How the eff to figure out what path to take?

Doesn't it feel like this is just the question of the century?

We're in a "what's my purpose" trend of life right now. In the past year, sooo many of my friends are having quarter life crises (me included you guys), and the question we are all battling always seems to come down to what the hell we're going to do with the rest of our lives.

And I get it.

I mean, if you're anything like me, you spent your younger years going to an intensely academic school where everyone and their mother were lawyers, doctors, biz peeps, you name it.

Entrepreneurs? Girl bosses? Creatives?

Not so much.

So, I just figured that was my path too. Gonna go and get my major in English lit and be a lawyer just like my Mom. Because that's just what you do!

Well, I am SO grateful I had parents who encouraged me to look to my passions and my heart before making a decision like that because chances are, this Health Coach entrepreneur creative artist would not be writing you gorgeous babes this blog post. 

And here's the thing, I have a bunch of friends who are doctors and lawyers and who truly LOVE it. It's what lights them up and that's AWESOME. I am by no way saying that it's not a valid path. But it wasn't right for me.

And what I've been hearing from sooo many of my friends is that they're miserable in their jobs. They spend their days exhausted, burnt out and doing something that is unfulfilling. And I TOTALLY get where they're coming from. After I graduated from acting school, I had to find a "day job" -- aka, in the world of an artist, a job that will pay your bills so you can continue to live out your dreams of being an actor because, newsflash, acting jobs don't pay so well. Wompidy wompidy.

So I did that. I worked so many jobs that I didn't love. And I became that girl that I always told myself I would never be -- the girl who isn't living and breathing her PASSIONS.

Cue: quarter life crisis

And you know what I did? I quit all my stupid jobs and I gave myself a few months to figure it the eff out. And that's what brought me here. To Beachbody Coaching. Because I was able to sit down myself and ask myself some really tough questions that helped me decide what path I wanted to take.

Now I'm not telling you to go and quit your job. Hell naw. I mean, by all means, if that's what you wanna do, I'm not going to stand in your way.

BUT, I am going to share with you some of the tools that I used to get there.

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I want you to sit down with a pen and paper -- JUST trust me on this, ok? And for the next 15 minutes (or when you have a break in your day, COME BACK TO THIS), just write and don't edit yourself.

And answer the following questions...

What lights you up? 

Ex: For me? The list includes... snuggles with my hubby, long walks with my dog, morning me time, pancakes for breakfast, dancing in my kitchen, singing at the top of my lungs, being surrounded by incredible empowering women, climbing trees, spending time at my cottage

If you could create your perfect day, what would it look like? 

Ex: For me, I would be at my cottage, with my family and my hubby Kevan and our dog Toby. I'd spend the morning on my dock, alone, doing yoga and reading some personal development book & journaling. Then breakfast (my dad's pancakes, duh!), followed by lake time adventures and lots of canoeing. After lunch, we'd play board games and drink tea and have good conversation and for dinner, we'd bbq and sit outside and watch the stars. Followed, OF COURSE, by snuggles.

What do you NOT want in your work life?

Ex: I do not want a 9-5 schedule. I don't want to have a boss. I don't want to have to commute in my car to work. I don't want to be restricted to vacation time to go on holidays. I don't want to work with lazy, needy people. 

What DO you want more of in your life?

Ex: Freedom, Joy, Energy, Laughter, Time with my family & friends, Travel

**Share your answers to these questions in the comments!**

What did answering these questions reveal to you? Are you living a life that's in line with what you really want? What you value most? Or are you just doing something because it's what your degree happens to be in?

It's time to start aligning your LIFE with your VALUES.

I know it's scary to realize that you're not leading the life you want. Truuuuust me. But isn't it better to take ACTION towards leading your dreams than to sit there, year after year, watching them fade away?

I dare you to start getting REAL with yourself and stop settling for a lesser life. You deserve it.

Oh, and p.s. for some extra goodies...if you haven't watched our first episode, it's alllll about this topic ;)

How To Stay Positive When Shit Hits The Fan

No matter what you do to set yourself up for success, sometimes life happens and shit just doesn't go the way you'd planned. Can it suck? Hell yes. Do you have your "why does this have to happen to ME" moment and feel all of those feelings and maybe cry a bit into a big chunky blanket while eating copious amounts of chocolate? Been there, done that. But what I've found has been a game changer in my life has been choosing to move forward and live life with a positive outlook, even (and especially) when the hard times are happening. 

The past couple of weeks have been a whirlwind for me. Christmas is my favorite time of year, hands down. Seriously, guys, I'm a little obsessed. It's unnatural. And I was so happy I was able to spend Christmas with my family this year (being an actor, I don't always have the luxury of doing so), but let's just say that things did not end up how I had anticipated. My hubby and I rarely get to spend substantial time in my hometown with my family, and we were so looking forward to having our second Christmas with my parents, my brother and my extended family. Unfortunately, we were in for a rude awakening when we received news from our neighbor that our new condo was experiencing a major leak. And I'm not talking a small drip coming through the ceiling, oh no. Streams of water coming down the walls, through our electrical panel, BAD. 

After only being with my family for 24 hours, my hubby flew back to Chicago to deal with the damage. I wanted to go with him, but we would have had to buy two whole new flights instead of just one and really, there was nothing that I could have done to help under the circumstances. So he left, and I was left feeling helpless and sad. We just bought this place. It's our first home, and we finally got everything put away, decorated the way we wanted and it was finally feeling like home. Like ours. And then this. 

So here's the thing, me a year ago would have been FREAKING OUT. I mean, having a full on panic attack. Sobbing for hours. Feeling sorry for myself for days on end. And don't get me wrong, I definitely was upset, and I shed a few tears. But because of all of the personal development I've been doing this past year, I was able to stay positive, and have been able to continue to do so. My Secret? It's oh so simple.

Instead of focusing on the bad, I choose to focus on the good.

Say that line out loud to yourself. Sounds easy, right? Well, it can be, but it takes dedication. You have to choose to practice Gratitude. If you have never done this before, it can sound super kitchy but I promise, it works, dude. This has been fundamental for my mental health and since living my daily life focusing on what I'm grateful for -- what's GOOD in my life -- the dark days haven't felt quite so dark.

So here's my challenge to you. To help you stay positive when shit hits the fan:

Carve out a few minutes every day and write down 5 things you're grateful for. Even better? Do it at the same time of day so that you make it a habit. I like doing it while I'm drinking my morning tea. Find what works for you and stick to it. Keep that list with you every day. I like using a little pocket journal that I bring everywhere with me. That way, when I need a reminder or when I'm feeling frustrated or upset, I have something positive to turn to.

Totally do-able, right? It takes so little time but is so impactful. 

Here are my 5 for this mess I'm in:

1. Our Unbelievable Support System. Our family & our friends have come to our aid in all of this in ways we never imagined. We are so lucky and so thankful.

2. My Husband. Seriously, this man is a fucking rockstar. He dealt with all of the bullshit and made sure that I didn't have to come home to a giant shit show. 

3. My Business. In the short month of being a Health Coach, it has filled me with so much light. My #StrongNotSkinny challenge started today and these girls are so ready to take on their goals and make positive changes in their lives. They are my constant inspiration and I am so happy to be a part of their journey.

4. My Health. I am so grateful that no matter what, I have an able body that allows me to move & be consistently strong. Working out and being active has been such a source of strength and positivity for me and no matter how bad my day is, a workout always makes it better.

5. Adventure. We may not have a home for a while, but it'll be an adventure right?! Couch surfing, living out of suitcases -- it'll be a story we will have for the rest of our lives.

So there you have it, folks. I hope that when your days are at their darkest, this will help you find the tiniest sliver of light. 

Xo, Amanda