Impossible is a Word to Be Found Only in the Dictionary of Fools

Hello, loves.  Let's have a chat, you and I.

My favorite holiday is fast approaching.  Surprisingly, it is not Christmas, although it could be contended I missed my calling as an elf at the north pole, such is my enthusiasm for this time of year.  No, my favorite holiday is New Year's Eve.  People usually think it odd that New Year's holds such a special place for me, when Christmas and Thanksgiving are contenders.  I suppose I just take it very seriously.

I've always loved something about a fresh start.  As one of my favorite authors, L.M. Montgomery wrote, "Isn't it nice to think that tomorrow is a new day with no mistakes in it yet?" 

I've been thinking a lot lately about failure.  The benefits of it, the harshness of it, and the decisions it inspires.  It is a difficult thing to experience, almost like life itself has rejected you.  But the more I examine failure, the more I have come to conclude this:

You can either let it beat you into the ground, or you can pick it up and wield it to achieve victory.

Oh, and isn't it heavy sometimes?  Reality is though - this is the price of dreams.  This is the price of greatness in life: inevitable, crushing, failure.  Maybe the road to your dream will take you through 1 failure, or perhaps 1,000.  There is a girl I know, a lovely Australian girl named Peta Kelly, and she recently put something in perspective for me.  I think you might also find it enlightening.

Pursuing your dreams is not HARD.  Don't you dare ever use that word.  Being blown up in a volcano - that is hard.  Waking up each morning without the gift of water - that is hard.  Not having the ability to move your body -  that is hard.  Being beaten, abused, hungry, dying - THAT IS HARD.  But going after your dreams?  No.  That's not hard.

Not to mention that it is perfectly possible to fail at doing the things that don't make you happy as well!  I learned that when I lost my last office job.  I think Jim Carrey said it best.  Take a look at these words from his commencement address earlier this year at MUM.

"My father could have been a great comedian, but he didn't believe that it was possible for him.  And so, he made a conservative choice.  Instead, he got a safe job as an accountant, and when I was 12 years old, he was let go from that safe job, and our family had to do whatever we could to survive.  I learned many great lessons from my father.  Not the least of which, is that you can fail at what you don't want - so you might as well take a chance on doing what you love."

This upcoming New Year's kickstarts massive action.  I have determined that I will probably fail a lot in 2015.  But I have also determined that I will achieve more success and more of my dreams than ever before.

We live in a day and age in which I have come to believe anything really IS possible.  I recently watched a man explain that the wealthiest places in the world are graveyards, because they are so full of ideas never acted upon, and dreams never made real.

But we're not dead.  YET.

13 days from now marks a whole new year.

I write this all here, because I want you to come with me.  Whatever your heart calls for the most, let this be the time you finally ask for it, and put those words to action.  What EXCITES you?  What makes you smile uncontrollably?  What is it that brings tears to your eyes, you want it so much?

Write it down.
Let's do it together.

She Told Me To Bite The Lemon

Hello, me again.

Because so many other people frequently write this blog.
(zing, still got it)

I recently attended a showcase hosted by a few of the most successful people in my industry.  Pleasantly, I have had the joy of learning from these individuals before, although every instance is a new kind of rush for me.  Let me tell you something about spending lots of time around the elite.

They are where they are because they want it more than you do.
That's it.

They started with just as much debt, doubts, and low self-esteem.  They had little to no support, they feared the unknown, and they had every single rejection that could slash them in the gut.

It is as much a choice for us, as it was for them.  I was reminded of a quote from one of my favorite actors:

"So many of us choose our path out of fear disguised as "practicality".  What we really want seems impossibly out of reach and ridiculous to expect, so we never dare to ask the universe for it!  I'm saying... that you can ask the universe for it.  Life doesn't happen to you, it happens FOR you.  As far as I can tell, it's just about letting the universe know what you want, while working toward it, and while letting go of how it comes to pass." -Jim Carrey

I challenge you to ask yourself when and why you stopped saying you were going to be a pro basketball player, or a singer in a band, or a fashion designer.  When did you stop writing in your journal about the animal shelters you wanted to open, or the hungry children you wanted to help feed?  What about all the places you haven't yet been?  I bet you I know some of the answers.

Which one is it?  Time, money, or both?  Or maybe, you are like me, and sometimes fight the battle of believing you are actually worth a summer home in England.  That you have the ability to reach out and find homes for orphans around the world.  That you can find the words to inspire people to be the best versions of themselves.

Maybe you feel like you can't be a leader, or even a doer.
Please know, I understand.

This last weekend, a beautiful woman by the name of Susan Sly told me that the first thing great achievers need to do is bite the lemon.

Take a good hard look at yourself and acknowledge all the unpleasant, sour, bitter things that are holding you back.  Some of them you can fix and maybe some you can't.  But own up that they are there, and move forward with your plan ANYWAY.  Bite down hard.  Chew those suckers up, and swallow.

If the last few months have taught me anything, it is that the darkness present in my life is NOT who I am.  Perhaps to some that sounds like an obvious conclusion to come to.  Yes, but that is a belief easier said than understood.

It is getting easier every day for me, and my success continues to increase, because I have embraced a simple bit of truth.

I am going to get there either way.
Come hell or high water.
With or without you.

And though I still have to fight the urge to push the lemons in my life aside.
They have lost their power to hold me back.

Kinda makes me a little giddy, truth be told.
-Insert sigh of contentment here-

Cogito, Ergo Sum

I think, therefore I am.
(Aren't you impressed with my fancy Latin knowledge?)

Over the last few months I have looked in depth at the power of thought.  I've read several books and experimented in applying a lot of my findings to myself.

Take a look at this gem:
"Mind is the Master--
Power that molds and makes, 
And Man is Mind, 
And ever more he takes 
The Tool of Thought, 
And shaping what he wills, 
Brings forth a thousand joys, 
A thousand ills--
He thinks in secret and it comes to pass; 
Environment is but his looking-glass"

Consider that.  The effect of any experience we have is molded purely by the power of our minds.  Man is mind, therefore, we are able to control and use that tool to shape our experiences for good or bad.  Even the thoughts you do not act on are influencing you.  The world around us, our lives, are reflections of how well we are wielding that tool.

When I have a bad day, I have begun to ask myself, "how am I using my greatest tool?"  Being of course, my mind.  Every time, I realize that the point in time where things go wrong, is the point when I have allowed my mind to run in the wrong direction.

This is not to say that our thoughts will always mold our environments to be ideal.  If someone is rude to me, I can not think an apology out of them.  I can, however, choose to think the best of that person, and refuse to allow those words to have a lasting effect.

That's an easy one.  Let's get a little more gritty.

Let's say I've made some really bad choices that have landed me with a crippling addiction.  It has depleted my health, mental wellness, and distanced my loved ones.  I can not think those loved ones back to me, or erase my choices.  But what can my tool accomplish?  Tools are made to build.  The power of thought can build a happy life, but I must learn how to handle it.  Confront your weakness, make a conscious commitment, surround yourself with support, detach yourself from the opinions of those who don't support you.  

What I am trying to get across is the miracle that YOUR THOUGHTS can get you through the most crucial elements of any goals you have in your life!

Try it, I dare you.
Just think about it.


Pun intended.

The Tooth Fairy

I was recently asked, "If a movie were made of your life, do you think people would watch it?"

At the risk of sounding cocky, absolutely.

I've had a pretty good amount of adventures in my time.  The fact that I am still pretty young is encouraging to me.  There are many adventures to look forward to.  One of the main reasons I started this blog was to have a place to regale an imaginary audience with my treasure trove of stories.  I'm happy to know that my audience isn't as imaginary these days.

I hope I will continue to amuse you.  And only on rare occasions will I attempt to make you cry.  Promise.

Today's recollection stems from my childhood.

I wouldn't go as far as to say I was a gullible kid.  Not really gullible.  But eager to believe in the fantastic.  Unicorns?  Obviously real.  Narnia?  I tried my closet on a daily basis.  Peter Pan?  I waited by my window every night.  Don't get me started on Santa.  The big guy and I have a rich history.

But this story is how I debunked the Tooth Fairy.

The tooth fairy to me was a serious pursuit.  It was one of the few mythical creatures that left evidence.  After losing my first tooth, and finding a couple quarters under my pillow, two things went through my head:

1. Tooth Fairy is a cheapskate.
2. I'm going to catch her next time and get at least a dollar.

Now a few lost teeth came and went, and I missed the little sneak every time.  Never more than 50 cents.  Sometimes she would throw in a piece of candy.  It infuriated me.  I remember telling my dad that I was getting gypped, and he told me the Tooth Fairy's budget was probably getting cut.

Nice cover, Dad.

The day came that I lost my last baby tooth.  The last one.  It was now or never.

I went to bed that night, tooth under pillow, and stayed on watch as long as my eyes would allow.  As the hours wore on, they became very heavy...

I jolted awake very early.  The sun was not quite up yet.  I panicked, and looked for quarters, but found my tooth still under my pillow.  I was relieved.  I hadn't missed her yet!  I was concerned though, because I knew that once the sun came up, she would have to wait until the next night.

I ran to my parent's room, because my mother was the authority on all things mythical (I'm so glad to this day she encouraged my rampant imagination).  I whispered hurriedly that the Tooth Fairy had not arrived yet, and sunrise was not far off.  My mother exclaimed that the Tooth Fairy must have had a very packed route that night.  She was sure that I would not be missed though, and told me to get back in bed and go to sleep, just to make sure.

So I did.  I dove back into the blankets, and did my best fake snore.  Ten minutes passed.  Fifteen.  I cracked my eye open and spotted the beginning of the sunrise outside.  I bolted to my mother's bedside again and declared rather bossily that the Tooth Fairy was running out of time.  My dear mother groggily defended the winged creature, and told me to try one more time to go back to sleep.

I cocooned myself in bed once again, and slowed my breathing.  Cracking my eyes open enough to catch any movement.

After about ten minutes, I heard my bedroom door open.  I was a little confused, because I had always imagined the Tooth Fairy using the window.  Her footsteps also sounded kind of heavy.  How big is this lady exactly?  Isn't the Tooth Fairy little, like Tinkerbell?  I couldn't resist any longer.

My eyes flew open and so did my mouth.

My mother stood before me with a guilty look on her face, two quarters and a piece of butterscotch candy in hand.  She was reaching for my pillow.

"Mooooommmm...?" I drew out, starting to put two and two together.

Needless to say, the illusion was officially shattered.

In the days that followed, my sweet mother would insist that she was called in by the Tooth Fairy to pick up my stop.  But it was too late.  I knew the truth.

The Tooth Fairy and my mother were the same person.

And my mom was not a fairy.

The Tooth Fairy was a lie.

My young heart was not too broken.  After all, I still had a chance to catch Santa on Christmas Eve.  He still hadn't brought me that pony I kept asking for.

Off My Chest.

Hello love, I'm happy to see you again.

Let's do what I do best, and talk in depth about my life.

As you may recall, I lost my job a couple months back.  At the time, it felt like getting dumped.  I had poured my heart and soul into a relationship, and felt it was mutual.  When I was let go, I was told that I was perfect for the company, yet there was too high a percentage of office error.  When that happens, they are obligated to cut down the areas where the highest level of error lies.  At the time that made sense to me.  A company has to make money to survive.  This was a business.  I hadn't realized I had fallen so far off the track.  I left that job feeling guilty.  A failure.  After all, in my exit interview, hadn't they said I was perfect for this company?

After the shock wore off, and I was feeling more myself again, I stepped back and realized that my old job has a massive flaw.  I wonder if they realize.

I've debated writing about this for some time.  Because I still consider the people I worked with there, some of the highest caliber of people I've ever met.  I'm sure a handful of them will read this.  But if nothing else, I gotta keep myself honest.

See working there, they work hard to make it fun.  And making people feel valued.  Which I love.

But.

Let's go back to my relationship analogy.

If you are dating someone who tells you you are perfect, makes your life fun, and constantly emphasizes that you are part of a family, you expect that relationship to last, providing your efforts are mutual, of course.

Here is what will always leave a slightly bitter taste in my mouth about that job -
Don't promote that the office is a "family" if you have a capacity limit on their strengths and weaknesses.  And don't promote the office is a "family" if you don't acknowledge them after you let them go. (Liking my Facebook status once in a while hardly counts).

I stand by that company as a great one, and I would recommend their services, hands-down over their competition.  But sometimes there are gaping holes you don't see until you are on the other side.

Anyone who has lost a "great" job can level with me on that one.

Now fast forward to the present.
Oh goodness, there will be a whole separate blog post on this soon, I promise.
I will just say though...
My life has transformed 100% in the most incredible way.

I won't go into a ton of detail yet, but I won't leave you entirely in the dark.

I am healthier then I've been in years.
I get to spend my days at home with my son.
I am actually going to be able to finish my books.  Hallelujah.
I will be able to help my husband quit his job soon (Oh, that gives me goosebumps).
Which means my husband and I get to work together, from home.
Or from Europe.  Which is also in the plans.
My husband can enjoy going to school, minus the rat-race pressure.
We are able to hand-pick the people we want to work with.
(On a slightly braggy note, sorry, but it helps that a large percentage of these people are wildly successful millionaires).
Best of all, I've never been more at peace with myself.  Guys, it turns out, I am pretty awesome.

Yep, that's what I said.

I Came Across This Gem

I think I am addicted to notebooks.  I have SO MANY.

I don't know if this is a "me" thing, or a writer thing, but every time I pass an aisle of notebooks or journals at any given store, I want one.  I just have these visions of filling each one up with lovely thoughts.  

*contemplate Peter Pan tangent... no, that obsession will have to wait for another day.*

Anyhow, I came across some really great pieces I had forgotten about.  I thought I would share one with you.  It must have been written sometime last year shortly after having my son...

It is entitled, "Forgetful Lucy"

I'd like to write a poem today,

But frankly, I don't know what to say.

My life of late has been quite dull

The daily grind, the push and pull.

Wake up early, feed your child

Keep him in check or he'll run wild.

Try to remember you have to eat

As you attempt to keep things neat.

The laundry should be folded, I know

But my baby's diaper decided to blow

Running, running here and there,

My sanity never had a prayer.

Oh Past Jessica, I promise, it does get much easier.

Too Good to be True

What is my life?

The last 4 days have provided so many turning points, I feel as though there is some mental whiplash going on.  In the best way.

Let's walk through the chain of events, shall we?

-Get fired from my job.

-Decide the best course of action is to move to Utah.

-Work out details, timing, and finances.

-Spend a full day freaking out about finances.

-Pray for God to send us a solution.

-Isagenix saves EVERYTHING.

I have gone from jobless, confused, and unsure about a future...

To having a plan, purpose, drive, and hey, a basically free vacation to San Diego for our first ever Isagenix convention!  

Funny, I thought I wasn't going to get to see those beaches this summer.  Hm.  It would appear the universe wants me to win a few after all.

I feel like this kid:

We are SO excited!

And yes, that is the understatement of the year.

Guys, this experience has literally caused me to rethink everything I had dreamed, and handed me the tools to make everything a reality.

Do you know the phrase, when the door closes, God will open a window?  Well, I feel like He just demolished the whole wall, and oh, the light is pouring in!

We will get through school debt free.  We will have the time, resources, and health to enjoy our lives the way WE WANT TO.  We have found a tool that is placing no limits on how fast or free we can become!  If I had known this was possible before, I would not have wasted a week, nay, a second on anything else but this stark realization.

My husband and I have not slept the last two nights, because we are so overwhelmed with how blessed we have become in such a short amount of time.  

Do you know that feeling you get on Christmas Eve as a kid?  You lay in bed, all jittery and excited.  Your brain is moving too fast to follow, and you feel as though you could burst at any second with the giddy happiness floating in the air?

I have been feeling it every day this week.  I know I will feel it every day next week, and next month, and next year.  Because freedom is so, so incredibly close.

Guys, I am happy.  I can't even remember the last time I was this full of joy and purpose.

My life is perfection.

As I weep tears of overwhelmed joy, I am so thankful for my family, friends, and this incredible company for getting our life going on our terms.

If you don't think that complete personal, physical and financial freedom is impossible.  Think again.  It's closer than you think!