Life is busy, right? It can be calm one minute and then frantic, hectic, crazed and downright insane the next. With so much going on in our lives it can be a challenge to carve out a little slice of “me time” to help balance things out and keep you from going nuts.

At the beginning of the year if you resolved to improve your health and physical fitness and actually started working out and eating better you’ve already taken one giant step towards doing something great for yourself that honors that resolve to be healthy - congratulations! Now, here’s the kicker – don’t sabotage your efforts by not honoring your workouts. What do I mean by that? Here are some examples….

* Skipping your workouts to go home and sit on the couch or go out for dinner and drinks with friends because you don’t feel like
working out or think you’ll be missing something.
* Putting forth half-baked efforts in your workouts by not working to your maximum intensity level.
* Talking on the cell phone while on the treadmill, elliptical, stationary bike or even while doing resistance training.
* Texting while on the treadmill, elliptical, stationary bike or even while doing resistance training.
* Spending more time socializing at the gym than working out.
* Focusing more on what’s on the TV screen in the gym rather than the effort you’re putting into your workout.
* “Rewarding” yourself after a “hard” workout with a pizza and beer or some other poor food choice.

Check out this fun little video I put together showing you how NOT to workout, emphasizing many of the common sabotage mistakes listed above….

When you workout it isn’t just some “chore” or “thing” you have to do. It is part of the plan you decided for yourself when you first decided to take control of your health. And let’s face it, for many of you this is the only window of time in the day you have to yourself without kids, spouses, bosses and co-workers demanding all of your attention, so yes, this time in the gym is almost sacred.

Don’t blow the goals you’ve set for yourself to be a healthier, stronger and sexier you, and don’t dishonor this time you’ve carved out to honor those goals by squandering it on poor choices and lazy mental fortitude. If you’ve been guilty of any of those examples listed above, it’s time to get your head back in the game and remember the goal. You are just as important as your girlfriend’s dating crisis, your kid’s overdue science project, your spouse’s midlife meltdown, your boss’ unreasonable demands, your church’s fundraiser or your niece’s dance recital. Put YOU on your to-do list and block out all other distractions for 60 minutes of your day. That really isn’t asking too much.

So get to the gym, the local running trail or push play on your DVD remote, whatever it is that gets you moving, especially when you don’t feel like it. Turn off your cell phone, work hard and skip the detour into the Burger King drive thru on your way home. You’ll feel so much better, and a few months from now when you’re a few sizes smaller, you’ll be glad you did.

In Health,

Kitara R. Wilson

So many of us are presently wishing, hoping and praying for change and improved circumstances, yet when opportunity arrives in an unwrapped package that looks nothing like the glamorous gift box we envisioned, we shun it thinking that can’t possibly be the opportunity that is meant for us. Truth is, that is probably exactly what is meant for us. Unfortunately, we’re so stuck in our ways disillusioned by the idea of opportunity being some grand and Hollywood style presentation that we miss the simplicity and power of something that at first blush may seem insignificant.

Below is a video I put together to talk about seizing opportunities with a special message to moms. Check it out.

So, what did you think? Again, please don’t think I was excluding anyone even though I was appealing to mothers….it’s just that I have a very special understanding and connection to those emotions so many moms in a single income family are faced with.

And remember, even though I shared an opportunity that benefits everyone, not just moms, you have to find the opportunity, product and/or service that works for YOU. If it isn’t in integrity with who you are and what you believe in and it doesn’t feel right, DON’T DO IT. It will never be authentic and you will never experience joy and abundance as a result of your association.

It doesn’t matter to me if you contact me or not about the opportunity I shared, what does matter is that if you have been looking for something better, find something that is great for you and go for it! Pay attention to not only those bright shiny packages, but those small little dingy things that may not seem like much, but could honestly be the opportunity of a lifetime.

I wish you much success, joy, happiness and prosperity in your journey. Please share with those who could benefit from this message and be sure to share your comments below.

In Celebration,
Kitara

I’ve recently been challenged with a situation that involves another parent and our boys. It is a somewhat tense situation that has caused me to really appreciate the truth that my kids are paying attention to and learning from my every move. Here’s a video I made about it:

So while this situation has not been an easy or pleasant one, it has taught me a lot over the past several days so I am grateful for the lessons that are unfolding as a result of this situation.

Have you been faced with a similar situation where you had to take the higher road, even thought you may not have wanted to, and how that benefited you in the end? I’d love to hear about it! Please share in the comments section below.

If this post has been helpful to you or if you know someone faced with a similar situation who may benefit from the information, please pass this along, I’d appreciate it. Take care!

In Celebration,
Kitara R. Wilson

I do not have a relationship with my own father because he chose to deny me from birth. I grew up without any firsthand knowledge of what it meant to have a father’s unconditional love.

It wasn’t until the birth of my own children that I was able to witness and truly understand what a father’s love is through my husband.

Parenting is probably the hardest yet most rewarding job that can be given to a human being. It is filled with sacrifice, humor, regret, pride, humility and far too many other emotions to list. Yet despite the many ups and sometimes downs of parenting, I have witnessed my husband time and time again rise to the occasion to do what is necessary to be the best father possible.

My husband is genuinely committed to bringing out the very best in our children and he is willing to do what is necessary to ensure that their best interests are always met.

I am grateful and thankful to my husband for being the father that he is to my babies, and for giving me the experience of finally knowing what a father’s love truly means.

To my husband and all of the other amazing fathers out there who are active and present loving forces in their children’s lives, this is for you:

Happy Father’s Day!

In Celebration,
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Bugs is pretty lighthearted about the little mix up and after closer examination of his map deduces that he “should’ve turned left at Albuquerque”. But if he’s accompanied by his cantankerous pal Daffy Duck, Daffy of course has plenty to say about the unexpected detour.

Unfortunately, someone forgot to tell Daffy that’s how life works. We set goals and plan for a great adventure, but things can, will and do happen along the way. That recent promotion to Executive Admin instead of Marketing Coordinator may not be what you had hoped for or make any sense right now, but perhaps it is a detour that has been placed in your life to prepare you for what is to come?

As an Executive Admin you may be responsible for overseeing a group of clerical staff. In this role you will undoubtedly sharpen your leadership skills and learn how to effectively manage people. These added responsibilities, that you probably would not have had as a Marketing Coordinator, will better equip and qualify you for eventually running an entire department as Marketing Director. So while the immediate detour may appear to take you off course, stop and evaluate how this temporary change in direction can truly be to your advantage.

In fact, I saw a great quote today on Facebook that really resonates with the message of this topic:

“When obstacles arise, you change your direction to reach your goal, you do not change your decision to get there.”

–Zig Ziglar

So yes, your carefully mapped out plan may get a little off course and perhaps you should’ve made that left at Albuquerque, but consider all of the wonderful opportunities that surely await you as you make your way back to your original route. Relish the journey along the way and you just may discover that your detour in life turned out to be a blessing in disguise.

Now here’s a little something to help you reminisce and enjoy some of those classic Bugs Bunny Albuquerque moments.

If  this post helped you in some way, I would appreciate you sharing with others who may be helped by it as well!

In Celebration,
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Kitara R. Wilson

CBS News Mobile Story Details.

Recently I’ve been actively reaching out to others who appear to have common interests and inviting them to be Facebook friends. Now, we’ve all seen people with swelling FB friend numbers, so many in fact that they have to stop accepting friends and create a fan page.

Well, I have a goal of reaching out to about 20-30 people per day in an effort to grow my network – nothing unusual there. Two days ago I made a connection with a woman that started off like all the others. She accepted my request so I replied by thanking her, telling her I’d met some great folks on FB and asked what she does.

She responded back and said she’s a real estate broker but that she’s on hiatus after an intrastate relocation over the winter months. In response, I asked her what is she doing during her hiatus. That’s where it all went south.

An innocent question I thought, curious if she perhaps is taking advantage of this time to pursue a hobby or life long dream, was interpreted as me prying into her personal affairs. She replied with…

“That’s kool but now I think you’re trying to dip into a grown woman’s personal business? What I do with my time while I’m on my hiatus, is my business don’t you think?” I apologized and told her no foul play was intended, just making conversation and curious if she was using her time to pursue other interests.

She replied back by saying “Gotcha. But I had answered previously already. I’m a real estate broker, currently taking a hiatus to ‘settle my home from my very arduous relocation over the winter months’” I then simply replied back and said “I hope this time is proving to be fruitful and beneficial for you.” She replied back yesterday morning with…

“I cannot see why it would not be- I aspire to be able to walk freely about my home and enjoy the summer as much as I can as would anybody else vs. living out of boxes and seeing my things misplace. Just a bit common sense that it would be, don’t you think?”

I removed her as a FB friend.

I don’t have time in my life for negative people. I am in a place where I am surrounding myself with positive people and experiences. I am bringing abundance and prosperity into my life. My actions and interactions not only affect me but my family. I cannot allow anyone and their negativity, whether they realize they are negative or not, to stand in the way of the abundant good that is my birthright.

So yes, while having a large network of friends on FB and other social media platforms increases your sphere of influence, I am more concerned with the quality of folks I let into my circle. I’d rather have 10 positive people with joy in their hearts as my friend, vs. 1,000 negative, bitter, jealous and angry people who don’t know how to love themselves or anyone else.

There is no need to remain in association with negative people. It doesn’t matter if they are on FB, at your job or live next door. You are in control! Decide what kind of people you want to surround yourself with and seek out those types of people. The more positive people you are around, the more positive people you will attract. You will radiate such an air of confidence and joy that you will not be able to help but to attract the right kind of people to you.

Now of course, in knowing that, I’ve had to ask myself how on earth I attracted her into my life because I am a kind and positive person. Well, the simple answer is that she was placed in my life to teach me a lesson…the very lesson I am passing on to you.

But what I think is the more complex answer is that perhaps this woman needs to be blessed. She may be gong through a difficult time in her life. She may suffer from insecurities and low self-esteem. She may be unhappy and the only way she knows how to feel good about herself is to attempt to make others feel small. I don’t know what her situation is to be honest, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that there is something deeper going on with this woman that has absolutely nothing to do with me.

My communication with her from start to finish remained friendly and positive, yet she felt the need to attack and try to belittle me. There’s a deeper reason for that, and whatever it is has been brewing long before I sent her a friend request.

Of course initially my conscious mind responded immediately with the thought “This #itch is crazy.” But once I got still for a minute and allowed my spiritual mind to come into play, those less than loving thoughts in my conscious mind fell away and I saw a woman in need, a woman who may be looking for love and joy in all the wrong places. So I did the only thing that I have the power to do to help her, I prayed for her. The rest is between her and the Creator.

So while expanding my network to be able to connect with and help as many people as I can who want and need my help is my goal, having a large network for the sake of numbers is not. I realize that everyone I connect with may not materialize into a lifelong friend, but if  I only ever max out at 500 friends and I am able to help those 500 even in some small way, the value in that alone is worth far more than a fan page with 10,000 people who for whatever reason I am not able to help.

I will take quality over quantity any day. Lesson learned.

In Celebration,

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In Celebration,

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‘The Lost Girls’ of New York learn to embrace the journey – USATODAY.com.

Enjoy the two videos below!

In Celebration,
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