Bringing in the new year wasted....

Bringing in the new year wasted.... well kind of....

HAPPY NEW YEARS EVE!!!!!!!!!!

Haha.... oh how i remember those days (although I cannot recall if I danced on the table ever but I am sure if I did my girlfriends will let me know!).... and it's silly those days don't really exist as much just because I am older with a husband and son. I'm not saying I should go out, get drunk and take my clothes off...  then hop up on the pool table by any means... don't get me wrong here (as long as I don't get too much champagne we should be able to avoid this).

What I AM saying is have you noticed that so many people get so wrapped up in the stresses of life that it consumes them?

They don't know how to have fun anymore and be grateful for what they DO have. We are always pushing to buy more THINGS, wish our lives we like someone else's and consume more (trash) from media (which is probably the reason for us always wanting more or thinking our life isn't the best ever). I know I'm guilty of all this.

I feel as if sometimes we forget the little things in life are the reason we are alive and can truly LIVE and LOVE and LAUGH.

One thing I am learning in my life is if you cannot be grateful and appreciate what you have you will never be happy with anything you get.

Have you ever just laughed at something because that''s all you can do to keep from crying?

That's my life right now.

If you've followed my blog and know me (lucky you!) you know I have had 2 shoulder surgeries so far on my shoulder from 2010 when I slipped and fell on someones sweat while teaching how to do a bear crawl during one of my bootcamps (oh how I miss them!!).

My shoulder has not recovered very well at ALL. And being an active person that thrives off of working out and moving a lot ... this has been a hard pill to swallow... (especially those pain killers!)

I don't do well sitting all day or not being able to go hard at the gym. It's extremely hard for me to wrap my brain around the fact that "hey guess what you have a limitation and need to be cautious Lallenia."

Today as so many people are getting ready to drink champagne and dance on tables celebrating the New Year... I will be celebrating in my recliner & drinking down (medical) drugs... I'm sure by the end of the night i will imagine them looking like this....

I have to get yet ANOTHER  surgery done for my shoulder.... well this time its more so my bicep. I went in for a second opinion and found out my bicep has been the cause of my shoulder not healing so I asked for the first date available to get it over with.... Why not bring in the new year all drugged up... =D

Normally I'd be super depressed, upset and annoyed but this time I have honestly just had to laugh it off and be light hearted about it as I know the drill (pretty freaking well) by now and I've lived just fine this past year without working out as much as i want to... yes it's driving me BONKERS sometimes when I just want to lift heavy stuff and go sprinting on my hill.

I miss feeling strong physically and I miss the adrenalin working out gives me. But I am GRATEFUL I am able to get my shoulder taken care of and fixed without having to live the rest of my life in this pain. I am GRATEFUL it forces me to read so much and grow myself and our business. I am GRATEFUL for my friends and family who are there to support me and make me feel encouraged.

There are so many ways to view things in a negative light. This even ties in with your reflection in the mirror and the negatives you see in other people.

This quote I'm a little obsessed with right now because it really makes me think....

Instead of a resolution this year I am going to be writing EVERY night into this little journal (Target $1) what i am grateful for.

No one will remember you by the car you drive or the clothes you wore.... they will remember you by your ability to laugh at yourself and life when it doesn't go the way you want it to and if you were there when they needed a shoulder to cry on...

My hopes by sharing me new years plans is to let you know that even if you have to start the new year out in a less than ideal situation.... there is ALWAYS a way to look at it in a positive light. My hopes is also that more people will start a grateful journal instead of making crazy resolutions that aren't always feasible. When you live your life with a grateful heart the world will give you more things to be grateful about.

I know I've said this before but I TRULY believing 2015 will be one of the best years of my life and will be the year I am choosing to live it with a grateful heart. My wish is you will CHOOSE to do the same!!

I adore you ALL!!!!

Thank you for being apart of my story!

Keep yourself Healthy, Fit and FABULOUS always,

*Lallenia*

XoXo

Never again.....

NEVER AGAIN

Have you heard the Kelly Clarkson song called Never Again? (If not check it out here!)

I was thinking this ALOT these last few months.... Never again!

HA!! No, this not about my ex-boyfriend... (juuuuust kidding... kinda...) 

I am so BLOWN away by the response I received from my last blog post!!!  I honestly did not expect that kind of response and a few who reached out really took me off guard. To those who reached out and shared a similar challenge THANK YOU! I no longer feel so alone and scared.

Really.... WOW!! 

So after that week I learned a few Never Agains (feel free to add them to the beat of the song like i did):

"Never again will I judge you,

Never again will I think less of you,

Never again will I believe what's said about you.....

Never again....." 

This struggle of mine has turned into a major life awakening. I learned I had people categorized, judged, or on a pedestal. After opening up about my issues; I had women from all shapes and sizes reach out and have some kind of struggle that is causing them issues with fertility, weight loss, weight gain, hormone imbalances, and other things. 

I remember in my early days as a trainer (honestly up until this) I would think it's not that hard to get in shape & be healthy! Just eat less and move more. 

That's not always the case, it is MUCH bigger than that when it comes to becoming healthy. I can't tell you how many women I see at the gym who are stronger & faster than me and yet a few sizes bigger or smaller than me. I also know many "skinny" or "fit" women that are VERY unhealthy and "heavier" women who are healthier (& happier) than I could ever be.

(Photo credit to Glamour Magazine)

I found this picture and it really resonated with me. We need to STOP judging people based on their size and shape because each person fights their own battle of some kind. It sounds so cliche but everyone has their own struggles and challenges no matter what they look like on the outside or via social media.  

I wish I could tell you after my last post I felt so empowered that I've been successful with controlling my dietary & exercise habits.... FALSE.

I've been in some kind of denial or rebellious mission.

Overview of shoulder progress:

My PT told me my shoulder was inflamed & stop running or do  anything that may affect my shoulder. So of course, reluctantly, I stop all activity AGAIN. At this point I am about 18 weeks out from my surgery... In my mind... that's a LONG time I should be able to workout again!

Then Tuesday May 13th at 5:12pm I reach to let my son out of his car seat (like I have been doing for a few weeks since I've had that range of motion) and SNAP! My shoulder makes a pop, my hand goes numb, and I just screamed and bursted into tears. (my poor soon now makes sure i don't reach behind me and asks me to get out of the car to let him out so I don't hurt myself... sweet little boy)

I've had a little bit of set back clearly. My shoulder is not healing as fast as I want it to (23 weeks now)... meaning I am unable to get back into working out hardcore. If you know me.... I NEED to workout. I need to sweat, I need to push myself. 

This is a throw back picture to when I was  28 weeks out of my first surgery in 2011.  It's hard to believe I was able to workout and move so well that soon after my surgery! A side plank with one leg... SO much shoulder stability! AND on my right shoulder..... CRAZY I tell ya! 

i miss it

Saying these last few months have been hard would be an understatement. I can't tell you how many times I've cried myself to sleep or just screamed out of frustration because I just want to feel like myself again. (It doesn't help I work from my basement and my puppy (yes puppy... ) just looks at me like I'm crazy all day & chews up everything...)

"what do you mean I'm not supposed to chew up this bat...
and the pillow, and the blanket......" oh Zuek! 

I was talking to my handsome hubby about this and he said."I know this is hard for you but I love you no matter what. Besides, look at how great you are at this marketing & learning how to run a business. You're making things happen for us, I couldn't do this without you. If you didn't have this surgery and were so wrapped up in yourself, clients, and workouts we wouldn't be making such big strides with Big Birge Plumbing Co."

Of course he says that right??

 The more I have been reflecting on this journey the more I am realizing that life has a weird way of leading you where you need to be going. Yes. I feel like I am entirely out of shape.... bad. The good thing is I've not gained a lot of weight I just feel flabby and weak.... I hate it.

I do however LOVE how much time I have been putting towards learning, growing and developing a business and myself with my husband and our team! 

We even had an article published about us a month ago in the Omaha Magazines B2B summer issue about our Marketing. It really confirmed to me that yes this is where I need to be with my life. (but it's not all glitter and gold.....) 

(read the article HERE on page 13 & 14)

I HATE the picture they picked for page 14.... yuck...I look OLD and gross but whatever. I guess I can't complain too much as it is publicity for our business. I will post something about my experience with this in my NEW blog and my website called "A Plumbers Wife"..... THERE.... I said it!!!

So... I've been working on this idea and business model for a while. I have yet to put it out there because I don't feel ready BUT when will I EVER feel ready?? 

Here's my logo....(one of them)

eeeeeek!!!!!! What do you think??? 

I am smiling from ear to ear because I know I am so far from where I want to be but I am SO excited to go on this journey and share my experiences with you! From here out I will be blogging, making videos, and podcasts about my life as a plumbers wife! (how fun is that?) 

I am in the process of setting up my social media accounts for this. But you can "like" my FB page right now if you'd like... I'd love it if you did!! That will help me get going on it sooner! My website is also in the works! 

If you're wondering what exactly this will be: it will be about my experiences running a business with my husband and the ups and downs of it all. I feel like not many people really share all sides of the business or their lives in the process. 

As I start blogging and creating content who knows... maybe  eventually get into coaching & consulting! I am a crazy person about learning and growing and a coach by nature.... =) 

I really believe this is all happening because there is a point where you have to find balance and stop comparing yourself to the rest of the world and be the BEST you. I used to compare myself so much to other women and feel bad about myself image, my job, my family, my house, my car, ect. Well now I say screw ALL that! This struggle has shown me I need to be the BEST ME! Not the best fitness model, mom, wife, laundry folder, cook, bookkeeper... but ME! 

There is a quote I have been saying to myself lately I came up with.... Who you are today is NOT who you have to be tomorrow. 

You do NOT have to be who you were yesterday! If you don't like something about yourself or want a better life... the only person stopping you from becoming better is ... YOU!!!!

Yes! I am struggling with the fact I can't workout much but that doesn't mean I need to sit here and cry about it all day and eat Ben & Jerry's (oh but Americone Dream ... YUM!!) 

I know working out and eating healthy is what I do... it doesn't mean it's who I AM... it IS apart of me but that doesn't mean I can't grow and develop other parts of me as well to mold into the person I dream about becoming. 

I have learned life is REALLY, truly what you make of it and what you envision for yourself. 

I could keep going on and talk all about how I had to get a cortisone shot in my shoulder and passed out in the Dr. office but what fun would that be?? (Ha. True story. I am a WUSS)

Now that i have let it known to my peeps (that's YOU!) about A Plumbers Wife.... I better get over there and start working on my next adventure in life huh? If you could be so kind and "like" my facebook page or "follow" my tweets, I would be so giddy over it! And maybe even share it with someone you know who may want to be a part of the awesome community I'll be creating.

As always... Keep yourself healthy, fit and fabulous!
And don't forget to PLUNGE into the life of a plumbers wife =)

*Lallenia*