February 2022 Daily GRIT writings
Day of GRIT: #1 of 28
METRICS: (FoF) – Hub-Spoke F2 Finisher- 4MOD
CONTEXT: “StoryAthlete Finds a Way…”
After CJ’s context today, I am at a loss for words on “no excuses”. What really do we have as any kind of excuse when there are people out there who are such an inspiration in overcoming obstacles that would be insurmountable to the best of us.
In all my close circles and forums, there is a theme brewing for 2022 in a global consciousness sense. The earth energy is changing and raising in vibration. Not everyone will be able to handle this transition to the new earth. There has been a huge division in the world in the last several years and this divide, as I understand, will become much more prominent as each of us stands in our own truth. I keep “losing” friends who are so stuck in the past and who are not shifting to stand in their own power. They are passively compliant and I just cannot handle being around them anymore.
The bright side is that I am gaining an army, multitudes of more like minded souls coming together in Divine Truth.
Some days I feel sad and want to cater to excuses. And some days, I put on my rockin tunes and get in the zone of standing up for myself and others.
I was so inspired earlier with a new Canadian convoy song. Blasting it and dancing around my living room.
Then this evening, I family friend from childhood spewed her left leaning complicit views towards me yet again. I don’t usually block people, but I need to protect my own energy from that kind of passive aggressive drain.
GRIT community is where I want to be for inspiration instead.
Joe Tedesco: gotta protect that energy at all costs!
Mallory Antonello: protect the positive vibes! We got each other’s back. I’m in the same boat, had to set a lot of “healthy boundaries” until this is over ❤
Jackie Rioux: I joined our local convoy today. Blasted that song on repeat. Took some video. I’ll see if I can put on YouTube. Done being quiet and complacent. This friend thinks democracy voted him in properly. Not when I look around to so many people who didn’t vote for him.
Day of GRIT: #2 of 28
METRICS: (FoF)- Complex Workout F2 Finisher- 4MOD- Tabata Style
CONTEXT: “I Execute to Become Formidable… “
I usually don’t get involved with protests. What we resist persists and like Ghandi said, I would just prefer to BE the change I want to see. He also said he would never attend an “anti-war” rally, but gladly attend a peace rally. “Anti” means against, and energetically, the negative connotation is a lower vibration. Fight is another lower vibration type word. We see all sorts of things says “f*ck cancer”, or whatever similar sentiment. Well, giving energy and recognition to what we don’t want is still giving it energy. Energy flows where focus goes. That does NOT resonate with me at all.
I was at a conference several years ago and I remember a speaker saying “why would I want to send my children to a ‘hospital for sick kids’ when I want them to get well?”. Yes there is a Toronto hospital with that name, and this speaker was on a quest to have them consider a name change.
In learning about these negative connotations of words, I resolved to never support any charity with the disease name in the title. I will gladly support anything wellness, but not particular named disease charities. Side note, I have learned that these charities actually have so much admin costs that your dollars do not necessarily go fully to the intended purpose of the charity.
The past 10 days there has been a Freedom Rally 2022, started in Canada with all truckers. Many went to Ottawa to stand up for Freedom for all, to end all mandates (which are not laws, by the way). This is not anti V. It is not violent. It is meant to be a peaceful standing up in our power. To speak up when our cowardly PM is not speaking for us, but instead censoring many of us speaking for freedom.
I have been in hibernation mode for far too long. Not really rocking the boat much. I have supported the nurses movement from home in my own way. I knew people that went to those rallies. The media interviewed people I know personally and when the newscast came on, we realized that all those interviews were clipped and twisted to something that it was not representing, but more aligned with the biased media.
I am frustrated and have been quiet far too long. I have lost loved ones. I have known within just a few degrees separation many cases where the current global crisis has been the cause of death, loss, grief, and hardship.
Today I blasted the newest Canadian Convoy song on repeat in my vehicle and joined the local trucker convoy parading around town. Yes, we were loud honking all the way with our flashers on. Many had signs and flags.
Good people can only take so much and we have been forced and pushed to our breaking point. It is time to stand up for the human rights of everyone, globally. To let our voices be heard. The unacceptable minority fringe is what we have been called by those who obviously have not come out to see the integrity and organization that these wonderful people uphold for the benefit of all. Yeah, I will probably lose some more friends, but I know I will gain many more like minded souls in my path. The powers that be want us divided, but together when we stand in our power, promoting love, we will be a formidable force of citizens of the New Earth, AKA heaven on earth.
Glenn Forman: Jackie Rioux standing up for what you believe
Day of GRIT: #3 of 28
METRICS: Sunday-Stretch-a-Palooza
CONTEXT: “I Know Motivation Comes AFTER…”
There’s that theory about a object in motion will always be an object in motion, and a stationary object stay stationary. So what makes a stationary object move? Supposedly a push of some sort, which we would call motivation. An inanimate object needs a external physical force to move. I haven’t quite got the kinetic telepathy skill down pat yet.
As humans, we can develop an internal motivation when we engage mind over matter. Reading inspirational literature of any sort can motivate me, but I still need to take the first step on my own.
Back in my years as a mail carrier, I had some days that I just did not want to go out on my route. But with the obligations of my responsibility, and the promise of a paycheck to feed my kids, that was a forced form motivation.
I went through a phase of “walking the bridges” back in my home town. About a 5 km walk through a loop around town. It started with a friend inviting me out for a walk. Then, once I got used to walking every day, there were times that my friends were not available, so I started walking alone. My body had gotten used to the daily motion and stretching. Some days I didn’t really feel like going out walking, but my body would feel tense in craving some Vitamin M. I needed that movement. This was an internal motivation. Now with GRIT, my body needs Vitamin M daily again.
There are lots of days now that I just don’t feel like doing things, but I know that once I get moving, the motivation will come and I will feel a sense of accomplishment. I’m not lazy, I am just in energy saving mode… but that feeling of accomplishment to conquer my goals is a feeling that is worth getting moving for.
Joe Tedesco: When you get that kinetic telepathy skill down, share the secret with me!!
Jackie Rioux: Joe Tedesco, I think I watched too much Jetsons when I was little. I used to have dreams of kinetic telepathy, lol
Day of GRIT: #4 of 28
METRICS: 12 MOD (FoF) Finisher- Ladder Workout F2
CONTEXT: I Care…
Ya, I care, but what do I care about? Eons ago, I sacrificed everything and busted my ass raising my kids. I remember so many times my friends would tell me I needed to do something for me, to be a bit more selfish.
Back then, selfish was a god-awful word to me.
Years later, after much energy healing, I have learned that I carried all sorts of martyr energies. Loyalty beyond abuse and neglect. Empathetic towards others, and to my own detriment.
Fawning is now recognized as a trauma response along with Fight Flight and Freeze. Fawning is a form of over compensating people pleasing.
No more of that these days. Some people may mistake me for being a bitch. That is really only if you get on the wrong side of me when the scorned redhead comes unleashed. Thankfully that does not happen often at all these days. The more I keep my self-respecting boundaries and the more I care about myself, the more I have the capacity to care about other important things like my loved ones and my commitments and all the things that are important to me.
Yes I do care about my clients within reasonable limits. Yes I do care about others, and about global issues, within my own reasonable limits.
But if there are things that are none of my business, things that are out of my own control that do not affect me and my loved ones directly, then, I reserve my caring cup to focus on rejuvenating my own time and space for the benefit of those things most important to me.
Day of GRIT: #5 of 28
METRICS: (FoF) – Accumulation Workout F2 Finisher- 4MOD- EMOM
CONTEXT: “I Am Solution-Focused…”
I was not a good union worker. They promote equality across the board. For the most part that is admirable, but when i just want to get the job done, their philosophy of stretching out the work into our 8 hours shifts, I went stir crazy trying to go slow.
One of my biggest peeves is just to do the job right the first time and only handle things once. When I was trained eons ago, this is how we worked. In a small office we had a pretty efficient system and a ton of mail back then. As communication went more online, paper mail dwindled. When I moved to the a city four times the size of my home town, things were much different with 3 offices instead of one.
At the processing plant, there were containers that mail came in. There was a cage where these containers were tossed haphazardly and then sorted and piled later. Why not pile them right the first time like I used to? I was the new person and I spoke up about this concern only to be shot down and shunned by my coworkers.
The magazines came in plastic wrap or zap strap bundles. I would keep scissors handy and cut and sort as I go. I got in trouble for doing things too efficiently. They wanted to give someone else the job of cutting open the packages and piling neatly into a rolling cart, and then another person to sort them.
I remember having to find something to do a few times because we had very low volumes some days. Once I was assigned to roll up plastic bags and to stack them neatly in a cupboard. Another time I sorted elastic bands to take out the flimsy and broken ones. Thank God I was getting paid good money for this job, but I also understood this was an inefficient waste of time and resources from a business standpoint.
Thankfully, after 26 years, I retired and now have my own schedule. I can be as efficient or inefficient as I want to be on any given day. I prefer to find the most efficient solution. I like the idea of giving a job to the laziest genius to find the best solution. I wouldn’t call myself a genius, nor am I lazy. I just like to conserve my energy for the best reasons.
Day of GRIT: #6 of 28
METRICS: 5K Day Finisher- 4MOD Tunes and dancing around my house to get steps in
CONTEXT: “I Make Power Moves…”
As I read through CJ’s context today, I thought back on several times in my life when I took steps towards my future, but I had never thought of it as “power moves” previously.
I coasted through life at one point, or so I thought. I was a really good barefoot and pregnant wife in a stagnant marriage for a long time. Then, once I realized that life was just not going anywhere and I wanted to grow when he didn’t, I started taking steps.
Now I am thinking I understand why so many people thought I was such a tuffy for all I endured and went through in taking steps through the legal system, moving homes, taking care of kids, making sure kids needs were met.
Up until now I just thought my inner redhead was pissed off and making a life for myself.
I like the thought of me just making “power moves” towards my future. I have owned my little home oasis for 16 years. I retired early. I run my own business now. Life is grand for the most part, because I have made power moves.
Day of GRIT: #7 of 28
METRICS: 12 MOD (FoF) Finisher F2
CONTEXT: “I Never Chase Shiny Objects…”
BUSTED!! I am looking around here for CJ as a fly on the wall because this context prompt sounds like he has been watching me again. You do know that my nickname has been Scrat ever since Ice Age came out? This isn’t so much because of always buying “shiny objects” but because I have been so scatterbrained and easily distracted in the past.
I will admit I have gotten better at focusing and getting things done, but I still have my days when I have no idea where the time has gone or what exactly I accomplished in the previous few hours.
I grew up resourceful because of my parents backgrounds and their influences. Then I raised four kids on a shoe string. Even if I wanted to take advantage of a marketing upsell, I had to count my pennies for the best deal so I was keenly aware of value and quality over quantity theory.
I am reminded also of a dear older gentleman who would come into the post office and spend the last bit of his pension money on expensive registered mail to send off entries to the Publisher’s Clearing house sweepstakes because he was convinced he was the next winner. Having witnessed sad situations like this affected my own thoughts of shiny object syndrome.
I hardly wear any jewelry other than a few sentimental pieces. Anything else gifted to me just hangs on the wall gathering dust. I am a minimalist and I don’t like clutter.
My shiny objects are more in the form of time wasters like cat videos, or playing Tetris or solitaire. I could counter that these distractions can serve a purpose sometimes of just a meditative brain drain moment, or me time.
But the truth is I still need to work on my own focus to not chase Shiny Objects in any form when I have other important tasks on my to do list.
Day of GRIT: #8 of 28
METRICS: (FoF) – Hub-Spoke F2 Finisher- 4MOD
CONTEXT: “My Heroic Self Has Different Tastes…”
I have always loved food. A see-food diet is for me. I see food, I eat. That wonderful trait has not served me well in my later years though.
I started gaining weight right about the time that my mom said I would past age 38. I now understand there is a whole emotional component to my weight gain and I have been addressing that through energy balancing. But there is also a whole aspect of food composition.
We learn about proteins and sugars etc and the effects on the body in any biology class. Proteins are building blocks, sugars are usually instant high energy and then crash and burn effects.
What about cravings though? Through four pregnancies, I learned a bit about cravings that carried forward for me. Interesting side note, each food that I most craved in my pregnancy is the favorite food of that adult child years later. Spaghetti with meat sauce, pickles and cheese, chocolate, and seafood /shrimp. I could not get enough of ice chips through all those months. What I didn’t know early was that I would experience many years of being anemic/ low iron. Ice chips are actually a symptom of low iron.
Being female adds to the low iron issue each month, so my doctor often prescribed red meat. I happen to love steak, so that was fine with me. Chocolate is not high on the healthy side though. I learned that when I crave chocolate, I am actually low in magnesium.
Having this knowledge now, I can choose better options than the immediate unhealthy craving. Ya, I still cave often enough to my milk chocolate with nuts, but it is more of a choice. I can also choose to eat particular food choices that address magnesium and iron levels. The bonus is that the more consistently I keep more healthier options in my regular diet, the less I crave the unhealthy items. Even more than that, I have become super sensitive to food additives and know to avoid those items so I can enjoy fully my real food choices rather than feeling ill and compromised for a day or so after ingesting offending foods. I am no longer fond of carbonated drinks, alcohol, or sugar in my tea. I love fruits and vegetables and still eat my favorite steak regularly enough.
Milk chocolate almonds are a treat these days rather than an outright weakness. Eons ago my best friend and I spent over $300 in one month on the youth group fundraiser to console our broken heart after divorces. No more of that these days. I can make better choices because my tastes, my energy, and my mindset have changed since then.
Mallory Antonello: Jackie Rioux haha I feel ya! Chocolate almonds are my weakness
Jackie Rioux: Mallory Antonello, we were so bad with that one month. 6 kids between us. One box for each of us and one box shared among the kids . Crazy days back then lol
Day of GRIT: #9 of 28
METRICS: (FoF)- Complex Workout F2 Finisher- 4MOD V1
CONTEXT: “I Break Free From Old Patterns… “
I could go on and on about how I have broken past dysfunctional patterns in my life and that my life has changed for the better in so many ways. But no, today I proved yet again that I miss some lessons in life and keep repeating them.
Today’s lesson was regarding my nemesis garlic. Most of my friends remember my experience with baked garlic back in October 2020. What I learned then is that baked garlic does take the pungentness down quite a bit so you can eat way more and get much more of the cleansing effects. I had overdone it then and paid the price of fumigating myself inside out.
A few months later, I had someone gift me a jar of canned pickled garlic. Oh my gosh that stuff was yummy. But again, it does cleanse your insides like a scrub brush. I am sucker for punishment apparently.
Last week, my daughter was cleaning out the fridge and found we had quite a stash of garlic bulbs in there. She baked a few for herself, but I didn’t indulge this time. However, I did suggest putting some cloves in a jar with pickle juice, since I loved the pickled garlic previously.
Today my daughter and I went on a blitzing rampage through our home, cleaning the nooks and crannies and clearing out any fornicating dust bunnies in the corners. Our day was going well. We had pulled out the fridge and stove to clean behind there. That’s where all the cat toys were hiding!
Next we moved on to cleaning inside the fridge. There was the pickled garlic! I was sure it had been marinating long enough over several days so I pulled out a huge clove and munched it down quickly. Yum! Down one gullet, past one lung, hello tummy, here I come!
Within mere seconds I felt that hauntingly familiar burning sensation in my ear canals. OH NO!!!!!!!!!!!! Make it stop!!
Too late. That clove was now sitting in my belly and the fumes were radiating all the way back up to my nostrils. My eyes were watering too. I had burned a passage from my mouth to my belly. A point of no return… I started swearing a blue streak and trying to breathe through it. I actually sent a message to my other kids to start preparing my eulogy.
My gosh I was feeling warm from the inside out. Melissa looked up home remedies to lessen the burning sensation and offered a banana. I settled to chug a glass of milk. It took probably half an hour before I was ready to tackle the house again. Melissa says I still reek like garlic. Good think skunks aren’t bothered by their own scent?
I have learned that canned pickled garlic must lose some of the sting of the fresh cloves. Have I broken free of old patterns? With lots of other things in my life, yeah. But not garlic. There is a full jar of fresh pickled garlic in the fridge, with my name on it, still waiting to plan my demise at any time. I have always told my kids I want to go out with a bang so please cremate me with some popcorn or firecrackers. I am not fond of this idea of burning myself from the inside out though.
I guess the bonus here is that Valentine’s day is in a couple days and I won’t be attracting any vampires.
https://ladybugwellness.ca/my-garlic-cleanse-adventure/
My Garlic Cleanse Adventure | Ladybug Wellness
Cathy Fortin: OMG fornicating dust bunnies
Jackie N. Rioux: Cathy Fortin wellll.. they do multiply..
Rhonda Martinez Montanez: This was / is hysterical
Lee Mackenzie: Good story! Makes me feel a bit better about looking at my patterns! ❤
Day of GRIT: #10 of 28
METRICS: Sunday-Stretch-a-Palooza
CONTEXT: “I Control My OPN…”
OPN = Own Personal Narrative.
I retired from the corporate world back in 2016 when I finally got my Plan B into place and could fully focus on Ladybug Wellness and my new career as an energy balancing practitioner. I had been taking courses and was already running my business on the side serving clients sporadically over a few years.
Sporadically though. I had some wonderful clients, but not consistent appointments. What was wrong here? I learned how to clear the energy of my business and that improved a lot of things, but still something felt off, like I just wasn’t making the right impressions to keep clients and referrals coming in.
Everything that is “wrong” externally, is an internal imbalance. Hidden subconscious beliefs are a horrible block that we often don’t even realize we have. I mean, we learned all sorts of things growing up from our parents, our peers, and society. But at some point we have to realize that all we have learned may be wrong in the greater scheme of life. Our educational sources have taught us all along with what they knew best at any given time. Toss in a dose or two of various traumas and we’ll have recipe for dysfunction.
So what was wrong with me internally? In Body Code, there is a term called “broadcast message” , which is a projected energy imbalance. The way I describe it, it’s like a neon sign on our foreheads that projects our fears and insecurities and particularly these hidden beliefs out towards others and others end up unintentionally treating us the way we are projecting.
For myself, I had one command type message of “mistreat me”. Kinda like that sign that bully kids put on another kids back in grade school. Then I had many variations of beliefs of not being good enough, unworthy, etc. Once I cleared much of those energies, life sure shifted for me in many ways. It seemed I was more visible to others and in a good way. I attracted many clients and followers who wanted to learn from me as well.
I get messages from clients that are compliments and appreciation for the work I have done with them. I just received a message this week from a young lady I have known for about 2 years. Reading her email, I must say I got pretty choked up with humbled tears as she wanted to confirm with me that she wants to mention me by name as one of her mentors in her upcoming book.
I took control of my own personal narrative, and she has taken control of her life as well. You just never know what kind of influence you will have on others. I am so grateful for being able to share my passion authentically and to make a difference in someone else’s life.
Day of GRIT: #11 of 28
METRICS: 12 MOD (FoF) Finisher- Ladder Workout F2
CONTEXT: I Find the Root Cause…
With all my energy healing knowledge, yes I generally find the root cause and eradicate the issue from before the creation of the issue. No band-aid solutions here. Just get ‘er done.
However, some issues seem to be elusive in finding the root cause and completely addressing and eradicating the problem. It really is a sleuthing game.
This past week I participated in a healing group run by a practitioner friend, and focused on Body Image and Weight Release. I felt great through the week. My body seemed to be detoxing and releasing. At least that is how I felt. Unfortunately the scale was not in alignment with my supposed progress and I actually gained 5 more pounds according to the scale reading. Pretty discouraging.
The interesting thing was that we tested my physical vs emotional weight and my physical weight, energetically speaking, is only a few pounds off of where I want to be as my ideal weight. The rest of my weight is all emotional and energetic weight that is showing up physically as a sign that I have not yet found the root cause. More work to do here.
The main things that showed up for me emotionally was a fear of losing my kids and other loved ones, and a resistance to letting go of the past. Given the events in my life the last several years, this totally makes sense. Whether this is the root of my weight issues, and whether I can fully address and release these fears so that the scale physical weight aligns more in my favor, all remains to be seen. To be continued…
Day of GRIT: #12 of 28
METRICS: (FoF) – Accumulation Workout F2 Finisher- 4MOD
CONTEXT: “I Am Nobody’s Victim…”
“Suck it up or I’ll give you something else to cry about”. Pretty cruel words to hear from a parent. Or is it really? Depends on the circumstances. Stupidity should hurt so you don’t do it again. If I legitimately got hurt, of course there was some sympathy. Have a cry then get back at life. If I did something stupid and got hurt… well, that was on me. Most likely I had been told not to do it in the first place. Or I should have used some common sense to avoid stupidity in the first place.
Is it really that harsh? Or are the philosophies today gone soft to the detriment of all of society? How many victim mentality people do you know that ride the social systems, content on just being lazy?
Someone somewhere has to “pay”, whether it is time, money, or other form of energy currency. When a person is an energy vampire, or just plain lazy with a victim mentality, this creates Karmic Debt. And Karma does not forget an address. No Karma isn’t all bad. There is good karma too.
We’re talking bad karma here though. To be a good earth citizen, a good human we need to be accountable for our existence and our actions. Misery loves company so when you have someone with a victim mentality, it attracts otehr energy vampires as well. Most often this would be imbalanced empathic “helpers”, the do gooders that wear their heart on their sleeve in caring too much about others. Why is this a bad thing? These bleeding heart types have no respectable boundaries or self worth and this over compensation of helping others is another form of victimhood.
Why am I so confident in these theories? Because I have been in these various shoes at different times in my life and I can tell you that it did no good to be a victim. Not for me or anyone else.
Being told to suck it up and stop crying and whining, because that just annoys everyone’s ears, was a blunt idle threat way of telling me to stand on my own two feet. To figure out how to get myself out of situations. It taught me resilience and forced me into critical thinking. Yes we can do without the idle threats part, but the sentiment is still the same. Suck it up Buttercup, I ain’t nobody’s victim.
http://universalspirituallaws.blogspot.com/2010/09/spiritual-law-of-karma.html
Joe Tedesco: Great post. “Or are the philosophies today gone soft to the detriment of all of society?” — this is spot on, too! Now I just need to get a shirt that says…”Suck it up Buttercup”
Jackie Rioux: Joe Tedesco thank you. I was having an off day, and I think my bitchiness came out in my post. Oops lol
Day of GRIT: #13 of 28
METRICS: 5K Finisher- 4MOD
CONTEXT: “I Light the Wick of Possibility for Others…”
I was really having an off day yesterday and I am sure my bitchiness showing in my writing context. I find inspiration in reading my GRIT mates contexts. Two from yesterday particularly stood out for me.
Michelle was speaking about how she has noticed a distinctive difference between those of differing political affiliations. I have actually noticed this myself. One being very self sufficient and accountable, the other showing a lot of disrespect for others with their victim mentality.
Joe also spoke about a distinctive difference he has noticed between the victim mentality attitude of one area of town versus another that is more accountable and respectful.
These two have put into words what I have been feeling very strongly, particularly in the last while.
For so many years I have been sought out by friends and clients for advice and stories of how I have overcome my past and made something of myself. I own my home, I run a viable business, I assist others in their healing journeys, I pay my bills, I am a mother and grandmother and enjoy my family. I have had a past, but I have not let that define my future. I am nobody’s victim. I am honored to feel I have been a shining light of hope for those around me.
In recent months the divisive nature of global events has hit too close to home. I am finding that mentors that I have previously respected as my own shining lights have now highlighted their opposing political affiliations. They have seemingly, in my opinion, lost their connection to God consciousness. This is so discouraging to me in how they are blind to what is going on in the world in how they have inadvertently become victims to the elitist agendas.
I have lost several childhood friends recently as well. So much for being mature enough to play in the sandbox together even if we have differing views. No, they do not like my truth especially when I have adamantly stood my ground in my own power and opinions. They have cut off and denied connections to me.
What I have come to realize is that there is no reason to try to change anyone’s mind. They have their truth, and I have mine. Divine Truth will reveal itself and come out in the end. Only at that time will we see who has been “right” in their views.
Until then, I will continue to stand in my own truth. I will continue to speak my own truth and to shine my light. I lean strongly on the concept of vibration. If I keep my vibration high and in alignment with Divine Truth, my vibration will influence positively any lower vibrations around me. It is the law of the universe. This is the only way I know to light the wick of possibility in others.
Day of GRIT: #14 of 28
METRICS: 12 MOD (FoF) Finisher F2
CONTEXT: “I Win Over a Long Enough Timeline…”
Twenty years ago, I would have never believed then what my life looks like now. I went through about 4 years of tears with family court custody and maintenance issues. I was left with a mountain of marital and other debt. Rock bottom and broker than broken trying to make myself into something. Anything. I got out on my own with a tarnished reputation before I could even build a reputation thanks to his connections in our home town. Small town rumors just added to my plight at that time.
I had a dear friend who became my Big Sis. She still to this day is my genuine shoulder when I need her. She kept telling me to hold my head up and live my life so that those who didn’t know me had nothing on me. Her advice, “Give them enough rope and they’ll hang themselves” rang true over time.
Karma comes around in good and bad ways, and never forgets an address. Sometimes you even get to hear about it. Not that I wish anything bad on anyone, but I did get some relief hearing about karma backfiring on some people who tried to make my life hell at that time.
I have tried to live my life authentically and over time, this has become a “win” for me in what I consider a pretty good life all these years later.
Joe Tedesco: Jackie Rioux Karma don’t mess around!!
Day of GRIT: #15 of 28
METRICS: (FoF) – Hub-Spoke F2 Finisher- 4MOD
CONTEXT: “My Routine Kills Indecision…”
Back in working days, I was often on a 6 am to 2 pm shift, which I actually liked because I could do my monotonous job half asleep, go home for a power nap and then have the rest of the day for me. I had my morning routine down to a science. I could do my shower, breaky to go, and be out the door within 20 minutes of crawling out of bed. I am still like that. Low maintenance there. Back then I didnt go to bed early, cherishing my ME time after kids were settled, so I was often groggy in the morning until my hot shower woke me up. Blasting AC/DC and other 80s rock also helped waking me up for work.
However, my kids will never forget one morning when someone had moved both my keys and my hair pick. They knew to not touch mom’s stuff. If they needed to use anything, that was fine, but it goes back exactly where they got it from. Or else.
That Or Else happened one morning when redhead medusa mom came unleashed and woke up four sleeping kids at 5 30 am because I needed to get to work. I don’t remember anyone ever moving my stuff again quite like that.
Thankfully those days are long behind us. Now I am retired from that corporate world and happily living my passion running my wellness business. I still have some routines that are now so engrained that it messes me up if I miss something. Thankfully, because of these routines, I can get myself back on track much quicker.
I still need to work on consistency for something and a regular earlier time do get my GRIT commitments into my day.
Day of GRIT: #16 of 28
METRICS: (FoF)- Complex Workout F2 Finisher- 4MOD- Tabata Style V1
CONTEXT: “I Pursue Increasing Levels of Clarity… “
Through each of these daily contexts, I look back on my life for examples to share of the lessons I have learned that may be applicable and insightful to inspire others.
In reflecting back, I often realize that that was then and this is now. I have come so far in my life journey’s that I hardly know that shy naive girl from eons past. Yet I have brought forward experience, and some well earned wisdom highlights and wrinkles as well. Knowing my past, I can either predict a similar future or I can gain clarity from the rear view mirror and adjust my life’s course to create the future I want instead.
In this refection back to the past, I have realized a detrimental cause of the current global division and confusion. When I was young, we had investigative journalism programs such as W-5. We got to see a seemingly unbiased and informative look at the behind the scenes of certain events and situations.
I love my country. I am a proud Canadian. But I am sorely ashamed of our government and particularly the spineless jellyfish excuse of a national leader we have here. I am sure his legacy will be the most embarrassing leader in all of global history. There have been leaked videos circulating of him saying he paid off the media to support him. So much for investigative journalism. The fear based, left leaning, victim based lies are unfortunately apparent in those who trust and watch these news sources.
Personally I am left with too many unanswered questions. When I have friends and network connections globally, I hear things from those who bear witness with their own eyes to some events. The media seems to taken their news tidbits out of contest to weave a completely different story to what is actually happening. I personally know 3 people who were interviewed but when their piece aired, it was clipped and made to sound opposite of what they stood for. This ads to my distrust of these media sources.
When something seems to be controversial, I prefer to know why and to be able to form my own opinions. I would like to hear opposing views so I can weigh my own views and the pros and cons of information, to draw my own conclusions. This brings clarity and confidence in my decisions for my own life and the lives of those I influence, particularly my family and loved ones.
I saw a meme today that succinctly expresses my thoughts on biased media:
“Education means to bring out wisdom. Indoctrination means to push in knowledge. Beware of false knowledge. It is more dangerous than ignorance”.
Day of GRIT: #17 of 28
METRICS: Sunday-Stretch-a-Palooza
CONTEXT: “I Implement Good Advice…”
Back in July of 2019, I received a Facebook friend request from a young fellow. Being the super wary person I am on social media, I checked out this guy’s profile.
I was checking to see if he was a military brat with tons of female friends and pics of him with a child or a pet, and a fairly fresh profile. You know those ones, they’re looking for a sugar mama and they are usually fake profiles.
My spidey senses are usually on high alert cue to my naivety back in 2001 when my sister introduced me to a guy she had met on an online chat group. Thanks to that whirlwind romance and eventual divorce experience, I learned a lot about online security and refuse to go on any dating sites as well.
Back to this friend request… I have my security settings set to “only friends of friends” can send a friend request. I checked out Greg’s profile and saw that he was married, and Glenn Foreman was a mutual friend. Glenn is a fellow energy balancing practitioner from some of my forums. Seemed safe enough to accept this new friend request. Plus, I noticed this guy posted a lot inspirational and personal growth kind of things, which I quite liked.
Greg sent a message asking about business and entrepreneurial endeavors. I wasn’t really on the same page there, but I appreciated his insights. Fast forward to around Christmas 2019 when Greg invited me to participate in an accountability chat where we would post our aspirations and accomplishments over a few weeks. It was in that group chat that I met Heather. Between Greg and Heather, they kept on me about joining Story Athlete. I finally checked out their website links in January but decided that I couldn’t afford a membership, especially with the exchange rate, and I wasn’t ready to jump in with a bunch of seemingly overzealous creatures that would torch my butt and leave me in the dust.
In April of 2020, they told me there was a free month offer and to get inside to at least give it a try. Ugh. Greg also told me that my elliptical machine was better off as a clothes hanger and this community was way better. I was so confused trying to get in to a new social media platform. Adam was so helpful and patient with me. Then I learned that Adam would be my partner and he worked at the post office. A common ground sufferer!! A crazy critter just like me! I am so thankful that Adam was so patient and encouraging with me as I navigated my first month in GRIT.
I sold that stupid elliptical machine and put those funds to my membership in Story Athlete. I found my tribe. I actually started a YouTube channel and implemented all sorts of ideas from my entrepreneurial team mates. I keep renewing my membership because this is my daily accountability now. I think I have grown as a person and my business has definitely grown exponentially thanks to being in GRIT. Some friends come into your life for a reason and I am sure glad I accepted that friend request from Greg.
Glenn Forman: Jackie Rioux and here you are :))
Day of GRIT: #18 of 28
METRICS: 12 MOD (FoF) Finisher- Ladder Workout F2
CONTEXT: I Protect My Reputation…
Bryon Katie says, “All stress comes from being in the wrong business. There is God’s business, their business, and your business. Whose business are you in?”
My “reputation” is based on what others think of me, their perceptions. Their opinions of me, really, are none of my business. We cannot possibly please everyone and it would be too stressful and futile to even try. On the back of my vehicle I have a decal that is a quote from Dr Seuss, “Be who you are and say what you feel because those who matter don’t mind, and those who mind, don’t matter”.
Quite often if you hear something derogatory about someone else, it is often from a jilted lover, or a jealous insecure competitor. It could also be someone who is not in your close circles that really doesn’t have a clue about your character up close. Their words are based on their own perceptions and judgments.
The best I can do is to live my life authentically and to serve my clients in the best way I know how, then leave the rest alone. There is a whole other aspect and topic of working on myself regularly to clear any projected energies I may have that would inadvertently give someone else a skewed perception of me, but other than that, I have no control over my “reputation” as perceived by others.
I just had an experience recently where someone in a local questions group was asking about Reiki practitioners. My name was tagged so I responded to the original poster in the comments with my website and contact information.
Someone else jumped on the thread under my comment to ask me directly if I knew about or offered “raindrop technique”. I actually had not heard of this technique so I looked it up.
I responded to this person’s inquiry by saying that it appears to be a controversial technique promoted by an essential oils MLM company where undiluted oils are used directly on skin, and no, I would not be offering or promoting this technique to my clients. Now, in my experience and knowledge I know that you are never to use undiluted oils unless specifically trained by a certified aroma therapist, and preferably not a biased proprietary representative.
I thought my response was professional and explanatory. Since this was a public forum, I suggested that others do their due diligence in researching before trying this method. My daughter has much more contact with information in her apothecary and aromatherapy practitioner forums, so she also commented reiterating her concerns with this proprietary and controversial technique.
This person responded that we must be completely uneducated and blocked my daughter. Then, several hours later, after I had all but forgotten about this post, I received a private message from this person blasting me for her disappointment in my response and how I should be more supportive of women in not tearing them down. Whaaaat? Where did she confuse my response to her inquiry about a controversial technique with being degrading to her or to women?
I looked at her profile and found that she is a distributor for this MLM oils company.
This is just an example of how someone can completely take me the wrong way than intended. This exchange reminded me of Ryan Fletcher’s comment that MLMs are the fastest way to lose friends!
Then just days later, I received a message from a dear client who is writing a book and wants to mention me by name as one of her mentors. Quite humbling. So which one of these scenarios is my reputation? Both can be, based on different perceptions.
This is why the only way to protect my reputation is to live authentically, speak my truth and stay close those like minded souls in my tribe who appreciate me. I can only trust that my authenticity will shine as a light for others who are willing and ready to see me in what I feel is my true light.
Day of GRIT: #19 of 28
METRICS: (FoF) – Accumulation Workout F2 Finisher- 4MOD
CONTEXT: “I Push Beyond 40%…”
One of the first times I remember pushing myself beyond my limits was back when I was 18 and was in the first few months of marriage. See, I was a teen mom. My daughter was born 17 days after my 17th birthday. I married her father the following summer, against my parents advice, but that is a story for another time.
Now, I had gone from my parents home to living with a husband who was hardly ever home. Always out partying with his buddies. I had been in Christian private school then transferred to public school 2 months before her birth. Because of this transition, I was delayed to graduate from high school.
Once we were married, we took on managing a local motel at the outskirts of town. We could not leave our management position together, so while I was at school during the day, he stayed home to manage the motel and look after our daughter. As soon as I was home, he would leave for the evening. I did not have a drivers license until I was 23, so I was taking the school bus each day. The only problem was that the pick up and drop off was about 2 km from the motel. Not a problem in the summer time, but winter with regular blizzards was quite trying. I was already accustomed to long walks and long bike rides previously, but again usually in summer and not with as many responsibilities in my life as I had during this time managing the motel with family and school obligations. I remember one particular time that I got off the bus and stepped into a full on blizzard. I was walking in a fairly open area with the highway and river side me so the wind was blowing snow was icy cold and cut through to my bones.
I didn’t dare cry because that would just create icicles on my lashes and more problems trying to see my way in the white out conditions. I had nowhere to duck in for any kind of shelter. Just one foot in front of the other, pushing my way against the wind til I got home to the motel. Only two kilometres, but it felt like eternity that day.
I had no choice but to keep pushing myself beyond what I felt I could. I just kept trying to think warm thoughts of getting home to my daughter. By the time I did reach home, I was so stiff and frozen, and I had to pee so bad!!! You know you’re cold when the porcelain toilet seat in winter was warmer than my butt cheeks!
I survived. I pushed through. I gained the knowledge that I could push myself beyond my limits and I took that knowledge forward to many other situations in my life where I also survived.
Day of GRIT: #20 of 28
METRICS: 5K Day Finisher- 4MOD
CONTEXT: “I Pursue Peak Energy…”
The Levels of Consciousness from Dr David Hawkins is a chart that many energy healers use. This chart explains the levels of vibration of emotional states from shame and guilt at the lowest, to happiness, love, joy, peace, enlightenment at the highest
Through energy healing we release the lower vibration upsets and trauma and in turn we raise our overall vibration. While this explanation can makes sense to the average person, it is not until you actually experience energy healing that you’ll fully understand the feeling of how emotional baggage is actually “heavy”. This is why we feel “depressed” when we’re feeling lethargic. All this is lifted through the energy healing process and can bring a feeling of peak energy, happiness, and vitality.
This is why I am quite willing to pursue peak energy in this way and to stay high on a happy vibe!
Day of GRIT: #21 of 28
METRICS: 12 MOD (FoF) Finisher F2
CONTEXT: “Sometimes I’m Terrified…”
I have been up Mount Robson three times. There are 7 camping sites along the 23 km stretch to the top. My first time up, I went with a friend and I made it to the cave. The second time, my daughter and I went up and made it to the cave again. The cave is on a stretch beyond the 6th campsite, almost straight up. Beyond the cave there is Mumm’s basin, which we had never been to before and wanted to try to get there. Well, we did venture over that way but there were not very many visible trail markers along that stretch so we’re not sure we actually made it. It was getting late. We were on top of a mountain, and the sun was going down. Yikes.
We decided it would be wise to get our butts back to our campsite. Unfortunately, the camp we registered for was almost 13 km back. We had planned to camp and leave our stuff at the Whitehorn camp so we could take only day packs and not have to carry our tent and overnight gear through 4 kms of switchbacks.
There are some flatter areas and we made good time there, but it was dark by the time we got to the switchbacks. Switchbacks are a zigzag trail down a steeper area of the mountain. Trees and boulders everywhere. We had heard there had been a bear sighting the day before, so we were on alert more than usual.
We had bear bells and head lamps but going through those twists and turns, scurrying as quick as we could down the mountain, every shadow looked like a bear. We managed to get back to camp and were quite relieved to settle in our tent knowing there were some other hikers settled in their tents around us.
When we went up the next year, we registered our campsites a little better according to our hiking plans, even to carry our gear further up the mountain. This was one of the most terrifying experiences I endured in quite a while.
Day of GRIT: #22 of 28
METRICS: (FoF) – Hub-Spoke F2 Finisher- 4MOD
CONTEXT: “My Preparation Pays Off…”
Proper preparation prevents piss poor performance….
I realized eons ago that I need somewhat of a routine to keep me prepared. Keys are always in my pocket, in the ignition, in the side pocket of my purse or on the hook at home. If they are not in those places, God help me they are lost. Thankfully hasn’t happened too many times unless I had a really sidetracked stressful day. Then losing keys just puts me over the edge. ugh.
I like to be organized. If I am not organized, nothing seems to go right. Am I OCD? Maybe a little. ya. Old Cranky and Demented.
I keep an emergency kit in my vehicle and an emergency kit in my home. I don’t think we can ever be fully 100% prepared for the unexpected tragedies, especially when our world has gotten so crazy, but at least I have a pretty good head start for my own peace of mind.
Proper preparation is super important when I am a single woman who likes to take off on roads trips or go to rock concerts alone. Being prepared has saved my ass a few times over the years. I guess my years in Girls Guides paid off throughout life.
Day of GRIT: #23 of 28
METRICS: (FoF)- Complex Workout F2 Finisher- 4MOD V1
CONTEXT: “I Don’t Harbor Anger… “
When I explain that I am a redhead Taurus, half German, lil bit Irish, and an ex postal worker, I get some wide eyed wary looks. All my traits are against me on the anger topic. However, the Jordan Peterson quote has been shared before here, “You should be a monster, an absolute monster and then learn how to control it!”.
I have been a monster a few times in my life and probably scared the beejeebies out of a few people. I can be so calm and collected most of the time and then sometimes redhead medusa comes unleashed and my inner volcano bubbles over. Not a pretty sight. My children’s father had an unpredictable volatile temper. As did my father actually. I was used to walking on eggshells for years. In the ten years with my children’s father, there were only a few times when I blew a gasket. He scurried the kids away from me those few times. Not something to be proud of at all, but I learned my limits. I learned that when I am overtired and under slept, I have an extremely thin line of patience. That is not a good kind of anger.
What do you mean a good kind of anger? Well, that would be an example of bad anger. Unnecessary, uncontrolled anger.
There is a good kind of anger when it comes to the compassion of humanity such as abuse of children particularly. Pedophilia is something that incites instant rage within me. What to do with that anger though? I do my part with working with survivors of abuses. Thankfully with energy healing, I do not need to know the upsetting details yet I can help survivors overcome that atrocious past.
Energy healing and balancing is a way to release all kinds of anger by addressing the root causes of anger and rage. By releasing anger from the root cause, we can control that inner monster.
These days I take care to get enough rest and sleep so I am not so quick to anger.
Glenn Forman: Jackie Rioux Righteous indignation is a proper form of anger, which is what you talked about.
Unfortunately there are too many with self-righteous indignation.
Jackie Rioux Glenn Forman, yes, very true. Not everyone chooses energy healing, which can bring discernment.
Kelly Robb Jackie Rioux maybe you could channel healing toward Putin
Jackie Rioux Kelly Robb trust me we’ve been doing the whole situation. I’ve got a dowsing group that meets 3 times a week last few months and all working on global stuff. Thongs are shifting whether we recognize it or not.
Kelly Robb Jackie Rioux bless you
Day of GRIT: #24 of 28
METRICS: Sunday-Stretch-a-Palooza
CONTEXT: “I Celebrate Small Victories…”
It’s tax season now. I had always despised tax time and having to organize receipts and ledgers. I am not at all fond of administration aspect of business but it is a necessity.
Now that I have a much better organized system, it is just a matter of entering data regularly. I still may not be fond of this work, but I celebrate that I have data to enter because that means my business is running well.
My bonus is that I have the most amazing clients to work with and often receive feedback on their successes in overcoming their issues. These are small victories for me as well because it confirms that our time together in energy healing sessions is bringing results for them in a happier healthier life.
Day of GRIT: #25 of 28
METRICS: 12 MOD (FoF) Finisher- Ladder Workout F2
CONTEXT: I Learn From My Mistakes…
I have come from a school of hard knocks. Grew up in redneckville where the main industry was logging. We lived 15 minutes out of town. My father was a totalitarian. There are a lot of factors I could blame for me growing up in survival mode. Actually, having this upbringing, there were some things where you only made a mistake once. Like touching a hot stove. You learned fast that stupidity hurts. These days we have warning labels on everything and look what has happened to society. Personally, I think we should not have warning labels and just let society sort itself out.
There are some things though that were what could be considered mistakes in my past, such as two failed marriages. But were they really mistakes, or learning lessons?
What I have come to learn through energy balancing is that my previous hidden beliefs and negative emotions kept me trapped in a repeated pattern of poor choices. The subconscious mind wants to keep us in the familiar past rather than forging a new unpredictable path. It is a survival mechanism designed to keep us safe. But what is “safe” when these patterns are detrimental to our well being?
Through energy balancing and releasing these trapped energies, we raise our vibration, become more in tune with our intuition and discernment so we can make better choices in our lives.
In this way I have learned much from past mistakes, but I also have come to recognize them as lessons instead of mistakes.
Some mistakes repeated, like when I succumb to my occasional Coffee Crisp treat, are actually choices, not mistakes anymore. Then again, in whose opinion is a chocolate bar a mistake?
Day of GRIT: #26 of 28
METRICS: (FoF) – Accumulation Workout F2 Finisher- 4MOD- EMOM
CONTEXT: “I Diligently Document the Journey…”
So many people have told me to share my stories, to write about my life. As I look back on my life and remember some particular events, I wonder how the heck I ever managed to survive and to come to this point in my life.
I used to keep a diary when I was a teenager. I continued into my first years of marriage. At one point I read through some of those old notes and realized how boring my life was. I burned much of those boring notes, and focused on living life instead. At some points I have written about road trips or other events, but all these notes have been scattered through my computer, through paper files, and all sorts of unfiled papers as well. I have documented my journey, just not diligently or efficiently. Now that I have figured out a system of recording and organizing, I am gathering all those scattered notes to align into a more legible form of documentation so I can more easily share with my family and anyone else interested to read about my life.
This is definitely a worthy but time consuming project. With diligence from this point on, I trust this journey will become even more worthwhile.
Day of GRIT: #27 of 28
METRICS: 5K Day Finisher 4MOD
CONTEXT: “I Reflect on My Results…”
Mind Body Business Relationships…. Reflecting on the last month.
I think I did ok through most of the month, well at least at first. I have been doing my energy healing and things are going quite well with business and clients. I am so blessed to have amazing contacts and clients that way. I have some amazing practitioner friends as well.
I was awfully frustrated when I participated in a weight release group for a week and gained weight instead of shedding. Super frustrating. I have heard enough about intermittent fasting that I decided to try that method after the gain frustration. I got back down to the weight I have been holding for the last two years. I did manage to keep at the intermittent method for several days, just having an eating window between 12 and 8 pm each day. My problem is consistency. I did great for several days then caved and ate a bag of chocolate one evening. I felt like crap and chided myself on that stupidity.
Relationships: I think I am going through another phrase of losing friends. I mean, I know that if we lose friends due to their rigidity and opposing opinions, they weren’t really friends to begin with, right? But these were childhood family friends. It is so disappointing to realize they are on a completely different path in being followers rather than standing in their truth. I know I just need to accept that others choose a different soul journey and there is not a damn thing we can do about it other than let them go. Then I have to face my own attachments and reasonings in why this upsets me so much. On the opposite of this, I have had some well meaning friends who constantly bombard me with “really important, you gotta see this” videos and articles, which have been shared in other groups and channels repeatedly. It is like the online version of spam and chain letters. This is just simply information overload. I cannot keep up with any of it. I end up turning off notifications and deleting all of it, then politely, or maybe sometimes not so politely, telling certain people to STOP dammit!! Some people just don’t get it that some channels are the reason they get hacked.
I have been encouraging myself and others, as I feel is my purpose in life. I have stood in my truths and yet the last few weeks have spiraled into feeling so disappointed and alone. In the last probably a year or so, I have come to find out that at least a dozen people I know have been “diagnosed” with ADHD issues. I absolutely refuse to go get a label for having a list of traits. I took psychology and I despise labels that way which are really based on a doctors perceptions. You cannot study the mind. You can study a physical brain, but the mind is open to interpretation. However, the list of traits with lack of focus and feeling overwhelmed and stuck are something that I seem to feel in myself at times. The last few weeks is one of those times.
I just want to shut off the entire world and take some much needed quiet time away from distractions. I would like to obviously keep some channels open to clients, certain close friends, and family of course, but that means I need to keep on top of shutting off notifications and settings for all other distractions.
I am trying to stay positive but not really feeling it today.
Business YAY!
Body, is still a work in progress.
Relationships: feels like a shifting roller coaster right now.
Mind: Took a vacation without me. I am a good egg, just slightly cracked. But that is ok cuz that is where the light gets in.
Day of GRIT: #28 of 28
METRICS: Feb 2022- Final Workout Count Down Workout F2 Finisher
CONTEXT: “I Expect the Unexpected…”
Continuing from yesterdays context, I have been feeling super overwhelmed lately. I do my own energy healing but I also have my go to lady in England every few weeks for a tune up for me so I can keep myself in the best shape to work with my clients.
This morning I had a session with Sue. In energy healing, anything can cause anything. This is a quote from Dr Brad at Discover Healing. We know this. I always go into my client sessions detached from the outcome and just facilitating. In this way, we just never know what comes up.
Sue works like this as well. My session this morning was quite instrumental in getting me grounded and back on track today. YAY!! But the imbalances that came up for me were quite surprising in confirming just how overwhelmed I have been lately. Interestingly, there were two imbalances that I have been carrying since age 3 and these were quite significant blocks. Although I feel much better, my mind and body are needing some spiritual maintenance and cocoon time. As much as I love being in GRIT each month, I feel the need to respect my needs right now to shut off the outside world and just concentrate on me, my family, and my clients for a few weeks.
I am trusting that all my friends here in GRIT will reach out for April GRIT to put a huge bon fire under my butt and get me back in GRIT then. I will check in to the main community now and then for sure. This is Ladybug taking some cocoon time so I can come back with new wings fresh with the rebirth of Spring.
Jackie Rioux ‘TEMPORARILY CLOSED FOR SPIRITUAL MAINTENANCE’
Bob Little: Jackie, take care while you get some much needed “you” time. We will see you as a butterfly when you emerge from your cocoon.