Things I'm Afraid To Tell You

I've written and rewritten this blog post upwards of 5 times the past few months...because truth? I'm scared to share this shit.

But I chose my word of 2018 to be UNAPOLOGETIC, and while part of that means letting my freak flag fly (aka not giving AF about what people think about my goofy baby grandma-ness), to me, it means committing to showing up every day with a VULNERABLE and REAL heart.

It means no longer allowing FEAR to rule my day to day -- and choosing to CRASH INTO IT and embrace it for all it will show me on the other side.

So, here are the things I'm afraid to tell you. 

(p.s. thank you to Jess Lively for being the major inspiration for creating a post like this in the first place -- if you don't follow her/listen to her podcast, you're missing out! Thank you for being such an inspiration for me to tell my truth. I hope it inspires you to do the same.)

 

THINGS I'M AFRAID TO TELL YOU

 

I MIGHT HAVE THE BRCA CANCER GENE

Starting big, Amanda. Ok here we go.

When my dad was 18, his mom died of breast cancer. She was 44, crazy healthy and she still was killed by the horrible disease. 

My dad decided to get tested 5 years ago to see if he had the gene and, it turns out, he does. Now, for my brother and for him, the chance of it impacting them are quite small. But for me? It means I have a 50/50 shot of having the gene -- and if I do have it, a 78.3% chance of developing breast or ovarian cancer in my lifetime. 

And those are odds I don't wanna fuck around with.

This has been a big part of my life for a long time now, but it's becoming even bigger because I've decided, after all these years, to finally get tested. 

Why now? Because I'm tired of letting fear call the shots in my life.

Because while it scares the shit out of me, I would rather KNOW so I can make an informed decision moving forward.

So next week, I'm getting tested and I'll be finding out in the next month. Maybe nothing from my perspective will change. But maybe everything will. Stay tuned.

I LOVE BEING A TEAM BEACHBODY COACH

For so long, I hid behind the label attached to coaching -- network marketing, MLM, Beachbody -- call it what you may, it's my JOB and I'm freaking proud of it.

Network marketing companies get a bad rap -- why? Because there are a few shitty ones that put a negative taste in our mouths. You know those companies that encourage their "distributors" to set up parties where you feel pressured into buying some lipstick or face cream you don't want / or suddenly some facebook acquaintance of yours adds you to a facebook group without asking your permission -- yeah, I've had both happen on several occasions and it's not fun.

So when I first found out about Beachbody, I was skeptical AF. 

I didn't know anything about it but I knew it was a network marketing company and there was "no way I'm getting involved with that pyramid scheme BS". 

But I soon got to learn more about the mission of the company, became OBSESSED with the  integrity behind the workout programs and nutrition products & the emphasis on COMMUNITY, building empowering relationships and financial freedom, I soon realized that Team Beachbody does it differently.

WAY differently. 

So yeah, I've been partnered with Team Beachbody for the past 2 years and it was the best decision I've ever made. 

I've found a family in my team.

I've helped hundreds of women change their relationship with food and feel CONFIDENT in their own skin.

And because of this side hustle, I've been able to single handedly pay our mortgage for the last few months. 

You never know what possibilities your life could have if you allow yourself to be open to learning more. More and more women on our team are changing their LIVES because of this opportunity. You could too, if it feels right to you. 

I GAINED 10 LBS OVER THE HOLIDAYS

This one feels SO stupid as I write it out, but it's true. I've been holding myself back from sharing this because I'm afraid of what this means.

The things my inner shit talker has said it means?

"You're a bad coach. You can't even practice what you preach."

"Yup, look at those thighs and that ass. So fucking gross."

"You are such a hypocrite -- don't you preach not attaching your worth to the scale?"

Yup, nasty shit, am I right?

And yeah, I'm up 10 lbs since I last weighed myself in September. 

I know this because I'm starting a new fitness program for my Live Your F*ck YES life challenge & before we begin each challenge, we take our right now photos and measurements so we can track our progress. Pictures are worth so much to my clients (and honestly, to myself) in this process because it's so amazing to see how far we come in our journey. 

However, I normally don't weigh myself as part of these (the scale caused major anxiety for me for so long in my life that I stopped a long time ago), but a few months back, when I completed Shift Shop, I decided to weigh myself and see my full progress throughout the program. And I decided to do the same for this one -- except this time, I was shocked to see I had put on 10 lbs.

I will admit that I haven't been feeling my best.

I ate a buttload of christmas cookies, have been eating more gluten than normal (which I know is an irritant to my body), and the takeout train has been REAL in my house with all the travel and bumps in the road this past month. 

And my pants certainly aren't fitting the way they used to.

The 10 lbs I gained? That part alone honestly doesn't bother me beyond what others might think (because yes, as much as I work my ASS off not to let those things bother me, they still do -- I'm a freaking human being).

What does bother me is that I'm not feeling my best.

Luckily, I have the tools I need to be able to turn that around and shift how I'm feeling alongside my Live Your F*ck YES Life community -- I'm excited to launch into a new workout program, be intentional with the food I'm putting into my body and feel AMAZING in my clothes again.

And there you have it.

Wow, I've gotta say, it feels really good to get all of that off my chest. Ever since I was a little girl, writing has been so therapeutic for me and this post has been uber cathartic to say the least.

I hope me sharing my truth empowers you to share a little bit of yours.

I believe so much in the power of vulnerability -- and that through sharing our stories, we can empower one another to rise up into our authentic selves, and quit hiding behind the bullshit stories we've been telling ourselves. 

Thank you for coming along this journey with me. This community we've built means the world to me and I'm so grateful for each and every single one of you.

Come on over to our facebook community and share something you've been afraid to tell us. Be brave, lady love. You can do it.

Love & light,

Amanda 

The One Thing You Need To Start Your Year Right

Are you a big fan on new years resolutions?

I used to make them every single year, and every year I would inevitably break them and my type A perfectionist nature would feel like an utter failure.

"Go to the gym 5x a week." FAILURE.

"Go vegan." Ha, that one lasted a month.

"Practice yoga 3x a week." Nope.

Sound familiar?

And it got me thinking -- why do we start our years out making a resolution that is clearly well intentioned but will inevitably not be able to fully commit to (and often forget about 2 weeks later)?

There has to be a better way to be INTENTIONAL with our upcoming year -- and that's why I started a NEW TRADITION heading into this last year that really stuck with me and helped build POSITIVE momentum.

What's this you say, Amanda? 

Hush, hush, I'll tell you.

CHOOSE YOUR WORD OF THE YEAR.

 

I went into 2017 with the word GROWTH.

I started my business at the very end of 2015 and the first year of ANY new adventure is a freaking rollercoaster and filled with ALL the kinks. 

I was failing forward like crazy and had definitely started to build a foundation for my business but I had (and have) some seriously HUGE goals and I knew that the only way I would be able to achieve them was with MASSIVE GROWTH.

What I didn't realize was just how much of that growth needed to be INTERNAL instead of EXTERNAL.

I don't know about you but when I hear the word growth, I think numbers and a higher income. And while that certainly did happen this year, the external growth ONLY happened AFTER I had done a shit ton of work on my INNER GROWTH.

What areas did this include?

• Inner work on my positive self talk
• Serious work on my money mindset (*cough* scarcity mindset)
• Belief in myself as a leader
• Working "as if" I was was already where I wanted to be. 
• Developing a routine and a work ethic that was IN LINE with my goals. It turns out that big dreams without action are just DREAMS. 
• Allowing myself to DREAM BIG and crash into the fear instead of allowing it to paralyze me. 

...and so much more. 

2017 was certainly a year of massive growth for me and my team.

And because of all of the self development I did as a PERSON, and all the work I did on building up my MINDSET and BELIEF SYSTEMS, I was able to grow my team into a group of 100+ women who also want to turn their passion for health & fitness into a business or side hustle, help over 200 women BUST THROUGH THEIR EMOTIONAL EATING & ditch the yo yo dieting once and for all within my Live Your F*ck YES Life Challenges and financially, I was able to pay off ALL of our credit card debt, and start to really contribute to our family.

---

So as we head into 2018, I've been thinking a lot about what I want my word of the year to be. And through the prompts I will share with you shortly, I decided on

UNAPOLOGETIC

So often, we (myself included) apologize for the way we are and the things that light us up.

And I realized this year that I've been doing that way more frequently than I realized -- and enough is enough.

I'm CLAIMING MY TRUTH and officially going BALLS TO THE WALL with who I am, what I believe in and what is important to me and I'm refusing to hold myself back.

If that means I lose a few followers on social media because I'm too much of a crazy goofball baby grandma who swears and talks about poop, so be it.

No more dimming my light because I'm afraid people won't like me.

This gal is officially going to show up every day UNAPOLOGETICALLY HERSELF. So gear up.

Now, how does one even start figuring out what their word of the year might be?

I'm glad you asked!

Here's a combination of exercises to help you discover yours:

1. Grab a journal and allow yourself to free write -- close your eyes and think about your DREAM day. What are you doing? Who are you with? How do you feel? Got it in your head? Write down everything you're experiencing on a piece of paper.

2. Think about your upcoming year. What do you know for sure will be happening in 2018? What do you want to manifest for your year? What are some things that could happen that would LIGHT YOU UP INSIDE? 

3. Look over the words you wrote in the last 2 steps. Did any feelings resonate throughout? Any particular words get written more than once? Bonus? Check out this list of words (inspired by the lovely Susannah Conway) and see which ones pop out to you most! Circle the 5 ones that really resonate with you.

4. From the words you circled, I want you to spend some time journaling out what each of them represents to you and WHY feeling that way would make you feel your BEST in 2018. What does it represent to you? Why is that important?

You'll likely find yourself gravitating towards one or two words that really hit home for you. 

And from there -- the way to officially choose your word is to answer one simple question: WHICH ONE LIGHTS ME UP THE MOST?

That's your word of the year.

I would LOVE to hear which word you came up with!

Share in the comments below (or in our Facebook community!) so I can support you heading into the new year!

Xo Amanda 

My 3 Top Tips On How to Deal with Stress

Does this sound like you?

Every single day.

You're feeling overworked. Busy.
Running out the door. Looking for your phone/keys. Leave your lunch on the kitchen counter.
Work all day.
Trudge home in traffic.
Grab a glass of wine. Make dinner.
Cuddle on the couch. Netflix.
Go to bed and do it all over again.

 

My day looked like that for years. 
 

And I will never forget what my mom said to me a few years back...

She said: "You have to slow down or you're going to burn out." 

And she was right.

And of course, like the stubborn gal I am, I didn't listen.

And I burnt the fuck out.

This isn't something I've had the courage to share until now (and to be honest, I'm not quite sure where I'm finding the courage to do it now, but it's happening and girl, I'm gonna go with it...) 

STRESS.

Such a little word but such an overwhelming feeling, am I right? And for some reason, people just DON'T talk about it. If I were to sit down and ask you right now if there's anything that's stressing you out in your life, chances are your answer would be a resounding YES.

And if not, holy shit girl congratulations for being an amazing amoeba -- this blog post probably isn't for you (although feel free to hang around, you're still awesome in my books). 

 

So why why why do we just not talk about it?

We've been taught to hide our stress. Keep our anxieties at bay. Put on a mask and "just deal with it". And while I'm all about keeping positive, I am also about being REAL and honest, and that includes the shitty days -- because YUP, you guessed it, stress is something I deal with all the fucking time. 

For YEARS I felt paralyzed by stress. I mean, I would get stressed out at the tiniest things -- if a dish was left in the sink for longer than an hour, if there was any form of traffic when I was driving, if situations didn't happen EXACTLY how my mind imagined that they would. 

I once removed myself from my own 14th birthday party because my friends didn't wanna watch Bring It On 2...(when my best gals remind me of this, I can't help but laugh now but at the time, I was PISSED.) And let's just say, that added stress that I kept imposing into my life...well, it kept up for a LONG while.

I was a bundle of stress and it was affecting so many areas in my life. 

My control freak tendencies got the best of me and for a while, I got so overcome by all of that stress that I started having panic attacks. I literally made myself sick because I couldn't give up my control over shit. I became the girl I always was so frustrated by -- the negative nancy who would spend her days complaining about the littlest things and putting more energy into the every day bullshit than the GOOD.

Sound familiar?

While my schedule may look a whole hell of a lot different than it did then, I still lead a busy life. And what I've learned along the way is the importance to find ways to slow down and find some grounding amidst the busy.

Because let's be honest, you were not put on this Earth to spend your lifetime running around like a chicken with your head cut off and feeling endlessly anxious and overwhelmed.

MY TOP 3 TOOLS FOR DEALING WITH STRESS:

1. THE BRAINDUMP

This is a journaling technique that I adopted when I read the book The Artists Way and while I don't implement it every day anymore like I used to, on days when I'm feeling particularly anxious, it's a lifesaver.

The idea? As soon as you wake up in the morning, before you do ANYTHING, grab a journal and a pen and just write down anything and everything that's in your head. Don't edit. Just WRITE.

Light a candle, curl up in a blanket and treat this as your ME time.

Morning times doesn't resonate with you? Do this before bed to get rid of all of the BS chatter making it tough to fall asleep. 

2. MEDITATION

Honest? I was super turned off by meditation for years. I always felt like I wasn't doing it right and that I just couldn't sit still and quiet my mind the way I was "supposed to".

But once I shifted my perspective on it and gave it a chance, it did WONDERS for my mental health.

My best tip is to treat it as a PRACTICE. You're not going to be able to quiet the chatter but can you breathe through it? You are intentionally creating space for YOU and that is SO powerful! Celebrate that.

I recommend starting off with a guided meditation -- my personal favorite is a free app called CALM. Try out their 7 days of calm to get started and see how you feel!

3. THROW YOURSELF A DANCE PARTY

You know I had to add something goofy in -- I can't help it!

But for real, when you're feeling suuuper stressed out and funky and in your head, the best thing you can do is to MOVE YOUR BODY.

You know I'm all for a good sweat session, but if you can't muster up the time or courage to push play for 30 minutes and sweat it out, throw on some of your favorite tunes (my personal go tos are 90s boybands and disney belt fests) and DANCE YOUR HEART OUT.

And there you have it. 

What's your favorite of the 3 tips? Share in the comments!

Xo Amanda

How to Set Yourself Up For Your Best Year Ever

Do you find yourself making BIG ASS GOALS that sound really freaking good...
but end up at the end of the year with nothing having changed and the same “hopes” and “dreams” heading into the next year?

One of my most eye-opening takeaways from my leadership retreat this fall was the realization that the first half of the year, I was living in maintenance mode.

MAINTENANCE MODE? DA FUCK?

As a coach, I spend so much of my time preaching and teaching how to bust through your comfort zones but here I've been, holding myself back along the way. 

And, as a result, a few months ago, I found myself in a self-induced plateau with my own fitness, business, and personal growth.

The past few months, I’ve been journaling, surrounding myself with high vibe women that have helped me work through some major roadblocks and gave me some serious aha realizations...
 

The truth?
I've been hiding.
 

I have let self doubt and fear run my life.
I've been waiting for all my big goals and dreams to just go *POOF* and happen.

But you know what? I'm the only one who can make them happen.

The only one who can start believing in myself.
The only one who can step up and make a change.

The only one who can bust through this comfy warm and fuzzy zone I’m in and SHOW THE FUCK UP for my business and my life the way I KNOW I am capable of.


 

So, for the rest of 2017 I'm committing to ME.
I'm committing to my dreams.

I'm committing to working as hard as I can so Kevan and I can build the life we want and set a foundation for our future family and lives.

I'm committing to sharing my message because I know that someone, somewhere needs to hear it, just the way I needed it when I was starting MY journey.

I'm committing to early mornings with my community so I can pour into my own cup so that I have enough left over to pour into others.

I'm committing to getting fierce AF with my goals and following through no matter what.

I’m committing to being the best leader I can be for the amazing women on my team, because my success inspires their success.

 

Are you ready to commit to YOU, too? 

Time to stop sitting on the sidelines of your own freaking life, girlfriend.


 

HERE ARE SOME JOURNALING PROMPTS TO GET YOU STARTED... 

What would that look like?

What would you have to give up or release?

What changes would you have to make in your daily routine?

What mindset shifts would you need to make?

 

Today is the beginning of the rest of your life and YOU get to write the script -- what do you want it to say?

If you need some support, you know I'm always here for ya :)

Xo Amanda

23 Ways To Show Yourself Some Love

There are 23 days until Thanksgiving. A time when we express our GRATITUDE to those around us and give thanks.

The spirit of Thanksgiving is such a beautiful thing, and while I'm all for living in gratitude and showing the people in my life how much I care about them, I find that this time of year is when I have the hardest time showing MYSELF love and gratitude.

So this holiday season, I want to empower you to not just show up for those you love, but your YOURSELF TOO. 

Don't know where to start? Here are 23 ways you can show yourself some love this month -- check off a few of them this week! You deserve it.

1) Start your morning with some cozy journaling time. Light a candle, make some tea and just BE!

2) Rock out a face mask -- my favorite is the magnaminty from LUSH. 

3) Read a book -- here are my top 5 fave self care books!

4) Choose a word of the month that lights you up. I do this every month and it's SO empowering. My word of the month is PLAYFUL. What's yours?

5) Grab a gal pal and go to a yoga class at a studio near you.

6) Create a vision board! You can make a poster board version or make on online -- like this one! I used the website Canva. 

7) Bake a treat for your coworkers -- how about these cookies?

8) Go for a walk and just be with yourself. No phone. No podcast. No music. Just you, your thoughts, and the crisp fall air.

9) Adopt the mantra FOOD IS FUEL and be mindful about the food you're eating.

10) After a glass of wine, switch to kombucha. JUST as delicious and won't leave you rocking a headache the next day.

12) Facetime a gal pal you haven't talked to in a while

13) Get a haircut! Or better yet, switch up your hairstyle! Why do we always put this on the back burner when it makes us feel AMAZEBALLS?

14) Spend a day completely unplugged.

15) An hour before bedtime, turn your phone on airplane mode and don't turn it back on until after your morning me time!

16) Try a new recipe -- like this healthy pad thai! 

17) Buy yourself some flowers.

18) Play with your pup (or steal a friends for a day!) and soak up their playful, snuggly energy.

19) Have a mid-day dance party. 

20) Make a list of 10 things you love about your body, right now.

21) Say no. Self love is all about bringing more positive energy into your life. So stand up for yourself and say no -- it'll allow you to say yes to things that actually raise your vibes instead of putting time into things that don't! 

22) Press play on a workout that makes you feel AMAZING from the inside out. 

23) Invest in something that will help you grow into your best self -- a fun class, workshop, workout program, anything!

Let's commit to showing ourselves some LOVE this month, ok?

Who's with me?

Xo Amanda 

Why You Should Give A F*ck

WOWZA ma peeps.

It's been a long whirlwind of a summer and honest? While I freaking LOVE sharing my heart with you guys, I just haven't had the time to properly pour into a blog post that would SERVE you. My energy has been reserved for my challengers in our Ditch the Diet Challenge, my coaching tribe, my acting gigs, theatre classes and time with my hubs!

BUT I'M BACK and have something major on my heart to share with you babes, so here goes.

At the beginning of September, I spent an amazing weekend at a leadership retreat in Michigan with the leaders in my coaching family.

We had photoshoots, did some MAJOR ASS goal setting, snuggled under the stars, had bonfires, ate delicious food and celebrated social media strangers turned best friends, business partners and family. 

I’ve spent the past few weeks journaling and processing the entire experience and holy wow am I just filled with so much damn gratitude.

It’s been almost 2 years since I had my quarter life crisis and quit all of my soul sucking part time jobs to dive in and be a full time coach and actor. While it’s been quite the rollercoaster, it’s pretty freaking incredible to wake up and realize that I’m actually living my freaking dream.

Yep, even normal ass girls can make their dreams come true. I’m not special. I just decided to freaking go for it. (And if you’re ever curious to learn more about my story or what it’s like to be a coach on Team Inspire Joy, you can learn more here. I'd love to chat!)

In all the journaling I’ve been rocking out the past month, I got to thinking about some deep shit and you KNOW I can’t keep that to myself.

The main question?

What do you give a fuck about? Like, really really care about.

If SELF CARE TIME isn't #1 on that list, then giiirl, it’s time to do some re-evaluating on your life.

Trust me -- I spent YEARS putting everyone and their mother above myself and was always in hustle mode and it did not end well. You know that quarter life crisis moment I mentioned earlier? Yup. Don’t make the mistakes I made.

And if you have and are at your breaking point,

THERE IS A WAY OUT AND UP.

So what does self care reeeeallly mean?

I’ve been on my own personal journey to self care and I’ve found that there are 3 main factors that have been HUGE in my development:

EAT LIKE YOU LOVE YOURSELF

Plain and simple: fuel your bod with whole foods. GET THE EFF OFF the yo yo diet train of death and eliminate processed foods and JUNK for once and for all.

You want to feel energized, strong, confident and empowered?!

So much of that starts with what you put in your body.

Not sure where to start? Grab your free copy of the Busy Babes Guide to Healthy Living and hop into our Live Your F*ck YES Life community -- join the convo and start showing your bod some LOVE.

MOVE YOUR BODY

Now I’m not going to tell you to do one kind of workout for the rest of your life or that you can’t feel strong & happy unless you’re rocking out cycling classes or getting ripped in a crossfit gym.

(Y’all know I’ve pretty much ditched the group fitness classes unless it’s my monthly yoga goodness anyways ‘cause let’s be honest, I save wayyyy more time and money by rocking my badass at home workouts)

But what I AM going to tell you is that you haaaave to move your body every single day.

Yup. every single freaking day.

My mantra? I will move my body to the pleasure of my soul.

Some months, that might mean rocking out a strength training program. Other months, it’s diving deep into my yoga practice. And sometimes, it’s just going for a long walk with my hubby and our pup, Toby.

Find your mantra or feel free to use mine if it resonates ;)

SLOW THE EFF DOWN

This one’s ESPECIALLY hard for all you type A perfectionists (raise yo hand, I see you girl). And one that I’ve had to PRACTICE.

I am reeeally good at the hustle mode. And while I appreciate it at moments in my life, there HAS to be a balance or else you just burn the eff out and before you know it, you’re crying on your bathroom floor, wondering how you got here. Yeppp, definitely been there.

Quick tips to find stillness in your day?

• Take a 5 minute break from whatever you’re doing and step outside and just breathe in the fresh air

• Stop everything you’re doing, grab a piece of paper and write down 5 things you’re grateful for.

• Put the phone AWAY, grab a book and dive in.

---

Ok, now it’s YOUR TURN.

This week, I want you to focus on ONE of these 3 things.

Dig in, show up for yourself and start making those habits, lady love!

Want the accountability? Join our Live Your F*ck YES Life community!!

Sending you love & light,

Xo Amanda

The One Decision That Changed My Life (New Orleans Recap!)

A couple of weeks ago, I spent the weekend in New Orleans for our annual coach summit with my amazeballs tribe, Inspire Joy. This was my second time coming to this event and this time around, I really felt like I was HOME. I laughed, I cried, I learned, I was inspired but most of all, I was re-ignited.

So first up -- WHAT THE HELL IS SUMMIT ANYWAYS?

For almost 2 years, I’ve been a health and fitness coach with Team Beachbody, the company that makes the amazing at home programs like 21 Day Fix, PiYo, and Insanity. I run virtual accountability groups for women who want to ditch the diet and find joy in fitness, and I also mentor a team of almost 100 women who have decided to pay their passion of health & fitness forward and earn extra income by becoming coaches themselves.

The reason why I LOVE Beachbody is that it’s mission is focused on transformation from the inside out in every aspect of your life -- your mental/emotional/physical health, your finances, self confidence, mindset and so much more! The more I coach, the more I fall in love with it and am endlessly proud to be a part of such a beautiful, values driven and integrity based company!

I am also obsessed with my team, Inspire Joy. We’re a group of goofy, creative go getters who freaking LOVE quality time together, and we spend sooo much of the year working together virtually that trips like this are seriously AMAZEBALLS.

 

NOLA ADVENTURES

My flight was delayed THREE HOURS flying out of Chicago because of a silly rain storm (CAMAAAN) but luckily some of my team was also delayed so we got to hang together :) Once we finally got to the city, we drove to our Airbnb and got ready for TEAM TACO NIGHT! 

On Thursday, I got up with my gals Jess & Laura and we got our sweat on to our latest program we’re rocking out together and had a relaxing morning hanging out before heading to our first personal development event -- the Power of I Am! This event was amaaazing -- learned so much from incredible leaders & got to hear from Cara Alwill Leyba, the author of The Champagne Diet and Girl Code.

Afterwards, we got beignets at Cafe du Monde ('cause DUH) and later that night, we had our huge opening ceremony at the Superdome! 

Imagine being in a stadium surrounded by 20,000 of the most ambitous, positive, driven, self aware people you know. I get giddy just thinking about it again! IT WAS SERIOUSLY SO EMPOWERING.

Friday, I got up SUPER early for a live workout with the infamous Shaun T (yes he is just attractive in real life and MOTIVATIONAL AF) and holy balls, it was tough. I had had a really emotional night the night before -- continue reading to learn why -- so I neeeeded this sweat sesh so bad. #therapy for real. And it was so empowering to sweat alongside of so many people I admire and look up to. 

Then it was a full day of workshops followed by a super wonderful dinner in the French quarter and a night on the town on Bourbon street ;) We kept it classy but we DEF had fun haha. 

Saturday was our last full day -- filled with more sessions and we closed out the trip  with our huge Celebration at the Superdome. It’s like a giant broadway show meets the Oscars meets Cirque du Soleil. And you get to be there up close and personal. Freaking EPIC.

WHAT I LEARNED:

+ IT’S TIME I FREAKING BELIEVE IN MYSELF

Last year, when I came to summit, I had a DREAM. A VISION. A life filled with freedom, travel, purpose, goofy-ness and LIGHT. But it was just that : A dream. Something that felt so freaking far away. 

I mean, I had just started coaching 8 months prior, and was still working 7 different part time jobs, and while I had started to become a more positive and healthy version of myself, I still had a shiz ton of work to do on my self esteem and belief. 

And last year, I came on this trip dreaming of FREEDOM. Of having a tribe of MY gals by my side.

And this year? That dream turned into my reality and it's all because of these incredible women.

Because these gals believed in my dream too. 

They saw what I was doing and said to themselves "I wanna do that too" and they ACTED on it. 

They stepped up to their life to pursue THEIR dreams. To change THEIR lives. And in turn, they've completely transformed mine.

And seeing them there, it hit me like a ton of bricks -- I did what I set out to do. I made my dreams freaking happen. 

It’s so easy in the day to day to get soo wrapped up in what’s not going right or what’s hard that you forget to take in and be grateful for what IS working and this trip put everything in perspective for me :) After all, this journey is FAR from a race -- it's a marathon, and one that I'm IN for the long haul.

+ MY TRIBE IS MY FAMILY

Truth? I didn’t have a lot of girlfriends growing up. 

I never did the whole sorority thing, or really got along in big groups of gals because I just couldn’t handle the gossip and I always felt like I just didn’t fit in. 

I became a coach because I wanted to turn my passion for health and fitness into a side hustle that would give me the FREEDOM to follow my dreams and build a life by design.

What I didn’t realize is that I would be getting a FAMILY. These women inspire me every single day to be a better coach, leader, friend and above all, a better version of me. And it’s been the biggest surprise and the greatest gift along this journey.

When we were in NOLA, I found out that my dog Toby had been rushed to the ER. It was our first night, we had just gotten to our opening night celebration and I was feeling SO full of light, gratitude and giddy-ness and in a single text, all of that felt so far away. I had the first anxiety attack and sob fest I’ve had in a long time sitting on the cement floor of the back of the stadium with one of my coaches and in that moment, I realized how LUCKY I was. To have women in my life (some of which I was just meeting in person for the first time) who I didn’t have to say anything to -- they knew EXACTLY what to do and were supportive in the most incredible ways. Every single one of them was THERE for me. 

I believe that community is everything. 

It was the missing link in my life that I never knew I needed. And now that I have it, I can’t ever imagine going a day in my life without it. 

Every day, I am surrounded by other women JUST LIKE ME. 

Women who are dreamers and want to do MORE with their life. To extend BEYOND the status quo. And through it all, I've been able to RISE UP into my full potential and LIVE A LIFE ON PURPOSE. All because of them. 

+ HOW MUCH MY LIFE HAS CHANGED IN SUCH A SHORT AMOUNT OF TIME

As I sat in our sessions and speakers and team dinners and live workouts, I couldn’t help but think about how different things were for me just one year prior. In just 20 short months, my entire life has shifted.

Through coaching I have been able to:

• break free of my binge eating disorder .
• finally stay consistent with my own health and happiness a priority because it's MY JOB to be happy and healthy and fit
• believe in my enoughness
• pay off all my credit card debt and contribute to our finances aka PAY DEM BILLLSSSS! .
•  inspire and empower other women to, bust through their emotional eating habits and rise up to the become the women they KNOW they were put on this earth to be
• travel to new and amazing places
• mentor other women just like me to be able to build a side hustle of their own too, and live life to the fullest.

Here is what I believe:

Community is everything. 

Your HEALTH is everything. 

 And if you aren’t waking up every day and saying FUCK YES my life feels AMAZEBALLS, then it’s time to shift course, girlfriend.

It's never too late to say YASSS to your dreams.

If there was one thing you could do right now to get a step closer to your dreams,

what would it be?

FOR ME?

IT'S RISE THE F*CK UP.

TIME TO STOP PLAYING SMALL AND START STEPPING INTO THE LEADER I KNOW I WAS PUT ON THIS EARTH TO BE.

Ready or not, world. Here I come.

Xo Amanda

p.s. If you want to learn more about joining our team, please reach out and send me a message. I'd love nothing more than to get to know you and tell you more about what we do! 

How to Stop Giving Up On Yourself When Shit Gets Hard

How do you handle things when things get hard? Do you lean into the shit storm and see it through to the other side? Or do you give up? 

I've been thinking about this a lot. About why people give up. And why some people rise to the occasion, crash into their fears and see the shit storm through to the other side. 

I've been talking to a few coaches on my team about how it's totally normal to feel uncomfortable and terrified. We're all entrepreneurs and let me tell ya, while the work from home and make your own hours has a billion perks, it requires you to dive in and bust through your comfort zones like woah. My journey of entrepreneurship has been a rollercoaster of ups and downs filled with so much self-discovery and failing forward along the way. 

But here's the thing -- so often, the minute things get hard or they don't go the way we think they should, people give up. Why? Because it's EASY to stay in our comfort zones. To stick to the status quo. 

We start something new and exciting -- like a workout program, a creative endeavour, a business venture -- and at first, it's SO AMAZING. It's FRESH. It makes us giddy just thinking about it. But when the rush of the honeymoon stage begins to wear off, and we see how much work and dedication it will take, we start to wonder if we should keep on pursuing it at all. 

So really, you have two choices: quit or figure it out.

The easy choice is to quit. Give up on yourself and go back to your life. 

And I'll be honest? There have been many times when my inner mean girl is like giiiiirl, just stop. Put some Netflix on and just put all the things aside.

When I had my quarter life crisis moment in 2015, I hit that crossroads. I was trying so hard to make it as a full time actor and was KILLING MYSELF working a billion day jobs and running to auditions every single day and just not getting anywhere. I felt like a total failure. And I was miserable.

I knew something had to change, but I also knew that giving up on my dream of being an actor was just not going to happen. 

SO, instead of continuing to run on that hamster wheel of death and pave the path of what other artists deemed successful -- I decided to create my own version of it. And I've been building my coaching biz ever since. That being said, being an entrepreneur, I've had hundreds of moments where I've wanted to give up. It's SO satisfying but also hard AF. 

And you're on this crazy amazing rollercoaster. The highs are SO life giving and beautiful, and the lows can be soul crushing. And for most, those lows become an OUT. A way to say "ok, I tried, but I'm not doing this anymore". And I'll be honest -- I've had those moments. When I have a big day in my business and push myself wayyy out of my comfort zone, all I want to do the next day is curl up in my pjs with my pup, and binge watch the Bachelor.

I'm working on finding the flow of it all. Of breaking the habit of backing off and slowing down when things get hard -- and there have been 3 things that have been VITAL for this process for me. 

1. Practice. Busting through your comfort zone and doing hard things can feel super SCARY. But it's through these things that we GROW into the best versions of ourselves. And as Tony Robbins always says, the key to happiness is consistent growth. So practice! When you feel yourself wanting to give up mid workout, dig in and see how much further you can push your body. 
2. Give yourself some epic self love. How can we rock this? Wake up early and fill your brain with positivity. Read an inspiring book (check out my top 5 faves for inspo here!). Practice positive self talk. Make a gratitude list. Braindump all of your thoughts onto paper and let that shit go. When we're fueling our minds with goodness, the hard shit won't feel so insurmountable.
3. Meditate. The best thing you can do when life gets hard? Find a quiet space and BREATHE. So often our emotions and anxieties are just side effects of living in the shit for too long. So step away from it and give yourself some space to just be with yourself. And once you've found some grounding, come back to it and dive in with a clear mind and heart.

As my coach and biz wifey always says, "You can do hard things."

And she's right. I can. And so can you, beautiful girl. 

I challenge you to lean into the fear. Say YES to yourself and your dreams, especially when shit gets hard.

Because if you do, you'll be one step closer to that HIGH VIBE, BADASS version of you you were put on this Earth to be. 

And that girl? She's worth fighting for.

Xo, your no BS soul sistah,

 Amanda

Motivation is Garbage

Are you spending your life on automatic pilot?

You have all these aspirations in your life about what you WANT and who you want to be, but you’ve let months go by without taking any action...

I was watching this amazing video with Mel Robbins this past weekend all about why it’s so hard to be motivated to do the little things to improve our lives and it got my wheels turning.

Here’s the thing: our brains are designed to protect us -- going out of our comfort zone and deciding to make a change literally makes our brains send stress signals to our body telling us to retreat and get back to our comfy cozy zone.

So  literally, our bodies are programmed to keep us from going out of our comfort zones and leaping. And it’s up to US to take the leap of faith and dive in. Trust our gut and tell our brains to eff off.

Here's the real-freaking-deal.

You need to stop waiting until you “feel like it”.

You are ONE decision away from a 100% different life.

A different job. A different relationship. A different life. A different outlook.

It may not feel that easy, but it IS. You literally have that power because YOU are in control of your life -- and as Mel so poignantly says: “If you change your decisions, you change everything.”

The timing of shit in your life can be SUUUPER MESSY.

And game changing opportunities don't just knock on your door once the "timing is right" or "you're ready".

Because, let's be honest: there is always something making it the "wrong time".

And if there's anything I've learned it's that those life changing magical opportunities tend to knock on your door at the most inopportune times.

---

I launched my business right after my wedding, having just quit my job and having the roof of our new house leak, causing major water damage.

Not ideal to say the least. But I jumped ANYWAYS.

I decided to crash into the fear, trust my gut and say YES to the life I had been dreaming of for years but never took any action on.

And that's what I want you to do. To jump in with everything you've got.

Right fucking now.

Not:

"when you have the time"

“When the motivation strikes”

"when the timing feels right"

"once you have the perfect body"

"once your busy schedule opens up"

"once you pay off all your debt"

"in a few months"

"when you feel ready"

"when everything lines up so perfectly that magical unicorns and rainbows fall from the sky"

Truth bomb? If you’re waiting for those things, then you’ll be waiting for the rest of your life. Because life just doesn’t happen that way.

You are WORTH putting your dreams into action right now.

So quit delaying your happiness.

And take f*cking action.

---

I want you to take the next 5 minutes and just write the answer to this question --

“Where have YOU been holding yourself back? If you could have the courage to make a change in your life right freaking now, without any “repercussions”, and what would you do?”

And once you've spent some time thinking on that, I want you to think of ONE way that you can take action on that RIGHT NOW. 

It's time to jump in. With both feet.

And decide to live that f*ck yes life you and I both know is there waiting for you.

I'm with you. I'm going. Who's coming with me?

Xo Amanda

p.s. my weekly love bombs have even more amaazeballs tips, tricks and truth bombs coming atcha every single week --- click the button below to get the weekly goods!!

Ways to Slow Down and Destress your Busy Life

Every single day. You're feeling overworked. Busy. Running out the door. Looking for your phone/keys. Leave your lunch on the kitchen counter. Work all day. Trudge home in traffic. Grab a glass of wine. Make dinner. Cuddle on the couch. Netflix. Go to bed and do it all over again.

That's what my day looked like for years. 

And I will never forget what my mom said to me one day a few years back. She said, "You have to slow down or else you're going to burn out." And she was right. And of course, like the stubborn gal I am, I didn't listen. And I burnt the fuck out and for so many years, wore busy as a badge of honor. 

While my schedule may look a whole hell of a lot different than it did then, I still lead a busy life. And what I've learned along the way is the importance to find ways to slow down and find some grounding amidst the busy. Because, let's be honest, life isn't mean to be lived running around like a chicken with your head cut off, am I right?

Ready to destress and take away the overwhelm?

Here are some things you can start incorporating into your life right now, girlfriend!

START EACH DAY WITH A WORKOUT

Getting your body moving is the freaking BEST thing you can do to de-stress and start your day off on a beautiful foot! I used to use the "I don't have time" excuse all the time but as soon as I started my at home workouts and was rocking out 30 minutes or less for my whole day for a workout, it became a non-negotiable and all my excuses were busted at the door. I chat about some of my favorite go-tos here!

Wake up 30 minutes earlier. And freaking GET IT IN. Your body, mind and soul will thank you.

PRACTICE MINDFULNESS

Even amidst a crazy schedule, there are so many opportunities to be mindful. To show up for our lives with intention. 

Be present.

Look deep within and figure out what is important to you.

Decide to live your life on purpose in every way that you CAN. And commit to showing up as the woman you KNOW you were put on this earth to be.

Not sure where to start? Download your FREE copy of 5 Steps to A Mindful Life for a deeper look into how to implement this into your daily life!

GO FOR A WALK

There's a reason all great creatives/writers/thinkers have a daily walk as part of their routine. Being outside gives us a break from being at our computers. A way for us to unplug and just BE. 

Bonus? If you have a pup like I do, it's super awesome bonding time and they'll love you forever. 

LAUGH YOUR BOOTY OFF

Call your gal pal that always makes you laugh so hard you pee a little.

Throw yourself a dance party with your dog in the kitchen while making dinner. 

JUST LAUGH. It's an immediate reminder not to take life So seriously and to soak in the present. (And it helps you make faces like this!)

 

UNPLUG FROM YOUR PHONE

Turn it off an hour before bed and leave it off for the first hour in the morning too. Or at least put it on airplane mode.

We spend so many hours staying constantly connected and it's causing more and more stress to our nervous system and our brain. Soak in that unplugged time and you'll feel less stressed in no time.

(and yes, girl, those emails CAN wait until work hours. And you're not gonna miss anything important on Instagram, I promise.)

What's something you're committing to to start YOUR journey to a less stressed life?

Share in the comments or, if you're looking for some extra accountability and a safe space to go through this process, join our Live on Purpose Facebook community! 

Cheers to living a more intentional and grounded life! You deserve it, babe.

Xo Amanda

p.s. not getting weekly love bombs to your inbox yet? Girl, what are you waiting for?! I dish out allll of the goods there ;)