What's on My Reading List: 1776

1776 by David McCullough
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Belief was a strong characteristic that enabled George Washington to stay with his task even when discouraged and feeling hopeless. His belief in 'why' they were defending the United States gave him remarkable courage and determination to stick out the war. At a time when he may have been the wealthiest person in the US it would have been understandable if at any time he would have backed down.

The book is great and written in a way that keeps your attention page after page. McCullough may be my favorite author.

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Competence Breeds Confidence

I'm going to let you in on a secret.

Depending on the circumstances of us meeting, if we've met, there will be two dramatically different responses to this revelation.  Very opposing responses.

If we were introduced socially, you're already in on the secret.  If someone were to ask you "did you know this about her" your reply would be "isn't it obvious, everyone knows that about her".

Suppose our meeting happened in a professional setting.  Revealing this truth about myself would receive a much different reaction.  "No way".  "It's not possible".  "Not her".

Here's the secret

A Year of Total Fulfillment

Ever crush a goal and have a strange sense of emptiness?  Make 2018 a year of total fulfillment.

Are you joining millions who are going to the gym this week? Here's a plan to kick off your next several trips to the gym. Focus on lifting weights with one arm. Each time for the next bunch of visits keep working that same arm. Curls, flies, lift, press, repeat . . . work it! 

We all want a toned arm. Actually, none of us want just one toned arm. We would look ridiculous. No one is setting a fitness goal for 2018 to look weird, but many are setting goals in just one or two areas putting themselves at risk of feeling very unfulfilled even though they've achieved their goals. When working on your personal plan for 2018 take a look at more than just your job or your financial status or your relationships. Take time to reflect on and plan for your whole self. Gift yourself a year of total fulfillment in 2018 by thinking through and planning in the following 8 areas

What's on My Reading List; Grit: Passion, Perseverance, and the Science of Success

Grit: Passion, Perseverance, and the Science of Success by Angela Duckworth
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This book started out great. Her explanation of grit and the examples provided were very interesting. I feel that people will be encouraged to read that perseverance can win over talent or skill. Perseverance puts the ball in my court instead of in my heredity or environment. How badly do I want to be great? How hard am I willing to work for it? Imagine if everyone could get that and get the voice in their head lined up with that thought. Wow!

The book then turned very ordinary and repetitive and even sounded

My 68 Day Challenge: The Whole30 Day 10

Days 10 and 11 are the biggest quit days for people on the Whole30.  We are on day 10 and are feeling too good to consider quitting.

My husband had a business introduction meeting this week.  I thought for sure he would cheat.  No way was he going to be introduced to new business contacts at a restaurant and tell them about the plan.  He surprised me.  He had no problem telling them about the plan, in fact, it was a great icebreaker.  Ordering compliant from the Italian restaurant they were at was no problem too.  The server was more than ready to help.  Awesome!

It's funny, but not surprising, that our keys to success with this plan are pretty much keys to success for anything:

1. Open communication - tell people your needs and vision and they will help get you there.
2. Look for ways to make it work - sure you can find a million reasons why you can't, but focus on why you can.
3. 80% planning 20% execution - don't get caught unprepared.  Plan!
4. Try new things - if you keep doing what you've always done you will get what you've always got

We are doing the Whole30 as part of the 68 Day Challenge.  Join thousands of people looking to make 2016 their best year yet 68 Day Challenge.

My 68 Day Challenge; The Whole30

To successfully achieve a goal you should spend 80% of your time in planning to ensure that the 20% you spend executing can be done with excellence.  Planning on successfully completing the Whole30 program I started my planning by reading the book It Starts With Food.

After reading this book, with an open mind, I believe that adjusting your diet for 30 days can make you feel better, sleep better, think better, and perform better.  If you want to lose weight, that is an added benefit.

It Starts With Food: Discover the Whole30 and Change Your Life in Unexpected Ways by Dallas Hartwig
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This book is absolutely fascinating.
To those who gave it very skeptical reviews, I ask . . .why did you buy this book in the first place? Did you not read the description first?
I will be gifting this book frequently.

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I'm doing the Whole30 as part of a great program sponsored by my employer The 68 Day Challenge.  It's open to the public.  Check it out!

Try Something New in 2015 Martian 1/2 Marathon

Join me on April 18th for the Martian Half Marathon.  I will be helping people cross the finish line at 2:20.  You can do this!!!!

Sofa to 1/2 Marathon in 65 Days Part 4

You can do this!  Starting is the hardest part, but I promise it gets easier.


If you miss a day the best thing to do is forgive yourself and get back on track.  It's OK to miss a few.  Just don't miss most.  If you are sitting at work and you skipped your morning run try to get in a brisk walk on a break.  Find a hallway or a staircase and get your heart pumping.  You don't need to break a sweat to be doing something great for your body.  Just get moving.

If 5 days of running is too monotonous for you, then mix it up with a Freakin Fabulous Friday.  Get in 30 minutes of your favorite exercise. Swim, bike, lift, go to a group fitness class.  Here's what Runner's World says about adding cross training to your routine

Sofa to Half Marathon in 65 Days Part 3

We can all find a million reasons why we can't exercise.

The Oscars kept me up too late
I have bad knees
I am too busy
Can't breathe
It's too cold
I don't have good shoes
I don't have cute clothes

All you need is one good reason why you should.  
Here's mine

This week's training: (days 12 - 18)
Monday - off
Tuesday - 2 miles
Wednesday - 3 miles
Thursday - off
Friday - 2 miles
Saturday - 2 miles
Sunday - 5 miles (don't worry if you walk most of this.  Try to run as much as you can)

A peek ahead to next week: (days 19-25)
Monday - off
Tuesday - 2 miles
Wednesday - 3 miles
Thursday - off
Friday - 3 miles
Saturday - 2 miles
Sunday - 7 miles (don't worry if you walk most of this.  Try to run as much as you can)

New Year's Grateful-utions

We've already had our first snow with a little "stick" here in Michigan.  It's one thing to see a few flurries.  There is new meaning when you wake up and see snow caps on rooftops.

Snow means winter is coming.
Winter coming means Christmas is coming.
Christmas coming means New Years is right around the corner and New Years means . . .
resolutions.
The time of year when we all resolve to be better us'es.  (yep, I made that word up).

As  2014 comes close to an end do yourself a favor.  Before you consider making a list of everything
you need to improve upon in 2015 make a list of everything you are awesome at.

Couch to Marathon in 58 Days, Week 2

"One way to keep momentum going is to have constantly greater goals."

~Michael Korda

Here is this week's schedule.  The big one is already under our belt.  So far, we've only wanted to quit...almost every day.  We haven't built momentum yet, but I know we will.  We can do this!!!

"Success requires first expending ten units of effort to produce one unit of results. Your momentum will then produce ten units of results with each unit of effort."

~Charles J. Givens

Tell Yourself Positive Stories to Stay Positive

“Your beliefs become your thoughts,
Your thoughts become your words,
Your words become your actions,
Your actions become your habits,
Your habits become your values,
Your values become your destiny.”   
~    Mahatma Gandhi
The above quote has been stated and restated and rephrased by many different people over time.  If you Google the first line over 38,000,000 results appear. I must have heard it, read it, watched it on a YouTube video hundreds of times in my life, but today as I listened to an audio program I finally understand how it works.

Your beliefs become your thoughts. 

I always mistook that your beliefs meant your values, but notice how values come later in the phrase.