Whiners Don't Win. Face The Music, and Just DO IT.

Good Morning Kittens!! How has your weekend been? Good I hope. Mine has been good, although last night I was about to channel my inner Lara Croft and go postal on my assclown neighbors like this:

but, I channeled my inner Zen instead and prayed for them. To evaporate. Kids, I have the MOST inconsiderate neighbors on the planet. Loud, obnoxious MORONS with a yippy ass dog and a child terror that may or may not be the Anti-Christ. 

That could be a picture of the kid - or ME last night looking for my blasted ear plugs. You decide. 

This whole ridiculous neighbor thing brings up the topic I want to talk about today. The title of this post is "Whiners Don't Win. Face The Music and JUST DO IT.". 

I read in a book once (probably something by Brian Tracy or John C. Maxwell) that we only complain about things that we have the potential to change. Think about that. We don't complain that "Ohhhh I hate the sky being blue!!!" It's like we know that sky will always be blue. We don't complain, "OHHH MAN I wish I had 6 toes and not 5!!". You get the idea. Think about the things you complain about- and ask yourself if there is ANYTHING you can do to change that situation. 

• Don't like your job? Work on changing it or find a new one.
• Don't like your relationship? See above. (and please don't take this as me advocating divorce if you are married. I went through a divorce and it was the worst experience EVER. But I do believe that couples that loathe each other and are a misery to each other and their kids are better served apart than suffering together.)
• Don't like your neighbors (like me)? Find a way to move, and in the meant time, find a way to accept what IS and find a way to deal with it until you can change that situation.                            

I could go on and on but in the last bullet point- this is preaching to me. I cannot stand my neighbors. There is no justification for their behavior and I can bitch and moan about it ALL DAY. But, what is that accomplishing? Sure, it can be funny here and there but really, THEY ARE NOT GOING TO CHANGE. Period. So, that said, the situation, as I "diagnose it" is that this will not get better. And I do NOT get to enjoy my home here in any way because of them. It is time for me to face that music, and make my own plans to get out. Selling this house in this market, I've understood won't be easy or fast and I won't probably make a dime on it. I'm over that. I'm not going to whine about it. 

Enough Whining.

I don't know about YOU kids, but I don't want to be that whiny person. One of the topics you've heard me talk about lately is me figuring out my "tummy" problems. Why am I focused on this? Because I don't want to spend part of my days being uncomfortable because of food and WHINING about it. I'm figuring out the problem and how to fix it. Done. 

I don't want to WHINE in 2011 (or the rest of 2010 mind you) about what I haven't done yet with my body. Just like I read in that book, "If There Is Something I Don't Like About My ________, Then I Have the Power to Change It." 

The next statement that I feel MUST be attached to this is: "If You Keep Doing The Same Things You've Always Done, You Will Continue To Get The Same Results."

Too many people GIVE UP. They want to blame outside sources for their failure to figure things out. DON'T BE A WUSS. If your body isn't where you want it, FIGURE IT OUT. It is NOT impossible. God did NOT make our bodies "destined" to be fat. Period. The only way you can FAIL is to QUIT.

YOU CAN DO WHATEVER YOU SET YOUR MIND TO DO. 

"If you think you are beaten, you are. If you think that you dare not, you don't. If you'd like to win, but think you can't, It's almost certain you won't. Life's battles don't always go to the stronger or faster man, but sooner or later, the man who wins is the man who THINKS HE CAN." (from John C. Maxwell, Talent Is Never Enough)

When I look back at 2010, I am proud of myself for stepping up and making strides to move past the (what I label) crappy 2009 I had. I stuck with it. I did a TON of reading and learning and I tried new things. I faced some fears. I got out of my comfort zone. I became a runner! I learned to TRUST MYSELF. FINALLY.

Now. 2011 is the time to take this "warm up" (as I label it) and GET IN THE GAME. You know what the best feeling is? Getting out of your comfort zone and CRUSHING IT. Do you know what the worst feeling is?? Being scared or timid (read: not believing you can do it) and NOT trying harder or pushing MORE and then SETTLING FOR LESS. 

My Motto has always been; AIM HIGH. NEVER SETTLE. 

Guess what? It's time, I've decided....to AIM A LOT HIGHER. I've realized that I've been settling. I've been doing a bit too much feeling sorry for myself in this area or that area. I vow to STOP WHINING about what's wrong and FIX IT.

Excuse the language but SHIT HAPPENS. Get over it. Figure out HOW to get over it. There is a world of information out there and a world of people wanting to help. ASK FOR IT. TAKE IT. MAKE IT HAPPEN. 

I've STARTED this, but now, I'm IN IT TO WIN IT. My plan for the last two weeks of 2010 and for 2011 and beyond? 

I'M GOING TO AMAZE MYSELF. I'M GOING TO AMAZE YOU. WATCH ME.

I've featured Lolo Jones a TON the latter part of this year, because she is my new girl crush and because she is BadAss. Totally. This video never ceases to INSPIRE ME:

QUESTION OF THE DAY: What is YOUR GOAL for now and 2011? Stay in the comfort zone and keep getting what you've always gotten?? Or STEPPING OUT of that comfort zone, aiming high and amazing yourself?? 

How To Get and Keep Your Game Face ON.

Yes. My name is Kelly Olexa and I have a serious Girl-Crush on Lolo Jones. Seriously she is my poster girl for ALL THAT. I've never been one to watch the Olympics and normally I would not tune in for (dear God what is the sport called anyway? Hurdle jumping? DUH- this Airhead Sports Moment Brought To You By KO) this.....um, sport. But, when you watch the video below, I don't think you'll say anything but, "DAAAAYYUUMMM girl! DAYUM!!!"

Right?

Ok. So- yes, I was up at 5am again this morning. And yes, that evil Kelly voice crept in FIRST THING after I shut my alarm off saying, "Oh Kelly, you didn't get enough sleep and it's so nice and warm in bed, go back! Go Back! You can take ONE DAY OFF!!" 

I slapped that douchebag voice AROUND. I got up, and got my GAME FACE ON. 

I talk about this in my rambling blathering foolishness vlog below, but I have learned that the key thing for ME to stay motivated is to ANTICIPATE mental hurdles or life hurdles that want to stop me in my tracks. A Mental Hurdle is the inner wimp inside of us that wants us to stay in that awful COMFORT ZONE. A Mental Hurdle is dealing with a crazy schedule that has us pressed for time. A Mental Hurdle is that FEAR that we "can't do it". A Life Hurdle is anything that we can't really control like sickness or traffic or that unpredictable crisis. 

When you anticipate these "hurdles", especially the Mental Hurdles, and you EXPECT them, you then simply prepare your own customized response to them. Imagine yourself like Lolo just jumping over them with ease, like YOU CAN'T STOP THIS!

Every morning when that alarm goes off at 5am, my inner lamea** starts talking. I anticipate her arrival and I bitch-slap her. When I get to the gym and I'm on the treadmill at mile 2 and I'm starting to figure out some excuse to "only do 2 today" (why?? No idea, human nature to go back to that comfort zone!) I realize, "UM HELLO KO, if you do that every day, how much longer will it take until you slide those hot jeans on and know they are a PERFECT FIT AGAIN?? COME ON NOW! TURN THE SPEED UP."

That's right. 

I am in it to win it people. 

How do I handle (or try to handle....God knows I'm a work in progress) LIFE hurdles? I have learned that when the life hurdles get in the way, it's just a PAUSE not a STOP. I haven't RUINED EVERYTHING. For example, this afternoon, I forgot to grab my Muscle Milk on the way out the door (had an appointment). Thus, I was due to eat something and had no "acceptable" healthy snack with me, and by the time my appointment was OVER, I was HUNGRY!! (this is like 7pm!! Naughty!!) Considering I had 2 more stops on the way home, I realized I wouldn't get home to my ideal healthy food (planned on Tilapia and sweet potato with green beans for dinner) and I hit the nearest drive-through. I got Arby's - a large Unsweetened Iced Tea and a plain roast beef. Not the ideal choice but - OLD KELLY would FLIP OUT. And I'd probably get a bad choice like Wendy's single with fries and then I'd be mad at myself for having a "bad meal" and likely (again, this is in the past people, when I was diet drama queen) use that as an excuse to eat Oreos and other junk the rest of the night. Today, I see that this is a SMALL HURDLE and NOT THE END OF THE WORLD and I'm over it. I did the best I could, and tomorrow, I'm up at 5am again and CRUSHING IT. 

That's right. Who's Your Daddy?

Check this out and think of this every time life (or you) throws a hurdle your way:

Seriously? She is just all that. "I almost thought about quitting.....I chose my dream."

And with that, I must leave you. Tomorrow is a long day for me ~ I have my friend's funeral in the afternoon. Pray for that family....and always cherish the ones around you. 

How To Get OUT of Your Comfort Zone

Do you want to win? THEN GET OUT OF YOUR COMFORT ZONE.

It's not easy to get what you want in this fitness game. If it was, we'd all look like Gisele and be married to Tom-My-Hair-Looks-Like-A-Little-Girl-In-Nursery-School-Brady. WHAT?

I figured out where I was falling short in my fitness agenda. Nothing was at 100% recently. Whose fault is that?? NO ONE BUT MINE. I own it, and I delete it.

Game Face On. Goals In Place. I'm not just here for the heck of it. I'm here to KICK SERIOUS BUTT.

I said I will not end this year without reaching my goals, or at least the first phase of reaching my goals, because, this fitness lifestyle is a never-ending pursuit to always get better, right?? You don't STOP when you can fit in your jeans again. That's when you focus on what's next.

THAT'S HOW I LOOK AT IT.

We all have things in our lives that get in our way. Figure out what it is, what they are, and then- GET OVER IT. Or, figure out how to get over it. THERE ARE NO EXCUSES.

I work a trillion hours a week. Every second of my day is jam packed. I have to schedule phone calls with my friends! I just finished writing my first book and now I've been asked to do two more! I'm planning three huge conferences for 2011 that are going to be the most awesome For Women By Women conferences you've ever seen, and let me just tell you, this is not about sunshine and flowers and let's all talk and cry together. This is about top notch driven women at the top of their game personally, professionally and athletically. And this is about women that WANT TO GET THERE. 

Stay tuned if you want to attend because I am not opening this up to just anyone. 

I will also allow Tony Horton, Vin Diesel and Huge Jackman to attend. #justsayin

So, looking back at 2010 so far, what have YOU done? Have you made PROGRESS OR EXCUSES?

LOOK AT THIS:

Are you kidding me? Do you see what can happen when you stop selling yourself short?? I'm short, but that's why I wear platform heels. And I don't ACT SHORT. 

Did I get off track?

Don't quit before payday. You can do SO MUCH MORE THAN YOU THINK. If I have started running, run 20 minutes straight, run 30 minutes, run a 5k and now am training for a 1/2 Marathon= I can DO MORE. And I will do more. I don't want to spend my life looking back wondering WHAT IF. I want to look back when I'm 100 years old with my 50 year old cabana boy bringing me carrot juice, and say, "Wow, maybe I should cut back my P90X workouts to 4x a week instead of 6x...what do you think Julio??"

;-)

Serious Girl Crush Here. 

What's it gonna be for the last part of the year people?? Are you in it to win it?

QUESTION OF THE DAY: YES OR NO?? 

In It To Win It.

This chick is BAD ASS. Period. 

I realized something this week. I realized that a shift has occurred somewhere between me starting up running (Thank You Amy) and then deciding I could do a 5K, and then deciding to run a 1/2 marathon. I no longer want to just participate in these sports as A HOBBY. I'm in this to win it. And by WIN IT I mean, I'm competing against others in a way, but I am competing against myself. I've never wanted anything MORE than to take a hold of the potential that lies within this body God gave me and just CRUSH IT.

I know that seeing Dara Torres at the MORE Magazine Reinvention Convention blew me away. Seeing her do her BEST work in her sport in her forties and smoking past the twenty-year-olds? That's hot. Watching my friend Amy start running and then KICK ASS at her first 1/2 marathon only months later ~ that rocks. She rocks. And hanging around Jenny Lynn in person, after watching her videos and knowing how HARD she works and the dedication she has, and how she is STILL kicking butt, just getting started after retiring from Figure Competitions....that's awesomeness. 

I am so inspired and it feels SO great to be IN THIS ZONE....I've been "in the zone" before sure, where I'm working out consistently and such, but never with this level of DRIVE and FIRE inside of me. I see myself in a different way. I've put the past year of medical issues behind me. I've let go of being disappointed in my inevitable "three steps back" that happened in 2009. I'm over it. I'm focused 100% on the FUTURE. I'm in it to WIN IT. 

I'm not just running or training in the gym to lose a few pounds. I'm training for marathons, and I aim to make each marathon better than the last. I'm in the gym to build and condition my muscles so I am stronger as I get older, not weaker. I'm building the physique that I aspire to and that makes sense for my bones- I'm NOT trying to be someone else or get a look that some guy expects me to have. This is about being the BEST that I CAN BE. This body, this healthy body with 2 working legs and strong arms has more potential than I can even grasp and I will NOT take it for granted. I will squeeze every drop of potential out of this body, OUT OF THIS LIFE, that I can.

I'm not just PLAYING. I'm here to BLOW MY OWN MIND. 

I am STRONGER today than I was yesterday, both physically and mentally and emotionally. I AIM HIGH and I NEVER SETTLE. 

Every day, I am STRONGER, FASTER, FITTER, BETTER, WISER AND HAPPIER than yesterday. 

I refuse to give in. I refuse to give up. I refuse to believe anything other than that I CAN DO ANYTHING I SET MY MIND TO. 

I am UNSTOPPABLE. And, I'm JUST GETTING STARTED.

This evening's vlog was shot in my office, and I had to be quiet because I was babysitting for my neighbor, and her daughter likes to sneak in when she knows a camera is on. Go figure. Excuse the slightly mellow mood.....regular KO MOJO tomorrow. ;-)

QUESTION OF THE DAY: What do you want to accomplish next that will blow your own mind??