Hey everyone!

This is the first update for 2019!  I've been out with family for a while, and getting settled back into the swing of things.

First off, stay tuned for info on a mid January webinar I am going to do.  So many people (including myself) have their New Years "Revolutions" start to fall apart about now.  So the webinar is planned to help you keep motivated towards whatever health or personal goals you may have for the year.

This weeks quick video is about some things I have been digging this year.  Check it out above, and see you all next week!

Shawn

PS.  I am also doing a monthly training program, and this month we are talking about commitment.  If you have ever fallen short of a goal you set out to complete, this is for you.  Don't have it happen again by making sure you have some extra support by checking it out here.

I often get asked questions about what technology I use for my coaching business, so I thought I would do a quick video on that today.

Most people, when they ask this question, it's because they do not feel confident working with tech.  The feel they need to be a software engineer, someone younger, or someone super tech savvy in order to get it right.

The great news is there are tons of easy platforms you can use to get an internet presence, and they are way cheaper than they were in the 90's.

A little about my experience.  I started my adult career in 2007 as a web developer for Wal-Mart.  It was super clunky, took a good amount of time to develop, and tons of resources to manage.

in 2010, I started working on a startup business and used a ton of systems like Wordpress, 1shoppingcart, a Tumblr blog, and a not cheap email marketing provider.  There were monthly costs involved to process payment, and keep the email marketing functionality.  And if you ever...

Today I have been working on my #Confidence online course, and wanted to share a case study from one of my coaching clients.

Have you ever put off a project, goal, or dream longer than you wanted?  That's what this story is about.

It's a story about procrastination, having a dream, and waiting too long to get started. It's also a story about how one action can cause a chain of events that lead to a higher quality of life, and an even greater impact.  It's a story about Emily.

Emily and I started working together years ago, and she was one of my first high performance clients.  She worked at a stressful job as a counselor in a community filled with drama.  Violence, crime, broken homes, and all the environmental factors that make it tough to break out and succeed.

For four years, Emily was one test away from a professional therapy credential.  So when we started our work together, this was one of her goals for the coaching - take the test and move forward....

Your next level of confidence will determine your next level of success.  The opportunity is to build up your confidence "reserve" so you can boldly act when you need to next.  

Many people get self-confidence wrong.  They think it's all about endlessly "grinding" forward, burning out, and hoping for the best.  Or that they are not worth good things in life, so why bother trying.  Or that they are special so everything will come easy.  They get surprised when they get stuck and don't continue, because their well has run dry.

Maybe you've felt this way before at some point in your life?  I know I have.  

When I first started training for marathons, I thought I would just run and run and run and it would work out.  I lasted a week before I wanted to give up.  I wasn't confident in my training plan, so I asked around and got ideas from a few friends.  Hal Higdon's "How to Train" book set up what I needed to do to survive the...

Many of my clients and students ask me questions like "I don't understand why I can't finish this project", or "I know I want to change, and I feel stuck in my current job/level of health/relationship".

So many of these folks know a bit about personal development, so it's not a lack of knowledge that prevents them from keeping focused and finishing their goals or dreams.  

They know to change their "state", to remember their "why", to check their negative beliefs and self-talk, and so on.  

In each case, the thing that got them unstuck was something surprising.  What is the surprising thing successful people have to move forward?

Relationships - It's a new relationship, or new perception on an existing relationship.

It's having a coaching relationship that checks in and calls you out when you are inconsistent with your priorities.  It's the relationship that role-models for your children.  It's the relationship with your parents that makes...

Garbage In = Garbage Out, or GIGO.  With so many of my clients and students, it comes down to getting better inputs in their lives so that they can have better outcomes. 

The idea is from systems theory, and can be thought about like this.  You have five buckets in a row.  You will fill the first bucket with water, and when that bucket is filled you will take that bucket and pour it into the next one.  At the end, you pour out the water.

If you start with dirty, unclear water, the chances you will end up with dirty water are high.  If you start with clean water, it's much easier to have clean water at the end.

As a coach and trainer, it's my job to help make sure we start with clean water and keep it clean throughout the process so that you can change your life.  

The common way to make a change goes through five steps:

1. Mindset - Have a positive, open psychology that provides confidence, joy, and engagement in what you do.
2. Plan - Know the big...

We hear about how importance of body strength, your heart, your gut biome, or your liver are to living a healthy life.  But what about taking care of your brain?

Mood, IQ, and decision making are all impacted by brain health.  Besides the obvious don't get hit in the head, what else can we do to make sure our brain is healthy for our families, businesses, and ourselves?

Here are five ideas I use, borrowed from Dr. Daniel Amen and other studies, to take care of my head.  As always, please check with your health professional team before making big changes to your life.

1. Sleep - Try to get 7-9 hrs/night
2. H2O - Try to drink 3-5 liters a day
3. O2 - Try breathing exercises, like Yoga or diaphragm breathing each day
4. Movement - Maintain a healthy, strong body with exercise, stretching and movement each day
5. Food and nutrition - Avoid excessive caffeine, alcohol, and processed foods.    

If you felt less fatigued, made better decisions, had better creativity in your...

Hey!

Ashley and I have been eating Whole30 style, and we are just about three weeks in.  I'm feeling more energetic, clearheaded, happier, and sleeping like a log.  

With so much information out there about food, you might be thinking "How can I tell if this is good information?"

Well, if you are looking to improve your food, I have a few ideas for things to look for in a diet (or lifestyle as the whole30 puts it).

Please, be sure to contact your doctor or nutritionist before changing your diet because this is just one man's humble experience and opinion.

1. Eat more veggies; Mostly leafy greens
2. Eat foods without pesticides, hormones, or other harsh chemicals if you can
3. Drink more water
4. Cut out sugar, because it's in ER'THANG here in the US.  Learn the secret names for sure companies change out to confuse you. (High fructose corn syrup is sugar.). Whole, non juiced fruits are ok.

If you want some cool ideas for recipes that mostly adhere to these, check out the Nom nom...

* This was recorded live this week as I test out some new technology for an upcoming project!

Many times, people have the same struggles that prevent them from growing.  When you know these three common hurdles, you have the power to enable change in your life!  Because then you know how to move forward to get to your dreams and goals.

The three things people struggle with the most are:

• Doubting they can reach or accomplish their dreams and goals
• Delaying when they get started on making things happen in their lives
• Feeling Divided from others by actually working towards their dreams

When in doubt, work and start!

Not feeling like you are enough, like this is what you want, or like it will actually happen can crush you.  If you don't think good things will happen to you by taking action, or that you will fail then it becomes much harder to succeed.  

It comes down to a decision on the kind of person you want to be.  Do you want to be the person...

Have you ever noticed in your life that sometimes you grow more than other times?  This week's blog is all about the number one tool for personal growth - your journal.

Thinking back to the times when I had big changes in my life, I can't imagine making it through without writing my thoughts, feelings, and concerns on paper.  The act liberates your brain to think about solutions, different perspective, and emotions once you know you have your trusty thoughts down in your notebook.

Journalling has helped me train for marathons, change careers, change how I felt day to day (burnt-out to hopeful), among countless other things.

If you are looking to gain some momentum, make a change, or get clarity on your life then you need to up your self-reflection and journaling game.

So what are some important questions to yourself in your journalling practice?  Here are a few of my favorite:

• What went really well today/this week, and why?
• What went really wrong today/this week, and...