eat clean. train dirty. read labels.

There is a beautiful fitness movement going on.  There are tons of articles and research based on what foods you eat and it’s correlation to daily performance, cancers and diseases. When you search the web you’ll most likely come across the Paleo diet, Bulletproof diet, Intermittent fasting, and if you have Instagram – the thousands of #fitness related pictures. Growing up in a Haitian household where dinner is regarded as the most important (and best) meal of the day, it wasn’t a coincidence that it was also the biggest meal of the day.  A typical meal consists of a starch, a grain, and a meat or fish. Usually cooked with vegetable oil.  Now, it’s a fact that my mom is the best cook ever (ask around). She cooks the most amazing, delicious, comforting food and even created a cookbook to share our family recipes with everyone.

As much as I will vouch and say Haitian food is the best tasting food in the world, it’s also not the healthiest, and this makes me sad.  Discipline can be defined as resisting the temptation to eat mom’s food – your favorite mind you – knowing that it’s free and comforting and everything you could ever want in life.  However, when it comes to training or knowing that I’m working out, I have to respectfully decline.

I notice a significant difference in my workouts when I eat not-so-healthy food vs. fresh and non-processed. I’ve created a habit to pretty much eat clean because I perform better when I stick to this.  No, it’s not a diet.  I just like to eat healthy.

So, today I went shopping to get back on track with eating clean.  It’s pretty simple and a lot of people make it more complicated than it is when it comes to shopping.

Some tips:

- If you have access to a local farmer’s market or co-op, shop there to get your produce. - Stick to the perimeter of the grocery store where most of the food is fresh and expires within a week or two. - Sugar is bad. All of it. Organic dehydrated cane juice, high-fructose corn syrup, pretty much anything ending in "-ose." All bad. - If you’re interested in getting something that has labels, make sure they’re legible. Everything that is labeled fat-free, sugar-free and even organic isn’t necessarily good for you.

Perfect example: I needed almond milk.  A brand that was labeled USDA certified organic had about 10 different ingredients listed.  It’s almond milk! It’s supposed to be just almonds and water! This one had one particular ingredient that I had never seen: carrageenan.  Frustrated that I wouldn’t be making delicious smoothies tonight, I left the store and when I got home I did some research on this ingredient. Although it’s stuff that is extracted from seaweed, this “natural” food additive can cause gastrointestinal problems and there are petitions to ban this in our foods.  For more info, click here.

I’m not a nutritionist, but I know that if there’s things you can’t pronounce or stuff that has an expiration date for 2032, it’s probably not good for you.

Related, I found what appears to be a simple recipe for making your own almond milk. Trying it tomorrow.

the jonah complex.

Warning: lots of hyperlinks to insightful topics in this post. You’re welcome. Seth Godin defines non-clinical anxiety as “experiencing failure in advance.” In his post titled The Opposite of Anxiety he touches upon the notion that if we think of a future that incorporates all worst case scenarios, we’re already setting ourselves up for failure.  He also brings up an interesting fact that our culture doesn’t have a word for the opposite of this mentality – experiencing success in advance.

The other day scrolling through my twitter feed, I saw this tweet by my friend, Willie. Curious, I clicked it and immediately had one of those “a ha” moments.  Taken from Wikipedia: the Jonah Complex is “the fear of success which prevents the realizations of one’s potential.”

I feel that this is precisely what I’m trying to overcome.  Yes, I understand the whole it’s-not-about-you-mentality, the it-doesn’t-matter-what-you-ship-mentality, and everything related to not caring what other people think as long as you’re passionate about what you create. And yet, I still create this mental block for myself.  I often ask myself what am I afraid of?  What will happen if people actually respond to what I create – positively or not? I get stumped, and cower at the idea of possibly doing something great.  I think that I don’t want the attention; I don’t want the praise and accolades that may come from it.  Even just writing that sounds stupid.  Why wouldn’t I want someone to come up to me and say thank you or what you created actually helped me?

Yes, I want to help people and give back through writing, through fitness, through storytelling, but I also don’t want the praise that could stem from it.  Can humility and success coexist?

I believe it can.  Clearing some internal hurdles I’ve built is the key.  I’m the only one in the way of my own success.

send a sign(al).

Sometimes I wonder if what I post will be too much.  Am I exposing too much of myself? Being too vulnerable? Sometimes it feels like a lot of things I write and post should be kept hidden in a journal that only I get to read. Then I just think – f it – this is my blog, and I can do what I want :)

I got a text from a friend today that I haven’t heard from in months.  Someone I used to talk to almost every day growing up, then somewhere along the road of life, we stopped communicating.

I often talk about paying attention to the now and being present, and just before I read the text a song on the radio was playing that reminded me of this person.

Hello, sign.

Life is funny.  Everything happens for a reason, and some people just come back into (or leave) your life at just the right time.  This reconnection in a sense gave me a bolt of energy yet all of a sudden, I felt an overwhelming sense of nostalgia. I wanted to do all of the things we used to do together, at that very moment.  I wanted to be in the same room.  I wanted to have a face-to-face conversation.  Recreating similar experiences is what I want to do and this gives me energy, motivation rather, to make all of this possible again.

This makes me think why we ever stopped talking.  It also reminds me of if you’re ever thinking about someone you haven’t spoke to or seen in a while – to send them a message, or call them – let them know you miss them and are thinking of them.  You never know what they could be going through, and just hearing from you could make their entire day.

just start.

Coming up with something to write for today was hard.  There are other things that I’d rather be doing that don’t take so much effort - like sleeping or reading. I’m hoping that as I continue to write, it won’t feel like so much of a chore. The hardest part is always starting.  So here I am…writing away.

I downloaded Jeff Goins’ latest book titled “The In Between” and started listening to it earlier this week. It’s about embracing the moments that are occurring right now and the tension between now and the next big thing.  It’s a great reminder that it’s in these moments of feeling like nothing is happening (when in fact things are happening if you just pay attention), that make up your entire story.

It’s easy to get caught up in dwelling on the past and wishing you could’ve or should’ve done something better, but this type of reflection is ultimately unproductive.  By doing that, we forget what’s actually going on around us in this exact moment.  A million thoughts go through our heads and eventually doubt and fear seem to creep in if you don’t take any action in the thought process.  So just start.  Start doing something.

It’s not a coincidence that I decided to embark on this experiment of writing to publish everyday, or that I want to create a job I love that doesn’t exist yet.  I chose to do this.  It’s the action of putting thoughts to paper to implementation, to create the tangibles that subdue any tension during this transition period.  I’d rather not just wait for the next big thing, because it may never come. I’d rather embrace these moments, pick myself and start somewhere even though I have no clue where this path may lead me.  I just know if I don’t, I’ll be waiting for an eternity filled with the weight of fear – something that weighs far too much to stay above water.

being an expert.

I am not a CrossFit expert…yet. A lot of people come to me for insight on this lifestyle because of my posts/updates/pictures, personal stories and 2+ years being a part of this community.  I’ve heard everything: -       What CrossFit box (gym) should I go to? -       How often should I train? -       How much does it cost? -       Will I throw up? …and everything in between.

Yes, I have a Level 1 Certification to be a CrossFit coach, but I don’t consider myself an expert just yet.  My experiences training with different coaches, actually being a coach, dropping in to about a dozen or so locations in the U.S. and Argentina, gives me an advantage on what CrossFit is like.  It also gives me a wide perspective on what works, what doesn’t and how I can implement my experiences to helping other coaches and affiliates out, but I have entirely so much more to learn and test out.

CrossFit has blown up.  Competitions are now televised on ESPN 2 and there are over 3,100 affiliates just in the United States alone.  Anyone with a Level 1 Certification can own a box and be a coach.  This is a great yet scary notion.  A lot of people have told me that they’re afraid to try CrossFit because of the horror stories they’ve heard – injuries, vomiting, can’t move body parts – really extreme stuff.  I’m not saying that none of it is true, but there’s a high chance that it can be prevented, if you do your research.

A lot of CrossFit coaches are extremely great athletes – former and current collegiate athletes, games competitors, senior year football MVP (does that exist?), etc. – yet they don’t necessarily have the knowledge on how to train average working people.  People that have 9-5 jobs that are sedentary for 40+ hours a week, people that sit at a computer all day and have pronated shoulders, moms (and dads) that are constantly picking up after their kids toys and are blowing out their backs because of it.

In my stint working as a personal trainer at Equinox (yes, as a CrossFitter I actually stepped into a gym), I quickly learned how little I knew about what it actually means to be a trainer and coach.  For six weeks, I went through a crash education coarse covering topics on anatomy, kinesiology, workout progressions, program design, stretching and mobilizing.  This led me to researching more on what actual experts and trainers who have been in this business for years were doing and suggesting to their clients.  This also left me overwhelmed with how much information there is on the web – and how it all can be confusing because of conflicting advice.

In order to prevent injuries and to hopefully minimize the fear that people have when they think of CrossFit and be a well-versed coach of all things fitness, coaches must make it mandatory to be educated.  Not just by going to seminars and getting mobility, nutrition, or corrective exercise certifications and be done with it.  They need to make this a continuous effort to always be educating themselves on how to be better coaches as well as how to properly train average people.

I don’t believe that you need 100 different certifications or degrees to be an “expert.”  Yes, those all help, but I believe that you need to continuously test out what you’ve learned.  See what works and what doesn’t and actually know what you’re talking about.  Talk to other trainers - not just CrossFit coaches - and see what works well for them or what didn't.  Being confident in telling someone why they should train with you or join your box - not just because you have this CF coach title, not because you can deadlift 500 pounds or do 50 pull ups in a row – because you actually know your sh*t because you've done your research.

Disclaimer: I don’t think that CrossFit is the end all, be all way to working out or what it takes to be fit (whatever “fit” means to you).  However, it’s worked for me, I’ve seen people transform into super-humans, and I recommend training in this type of fashion – HIIT (high intensity interval training) - to get you feeling sexy and strong if done in a proper way ;)

give and receive.

Lately, I’ve been offered gifts so to speak from people whom I pretty much share everything with.  Some offers I’ve kindly declined because it just didn’t fit at the time, and others I’ve been somewhat forced to accept because I was told I couldn’t say yes or no to them.  [Meanwhile, in my head I'm screaming "let me have a choice!"a.k.a. "let me be in control!"] I’ve always had a tough time accepting items.  I used to hide my birthdate on Facebook for years because I didn’t want the attention from my friends posting on my wall (pre timeline verbiage), or the calls and texts that would come from it.  I never really made a list of things I wanted for Christmas or birthdays – and if I did, it was so insignificant that I don’t remember it.  I’m not sure if it’s because of how I was raised or if it’s from just having too much pride, if there is such a thing.  Whatever the case, I’ve learned that this isn’t necessarily a wise mentality to have.

A sort of emptiness has been a recurring feeling and I could never really pinpoint why...which brings me to my desire of being fulfilled.

Understanding that there are people in place to help out, support and give without me asking them to do so, is really difficult for me to grasp - yet I know it’s necessary in order for me to be able to give back.

“My intent today is to maximize my experience of giving and receiving & so keep abundance flowing." – Deepak Chopra

When I stumbled upon this quote it all made sense.  Giving without accepting or receiving anything in return can leave you depleted and drained. Once I started to be okay with accepting what people (and the universe) gave me, I felt nourished.  This enables me to have the energy and drive to be able to give back and ultimately feel full.

conversations with dad.

I’m realizing more and more each day how much my father and I are alike.  Aside from the physical attributes, we share a common mindset and this type of go-getter personality.  About 15 years ago he ventured into creating a side business to generate more income.  To this day, he still advocates for it, still attends weekly meetings, conferences every couple of months, and builds great relationships from it.  He has an entrepreneur spirit, but is entirely so deep into his main field that he can’t truly get out of to focus on this side hustle so-to-say.  So what does he do? He gives me advice (although it sometimes feel like he’s preaching to me) on how to create a business working for myself – as my own boss. Yesterday we discussed what steps I should be taking in order for me to be a successful business owner in a field that I’ll talk about at another time. He told me he’s excited for me, even after I told him my frustrations.  He told me that I need to focus on seeing the bigger picture – to have more hope – and to actually be proactive in doing certain things that will help me be successful.

I always knew my dad was wise.  Growing up I’d always see him read books on topics ranging from politics to art to medicine to entrepreneurship, Haitian and local newspapers and National Geographic magazines.  Always learning, always finding ways to make his practice better, always staying up to date with whatever was going on in the world.  To this day, he still orders and receives these subscriptions and there are dozens of books that fill shelves all on the topic of entrepreneurship, building successful relationships and making money.  Just yesterday he told me he ordered “Think and Grow Rich” by Napoleon Hill for me after I told him I couldn’t find it after sifting through every shelf.

My dad knows what’s up.  He sees me for who I am and also knows that I have every tool that I need to succeed.  Gaining insight from my biggest supporter means everything to me.  The driving force behind my actions is to continue to make him proud, and to build something that he only wishes he had access to at my age.

clarity through action.

A status update by a friend on Facebook sparked this idea:  write a 300 word post every day for the next 62 days and publish. Why 62? Because I want to hold myself accountable every day leading up to my 29th birthday. Today is the start of another transition phase of my life where I need and want to recharge and refocus.  I want to reflect on what I’ve learned the past six months living and working in New York City, as well as focus on what I want to accomplish moving forward.

The push and pull of trying to maintain a balance between diving into what I enjoy doing (working out) while coaching a mix of clients left me exhausted and confused.  It felt as if I were trying to navigate through a thick forest without any light or tools to guide me.  I got lost, tried to retrace my steps, and felt overwhelmed by the density of my surroundings.  So, I decided to remove what I felt was draining me: the constant buzz of the concrete jungle.

In order for me to show up in the world and be of use to others, I need to be healthy.  This involves being able to maintain a clear sense of what I want to accomplish for myself and how I can help others with my knowledge and skills relating to fitness. Clarity through action - meaning focusing on writing about topics that interest me, working out, training women entrepreneurs like myself, eating clean (little-to-no processed foods), and/or eliminating things that don’t feed my soul in a positive way.

What I want to be able to achieve from this experiment is a sense of fulfillment.  I have no clue what will happen after these 62 days. It’ll be tough, but I’m up for the challenge.

grateful.

I’m grateful for my clients who fought through the exercises I gave them, with minor complaints [smile], and thanked me after they were finished. My presence encourages them to keep going. I’m grateful for the guy who offered me a seat in a packed cafeteria style seating at a Whole Foods in the East Village. 15 minutes, nothing was said as we ate lunch.  As soon as he finished he looked directly in my eyes and said, “Have a great rest of the day” and walked off.

I’m grateful for the mist of rain that was perfectly timed as I walked home from completing a grueling workout at CrossFit. It was the perfect temperature to cool myself down, so I stopped in the middle of the sidewalk, closed my eyes, tilted my head back and let the rain just wash over me.

You’re intentions should be to chip away at discomfort, show up, make someone smile, be okay with getting a little wet…

and to always take note of what you’re grateful for.

Current status: present and happy.

recharge.

"...when we're trying to 'figure it out,' we're in our head rather than being present." - Nisha Moodley

I never was the one who would google every symptom I had if I felt an ache or pain somewhere in some hypochondriac type of manner.  Most of what I've ever felt in terms of pain was probably related to working out or some other physical activity, so I basically either took vitamins or went to a day spa to suppress that feeling, and in extreme cases, actually took OTC meds.  This time, it’s a bit different.  This time, I knew something wasn’t right and I needed to pinpoint why I haven’t been feeling like Sabrina: the go-getter, adventurous, spontaneous, say-yes-to-mostly-anything, live-in-the-moment - self.  Always fatigued, even if I got in 7-8 hours of sleep, moody, anxious, nervous, depressed, not feeling in control, drinking coffee only made me more tired, alcohol was worse, generally not in the mood to do anything (train, coach, be around people)…. I didn’t understand what the hell was wrong with me.  So I did some research and self-diagnosed myself with Adrenal Fatigue. 1. because I don’t have insurance to see a specialist and 2. you can find anything on the internet and if I have all of the symptoms, that means I have that condition, right? Right.

Side-note: I didn’t even bother to go to WebMD in fear that all the symptoms would lead to blindness or death.

It took me a few months to realize what was going on with me, and when I’d talk to other people who have been through similar situations of change of career/living path, they all said, yes we’ve been there. I thought this was "normal" but there's no possible way that people have experienced what I’ve went through or have been going through.  When there’s too much stimuli (moving to a new city, having a new job, not having a stable income, place to stay, running around the city to work, dating…or lack thereof) this can cause adrenal fatigue.  When your adrenal glands are so tired that any type of stimulus causes you to be pretty much immobile.

My initial reaction after finding this was "Yes! I know what’s wrong with me!" Then, it was shit…I’m legitimately not well, I need to fix myself.  There was a point where I literally was sick to my stomach, hadn’t eaten in over 24 hours, and this was my wake up call.  I researched how to deal with this naturally, and in the most cost-effective way, so I stocked up on vitamins and started saying no to a lot of people.  I needed time to myself.  Time to recharge – and not to say that I’m out of the deep end just yet, but I’m getting there and I feel it.

I read this post by Nisha Moodley today and it hit home.  The frustrations of not having “it all figured out” and going through the motions of coaching, training, moving, figuring out where to say – all became too overwhelming.  To the point where I had little motivation to basically do anything that I love doing: eat, train, date, workout, read, write. It’s been tough for me to tell people that I haven't been myself, because I don’t want people to worry about me. I’ve always felt the need to be strong and powerful without breaking down, and this completely overcame me.  I’m worn out.  I’m not writing this for pity points, nor do I want you to feel the need to console me or be empathetic.  The point I’m trying to come across is that there’s never been a point in my life where I haven’t felt like “me” until now.  I’ve turned down numerous gatherings and situations where people have asked me out because I just didn’t feel like it.  I didn’t want to be around anyone.  I’ve had zero motivation to pursue what I moved to NY in the first place, and I know that I need to recharge.

What all of this boils down to is that the best way to gain clarity and to feel at peace is to be present.  It’s to be okay with what’s happening around you, without expectations, without concerns, without the certainty of what’s to come.  Some of the natural supplements I’ve taken enhance this feeling, but everything comes down to being okay with what’s happening now.  Only then will things start to make sense and overwhelming feelings will subside.  It's a tough pill to digest - to be okay with not being in complete control - but it's the only thing that's been working to bring me back up to speed.

inspire and bond through sweat.

“Several cups of tea will only get you so far, so this is where sport and business meet: an entrepreneur needs to be in decent shape. When you hit a roadblock, getting your body moving will help you to stay creative.” – Richard Branson

A few weeks ago I was grateful to coach six women who are all part of Brooklyn’s first Lululemon store.  Their fitness backgrounds range from dance to yoga to triathlons, and with the exception of one, they never had a CrossFit experience quite like the one held at Columbia Street CrossFit(CSCF).

Lululemon and CrossFit are synonymous with building a community through various fitness-related outlets, which is a key element why both brands are so effective.  They are strong components of connecting a group of people who use fitness as the catalyst to inspire others to live life with a purpose, by doing something once a daythat gets them out of their comfort zone (among other things).

Megan Dolce and Kaitlin Kerns, Store Manager and Assistant Store Manager of Lululemon Brooklyn respectively, are extremely involved in the fitness community in Brooklyn.  They reached out to me to host a sweat session for their staff as a way to build camaraderie.  Usually these sessions involve yoga or spinning, but considering that Lululemon and CSCF will be neighbors, we decided to incorporate a sweat session that wasn’t so traditional, held at the box.

I took into consideration that 80% of the women have never experienced CrossFit before and designed a team-building partner workout that didn’t involve barbells or climbing ropes or flipping tires.

The group was paired off and had to complete a set of 10 movements for as many repetitions as possible within a 10-minute time frame.  The goal was not only to get a great full-body workout in, but also to encourage support from their partner by cheering them on through each rep and exercise.

Now, I can’t describe how they were feeling after the workout, but what I can say is how touched I was to know that they all expressed how great they felt afterwards.  For me to create an experience that is unique to each person and each group that I train, to set their fears aside and to give them an outlet to feel indestructible, to feel AWAKE, to feel great is what I aspire to do every time I coach.  Building a connection through fitness is the ultimate bond that I strive to create in each community I am a part of.

These women are all part of an exciting time for Brooklyn, and I have no doubts that the talents that each of them have will bring limitless opportunities for them to share their passions with NYC.

Lululemon Brooklyn + Columbia Street CrossFit

from scratch.

Ok, so I’m going to attempt to try and change the direction of my blog or site, this thing that I’m using to share my thoughts.

Not that you probably care, but I’ve been struggling with trying to get my thoughts out that make the most sense to you.  It’s funny how everything makes so much sense in my head, and the second I try to compile everything and actually write what I’m thinking – I get stuck, which costs me time because each post takes me at least 15 minutes to write (and that’s if I don’t time myself).  Then I worry about grammar and punctuation and re-read it and edit and delete and finally post.  But now, eff that. 

Btw - all the other stuff is still relevant, and I stand by them 100% because each one was brought upon by an actual experience that I encountered.

Now that that’s out the way…

Starting from scratch.  It’s almost been a year since I’ve left Miami and the HEAT organization.  If you were to tell me that I’d spend $17,000 in less than a year, I’d say no effing way.  This is what happens when you travel, move, buy food, and other random things that I care not to list.  No one said that where I am now would be one of the toughest times of my life.  Not that it’s a bad thing, at all, it’s just that doing stuff that I’ve never done before – move, live in NY, build my own business, not have a desk job – would test every part of my body, physically and mentally.

This move has in essence, forced me to think differently, to pursue a life that spins off of what I enjoy doing – by learning and embracing every aspect of the business.  I’m more vulnerable and exposed than I ever have been before.  Sharing what I’m experiencing is something that I hope to dispense on you to know that it’s okay to take a leap.  Just have a better plan than I did.  I had an idea, but no plan.  Thankfully, my idea came to fruition because I willed it – and the universe just aligned to make it happen for me – pretty much NY or bust.  Not really bust, but just to keep paying attention and taking any opportunity that made sense with what I had interest in that lined up with transitioning to NY.   

The difference a year makes is that my meetings now consist of learning how the body works and exercise progressions vs. projecting ticket sales and logistics of events.  The difference is that I’m more in tune with who I am by expressing and exposing myself more so than ever.  Because I have to.  Because I need to. Because it’s the only way for me to stand out from everyone and everything else.

Starting from scratch is scary.  Yet sometimes it’s necessary.  In my case, I chose to change the way I lived.  Some people are forced to.  Diving into a new industry and having to actually hustle and grind - not for my boss, or to make me look good for doing work that I was supposed to be doing anyways - but for myself, is and was so necessary.  I’m not anywhere close to where I want to be, but I know I’m following the right path – my path – with a few bumps along the way.

I’ve met some incredible people this year, some of whom I’ve only needed to connect with just for a day or a few months, who‘ve helped spark new ideas and visions of what I want to accomplish in the future.  I think it’s necessary to have a person or few people that share the same values as you.  You need a support system. No. Matter. What. 

Nowadays, it’s not so much starting from scratch, but actually doing and creating something that has never been done before.  Building my brand.  Putting – Sabrina – on the map.

Now that’s pretty scary.

a familiar place...

…of hurt, sadness, nervousness, anxiousness (which stems from fear) etc. 

Whatever the case may be, understanding why you feel the way you do, and knowing that it’s normal and okay to feel this way, is one way to cope.

Another way comes from tapping into this feeling. Ask questions. Connect the dots. Dig deep.

Never sulk (at least for long periods of time).  Figure out what’s making you feel this way, address it, and move on.

my role model.

Thank you for showing me what it means to work hard. Thank you for showing me that in the end, it’s not about me, it’s about what you do for others. Your dedication to healing, fixing and helping others by always putting them before yourself, is noticed.

Thank you for showing me that going to work - every. single. day. – is what matters.  As a kid, I never understood why you worked all the time, but now I know.

Thank you for taking the risks and leaps that you did to support our family.

Thank you for being my greatest role model.

I only hope to be as compassionate, thoughtful and kind-hearted as you.

Happy Birthday Dad.

I love you.

build a foundation.

When things get frustrating, hone in what's making you feel that way. For me, it’s literally writing down why I’m annoyed, then piecing together what made me feel that way which allows me to reflect on the situation.  Something as simple as seeing what the problem is has helped me to find the root of it.  In every situation I’ve noticed a pattern.  I’ve found myself to be too caught up in the overall picture of where I want to be versus focusing on the task at hand.

In order for me to become better at what I do and to get where I want to be, I need to establish a strong(er) foundation.  This means I need to master the little things first and continue to build up from there.

create value. be specific.

As I'm beginning to gain more clients and train and coach more people, I'm understanding how important it is to specialize. The process of researching different techniques, movements, corrective exercises, etc. for each person is creating the pathway for me to become an expert in every aspect of the fitness & health industry.  It also showcases the commonality between my clients and I.  We all want to achieve greatness, we all want to continue to learn new things, we all want to succeed.

For them it's by investing their time, effort and money into me, the expert; and for me, it's by investing my time and effort in doing the research geared specifically to each client.  If a program designed for them is too vague, they won't see the value in investing in me.  Having a template that breaks down reasons why this program will work for them enables the connection of why they should do the work (workout, spend $, time, etc.) in order to reach their goal.

I see the value in connection.  I see the value in building rapport.  It's the constant pursuit of connecting with each person I interact with that helps me stay motivated and on top of my game.

on you.

Inspiration can come from anywhere.  As I write this, I'm sitting at a French café in the city with a view of a not-so-busy street.  While working on some other stuff and finding the right words to put on paper, I got stuck. I took a second to stop writing and glanced up, and there it was: "Invest in you, profit for life."  GNC has advertisements all throughout the city, and this was perfectly displayed at my eye-level on those lovely yellow cabs at just the right time.

Sometimes it's easy to forget to take care of yourself because you're so caught up in work, school, kids...life.  Your greatest attribute, your greatest creation, your greatest source for success and happiness, is already within you.  Take the time to focus on you.

on confidence.

"Don't question your intention or your ability to do something, just do it." - Donnalynn Civello

Over the past few weeks I've been told I'm bossy, an over-analyzer, "you know too much", and lacking confidence, by more than one person.  The first three descriptions are almost perfect and needed as it relates to my profession, but the fourth is pretty detrimental to my well-being.

Neither of these I took offense to, but damn did it open up my eyes.  I've never been told so bluntly and directly what I sound like or how I come across to others, and I appreciate the New Yorkers people who brought this up to me.

Side note: this makes me wonder if every person I've encountered in the past has been sugar-coating everything I've done / said. [smile]

My weakness, or rather, my biggest opportunity is building and having the confidence to ask for what I want.  I spend too much time thinking about every possible scenario, to the point that it clouds my thoughts and turns every scenario into the worst case.  This happens in all aspects of my life, and it's from consistently doing this over and over without even realizing how damaging this is.  Such a bad habit.

Breaking out of it is simple: just ask.

dedication and focus.

Hearing “3…2…1…GO!” instantly gave me an adrenaline rush.  For the next 17 minutes I was in the zone and completely focused on just me. Focused on my breathing, my technique, my form and chipping away at each rep.  In that moment, I was reminded that I am only competing against myself.   Yes, I was being judged, yes I’d be compared to other athletes, but none of that mattered.  What mattered is that I had one task at hand that only I had control over, and it was to do the best that I could do within a set time frame.  Not for one second was I thinking about work, what I had to do the next day, how I was getting home (route from Queens to Brooklyn…looks WAY better on a map).  It was just me and the bar. As I lie in complete exhaustion once the 17 minutes were up, I felt an incredible sense of relief and clarity.  Completing more reps than I originally thought I could do gave me power.  Power to accomplish anything that was (and will be) thrown at me.

It took an arduous workout to remind myself that I am capable of doing my best work and putting my best effort when I truly focus and work on one specific task.  I have the tendency to try and accomplish a million different things at the same time, and get frustrated when I see that nothing really has been completed.  Maybe before each set of things that I have to do, I should countdown “3…2…1…Go!”  to focus and get that shit done so I can move on to the next one…

Fun fact: I timed myself to write this post in under 30 minutes.  Accomplished. Boom.

float on.

 Bad news comes, don’t you worry even when it lands / Good news will work its way to all them plans In less than one month, I’ve stayed in three – very – different areas of the city.  Owning two suitcases worth of things and being able to pack everything in less than 20 minutes is the key to doing this in a “don’t drive yourself crazy” type of way.  The actual move from place to place isn’t stressful at all.  If anything, it’s exciting.  I’ve learned so much in this short time frame just by allowing myself to explore different areas and being open to crashing at my friend’s places without feeling guilty.  Each place I've stayed in, I felt that it was meant to be - even up to the exact day that I "moved in."

The two craziest and most overwhelming weeks of my life, I spent in Chelsea.  I learned to find peace in the midst of chaos by meditating; I learned about the value of communication and made a final decision that I could never live in the city [smile].  Finding the balance of staying calm when everything appeared to be falling apart was my biggest challenge – and –opportunity to test (and build) my inner strength.

The night before Valentine’s Day I moved to Bed-Stuy/Clinton Hill.  Walking off the train the next day, I literally felt so much love around me.  People are more welcoming, humble and not so much destination walkers like I had seen in Chelsea.  I learned to truly connect with the people I encountered - to be completely vulnerable and allow the conversations I had to resonate.  I allowed love and inspiration to fill me completely to the point that it exuded out of me and onto others.

In Prospect Park I’m learning to appreciate everything for what it is and to understand that everything that surrounds me (people, nature, obstacles) is meant to help and sustain me…. more on this neighborhood later ;)

Live simply. Be humble. Be honest. Ask. Hustle.

One month living in New York and these are the most relevant things that I’ve been practicing that have allowed me to see things in a different light, which have cleared my path to allow opportunities to come my way.

Related: Spread love it’s the Brooklyn way!