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Life happens even when we have everything planned and prepared. Last month I was excited to speak at a speaker showcase. Of course it happened to be on the snowiest night of the year.

I wanted to be well prepared, so I went the day before and stayed over night. I woke up in the dark, took a deep breathe, said a prayer, and thought “practice what you preach…here goes”. I went down four flights of stairs, no make-up, no hair style, and thought “here goes nothing”.

It was interesting to watch a number of committed speakers arrive, some calm and some a bit more excited (especially when they had to drive in the snow) only to find out there was no power in the building and the whole event would end up being cancelled. Life happens no matter how planned & prepared we are!

How does one stay committed in the face of adversity? It is so easy for me to get discouraged. I am confident and positive, but even so, rejection is hard. None of us like it.

I think when you are done presenting, you want everyone to love you and to have learned one new idea. Occasionally it does not turn out that way. A peer was sharing with me recently how after her presentation, she asked for evaluations, and some were very negative. I think that people who feel the need to complain, or be insulting, often have a challenge going on in their own life. I believe no rejection feels good, whether it comes from family, friends or acquaintances.

I recently watched the movie Philomena. All that Philomena wanted was to know that her life mattered and that her giving life mattered. I think when we are challenged in our career, our fitness goals, or our relationships, we have to dig deep to stay committed. For Philomena, her “WHY” was big enough to keep going, even when it was difficult and painful. I think we all have to stay committed to the “WHY” regardless of what others say.

My peer also had a women at the end of that same presentation say her speech changed and maybe even saved her life. Making a difference in ONE person’s life is why so many coach, speak, and teach. I am always looking for just ONE person to touch, impact or change at each presentation I give. When you work out, eat healthy, and the scale still doesn’t change, how do we stay committed, we remember the “WHY”…. how it feels to not be on meds, to have energy, go for a walk, or play with the kids.

Many people will tell you being committed is about being 80% in, I think it is about being 80% in and then taking one more step forward.

Life can and will be challenging at times, but it is important to be prepared with some ‘tools’ before those times arrive. My tools are personal – having words of strength surround me such as, compassion, determination, drive, desire, hope, and happiness. Tools can be cheerleaders, supporters, trainers, teachers, coaches, and even advocates in your life. Tools can be equipment such as books, treadmills, journals, computers, AdvoCare or a written plan.

I love my siblings even though we have different views on many topics, such as, religion, politics, parenting, or money. Although we love each other, sometimes when we gather, conversation can get heated and there can be disagreements. I have however; learned that many people have challenging relationships in their lives and tools can help us all.

For those of you that don’t know, I am the middle child of seven children born over an 8-year span. Four of us live locally, but rarely see each other. A couple of years ago it was really bothering me that we weren’t connecting more. I wanted to be closer to my siblings or at least check in more often, but I knew it would be easier if I had some tools before we met. We decided to meet once a month, in a public place, without spouses or our children. We meet for breakfast and each of us gets 15 minutes to check-in (while my organized brother times us). To you this might seem silly, but to me it is wonderful. We took a situation that has proven to be challenging in the past and made it work for us. We removed extra people, set boundaries – personal space, no alcohol, and determined times: 15 minute check-ins and once a month gatherings. Not only do I love seeing my siblings and look forward to our once a month breakfast, but it also makes my mom very happy to see her children connecting.

What ‘tools’ can you use to make challenging situations work? With the right tools we can make any goal achievable.

In my “Ride” speech I share with you the importance of setting challenging goals and doing something that forces you to reach out of your comfort zone. My bike ride from Minneapolis to Chicago was that for me.

I have signed up for three 5k’s this summer. For some of you this might seem like not a big deal, but running beyond a block is a challenge for me. I have completed a number of 5k’s in the past, but I have walked most of them. Having allergies and exercised induced asthma, my breathing can scare the person next to me! I would, however, really like to jog at least one whole race and finish in less than 40 minutes. To help me with this, I hired a running coach this week. We will meet once a week to train, learn preparation techniques, and learn how to warm up and stretch after.

I encourage you to commit to a challenge this summer, Whether it’s a 3-day walk, a bike ride, a run, or a rollerblading challenge. I love when people get in shape and give back at the same time for a great cause. Events like the 2014 Twin Cities Heart Walk in May is one way to do this. Search online for other events with a cause that stirs your heart.

WOO is one of the thirty-four StrengthsFinder Themes. WOO is “Winning Others Over” and is one of my StrengthFinder Themes. I think WOO is so much more; it is what happens when we are courting or pursuing someone.

When you first start dating you put your best foot forward, you are more patient, and you make more of an effort to look and be your best. It’s about being your best and attracting someone. I wonder why we stop making the effort to look and be our best after time has passed. Not only do we stop giving our best, but sometimes we give our worst, or even our left overs.

It is easy to think about this concept (putting our best foot forward and then stopping) in an intimate relationship, but I want you to think about it in a business relationship. When you first go after a sale, you are dressed your best, show up early with excitement and energy and convince the client that your products or services are the best. But as time goes by and after several meetings with the client, you might get a little lax.

All of us get to choose where and how we will spend our hard earned money, but we often forget that clients have a choice to support us or not. We should always want to give our best in both our personal and professional relationships.

I want to give my clients more than they pay for by offering them free coaching with every AdvoCare order. I follow-up after presentations and send check-in emails to my coaching clients.

Sometimes it is challenging to look back, but it is also important. Looking back can be about seeing how far you have come in life and gaining perspective about all you have overcome. When you don’t feel like you are doing enough or moving forward fast enough, don’t compare yourself to another, each person experiences a different defining moment in their life. I think looking back is about reflecting, remembering the lessons, and the strength gained along the way.

As I spend time this summer finishing my new book “Dumpster to Dynasty…A True Cinderella Story” I find myself feeling very emotional as I reflect back. If I take a deep breath I realize that was my past, it does not define me. It is not who I am today. It made me stronger, loving, compassionate, and generous. I did not know it would be so hard to overcome some aspects of my life.

Remember, when we go through challenging stages in life we do not have to stay stuck in them. We need to learn from them and then move on, move forward! Some people have to overcome more challenges than others but this is a good time to remember we are always at choice about how we will let those experiences define us or our future.

I hope that you can look back without regret, hurt or too much pain over all you have done and gone through in your life. What might be simple in someone’s life might have been a defining moment in someone else’s. We should not judge because we are all on a different journey. Embrace the knowledge that you have gained from past experiences and use it to impact and inspire others who are going through the same as you once did.