This is my second round of the 28 day Story Athelte GRIT Challenge. This amazing program balances Mind, Body, Business, and Relationships. Follow Jackie’s transformational journey here.
May 4 2020
Day of GRIT: 1 of 28
Metric: 12 MOD easy version
Finisher: Easy version Jump Kris Kross challenge
Context: “A story athlete finds a way”
A few months ago I was invited to join GRIT. There was no way it was going to work out at that point. But I believe in Divine Timing. All through my life there have been goals in the distance that have not seemed attainable for various reasons. Money. Time. Other obligations. Or whatever hindrance keeping me from that goal at that time.
I just mentally “put it out there” and eventually the stars align and things happen. Or is it that easy?
I believe so. You see, in Story Athlete we talk about conquering the Lesser Self. I am an energy practitioner, and in our language we refer to this Lesser Self as a lower vibrational self. There may be all sorts of trapped emotions and energies or hidden beliefs we carry. We can also carry these energies through our lineage and therefore attract more lower vibration to our lives. Lower vibrations that hinder our goals and feed this Lesser Self.
There is a “fast track” way to conquer this Lesser/ Lower Vibration Self through energy balancing and clearing. Once those energies are released, this makes room to uncover and raise the higher vibrations, and allows The Story Athlete Heroic Self to shine through easily.
So, whenever I have a goal, I find the energies that are holding me back and release them. Then I allow the good things and all the miracles to unfold before my eyes.
I was intrigued, yet overwhelmed, with the idea of joining GRIT, but doors opened, the stars aligned and now I am here. Second round. Plus, I received my Story Athlete shirt today. I am ALL IN Baby!! A Story Athlete finds a way!!
For your interest, a link to a downloadable document explaining the higher and lower vibration emotional energies. http://ladybugwellness.ca/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/david-hawkins-….-power-vs-force-levels-of-consciousness.pdf
May 5 2020
Day of GRIT: 2 of 28
Metric: 5 k Palooza F3, fast dancing around my house 10710 steps/ 6.74 km, 1 hour 3 minutes, plus F3 moves
Finisher: F3, 2 rounds
Context: “I identify my lies”
My healing journey has been a long process of identifying the hidden beliefs holding me back in life. Some of these came from my ancestors, some from my own experiences.
“I’m not good enough” and “I am not enough” are the most common of these lies and the most insidious for most people. “I can’t do this” is another lie we tell ourselves.
I have learned that to move forward and to conquer these lies, we must fully align our conscious and subconscious minds, along with our body, soul and spirit. The subconscious mind is where most of the lies reside and where misalignments are most common.
When faced with hard stuff, these lies become most apparent and the Lesser Self often wins the day. Through energy balancing we can conquer that Lesser Self’s whiny voice.
We’ve all heard “fake it til you make it”. But this doesn’t ring true, and it is not in full alignment with all levels of being. When we tell ourselves we’re successful, the subconscious mind triggers an immediate “no you’re not”.
Words have power and just a subtle change in words can be the difference in everything. If we tell ourselves “I am a work in progress”, the subconscious mind can’t argue because that statement is always true.
The subconscious mind is like a toddler in its literal understanding and will believe whatever we tell it, especially when we repeat over and over. When we say “this is fun”, as we push through the 12 minutes of death videos, our minds will eventually train to believe this is actually fun.
I identify the hidden beliefs and I overcome those lies that are not beneficial to my success, paving the way to my best Heroic Self.
May 6 2020
Day of GRIT: 3 of 28
Metric: Wednesday Palooza F3 of the “easier” version. (I am not sure my body agrees :/ )
Finisher: F2.
I am getting better with being on the floor and doing moves there, but still feeling like a full term pregnant elephant in manoeuvring myself sometimes. Getting stronger though. YAY!
Context: “I don’t break the chain”
My first thought is that no one wants to be the weakest link in a world of survival of the fittest. Being the weakest link just takes everyone down with you. All around bad energy.
Yet, my memories take me back to 2010 when I went to an international training for Thought Field Tapping Techniques with Dr Roger Callahan. In that course, there was a recommended reading suggestion, a book called Earthing. It is all about grounding to the earth where the ion exchange is essential for our health and well being.
To illustrate an example, there were about 50 of us that were instructed to stand in a huge circle, all holding hands. We were introduced to “Rosie”, a doll that had metal in her hands. Rosie became part of our circle. As long as we all held hands, Rosie would sing.
We took turns breaking the circle in different points around the room. As soon as hands separated, Rosie was quiet. Joined, she sang.
It was then explained that in developed countries, we are more likely to have rubber soled shoes, and a whole lot of cement surfaces that disconnect us from the earth. They had done this experiment in other countries where people are more likely to walk barefoot on dirt or grass surfaces which would connect them to the earth more often.
In those experiments, the circle participants had to be at least 3 feet apart before Rosie would stop singing. This showed the difference in the personal energy fields between cultures and countries.
In developed countries there is more prevalence of depression and chronic diseases than in the areas where people are more grounded. literally.
In another experiment, we were shown how a heart monitor reading can change to a more healthy reading after walking on a sandy beach barefoot for just a half hour.
Since that training, and since reading that Earthing book, I have been much more conscious of making sure I am grounded. I refrain from singing too much around my friends, as I do love them, but I am usually healthy and high on a happy vibe as long as I dont break the ion earthing chain.
May 7 2020
Day of GRIT: of 28
Metric: 12 MOD
Finisher: F2
Context: “I Create Memorable Scenes”
I saw the context for today posted yesterday evening, and I seriously laughed my butt off for several minutes. Why? Well, my life has been a series of memorable moments. Yes I went through a ton of trauma and crap early in life. I raised four kids alone while working full time. A whole bunch of crappy stuff. I have learned that the best way to get through life is to have a sense of humor and to gain the ability to laugh at yourself.
Cognitively, we often remember our past in a different way than what may have really happened. But every event is remembered from the perspective you may have at any given moment.
As we heal our past, and mature, we can remember more of the good things of the past, and not so much of the awful things.
All my kids are adults now. Whenever we have family gatherings, the hilarity ensues in the memories of the past, particularly our road trips. I struggled on a shoe string to make these trips happen, but the memories are priceless. Many memories are from everyday life as well.
Remember when Rae dressed Sebastian (cat) in baby clothes?
Remember when we found that cute tea house on the highway and realized we were on the wrong highway home? Or the rest of the scenic accidental detours?
Remember the butterfly garden, or the bug zoo? The underwater gardens? The Science World exhibits?
Remember dog piling in the van in RV parks so we could take in all the attractions in the big cities?
Remember when mom left Jared at a garage sale? (This one is NOT what it seems, but I will never live it down from my kids perspective).
Remember when Chantelle lost her shirt at the Judas Priest concert? The limo ride? The rest of all our concert events?
Remember the back window of that hotel that the kids used to escape and terrorize the neighborhood?
Remember our hamster farm and little Runt getting sucked up the vacuum accidentally?
Remember all the tadpoles and baby froggies at Ferry Island every spring? Or the ones in our back yard?
Remember when Jared got kissed by a turtle?
Remember when we moved to pulp mill town and everyone was trying to pinpoint the culprit of the smell in our van, and when we opened the windows the smell was worse?
Remember Melissa telling us of her traveling mishap in Scotland just after her friends had watched Hostel?
Remember the blown out tire as the windy canyon highway? Or the unpredictable switchbacks on the Motley Crue trip? Yes we have road angels.
Oh so many memories that could fill an entire book. I keep saying that a memoir is in the works. One day soon all the bits and pieces of written memories will come together and my kids will bittersweetly remember me as the Captain of the Crazy Train.
May 8 2020
Day of GRIT: 5 of 28
Metric: Complex Palooza F3 using 5 lb dumbbells
Finisher: F3
Context: “I See Inconvenience As Adventure”
Again, this context had me in fits of laughter with my memories. I have all sorts of stories of the mishaps with raising four kids. I mean, raising teenagers is like nailing Jell-O to a tree, right? Nothing ever goes as planned, why even try to have a plan? Have a goal of some sort and do your best to get there, and enjoy the detours.
The best examples I have of enjoying the detours are from my own road trips. Inconvenience, oh heck yes. But definitely an adventure. You’ll need a map of British Columbia Canada to follow along here.
The “directions” gene completely skipped me. Ironically my current vehicle has been on over 200 road trips in the last 10 years. My kids know to just send road angels along with me and say lots of prayers as I have a reputation for taking off on spontaneous last minute road trips, especially to rock concerts. I am pretty sure I get the angels on probation. If they can handle me, they earn their wings.
The most memorable of these road trips were definitely an adventure:
2008: I took my daughter to a model convention in Banff AB. Several hour drive from Prince George BC. I love going through the Rockies as I have my highway Zen in God’s country. We had a wonderful weekend. She had been on many road trips with her cheerleader team, so she napped on the way home. I had travelled that highway many times, yet I noticed a cute new tea house on the side of the highway. We stopped to check it out. Daughter was awake when we got back on the highway. I thought it was odd that we seemed to be travelling downhill. I didn’t see any road signs. We had a mountain on one side and a ravine on the other. Daughter tells me this doesn’t look like the highway home, it looks like we’re headed to Golden BC. Oops? Nowhere to turn around, so yes we went to Golden. I had never been there before, but now I had. Gas station told us that many travelers miss a sign a ways back and end up there. We were able to turn around there. It was only a few hours detour and a whole lot of highway Zen.
2009: I was in Salmon Arm visiting friends and arranged to meet up with my daughter in Cache Creek since she was coming up from Vancouver and I could drive her back to Prince George from there. Should be an easy straight across trip. But again, I must have missed a road sign and soon found myself with a mountain on one side and a highway long barrier in the middle. Nowhere to turn around. I figured out I was on a stretch of the Coquihalla highway. Yes, I ended up in Hope, 3 hours out of the way and had to travel up the Fraser Canyon to catch up with my daughter.
That is only two of the many accidental detour adventures I have had. I have learned to just enjoy the scenic tour. Thankfully I live in Beautiful British Columbia with our majestic mountains. They don’t really allow for straight highways, but I enjoy my highway Zen all the same.
May 9 2020
Day of GRIT: 6 of 28
Metric: KettleBall Palooza I did F2 with 5 lbs weights, then went for F3 😀
Finisher: F2
Context: “I Don’t Let My Talent Cheat Me”
Life is journey of continuous learning. As soon as we stop learning, we die. In the book “Mastery”, George Leonard discusses Akido, a disciplined form of martial arts. This was a recommended reading for one of my leadership courses. The principles explained in this book are also applicable to life and personal growth.
There is a process to learning. We struggle through learning something new, we hone our skills, maybe plateau for a while, then take on more learning until these skills become talent and second nature. Some people are gifted in excelling at their given talents.
Whichever talents we strive for, it is never a good idea to plateau for too long and become stagnant. I love the reference to a heartbeat, a series of ups and downs, avoiding a flat line.
Change is the only constant in life. I happen to love learning and adding to my skills, yet I am humble enough to realize that my gifts and talents are God – given and I am required to do the physical work of honing and improving my skills. I appreciate when my clients rave about a session they have had with me, but I always defer to Dr Brad Nelson’s famous line, “I just work here”.
May 10 2020
Day of GRIT: 7 of 28
Metric: Stretch day Palooza. Thank God!! I am moving much better, and finding it easier to get onto the floor when I need to. When I wake up each morning, I feel like a dinosaur breaking out of and eggshell. Need to stretch and get reborn lol
Happy Mother’s day in whatever capacity you hold your honored title 🙂
Context: “I choose to love myself”
Having had a childhood traumatic experience beginning age 6, I grew up not having a clue of “loving myself”. The after effects of abuse are a conglomeration of trust issues, nightmares, shame, and deep confusion. It also comes with a skewed sense of having to serve everyone else, a martyr in the worst way. I had no respectable boundaries and not much self love, if any. I could not understand why I had such crappy relationships and friendships.
In airplane safety demonstrations, we are told to put on our own oxygen mask first, even if traveling with a child. This example is at the forefront of many personal development courses. The point being, if we can’t breathe and help ourselves, we cannot help anyone else either.
Through energy balancing, I have learned that I carried many hidden beliefs regarding my own self worth. It has taken a while to learn to love myself. We need to be able to love ourselves, and to show others how to love us.
Louise Hay courses teach mirror work. Stand in front of a mirror and look into your own eyes. Keep saying “I love you” until you can say it with confidence. Marisa Peer has some inspirational videos promoting “I am enough”. Byron Katie courses question the truth of our beliefs to teach what is beneficial and what we need to let go of.
Self love comes in many forms that all tie together. Respect. Boundaries. Sleep. Fuel. And we can’t forget GRIT. I choose to love me, myself and I … because we’re a nice bunch of girls 😛
May 11 2020
Day of GRIT: 8 of 28
Metric: 12 minutes of #WeLuvCJ , or 12 minutes of trying to convince ourselves this is fun 😛
Finisher: Jump Kriss Kross challenge
Context: “I Calculate Return On Risk”
Trauma keeps us stuck in the past, and also keeps us stuck on the bottom rung of Maslow’s hierarchy. Everything is about survival and instinct. Instinct that is powered by fear.
Trauma leaves in its wake a skewed sense of trust, faith, love, self worth, respectable boundaries… pretty much everything we need to be balanced and to be able to move up Maslow’s ladder.
As we heal and as we mature in our personal growth, our hearts can uncover our pure psychic energy and intuition, that Divine connection to our higher self.
Previously, my instincts got me into all sorts of trouble. Paranoia, mistrust, and needing an escape route are not the best ways to calculate outcomes of any scenario. That is flight mode. Calculate risk? Does. Not. Compute.
Now, there is a flip side to that instinct as well. The freeze mode. That is when we refuse to move forward, frozen in calculation, fear, indecisiveness, and stagnancy.
I rely heavily on intuition these days. I know I am connected to Divine truth, and to my own psychic energy. I can feel the vibes of my presented choices and I can choose the option that feels most right for me. As long as I keep myself prepared for the worst, but always expecting the best, things will work out.
I keep my vehicle serviced, I have my emergency kits and I take off on spontaneous road trips. These are how to make lasting worthwhile memories.
I invest in courses and books that will enhance my knowledge and skills in order to better serve my clients. I invest in ME, because that holds the highest returns to brighten my own future.
By having a stable foundation in place, I have already set the stage for calculating risks. From there, my motto, when something feels right, is “Just Jump Dammit!”.
May 12 2020
Day of GRIT: 9 of 28
Metric: 5K Palooza F3
Finisher: F2. Did one round and pushed again 🙂
Context: “I embrace judgement”
“Judgement” is one of those seemingly hostile words that can trigger every unhealed hurt within us due to our own insecurities. Yet, in cognitive psychology mind processes, we are constantly evaluating and judging the world around us. Do we sense danger? Is this a safe place for me? Do I choose this option or that option?
Sensing good or bad vibes from the people and environment around us, is also a judgement call.
A few quotes comes to mind, nuggets of wisdom:
“If we knew the secret history of our enemies, it would be enough to disarm all hostility” — Longfellow
“No one can make you feel inferior without your consent” Eleanor Roosevelt
“What other people think of me is none of my business.” – Eleanor Roosevelt
We need to be aware of miscommunication issues, hidden mental health issues, and our own unhealed hurt triggers to navigate life successfully. Taking all this into consideration in our personal growth path, we can turn “judgement” into constructive criticism and use this knowledge to recalculate our choices, and choose our life path steps in a more beneficial way.
Oh ya, my 5 K was fast dancing around my house for an hour to get all my steps in. Juggling between the rest of my schedule today
May 13 2020
Day of GRIT: 10 of 28
Metric: Wednesday Palooza F4!!! Yup I actually did an F4!!! ok, the easier options, but still and F4! (GO ME!)
Finisher: F3. Yup, got to F2 and kept pushing. #WeLuvCJ is my heavy sarcasm meaning I am dying here 😛
Twist (after a few minutes breather) 21 chair squat burpees for the fallen
Context: “I commit to move”
I had been pretty down on myself for getting lazy after a lifetime of kicking ass and working my butt off. My inner skinny bitch wants out to play again. So, I joined GRIT. Accountability teams. I made a promise to not quit and I am gonna transform or die trying. I am still here.
My context language the first few days would make a sailor blush. A few weeks in and I am now moving a little easier and I have the good kind of aches of accomplishment. I haven’t shed any weight to speak of YET, but my skin is tighter and my body is feeling better overall. Not feeling like a beached whale so much anymore.
Personal growth is essential to get through life effectively. Emotional, mental, spiritual AND physical must all be in balance and in alignment. I did a lot of work so far, but physical needs to catch up big time.
Muscles need to move or they will atrophy and get weak. There are studies now that explain the chemical processes of shedding weight showing that fat is expelled through breath during cardio and other exercise. These are the scientific and psychological reasons to move.
All good reasons. So I commit to move and get my physical body in shape again. I commit to my GRIT team, and I commit to keeping up with the daily burpees in some form.
Plus, “I Like to Move It” is one of my old party tunes. Get moving, get dancing, get high on life, get High on a Happy Vibe. 😛
May 14 2020
Day of GRIT: 11 of 28
Metric: 12 minutes of #WeLuvCJ
Finisher: F2
Context: “I Partner With Complementary Strengths”
In Dr David Hawkins book, Power vs Force, it is explained that everything is energy and everything has a vibration. In our personal growth path, we attract a similar vibration of the environment and the people around us to that which is vibrating within ourselves.
In my early years, carrying the shame of trauma, I attracted all sorts of similar lower vibration weaknesses. Poor relationships and friendships, limited prosperity and abundance, and a cluttered home environment as well.
As I have learned, grown, and matured in my personal growth, I have raised my own vibration that has in turn attracted complementary strengths. The lower vibrations have fallen away, and at this point in my life, I am blessed to be surrounded with wonderful connections.
We cannot be everything though. Jackie of all trades but master of none? Not really. I have certain skills and strengths, along with my background of life experiences and education that make me the unique person I am today.
I have strengths in psychology, human nature, energy balancing, English, and communication. While I can figure out some techie computer skills, I have a web designer who I can trust and rely on heavily to make sure my website works properly. Math and numbers also fail me, so I have an incredible accountant team that I can trust with that area of my business.
I am blessed to have a network of energy practitioner friends who hold the same values and business ethics that I do, yet they have different experiences, skills, and strengths in the work they do. I can feel confident that I can refer a client to these practitioners and know that my client is in good hands.
I am blessed to have many ideal clients who respect the work I do and are willing to step up in their own self empowerment for our mutual success.
I am blessed to be surrounded with dear personal friends who hold the same values as myself in being consciously aware and being willing to question everything with an open mature mind while holding firm in respectable boundaries of compassion, love, and understanding. We are resourceful, self sufficient and yet able to recognize complementary strengths in others in our circles.
I am blessed to have a whole community of GRIT Warriors that hold me accountable to the commitments I have made to myself and to my team. We have similar values of accountability, integrity, and responsibility, yet such diverse backgrounds and perspectives that we can really partner with complementary strengths and support each other in our individual and community progress.
May 15 2020
Day of GRIT: 12 of 28
Metric: Complex Palooza F3
Finisher: F2 plus twist 20 chair squat burpees
Context: “I Am Strengthened By Tragedy”
Oh boy. Story of my entire life. Started out with childhood trauma. Teen mom. Married at age 18, and 6 months pregnant with second child at my high school graduation. Most people graduate, get married, then have children. Nope. I did it backwards.
My early life was a whole series of everything “what not to do in life”. School of hard knocks and harsh life lessons.
Looking back now, I wouldn’t change a thing. Yes it was downright crappy to go through some of the experiences that I did. But inner strength is forged through adversity and I have learned things that I would not have learned any other way.
I also know that life hasn’t killed me yet, and I am a survivor. I had to have a little chat with “fate” though. Just because I can handle anything life throws at me, does not mean I want to endure that kind of challenge anymore. Thankyouverymuch.
I am at a point in life that I not can turn my past wounds into skills to be a beacon of light, optimism, and encouragement for others.
May 16 2020
Day of GRIT: 13 of 28
Metric: Kettleball Palooza F5. Yes you read that right. F5 people!!! Ok, I did modify a bit and used 5 lb weights. I got thru a couple rounds, closed my eyes and kept pushing, with some breathers in between.
Finisher: F5. Yup, F5 for the finisher too. I need to get my eyes checked because I did 5 rounds plus 50 chair squat burpees before I realized that F5 is 3 rounds plus 50 burpees. Again modified a bit with knee push ups and chair squat burpees. But F5? I surprised myself!! I let out my wimpy whiner for a bit since my brain and breath left my body and I felt like I was dying as a pile of Jello muscles. But in true GRIT fashion, I had a shower, let my endorphins and feelings scream a bit, then regrouped, balanced my energy grounding back into my body, and got writing.
Twist: 20 chair squat burpees for the fallen. A breather before this part, but still done.
Context: “I Aim To Kill More Birds With Fewer Stones”
Raising four children while working full time for many years gave me lots of opportunities to fail miserably in many ways until I learned to juggle and get more efficient. Housework is an ongoing chore. I could delegate chores to kids easily, but mom still needs to oversee household operations. I learned a seemingly silly little idea that worked well to reduce bigger chores.
Two item rule: Previously, household clean up was a big chore because not everyone cleaned up after themselves. Should be simple, but apparently it wasn’t common sense, so it was something that needed to be taught and learned. When sitting in the den or living room, eventually someone has to get up to use the bathroom, to answer the door, or to get snacks. We have two hands, so grab 2 items to take with you to the next room or at least closer to the room they belong in. Novel concept! Getting in this habit reduces the time needed for the daily and weekly deep cleaning chores because things keep fairly tidy.
How to apply this efficiency to business? In working with clients, I see the same things come up for everyone in various ways. Grief, loss, abandonment, betrayal, heartache, fears, ancestral trauma, limiting beliefs, and self sabotage. Back in February, I was intuitively guided to offer a complimentary remote group session. I know other energy healers and practitioners have offered group sessions but I had never tried it myself, even though I know it can be done. Energy amplifies to the needs of the group.
So, I did offer a remote group session just thru my Facebook page, “putting it out there”. The feedback the next morning was absolutely amazing! Two weeks later, I offered this group session again through my scheduler and website. Even more people joined in, and some newcomers as well. Then the lockdown happened and I realized why I had been intuitively guided to set this up. So many people are feeling trapped, confused, fearful, panicked, and depressed. The ancestral traumas of past global events have been triggered in many people as well. These remote sessions are exactly what so many people need right now! I can use meridian point therapy, Reiki, Emotion Code, Court of Atonement, dowsing. All of my training and skills in one session that targets a huge group of people and yet is still personalized to their individual needs.
This group energy balancing offer has turned into a weekly event. It has been a way to reach and empower many of my regular clients at once, plus an opportunity for newcomers to experience energy balancing without obligations. It is a win win on so many levels!
The analogy of killing more birds with fewer stones as an efficiency measure can apply to many areas of personal and business life.
May 17 2020
Day of GRIT: 14 of 28
Metric: Much needed stretch day
Twist 20 chair squat burpees for the fallen.
Context: “I Write My Own Definitions”
I was a teen mom. My daughter was born 17 days after my 17th birthday. I had had the innocence of childhood stolen from me age 6. Grew up with a totalitarian father and was quite sheltered. I actually laugh now looking back at how naive I was at that time. I resented so much of my life back then. Little did I know that I can write my own story.
Yes I grew up and I matured, but I never wanted to give up the childhood and teen years I missed. My compensation? Live life to the fullest. Age is just a number!! I mean, I would not want to be a child or teen again, but 23 was a good age. I trained my four children to believe, and to tell others that I was 23 for many many years. I got away with it too! That is until my daughter turned 22 and told me I needed to move up a bit. I got away with being her sister for a while too.
I remember their father telling me I should act my age. My retort was that I didn’t know how to act my age because I had never been this age before. He was so mad that my jovial attitude attracted some great friends and I was having fun in life. I was responsible DD through that time taking care of my friends but sure having fun.
These day, I have gained some wisdom highlights and some extra padding. I don’t get away with such a young age anymore. Some days my Rice Krispie body feels like I should be ancient. Some of my life experiences put me way ahead in age old wisdom. But my silly sarcastic humor and zest for life keep my mind young.
I still get a kick out of telling people that I have four kids, 5 grandkids, plus inlaws and attachments…and we are an instant party for family dinners. The Rioux Crue Wreckin Crew. I tell them I retired early after 26 years at the post office, then watch their hamster wheel spin aimlessly trying to guess my age. My daughter will be 36 in a couple weeks. My kids just roll their eyes when someone is shocked to realize I am their mom. Endearingly called the captain of our crazy train.
After all, age is just a number. We’re here for a good time, not a long time. So I make my own definitions!
May 18 2020
Day of GRIT: 15 of 28
Metric: 12 minutes of DEATH. I managed a modified version and kept up ok. My arms and core obviously need wayy more work :'(
Finisher: Jump” Kris Kross Challenge, easy version
Context: “I’m Willing To Start At The Bottom”
As the eldest of four girls, I not only was the guinea pig for parenting trial and errors, but I was saddled with responsibility. I got to stack firewood, and if I ever spoke out of turn to my totalitarian father, my punishment was to clean the entire large kitchen pretty much with a toothbrush. Seemed harsh growing up, but years later I am thankful for those skills of learning to take on the hard stuff and just get ‘er done, efficiently if possible.
I was fortunate to get hired in a union job for 26 years. I am thankful for union in that I managed to keep that job for so long to raise my kids. But efficiency is not at all rewarded in a union setting. Eons ago, many corporate operations structures had a hierarchy of moving up the ladder. It was when I took an operational behavior psychology course than I finally understood why the management in my previously wonderful job had gone down the toilet. The corporate structure had changed and now supervisors could be hired “off the street” from other corporations without understanding the bottom line of operations in our particular corporate structure.
Our duties became a make work project of stretching out the job to keep more people employed, yet specified duties and complaints of “that’s not in my job description”. Downright frustrating and inefficient when I just wanted to get the job done and go home.
One particular incident is etched in my memory as an example of inefficiency of not starting at the bottom. Our supervisor at that time was a really awesome lady, but she had been hired as a supervisor who came over from a supervisory position at the local mill and obviously not familiar with post office operations where mail volumes fluctuate constantly.
At the post office, during Christmas rush, local management relied on the bigger cities to provide quotas, via email, of flyers and mass mailers to staff accordingly. Shifts are accommodated for the heavy volumes as well.
After Christmas season one year, at about my 18 year mark, we had a particularly understaffed heavy volume horrible day at the processing plant. At the following day staff meeting, I asked why on earth they did not staff properly. Her reply was “I didn’t get an email to know what to expect for volumes”.
I had to walk away because I was so frustrated. For me, having started at the bottom, I knew that the first days of January have income tax forms, property tax notices and small business statements along with long weekend backed up mail.
There were many other examples of inefficiency in all my years there. Starting at the bottom builds a whole different level of common sense and efficiency skills.
Now as an entrepreneur, I am thankful for having started at the bottom to gain the necessary skills and common sense to address any task I need to get done to move forward in business and in personal life.
May 19 2020
Day of GRIT: 16 of 28
Metric: 5 K Palooza F3 My arms are still pretty weak and floor push ups are killer so I end up doing elevated push ups with a desk. I figured out a compensation for training my spindles — wrist weights while doing 5 K 🙂
Finisher: F4
Context: “I Embrace Small Wins”
I have seen a story floating around about a woman who had beautiful china and several other treasures that she saved for special occasions. It was after she passed that her husband realized she never used these treasures very much.
When I was a teenager, I went on a church group travel excursion for a weekend revival. 10 of us girls were billeted with a wonderful couple who had a successful business and a huge mansion of a home. We were in awe of the baby grand piano in a large sitting room and the wall of china cabinets complete with an extensive set of Old Country Rose china.
This warm and generous lady explained to us that once a year she invites all the church family toddlers (yes 2-4 years old!!) to her home for a tea party. Moms are allowed to come, but once these youngsters are in her home, they are hers! She brings out the china and has high tea with them. (Yes I can hear all the moms cringing LOL!)
These are two extreme examples that have shaped my views of celebrating the small wins in life. Add to this that I have lost a couple very dear loved ones aged 36 and 37 when they passed. The height of their lives, just snuffed out.
We’re here for a good time, not a long time. I felt like I sacrificed so much earlier in life. Trapped in bad marriages and poor choices. Raising kids while working my butt off to feed them. I don’t regret that time of my life because there were a lot of lessons then. But I made a choice to find my freedom and pursue my bucket list.
I took courses and paid each one as I went along, no huge loans so yes slow process. Each accomplishment has been a small win and a baby step towards my personal growth path.
I own my home. I have a long list of courses, and a long list of concerts. I have raced a race car around a track, swam with dolphins and sting rays, scuba dived, played with a baby octopus, rode an elephant, took drum lessons,jumped out of a plane, climbed Mount Robson 3 times, rode a helicopter over the Grand Canyon, been on over 200 road trips in last 10 years. Yes I found my freedom. And I have also been blessed with amazing friends and clients.
Lately my small wins have been completely my workout each day and a few weeks in, seeing and feeling my progress in my body and mind.
Every one of these things has been baby steps and embracing the small wins for me. CHEERS!!!!!
May 20 2020
Day of GRIT: 17 of 28
Metric: Wednesday Palooza F4
Finisher: F3
Twist: 30 chair squat burpees
Context: “I Am Insanely Strategic”
I check when Ryan posts the context for the next day so I can mull over thoughts. My first thought: Scrat?? Insane? Ya that is me much of the time. Strategic, well… If I have a choice between sink or swim, I can dog paddle and keep my head above water.
Today proved those first thoughts. My whole day went sideways in a good way. It is my birthday and I got flooded with texts, calls, and messages all day.
I had errands today. Had to go sign tax papers plus some other running around. I left dinner up to my kids. There was some miscommunication in responsibilities between 3 of them so we had smokies (wieners), shrimp, salad and zucchini, and baked chicken wings with black forest cake (cherries) for dessert. Now, if you have any idea of the humor in our family, you will understand that I cannot even repeat the conversation that erupted from the day’s events, and our dinner selections. Suffice to say there were a whole lot of laughs, eye rolls, and whoopsies. We are all long past the stage of embarrassment and red faces. :/
Doing a workout at 1030 pm was not my idea of fun. I had my family time and put my commitment off until late. I realized I did F4 and F3 last week. Grumbled lots, but pushed and did got ‘er done.
I still feel more insane than strategic most of the time, but then I think back to working days and raising four kids alone. Simple things like errands, I had learned to fit more into one trip. I found all sorts of shortcuts in my work and home life.
Now that I am retired and running my own business, I have learned to be more strategic in running my business. I look back to the last 10 years and see how primitive my operations were in the beginning. Now that I have a scheduler and a mail system, I have freed up much more time to devote to my clients. I am now able to devote more time to learn new strategies as well.
A quote that I have always loved is: “If you want something done efficiently, give the job to the laziest genius”. This has proven true in all my experiences. I know I am not quite there yet, but I am learning so far.
May 21 2020
Day of GRIT: 18 of 28
Metric: 12 minutes of feeling like death warmed over. #WeLuvCJ It still boggles me how CJ can make these 12 MOD look and seem so simple, yet when I actually do them, my mind starts swearing worse than a sailor. :/
Finisher: F3
Context: “I Nurture An Abundance Mindset”
Eons ago, all I knew was struggle and lack. I naively married my first boyfriend and since he could not hold a decent job while I was barefoot and pregnant, we sat on social assistance many times.
At one point I was on social assistance with 2 kids alone. I was raised in church, so I tithed my social assistance check. I hardly had anything to begin with, but I never needed food stamps at the end of the month. Bills were paid and we had food and shelter.
I finally secured a “good government job” as my ex called it, thinking I should support him. Thankfully that didn’t work out for him. But I still struggled to keep my kids fed and bills paid. I remember once checking my bank account on payday after the bills went through. I had .37 cents to feed my kids for the next 2 weeks. I was resourceful and knew how to stretch a dollar and our pantry.
As an energy practitioner, I have learned that our scarcity mindset can be carried down through our ancestral traumas. How many people have been affected by the past global wars and famines? Hidden beliefs can become a family pattern of weaknesses. The panic and anxiety some people experience through hardships can be triggers of these ancestral traumas.
Thankfully we can find and release these patterns and triggers to bring in an abundance mindset. Gratitude is an energy amplifier. In understanding frequency, vibrations, and how to balance these energies to create our highest and best life, we can enhance our abundance mindset even more with gratitude.
I am thankful for days in the past where I experienced scarcity because I learned to be resourceful and thankful for everything. This attitude in turn shifted my energy flow and I was introduced to a life path where I can now happily experience abundance in many forms, and to be able to share with others.
Not only do I nurture an abundance mindset, I keep this mindset in check continuously through energy balancing.
May 22 2020
Day of GRIT: 19 of 28
Metric: Complex Palooza F3
Finisher: F3 (moved up one from last week!)
twist: 30 chair squat burpees for the fallen
Context: “I Never Count Myself Out”
The business loan office obviously knew what they were dealing with when they approved us for a loan for a carpet cleaning company. I naively signed a stack of papers on my own to guarantee my husband since I had a good government job. Although he was a good worker, he had no business sense whatsoever. I worked full time, looked after 4 small kids, and did the business paperwork.
Fast forward a couple years. Business went down the drain along with the marriage. I was left with 10 thousand dollars in unsecured debts, while he went and sat on social assistance.
In dire straits, I enlisted a credit counseling agency. I filled out the papers and was told that my numbers just did not add up and how the heck was I managing to feed four kids? I told them there is no way in hell that I am going to let a man put me in the grave and these debts would get paid come hell or high water.
Debt counsellor Scott called me back to tell me there was no way he should take on my case as he just did not see any way for me to make the payments and feed my kids, but because of my attitude he took a chance. Five years later he personally called me to congratulate me for finishing their program. I also found out that I was one of their original success cases they used in their training.
I gave my word and I came through, because I never give up and I never count myself out.
May 23 2020
Day of GRIT: 20 of 28
Metric: F5 with 5lb weights.
Finisher: F5 I am getting better!
Context: “My Pain Outweighs My Fear”
“Life ain’t killed me yet!”. I have said this phrase a few times throughout my life. I have overcome so much in my years that fear runs away from me now. Everything we ever hope for is just on the other side of fear.
FEAR = Forfeit Everything and Run, or we can choose to Face Everything And Rise.
In our personal growth path, it is advised to do one thing every day that scares you, that is a step towards our goals.
I choose to step out of my comfort zone, to face my fears head on and Rise. My favorite inspirational cattle prod is: Just Jump Dammit!!
May 24 2020
Day of GRIT: 21 of 28
Metric: Stretch Palooza!!
Finisher: My amazing remote group Reiki sessions on Sunday nights 😀
Context: “I Accept The Consequences”
I learned at an early age that everything I did or said had a consequence, to the point of me living in fear for many years. This life lesson, looking back, is not such a bad thing. It was just a crappy way to learn consequences. I was the eldest and the guinea pig.
Fast forward past my own crappy stuff and harsh lessons, to when I was parenting my own children. Trying to keep track of petty squabbles between 4 kids, and hurt feelings etc, I taught them that if you are going to apologize, you also have to say what exactly you’re sorry for. They hated that requirement, but now as adults and parents themselves, this form of apologizing has served us all well in ethics and compassion and moving forward responsibly in life.
In yesterday’s post I referenced my experience with credit counseling and succeeding to finish the program. Someone commented and congratulated me as “not many people finish the program “. That thought had actually never crossed my mind. I signed the papers and was committed.
I could blame my past misfortunes and being young and stupid, or naive and ignorant, but the fact remains that I chose to get married young. I chose my kids’ father. I chose to sign legal papers many times through my life. I made mistakes, but it still was my choice and I accept the consequences of those choices, and the life lessons that come with it. Strength is born out of adversity, and I am one heck of a tuffy now!
May 25 2020
Day of GRIT: 22 of 28
Metric: 12 minutes of determination when #WeLuvCJ makes it look easy :/
Finisher: Kriss Kross Jump easy version
twist: 40 chair squat burpees for the fallen
Context: ” I Am The Proof”
I am my own survivor testimony. I survived childhood trauma and lived in fear with nightmares for years and years. I went through the age old talk therapy which only served to bring up and re-live old trauma. I felt like a lost cause for years. My life of struggle and poor relationships reflected my inner turmoil.
I am my own triumphant testimony. I reached a point where I finally discovered my inner strengths and realized that energy balancing is the key to effectively eradicating not only my own past trauma, but the ancestral trauma I carried as well.
I am my own shining light testimony. I not only overcame my past, but I learned the tools and keys to share with others how quickly and easily the past can be left behind to pave a new bright future.
I am a beacon of hope and inspiration. I am The Proof!
May 26 2020
Day of GRIT: 23 of 28
Metric: 5 K Palooza F3
Finisher: F4
Context: “I Find Pleasure In The Monotony”
The family joke was that I was raised as the babysitter. There’s a six year gap between me and my three sisters who are close together. I grew up as the outcast and the loner since we lived 15 minutes out of town and I wasn’t anywhere near popular anyway. Poor me, right? I don’t think so. I learned to enjoy my own company. Crossword puzzles, jigsaw puzzles, lots of reading. I quite enjoyed those activities and gained an appreciation for monotony and learning.
In high school, I took a career assessment test and was told I would be best suited for a factory line kind of job. I ended up at the post office for 26 years. Day in and day out the same boring crap every single day. It paid the bills. I found that I really didn’t like the “challenges” of late trucks and holiday volumes or shift work shifts. I was best on the 6 am to 2 pm shift. I used to always say I could sleep on the job and be awake after work for the rest of my day and have my life for me. To be honest, the rest of my life at that time was kind of chaotic anyway. I appreciated the monotony of work that paid the bills and fed my family.
Getting a Plan B in place with further education and starting a business, I was able to retire early and really focus on me and my business. Now, there is some monotony in my life now working with clients, but the rewards are so wonderfully fulfilling!
I took a Master course a few years ago. I had not been comfortable with my newfound skills, so this leadership course was instrumental in empowering me to get comfortable with working with clients and confident in my skills. The best lesson was understanding that the best experience is gained in the small monotonous steps.
Zen and then the laundry.
May 27 2020
Day of GRIT: 24 of 28
Metric: Wednesday Palooza F5, modified desk push ups and 5 lbs weights.
Finisher: F3
Twist 40 chair squat burpees (after a breather..)
Context: “I Am Willing To Pay The Price”
I had already taken a few courses, paid each in cash as I went along. Living paycheck to paycheck raising my kids. A few hundred dollars here and there getting an education and taking courses for interest on the side that would eventually lead me to my new career as an energy practitioner.
My previous instructor approached me and told me I needed to take this next course. It sounded great, but the cost? I balked. I was told she would accept payment arrangements to get me in to this exclusive five month course with only 7 other students. I paid the price and got in.
That course was instrumental in learning about leadership from someone who paved the way. I learned about working with clients, was introduced to several new energy modalities, and was able to gain confidence in my new skills. Well worth the cost of the course and the investment of time and the juggling of my other responsibilities.
The final weekend of that course, we were to discuss “How People Change”. I put the question out to my Facebook friends and received some eye opening replies which I compiled into a webpage: http://ladybugwellness.ca/how-people-change/
The most valuable lesson I have learned through my financial struggles and trying to further my education, is that there are mentors that may come into our lives at any point with invaluable expertise that is instrumental to our personal growth. These mentors have stayed the course and paved the way. I am willing to pay the price to glean knowledge from them that will empower my own personal growth and healing path.
Two months into GRIT, I feel I have found a valuable resource of learning through my new mentors Ryan Fletcher and CJ Thomas, as well as through the community of Story Athlete. Thank you!!
May 28 2020
Day of GRIT: 25 of 28
Metric: 12 minutes of trying to kill me #WeLuvCJ
Finisher: F3 easier version moves
Context: “I Hunt Leverage”
Leverage was not something I really thought of before GRIT. I mean, I can be efficient with chores and work, to make better use of my time, but I never thought of it as leverage.
The last few years I have gotten my name out there a bit more and gained some clients. Enough that I finally invested in an online scheduler to be more efficient with booking appointments and not have to worry about time zones. I had no idea how much of a difference that simple investment would make. Not only that, I have stepped up in the techie world and finally figured out how to send reminder and follow up emails. I look back in how I handled things before and now realize how primitive my operations were. I made room for more clients by streamlining the menial stuff. I also started a newsletter through an email program. Oh boy that has made a huge difference in client engagement and gaining more subscribers as well as client referrals.
Writing a memoir with all of our crazy road trips and the antics of raising four kids has been an ongoing but inconsistent dream project. Through GRIT I am learning the concept of leverage and making this dream project finally get some wheels going. Instead of a maybe someday idea, a book is seeming more on the horizon.
As well, today I upgraded my Reiki attunement so now I am certified to teach Reiki online. This is a form of leverage that will open many more doors for me in being able to teach anyone anywhere and not have to worry about all the associated costs for attracting in person students.
May 29 2020
Day of GRIT: of 28
Metric: Complex Palooza F4!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Do I qualify for an F4? Using 5 lb weights, I did 3 rounds and 100 punches. I looked at the handstand for F4 and lesser self immediately said “That ain’t happening. Way too top and front heavy, plus way overweight. Nope”. Heroic self said “just try it”. I got down on the floor in the hallway and tried to lift my butt. Nope. Hmmm… Get a chair? Yup. Got a chair and crawled on there to get butt up higher. Had phone ready on floor in case I need 911 since no one is here to help me if I die. Managed to get butt against wall with head on the floor. Had to brace one foot against the other wall, but I did get upside down!! Probably not the full 60 seconds either, but I snapped a pic of some sort before I crumpled. Determination?
Finisher: F3
Context: “I am a writer”
Through my teen years I kept a daily diary. I continued into my marriage for about 2 years. Then I realized how sheltered and boring my life was and burned most of my diaries. Life got pretty “interesting” over the years. I would write a synopsis of some of our road trip adventures and a yearly Christmas letter to my friends. Plus letters throughout the year to several penpals.
When the internet came along, I signed up for email. What to choose for a unique name…
I happen to be a rocker at heart. Music is the language of the soul. I appreciate other genres, but drums and bass are what get me moving. One of my friends nicknamed me Ourladyposte. A play on the band name Our Lady Peace coupled with my love of writing and the fact that I worked at the post office. ourladyposte became my email and my online name since then, and still is. Ourladyposte was also the name of my website before I turned it all into Ladybug Wellness. My website has been a bit of an online biography all along.
When I went back to school to get my Associate of Arts in Psych degree, I learned to hone my writing skills a bit more. I write passionately from the heart and have often been encouraged to write more. I have also been told to write my life story many many times. It’s coming…
My weakness is that I can be a scatterbrained chatterbox and easily sidetracked. Hence my other nickname, Scrat.
Languages, lyrics, hidden meanings, crosswords, all fascinate me immensely. GRIT is helping me to focus a bit more, and that book is becoming more than just a pipe dream now.
May 30 2020
Day of GRIT: 27 of 28
Metric: F5!!! 5 lb weights and several breathers
Finisher: also F5!!! Chair squat burpees and desk push ups.
Context: “I Reflect On My Results”
What transformation of Mind have you noticed, and are most proud of? I am so much less down on myself. For the most part my mind is clearer and I am getting my projects done. I have talked about a memoir book for ages and it feels much closer now.
What transformation of Body have you noticed, and are most proud of? I am actually hopeful in looking towards shedding weight and being fit and trim again, back to my model shape body. I haven’t shed weight yet, but I have gained a lot of muscle tone. I CAN do more than an F2! I have actually done a few F5s this past month. 😀
What transformation of Relationships have you noticed, and are most proud of? I seem to have attracted several more clients. The better I feel about myself seems to shine through and attract more wonderful people into my life.
What is the biggest lesson that this GRIT journey has taught you? GRIT is my frog. I need to eat my frog for breakfast rather than leave it til evening. Doing workouts in the evening sucks big fat monkey balls. :'(
On a better note, GRIT and Story Athlete are teaching me a lot through reading other people’s posts. We have such diverse backgrounds and I can pick up tidbits of wisdom from everyone. FUEL and INCOME are an incredible bonus as well.
Best of all, I have learned that a commitment of less than an hour a day can bring about transformation on huge levels over time!
What was the single moment or breakthrough that made it all worth it? Did you see my attempt at a hand stand last night? I am still in shock. I told my kids and they were shocked too! Do you know how old I am? or how much I weigh right now? I Still DID IT!!
May 31 2020
Day of GRIT: 28 of 28
Metric: Last day Spartan F3. Yup, that’s right. I am so bad at math though… I tried to calculate in my head and ended up doing more than F2, so might as well push it all to F3.
100 jump squats: did 30 “jumps” feet lifted but didn’t completely leave floor. More like big calf stretches.
200 pushups: miscalculated and did 75 desk push ups.
300 situps: braced my feet under couch and had a breather after every 3 or 4. Hands on chest style. Pretty sure my cat thinks there is something seriously wrong with me with her glares at me huffing and puffing while she tried to nap on the couch.
400 Burpees: 100 chair squat burpees, done in 3 parts.
F2 = x .10
F3 = x .25
Finisher: After all that, I am having a bowlful of sautéed spinach and pumpkin seeds. (Popeye!) Then my daughter needs my feet for her reflexology training quota. I am happy to oblige. Tonight I have my remote Reiki session to relax, repair, refresh and rejuvenate me and all my group participants. YAY!!
Context: “I Expect The Unexpected”
I have always advocated to prepare for the worst but expect the best. Life is so unpredictable that expecting the unexpected is the only way to survive! It is also, in my opinion, the only way to be open to miracles appearing before your eyes.
20 years ago, my favorite boyfriend told me I was predictable. He loved care packages from me. His next care package was rigged to spring confetti all over the place. He had just vacuumed his house before opening his gift and was a little pissy at first, but then found the humor in it and learned to not tell me I was predictable.
I can be both stable and spontaneous, thank you. I am a redhead, a Taurus, I am half German, a lil bit Irish, and I am an ex postal worker.
Life hasn’t killed me yet. I have been through enough experiences in my life that when I am told I cannot withstand the storm, I tell them I Am the Storm. Or throw me to the wolves, and I will come back leading the pack.
I have no idea how to do some things in life. I do know that if I put my mind to a goal, my redhead horns will find a way, come hell or high water.
Yes I have a lot of little clichés to describe me. One thing for certain, is that when I give my word, it is as good as gold. I will come though. This is because I do expect the unexpected.
More than being a little puffer fish to get through life and survive, I also am open and willing to expect the unexpected in the way of miracles.
Although I understand the physical science of energy work, and I can somewhat grasp the spiritual and soul aspects of energy work as well, being open to experience the unexplainable, allows for miracles to unfold daily.
Yes I can be a tuffy. I can be stable yet spontaneous to go on my road trips and create unforgettable memories. But the most wonderful, incredible aspect of expecting the unexpected is looking back over the beautiful tapestry of my life to see the unexpected miracles and how they have unfolded to bring me to the place of passion I am experiencing in my life now.