Happy Sunday Girlfriend!
I trust you are all having a beautiful weekend. I’m playing catch up after spending most of the week in Dallas. It was a wirlwind trip filled with playtime with the most precious toddlers, laughing over wine with dear girlfriends of 20+ years and of course, over-indulging in my fave food– TexMex! Something that has been resonating with me since my return to LA is how inspired I am by the women in my life. We seem to look for inspiration everywhere these days (I even base my blog + webseries on it) in the latest motivational book endorsed by Oprah, in movies, art, church or even on Pinterest. Sometimes all we need to do is look at the lives of our nearest and dearest. Inspiration is right under our nose and can so easily be overlooked and underappreciated. There were several beautiful life lessons I learned on this trip, but the thing that made the most impact was how powerful it is when a woman MAKES UP HER MIND to do something. Hold on to your hats boys… Hurricane Sally is coming through town! When mama makes up her mind… shizzle gets done!
I had so many thought-provoking conversations on my trip with women from all walks of life, but there are a few scenarios that inspired me the most. Remember a few weeks ago, I posted a blog about my friend Christine who recently went through 15-16 rounds of chemo. Well, just two weeks ago Christine underwent a mastectomy. On top of that, I was not aware that prior to her finding out about the cancer, she had torn a ligament in her wrist from yoga. She had what was suppose to be a simple surgery that turned into a nightmare leaving her with a permanent metal rod from her hand halfway up her forearm. She not only lost a breast in the past year she has lost the use of her hand and may never do yoga again. When you are in Christine’s presence you sense nothing but gratitude, bravery and strength. It overwhelmed me! She doesn’t feel sorry for herself and doesn’t play the ‘woe is me’ sad song. She put a smile on her face and made up her mind in the beginning of this journey that she would stay positive and get through it…SHE DID JUST THAT! She even got dressed up complete with a fab wig and attended Heidi’s birthday party only a few weeks after surgery! CAN WE SAY ROCKSTAR!?!
Another inspiring woman– a family friend, who has fluctuated with her weight for years, recently lost over 60 pounds and I barely recognized her. Hello Supermodel!! She not only looked amazing physically, but she was glowing and had a beautiful sparkle in her eye. We had an intimate chat and she explained how she was looking forward to starting a family and wanted to be as healthy as possible during her pregnancy, plus be a healthy and strong mom for her kids as they grew. WOW! SO INSPIRING! She made up her mind and lost the weight. Once and for all. I am so sick of hearing myself complain about “that 5-10 lbs”. Who’s with me? If she can make up her mind to lose 60 then surely I can make up mind and get rid of that stubborn 5. I have stepped it up with my workouts recently, but I am about to become hardcore BFF’s with the treadmill and achieve my goal already!
One more inspiring story I want to share with you was hearing that one of my dearest friends is about to close on a home. She has fulfilled most of her dreams throughout our friendship and then some, but one of her most important was to own a home. After searching and searching she finally found the one! Sometimes our dreams seem so far off in the distance or like they will never come to pass. If you set your mind, never give up, keep believing, keep praying and keep working towards it– YOU WILL ACHIEVE! Imagine yourself sitting in that dream kitchen. Never lose sight. Then one day you will wake up and actually be sipping that first cup of coffee in your new home.
Are you wishy washy? Do you battle with wavering, hemming + hawing and doubting yourself? I admit I can think a thing to death because I can’t seem to make up my mind sometimes. We play that mind game because we FEAR the outcome of making the wrong choice. I read something recently to the effect of “we are free to choose, but we are not free of the consequences of our choice”…so like most issues, the root of indecision is that dreaded four lettered F word– FEAR. Our minds are so powerful when we focus on the outcome we desire and make the decision that NOTHING will stop us from achieving it.
THIS WEEK I WILL…..
- Stop the mind games.
- Quit the hemming and hawing.
- Connect with inspiring girlfriends + ignore the whiners!
- Release the fear.
- Choose love, joy and peace.
- Fake it till I make it if I have to.
- Focus on my dreams.
- Keep growing + stepping into my greatness.
- SMILE MORE.
- Trust in God’s destiny for me.
- Believe that I will achieve!
SANCTUARY OF STYLE 
Great Post, Tiff! How TRUE! I don’t have the pleasure of interacting with many girlfriends and am surely missing out on one of God’s greatest gifts… I just don’t get out enough to connect with friends… I work from home, and find myself staying in for weeks at a time… [my husband runs my errands for me…] I DO, however, go to the grocery [but I do THAT at 6am when there are no crowds!] No, I think I need to make a conscious effort to be with my girlfriends more frequently… It’s not that I don’t HAVE the girlfriends; it’s just that my work schedule doesn’t coincide with theirs, making it extremely difficult to get together with them… I vow this week or next, to get together with my friends [even if it’s just for breakfast!] Thanks for the message! I read you LOUD AND CLEAR!
YES sista!! Women need the connection and companionship. You owe it to yourself xoxo
In re: to the woman who lost 60 pounds–whenever I work out, especially when I’m running intervals, I think about my grandfather. He was in a boat accident during WWII and survived two and a half days in the Atlantic Ocean. When I’m working out and I’m getting tired, or I think to myself, “I’ll just phone in these last two minutes of running,” I think about my grandfather. I say to myself, “This man’s blood runs through your veins, and if he can survive that, you can push yourself through these last two minutes.”
WOW! What an inspiration! Thanks for sharing!