How To Maintain Your Sanity Over the Holidays

 As we head into the holiday season, the inner gremlins and binge eating Amanda of the past starts to get under my skin and truth be told, it's this WEIRD combination of excitement and giddy-ness for the holidays and FEAR of crumbling back into my old ways and starting the cycle over again. 

While I know I've made SO many incredible shifts forward and have been binge free for a year and a half, anyone who has been addicted to something knows that there are triggers that remain, and the holidays have always been a major one for me.

Holidays used to mean daily binges, a shiz ton of negative self worth and an endlessly negative and irritable mindset. 

And this year, I'm determined not to let that happen.

Do the holidays stress you out too?

I'm a routine gal 100% and the second I get out of my day to day structure, I feel a bit like a fish out of water.

The literal change of scenery can derail me and all of a sudden, I feel like I have to bend over backwards for those around me and putting myself and my health first become the last thing I think about.

Workouts go down the drain because I don't want to be "disrespectful" by taking the time to get it in.

I feel like I have to eat the food that's put in front of me, even if it's stuff that makes me feel like shit.

I push my daily self care routines to the side and find my anxiety at an all time high.

Sound familiar?

Heading into the holidays this year, I'm determined to feel my BEST, while taking time to unplug, fully enjoy myself and indulge in the festivities (and wine, duh). 

And I know that means being intentional with how I show up every single day, especially while I'm out of my normal routine.

I hope these tips help you take agency over YOUR holiday season and gets you one step closer to ending the year feeling your freaking BEST.

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TOP 3 TIPS FOR HOW TO MAINTAIN YOUR SANITY OVER THE HOLIDAY SEASON
 

1. Get your workout in first thing, every damn day

I don't know about you, but I'm a raging bitch when I don't get my workouts in. And when I'm dealing with the added stress of being away from home, dealing with all the family drama (and love!), taking that time for me first thing is SO KEY to keeping my anxiety at bay and starting my day on a positive note.

So set your alarm, lace your shoes up and get your sweat on.

I'm planning on rocking out a 21 day badass at home workout program that doesn't require any equipment and are only 30 minutes in length so I can get it done quick, no matter where I am!
We're in this together!!!!

2. Set boundaries

Unless you have decided to rock the holidays solo this year (in which case, go you!), you are going to be around family a bunch -- and probably some family members you don't see very often and possibly don't get along with.

Setting boundaries around what you will and will not do is huge, and even more than that -- communicating those boundaries to your family is KEY so that they can respect your needs.

For example: When I'm with my in-laws, they know that discussing politics is off the table because we have diametrically opposed beliefs and it does neither of us any good discussing it.

If you experience something similar with your own family but haven't set those boundaries yet, before the holiday season starts, be sure to sit down with your family and explain that you want to have a wonderful time together and that out of respect to you, you ask that they refrain from discussing anything under the political umbrella while you are together.

This goes for anything else that are boundaries for you.

You don't have to put yourself in an uncomfortable situation and just "handle it". You have a voice! So share it and allow the people in your life to rise up.

Setting boundaries is something I only recently started practicing and it's been a complete game changer. I know it can feel scary to put yourself out there and set a boundary with someone else, but I promise you, it is SO empowering to do -- and mutually beneficial! 

Can you imagine a world where we were all clear about our boundaries? Let's start a movement.
 

3. Put time aside for JUST YOU

The best piece of advice I ever received from my coach was to take at least 15-30 minutes a day for time just for ME.

Whether it's getting up early and pouring into my journal or a personal development book or taking my dog for a walk to clear my head, that "me time" is SO important amidst the hustle and bustle of all the social events, dinners and commitments this time of year.

And don't tell me you can't find 15-30 minutes for yourself. Schedule it out if you have to but make it happen. It'll change the game. 

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And there you have it!

Let's rock this holiday season feeling our best.

Are you with me?

Xo Amanda 

Top 5 Personal Development Books for Beginners

Let's face it.

We aren't born to be 100% confident, energetic, and instant masters at what we do.

We know we have to take care of our physical bodies by eating right, working out, getting sleep, etc etc but we don't really talk about how we need to take care of our mental and emotional selves.

The more you learn about yourself, the more you'll be able to understand your quirks, strengths, and capacity for dealing with life, and it's so important to work on our mindset every single day.

Have you ever felt like you're stuck, spinning your wheels, in a life rut?  

It's probably because you haven't been challenging yourself on the inside. If you don't put work into your emotional and spiritual growth, you're going to stay stuck.

Whenever you're going through change in life, whether that's losing weight, starting a new job or relationship, or moving to a new city, it's important to grow and evolve on the INSIDE. If we don't match our inner growth with our external growth, we're never going to feel satisfied with our accomplishments or like we're "good enough."

You can only go as far as you grow. Your success in life will always be limited by your confidence, skills, and level of self-awareness.

Personal development is heavily encouraged in the Beachbody world, but I think it's important for everyone, regardless of what you want out of life! 

Putting myself on a mental/emotional "diet" of personal development books and podcasts over the past year has helped me deal with my perfectionism, anxiety, and low self esteem. I'm still a work in progress but I've learned so much, and helping other women get to know themselves is now my purpose in life.

Today I'm sharing the five books I started out with that had the greatest impact on my life!

 Sidenote: Just because these are my personal recommendations doesn’t mean they’re the right books for you. I’m a 25 year old female who’s building her own business, working on her acting career, chasing her dreams, and working to overcome self doubt, anxiety and perfectionism. If you’re similar to me and, chances are you’ll benefit from these books too!

Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert

Yup, the author of Eat Pray Love is at it again. And I think this is her piece de resistance, especially if you’re an artist or creative entrepreneur. In this book, she dives right into how to release your fear so that you can show up for yourself in your creative life.

What I learned from Big Magic:

That fear is a NORMAL part of the creative process. And that you can either let the fear stagnate you for moving forward OR you can choose to move forward in spite of the fear. To use it to propel you towards the artistic and creative path you crave.

Quotable quotes:

“ Do whatever bring you to life, then. Follow your own fascinations, obsessions, and compulsions. Trust them. Create whatever causes a revolution in your heart. The rest of it will take care of itself.” 

“You can measure your worth by your dedication to your path, not by your successes or failures.”

“What would you do if you knew that you could not fail?”

“Don’t let go of your courage the moment things stop being easy or rewarding. Because that moment? That’s the moment when interesting begins.”

You are a Badass by Jen Sincero

The title of this book says it all. If you’re looking for a book that will empower you with confidence and ultimate badassery, this book is for you.   

What I learned from You Are A Badass:

To not take yourself so goddamn seriously and that you CAN do whatever you put your mind to. Her tough love, no BS approach really hit home with me and made me realize that so often, I trick myself out of doing these really huge and exciting things because I let that inner mean girl (or as I like to call her, my inner shit talker) tell me I’m not good enough. Eff that. You are. End of story.

Quotable quotes:

“It’s just as easy to believe we’re awesome as it is to believe we’re giant sucking things”

“There will never be anyone exactly like you. You were given special gifts and talents to share with the world, and even though everybody has special gifts and talents, nobody will use theirs quite the same way you do. You have a way of being in the world and a perspective that’s unique to you. You are kind of a big deal.” 

“What if you had the audacity to leave your excuses and your shame about wanting to be huge and fabulous behind and really went for it full-on anyway? What if you decided to do the most outrageous, most exciting thing you ever dared fantasize about, regardless of what anyone, including your terrified self, thought? THAT would be living.”

The Slight Edge by Jeff Olson

Can you tell I favor female personal development authors? Sometimes you have to throw some masculine energy into the mix, and The Slight Edge is a MUST-READ for anyone.

This book is about how we can turn simple daily actions and behaviors into long-term success. It's all about starting where you are, with what you already know, and slowly but surely making baby steps towards your big shiny goals. In a world that tells us to expect instant results, it can be really discouraging and frustrating to work towards a big dream or goal that will take patience and time, and it’s easy to get derailed from our vision. I love this book because it reassures us that it’s not about big massive leaps...it’s about the little things we can do to keep us moving forward.

 What I learned from The Slight Edge

The Slight Edge taught me how to shift my own definition of “success” and gave me a lot of confidence.

 Quotable Quotes:

 “You already know how to do everything it would take to make you an outrageous success. All you have to do is keep doing the things that have gotten you this far.” 

“Successful people fail their way to the top.”

“Success is a process, not a destination. It’s something you experience gradually, over time.”

“Happiness isn’t some big thing you pursue, not something you chase after. It’s something you do.” 

“Don’t try to figure it all out. If you want twice the success, double your rate of failure. You start with a plan, then go through the process of continuous learning through both study and doing, adjusting all the time like a rocket ship on the way to the moon, of track 97 percent of the time.”

The Desire Map by Danielle LaPorte

The Desire Map is about leaning back and letting your values and core desired feelings take the lead. It’s about a creative, soulful approach to success and goal setting.

Whenever you start freaking yourself out or feeling overwhelmed and intimidated by your own plans and goals,the Desire Map is like a sigh of relief that will remind you you’re already good enough, and exactly where you need to be.

This book is half inspiration, and half workbook that will guide you to discover your own Core Desired Feelings, and then help you create a plan to manifest those feelings in all areas of life.

What I learned from The Desire Map:

That getting clear on how we want to FEEL in our life is essential for making decisions in our lives.

Quotable quotes:

“Wanting more for your future is not a betrayal of your present or past.”

 “Awareness is realizing that our life could always be better. Growth is doing what it takes to make it better.”

 “When you respect the darkness within yourself without any guilt trips, you’re becoming truly free.”

“Goals can perpetuate overplanning, and overplanning kills magic and possibilities.”

“You can ease up on yourself without shrinking your dreams.”

Mastering your Mean Girl by Melissa Ambrosini

Mastering your Mean Girl is a no BS kick in the pants read that will help you make a plan for creating your own version of a kick-ass life — one that’s “wildly wealthy, fabulously healthy, and bursting with love” and where your mean girl won’t dictate your life anymore. This is a must read if you’re ready to let go of your Mean Girl, take action and start living the life of your dreams.

 What I learned from Mastering Your Mean Girl:

How simple shifts in perspective can be so transformative on your mental health.

Quotable quotes:

“In order for you to be the best, happiest, shiniest version of yourself, you need to fill yourself up first so that you are overflowing and bursting with love.”

 “There are no mistakes, just opportunities for evolution. Choose to see every ‘mistake’ or ‘failure’ as an opportunity for growth.”

“I move because I love the way it makes me feel. Not because I hate my body and want to fix and change it.”

A few tips on using personal development

If you’re anything like me, you’ll be tempted to binge on personal development, but it’s important not to let your “all or nothing” mindset take over. 

A good goal that will keep you moving forward at a steady pace is to read one PD book a month

That will give you motivation to actually finish reading it, and you’ll also have enough time to absorb and process what you’re reading (We actually do this every single month in our free Live On Purpose Community so if you haven’t joined this badass high vibing tribe, what’re you waiting for? Hop on in and soak up the looove!)

Sometimes I check PD books out of the library, but I prefer to buy them because I treat them like a workbook. You want to be able to highlight, underline, scribble notes and breakthroughs in the margins, and constantly be asking yourself "how can I apply this?".

I also love going back and re-reading my favorite books, because you’ll get something new out of them as your life evolves and changes. It’s fun to go back and see my previous notes and take-aways, and how I’ve been able to implement them into my life (or not!)

I encourage you -- nay, I DARE you to try one.

One of these books is probably standing out to you right now so just listen to your heart and pick it up

 

xo Amanda

Growth is the key to happiness

Today, I want to talk to you about something that has been on my heart lately:

GROWTH > GOALS.

A couple of weeks ago, I had a two hour special team call all about personal development, goal setting and how to get out of your own way and it was amazing. The fact that I actually WANT to work on a Monday night still blows my mind, but I guess when you love something so much, it never feels like work, am I right?

Anyways, in my corner of the Universe, we've been talking a lot about Goals. And how depending on how you approach them, creating goals can either be super effective and wonderful OR it can end up making shit a whole lot worse in the long run.

I used to be a HUGE goal setter. I would make bucket list after bucket list. And when I look back on it, it caused me soooo much anxiety.

WHY? Because I would have the SAME things on my list for YEARS. I knew what I wanted to do, but never actually did it.

So, I want to share with you how I've shifted my mindset surrounding GOALS and how I've actually been able to take ACTION for the first time in my life -- all in just 3 simple steps:

STEP ONE: WRITE IT DOWN

You can't just claim to want it in your head. You need to put it on paper for it to actually feel REAL.

So I want to challenge you to envision for a minute -- What do you dream about? Pick a dream, any dream. Your dream job. Dream marriage. Dream house. Write it down and describe it in just a few words. Now do the same thing 3 times until you've listed 3 separate dreams.

GREAT. Once you've done that, now add 2 descriptors that will make your dream more concrete: what and when.

Here are mine:

1. Go on a yoga retreat in Bali before I'm 30.

2. Be living 100% debt free and have the freedom to live my life 100% on my own terms by the time I'm 30 by building a heart-centered, thriving, stable and values driven business as Beachbody Coach.

3. Perform at the Stratford Festival of Canada as a lead in a Shakespeare play by the time I'm 35 years.

STEP TWO: LOOK AT IT EVERY SINGLE DAY

Chances are, you've written a bucket list, put it away and never looked at it again. Can you even remember what you put on there? I bet not.

So why is it so important to actually LOOK at it? Well, you may not believe in the power of manifestation (I didn't either), but from a gal who's been doing this for over a year, trust me when I say, this shit works. Surround yourself with your goals. Your subconscious needs the daily reminder to be able to actually bring it into your life.

As Jeff Olson says: "Having your dreams concretely spelled out, on paper, in the most vivid and specific terms possible, and with a very tangible, concrete timeline, provides you with an 'environment of Yes!' for your goals, dreams and aspirations."

STEP THREE: START WITH A PLAN

But here's the trick. Don't be STUCK on making that plan come to fruition.

So often, we make a plan and we almost force things to go down the way we want it to (read: think it should.) And I want to propose something different.

Yes, start with a plan. Because ultimately, until you actually START, you're not moving forward. But be OPEN to the fact that whatever plan you actually start with will not be the plan that gets you there in the end.

I know this may sound confusing but here's my thought on all of this: there is no perfect way to do something. I mean, by definition, there can't be, because a plan is not getting there -- it's only your jumping off point. And THAT is why you need a plan. Because if you don't have a starting point, there won't be any jumping off happening at all.

As Nike says, JUST DO IT.

What are your 3 goals that you came up with during this exercise?

Share in the comments below! I'd love to keep you accountable.

I hope this helps you on your journey to GREATNESS.

Know that I believe in you. You are so so capable of being everything you want to be & more. Of not just wishing for those goals of yours to come true but to actually make them happen.
 

And if you wanna chat more about this shit, I'm always just an email away. I LIVE for this shit. And I wanna help you succeed and live your wildest dreams -- because you are so freaking worth it.

Xo Amanda

Oh and p.s. haven't signed up for my weekly love bombs and freebies yet? Whatchya waiting for!!!  Get the goods here!!!!!!!

How to Choose Joy On Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Days

Anyone else used to be obsessed with that book growing up? I would make my Mom read it to me over and over and over again. I just loved Alexander's super red hair and freckles!!...Maybe that explains why I've always wanted a little kid with bright red hair...ha, I can't believe I'd never considered that!

Okay, I digress. But fo realz. Whether you know that book or not, if you've been on the planet for more than a minute, chances are, you've had a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day.

You know the one. Where everything just seems to be against you. You spill your coffee in the morning, rip your favorite shirt, miss the train, send an email to the wrong person, get yelled at by your boss, burn dinner and when you go to sit down to watch this week's episode of the Bachelor, realize you've forgotten to DVR it. Or maybe you are just feeling a general lack of faith in humanity with the going ons of the world lately. And chances are, if you're anything like me. you've spend the whoooole day listening to Adele (#bestsadmusicever) and complaining to your friends about your shitty, shitty, day.

Sound familiar?

I used to have more days like this than I'd like to admit. I would sit and sulk in my frustration. And let me tell ya, I was not fun to be around. 

I've been reading The Universe Has Your Back (a really fantastic book all about fear)  and something she emphasizes is how the energy you intentionally put out into the world directly affects your mindset. In other words, how you FEEL every single day is entirely up to you.

This is a concept I used to have a really hard time grasping -- I mean, I just couldn't get it... What if someone was being rude to me? Or traffic was THE WORST and it took me an extra 30 minutes to get home.  Or what if I had a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day like the one I just shared? Those things would obviously make an impact on how my day went... I would CLEARLY feel frustrated, upset, irritated and annoyed if any of those things happened to me, right?

Well, that's what I used to think.

But here's what I've been learning, and what I want to empower you to consider:

You are 100% made up of the decisions you make.

Sure, you can't control the things that you'll come up against throughout your day, but you CAN control how you respond to them. You can choose to lean towards JOY instead of fear, doubt or frustration.
 

"Your decision leads you to experience joy in a seemingly joyless situation" - Gabby Bernstein

Let me guess...you're thinking "ok, ok, it SOUNDS easy and all, but how do you actually put it into practice?" You know I wasn't gonna leave you hanging like that. I gotchu, girl ;) 

So here are 3 of my favorite tools on how to CHOOSE JOY on even the worst of days:

+ Focus on how you WANT to feel and get clear on your VALUES

If I were to ask you the question: "How do you want to feel every single day?", what would you say? For example, I would say: Joy-filled, ease, connected, grounded, free and strong.

And further, what are the things that you do/have done that help you feel these things? For example, some of the things that I do to connect to these feelings are: throwing myself a dance party, getting a workout in, calling my mom, practice yoga, meditate, journal, play with my pup , share my story in a blog post, have a work date at a coffee shop, snuggle with my hubby etc.

Brainstorm and journal it out and see what you come up with!

+ Recite an affirmation that is in line with your values

I know this may sound hokey (and trust me, until recently, I thought all of this was a load of bullshit), but I've been incorporating affirmations into my morning rituals for the past month and it has been a GAME CHANGER. 

My current favorite go-to is from a book called the Big leap (check it out!): 

“I expand in abundance, success and love every day as I inspire others to do the same.”

Before I start my day, I spend 5 minutes saying this out loud and breathing it in. This hasn't been something that has come easy to me. I've been SUPER resistant to any form of affirmation for years, but I dedicated this year as the year of GROWTH and part of that means being open to new experiences. So I said F*ck it. Let's try it. And man oh man has it been a game changer. That sense of ease I've been craving? I'm finally starting to see it show up in my life and I'm loving every second of it.

So whether this affirmation resonates with you, or another one jumps out at you, choose one and commit to starting your day by saying it every day next week! Need some examples of mantras? Click here!

+Shock your system

You ready for it? This is how to put all of the things you've discovered in the last two points and jolt yourself into joy.

I want you to spend the next week getting curious with yourself. On days when you're feeling any negative emotion, allow yourself to feel the feels if you need to for a few minutes ('cause sometimes that shit is necessary), and then SHIFT YOUR SPIRIT. You know that list I had you write up? The one of all the things that help you feel the way you want to? Pick one and DO IT. Jolt yourself into a better day and decide to freaking CHOOSE JOY. Ok?

You are more POWERFUL and CAPABLE than you realize, beautiful girl. And you deserve to feel all the light & love the world has to offer. Let's start creating it together, ok?

Xo Amanda

p.s. I'd love to hear your thoughts and how you found this exercise! Comment below or contact me if you wanna chat more about this :)