Monday Motivation – Dedicated to Mike Chalmers

Happy Monday Morning !!!

I have been back and forth with quotes and things lately, such as the insight new experiences offer to us if we’re willing to really recognize these moments (that is, allowing ourselves time to take them in), the integrity of a person, which is a direct reflection of their hard work and dedication to achieving the goals they say they want to (there is nothing worse than hearing someone TALK constantly about their goals, without ever seeing the ACTION to achieve them), and I have continually touched on the importance of NEVER GIVING UP.

So today, as I take a break from morning training, I am encouraging you to never give up, never stop three feet from gold, and view hardships as an opportunity for far greater success and opportunity because you have NOT given up.

“Life’s up and downs provide windows of opportunity to determine your values and goals. Think of using all obstacles as stepping stones to build the life you want”

Have a very beautiful day, marked by this very beautiful moment in which you are alive and not giving up on the goals and dreams that you most deeply desire and are working hard to achieve.

Make it a GREAT day.

Motivation Thunder Monday

“Self-confidence is the first requisite to great undertakings.”
-Samuel Johnson (1709-1784)

I love this one. I’ve sent a lot of emails about achieving goals, success, perseverance, but this is the first about the root/foundation needed to start your climb to the top: Self confidence.

BE the person who is honest, intelligent, organized, responsible, committed.

BE optimistic, enthusiastic, dependable, focused, persistent.

BE a positive thinker, energetic, hard worker, appreciative, generous, considerate.

BE gentle, patient, caring, sensitive.

BElieve in yourself, your strengths, your abilities, your dreams and desires.

I BELIEVE each of you represent these qualities and I have been blessed that each of you have shared them with me, on different occasions, different days, in different ways (yes, I rhymed that on purpose).

TODAY is a NEW day, Impossible is NOTHING !!

LOVE LOVE LOVE,
-Erin

Motivation for Monday :)

Today’s inspiration via words comes at a very coincidental time in my life, where friendships are strengthened or weakened, lost but never forgotten; which is inevitable as we grow and mark our lives with our individual experiences, opportunities, successes, and obstacles. It also reminded me of a refreshing conversation (which are always this way with this fine young chap) about how truly influencing our friendships are on our own POSITIVITY–positive flow of ideas, thoughts, emotions, energy- and how easily, on the other hand, we are taken off course by someone who does not support what we’re truly searching to accomplish.

EVERYONE have a phenomenal start to your week. Get the engine revving at full speed starting now.
EVERYONE spread love today–a kind word, a kind act, a kind smile.
EVERYONE pick up at least 1 piece of garbage !
EVERYONE keep on rockin’ in this FREE WORLD.

“Keep away from people who try to belittle your ambitions. Small people always do that, but the really great make you feel that you, too, can become great.”

“The world is a great mirror. It reflects back to you what you are. If you are loving, if you are friendly, if you are helpful, the world will prove loving and friendly and helpful to you. The world is what you are.”
-Thomas Dreier, Author

Motivation for Monday Morning

“The future belongs to those who fuse intelligence with faith, and who with courage and determination grope their way forward from chance to CHOICE, from blind adaptation to creative evolution.”
–Charles E. Merriam (1876-1953)

Our present was at one time our future. We got here because of the choices we made. As we continue to learn and grow, we are better equipped to make the kinds of choices that bring us to the future we envision for ourselves.

“Growth means change and change involves risk, stepping from the known to the unknown.”

Make today happen. Make life happen. Make it great.
Have a phenomenal start to your week.

Motivation for Monday :)

“The discipline you learn and character you build from setting and achieving a goal can be more valuable than the achievement of the goal itself.” — Bo Bennett, Author

This quote blew my mind this morning. Two reasons/thoughts on why and how:

1. I reflected (in writing) on the positive flow of emotions, energy and awesome events that occur when we are committed and focused on achieving the goals we set for ourselves. It is important to reflect on this positivity regularly, but especially during times when it is easy to become distracted (holidays, birthdays, special events etc), unmotivated, and/or unfocused. This (amongst more obvious reasons) is WHY it is important to have clearly defined goals, ones which you have hand printed and which are easily accessible in order for you to review them on a daily basis. This is so that you are constantly reinforcing, re-motivating, and re-focusing on what you are working towards. As I mentioned earlier, by reflecting in writing, I am able to use this outlet as a way to reinforce/re-motivate when I feel I’m becoming unfocused or distracted.

2. Regardless of the outcome during the pursuit of your goal(s), it is true that by honestly committing to setting and achieving goals, you will become infinitely more disciplined and strong of character. Character: Your ability to carry out a good resolution long after the excitement of the initial moment is past. Character enables us to reach long term goals, even when faced with times when we’d like to quit. A person with character finds a special attractiveness to difficulties because in coming to grip with difficulties we realize our potentialities.

Amazing words of the week, I think.
You’re all amazing, make your day Great.

Motivational Monday!

What’s Holding You Back?

“We must not weep for what we might have been. There is still time.” ~Edward Matchett

Too often we look at the reasons our dreams are impossible. Too often our daily activities and our thoughts are clouded with negativity, of disadvantages, and excuses. WE SEE OURSELVES AS VICTIMS OF OUR CIRCUMSTANCES, WHEN IN A DIFFERENT LIGHT WE COULD BE VICTORS, INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE MADE THE CHOICE TO SUCCEED, EVEN WHEN PRESENTED WITH CHALLENGES/BUMPS ALONG THE WAY.

Until we learn to recognize our habitual excuses, we will likely continue to avoid the challenges that might take us nearer to our goals. We must recognize our reluctance as an understandable avoidance of pain or fear. Then, decide TODAY things WILL change. Decide TODAY that we will no longer avoid the challenges.

I came across this quote last night and was so taken by it for two reasons: first, rosa parks has been my hero since I wrote an essay on her in high school because of her amazing strength, determination, and self-respect (all of which goes without saying) and second, it is just a PERFECT way to bring it all together.

“I have learned over the years that when one’s mind is made up, this diminishes fear; knowing what must be done does away with fear”
~Rosa Parks

Don’t let your dreams be dreams.
Make it a very beautiful, productive, risk-taking day.

MOTIVATIONAL MONDAY !!!

Today is a fun message BECAUSE I’m giving you motivation for each day of this week.

MAKE IT HAPPEN MONDAY
“The chains of habit are too weak to be felt until they are too strong to be broken”

TERRIFIC TUESDAY
“No great performance ever came from holding back”

WONDERFUL WEDNESDAY
“It’s not what you do once in a while; it’s what you do day in and day out that makes the difference”

THUNDEROUSLY AWESOME THURSDAY
“I have never known a really successful man who deep in his heart did not understand the grind, the discipline it takes to win”
–Vince Lombardi

FANTASTIC FRIDAY
“The important thing is to learn a lesson every time you lose”

SATURATED SATURDAY
“Life without risk is not worth living”

SWEET SUNDAY
“You have set yourself a difficult task, but you will succeed if you persevere”

Motivational Monday.

TODAY I wanted to share the lyrics from one of my favourite songs by Crosby and Nash, called Frozen Smiles:

“So my advice to you is not to take advice
From the dealers who are handing out your cards
TAKE YOUR LIFE INTO YOUR OWN HANDS
Just have faith…”

Create your own beautiful, successful destiny. Have faith that the world is on your side as long as you are TRUE TO THE BEST THAT IS IN YOU!!!

CREATION comes from the Latin word “creo” which means “I BELIEVE”.
BELIEF is a key starting point for success-BELIEF IN YOURSELF, YOUR ABILITIES, YOUR HEART, YOUR IDEAS ..BELIEF IN EVERYTHING YOU STAND FOR.

Don’t sit around taking your chances with destiny. Make your choice and achieve it. Believe it to achieve it.

In the spirit of the “Resolution Season”, I’m curious about each of your New Year Resolutions. Send me yours. Sharing things like resolutions encourages commitment and accountability in achieving what you are setting out to do.

Most of you are back at work today after what was probably a wonderful holiday-enjoy today. Make every moment, every day, count.

“Blessed are the flexible, for they shall not be bent out of shape”…

Motivation for Monday Morning

Change your weakness into your power ..

If you’re content with the best you have done as an athlete, you’ll never be the best you can be.
If you really want to get better, you will go out of your way to change your weaknesses into strengths.
It is not easy, but it is an EXCITING CHALLENGE THAT WILL MAKE YOU GROWN AS AN ATHLETE AND AS A PERSON.

First, determine what your weaknesses are.
Strong competition will bring that out.
Analyze where you need improvement.
Then, turn that weakness into your strength.

The best athletes work hard to overcome their weaknesses.
It is fun, and easy, to practice your strengths because those are what you do best.
However, the only way to get better is to work long and hard on your weaknesses in order to turn them into strengths.
It all boils down to how good you really want to be.

When you make a mistake, you can do one of two things.
You can ignore it-deny it and convince yourself it wasn’t a mistake.
This way, you will keep making the same mistake over and over.
Or, YOU CAN ADMIT YOUR MISTAKES, LEARN FROM THEM AND HAVE THE COURAGE TO TEST YOURSELF AGAIN IN COMPETITION.
THIS WAY IS MORE RISKY, BUT ALSO MORE REWARDING.

Admitting you have a weakness and not working on it is just as unproductive as hiding your mistakes.
You won’t improve either way.
You’ll continue to work on what you like to do, which is what you are best at.
The result is your strength will get stronger, while your weaknesses will get weaker.
You will never reach your full potential.

You may be able to get by in the short run on your raw talent or ability; but in the long run, you have to improve your weaknesses if you expect to win.

When the game is on the line, there’s no substitute for skill.
When your skill is perfected, you will have no weaknesses.
You won’t be vulnerable; you’ll be in control and ready to counter anything your opponent might throw at you.

Don’t misunderstand me. I’m not saying you should work on your weaknesses until they no longer restrict you.
I’m saying you should work on them until they’re the strongest part of your game.
So they become your strengths.

To get the competitive edge over your opponents,
make the weakest part of your game the strongest.

This motivation was passed along from my coach at Edinboro University during my years as a college athlete, and although written for athletes I find it truly applicable to our daily lives. Overcoming our weaknesses, similar to overcoming obstacles, is another step in the direction of success; another step towards becoming stronger, wiser individuals.

Hope all of you had a wonderful holiday-enjoy today’s winter wonderland !!!

Motivation for Monday Morning :)

“THE PASSING MOMENT IS ALL WE CAN BE SURE OF; IT IS ONLY COMMON SENSE TO EXTRACT ITS UTMOST VALUE FROM IT.”
–W. Somerset Maugham

Don’t miss your moments because you are comfortable in the expectation that today will be the same as yesterday, because you fear taking risks that will ultimately result in your happiness or success, because you woke up on the wrong side of the bed and spilled coffee on your shirt. Don’t shy away from your deepest passions or what you most desire because of fear. Look your fears in the face; challenge your fears. It will allow you to focus your will on overcoming them. We can DIMINISH OUR FEARS IF WE BELIEVE IN OURSELVES AND OUR ABILITIES. Exchange defeatist thinking for a BELIEF that you can achieve success. We have the power to create great things for ourselves, if we BELIEVE and DECIDE that it is up to us to go and get it.

“Happiness is not something you postpone for the future; it is something you design for the present.”
–Jim Rohn

What a bold and valid statement-I LOVE it. I reflected about this for a second because I realized probably each of us (myself included at times) postpone or procrastinate doing something for “later”; this something could be anything-a phone call or email to a friend far away, telling your parents you love them, taking time for yourself-reading, writing a new song, writing a letter etc. So, I wanted to motivate each of you to act RIGHT NOW; no time is better than RIGHT NOW, for a lot of reasons. First, I truly believe that being PROACTIVE about our lives and life choices is a building block for future successes, accomplishments, AND our HAPPINESS. Second, it leaves minimal room for REGRETS. Third, and most importantly, we learn more about ourselves by being productive in this moment-making us stronger, wiser, happier, and more successful.

Sending warmest wishes for a wonderful holiday season to you and your families!! Have a beautiful holiday!