4 Ways to Jumpstart the Day

by suzie | Mar 16, 2015 | Articles

Back when I was a teenager, the idea of a jumpstart to the day consisted of more sleep. I moaned and groaned when my alarm would blare at six in the morning. I’d begrudgingly climb out of bed, cursing the day for starting so early. My eyes would remain half-closed as I trudged down the hallway, hanging my head in defeat of what I pre-programmed into my head as the hour of hell that stretched out in front of me like a painful nightmare.

Back then, instead of focusing on how to jumpstart the day, I would bury my head under my blankets and cringe. I used to mutter every single morning, as I struggled to clear the fog away from my brain, that one day, when I was old enough to work as a professional, I would work later hours and sleep in, at the very least, until the respectable hour of nine a.m.

Yeah, well that didn’t quite pan out as I planned. Somewhere along the way, my enthusiasm to jumpstart the day blossomed along with my age. Instead of crying into my blankets that my nighttime dreams had to die, I wanted to rise out of bed early and get started on my day.

I started to hate sleeping in.

I wanted to jumpstart the day! I had a life to live. I had dreams to bring to life. I had a body I wanted to whip into shape. I had college essays I craved to bang out. I wanted to practice my speeches so I could ace my college courses. I loved being alive and started to view sleep as just something I had to do, instead of something I loved to do.

What caused this shift? One word: frustration.

In my ungrateful teenage angst, I dreaded the day ahead because I couldn’t see past the initial chore of waking up, wiping the cobwebs from my brain, and shoving off to school. I was stuck in the dull, frustrating routine of life, and I was only sixteen years old. The routine of life was killing me, and I couldn’t see past it.

That very feeling of frustration pushed me to the edge, causing me to see over the mountain of teenage burdens and catch a glimpse of something more fulfilling and promising than a ten to twelve hour span of sleepy time. I needed a jumpstart, and that entrepreneur in me knew it. I don’t know the exact moment this revelation sank in, but it did. One day, I woke up and wanted more.

As a grown woman, rising at the early insane hour of two-thirty in the morning (I have my reasons!), though still adverse to the idea of routine, I love getting a jumpstart to the day. I will admit that some routine is important, and extremely helpful in gaining an edge on the day. I’ve got four I do every morning to get me started.

Here Are 4 Ways to Jumpstart Your Day:

Eat breakfast:

Through nourishing our body first thing in the morning, we kick our metabolism into high gear. Like any good engine, the power stems from the fuel that ignites it to life.

Perform sun salutations:

Sun salutations offer great strength to not only our bodies, but our minds and spirits. Stretching warms up our muscles and gets the blood flowing. Reaching up to the sky and bending over at the waist rejuvenates and energizes the mind and body.

State 3 things that make you happy:

Starting off the day with great thoughts helps us to set the mood to a high level for the day. Power and energy goes where thought goes.

Create a goal for the day:

Write down a goal for the day. Once you write it down, something magical happens. You will think about it, and plan your day around it until you’ve accomplished it. Make it a goal that is clear, achievable and measurable.

Do you have a morning routine to jumpstart the day?

5 Ways to Boost Your Writing Mojo

by suzie | Jan 22, 2015 | Articles, Writing

As writers, we often dream of a life where we rise in a sun-filled room, stretch, sip coffee, slip into our favorite chair to begin writing our future bestselling novel, rest our fingers on our keyboard and smile at the rapid beat of our words as they come pouring out of our imagination to build a new, intoxicating world.

If you’re anything like me, and I’d guess most writers are, reality hits you hard whenever you wake in that said sun-filled room, perform the whole stretch and coffee thing and realize your fingers have nothing to type because your mind sits blank behind glossed over eyes.

A deep fear that you’ve lost your writing mojo sets in. All those ideas that came to you over the weeks that prefaced that moment, have splattered into a heap of nothingness. Where did all the snappy dialogue and plot twists go? Poof. Gone. Just like that as soon as you sat in front of that blank computer screen.

It happens to many writers all.

Here are 5 ways to get your writing mojo back:

Be a fly on the wall.

Imagine you’re lead character is having a conversation with someone she cares deeply about. What would that conversation look like? How would she be reacting? What would be the vibe? Would she be having an argument, indulging in friendly debate, confessing something, or trying to make someone feel better?

Get into your character’s head.

Imagine your lead character sitting on a comfy chair, glass of wine in one hand, a pen in the other as she writes in her journal. What is she writing about? What happened in her day that made her smile, made her mad, confused her, or enticed her? Is she hard on herself? Or perhaps she’s in denial over something?

Indulge your senses.

Take a walk, sit in a room, dance, cook, do something that puts you in a scene in your book. What does the smell remind you of? Is it bright, dark, peaceful or chaotic? If you could taste the setting, how would you describe it? What does the air feel like? Is it exotically moist, delicate, or frenzied?

Use a writing prompt.

Open up a magazine, newspaper, or favorite book, and pick a random sentence. Imagine your character is at the tail end of that sentence. What happens next? Using a writing prompt can get us unstuck and out of our writer heads and into character mode.

Ask the important question.

Stare your character down in your mind and ask her, “What if XYZ happened to you instead?” See where she takes you with her answer. This is a great way to give life to dull scenes and dragging plot lines. Nothing adds a spark like tossing in a curve and seeing how one might react to it. Keep your character guessing, and your readers will be just as hooked to see what happens next.

10 Ways to Feel Great

by suzie | Jan 15, 2015 | Articles, Health and Wellness

When you feel great, things just seem so much easier. You can focus more sharply. Your energy increases. You’re happier. You’re free!

Feeling your best is easier than you may think.

It doesn’t require schemes and crazy concoctions. You won’t have to exercise two hours every day, eat flavorless food, and forgo all fun in pursuit of it. Just a few simple tweaks and additions can get you feeling fantastic. It could be using something like Yellow Borneo Kratom to boost your energy, or getting a good night’s sleep. Whatever you choose, there are a variety of ways that can help you to feel good.

I’ve experimented with many steps to improve my life, and here are my top ten favorites.

Drink Lemon Water:

Lemon water flushes out toxins and is extremely beneficial for the body. It tastes delicious nice and warm first thing in the morning. It cleanses and hydrates.

Alkalize:

Too much acid can wreak havoc on the immune system, creating an imbalance. Eat foods high in alkaline to counter this. Foods I enjoy in this group are lemons, watermelon, pineapple, apple cider vinegar, seaweed, raisins, and kale… to name a few.

Take a Probiotic

Probiotics can improve intestinal function and maintain the integrity of the lining of the intestines. There’s also lots of evidence that probiotics help maintain a strong immune system. A lot of health issues start in the gut. A probiotic can be helpful in improving digestive health. (Always consult a medical expert if you are unsure if a supplement is right for you.)

Forgive:

Letting go of bitterness can restore peace and balance. I’m guilty of holding onto anger and frustration over the actions of others. You’ll never hear me tell you that any such grudge holding has ever served me in a positive way. The moment we forgive, we free ourselves. Oftentimes, we save ourselves more so than the person we are forgiving.

Admit When You’re Wrong:

When pride stands in the way, relationships can suffer. Letting go of it can free us to enjoy those we love. Admitting I’m wrong has never come easy for me, especially if the other person is just as wrong. I can be stubborn! I find it amazing though, each and every time I apologize first, the air becomes lighter, the weight drops from my shoulders, and I can draw a deep, soulful breath. I love when the apology is given, and the other person visibly opens up and shares an equally heartfelt one too. That’s when real communication occurs. That’s when growth happens.

Stretch:

Stretching has many benefits. Some include: relief from pain, improved posture, and greater sense of well-being. Even five minutes a day can make you feel your best. Can’t find five extra minutes? Stretch at your work desk, while cooking dinner, or while brushing your teeth.

Share a Smile:

Smiling releases endorphins, the same feel good chemicals that are released when you exercise. I love seeing the surprise on people’s faces when I suddenly break out into a smile as I walk past. A lot of times, they look at me like I just landed from another planet. Almost ninety percent of the time, they reciprocate:)

Learn to Say No:

You’ll gain more energy, more time, more respect, and more control. It’s not easy to do, but it’s necessary to keep balanced. In order to give your best, you need to feel your best. You can’t possibly feel great when you’re feeling unnerved and stretched to the max. No one knows your limits but you. So, you need to respect those limits, so others will too.

Take Action on a Goal:

Taking action fills you with confidence. You also may inspire others to follow their own ambitions. Just one small step in the direction of a desired goal can boost a spirit and build momentum. Taking small steps each day is a lot more digestible than cramming six months of work into a week.

Compliment Someone:

If you like someone’s shirt, let her know. If someone is smiling, tell her how great her good vibe feels. Small little compliments turn into huge spirit boosts for both you and the person receiving. You increase positivity, open yourself up to receive happiness, and it’s FUN!

The Benefits of Scuba Diving

by suzie | Dec 16, 2014 | Articles

So ever since I got back from my first scuba diving trip (in the Dutch island of Bonaire), I’ve had this really cool feeling of empowerment. You see, since I’ve been back, nothing fazes me anymore. I feel like I can do anything I set my mind to.

Scuba diving has changed me

Now I’ve always been an over-achieving type person who tries really hard to not let fear rule, but hey, I’m a human being! Admittedly things do have a way of ruffling my feathers at times. Well, since this scuba experience, I find myself saying things like, “hey, if I can scuba dive 70 feet below the surface, I can do this… pfft…!”

That sentence has become my new mantra.

Case in point. I live in a state where snow falls. I hate driving in snow because I fear getting into an accident. I am that person who calls out sick to work to avoid driving the five miles, yes you read that correctly, to get to the office. Well, it snowed less than a week after I returned from the tropics. I was working, and the snow pelted the ground. By the time I left work, a mess of slush covered the roads. Normally, I’d be freaking out.

But, not this time. I started my engine, put the car in drive and took control, reciting my mantra, “hey, if I can dive 70 feet below the surface, I can drive in a little snow… pfft…!”

It hasn’t snowed again since. So, I haven’t been able to test out if I’m still brave and all with the snow thing, but I’m pretty sure I will be (big smile).

Scuba diving challenges me

I love to challenge myself. I feel alive when I break free of my comfort zone. I think it’s natural to set limits on ourselves and stay within a place that brings us a sense of normalcy. But, for me, when I stay there too long, I become deadened and encased in a shroud of dullness. So, I fight it, and I’m glad I do!

People have asked me why I would ever partake in an activity where the training manuals implicitly states the risk of death or serious injury.

Here’s why: I feel alive when diving.

When diving, every single cell in my being is alive and alert and on cue with everything going on around me. I am present. I am experiencing life. I am living!

When I took my first giant stride off that boat deck into the tropical turquoise waters surrounding the lively reefs of Bonaire, my overarching thought was: I am living life right now.

On that first dive, as I descended into a magical underwater world where reefs have been growing for millenniums, and turtles, flounder, parrot fish and eels color a landscape most human eyes have never had the privilege of seeing, my life as I had always known it changed.

I swam in a state of peace, in awe of the life around me. When I ascended back up to the surface after that first dive and all the others that followed that week, my heart soared. I stared up at that bright blue sky each time, high on adrenaline created out of the pure notion that as long as I am healthy and alive, I can do anything in life!

Have you had a similar ah-ha experience that made you feel alive?

Why You Need Adversity

by suzie | Dec 16, 2014 | Articles

Here’s why you need adversity in life. Without it you won’t grow. The lessons you need to learn won’t present themselves without it.

Recently a friend of mine ran into some adversity and she turned to me for guidance on how to move forward.

I tried earnestly to say something to her that would spring joy back into her life, but was at a total loss for words. What do you say to someone who suffers a break in hope? “Don’t worry. It’ll get better with time?”

Adversity Happens

Most of us have been in that place where we feel humiliated, overwhelmed, and hopeless all in one. This is not one of life’s places we want anyone we care about to be.

Growth Happens Too

As deflating as adversity can feel at the moment, I believe it puts us in a place that helps us grow into even better people. Without pain, without agony, without defeat, we have no frame of reference on which to judge greatness when it shines itself onto our life.

Adversity’s Positive Twist

I am a firm believer that defining moments, like the one my friend was going through, shape our lives just as the powerful storms and angry volcanoes of years past have shaped Earth. Without conflict, we’d have no Grand Canyon, no Mount Everest, no separate continents, and in respect to our singular lives, no respect for ordinary days when all is calm and right.

And just as the storm clouds clear and open up to bright blue, sunny skies, so too will this shroud of regret for the past and fear of the future be lifted for my friend.

How to Gain Satisfaction

by suzie | Dec 6, 2014 | Articles

To gain satisfaction in life, one must be willing to take leaps, get out of comfort, and change. This all sounds scary, but the alternative is remaining unhappy.

My first job out of college was as a Senior Operations Associate working for a financial company in Massachusetts, where I eventually shed many frustrated tears.

You see, I wanted to be a creative writer, not to be a monetary wizard. Where others found satisfaction, I found a straight path far removed from anything resembling satisfaction.

Why did I settle?

Why oh why did I settle for something so apparently astray from where I wanted to be?

I thought money equaled satisfaction

I needed the green bills and this company gave them to me. I had a new, shiny, red car in the driveway and a lovely three bedroom apartment in the city of Providence. I succumbed to the lure of comfort, which resulted in many sleepless nights, wallowing in useless self-pity and drowning in relentless tears. The need for money was my obstacle. It forced me on a path which I didn’t want to be.

How to gain some satisfaction

When I measured my dream against my reality the two were remotely off. The problem was that there were few positions available as a writer that did not require solid experience—something I did not have. There seemed to be no answer–no way to “break in.”

On a long hike one day, a friend turned to me and asked, “Isn’t a writer supposed to write?” Fueled by my laborious trek up the mountain and a biting need to defend myself, I answered quite hastily, “I don’t have time to waste on foolish dreams. How am I supposed to carve out time to write when I have to concentrate on cleaning, grocery shopping, and oh yeah, working?” Her patient reply was, “You shouldn’t feel guilty. Write to help others–not yourself.”

And so began my writing journey, and my trip down the path of satisfaction.

For many years, I volunteered writing articles for a local animal advocates group to help educate the public on issues pertaining to domesticated animals. Simultaneously, I began volunteering my time to write articles for hair salon trade magazines to help educate stylists around the globe on ways to market and build their businesses. Eventually, I discovered my real writing love — novels that depict real life struggles and bring a sense of awareness that love is a beautiful thing!

I’ve learned that to stand for something requires action.

If I want to be a writer, I must write. I can’t just talk about it. I must do it. And, I also need a definite purpose behind writing to experience the kind of satisfaction and purpose I crave. That definite purpose, of course, is to serve others.

Have you had a similar ‘ah-ha’ moment in life?