"I'd rather own little & see the world than own the world and see little of it."

"I'd rather own little & see the world than own the world and see little of it."

Have you ever had one of those moments where you need to change your environment or shake things up in your life to break the routine or stale energy? I had this experience last Monday morning. By Monday afternoon, I requested three days off work to visit my sister in Tacoma, WA (near Seattle). By Tuesday evening, my husband Donald bought my plane ticket blindly on Expedia.com. Why did I do this? I just needed an opportunity to reset, outside of my North Bay, CA home environment. I fully acknowledge the privilege that is involved with being able to travel and leave at the drop of a hat. In reality, this decision was shared carefully with me and my husband - we reviewed our life budget and made it work. I am only here for 2.5 days. Not enough time to even sneeze. However, out of all the places to choose to vacation to I chose the Seattle area to specifically see my sister Leilani.

I am ten pounds away from my weight loss goal. I feel like I am stuck. My sister though is kicking ass and taking names. She has dropped well over 50 lbs and is close to reversing her Type II Diabetes. I just landed late last night after work from San Francisco, and she already booked me for our Wednesday morning kickboxing class (which did kick my ass). She is living life to the beat of her own drum and not letting money (or lack there of) stop her from living. I haven't even spent 24 hours with her and I have already confirmed I am living waaaaaaaay outside of my means and I can do better. You can live life to its fullest without going broke. You can experience adventure without going broke. There is no such thing as broke - it's living within your life budget.

You might be wondering: "Wow Mo, your husband Donald is so supportive of you just whisking off on vacation without a moment's notice." Yes and no. He is supportive, but the main reason why he worked our life budget to make this happen was because I needed a break to renew and re-balance my mental health. I have branded myself as #MoOnTheGo - I thrive on being busy - or so I thought. I needed a break from work, personal commitments, community work, emails, social media, and technology (yes I know it's ironic considering I am writing this blog post on my tech hiatus). I didn't tell anyone really where I was going. My husband agreed to this trip if I promised to put an away message on both my work AND personal email, plus not post on social media. Keep this trip quiet and sacred.  I know it sounds crazy, but I NEVER put on my away message on personal email. Last time I did that was 2012 - I didn't even do that for my own wedding last year! The moment I got off the plane at Sea-Tac, I felt relaxed. I felt unchained from checking email and my social media accounts. To continue this relaxed feeling, my sister decided to take me to the Tacoma Museum today. I literally sat in front of a video of an outdoor installation of inflatable tubes flapping in the wind on a 20 minute loop. I SAT STILL. My sister found me in the museum and was shocked that I was just sitting there quietly. You are probably thinking: "Twenty minutes? What's the big deal?" For someone nicknamed #MoOnTheGo this 20 minutes meant everything. We even wrapped up our visit with 20 minutes in the creative art making room. Leilani and I sat across from each other. She painted a picture of a bowl of fruit. I drew a sketch of my sister with the bowl of fruit she was painting. We hung them on the art wall with pride. I am taking them back to California to give as a gift to our mom. I am 32 years old. The last time I sat down and drew a picture the way I did today I was a teenager and before that I was in middle school. There we were sitting in complete silence. The only sound you heard was my pencil brushing against the paper and my sister's watercolor brush on her sheet of paper.

I am sharing this because by sitting in silence or in stillness I am shaking away discomfort. I am uncomfortable with silence and stillness. I am uncomfortable with rest. By having a neverending list of things to do, I am not able to prioritize what I really need to do or want to finish. For example, I am in the process of going back to school to finish my MBA. I walked in 2011 with two classes and a capstone project to finish. I finished my capstone project and passed, but never finished those last two classes. I am here sitting in front of my laptop sitting in a coffee shop in Gig Harbor, WA while my sister is running errands with only two goals - 1) finishing this blog entry 2) writing my MBA personal statement to be able to re-apply into my unfinished graduate school program.

Now is the time for me to crowd out the noise. This trip to see my sister was a gift from a higher power and I don't want to waste it.

I know my thoughts are all over the place, but I often delay my goals because I strive for perfection which in the end prevents me from even starting in the first place. Not this time - I am striving for the first raw draft. 

FFF Diva Reflection: When Things Aren’t Happening Fast Enough

On Perfect Timing: When Things Aren’t Happening Fast Enough
by Sonya Derian

“After winter comes the summer. After night comes the dawn. And after every storm, there comes clear, open skies.” ~Samuel Rutherford

I was talking to someone this week about his feeling that things weren’t happening fast enough. That with all he was doing, intending and putting out there, that more should be happening—and faster.

My question to him was, “Really? Should things really be happening faster? Or are you exactly where you’re supposed to be?”

There is a tendency, sometimes, to think we have it all figured out. When it should happen, how it should happen, who it should happen with—and before it’s “too late.”

We are powerful creators in life, but the truth is, we’re not in this alone. There are other forces at play, and for the most part, to our benefit.

Have you ever had something occur in your life that you had wished for years earlier, only to realize that now was the perfect timing? That in fact, you wouldn’t have been ready for it any earlier? That in retrospect, everything was leading up to the perfect moment of this unfolding?

We want to feel in charge of our lives. It makes us feel safe knowing that we have control. And to some extent, we have complete control in dictating our desires, in stating our ambitions, and in following our well laid plans.

But sometimes life has a way of throwing us curve balls. There is a delay in an outcome we are hoping to produce, or the timing doesn’t work out as we planned. We’re not where we think we should be, financially, socially, professionally, creatively, or romantically.

And yet even in this, there is perfection.

In other words, for those of you who think your time has passed, or it’s too late, or there is not enough time, I ask you: How do you know this? How do you know that in this moment, right now, you are not exactly where you are supposed to be?

That things are not working out for you, despite appearances?

I had a teacher who used to pose the question: “If everything is perfect exactly as it is, what is it that you are not seeing?”

In other words, what are you gaining from this situation that is perfect for your unfolding, right now; and how is this preparing you for the thing you desire?

We are always afraid our ship is not going to come in, or if it does, it did already and left without us. Our ship may come and go, but there will be another one and another one and another one. And another one.

We are coming into our own in the timing we need. For each of us it will be different, but for each of us, it will also be perfect.

Inspirational leader Mary Morrissey talks about Chinese Bamboo and how it is a very slow-growing and fragile plant. She says that if the bamboo is cared for, watched over and nurtured, in one year it grows two inches, in the next year it grows two inches, in the next year it grows two inches, in the next year it grows two inches, and then in the fifth year, it grows 80 feet!

This is how it is with our development. We intend. We make incremental changes. We show up for our success in whatever way we can. Over time, everything comes to fruition, harmonizing all aspects in such a creative way that if we were to look back on it, we would marvel at the perfection of it all.

We would know that we were making strides all along.

Trust in the perfection of your life and let yourself be fully where you are in the moment. Trust that you are exactly where you are supposed to be. Know that what you have to look forward to is greater than what you are leaving behind.

And trust that you will “arrive” in time and on time, not a minute sooner.


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Sonya Derian is the owner and founder of Om Freely, a company dedicated to helping people live out loud, tap into their power, and transform their lives. To pick up your free ebook: Om Freely: 30 Ways to Live Out Loud, please visit http://omfreely.com . Or check out her online store at: http://cafepress.com/omfreely.

FFF Diva Reflection: Seeing The Positive Side

From my friends at www.tinybuddha.com:

“See the positive side, the potential, and make an effort.” -Dalai Lama

We all have within us the potential to not only be happy, but to give that gift to others. Don’t underestimate the power of your efforts. They do make a difference.

When you smile, you remind other people to see the good in life. When you look for the best in people, you remind them to cut themselves some slack. When you stay strong in difficult circumstances, you remind others it can be done.

Just like a butterfly’s wings can create changes in the atmosphere that alter the path of a tornado, your smile can change the world in ways you can’t even comprehend. Make an effort today. You’re more powerful than you realize.

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During these last two weeks my emotions have been up and down. So many things are happening all at once: Operation Boot Camp every morning, my sister moving to Texas, me moving from one job to another career path that I haven't found yet, training for my second marathon, and saying goodbye. It wasn't until the last couple of days that I remembered that things happen for a reason and that I don't need to be in this Negative Nancy slump. If I have a Debbie Downer disposition than that attitude will spread and infect others. No way dude. It's time to refocus and share the positivity. Times do get tough (trust me), but if you still maintain a slumpy attitude it doesn't help any better.

For better or for worst, there is someone always watching and maybe your extra effort to stay positive might help to brighten someone else's day--whether you know it or not!

Best,
FFF Diva Mo

FFF Diva Reflection: YOU are losing weight for YOU

Below is a reflective explanation that was sent from my Ninong (godfather in Tagalog) to my Nanay (mom in Tagalog). I thought it was really beautiful, because it really captures what one experiences during their weight loss journey. So, whenever you get discouraged REMEMBER you are doing this for no one else except YOU.

Best,
FFF Diva Mo : )

"You can make a real difference just by being you. You can change the world for the better simply by being your authentic best.

You don't need flowery, sophisticated wording to add value to the discussion. By simply and sincerely saying what's on your mind, you can contribute profound truth.

The dreams that you have are yours because they give you a reason to perform at your best. In so doing, you add your own splendid threads to the rich fabric of life.

There is no one else who sees the world in exactly the same way as you.

Express your opinions, express your perspective, express your vision and you'll offer great, unique value.

You'll never be satisfied following someone else's dream. Real fulfillment comes from accomplishing the things that are most meaningful to you.

In your unique perspective you'll find a lifetime of value. Be the best of who you are, and raise your whole world higher."

FFF Diva Reflection: A Letter About Running from My Trainer

Hey Guys,

Yesterday I went out and ran the Rock n Roll marathon along with Lisa, Jill, Rich (Jill's husband) and Maureen and Leilani (her sister). These guys kicked BUTT out there!! Next time you see them, give em a big congrats!

As I was running along, I gone off on a day dream.. I was thinking about how much of a mental game that running and exercising can really be.

Whether or not you are going through a sprint for 2 straight minutes, or you are running for 2 hours (like everyone downtown yesterday) your mind plays a crucial role in determining your success and your satisfaction. As soon as my mind began to drift off in the wrong side of the road (negative and defeating self-talk), I focused harder on my new goal and focused on my breathing rhythm and WENT AFTER IT. I was close, VERY close, on several occasions, of breaking my conviction of getting under a 2 hour race time. Sometimes, yes, your body physically can NOT push beyond certain thresholds... but the mind plays a role in that as well. As you get comfortable being UNCOMFORTABLE (and it takes practice..) you will be able to surprise even yourself.

Many of you experience this through your workouts. At the end of the day, if someone were tallying the amount of pushups, squats, situps, jumps, and distance of running that you did, I'm sure most of you would not think that you'd be able to do it. Hell, 13.1 miles STILL seems like a daunting task to me even now... and I've ran it twice!

Point being is this... embrace the uncomfortableness. Once you learn how to break the threshold of not having to stop, you will feel the massive endorphin rush you get from being able to discipline yourself to "just keep going". This is inherent to the way we live our lives... as we make the conviction to do something and we don't do it, we slowly start creating a self-limiting belief that becomes ingrained in our psyche. However, if we replace the self-limiting beliefs with empowering self-talk and encouragement, we can use those mental 'tricks' to get us to break through the thresholds that hold us down. Then, we surprise ourselves. The "I CAN do it" talk starts to surface... the empowerment and positive self talk starts to take over. And the other thing is your discipline... as you work towards a goal... ANY goal - you flex that discipline "muscle", which will grow and develop just like muscles do, but its in the head. So commonly, when you begin to get in shape, and start to create the reality of "being in the best shape of my life" - there's a massive ripple effect that will transform every facet of your life. People may not even know who this "new, sexy young YOU" is that begins to surface!

That should be our end game.

Not only the best shape of our lives... but have an overall better quality of life. The have the belief that you CAN have and DESERVE more, and more importantly, you have the conviction, the work ethic, and the mental discipline necessary to make dreams a reality. This is not something that you can ever TEACH your kids, peers, or clients, but rather, it is something you model for them. You can SHOW them that even though the going is getting tough, as life does for all of us, we power through it and get to our goals. I wish everyone could have the endorphin kick that I have right now.. I set myself a goal of under 2 hrs, I got to it, and now, I feel like I can take on the world! I'm actively looking for the next challenging thing to do, whether it be workouts or just work, that is something I may drag my feet about, but I will get it done...

SET S.M.A.R.T goals for yourself. Have the conviction to get to it. We are all here to help, and help each other when you see a peer going through the struggles you went through last week or last year. Together, we all do better as a team. For those of you who ran the half marathon, and for those of you who did homework that I HOPE kicked your butt this weekend, here's a good article on recovery and pain...

Enjoy;) I'll see you all tomorrow bright n early!

ROCK ON!!!

7 Tips on Dealing with Exercise-Induced Pain
By Steve Edwards

I often get complaints from clients about being sore. Statements like "I thought exercise was going to make me feel good, but now I feel worse than ever" are somewhat common with people who are new to exercising. And there's not too much for me to tell them. The fact is that if we have any desire on changing our body for the better, we are going to spend some time being sore. It's inevitable. Fact of life: there is some pain associated with the ultimate pleasure of being fit.

But that doesn't mean you have to take it sitting down! If you anticipate, plan, and take the proper steps, you can minimize your soreness.

Whenever you do something physical that you're not used to, you get sore. What this means is that most of you reading this are going to get sore—maybe really, really sore—along your road to fitness.

But I can help, because I've been through every level of soreness possible, from the "ahhh, I'm starting a new program" feeling to "@#&!, I can't walk" misery. Here are seven ways to mimic the former statement, and avoid the latter.

	Embrace the pain. This idea is going to be foreign to many of you but eventually you're going to learn that a little soreness means you've embarked on something that is good for you. The first time, however, you're going to have to show a little faith. Whenever I switch up my training, I go through an initial period of soreness (like today). While it's always bothersome, say, when it hurts to take off my shoes, I know that it's only temporary and that it's an important step along the road to my goal. So I embrace it. Sure, it hurts. But it hurts in a good way. A great way even. I love the beginning of a new training cycle because I know that once I work through the pain I'm going to be fitter than before. In fact, when I haven't had a period of soreness in a while, I start to feel like a slacker.
	Anticipate. Remember that I said I knew I was going to get sore? You are too! So don't go full out on your first day. It's normal to get excited on day 1. You've got a new package in the mail and visions of you walking down the beach turning heads are probably dancing in your head. This is great, but keep your wits about you. You're not going to get that way tomorrow or the next day. Hammering through your first workout could end up delaying your program two weeks while you recover from your exuberance. You'll get sore anyway. Next day, push a bit harder. Next day, a bit harder still.
	Eat well. The more you exercise, the better you need to eat. Junk won't fuel your muscles properly. This is especially true if you are trying to lose weight because you are eating less than you need to sustain your body. So what you eat becomes vital. The better you eat, the less sore you'll become. Try to exercise on an empty stomach and then eat a small snack about an hour after finishing your workout. This will greatly help the recovery process and reduce soreness.
	Stretch. After you work out. The more time you can spend doing extra stretching at the end of your workout the better you'll recover. Don't stretch your muscles when cold, as you'll risk injuring them further. An extra 10 minutes after you work out, however, can do wonders. Also, easy movements and stretches both at night before bed and first thing in the morning helps your blood circulate better and will also improve your recovery time.
	Massage. You don't have to go to a masseuse; self-massage is a great tool to aid recovery. The only time you don't want to massage your muscles is right after you work out because you will interfere with the natural recovery process. But at any other time, just five minutes of self-massage can do wonders. Foam rolling is an awesome tool to help in this process.
	Ice. More on the circulation theme—nothing moves blood around like ice. If you've ever watched a locker interview after a sporting event, you probably noticed that a lot of the athletes were icing parts of their body. That's because it's one of the greatest recovery aids we have. Almost all injuries heal more quickly if we apply ice. And soreness is "microtrauma," or slight tears in your muscle tissue. These are necessary in order to get stronger, and they will heal faster if you ice them. You can ice any sore body part up to 20 minutes at a time, a few times throughout the day (if you can stand it). Smaller body parts - like joints and fingers don't need to be iced as long, maybe 10 minutes at a time.
	Work out. Often the last thing you feel like doing when you're sore but it gets back to the circulation thing. Working out promotes circulation. Sitting around while you're sore is worse than working out, even though you probably feel like exercise is the last thing you should do. What you should do is not work out too hard. It's a good excuse to be slightly lazy, since you are doing what's called a "recovery workout," which is aimed at not breaking down too much muscle tissue. However, if your legs are sore, you don't have to go easy on your upper body, and vice versa. Have a great day everyone!!

Ronny Varghese
Director of Operations
Operation Boot Camp - San Jose
1-888-7-FIT NOW (734-8669)
Ronny.Varghese@operationbootcamp.com
OperationBootCamp.com