Wouldn’t you agree that above all else…above wealth, having a hot body, a loving passionate relationship, a thriving business/career and basically whatever your heart desires above all else …what you and I are looking for is happiness’ What’s money, wealth, health, or material possessions if you are NOT happy’ They are as nothing. Can you learn to be happy’

Love Yourself First

 If you want to be happy, learn to love yourself first. So what does loving yourself mean’ If you are a parent, you know that special love you feel for your child’ That’s the love you should give to yourself as well.

We are so incredibly hard on ourselves. It’s become a habit to bash the shit out of ourselves about all of our failing or shortcomings. Our internal critic is one bossy mean bitch. You can pull out of that spiral write down everything thing you say that you aren’t and turn it around. So when you say that will never lose those last 10 pounds it’s the way it is.

You would say I am easily losing these last 10 pounds with grace and ease. I know this seems hairy fairy, but you have nothing to lose right now you are beating the crap out of yourself and what” Nothing, if you showed a little love and support what could happen.

When your children try something new do you shame them into thinking that it’s not for them or do you encourage them to keep going even if they don’t get it on the first try’ Exactly!!

Love Yourself with Childlike Wonder

Do you remember the childlike abandon in play’ You saw others having fun and succeeding and you wanted to try. You never wondered if you would look bad or fail, you just hopped in and hoped for the best. When was the last time you felt like that’

The inner child has been wounded by our bad life experiences, sometimes on purpose and sometimes not and by what life has delivered to your doorstep. But if you’re willing you can get back in touch with that inner child and free it, you can begin living a life of pure and utter joy.

Last week I was meeting with one of my business partners and we were making goals for the next 90 days. I turned to her three year old twins and asked them what their goals were. Mara said she wanted to play outside in the sunshine and Gina said she wanted to blow as many bubbles as possible.

There was no hesitation in how will this work or I failed in the past so I might as well not try. It was all about going for it!!

Honor Yourself

Learn to honor yourself – this is important if you want to be happy. Accept your feelings and don’t repress them. This doesn’t mean you always spout your feelings to the world. But between you and you, accept how you feel, sit with your feelings, breathe through them, feel them. When you suppress your emotions, you stop the healing. Many times we just need to get them out so that we can acknowledge and then start to the do the work to move past them. Most of the time if you just let the bad feelings be and accept that bad things do happen in life and don’t try to find blame or a reason, you’ll find that you’ll be better able to honor the process and where you are in it.

Once you identify your feelings and begin loving yourself, a freedom starts to grow in you that’s unlike anything you’ve experienced.

Now Share That Love with Others

Loving yourself opens your eyes to what’s possible for you. Sharing your journey with others brightens both yours lives. Who doesn’t like to feel included’ Another way you can learn how to be happy for others without feeling jealous or vindictive.

If you find yourself “hurt” or “triggered” by what someone has said to you, try asking yourself why. When you delve down into the feelings, you’ll understand that you’ve been hurt or triggered because of something you believe about yourself, not necessarily what the person outside of you is saying.

When it comes right down to it, the world could use more people who’ve learned to embrace their inner child, turned off the voice of that inner critic, and loved themselves into happiness.

This is all about creating habits. To make this a habit focus on the enjoyment of making positive changes in your life, create social accountability by telling your friends that you acted on the good habit, and rewarding yourself.

Believe it or not, but not everyone springs out of bed in the morning easily and in a good mood. Not even me. Some days I do want to roll over and just hang in bed. You have two type of people those who can bounce out of bed everyday damn day eagerly anticipating the day and will talk your ear off if there’s anyone to listen. Then you have those who groggily stagger out of bed reluctantly and no coffee no talkie.

Let’s be honest which one are you” I have to say I’m the first, but that wasn’t always the case, I was so not a morning person and coffee was my life line!!!

When I first started working out I wasn’t getting in all my workouts because I was working out in the evening. I was missing my workouts because I was working later than I expected. I was getting frustrated because it was out of my control.  He told me that if I started working out in the morning I took back my control and I would actually get my workouts done. I felt awesome because before I headed to work I had done something for me. Working out in the AM was a game changer for me. I started working out in the AM 15 years ago and I have not gone back to evening workouts.

So which of these describes you’ Do you fall somewhere in between’ Which would you rather be’ There are countless studies about the early bird gets the worm. A 2008 Harvard study discovered that early risers are more proactive. Early risers are more likely to exercise. Don’t get me wrong some late risers get just as much work done; it just takes them longer to get to it.

If you’re not happy with your morning habits and want to change, it can be done but it has to be a concerted effort on your part. Raise your hand if you embrace change. Not many people jump at the chance to make a change. You’ve been this way for years and it works for you. On the other hand, who wants to be an old grouch in the morning making you and everyone around you miserable’

You can become an early happy riser, make it a habit and yes, you will embrace.

What is your current waking mood” Is it working for you” Do you want to make a change’

Are you willing to try something different’ How comfortable are you with knowing that the first thing you try may not the that transforms you into a new you.

Preparation and planning is key. I’m huge with rituals. When you look forward to something you are more likely to do. One of the biggest reasons why folks don’t get up early is they say they don’t get enough sleep. Let’s be honest most of us are staying up late curing cancer or coming up with a strategy to bring peace in the middle east.

I encourage my clients create a bed time ritual. Just like you did as a kid or you currently do for your kids. You set a bed time and maybe you read for a few minutes, meditate, take a bath or talk to your partner anything that slows down your brain and tells it, its time for bed.

Pretty much any habit we want to change or start can be turned into a ritual. Wanna change your food” Decide what will be your new ritual will you stay away from heavy fatty foods and sugars before bedtime’ Try a healthy dinner a few nights and make a note as to how you feel the next morning. Is it working’ If not, don’t give up. Pay attention to what may need to be tweaked and keep tweaking till you are at a place that you love.

Wanna make exercise a habit’. If you’ve followed me for anytime, you’ll know I’m a huge believer in sleep!! The better shape your body is in the better it will sleep and the better you’ll feel each morning. Working out in the morning is more beneficial then before bedtime. For some, nighttime exercise can get the blood flowing too much for you to fall right to sleep.

Anticipate the morning routine. Don’t give yourself something boring to look forward to.
Make time for at least some morning exercise even if it’s just stretching. Perhaps, sitting outside journaling or meditating. Count your blessings and plan your day. New morning habits are not accomplished in a day. Be patient and willing to experiment. Give yourself the time and the space to make the changes.

I think summer is one of the best times to change up your habits. The days are longer it’s warmer outside and maybe it’s just me you just feel like you have a bit more of a pep in your step. When the sun up earlier working out in the morning doesn’t seem so hard. You can also take vacation and a time to try on some new habits without the pressure of work. I know you are thinking I want to enjoy my vacation and not worry about what I’m eating.

I’m here to tell you it’s possible to enjoy your summer and still maintain or start healthy living. — Grab your Shame Free Summer Action guide here.

Gabriel Garcia Marengo

My biggest secret to beating stress is learning who to say NO!!!

Saying no is a very powerful tool to help manage the amount of stress that you experience in everyday life. I remember hearing Lisa Nichols say that No is a complete sentence and that has become my motto.

‘No’, by its very definition is a word that ‘ends, closes off, or discontinues a line of thought or conversation’.

It’s Really Simple
Saying more often keeps you from getting overwhelmed. Have you ever been overwhelmed by saying yes, to something in your gut you really wanted to say no to. Then you get all stressed out because you are subjected to their goals, deadlines and expectations,

If you listened to your gut and said ‘No’ in exactly the same situation, then you take yourself out of stressful situation. Don’t allow your own freedom to be taken by other people’s goals, objectives, and tasks. All of this is the result of just saying ‘No’.

It’s Harder For Some Than Others
Yes, saying ‘No’ comes easy to some people and you may not be that person who can say no. You may be the girl who gets a knot in their stomach and then the inner guilt spiral starts. You start beating yourself up for being selfish and then against your gut you inevitably say ‘Yes’ and end up either being overwhelmed, manipulated or acting against your intuition.

In either case, it’s important to know when to say ‘No’ and it’s just as important to have the ability to say ‘No’ when you want to.

In order to effectively say ‘No’ to potentially stress-inducing situations we have to have clear boundaries.

No, No, No, A Thousand Times No
If you have a solid grasp of your boundaries then you are able to say ‘Yes’ up to a point, and when you reach that point you are then able to say ‘No’ to making sure you’re not overwhelmed.

To do this you must tap into yourself to recognize the exact moment when things become too much. It is at this moment when you need to say ‘No’.

‘No’ is what will stop you from going any further and keeps your stress in check. If you have paid attention to your body, you will know exactly when this moment arises.

You’ll begin to notice a change in your inner mindset. When you’ve reached your boundary levels you’ll feel tension, anxiety, frustration, irritability and possibly just pissed off.

As they say this is a clue, that you have allowed yourself to be pushed too far and you should have said ‘No’.

No, Just Do It!
When you have recognized your limitations through careful observation of your inner and outer stress levels, all you have to do is develop the ability to be honest with yourself and with the people around you.

Take the pressure off yourself and be honest when you’ve hit your maximum capacity.

I hear you, sounds simple in an article but seriously, how does this work in the real life!!

You develop your own ‘No, Thank You’ Mantra.

Use it whenever someone approaches you and tries to persuade you to do something you don’t want to do or that you just don’t have the ability to do because you’re already maxed out.

Remember No is a complete sentence. I’m sure there are things that you have on your plate right now that you know you should have said no to, but if you are feeling pissed off or stressed out it’s time to re-evaluate.

One of the hardest times we have when it comes to saying no is around food. We all have those people who are food pushers, who always want to make sure you are eating enough. They want to have you “eat” with them to take the guilt off of them. In this Shame Free Summer Action guide, I teach you have to break free and thrive.

When it comes to vacations many of us press the panic button and freak out about how to maintain healthy living while still have

a fun and enjoyable vacation! Sure it can be challenging, but not impossible.  Here are a few tips that will help stay on task and help you from feeling guilty afterward.

1️⃣ Eat in

Get a fridge in your room and make breakfast in your room. It’s easy enough to bring some fresh fruit, yogurts, pre-cooked hard boiled eggs, cereal or protein shakes. You’ll save a little money and your waistline will love you. Most places have a nearby market.

2️⃣Eat like you do at home

Willpower will only take you but so far. Keep it simple, yes there will be so many different and delicious dishes enjoy, but really focus on foods that won’t leave you feeling bloated and gross!! Think about  mostly for fresh fruit, vegetables and lean grilled meats. Sure have a few few desserts or entrees, but keep them limited.

3️⃣Watch portion size

It is easy to overeat while on vacation. Meals ordered off of a menu are usually about twice as big as what they should be. The solution is to only eat half your meal, share a meal with the person you are with or order two appetizers.

4️⃣Exercise

You may not be able to get in your traditional workouts, but it’s easy enough factor in walking. Grab your walking shoes and go do it. Walking is great exercise. Take your FitBit with you, you would be surprised at just how many steps you take on an average day. From walking along the beach in the morning to exploring a local market during the day, they all add up. And not all steps are created equally. For example, walking in soft sand on the beach barefoot is harder than walking on a hard surface with shoes. You’ll be using different muscles. You can do bodyweight workouts in your room or out in a grassy area.

With a little discipline eating and exercising, it is not that hard to stick to your healthy living plan while enjoying yourself on vacation. Enjoy the location and cuisine, but like everything else … in moderation!

Want some more ways to have your ice cream, fried clams and sit fit into your pants” Grab my Guilt Free Summer Action Guide to let you finally enjoy summer treats without the guilt and the shame this year. Yes, it’s possible. Learn how 

Over the last few months, I’ve felt this urge to move forward – to do something to change my life – but my fears have been keeping me firmly stuck in my comfort zone. I want success so bad!!!

I crave it. Then my ego pipes up and says hey wouldn’t life be so much easier if just stayed where you are. My subconscious is trying to keep me safe, new things are unknown and I may get hurt and my ego wants me to stay safe.

Lean in a let me tell you a little secret, there will always obstacles when you try to make a forward. Some of the obstacles are pretty easy to figure out. Others may not be as obvious to us.

When fear strikes it really easy to come up with excuses – anything really, so that you don’t have to face the facts and admit that it’s actually fear that’s holding you back.

Most of us have the same common fears. The main fear that keeps people stuck including me is feeling like you don’t have time to reach for your dreams, life changes, success or whatever it is that you want. Any feel like this. We have two reactions when this happens we shrink and tell ourselves it was not worth it OR we stress out about how to force it to happen.

I’m Too Busy

You may be taking the “motions” but it’s really it’s a smokescreen for staying in place. You could be going to the gym, posting it on Facebook and then having a glass or two of wine very night or half some halo top every night. Telling yourself that studies have shown that red wine is good for you and it’s protein ice cream so it’s protein right!!

Everyone can find time to take a few small steps toward a dream. Changing these habits doesn’t have to happen overnight, it can be start with every other day and slowly pull it out if cold turkey is to much for you.

Have you told yourself that you are “too busy” to get started, yeah me too!! It’s just a matter of prioritizing where you do spend your time. This excuse is often also feeling that you’re so busy, you just can’t add one more thing to your plate.

Raise your hand; shake your head if you’ve said this. “I don’t know enough”. My favorite quote by Arthur Ashe, to achieve great things you must start where you are, use what you have and do what you can. The key here is to know where you want to go and even if you only know the 1^st step you are going to take. Guess what you know enough! Fear can make us feel like we need to read every book under the sun, watch every Facebook live and then listen to every guru that has ever spoken on this topic. NOPE – fall back to the Arthur Ashe quote focus where you are and the next piece.

It’s Not The Right Time

AHHH, it’s not the right time!! Guess what it will never be the right time; there will always be something. If you wait for the right time, you’ll never make a move. I got news for you no one ever manages to find the right time. Let me in on a little secret, all you have is the time you’re currently in. The best time to move forward is the time you have.

My Friends and Family Aren’t Supportive

“I’d really like to go for it, but my friends, family or spouse thinks it’s a bad idea. They like me the way I am.” This excuse is used to justify holding back out of fear of failure. It’s easier to pass the buck and make it someone else fault for use not going for our dreams.

I Haven’t Found The Right Thing!

The right healthy living program isn’t going to drop on your lap and wiggle. You need to actively seek with you are looking for. There is no “right plan” just like there no right job or romantic partner. To get to the right plan takes a little work. You may need to kiss a few frogs; maybe you need to take a little from each plan you work to find something that will work for you!

Living healthy is just like any opportunity they don’t always jump out at you when you’re not taking action.

I Don’t Know If I Can

This is the fear of certainty. This excuse hides the fear that everything won’t work out. Guess what, not everything works out all of the time. If it did, this would be a perfect world.

If we don’t move forward toward our dreams, you will never know if yours could have worked out. Is the fear of time, money, lack of experience, skills, lack of support, network or any other of the hundreds of excuses people use be the reason that your dream dies before it gets a chance to be realized.

Are you ready to move forward”

One of the biggest fears I hear all the time is summer. Summer for some reason brings up fears that you are unable have fun while maintaining your healthy lifestyle. I’m hear to tell you that it’s possible to keep your waistline on track AND have fun!!  Grab your guilt free summer guide, where I help you map out a fun summer without being the girl carrying a bottle of water and a bag of baby carrots.

We all want to get shit done. We’re grinding, hustling and building our empires, but I tell you if you are dragging ass NONE of that will happen. Plan on getting in at least 7 hours of sleep — no sleep, no energy, no energy, no hustle, no hustle, no money!

Are you hearing me now!

Create a ritual around your bedtime!!!  Making something you look forward to.
😴 Each night I read for at least 10 minutes or 10 pages.
😴 I meditate for 10 minutes
😴 I write at least 3-10 gratitude’

So… What do you do before bed”’ Creating a ritual helps you to look forward to going to bed and getting the sleep your body needs. Join me on Tuesday where I share 10 ways to make sure you get a good night’s sleep.  Replay  Show Notes

You know the feeling you get when you do “that thing” around money AGAIN’

Spend wildly on a new extravagance even though bills are due…

Hoard every penny even though you really want to splurge on a vacation…

Forgo a spa treatment because your daughter really wants that new pair of designer jeans…

Whatever you do with money, I bet you don’t just do it once. Most of us have habits with money — some of which serve us, and some which definitely do not.

So we do “that thing” again, and inside we feel unhappy. It’s not that we don’t want to treat ourselves, or save up money, or buy our loved ones special gifts.

It’s just that we feel like we’re making money decisions on autopilot. Like we’re not in control of the situation, and we’re not so sure we’re crazy about the results of our actions.

Well, what if I told you that you have a unique “money DNA” which is where those habits come from’

Even better, what if I told you that you could “crack the code” on your money DNA and start to leverage your money strengths, while compensating for your weaknesses — so you could stop repeating that same old money story and start living a new one’

You might wonder if it’s even possible to have a brand-new money story, especially if you feel like your habits are deeply ingrained.

If so, I hear you. I TOTALLY used to feel that way. I wasn’t born into any special privilege, and I didn’t have strong money models growing up.

Today, I run a multi-million dollar business that’s touched the lives of tens of thousands of women around the world. There was a time, though, when I felt like maybe, despite the fact that I had big dreams and was putting a ton of hard work into them, I wasn’t cut out for the success I dreamed of.

When I started my business several years ago, I used to run goal-setting workshops around town. I’d print the flyers at home (that I designed myself on Powerpoint no less) and tack them up on café notice boards.

One day, while driving to give one of my workshops, the felt ceiling of my car fell down around my head. I was literally driving to a workshop to inspire others to have more, be more, and do more… and the roof of my car was sagging down around my ears.

I realized in that moment that my money life needed a reset. I already knew how to manifest lots of things and experiences, but when it came to money, things just weren’t going the way I’d planned. I started to think maybe I didn’t have it in me to create a thriving business from my passion — that maybe it was never going to be my turn.

All of that changed, though, when I discovered Sacred Money Archetypes®.

For the first time in my life, I got a glimpse of what was possible for me if I would just work toward my strengths, instead of battling my weaknesses.

And for the first time, I got answers about why I’d put so many seeming obstacles to success in my own path. Turns out they weren’t actually obstacles, but rather preferences that, with a few simple tweaks could be capitalized on in a BIG way.

What are Sacred Money Archetypes®’

Well, remember I mentioned “money DNA” a minute ago’

Sacred Money Archetypes® is the work (created by Kendall Summerhawk) that will help you unlock your unique DNA around money, so you can use it to your advantage instead of letting it silently sabotage you.

(And yes, I’m speaking figuratively here — I know this isn’t “the” DNA that makes up living things! It’s just as important, though — especially if you want wealth and success in your future.)

Within your unique money personality is the seed of a healthy relationship to money — a code just like “the other” DNA — with all the potential to create any level of wealth, freedom, and fulfillment you can imagine.

This means you are designed to succeed. You just have to know how to move forward with the right knowledge about how to take care of yourself based on how you naturally show up with money.

I’m SO thankful I discovered this about myself with the Sacred Money Archetype® work — because as soon as I knew how to work with my innate “money DNA” my business really started taking off, and I found that my old self-sabotaging habits fell away.

The change for me was so profound that I became a certified coach in Kendall Summerhawk’s Sacred Money Archetypes® method and for years, I’ve been teaching it only on private retreats and with my one-to-one clients.

(Totally secret!)

Until now.

For the first time ever, I’m bringing the Sacred Money Archetypes® training to YOU.

Best of all, you can get started absolutely FREE.

>> Take My Free Lucky Money Quiz Now to discover your unique Sacred Money Archetypes®.

The Sacred Money Archetypes quiz and training series is a brand-NEW offering, and is the perfect complement to any entrepreneur’s journey.

Whether you’re just getting started or you’ve been building your business for years, the thing about your money personality is that it doesn’t change. Who you are at the start of your business is who you are 10 years in.

The key to breaking the habits that keep you from having ALL the success you really want, is understanding what makes you tick and knowing how to change it.

So, what about you’ Are you still self-sabotaging around money’

Do you find yourself under-earning — or earning plenty but never knowing quite where it all went’ Are you plagued with emotions like fear, guilt, or shame around money’ Do you cringe when trying to decide how to spend it’

There are endless ways we sabotage ourselves with money, especially when it comes to growing our businesses. The truth is, though, YOUR way is simply related to your particular Archetype.

In fact, as part of the training, I’m revealing what MY primary Archetype is, as well as exactly how I’ve used this knowledge to work around my own imperfections (we’ve all got ‘em, gorgeous) and create a multi-million dollar business PLUS a relaxed lifestyle I love, with plenty of time for all the people and things that are most important to me.

You may be very interested to learn, for instance, that I have this ONE characteristic you’d probably never associate with being a successful, multi-millionaire entrepreneur!

(You’ll want to watch Video #2 in the series to see if you relate to this one.)

To get started, take the quiz HERE and discover how your money personality may be sabotaging you, and exactly what to do about it.

You’ll discover SO much about yourself and your unconscious money beliefs just by taking the quiz — but remember, I’m not stopping there, because after you get your results, you’ll automatically be enrolled in a free video training program to help you apply what you’ve learned straight away.

I know from experience how powerful it is to understand your unique ‘money DNA’ and leverage it in your life and business, so you can stop sabotaging yourself when it comes to money.

Honestly, it’s like pressing ‘reset’ on your money story! When you know what’s been holding you back, you can pave a brand-new path to a brighter future with the financial freedom and impact you really want (not to mention being able to manifest everything on your dream board).

I’m sooo thrilled to offer the Sacred Money Archetypes® training to you. I know it will be life-changing for you, and I can’t wait to see you “on the inside.”

It’s your time, and you’re ready for the next step.

Xx Denise

P.S. I don’t recommend many things, as you likely know. I deeply trust Denise and believe in her work wholeheartedly. I’m also a proud affiliate, which means I may earn a commission if you decide to join one of Denise’s programs at some point.

One of the first words we learned to say after we said either Momma or Dadda was NO! That shit is power!! Saving no isn’t not really a tool; it’s more of a response.

‘No’, by its very definition is a word that ‘ends, closes off, or discontinues a line of thought or conversation’. Quite obviously, it negates things. Feeling stressed out” Using the power of no can reduce the effect that it has on us, to lower its levels and even stop it from ever having the chance take over our mindset.

Simple Really

Saying NO keeps us from getting overwhelmed. It’s the feeling of overwhelm that keeps feeling stuck and caught in a corner. If someone asks us to do some work for them and we say ‘Yes’, now we have to commit ourselves to their goals, deadlines and expectations and so we can feel either small or great amounts of stress.

When you say ‘No’ in exactly the same situation, then quite simply we don’t. We don’t take on-board the desires of the other person, we don’t put ourselves under the pressure of their expectations, and we don’t allow our own freedom to be taken by their goals, objectives, and tasks. All of this is the result of just saying ‘No’. Simple yes”’

It’s Harder For Some Than Others

Well not so fast. Saying ‘No’ comes easy to some people but not everybody can do it. Are you one of those people that if you say no, you get the angel on your shoulder telling you that you are a selfish bitch if you don’t help out so you inevitably say ‘Yes’ and end up either feeling overwhelmed, manipulated or kicking yourself for not saying NO!

It’s important to know when to say ‘No’ and it’s just as important to have the ability to say ‘No’ when you want to.

To say no without the guilt you need to be clear about your abilities and limitations.

You need to be honest with yourself with what we can and can’t do.

If you have a solid grasp of your limitations then you are able to say ‘Yes’ up to a point, and when you reach your tipping point you can say ‘No’ with the overwhelm or the guilt.

To do this you have to tap into how much you can have on your plate before you push the breaking point. You must learn to recognize the exact moment when things become too much, and it’s in this moment when you need to say ‘No’.

Saying ‘No’ keeps your stress levels from reaching critical level. When you tune into yourself, you will know exactly when hit this point. After that point however, you will have noticed a change in your inner mindset. You may feel more tense and even anxiety, frustration, irritability and possibly mad at yourself for being put in that situation yet again.

These feelings are clues that you have allowed yourself to be pushed too far.

No, Just Do It!

When you have recognized your limitations through careful observation of your inner and outer stress levels, all you have to do is develop the ability to be honest with yourself and with the people around you.

If you can be honest and openly admit when you are at maximum capacity, then you will be better able to just say ‘No’ to any more added pressure and stress.

I know this sounds really simple and that’s because it is. Yes there are some other variables that you have to take into account. Some of these are…

• You may get carried away with what something that you want and you take on extra stress because It’s because you really want something, only to find out later that it left you feeling overloaded and burnt out.
• Some people if you give them an inch they will take a mile. That mile may push you over the edge.

Blissful ignorance, meaning you may not have known exactly what you were getting yourself into when you agreed to something. If this is the case, just get out and re-awaken your ‘’No’ Warrior’ as soon as you realize that you’re in too deep. You may feel like you are disappointing people, but trust me, you’ll be much better off in the long run.

From here on out you are going to develop your own ‘No, Thank You’ Mantra.

Use it whenever someone approaches you and tries to persuade you to do something you don’t want to do or that you just don’t have the ability to do because you’re already maxed out.

You can even use it on people who give you negative opinions and comments or even arguments. Just say ‘No, Thank You’ and walk away. One of my mentors says it so simply No is a complete sentence!

Saying no helps to stay sane and focus on the things you need to get done in life. Sure why you have the bandwidth you can help people out. Do you best before someone asks you to help think about it for a few seconds to assess if you can truly help without stressing yourself out.

Doing this will show you that you really do have the power to effectively manage your stress; all you have to do is … Say NO!

Having trouble keeping boundaries’ Grab this free report. It will you learn how to set boundaries so that you are not stressed out. How to make yourself a priority and how to setup and honor your personal boundaries. You’ll want to grab this free report.

Also check our my #invincible40 guide. 9 ways to stop the over 40 weight gain!

Seriously everywhere you turn you find – nutrition and diet info!

And each expert and association tries to lead you in their direction because they know best and their advice is going to help you. Right’

Well, maybe…

Everyone has heard (and maybe lived through) the intense focus on how much you eat. This has gotten way too much attention because while this does affect your weight and energy level, it’s certainly not the “holy grail” of health.

Let’s focus a bit more on the often overlooked (and proven) benefits of what you eat and drink and how you eat and drink it.

What you eat and drink 

The “calories in, calories out” philosophy (i.e. how much you eat) is being drowned out with research on other factors that may be just as important. Don’t get me wrong, sure calories, carbs or fat can certainly help you lose weight but that’s simply following a calorie count or points count plan is not the solution for long-term weight loss and maximum energy for everyone.

Don’t forget to also pay attention to what you eat.

Ideally, you need a varied diet full of minimally-processed foods (i.e. fewer “packaged” “ready-to-eat” foods). This simple concept is paramount for weight loss, energy, and overall health and wellness.

Every day this is what you should aim for:

• A colourful array of fruits and veggies at almost every meal and snack. You need the fiber, antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals.
• Enough protein. Making sure you get all of those essential amino acids (bonus: eating protein can increase your metabolism).
• Healthy fats and oils (never “hydrogenated” ones). There is a reason some fatty acids are called “essential” – you need them as building blocks for your hormones and brain as well as to be able to absorb essential fat-soluble vitamins from your uber-healthy salads. Use extra coconut oil, eat your organic egg yolks, and get grass-fed meats when possible. You don’t need to overdo it here. Just make sure you’re getting some high-quality fats. There are so many many fun and tasty oils today. Think any fat except vegetable, soybean or canola oil.

How you eat and drink’

Also pay attention to how you eat and drink.

Studies are definitely showing that this has more of an impact than we previously thought.

Are you rushed, not properly chewing your food, and possibly suffering from gastrointestinal issues’ Do you drink your food’

When it comes to how you eat, let’s first look at “mindful eating”.

Mindful eating means to take smaller bites, eat slowly, chew thoroughly, and savouring every bite. Notice and appreciate the smell, taste and texture. Breathe.

This gives your digestive system the hint to prepare for digestion and to secrete necessary enzymes. Think of it like this, have you ever been in a resturant and you really weren’t hungry till you smelled someone else getting their food’ The same principle applies here.

Same thing applies here, did you know that it takes about 20 minutes for your brain to know that your stomach is full’

Thought so!

Most times we wolf our foods down so fast that we barely remember eating it.

Having issues with bloating after eating, thoroughly chewed food is much easier to digest and it makes it easier to absorb all of those essential nutrients.

And don’t forget about drinking your food.

Yes, smoothies can be healthy and a fabulously easy, tasty and a quick easy way to get in some fruits and veggies (hello leafy greens!) but drinking too much food can contribute to a weight problem and feelings of sluggishness.

I love shakes and green juices , but make sure you are looking at the ingredients. Many of these shakes, smoothies or green juices are riddled with excess sugars and calories. Don’t get me wrong a green smoothie can make an amazingly nutrient-dense meal and is way better than eating crap.

If your smoothies or shakes don’t fill you up like a full meal does try adding in a spoon of fiber like ground flax or chia seeds.

At the end of the day you want consider both how much you eat but also what and how you eat it.

Good habits are easy to begin. Every day millions of people around the world resolve to make their life better in some way. These are not lazy people. They work very hard to get the result they’re looking for. Yet new habits can be incredibly frustrating to make stick.

Have you heard that all or nothing leads to nothing” So many times I hear women rattle off a list of ALL things, the rules, they must follow or do if they are going to go all in to hit their goals!!  They do this for a bit then get burnt out and their old habits start to creep back in.  So if you’ve shouted — I hate dieting!  The best way I know how to do that is to break up with the all or nothing mindset is to focus on one thing. When you focus on “one thing” it helps you to put things in perspective. Join me on Tuesday when I break down how you go about choosing your one thing and how it can lead to making other healthy choices down the line. Watch replay here. 

I challenge you to ask yourself, what’s the one thing you can do such that by doing it, everything else will be easier’  This line in the book, The One Thing, changed my thinking about pretty much everything.

Life is like a domino when you look at the big picture, instead chasing small things, you chase one thing that can have a major effect on a goal. Show notes 

What is you one thing” Please leave a comment below.