Mantra Monday: Recap from The Destin Leadership Retreat

When you think of 100 women in one area, what do you think? Do you think compassion? Motivation? Friendships? Happiness? Business building? Brainstorming? Lifting each other up? Recognition?

When I think of the community I became a part of two years ago, I honestly had no idea what I was getting myself into. At first, I joined a challenge group to get healthy, to lose the weight and finally feel confident again. Coaching, was not in my game plan. Coaching was not on my list of things to do. But that's exactly what happened. 

Last year at this time, my teammates attended the diamond and above leadership retreat. I didn't even qualify. Instead, I was in my hometown, planning my father's funeral, as he had just passed from sudden heart failure. As I spent time picking out the right black dress, funeral planning and packing his belongings up, I watched the coaches celebrate their amazing success. I knew I was where I needed to be, by the side of my family, but in my head I told myself I would be there next year. This would not be my reality again.

DAY ONE: PHOTO SHOOTS, TRAININGS, BEACH OLYMPICS

On Friday morning at 4 am, I left my house, with an overpacked suitcase, nervous as can be, and headed for Destin Florida. This was a dream that I set out for just one year ago, to think that I qualified to be surrounded by the TOP LEADERS in all of our company had be shaking in my flip flops. But...I did deserve to be there and nothing could have prepared me for the EPIC weekend that we had been blessed with. As I walked to the baggage claim, I met some of my favorite people and we hopped in our shuttle to head to our home away from home...this beautiful house was ours for the weekend. Can you say omgghhhh!? 

As our feet hit the ground, we were off and running. We entered this beautiful home to find our rooms and adorable gifts (t-shirts, notepads, and our faces plastered along the walls...like how crazy cool is that?

As we all said our hellos, and hugged...a lot (when you only get to see your fit best friends a few times a year you really embrace the moment), it was time for our photoshoot.... Let's talk about stepping out of my comfort zone. I was the kid in high school who wouldn't even get a senior picture let alone get all fancied up and have someone focusing on you while they took your picture. I mean....the nerves. As I sat around all of my beautiful best friends, I found myself getting more and more excited. I watched them as they stood tall, smiled and rocked their shoots. Finally it was my turn, I won't lie, my friend Candice did my make up and made me feel so beautiful. Our photographers were amazing and made it super easy for us to be comfortable. They embraced us and our mission and made sure we looked awesome! 

After our photo shoot, it was time for our corporate training with Cim Carver, in our world he is called "the coach whisperer." Because we are the top team in the network, I had been blessed to attend his 3 vital behavior training prior. This man knew his stuff, but his ability to reach you on a personal level is mind blowing. We all sat around and talked about our strengths and weaknesses as coaches. Some people talked about recruiting, consistency with challengers, but I openly spoke about my greatest weakness is myself. 

For my whole life, I have been a perfectionist who never felt like she measured up. I've always felt like I was one step behind everyone else and when I was finally ready to step out of my comfort zone, I was too far behind. When I began this journey, it was about a physical transformation, I never expected anything else. But this journey...it's superseded any number on a scale ever could. It was in that training, and our 1:1 after the training that I realized, my potential is open-ended but I have to change my mindset.

 The fun continued with BEACH OLYMPICS.... I mean if you know let's talk about how excited I was: SAND, SUN, OLYMPICS and COMPETITION. I secretly am very competitive and love a fun opportunity to get sweat and meet new people. We were randomly put into teams and of course our team ROCKED IT. Down to three tug of war competitions where we won every single one! GO YELLOW!

DAY TWO: TRAININGS, POOL HANGOUTS, BOSS BRAINSTORMING, YOGA

Day two was filled with amazing trainings including corporate trainings, top elite coach training and tons of vital information. Where have you ever found a group of women, who openly share their top coach principles in order to help other women successfully grow their businesses? Never. But in our community... it's normal. I sat in awe, writing down everything I could, openly listening and learning about how they paved the way for those of us who were unsure of our worth in the beginning. 

These women were nurses, teachers, mothers, corporate mentors, therapists...you name it, someone in that room had that job but now was a full time working coach. It's amazing to see what is possible when passion meets purpose. These women expressed their lowest lows and their highest highs... Every single one said the same thing, this coaching opportunity changed their lives. 

After the trainings, we all returned to our houses, got out our laptops and got to work. We sat around brainstorming, bouncing ideas off each other and embracing the moment to relax and enjoy what we had earned. It's crazy to think this all started from a need to lose weight and be healthier.... it still baffles my mind what's now our reality.

 

DAY THREE: TRAININGS, POOL PARTIES, BEACH PARTIES & BONFIRES

Our third full day arrived quickly, like everyday we started our day off with a team workout. One of the best things about this coach life, is that everyone is motivating others to live healthier, more fulfilled lives. As leaders, it starts with us and that means that we are a product of the product. Just like you, our challenger, our coach sitting on the fence, thinking about this opportunity, we started off on our journey to be healthier, happier, more accomplished women. 

As we headed into our final day of training, my head was spinning.... there were so many ideas, so many possibilities, so many options to take this business to a whole new level. Each training was specified to social media, leadership, business building and time management. All areas that anyone whether leading a business or being a busy parent could benefit from. One of the most influential aspects of this business is the emphasis on growth as a person first and business builder second. Our team culture is that of integrity, hard work and unwavering faith to never give up.

As the trainings came to an end, we listened to all of the elite, top leaders and hosts of the retreat talk about their favorite thing that this business has done. The crazy thing...none of it was objective, it wasn't about money, trips earned, nothing physical. Every single person talked about freedom with their families, freedom to travel, friendships turned into families, the release of stressful jobs that left them unfulfilled. Each one touched on an aspect in my life that I am currently working on. 

Our formal training came to an end and then it was time to RELAX. Which included, a beach party, a pool party at our top coach Melanie Mitro's team house and then a catered smores bonfire. We spent the day/night chatting with others in our network, talking about our dreams, goals and plans for when our feet hit the ground as our planes would land the next day. This is by far one of the most beneficial times, the ability to bond with like minded, passionate people, dedicated to changing lives.

This trip forever changed my coach life and my personal life. It enabled me to relax in an environment that reflected with my soul and realize that my true desire and dream for life involved following my mission to inspire strength in others. Our team is INCREDIBLE. I've never worked with or for a company who has gone ABOVE and beyond to make us feel welcomed, comfortable and recognize us in such a personal way. The people you meet in this business aren't just in the moment, they stay with you through the darkest of dark and brightest of bright times. This business will change your life if you let it....so what are you waiting for? 

Imagine your dream life....it's actually possible.

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Mantra Monday: What To Do When You Realize You Didn't Believe In Yourself

Are you someone with that voice in your head...


You know the one that tells you can't do something... The one that says you're not good enough... The one that continually tells you that you're going to fail.

This voice never leaves you, it taunts you and makes you question your actions and worth on a daily basis.  It criticizes your judgment, it makes simple decision making difficult. It breaks you down when you think you can't break any more. It's full of endless negative commentary.

Self-doubt can be your biggest set back when you strive to achieve the greater desires in life. There are times when you can block it out but more often than not if you are like me there are more times that it consumes your being and establishes a barrier to your goals.

Self-doubt isn't kind and it steals your joy. It can devour your happiness and strip you of every ounce of confidence you once built. It can take your logical reasoning skills and establish craziness. Yet, instead of building you up, it leaves you empty full of fear and insecurity.

You try to do the right thing. You read the right books. You go to church. You pray. You celebrate other's success. You set out every day to be a good person. You force yourself into thinking positively when underneath the surface you hate yourself.

This voice is strong, it's resilient and it will fight back. It has the deepest knowledge of your true desires and it's fueled by your fear.

For years, I spent my life giving my all but falling short, or so I thought. I have never been the overly popular one, the pretty one, or the smartest one. I came from a world that until I openly shared about it, made me feel like I was an outcast and alone. For the majority of my life, I compared myself to others, wanted what others had and tried to be something I am not. For years, I stopped myself before I even got started because I never thought I was good enough.

I am the product of a world full of negativity, I grew up in a different world and I have the long term memory loss that forever leaves me feeling afraid to share the truth. I have been afraid all of my life about what other's think, when people whisper by me I wonder if they are judging me. I was afraid to share my artwork, my love of fitness, my desire to do more with my life through charity work and honestly my desire to not be alone.

Fear is like self-doubt, it grabs you, it's cold hand wraps around your throat and makes it impossible for you to speak the truth you want to express. It takes the things you love and diminishes them to the lowest levels making you feel unworthy. This infectious hold can consume you to the point you unconsciously question your daily actions, intelligence and abilities. If you're like me, you strive for the strength to release the grasp to breathe again.

One day, life took everything that brought me stability and forced me to establish a footing to stand on that only I could define. This road was broken, it had many dead ends and was dark but there was a small light...it was dim but it was there.

If I wanted to reach it, I had to believe in myself. I needed to crush my self-doubt, build my strength to not only speak from the heart but speak with the passion that I so desperately knew I had in me. It was time that I pushed past all of my fears, all of the ridicule to thrive in my own light.

Fast forward to now. Gina post Summit. What's different?

I now understand that it was my lack of belief in myself that's prevented me from truly succeeding in the world I desire to thrive in. I now realize that being critical is a beautiful thing because it makes me strive to present to the best of my abilities. Most importantly I realize that my self-doubt is my soul crying out for help.

I've accepted doubt as part of the human system. It's a regular emotion just like happiness, love and anger. Instead of trying to define it and then defy it, I have accepted it so that I can understand it. Thus enabling me to improve myself and realize you cannot fight with fear instead you must establish a strength that in times of criticism can openly view all sides without bias.

No longer will I allow myself to be limited by the fear of others thoughts, no longer will I allow myself to be limited by my own self-doubt. Now I will pay attention to the voice that initially starts with a whisper before it eventually begins to yell. Each day I choose to set out to be my best, with my blinders on, not comparing myself to those around me.

Perfection is not my sole goal anymore. Instead I strive to achieve my personal goals in life, love and business to live a more fulfilled life. I will do this by checking off my boxes daily on what's important to me, I will trust and love myself, I will stop listening to those who are toxic and tell me I cannot do something I love and I will identify self doubt in a way to establish success.

If you're like me, give yourself permission to fail. But fail forward.
If you're like me, give yourself permission to share your passion daily.
If you're like me, give yourself permission to rest when you are weary.
If you're like me, give yourself permission to go after your dreams.
If you're like me, give yourself permission to breathe.
If you're like me, give yourself permission to try...and try again.