mean I'm not going to have trials and struggles in the future, but the fact is, I now have the TOOLS that I need to see those trials as learning experiences, rather than life-crisis.

I have realized that fear is a story made up in my mind... it's something I think may happen, but hasn't proven itself to happen yet, and just this week, I learned how I can take that fear, and acknowledge it, then USE IT TO MY ADVANTAGE.

I look at JK Rowling as one of my mentors. She started writing Harry Potter as a broken and battered woman, and now she has the world in her hands. How did she do that??? I'm finally starting to figure that out, and by gosh, if you're ready for change, I'd love to have you join me on this crazy journey!

I have those tools now, and I want to share them with others who are ready to break free from a life of fear. You only get one chance at life! Don't waste it!!!

If you're looking for a sign, this is it!!!

Who is that girl? About me!

Hey! Thanks for checking out my blog!

I'm Cheltzey, and I live in northwestern Montana with my dog, Ruger, and my husband, Andrew. 

We run a marina where we work hard, and play harder! 

Some of my favorite things to do are playing on 'our lake'... swimming and boating in the summer, playing on the ice and snow in the winter... I love health and fitness, which is still pretty new territory for me. I was practically killing myself with bad habits until I finally made the decision to nip my health-problems in the bud in late 2013, and it's been a bumpy ride, but I am learning to thrive through the use of some awesome tools; many of which I will share on this blog!
I love cooking (not baking, and there is a BIG difference)! I love reading and writing, and spend as much time as I can outdoors! I love deep-thinking and conversation, and learning as much as I can about pretty much any topic!

This is my story...

Honey Baked Cod

If you like Asian flare in your food, then this is the dish for you!

My husband loves to eat at this "Mongolian Grill" in town. If I let him choose where we eat for date night, that's usually one of his top picks... and, while I'll admit that the whole concept is fun, it is more like a buffet, which I'm not too much of a fan of.

The last time we went, though, I skipped on noodles in my bowl and had some cod with veggies and a few ladles of sauce. For the first time, I left feeling satisfied and comfortable... something about ramen-type noodles that really upsets my stomach.

So, when I found a recipe for honey-marinated baked cod, I knew I had to try it out. I adjusted a little from the recipe that I found (they used sesame oil, but I absolutely love the taste of coconut oil... I'm sure you could use olive oil too...) Also, I'm sure that you could use chicken if you're not into fish.

I didn't tell Andrew I was making this for dinner, but I made the marinade and he walked in and said it smelled amazing... and after supper was over, he licked his plate! (But you didn't hear that from me)!

So, here's the recipe to the marinade. I'll post my rice recipe tomorrow!

I served this to fit into the '21 Day Fix' meal plan. The whole meal was fish-red, salad- 2 green, rice-1 green and 1 yellow, and fish marinade is free. (I did not dress my salad).

Honey Marinade (Baked Cod)

Prep time: 24 Hours 

Cook Time:7 Minutes

Ingredients:

4, 6oz cod fillets

1/2 cup honey

1/3 cup liquid aminos (soy sauce)

1/4 cup melted extra virgin cold-pressed coconut oil

1/3 cup apple cider vinegar

2 tsp fresh ground pepper

1-2 cloves minced garlic

Proceedure:

Combine all ingredients (except fish) in a glass air-tight dish. (You can just cover with tin-foil while marinating). Use a fork or whisk to ensure honey mixes well with other ingredients.

Add cod, and marinate for 24 hours. Flip fish once or twice to allow for flavor distribution.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F; remove fish from marinade and place on baking sheet that has been prepared with parchment paper. Bake cod for 7-9 minutes, until tender and flaky.

Serve immediately.

The ONE Thing that EVERY Successful person does...

Hey everyone! The content around here has been pretty heavy lately, so I'm planning on lightening things up around here! No more talking about what's gone wrong in life! Today, I want to talk about how to find joy and happiness in your life!

Have you ever wondered why some people just seem to have AMAZING success at just about anything they do? What gives the THE DRIVE to keep going when the going gets tough?

Well, I'm here to tell you that from my own experience, I have learned that THE ONE THING THAT SUCCESSFUL PEOPLE DO:

IS DREAM

Successful people DREAM... A LOT!

So here's my question, do you let yourself dream? Do you think about what you want to do with your life? Do you plan for better, and strive for progress?

The sad thing is, most people don't. Life gets busy and for some unknown reason, most people get caught up in the day-to-day rather than chasing their dreams! *I'm guilty of doing this myself!*

So, how DO you keep dreaming, even in the thick of a monotonous lifestyle???

You have to make the decision to KNOW what you want, then go out of your comfort zone to bring it into you! You have to dream about where you're going and BELIEVE that you're on the track to getting there. You have to light your fire in such a way that your faith in what you are meant to do will become unshakable!

You've got to think of your dreams to put EVERYTHING you do into perspective EVERY.SINGLE.DAY of your life!

People who do this go through the same things you do... set backs, struggle, slow growth, missed goals... YOU NAME IT, but they'll push through it because their dreams are alive and well, and fed daily!

So, figure out what it is you want in life! Believe that it's achievable, even if other people think what you're doing is irrational. God won't put something in your heart if He doesn't think you can do it, and if God thinks you can do something, well... no one else's opinion really matters anyway!

If you want to know how to start your own fire and keep it going, I recommend finding a personal development book and reading at least ten pages a day! You'll feel like you can conquer the world, and you'll be amazed at what it will do for your life!

Make vision boards and put them in a place that you can see everyday!

Don't laugh, but here's an example of my latest vision board:

Looking at that everyday LIGHTS MY FIRE! It doesn't matter what anyone else thinks, because it's MY dream! Whatever it is you want in life, decide that TODAY is the day that you're going to start reeling it into yourself!

Do that ONE THING every successful person does:

DREAM!

Social Media Comparison Complex

Guess what?

I have a condition... and I'll bet that if you don't have a chronic case of this, too, then I'm sure you might have had a touch of it in the past.

If not, then kudos to you, because YOU are LUCKY!!!

OK, OK... so you're probably right that I totally made that up, but I want to talk to you about something... Does being on Social Media really make you happy?

Can I tell you a story?

There is this girl I know... she's been married for about 3.5 years, and she's been through some pretty crazy stuff. People who know her story often ask her how she can appear so happy. She often replies that she learned at a young age that happiness is a choice, and she didn't always make the right choice... what they don't see, though, is what she's like behind closed doors.

I know that this girl cries to her husband regularly because of some things that have happened in her past that were out of her control. I also know that she and her husband made the decision that in January of 2013, they were going to try for their first baby. They planned it out in October of 2012... but January came and went, and there was no positive pregnancy test... Time passed by and here it is December of 2014, and there's still no sign of a child on it's way. This girl has been devastated. She has felt lonely, and helpless. She's been angry with God for giving her a desire that she cannot fulfill. She's been in physical pain as well... She found out recently, after going for a run and having to stop because of excruciating pain, that she has endometriosis... And her 'punch it out' routine of exercising the pain away was actually going to cause more harm than good if she didn't slow down.

She had been annoyed with people asking her and/or her husband, "So when are you guys going to start having some kids?" She knows they mean well, but how do you answer such a personal and intimate question without making the person asking feel awkward?

Now, with the holidays around her, and losing one of her favorite outlets, she's at a loss for what to do with herself. She spends hours on Social Media, because her career is run through those platforms. She sees what seems like all of her friends being blessed with children... some already having three, even though high school ended just over five years ago!

She withdraws into herself, not wanting to celebrate much because it feels like something is missing from their little family. She sinks lower and lower, each and every-day into what her husband refers to as "her dark place". She just can't pull away from looking online at all of her friends whose lives seem to go smashingly well... and wonder, "What did I do wrong?"

She KNOWS what it's like to be happy and enjoy life, but somehow, she gets SO CAUGHT UP in her own story, that she can't see anyone else's pain and suffering, especially when they mask it with ten filters on Instagram...

Now, you might not be familiar with infertility, but have you ever compared your back-stage life to someone else's Standing-Ovation-worthy stage performance? You can't be happy if you are comparing your worst to someone's best... and, honestly, most of what's out in our media isn't even people's best... it's their fake. It's an image that they have created, in hopes that it will gain likes and follows, and comments... because EVERYONE has the desire to feel that SOMEONE is noticing them, and approves of what they are doing!

So here's the thing, what can you DO about the comparison blues?

Well, first, you have to make the decision that you are so uncomfortable how you are feeling now, that you are going to make a change... any change, to bring a little light into your heart.

Secondly, REACH OUT FOR HELP! Seriously, if you want to feel better about yourself, look around you and see if you know anyone who can relate to what you are going through, or who's going through something that's even harder than what you've got on your plate, because I guarantee you'll find them. I actually reached out, today, to a friend who I know is going through the same type of trial that my husband and I are experiencing, and while what we talked about was sad, this slump that I have been in for a few weeks now was completely lifted just because I knew that SOMEONE could relate to how I was feeling. You don't wish trials upon others, but it's nice to know that you have someone to reach out to who can relate to you.

Next, give yourself permission to be sad once in a while... I listened to a lady, today, who told of what it was like experiencing three of her children and her husband die from cancer... the most amazing thing she said, though, was, 

"The greater our sorrow is, the greater our capacity is to feel joy!"

So, it's OK to be upset once in a while, because if we don't pass through pain, we'll never really understand what pleasure is. I'm OK with that, as long as I don't get so caught up in my own problems that I feel like giving up.

Lastly, stop comparing yourself to others. JUST STOP IT, OK? You want to know what that does to you? It induces fear...

Fear that you're not good enough. Fear that you'll never amount to anything. Fear that someone is more successful, or prettier, or smarter, or funnier than you; and fear is not of God.

I know I've been quoting Jen Sencero a lot lately, but she's just right on the money, and I'm re-reading her book... so I just want to leave you with this quote:

"Give yourself permission...to be who you are regardless of what anybody else thinks or believes is possible. Do not deny yourself the life you want to live because you're worried you're not good enough, or that you'll be judged, or that it's too risky, because who does that benefit? NO ONE, that's who! When you live your life doing the things that turn YOU ON, that you're good at, that bring you joy, that makes you shove stuff in people's faces and scream, 'check this out!!!' You walk around so lit up that you shoot sunbeams out of yer eyeballs. Which automatically lights up the world around you. Which is PRECISELY WHY YOU ARE HERE: To shine your big-ass ball of fire onto this world of ours! A WORLD THAT LITERALLY DEPENDS ON LIGHT TO SURVIVE!!!"

Sincero, Jen (2013-04-23). You Are a Badass: How to Stop Doubting Your Greatness and Start Living an Awesome Life (p. 244). Running Press. Kindle Edition. 

So, the moral of the story is this: STOP COMPARING YOURSELF TO OTHERS!

First off, it'll only hold you back from being totally awesome (which you were meant to be) because it induces feelings and emotions that are not from your source!

Secondly, it's a form of pride. Not only are you dousing your own light, but you're sending negative energy to the person you envy... so instead of wallowing in your jealousy and thinking that their best of their best is so much better than your worst of your worst, be happy for them... keep telling yourself that they are cool, and they deserve happiness, too... and you know what will surprisingly happen? You'll start to BELIEVE it, and THAT is when you're gonna really SHINE!!!

Sources of hope:

"You Are Special" Max Luacado - Learn about how loving yourself will make all those black dots fall off and make you happy!

"You Are A Badass" Jen Sencero - Just read it... Seriously.

"The Refiner's Fire" - For anyone who feels like your crap is pretty crappy, and everyone else's life is peach pie... go ahead and give this a watch!

Sell-Out

 One of the hardest parts of life is the struggle to survive. Some people seem to do this fantastically... they seem to thrive from the outside. For some reason, not only can they get food on the table for their families, but they find a means to splurge a little on fun things like travel, or toys, etc.

I'll bet you know the type of person that I'm talking about! Are you maybe that type?

Then there's the type that gets by, but they never really do much with what they have. They're not really struggling, but they're not really making more than what they need to get by. Can you think of someone you know who lives like this?

Lastly, there's the type that, no matter how many handouts or how much help they get, they just can't seem to find the means to take care of what needs to be taken care of in their life. These people seem to constantly be in a state of crisis.

Which one are YOU?

I'll tell you that my husband and I (because we share all of our income, I count us as one) are a mix of the first and second type. We used to be type two, through and through, but more recently, we've been learning how to create our own lifestyle... to live a life of our dreams rather than building someone else's dream just to get by. It hasn't been easy, but we're working on it, and we've seen big changes come into our lives... which leads me into what I REALLY was intending on writing about tonight... feeling like a sell-out.

Here's the deal, anyone who has worked in an MLM business can tell you that the business model gets a bad rap. It's tough work being a sales-person, and you'll find that some of your closest friends can become some of your worst enemies. I know how annoying it is to feel like all of your friends are trying to sell you something. I've been there! I've bought things I didn't want or need just to 'help my friends get a leg-up in their businesses'. That's why the decision for me to become a Beachbody coach wasn't easy. I didn't want to be that annoying sales friend, but I found something that was absolutely LIFE CHANGING for me, and just like other things in my life, I HAD to share it, whether I got paid for it or not. So, i made the decision to go for it and here's what happened:

I realized that this company model is amazing because "Million Dollar Body, Inc" which is Beachbody, is about more than getting into those skinny jeans. We're taught that if you're not fit mentally, there's no way you can be fit physically. This was the first place I had been taught that concept (besides church) and I was given tools to nourish my mind as well as my body! 

The next thing that happened was unexpected, but it has really drug me through the ringer lately. It seems that all of my friends feel like a have an ulterior motive every time I talk to them or pay them a genuine, sincere complement. Granted, not everyone was like this, but it still surprised me how many of my friends felt that I was doing things with/or/ for them merely because I was hoping they would join one of my Beachbody challenges... and it made me step back and think, "Do you even really know who I am?"

So, with that being said, I'd just like to say that for anyone who is thinking of joining an MLM, DO IT! You will probably not ever find something that will make you stretch and feel uncomfortable and grow as much as this experience. However, don't be surprised when people suddenly forget that you love them and care about them when they start tearing your dreams down, because it will happen.

I've been reading Jen Sencero's "You Are A Badass..." and something that she writes really sticks out to me, We get a lot of lip service about going after our dreams and believing anything is possible, but how do you actually DO this? How do you create a life you love?...do what's in your heart even when you're terrified of falling flat on your face of being rejected or losing all your money, or looking like a complete goober?" How do you do that when the people you'd think would be supporting you are suddenly telling you that 'that dream is not good enough' or 'you'll never be successful with that' or "Oh, I know a guy who did one of those companies. It's a pyramid scheme. You should get out before they steal all of your money."

Well, I'm here to tell you that the most important thing come's from Jen's quote; "how do you CREATE A LIFE YOU LOVE...DO WHAT'S IN YOUR HEART (regardless of your fears, or what people think of you).

That's how you do it.

I'm not going to tell you it's all cake and ice cream, and that it's going to be easy. Nope. It'll probably be one of the hardest things you've ever done, but IF you follow that advice in caps up there, well I'll bet you'll create something you couldn't even dream of having before, and all those friends who think you are just a big sell out, well, I'll bet that when you've seen success and changed millions of people's lives for the better in some way, they'll still be sitting there just about where they were when they told you that following your dreams wouldn't amount to anything (or they'll have joined you because they see just how great you are)!

One last little thing, if you're one of the Debbie Downer's who's trying to crush your friends' dream, maybe ease up a little and look into WHY they are doing what they're doing... it might surprise you how honorable their desires and dreams really are!

YOU'RE SO VAIN!

Why are you striving for a beach-body? You live in Montana...

Yup. 

I thought it was weird, too. Honestly, I was introduced to the company through the Insanity workout... I came home from school one day to see a CRAZY expensive charge on our poor newly-wed account. When my husband told me that it was a payment and that same amount would come out of our account in two more separate transactions, I had a mini-heart attack. My husband reassured me, however, that this would be life-changing for him, so I obliged to letting him keep the program. 

Then I cried with him when he completed the first workout...

Okay, okay... so maybe we didn't cry, but I thought that I had married a crazy-man... I mean, who would ever want to do a workout called "Insanity"...? Especially after seeing the infomercial for it? I thought my husband was a goon, but I watched him suffer through the first week of the program... then some how, it got lost. I never saw him put the DVD back in after that first week, and it was lost until we moved from Idaho to northern Montana a year later.

When we got settled into our new home, Insanity sat on our shelf for about a year, until a girl from my home-town asked me if I'd like to join her in an online health and fitness challenge. That was the first time that I made the connection... "Beachbody"...what a weird, vain name for a company...but I was sick and tired and tired of being sick and tired, so, despite the fact that she tried to get me to try a new program, I ordered a bag of this crazy healthy meal replacement to save my spot in her group, and told her I'd stick with the program that'd been sitting on our shelf collecting dust.

The rest is history! I lost 20 pounds in just under two months and I felt healthier than I'd been in my life! It was amazing! I may not have had a 'beach body' but I definitely saw changes take place in my life!

Then, I started hearing stories about how people were getting PAID to share these programs with their friends, and I thought, no way?!?! "I just got 40 'likes' on my results photo that I posted to Facebook! I'll bet those 40 people would LOVE to join me!"

Needless to say, it didn't quite work out that way. I don't think anyone who initially 'liked' my transformation photo bought any Beachbody merchandise through my coach account. That's Okay with me, though, because I don't need people to pay me to show that they support me!

As time went on, however, I had this internal struggle going on... 

I grew up in what some people have told me is 'hick-ville'. I love my small-town roots, but there have been times that I feel I am betraying them. Often, people think you need to be what my family refers to as 'granola' to be a successful fitness junkie. I didn't want to turn into a granola and betray my farming/ranching heritage!

Also, there was the inital 'vanity' that I felt came with the title I now carried: Beacbody Coach... What exactly was I promoting? Was I exploiting 'fat' women by telling them that they were not attractive, or that curvy people aren't equal to skinny people?

This really bothered me, and it slowed me down in my business. I was struggling with the idea of what I was promoting by working for a company that seems to push that wash-board abs and thigh-gap were the only way a girl could look HOT!

Then, I met the CEO of the company, and all of those bricks that I had been stacking against myself came tumbling down!

Carl Daikeler, the CEO of Beachbody, is NOT into vanity. This guy wears sneakers and a plaid shirt with blue jeans to our corporate events for crying out loud! His wife, Isabelle is a strikingly beautiful french woman, but she is FAR from vain or high-maintenance. And sitting down with them, listening to what their dream is for this business and feeling their integrity... that opened my eyes to what this company is about! It was life-changing for me, and it is the reason that Beachbody has created a lifestyle change for me. It's not just a fad that I'm hanging onto, or a quick-fix. Through the use of Beachbody's tools, I have CHANGED MY LIFE on the inside. I am happier, now. More driven and inspired to help people find their dreams and FEEL GREAT while doing it!

Beachbody has taught me how to create goals and achieve them. Their slogan is "Decide. Commit. Succeed." and I have used that in SO MANY areas of my life. I LOVE the people I have met through coaching, and the changes I have seen in my life. The money I have made is just an added bonus because it allows me to aspire to do something I love and enjoy doing, which is helping people!

So, if you still think I'm vain, well... good for you. That's your business, not mine.

However, I'll just add that my goal is not fat-shaming... hey, I used to be a fatty! You can't knock it till you've tried it, right? I just want women (and men) to know that, yes, bigger people are beautiful, too, but carrying all that extra weight around is not HEALTHY and giving yourself permission to let it go is the most liberating thing you'll ever do! I'm still on my journey, but, honestly, I think all of life is a journey for each and everyone of us! We never really stop learning, do we?

The Refiner's Fire

You might think that pine-cones are an odd relation to this quote, but they intrigue me, and I live in a forest of evergreens... do you know how conifers germinate?

Most often, a new generation of conifers will begin growing after and older generation has been consumed by fire! Pine-cones often germinate only after their outer layers have been burned away. However, at the onset of a forest fire, most people either run, or fight to put the flames out, when, in reality, the fire is the start that those seeds NEED to grow! 

Furthermore, without a fire, there may be too much in the way of light that will encourage their growth. The fire will consume everything, even the underbrush, that blocks the way of new life to grow. It is a natural cycle of growth, a consuming fire and a new, thriving generation...

So, where do YOU come into the picture???

Well, imagine that you are the pine-cone, and the trees that create a light-blocking canopy are all the people and things that tell you that you can survive, but you can not thrive in life. That underbrush, that's even thicker than the canopy of trees, that's every lie that you have listened to and reaffirmed to yourself.

Lastly, I believe the light is God... He is trying to reach down to you to show you what He has in store for you, but the only way that He can do that is through removing all that is blocking His light from enveloping you... and sometimes, He allows hard moments to pass in our lives because He knows that it is the fire that will open you to your full potential!So, when things get REALLY hot and hard... rather than asking yourself "why me", try to determine what you can gain from the fire, then search for the light, and thrive!!!

I have found that through my most difficult and trying times, I have found the most beautiful and precious tender-mercies. Don't loose faith in your Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, or in your Heavenly Father!

Pay It Forward: Little Ollie Lish, Primary Children's Hospital and Win a 30 Day Supply of Shakeology!

I have found that what makes me happiest is giving.

Whether it's just helping out around the house and serving my husband, getting out into the community, or any other means that I can give to others in some way, I find joy in those experiences.

Most recently, I have been wanting to give someone the gift of health. If you follow me, you might already know that I drink Shakeology daily and what it has done for me over the last year. As the holidays approached, I knew that I wanted to give a 30 day supply of Shakeology to a deserving person, as well as my time to assist them in reaching their health goals, but I wasn't sure how to go about doing that... I've also found that when you are ready to bless someone else's life, circumstances will usually line up for that to happen, and my answer came to me today!

Growing up, I had this great friend, Sadie. I have always looked up to her as an example, and when I heard that she was expecting a baby, I couldn't have been happier for her... then she and her husband, David got some shocking and scary news, their little baby boy, not yet born would go through multiple heart surgeries just to survive his first year of life. Oliver is thriving and beautiful now, but hearing this family's story has made me see how hard life can be at times. (If you'd like to know more about Ollie, you can read about it here).

Little Ollie

Their family has seen first hand how hard it can be to struggle through many trials and obstacles, but despite their setbacks, they have seen how others are affected as well, and they are raising money to help those families in Primary Children's Hospital have a little bit of their burden lifted this holiday season with a great project!

I want to help their cause by donating a 30 day supply of Shakeology to someone who donates to this fund! So, if you're interested in entering, here are the rules:

1. Enter by donating to the Fund Account. Click the link to see how awesome their care package is!

2. For every $10 you donate, I will put your name into a drawing. Please comment that you were sent from my challenge so I can count your donation. Thanks!

3. Comment on this blog post so I can count your vote (Be sure to include how many entries you get and how I can contact you)!

4. Contest will end on Saturday, December 6th at Noon MST.

5. Drawing will be held on Monday, December 7th. I will contact the winner through the media that they first used to contact me.

6. Let me know if you have any questions or concerns! Thanks for helping out these families at Primary Children's! They are so deserving of this!                                                                          

***If we can reach Sadie's goal of $2900 by 10 PM MST, Wednesday, I'll give away to a second winner! That's TWO chances of winning a bag of Shakeology for donating to an amazing cause!

YOUnique

 I LOVE finding new products that work great or add value to my life, and when I find something that I really like, I love sharing it with friends and family. For a few months, now, I have ben wanting to try those Younique brand 'fiber lashes' but I just couldn't justify spending the  money on make-up!

If you know me, you know that I am (what my husband calls...stingy)! I love make-up, but when I buy it, it's only a couple times a year... and I go CHEAP!!! I'm talking less than 5 bucks on mascara and the cheapest foundation I can find. The eye-shadow that I am currently using has been in my possession since a few weeks before I got married... I know because I bought it with intention to use it for my wedding day... which was over three years ago...

So, yeah, that's probably really gross... and probably why I am a little acne prone, but I have a hard time spending money on things that I feel are vain, or not really necessary to my survival...

ANYWAY... now that you know a little TMI about me... I'll move forward to the lashes...

I have been fighting with myself about ordering them for months. Mascara is my absolute favorite, and on a normal day, I usually apply about 10 coats, or so. I thought, if this stuff really works, then maybe I would end up saving money in the long run. Still, I just couldn't bring myself to BUY the darn stuff...

Then, about two weeks ago, I got lucky and WON some!!! Woot, woot!

I promised friends on Facebook that I would do an honest review of what (I) thought of the crazy stuff... so, if you are still with me and are interested, here's my review!

Let's start with a picture:

These photos haven't been enhanced in any way. The first was taken on a smart phone, and the second was with my webcam...

So.. the first photo is what my lashes usually look like with about 10 layers of $5 maybeline mascara. I switch types because, usually, by the time I need a new tube, what I was using is gone and they have a new product! 

The bottom photo was using one coat of my normal mascara, and one coat of the Younique lashes. I love them...but here are the pros and cons...

Cons:

I thought it was weird that I still have to use regular mascara... to me, that's a waste of money.

It's expensive...haha... just my honest opinion. 

and... that's about it...

It uses three different products... just something new to get used to...but kind of a repeat of the first.

Pros:

It's faster than applying ten coats of the regular stuff! This was a big deal to me... I m a get in-get out type when it comes to getting ready in the morning... didn't used to be, but when your husband constantly sings, "Waiting on a Woman" you learn to move like a soldier! I thought when reading about it that it would take too much time, but it's great!

It removes just like regular mascara! No extra equipment needed!

It comes in a cute carrying case... not that anyone will ever see it, but it's fun and trendy.

So... that's how I feel about it. 

Will I order some when this runs out... I'm not sure yet. I definitely love the product, but still don't know if the price can be justified. Remember, I'm that type of girl who sits in the make-up aisle looking for the best deal. However, if you order your make-up through a counter like Clinique or Ulta, or through companies like Avon, you're already used to spending a little more, and compared to anything else I have used in that price range. I'd definitely see a benefit in switching over to this stuff!

And, there you have it, folks! My non-biased review of Younique Moodstruck Fiber Lashes!

I am in no way affiliated with the Younique brand. I do not work for their company, nor am I a representative of anything Younique.

The BIG Picture!

I meet new people everyday.

Some are happy.

Some are not.

You know what's most interesting to me, though, is when I get the opportunity to listen to *THEIR STORY* I realize that EVERYONE has a story!!! EVERYONE gets knocked down and EVERYONE has their moments... but the REALLY interesting part to all of this is how some people's moments seem to 

DEFEAT 

them, while other's moments seem to 

DEFINE 

them!

So... what makes the difference between a self-defeated person, and a self-defined person?

Well, I don't know what it is down to the nitty-gritty, but one thing that I have seen is the person who is defined by their story CHOOSES to make it a stepping stone in their journey through life. While the person who takes their trials as self-defeating can not seem to see around the stone that's in front of them, and rather than hop on it and move past it, they look at it as this HUGE mountain that they are not prepared to climb... instead of taking it one step at a time, they look at the big-scary monument before them, and they shirk in it's shadow, even though it might be the same event that a "self-definer" tackled with no problem.

I used to be self-defeating. I didn't want to move past these trails that I had in my life... I guess it was because it was easier for me to blame my mistakes and failures on some outside influence. I didn't have to take personal responsibility and to me, that meant that I could just get by, but live comfortably... then my eyes were opened. I realized how unhappy I really was... and even worse, I cast that unhappiness out into the world. I abused people who showed me empathy by using that to my advantage. Anytime something went wrong in my life, I blamed it on my trials, and ran away from the challenge. Over and over again, I was taught the same lesson, but I didn't learn from it.

That is not a healthy way to live, and, eventually, you will come to a fork in the road... you get to a point where you either have to give up, or change, because you can't keep going the direction you started... where the bridges that you have burned will show you that they still stand; ghosts in your past that were never really brought down. You'll reach that fork and realize that all of those excuses helped you to survive, but that you weren't REALLY LIVING... and you'll wonder what horrible event even put you on that road, because you won't remember it...

How can it be that something 'so important' can lead a person down a road of lies and misery and excuses, only for them to end up not knowing what really took them down that road in the first place?

I don't know how it starts, but I am ever grateful that at 23 years, I realized that that pathway is not the pathway that I wanted to be treading. I am grateful that we are given opportunities at every waking moment to make the decision to create our own pathway, and make it as glorious as we want it to be! I am so grateful that I didn't figure this out on my death-bed!

Change is hard, but it's worth it.

If you want to know how to DEFINE your own story, and not fall victim to your SELF-DEFEATING story, there is so much  you can do, but I'd suggest you start by seeing that all of those things you thought you were a victim of, are really there to teach you and define you, and prepare you for more than you could ever dream for yourself!

People are successful when they see the BIG PICTURE. Successful people are happy because, while they are grateful for the past, they do not dwell on it, whether it be happy or sad. They look forward to the future and they don't speculate about things that have not come to pass. They welcome change with open hearts, because they know that anything of value first must pass through the refiners' fire. The most important thing they do, though, is live in the moment. For they truly understand that it is there that they will find true peace, happiness and their own, unique calling!

And you want to know what the best part is? YOU are capable of having that, too!

My Drug of Choice... A Message of Hope

"The best view comes after the hardest climb"

This post has been a long time coming. I can not tell you how many times I have sat down and begun to write it, just to get most of it out and hit 'delete'. I was so worried about what people would think of me and how it would come across. It really is quite embarrassing, and it goes completely against every standard and value I have in my soul. I feel that today, however, is a great day to finally put it out there. Just know that I write, not for attention, but in hopes that someone struggling with a similar problem might know that they are not alone. Also, that they there is a way to over come any type of addiction. If I can help just one person through sharing this, then I consider it worth sharing. I would love to answer any questions you may have!

Let me start at the beginning...

Some details of this story have been altered or held back to protect the identities of those involved (such as location of the place where events took place). Please don't ask me to describe the details for their sake, and thank you for understanding!

When I was between 7 and 8 years old, I was playing outside with my brother. We were having quite the adventure, and I needed something to help with our activities. I went into the tool shed of the place we were at and started rummaging around for a hammer, but I wasn't sure where to look. This place was unfamiliar to me. I noticed a large gray tool-box in the back corner of the shed and assumed that that would be the place I would find what I was looking for. Much to my surprise, when I opened the box, what I found, instead, was a collection of magazines and black, unlabeled video tapes. As I reached into the box, a memory came to my mind... I remembered a friend telling me of a magazine that her cousin had found (We were in kindergarten at the time). I listened as she told me of a very graphic scene on one of the pages of this magazine... and I just happened to pick up this very same image out of the pile that was stashed before me. I can still remember all of these moments in vivid detail, although they happened years ago. Those images have haunted me throughout my life.

I never told anyone about what I saw. I don't know why...because after hearing my friend talk about it at school, my thought was that this was a very common thing to find and that many people must find pleasure in looking at those offensive images. Even with that thought, however, I could not shake a weighted feeling I had developed after viewing what I had found.

As time went on, I returned to this place. It began with innocent curiosity that was stronger than that weighted feeling and had consumed me over what I had seen, and we frequented this area enough that it wasn't hard to come by.

Soon, though, I didn't have to depend on the gray box. As time went on, technology grew, and those images became easier to find. Before I reached my teenage years, I not only knew how to search it out, and come by it easily, but I had developed an aggressive addiction with no idea that that is what was happening to me. Still, I couldn't shake that feeling that something about what I was viewing was not right. I was ashamed, though, and did not know that I needed to seek help, let alone who to go to, or how to find it. Time passed, and the problem became more than I could handle, and change began taking place within me. I went from being a straight-A, go-getter student in elementary school, to nearly failing 6th grade. I found that I was having a harder time making friends than I had as a young child, and I could not relate to people. I began to feel very alone. You can see it on the outside as I resorted to food for comfort and gained extra weight.

Finally, within my transition from Jr high to high school, a turning point came in my life. My parents got a divorce, and while that put me through the lowest point I had been in my life, it also presented me with an opportunity...

Growing up, I had very limited access to the Gospel. My grandmother occasionally put my brother and I in her church's summer bible camp. We also went to blessings and baptisms of cousins occasionally, and every once-in-a-while, I had attended various churches with my school friends. It was never enough for my to gain an understanding of what the Gospel of Jesus Christ was about, though, merely bits of information here and there that were difficult for me to put together. What I remember most, though was the feeling that I got when I did have the opportunity to learn.

It was through the divorce of my parents, that I turned to the scriptures and some missionaries to make sense of my life. They really were all that I had left. It was here, too, that I was able to gain an understanding of the dangers of pornography, and also the reason behind so many of the struggles and trials I had growing up.

I was baptized during the spring of my Sophomore year of high school into The Church of JESUS CHRIST of Latter-Day Saints. I began diving into the Gospel and learning about what I could do to find help with this problem I had. I told my mom about it and felt such a relief. I knew that my Heavenly Father had forgiven me for all that I had done and understood my circumstances, but still, the guilt and self-disgust that I had developed would take eight more years for me to fully forgive myself.

I write, today, elated to say that this is no longer a struggle I deal with in my life, and most of the trials that I have created for myself through the shame that I felt over the years is gone. You can not understand the excruciating pain and Godly sorrow that comes through trying to leave a bad addiction behind. There were so many people who have helped me along the way, and I know that I couldn't have done this without them.

Please let me just say a couple more things about this.

First, what trials I caused for myself by suppressing my need to reach out for help. Over the years, I developed depression and self-loathing. I thought that there had to seriously be something wrong with a woman who had a pornography addiction. More than that, though, I eventually developed a personality disorder that totally distorted the image of who I really was. I fed myself with lies about my worth regularly. Eventually, the energy that I was putting into the self-loathing began manifesting itself in physical maladies. Anger, bitterness, guilt and hatred in the form of a failing gall-bladder; Blaming, dread, fear and horror in the form of kidney problems; and humiliation, lust, shame, worthlessness and a feeling of being overwhelmed in the form of problems with my female organs, including infertility. I know that for some who read this, you might find this information new, but I honestly believe, with all my heart that our body reacts physically to the stimuli that our emotions create if we contain them within ourselves.

Next, I want to add that for anyone who feels like I am crazy for believing in God and trusting Him after all that I have dealt with, I say this; God cares about us so much that the Free Agency He granted us trumps His will for us. You might say, "If your god is so great, why does he allow such terrible things to happen to innocent children?" To that, I answer that He does everything He can to create a pathway in which people can choose the right and be rewarded for it, but He isn't going to step forth and prevent us from following our own free will and choice. If you happen to stray, however, or the choices that someone else is making are creating trials in your life, know that God understands our hearts. He sent His only begotten Son, even Jesus Christ, to save us, not only from our personal wrong-doings, but to comfort us when the choices of others have created turmoil in our lives. He will stand and defend us, and He can also help us here and now, if we choose to let Him. I have found great strength and comfort in this knowledge.

Lastly, I would just like to state that if you are struggling with anything. Please seek help. I went through years of hell, and dealt multiple thoughts of suicide because I thought I was so alone. Eight years of my life have been spent trying to sort through the mess I made of my life. Your life doesn't have to be that way, and addiction bounds you from true happiness and freedom. I will be so bold as to say that because of my choices, that free will which is so important to my Heavenly Father that I have, was stripped from me. I bound myself by the choices that I made, and although I haven't had a problem with pornography for a few years now, I am only just setting myself free. Please, don't allow yourself to fall into the trap of addiction. There are people and resources available that were created to help you overcome those tumultuous things!

To parents, there was an new Family Home Evening curriculum recently released to help you talk to your kids about the dangers of Pornography and how to overcome them. I encourage you to take the opportunity to grow closer to your children through that program. I wish that I would have spoken to my parents years before I did! Here is a link to that lesson.

Finally, I hope that anyone reading this understands that you have so much worth and potential. You are a son or daughter of a Divine God and He loves you. Don't get caught up in your sorrows, and seek to be a light to this dark world. When you take your focus off of yourself, you will find peace and happiness, no matter how dark and trying your times may be. Keep pushing, and climb the mountains that are set before you, always remembering that the best view always comes after the hardest climb! I am a testament to that, and I am so grateful that I have that knowledge to comfort me in this life.

Dueteronomy 23:5 "...the Lord thy God turned the curse into a blessing unto thee, because the Lord thy God loved thee."

So You've Hit a Plateau?

Recently, I had the opportunity to sit in a workshop with Autumn Calabrese presenting...

Now, if you don't know who Autumn is, she's the most recent celebrity trainer added to the Beachbody line up of trainers you can have come to your living room to teach you how to work your body. (Okay, so maybe they're not technically IN your living room, but popping in that DVD sure makes it feel that way some days)! Autumn created the 'change your plate' portion control system, which has now been converted into Beachbody's 21 Day Fix container portion control system. 

Anyway, Autumn shared a story about a friend that she was training that was doing 'everything' right, but was not getting the results she was hoping for. Here's the "Salad Story" in Autumn's own words:

"I'd been training somebody for, almost a year I think I'd been working with her. Over the time, she'd become one of my best friends. So, I was very aware of what her habits were, I literally spent time with her everyday and saw what she was doing, and we'd work out together. Take what you do for your workouts in the 21 Day Fix, and multiply that by ten, for an hour... these are the type of workouts she and I were doing! (21 Day Fix workouts are 30 minutes long). She could NOT loose weight! She'd go up five pounds, then down five pounds, then back up five pounds, and it was just all over the place. I just thought, I don't get it, what are you doing... go get your thyroid checked because something has got to be wrong. I knew the science behind what I was seeing was not making sense. Then she'd go down her list of food, what she was eating, and I was thinking, 'Uh... you know, I mean, it's not perfect, but it's not so far off that we shouldn't be seeing results.' Then one day we worked out at a gym together, then went to a restaurant called California Chicken Cafe, which is a fairly healthy place to eat. We got salads, and the plates were huge. I ate a third of mine, and she ate the entire salad. I mean, it's lettuce and chicken, and there's broccoli and a little bit of pasta in there, but it is huge! As I was sitting there watching her finish the salad - granted she did just get her butt kicked in a workout - I realized that was her problem, so I looked at her and told her. She looked back and said, "What, but I am eating a salad." while I thought, "No, you ate four salads!" 

In California, we have calorie count on our menus, so we grabbed the menu and looked at that salad... 1700 PLUS calories in the whole salad! It's a SALAD, and that's without the dressing! She had eaten her whole days' worth of calories in one meal, and I know she'd had breakfast and was going to go out for dinner that night. 

The point is, as I look at how food is advertised, we have everything super-sized, and when you walk through the grocery store, it's all family sized, but when you think about it, your stomach is as big as your fist. Even when you are eating the healthy stuff, if you eat that much, your stomach has to stretch in order to accommodate for all that food. Once you have stretched yourself out, you have to keep eating more just to keep yourself feeling full. So, now, even with the good stuff, you have stretched it out, and therein lies the problem that so many people have!"

So... what do you think of that story? Are you eating healthy foods but not seeing results? Could it be that your portions are too big? If this is something you struggle with, I'd love to help you out with it! I coach people through programs to help get over hurtles like this all the time! (In fact, I have been there myself, so I know how it feels)!

Look for me on Facebook, or email me!

If you are interested in the 21 Day Fix Program, you can order it here.

Email: cheltzey.blf@gmail.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/cheltzey

21 Day Fix Results:

Becoming an "Eight Cow Woman"

When I started dating Andrew (my husband) nearly 4 years ago (which is crazy for me to think that we have been together that long!!!), I was REALLY insecure. 

I'd just ended an on/off relationship with a kid who (among many other things) told me he "didn't feel like he wanted to be a better person when he was with me"...WHAT? Yeah... that stung a little...

Already, as some of you know, my relationship with my dad had not been without it's hiccups and challenges... needless to say, I was struggling with myself as a person, and I was broken. I felt unwanted and worthless.

I really have no idea what Andrew saw in me when we started dating. I was like a Zombie... but I am grateful that he saw something... he saw the potential that I didn't realize I had, and he was gracious enough to accept the challenge of bringing that out of me... Today, I came across an old picture from one of the most heartbreaking times of my life, and I was shocked to see myself like that. 

To the outsider, looking in, you might not see what I see, but I was TIRED and RAGGED. I was dark and hopeless and just surviving... I definitely was NOT thriving...! 

In the Mormon culture, there is a very popular film called Johnny Lingo... It's about a young woman who is 'the ugliest maiden' in a pacific islander community. They even sing about how ugly Mahana is. Johnny Lingo is a sharp trader, and very respected in this village. One day, he comes to town for a wife, and chooses Mahana. In those cultures, the man usually trades something, usually livestock, for his new maiden, and Johnny, to everyone's astonishment, offers 'eight cows' for Mahana (even when her father, Moki, says that he would have taken one cow with sour milk for her). They are married and leave the village. When they return a few months later, Mahana is un-recognizably beautiful. When asked about what has happened for her to appear like this, Johnny replies that he had always seen beauty in Mahana; even when they were young children. He continues saying, 

"Think what it must mean to a woman, her future husband meeting with her father to discuss the lowest price for which she can be bought; and later, when the women of the village gather, they boast of what their husbands paid for them - three cows, or five. How does she feel, the woman who was sold for one, or two? This could not happen to Mahana."

Now, while I was not traded for a cow, I, like Mahana dreaded the day that Andrew would ask my father if he could take me as his wife. Like I said before, I wasn't super close to my dad, and I wasn't sure how everything would turn out. Sadly, my dad gave me an ultimatum... either him, or my husband. Like Johnny had always been there for Mahana, though, Andrew had been there for me, even when my own father had doubted me. I love my dad, but I trusted Andrew more, and now I understand why...

I believe that every person has 'Divine Nature' because I believe that we are literal sons and daughters of a Heavenly Father. He is aware of us, and he made us so that we might have joy! Throughout my adolescence, I had been through trials that had covered that knowledge from me. It was masked with my own depression and despair, and what was felt on the inside began to show itself on the outside. If you look through my high school photos, you can see sadness, even when I appeared to be 'happy'. 

It was through spending time with someone who recognized who I could become, and learning how to take care of myself, that I started to heal and grow. I had a man come into my life, and tell me everyday how beautiful I was. He was kind, and graceful, and persistent. He promised me some pretty amazing things, and so far, he has outdone himself with those promises! The most amazing thing that has happened through all of this, though, is that finally, when he tells me those things about myself, I actually believe him, and because of what he has taught me, I can see that in everyone I meet; even when they can't see it in themselves. For that, I am eternally grateful! I am grateful for a gracious Heavenly Father who placed such a noble man in my walk of life. I am grateful for the people that influenced him to be the man that he is today. I am grateful for a Savior who has helped me forgive those who have tested my faith, and have created stepping stones in my life that weren't the easiest to cross over. I am grateful that I could learn these lessons early in life, so I didn't carry my bitterness for years, and I am so grateful that I have the opportunity, now, to help others who may now feel as down-trodden as I once did. I am grateful for the tests in my life that are now a TESTIMONY to me that life is beautiful, but the hard/sad parts are just as important as the happy times!

"Never forget that you really are a child of God, who has inherited something of His Divine Nature!" ~Gordon B. Hinckley

Want a Yummy Summer Pasta?

I love pasta... I don't know, however, if it loves me.... It doesn't seem to treat me very well. That's why I am always excited about a *LIGHTER* pasta recipe, and THIS one is DELISH!

What you need:

Whole wheat pasta. (I used Linguine, but I love angel hair, or small spaghetti).

Tomatoes (I just sliced 2 beefsteaks and threw them in).

Onion (sliced into thin strips or chopped).

Mushrooms, thinly sliced

Basil

Salt

Extra Virgin olive oil (less than a Tbs)

Garlic

Spinach

(The veggies are really easy to switch out, and substitute. Use what you like)!

Directions:

Place pasta in saucepan.

Poor water into pan (about 1/3 pot-full)

add tomatoes, onion, basil, mushrooms, salt oil, and garlic, then place lid on pan and boil.

As noodles relax, begin stirring, just to keep from burning. 

You shouldn't have to drain any water, just boil down. The water will for a sauce with the starch from the noodles and veggies. 

Once the water is nearly gone, throw in your spinach and toss. Don't cook it, just let it wilt.

AND, Viola! You have a YUMMY meal, with nearly no mess, and no stomach pains from heavy pasta! You can sprinkle a little parm on if you need it. Enjoy!

Serve warm or cool!

The BIGGEST PAIN IN THE....Back?

Do you have back pain?

I want to share something with you that I am SO EXCITED ABOUT!!!

If you have been reading my blog, you might already be aware that a week ago, I started a new routine called, PiYo... I have done workouts like Insanity and P90X before, but even though I loved the results I was getting, it seems nothing I did was helping this aching that I have had in my back for a very long time.

I have tried stretching, I have tried massage (which actually seemed to be making the problem worse)! I have switched my shoes and *tried* to work on my posture. None of it was solving the problem. Working out definitely helped, but I wanted it GONE, and I just didn't know how to accomplish that...

Whelp, a week into PiYo, and I have really been feeling a change in my core. Then, yesterday, as I was sitting at my desk working, I noticed that I had been there for over two hours with no back pain! I couldn't believe it! Usually, after about 20 minutes of sitting, I have to stand up and walk around because my back is tingling so bad that my arm starts going numb. I have also had problems with my feet where my toes always have that 'asleep' feeling in them. GONE!!! I can't believe it, but I feel great!!!

The problem I had was that the muscles causing pain were actually my Rhomboids... you can't even see them in this photo because they are under the scapula bone, which is covered by the Trapezius muscles.... They are hard to get to.

So what was going on? Well, what most people don't realize is that the Core is more than just the abdominal muscles. Your core also include a set of muscles on your sides and your back. Most people who suffer from back pain have a very weak core, and therefore, poor posture. This was my problem. It seemed that no matter what I did to work my core, I wasn't seeing results, and I KNOW MY POSTURE WAS TERRIBLE... This is also why I was struggling so much when I did try to consciously correct my posture. It wasn't that I was lazy, it was physically uncomfortable for me because my core is so weak!

So, long story short, if you are experiencing back pain, check your posture. How is it? Want to make it better and create some relief for yourself? I would LOVE to help you! I coach health and fitness challenges regularly and we could see if PiYo would be a good fit for you. Don't just accept that you have to live life in pain. Take care of yourself and learn what it feels like to live your best life!

***If you want to learn more about PiYo, feel free to message me, or watch THIS short video. Think LOW IMPACT! No weights, no jumping, no running, extremely reduced chance of injury, lengthen, tone and define your body! Sounds pretty great, eh?

Interested in joining my next health and fitness accountability group? ~~~ www.facebook.com/cheltzey   Want to purchase PiYo, and other great health and fitness tools? ~~~ www.beachbodycoach.com/cheltzey

Thanks for visiting!

Leave it behind you!

Something I have learned about fitness is that it is more than just physical exercise and looking good (and feeling great about the way I look). I never thought that I would ever be a "fitness junkie" but I have gotten to a point in my life where if I don't get some type of movement and activity in during my day, I just don't feel well. There really is a great feeling that comes from striving to work on myself on a daily basis!

It wasn't a bed of roses getting to this point though... In fact, I was still working on finding a groove with my workouts up to just a few months ago. They were scattered and I was having a hard time sticking to one program. It was a mind game that I really struggled with. There were many days that I would spend more time thinking about doing a workout than it would actually take me to just put the DVD and bust it out. I think back now and realize that I was wasting a lot of valuable time doing this!

So what changed? Why is it so much easier to have the desire to just get it done on the daily now? Well, it started by exercising my mind!

Sounds crazy, right? Let me tell you what happened:

In June, I went to a Summit event in Las Vegas, Nevada. The first day that I was there, I didn't even have time to take my luggage to my hotel room before I had to attend my first meeting, so I hauled my bags into the meeting with me (luckily I packed lightly) and got to listen to the CEO of Beachbody talk about how he wanted us to approach the business after we left Summit at the end of the week.

He said something that meant a lot to me because it helped me realize that I had been holding onto quite a few negative emotions that were holding me back in all areas of my life. He said that it didn't matter where we came from, or what we had done in the past, we needed to move forward and leave it all behind us. He told us that we needed to promise him that no matter the success or failures we had seen already, we would return home and approach everything in our lives as if it was for the first time! He told us that he was going to be the 'new CEO of Beachbody' the day he got back home, and that we should do the same for whatever we wanted to focus on in life!

Here's the thing... I have had some pretty hard things happen in my life that were completely out of my control. I hadn't forgiven the people that had caused these struggles and trials, and I was very, very bitter about it. It caused me to go into a deep depression and was creating multiple health problems in my life... I have worked through many of these trials over the last year, but there was something about the idea of becoming whomever I wanted to be the day I got home from Vegas, and it appealed to me!

I made a resolve that whatever had happened in my past, I was going to start turning my trials into  my triumphs! I realized that no matter what happened in my life that was out of my control, I could control how I chose to handle it, and in the past, I had chosen to let my struggles handle me. I knew that I couldn't let that happen anymore if I really wanted to live a more fulfilling life... so how did it change?

First, I made a decision. I decided that I was going to take the challenge of being very aware of how I was responding to the let downs in my life. I chose to respond in a positive way. Second, I started praying with real intent. Now, I don't know if you are a person of faith, but that doesn't matter to me, if you really want something in life, you find some way to think about it and meditate on that thought daily. If you take the time to do this, you'll start to see changes in your life, I promise! Third, I started reading or listening to at least a half an hour of personal development/self help books everyday. That has made one of the biggest changes in my life. I got back from Summit 3 weeks ago. Since I have been back, I have read 3 books, and listened to over ten hours of inspirational talks and conference calls. It has changed my life! The forth change that I made was to commit myself to a specific workout program. I have only finished one program from beginning to end, and that was the program I started my health and fitness journey with, Insanity. That's pretty embarrassing for me to admit, but it doesn't matter, because I started PiYo and I am committed to finishing it in 60 days! I haven't missed a day yet, and I feel amazing! The fifth change that I made was to get rid of my self-defeating story. The prayer and personal development helped me do this, but I took that idea that I have used as an excuse for so many years, and I made the decision to put it out of my life. It doesn't mean that I wont struggle with it, or I won't have to keep growing out of it (maybe for the rest of my life), but I am aware of it and I catch myself before I start manifesting it's presence in my life. If I feel it's pain coming on, at any time, I will consciously say to myself, my story will not defeat me, I will create my future, and my adversity will become my advantage! It is what will push me to greater success! 

So whatever it is that you are struggling with in life, make the choice to put it behind you! Every new moment gives you the opportunity to change! What a gift that is! Be grateful for that, and show your gratitude by taking advantage of it! I'm not saying that you aren't going to come upon more difficult times in your life, but I promise you that if you put these principles to work in your life, and start doing these little actions, whenever a defining moment comes to you, YOU WILL HAVE THE POWER TO DEFINE THE MOMENT, rather than allowing the moment to define you!

Now, get out there and start creating your best life!