I'm a “why” person. I can do anything consistently if I'm given a reason. I've always been a bit stubborn like that. #superstubborn

For instance, I knew for years that because I have Hashimotos, that gluten wasn't helping my body. But it wasn't until I talked with my functional doctor about 5 years ago, and he gave me the reasons and how gluten was actually affecting my thyroid, that I was like “ok. I get it.” And I haven't intentionally had it since.

For years, I've been wanting to establish a solid morning routine to start my day. I figure, if we live to be 70 years old, that's only about 25,000 mornings.

And I strongly believe in Robin Sharma's quote (those that know me have heard this concept a million times) –

Your days are your life in miniature. As you live your days, so you craft your life. What you do today is actually creating your future. The words you speak, the thoughts you think, the food you eat and the actions you take are defining your destiny – shaping who you are becoming and what your life will stand for. There’s no such thing as an unimportant day. Robin Sharma

With the assumption that that's true, then the best thing we could do is to start our days intentionally, right?

So, back to that morning routine. I've read The Morning Miracle, My Morning Routine and Tools of Titans for inspiration. While I did get ideas and inspiration from each one, nothing seemed to stick for me. They are great books, but they were overwhelming.

I'm not getting up at 5 am for a run. Like ever. EVER.

Until now.

I will share my morning routine in a bit, but I also want to share enough other options that my friends are doing so that you could figure out what YOUR perfect morning routine would look like. Just like I did.

So for you, I asked my smart friends…

Do you have a morning routine that you follow each day before you start your work?
If so, what does it look like?
Why do you do it this way?

For full transparency: This post is a compilation of responses from my friends as well as some fun stuff I researched and curated from people who I look up to who are not my friends – yet. Give me time.

I hope you enjoy this post. If so, please share!

Lou Bortone
“The Godfather of Video”
LouBortone.com

My Morning Routine, aka Punching and Kicking Stuff – Lou Bortone

The only “non-negotiable” in my morning ritual is my daily trip to “9 Round Kickboxing,”where I get to start my day by kicking and punching things. (Because randomly punching and kicking humans is frowned upon!)

My first-thing-in-the-morning kickboxing workout gets me going and fires up those endorphins so I can hit the ground running (or kicking!)

As soon as I get up, I mix my pre-workout drink (my version of coffee) and a do a quick check of emails before I leave for the gym.

I know, I know. Everyone says NOT to check your emails or socials first thing in the morning but, being in a client-centric business, I disagree with the conventional wisdom.

I check my emails because, if a client needs something or one of my students is in a
pinch, I want to know about it ASAP so I can jump on it. It’s usually a quick fix and
doesn’t throw off my routine.

Once I’ve done the email check and downed my workout drink, it’s off to 9 Round for 30
minutes of kicking butt. The day has officially begun!

Get Lou's free “Sizzle Reel Secrets: How to Create Professional Videos Quickly and Easily” here!

Candice Davis, Author Coach
CandiceLDavis.com

My morning routine changes with the seasons, but I’m always happier and more productive when I have one. Right now, I greet each day with a prayer of thanks before my feet hit the floor around 5:00 in the morning. After a glass of water with lemon and MSM, I sit in my favorite chair and crack open my journal to do a bit of self-coaching on the page. Self-coaching allows me to set the tone for the day and decide in advance what results I want to create and what action I need to take to get those results.

(I asked Candice what ‘self coaching' meant to her and this was her reply.)

I often use a practice called “the model,” which I learned first from Brooke Castillo, of the Life Coach School, and then from my life coach, Jody Moore. It’s based on cognitive behavioral therapy and allows you to examine and change the thoughts that are creating your results, thus changing your results.

This year, I’ve added a new routine of writing my primary goal. My goal is to create and deliver $500,000 in value. I write that goal in my journal 15 times as an affirmative statement: “I am creating and delivering $500,000 in value in 2020.” It reinforces my belief in this possibility, and has helped me to stay consistent in taking action in that direction.

When I feel awake enough, I dive into some writing or review my clients’ writing work, and by 7:00, I’m off for an hour-long walk with my husband. On our best days, we also do ten to twenty minutes of pre-breakfast meditation, but that doesn’t happen every day. I’m never rigid about any of this. I have to enjoy it all, or as I learned the hard way when I tried to follow someone else’s morning routine, it creates more stress than it alleviates.

Angela Wills, Digital Business Coach
AngelaWills.com

I've been working on this and playing with it so, yes, I do have a morning routine! Here's what mine looks like:

Wake at 7am and grab my water and coffee. Spend 1 minute meditating. Nicole as you know you got me into meditation by recommending it to me as my coach and I have yet to get beyond one minute but I do really value that one minute of meditation! I use the Insight Timer app. What's fun about the app is it also has some meditations for kids that I use for my daughter at night to get her to ease into her bedtime more easily.

After I meditation I write in my journal three things: Gratitude, What I want my day to look like, and as many affirmations as I can think of and that I feel will serve me that day (I am strong, I am happy, I am helpful, etc). I drink my coffee, which is a cold brew coffee with almond milk, while I journal.

Then I check my calendars – I have a physical planner and I also use Google Calendar so I check them both for the day and the week. This helps me foresee what's coming up. I know this sounds really BASIC but I can't believe how many years I got by not doing this. Of course I would forget things, miss them or just not do stuff that would have helped my business when I didn't make it a daily habit to check my calendar and a nightly routine to plan my days.

Next I get dressed and ready. My clothes are laid out from the night before and I have a skincare and makeup routine I can do in about 10 mins. I grab a smoothie and then go wake up Ella by 8am (or sooner if possible) and then start on her routine (she's got hers we created together). My son wakes himself and gets ready himself, he's 17 and Ella is 5.

Then, I get into a BIT of a work routine. Check my emails, look at my to-do list, brainstorm if I'm feeling overwhelmed and just work through the top priorities for my business that day.

This is an IDEAL day I'm describing. Every day is NOT ideal but I do try to keep to this routine and get my day started off right. I used to wake up, get coffee and look at my phone until time flew by and it was time to wake Ella. I like my organized routine much better!

I found that Natalie Sisson has a really solid morning routine. She talks about it in her podcast and you can learn more about it at the link below.

Natalie Sisson

NatalieSisson.com

The summary if you're short on time is this:

#1. Wake up early
#2. Drink Water
#3. Move my body with Yoga
#4. Essential Oils
#5. Meditation
#6. Hot and Cold Shower
#7. Get Dressed
#8. Hot Water and Lemon
#9. Daily Greens

I also looked up to see if Vishen Lakhiani had a morning routine (as I greatly admire him). Of course he does.

Vishen Lakhiani
Mindvalley.com

Again, here's the overview if you're short on time.

1. A 6 phase meditation that he's invented.
2. Minimum effective dose workout (Tabata)
3. A killer workout playlist
4. Breakfast for fuel (green smoothie)
5. A bulletproof boost for his brain

Free Training from Vishen

Masterclass: Which of the 4 Levels of Human Consciousness Are You Living From?

Another person I admire for this productivity is Jim Kwik. I was able to see him speak in San Diego and purchased some of his training. I think you'll enjoy what he has to say.

Jim Kwik
KwikBrain.com.com

Here's his list:

1. RECALL MY DREAMS.
2. I MAKE THE BED.
3. I DRINK WATER AND TAKE SUPPLEMENTS.
4. I FOCUS ON BREATHING.
5. I MEDITATE.
6. I MOVE.
7. I TAKE A COLD SHOWER.
8. I MAKE A TEA.
9. I JOURNAL.
10. I CREATE A TO-DO LIST, A TO-BE LIST, AND A TO-FEEL LIST.
11. I READ.
12. I MAKE MY BRAIN SMOOTHIE.
13. I GO THROUGH MY BRAIN TRAINING.
14. I START MY DAY WITH MY MOST DIFFICULT, IMPORTANT TASK.

Free Training from Jim Kwik:

Masterlcass: Train Your Brain to Speed Read and Retain More Information

If you've been following me more than a hot sec, you know I just really admire and enjoy Tim Ferriss so much. Here's his routine. I'm sure it changes constantly, knowing how he optimizes, but this was a video he recorded showing his routine at this time.

Tim Ferriss
Tim.blog

Tim's tips are:

1. Sleep with your phone on airplane mode.
   (Note From Nik: A lot of us have kids or family members who might need us so we can't do that, but we can turn off text notifications. I also have an override set up so that if either of my kids calls, my phone will ring, even if it's on Do Not Disturb.)
2. Make Your Bed.
3. 10-15 push-ups
4. Journalling with 5 Minute Journal or Morning Pages
5. 10-20 minutes of meditation (choose whatever you like best)

Amy Harrop, Content Savvy Expertise
AmyHarrop.com

I enjoy mornings. I'm a morning person, and I get up around 5 a.m. usually. Of course, it helps that I have two cats who act as alarm clocks.   In my household, I am the first person up, and have the house to myself for the next 3 hours or so.

I am a morning coffee drinker, and when I get up in the morning I have my cup of coffee and spend some time playing with the cats. I finish my cup of coffee and review my tasks and communications for the day as I wake up.  I find for me, I like to have my coffee before I jump into anything, and reviewing content and  information is a good way to ease into the day.

After that, I start my power hour as I like to call it. I spend about 15 minutes doing stretching and some yoga poses. Then, I meditate, and do meditative writing and journaling. I like to finish this up with some spiritual reading and contemplation.

After that, I'm ready to take on my important tasks of the day. I'm a big fan of Michael Hyatt’s ‘Free to Focus’ system, and I have three larger projects I focus on each week. I tackle one of those usually every morning and then when I'm finished, I will work on some smaller tasks. For the most part, I try to wrap up everything around lunch time.

I like my morning rituals, and I do think having a power hour every morning helps keep me focused and productive.

Marie Forleo

Here's an excerpt from the video:

Really Productive People (RPPs) make their morning routine non-negotiable.

“First of all, I think everybody should have a morning routine, a little collection of things that you do for yourself before you start interacting with the rest of the world.

For example, my morning routine involves meditation, time with Josh and Kuma, green juice and some exercise.

All these things I do set me up for success emotionally, spiritually and physically. I’m not perfect at this so, for example, if I have to catch a 5 am flight, my butt is not getting up at 2 am to do all those things. I’ll do whatever I can fit in and finish the rest of my little routine later in the day.”

Oprah (the Oprah)

In this interview she says:

“Usually before the sun comes up, I offer myself to something greater than myself. If it’s for one minute, 20 seconds or 10 minutes, I at least stop in that space in my house every morning. I have a little meditation space where I just go. I have beautiful spiritual readings there. I light my three candles there, daily word or something and I express to this greater energy field than I, that I don’t want to be alone as I move out into the world.”

Rachel Hollis

5:00am | Wake Up
5:10am | Coffee, read a non-fiction book + Start Today Journal
5:40am | Spanish
5:55am | Motivational videos
6:05am | Write motivational posts

After that it's first mealtime (almond butter and jam…yummmm) followed by the gym in my skull cap and then it's time to wake up the kids and get out into the world!

Sarah Santacroce, LinkedIn Consultant & Strategist
SarahSantacroce.com

I have been meditating most days of the week for about 4 years now. It really is a practice, as they say. Meaning that some days are better than others   I use the Insight Timer app for my guided meditations.

After I send the kids off to school I make myself a coffee (black, since I'm fasting until late morning) and go down to my office, take out my yoga mat and tune into the session of the day. I've recently discovered YogawithAdriene.com and love her! She has a monthly calendar with a free yoga video for every day of the month. Check it out!

Ben Greenfield of BenGreenfieldFitness.com
Posted on Instagram

My Morning Routine, Simplified.

Someone recently asked me for my morning routine. Here is it, in a very basic but quick nutshell. I hope you find it helpful, and feel free to leave your questions or your own morning routine in comments!

1. Wake and complete gratitude journal while laying in bed. Do not take phone out of airplane mode.

2. After journaling, go to kitchen and drink 30 ounces of water from a glass mason jar. Into water, place two packets or vials of Quinton hypertonic minerals OR a teaspoon of good salt, along with 1 teaspoon baking soda and 2 hydrogen tablets.

3. Drink, then proceed outdoors into sunshine in bare feet wearing as little as possible. Complete 10-15 minutes of stretching (I linked to my routine at in my bio and at bengreenfieldfitness.com/morningworkout), foam rolling and deep tissue work, specifically focusing on anything that feels tight or painful. During this time, feel free to listen to encouraging, spiritually enhancing music, or an audiobook or podcast, but continue to keep phone in airplane mode.

4. Upon finishing stretching and breathwork, use restroom, then, if time permits, proceed to 20-30 minute sunshine walk or sauna (hot) and ice (cold) therapy (otherwise can save hot and cold for later in day). There it is! Simple, but effective.

Nicole Dean, Awesome Human, Author, Business Consultant, etc.
From here!

First of all, let me give kudos to my buds.

You’re all awesome!

ok. So, me?

Here's the deal. If you're on my lists you know that I sunk pretty bad this year. I fell into despair pretty deeply between my son going into the Navy, my daughter graduating this year, and facing the empty nest. So, I had planned a whole bunch of travel to look forward to. And then I had a family tragedy (a suicide). And then the “you know what / aka C word” hit and all my travel was cancelled. Add a few other things on top of that that I don't need to talk about here and yeah…

I crashed and hit a pretty low point.

And, I stayed in it.

And, I stayed in it some more.

And, by “it”, I mean my bed.

It's a funny thing with me. I tend to decide when enough it enough and I snap myself out of crap when I decide that I'm done with it.

I make the decision “No. I'm not willing to stay here anymore” and then I go find people who have the answers and I create a structure to help myself.

It started with a cup of hot lemon water.

Why? I had been reading that starting your day with a cup of hot lemon water does a few things. It hydrates you, is good for cleaning things out, and is just a nice ritual.

I decided I would do it for 30 days and see how I felt.

The odd part was that it really did flip a switch for me in a lot of ways. I was putting something loving into my body first thing, and not just dousing myself with caffeine. There's nothing wrong with coffee if it works for you, but as someone who has years of anxiety under my belt, I feel like starting my day with a little bit of self-love is a good thing. Plus, if I don't start with a cup of coffee, then I usually only have one small cup a day. (Black because of intermittent fasting. The small amount of lemon water does not kick me out. I eat something between noon and 3 as my first food of the day.)

The only warning with the lemon water is to have some actual water afterwards (switch it around) and don't brush your teeth right away as the lemon needs to work its way off your teeth first.

So, by telling myself with my first action of the day “you are worthy and you are loved” – for me, it sets the tone for how I want the rest of my day to go.

ok ok. ok. I have to back up a titch.

I'm going to give you my FULL morning routine which is currently a LOT. It's a lot right now, because 1. I need a huge influx of self care. 2. I have the luxury of being able to usually do it as I don't have little kids and I work from home. (Yes, I get up earlier than usual to fit it all in.)

Now, this is my typical morning routine, but I also have a shortened one if this one makes your head spin.

My actual morning routine: 

1. I get up and pee. #facts
Why? Because. Biology, silly.

2. Then, after I wash my hands, I scrape my tongue.
Seriously, if you don't know about this, you need to do it. #sogross  Here's the deal. Your body spends all night getting the gross stuff out of your body through your tongue. That's why in the morning you have a layer of what's called “Ama” on it. Ama is basically the yucky stuff that's built up in your body and your tongue is trying to help you to get it out. So… if you don't scrape it off your tongue and instead just drink coffee, you're re-ingesting that crud. HELL no. So, I quick do 5 passes on my tongue with the tongue scraper and rinse it off.

3. Brush my teeth.
Why not? I mean, did you just read about the Ama?! It takes a few minutes and I can do it again later. But it's done. Plus, you don't want to brush your teeth right after you drink the hot lemon water because it's not great for enamel so I do it prior to that.

4. Hot Lemon Water.
Then, I head to the kitchen.  I have a sweet little electric kettle that I fill up with water and press the button to get it boiling. I like the ritual of that, as opposed to using the microwave. Plus it's quiet and doesn't wake up everyone.

5. Quick Tech Check In. 

Once I have my lemon water, I take a quick tech break.

Then, I grab my lemon water and take it to the bedroom where I sip it and play a game of Blockduko and check on the “safe” things to check on that I won't be able to relax until I've check them. You know the things – which might be totally different for you.

YOU might choose to skip this step if it derails you. I have parameters… of course. lol.

What I don't check:

Email, news sites, or social media.

What I do check:

My calendar. I check it the day before, but I also recheck it when I wake up to make sure nothing slipped my mind.

Texts and Facebook messenger. Knowing me and how I protect my time, saying that the first thing I do is to check FB messenger probably sounds odd, but I check it for two reasons.

1. My daughter in Latvia doesn't have the ability to text me from her phone. We communicate mostly through Facebook messenger. I check in there to make sure nothing is up or to see if she sent me any fun pictures!
2. On the business standpoint, I also need to see if I have any CoachGlue.com or ContentDrafts.com affiliates who want to promote something of mine who are waiting on me (perhaps they need a simple clarification). Because not doing that could cost me thousands of dollars for that day. And, it's an easy thing to fix without getting sucked into a million distractions. (As opposed to checking email which could derail my entire morning.)

I also do those two things because once they are done, I'm able to focus on my next morning steps without wondering if everything is ok.

So, I pop into Facebook messenger. If I see a message “Hey Nik, I wanted to promote this offer today but I had a question or I can't find my link or do you have a sexy angle that I can use to my specific audience” — I get them set up and then I go back to my morning routine. Easy peasy.

That step usually lasts 5-10 minutes tops – then I'm ready for…

6. Light Fasted Exercise. 

I do approximately 15-35 minutes of some form of gentle exercise. (Again, much less if I'm not able to. My “minimum” to achieve this step and keep my commitment to myself is 5 minutes of exercise or one sun salutation.

I do that exercise before eating anything or drinking anything with calories that would take me out of my fast. So, lemon water or plain water, then gentle exercise.  Lately that has been swimming in my pool, but I also do yoga, pilates, walking, or bicycling. Something low impact and gentle to my body that also kicks things into gear and starts fat burning mode and tells my brain to wake up… ideally while also giving me a bit of fresh air first thing in the day.

This was a lesson that I learned while taking Ben Greenfield's Longevity Blueprint course and it's been really good for me. I am definitely clearer in my head and I'm getting a ton more done. It's awesome. Sometimes it's hard to talk myself into getting out of bed and into the pool, but it's definitely worth it afterwards.

7. Reflection/ Meditation.

After my exercise, I grab my coffee or green tea and go back outside for my sitting/ reflection time.

I personally do a four part meditation and it's a bit long on days when I do the whole thing how I like to do it. I do a shorter version when I have to version but this is my preferred one. (Again, to keep my commitment to myself, I have to do a one-minute meditation. However, my full one is about 25 minutes total.)

I start by sitting and doing some breathing. Did you know that breathing is one of the only body actions that you do both automatically (without thinking) and also by choice? It also can calm you down within a minute. It's pretty amazing. If you have anxiety, I highly suggest scheduling in breathing breaks. Here's what to do:

1. Take a quick physical assessment/ scan. How do I feel right now? Scan from your head down. My head? My throat? My chest? My stomach? My arms? My legs? Where am I holding tension? On a scale of 1 to 10 where I am?
2. Take 5-10 long deep breaths. There are tons of different breathing exercises (and if you have panic attacks, I highly suggest learning some) – but a simple counting in, holding your breath for 2 counts, and exhale counting out works. I like to breathe in through my nose and out through my mouth, but you do what works for your body.
3. Take another quick check. How do you feel?

The scans are important to me because they are a reminder when I am panicked to breathe because I have evidence that it works.

ok. Back to my routine. I like to do at least 10 breaths, but I prefer 4 minutes. I do all kinds of different breathing exercises. From “breathe in for 5 through your nose, hold for 5, and breathe out through your mouth for 5” to some pretty freaky/funky breathing that I've learned through yoga. It's ALL good. Intentional deep breathing helps your cortisol reset and helps you tell your body it's safe. It's just a good thing to do during the day a few times. It's got to be good for your lungs, too, right?

Then, I do a quick mindfulness exercise, going through my senses. Sounds, check. Sights, check. Smells, check. Tastes, check. Touch, check.

Then I slip into the mediation. I am a person who gets bored super easily so I sometimes switch this up and listen to a guided meditation, but I usually do a silent one.

• If you're interested in meditation (this is a post about entrepreneurs who meditate).
• My favorites resources for busy people who want to meditate.
• And this is the class I would recommend if you're ready to learn more about meditation. I adore Emily and her voice is very soothing.

Here's my deal with meditation. Everyone asks which one to do. Do the one you'll do.

After the 20 minutes of that, I do about one minute of gratitude. This is not just thinking “I'm grateful for my daughter” but actually feeling how much I love her. Grabbing a moment from inside my head and bringing it back to life. Letting that love envelope me and fill me.

Then, after all of that, I do a minute of manifesting. Dreaming. What do I actually want? Sometimes things come up where I go “REALLY?! HOLY CRAP!” It's good stuff.

8. Put my Day in Writing. 

During all of this time, you can imagine that I've had a lot of time to think. So I get out my iPad and do my daily “what do I want my day to look like today” list. Of course, I already have a basic idea since I know which projects I'm working on, but it's always helpful to put it into writing and have something to refer to throughout the day. I include things like “get some fresh air” or “take the dogs on a walk” – because it's what I want my full day to look like. Plus, I love crossing items off as I complete them. #oldschool

ok. ok. ok. So that's a lot right?

The “this is what I am committed to” short version.

In all things in life, I think we need to make promises to ourselves and keep them. It builds great habits plus self-esteem and confidence as we are able to be someone who does things. Right?

So, I have a quick and dirty habit stack that I am committed to do – if I have a day where I just can't, or I have other commitments. If my mental health is not great, then I know I can at least do the following and keep my commitment.

1. Tongue scrape. (I mean really it takes 2 seconds and I've got to brush my teeth anyway, right?)
2. Hot lemon water.
3. One sun salutation (yoga) or 5 minutes of exercise (fasted before I have anything other than lemon water) or anything intentional like stretching for a few minutes.
4. One minute of Meditation and breathing. Yes, it sounds silly but I am keeping my commitment and it's amazing how much you can chill in one minute.
5. Check on today's goals. Is it still what I want to work on?
6. Check FB messenger for emergencies. (I do this last if I'm doing the short version as I don't need as much patience to get through everything.)

Now what will your morning routine look like?

I suggest you choose from the areas that are most important to you right now. Don't try to do all of the things. Just do the ones that will have the biggest impact on your day.

For me, that is cleansing and hydrating (the hot water), exercise, and mindfulness with breathing to center myself for my day.

I've done other things like reading a bit or writing out my thoughts (both in journaling and in typing out everything in my head) and I really enjoyed that but in this season of my life, I am very happy with this routine that I've set. I may add that later, if I find a way to habit stack it in. (If you don't know about habit stacking, I suggest you read Atomic Habits.)

So let's picture three areas to tackle. 

You'll notice that some things like yoga or green drinks are in more than one area. So if you are looking for a quick, efficient morning routine, you can do those.

Body – Getting Healthier

• Hot water
• Exercise
• Vitamins
• Green drink of some sort
• Breathing
• Yoga

Brain – Getting Smarter, More Well-Rounded, More Productive

• Reading 10 pages of something awesome
• Listening to podcasts on a walk
• Green drink with added Brain Boosts
• Exercise (it makes you more focused)

Mindfulness – Staying Calm, Being Peaceful and Non-Reactive, Keeping out of Fight or Flight, Lowering Cortisol, Being Clear in What You Want

• Silent Meditation
• Guided Meditation
• Hypnosis (I really enjoy this.) I do the hypnosis audios from this training.
• Breathing (long slow deep breaths)
• Quiet walking / swimming (instead of listening to something)
• Reading something calming or inspiring (Bible, Affirmations, etc.)
• Yoga

My friend, Rayven, has this cool Morning Routines coloring pages package available if you want to dig deeper.

Warmly,

Nicole Dean

PS. I love reading this when I feel like I just can't do something or I feel intimidated or overwhelmed.

“No more excuses! Do it or don’t do it but don’t make excuses. Stop using your incredible brain to think up elaborate rationalizations and justifications for not taking action.

Do something. Do anything. Get on with it! Repeat to yourself:

‘If it’s to be, it’s up to me!’

Losers make excuses; winners make progress.

Now, how can you tell if your favorite excuse is valid or not? It’s simple. Look around and ask, ‘Is there anyone else who has my same excuse who is successful anyway?’ When you ask this question, if you are honest, you will have to admit that there are thousands and even millions of people who have had it far worse than you have who have gone on to do wonderful things with their lives. And what thousands and millions of others have done, you can do as well—if you try.”

~ Brian Tracy from No Excuses!

In fact, John J. Ratey, M.D., of “Spark! How Exercise will Improve the Performance of your Brain” went as bold as to say…

“I tell people that going for a run is like taking a little bit of Prozac and a little bit of Ritalin because, like the drugs, exercise elevates these neurotransmitters.”

 

– John J. Ratey, M.D., Author of “Spark! How Exercise will Improve the Performance of your Brain”.

The problem is time. Unlike someone like a pre-school teacher who is on her feet all day, us “computer folk” don't have an active job to keep us moving. In fact, speaking for myself, if I'm not careful, I can get pretty stagnant. I have to make time to exercise.

Because as I said, it's good for my mind. I can directly tell that it helps lessen my anxiety and depression and it helps me to be more focused during the day. Plus, I sleep sounder and that's always good thing, too!

I'm about to share what my friends said about how they fit exercise into their busy days.

But first, since we all KNOW that exercise is important but so many of us still do not prioritize it, I dug up this old pep talk from my good friend, Scott Tousignant, to share.

What’s your ROI on Exercise?

by Scott Tousignant
MetabolicMasterpiece.com

Time is our most precious commodity, which is why it’s so important to prioritize the tasks that you perform throughout the day to ensure that you are doing the tasks that give you the greatest return on your investment (ROI). Unfortunately not many online entrepreneurs are aware of the ROI on t

heir daily tasks and they spend their day being busy rather than productive and wonder why they continue to struggle growing their business.

Every business is different and certain tasks may produce a greater ROI for certain businesses compared to others. There is however, one task that will provide an incredible ROI for every online entrepreneur. That task is physical fitness. Ironically, it’s the one task that many online entrepreneurs will brush off and say they don’t have time for.

Let’s take a look at the ROI on exercise:

• Increased energy: Keep up with your kids and live life to the fullest
• Increased focus: Your mind stays on target with the task at hand
• Increased productivity: Get more done in less time so you have more time to do what you enjoy the most in life.
• Increased Creativity: Your mind becomes more open to ideas and solutions
• Increased confidence: The benefits of this are limitless in business and life.
• Increased self esteem: Enhances your belief in your abilities
• Increased networking opportunities: You become more approachable and you are more willing to “get out there” more.
• Increased sense of well-being: Feel great about yourself and your actions
• Improved sleep: When you exercise you enjoy greater quality sleep and wake up feeling rested and ready to take on the day at hand.
• Reduced Stress: It becomes easier to handle the challenges that life throws at you.

With all of these benefits how can you possibly avoid exercise?

Yes it’s hard work, but it’s hard work with a huge ROI.

I challenge you to find any other task in your day that provides more benefits than exercise.

I encourage you not to fall into the trap of, “As soon as I finish this project, I’ll start to exercise.” I’ve got news for you… there will always be new projects and with this mindset you will never make the time for your health and fitness.

Another trap is waiting until you achieve a certain level of business success before you make your fitness a priority. “As soon as my online business takes off and these PPC campaigns start turning a profit I will have the freedom to workout more often and the finances to get a gym membership.” With this mindset, money is more important than your health.

Now let’s say that your ROI on PPC becomes so great that you finally have the freedom that you and your family deserve, but then out of nowhere Google slaps ya! Your income stream stops and you scramble to find another method of traffic. Let’s say that within a few months you find that banner ads become your new #1 profit machine and life is all good and happy again.

But what if LIFE decides to slap you with diabetes or a heart attack, because you placed your health at the bottom of your priority list?

What if life slaps you and cuts your life short by a year or two?

That’s time that you can’t get back. That’s time that you could have spent creating more memories with your family. Sure you had some great trips and vacations in the early days because you focused on business and money, but there was a hidden cost that didn’t reveal itself until it was too late. Was it worth it?

Everything in life is a choice. Your current situation is a result of all the choices that you’ve made in life. Your choices are often influenced by your values. Right now, you have a choice to bump your health to the top of the list of your priorities, or continue putting it off and hope to have the time to make it a priority down the road. Do you value your health? Before you make that decision, remember… time does eventually run out.

Thanks, Scott!

So that lead me to ask my smart friends this:

As an entrepreneur, I end up sitting on my butt a little more than I should. I'm always coming up with ways to get more movement into my day. How do you fit movement into your daily schedule without guilt? What kinds of exercise do you do? Any tips for sneaking it in?

This post is a compilation of responses from my friends.

I hope you enjoy this post. If so, please share!

Brian T. Edmondson
InternetIncomeCoach.com

I'm a huge believer that there is a correlation between diet, exercise, health, energy and business success.

As someone who has been working from home “living the laptop lifestyle” for over 10 years I've literally have had days where I haven't left the house or seen the light of day – not good!

These days I make it a point to make sure I don't spend hours and hours (or days) just sitting in front of the computer screen.

Here are two things that work really well for me:

1. Schedule my exercise into my calendar

Just about everything I do (business or personal) gets put into my calendar. If it's on the calendar then it's going to get done, period.

– Monday 11:00 am one-on-one coaching call – check
– Tuesday lunch meeting with a potential new private client – check
– Thursday blog post writing block from 2PM to 4PM – check
– Friday 7:00PM movie of the latest Marvel comics movie – check
– Saturday afternoon watching my Penn State Nittany Lions crush Michigan, Ohio, or Wisconsin – double check!

And of course, my one hour workout at the YMCA is scheduled into my calendar as a recurring event. It's on the calendar and very rarely is there anything important enough to bump it off the calendar – mostly everything I do is scheduled around my exercise schedule.

Unlike in the past, I get out of the house at least once a day (hello sun!) to get my exercise in.

2. Apple Watch stand reminder

Of course when you're sitting at a desk and computer all day it's easy to get into the groove and go hours without standing, which isn't good as well.

I generally work distraction free for 50 minutes, then will stop to take a break, stand up, walk around the house, and drink some water or have a snack. Sometimes I'll even squeeze in some extra jumping jacks or pushups just to get the blood flowing.

One of my favorite gadgets is my Apple Watch (yes, I'm an Apple Fan Boy) and a nice feature is every 50 minutes it will remind you to stand up and take a break if you haven't already done so. Of course you don't need an Apple Watch to do this… I used to use a simple kitchen timer in the past.

By scheduling exercise into my calendar and making sure I take frequent stand breaks throughout the day (and hydrating properly) I find that I have a lot more energy, focus, and am much more productive.

Lain Ehmann
FastLain.com

After a period of inactivity, I committed to getting back to a regular workout routine this year. For a long time, I told myself I was “too busy” to workout!

In January, I started going to Orangetheory, a group exercise class with 30 minutes of cardio and 30 minutes of weights. You wear a heart rate monitor to make sure you’re working out at the right intensity. Everything is tracked, from heart rate to calories burned. I geek out on those metrics!

I started out a few times a week. Now, nine months later, I hate missing class.

I feel better, I look better, and it’s now a regular part of my day. First thing in the morning, Mon-Fri, I drop my daughter off at school and then head over to the gym. I sometimes have to force myself to take a day off. And the more I push myself physically, the more confidence I have. That’s good for me AND my business.

Carol Little, Public Speaker, Trainer and Coach
LittleTrainingCompany.com

Working out is essential for me, not only for my physical health but for my mental health too. I can think better when I feel good in my body. I find I’m more creative too. That may sound strange but it’s true. I often walk around a lake in my neighborhood not for the exercise but for my peace of mind. I come up with great ideas out on that trail! So, my tip is: if you have a problem you’re trying to solve, rather than sit at your desk and stew, walk your way to a solution. It’s more fun and you get some movement in when you would otherwise be sitting.

Personally, I love working out first thing in the morning. Nothing conflicts with an early morning workout. No phones, no emails, no clients…nothing. Plus, there is such a sense of satisfaction that comes from having my workout done by 9am. I keep things interesting by alternating my workouts. I do yoga, cardio (treadmill, elliptical or I ride the bike.) and weights. It doesn’t really matter what I do as long as I do something everyday. I consider it a bonus for my business too since, as a speaker, feeling comfortable in my body is crucial to feeling comfortable in front of the room.

Well, there you go, my thoughts on working out.

Karon Thackston
MarketingWords.com

As a girly girl, I have never liked exercise. That meant I would have to get hot and sweat, and that’s just gross! The exercises I did for years were based on videos, the majority of which were 30-minutes or less. Frankly, following the same DVDs over and over felt robotic.

Then I discovered pickleball about a year ago! (Google it.) A friend kept asking me to try it and I kept putting it off because (1) we play outside… in the heat. And (2) we sweat… a lot! No. Thank. You.

Shockingly, that turned out to be my thing. I adore it! I play typically 2-3 hours at a time, 4 – 6 days a week. Therein lies the “trick” to getting more movement in my day. I had to find something I loved, and that I wanted to do.

When it rains, I feel cheated because I couldn’t play that day. I miss the game, the people who I get to interact with face-to-face, and the time in the real world away from any screens.

Angela Wills, Digital Business Coach
LaptopLifestyleYouniversity.com

Once really easy and non-negotiable new movement in my daily schedule is walking my daughter to and from school every day. Our family has one vehicle and now that my husband works days we have no choice but to walk. It's about 25 minutes twice a day for me so some nice consistent movement I hope will pay off!

If you don't have a kid to walk to school, maybe you can borrow one? haha! Seriously though I bet there's a mom out there who'd love it if you did walk her kid to school every now and then. Or maybe there's another activity you have to do regularly that you can make yourself walk to instead of driving? I actually really enjoy the forced walks now, though!

Otherwise another thing I LOVE to do is Pomodoro Method of working. I learned this from the book “How to Live a Good Life” by Jonathan Fields. In it he suggests working for one stretch of time and then breaking for a short period of time and doing something “FUN” on that break, something that gets you moving. I like to work for 52 minutes (which I'm actually doing as I write this) and then break for 17 minutes. During the breaks (I do about 4 per day) I usually do things like flip on some dance music, throw a toy for my dog Shadow or try to learn a new move on my weighted hula hoop. The music is my go-to and then I do try to get creative.

As a bonus tip I can sometimes get a quick wash and dry of dishes in when doing Pomodoro and not feel like household stuff distracted me or threw me off track.

Dvorah Lansky, Bestselling Author and Course Creation Specialist
ShareYourBrilliance.com

How do you fit movement into your daily schedule? What kinds of exercise do you do? Any tips for sneaking it in? Or for making it more efficient?

While I love to dance and move and walk and ride my bike… I find that I often get so busy with my work projects that exercise and movement take a back seat. Here are some tips that help me to make movement a priority.

From the following list – I do one or more of these each day. Just think how fit I'd be if I did them all!

1. The computer does not go on in the morning until I've “earned it” by dancing or exercising or going to a walk.
2. When I look outside in the morning and think “it's so beautiful out” I use that as a prompt to get my shoes on and go for a stroll.
3. Some of my neighbors go for a walk around the neighborhood, every day, rain or shine or sleet or snow – they're like the postal service. I see them in the summer with their shorts and water bottles and in the winter with their parkas and mittens. I walk with them from time to time – however I recently made the commitment to walk with them daily for at least 90 days! They go at the same time each day so I can easily schedule it as a priority in my calendar.
4. In the afternoon when I'm winding down from work, I play with my cat on the front steps. Once she's ready to go inside, I head off to take a short walk to a specific spot in the neighborhood. I especially enjoy doing this around sunset.
5. There's a cafe about a mile from my home. More and more I budget time to walk there instead of drive there in the morning. I'm trying to figure out a way to carry a light book or some work with me as I love hanging out there, but don't want to carry a lot of weight – hmmm maybe I'll try a light backpack.
6. I have two sets of weights in my living room. I put on motivating music and lift the weights. Lifting weights makes me feel so strong. And for some reason my cat (Princess the Wonder Cat) loves hanging out with me when I'm working with the weights.
7. We have community dances in a nearby town each Saturday night. I used to go religiously and I loved it. Haven't been in a long time, however I promised myself that I'd begin going this month. Dancing makes me so happy.
8. Can't wait to see what our others experts in this Expert Briefs series have to share.

A tip I'll share is… look at your calendar and choose a dedicated time each day or many times each week where you can put on music and dance, or go for a walk or lift weights. Commit to daily exercise for 30, 60 or 90 days and you'll likely be hooked for life!

Another tip – go through the suggestions shared by the contributors in this series and jot down all of the ideas that inspire or intrigue you. Then circle three of them that you'll incorporate into your life. Keep the list somewhere handy so you can participate in more of these activities when you're ready.

Kelly McCausey
LovePeopleMakeMoney.com

One of my favorite ways to exercise is to swim laps but the local women's only gym with a pool has passed hands three times in three years and appears to have closed for good this time. It's frustrating because swimming didn't feel like ‘working out' and I am going to miss that opportunity to make exercise fun.

I just caught myself in an old story! Truth is, even ‘non-fun exercise' is fun these days. Since having bariatric surgery a year ago, I've lost 90+ pounds and built up strength I haven't enjoyed in many years.

I recently rejoined Anytime Fitness. I love their 24 hour access and there's a location within easy reach for me. I am tackling a weight machine workout that really stretches my abilities and lets me get in and out fast.

At least once a week I take my granddaughter out for an adventure. She's two and a half and has boundless energy. Whether we're covering every square foot of the grocery store or lapping through the pet store – I'm enjoying her so much I hardly notice all the steps I'm getting in.

Candice Davis, Author Coach
CandiceLDavis.com

I once gained twenty pounds over the course of a month because I was so focused on bringing a project in on time. Not good!

After that painful lesson, I made sure I found some ways to move my body every day.

I added an app to Google Chrome to remind me to get up from my desk at set intervals. (Stand Up! Timer is free.)

I also used inexpensive kitchen pantry shelving and some zip ties to create a desk on my treadmill. Now, I can walk at a very slow pace and work at the same time. Just stepping on the treadmill reminds me to pick up my free weights and do a short strength-training routine before I jump into work.

Lastly, I developed some small habits, like pacing while I'm on the phone, walking every aisle in the grocery store, and having active dates with my husband to make sure I sneak in some of the daily movement the human body was designed to enjoy.

Nicole Dean, Awesome Human, Author, Business Consultant, etc.
From here!

First of all, let me give kudos to my buds.

You’re all awesome! Whether you realize it or not, you’ve inspired me.

We live in a world where “busy” is worn like a badge of honor. And “I'm too busy” is frequently an excuse to not fit self-care into our days.

The quote I started with from John J. Ratey of Spark says so much:

“I tell people that going for a run is like taking a little bit of Prozac and a little bit of Ritalin because, like the drugs, exercise elevates these neurotransmitters.

It’s a handy metaphor to get the point across, but the deeper explanation is that exercise balances neurotransmitters — along with the rest of the neurochemicals in the brain.”

– John J. Ratey, M.D., Author of “Spark! How Exercise will Improve the Performance of your Brain”.

For those of us who are the CEOs of our own companies, our brains ARE our livelihoods.

When we're depressed, anxious, or fuzzy-headed, we can't tap into our genius, creativity or productivity as effortlessly.

Why sit in the struggle when a quick walk can literally reboot your brain?

So doesn't it make sense that exercise can actually INCREASE the bottom line of your business? 

In fact, I would be hard-pressed to think of any people who I really look up to who don't prioritize their own health.

So… argument one. Exercise leads to productivity which leads to increased profit.

On top of that, as entrepreneurs (bloggers, authors, speakers, consultants, service providers, and coaches), we spend our work time sitting in front of a screen.

In a world where sitting is the new smoking as far as danger to ourselves goes, we have to make it a priority to move frequently and consistently.

“Sitting is more dangerous than smoking, kills more people than HIV and is more treacherous than parachuting. We are sitting ourselves to death, The chair is out to kill us.”

– James Levine, a professor of medicine at the Mayo Clinic, in an interview in with the LA Times.

Now that may be a wee bit dramatic but something has got to get people moving!

And, if for no other reason, as a yoga teacher, I do know that most back pain starts in the butt. So sitting is definitely not helping your back pain.

Let me share a few things that have helped me to make exercise actually happen over the years..

1. My best friend, the timer.

I use a timer when I work. Pretty much always. It is my lifesaver. So, for instance, I set the timer for 45 minutes of work, then I take 15 minutes to walk around, do laundry, exercise, head outside for a bit, whatever. It may not seem like much, but it really works on helping me stay focused!

When I get back to my desk, I am refreshed and usually have some solutions for the issues that I was feeling stuck on, plus, I come back to my desk with some great clarity.

When I need to lose some weight or I feel like kicking my own butt, I break up my day so that I do focused work for 40-50 minutes, then do physical activity (like squats or situps – or the One and Done One Minute Workout) for 10 minutes then a quick break to do something around the house (check the mail, get more water, let out the dogs, or move the laundry) and repeat. If I can do that 1-3 times in my day, that helps to keep my metabolism up all day long.

2. Wearing running shoes.

I find that it’s silly, but if I put on my running shoes first thing in the morning, I move more during the day than if I’m barefoot. Plus, I can’t climb on the couch or in bed for a nap as easily. (ducking and running)

3. Don’t work weekends.

I try not to work much on the computer (if at all) on the weekends, unless I’m launching a big project (or if something major happened during the week- fun or otherwise). This gives me permission to not sit as much and instead, be gardening, doing yardwork, organizing the house, doing batch cooking, going on a hike or paddleboarding, or any number of activities that do not involve me sitting.

4. Outsourcing.

I know, it’s not directly related to exercise, but it keeps my butt out of the chair, which helps.

5. Exercise 7 Days/Week.

I used to plan exercise days and plan my “recovery” days back when I was a gym rat. Now, I aim to exercise every day so that when life gets in the way and I miss one, I'm still way ahead.

But to me, exercise, just means choosing to do something to move my body. Go on a hike, go to a yoga class, swim in the pool during a break, hop on my bike, go paddleboarding.

6. “1 Minute Workouts”.

I have been doing a program called “One and Done: 1 Minute Workouts” that is basically 20 seconds of hard effort followed by another 2 minutes of active rest (not just recovery but actually doing a planned movement). You repeat that cycle 3 times which adds up to only 1 minute of all out effort. I was surprised how sore I was once I started doing it.

You can create your own workout, or this is the one I'm doing. One and Done Workout

7. Yoga is the Double-Up Workout for Me. 

I meditate daily because it's good for me and it is helping me to be more in touch with a lot of crap that needs to bubble out. (Fun, right?)

I do yoga because it's exercise, stretching, strengthening, balance, and meditation. To me, it's the whole shebang.

I try to go to class every day, but if I don't make it, I'll do another form of exercise, like the “One and Done” workout I mentioned above.

8. Finding wasted time and making it useful.

When my daughter was in chorus and dance classes in downtown Pensacola (a 15-20 minute drive from home), I found myself sitting around for an hour to an hour and a half several times per week while she was at practice. I was too far from home for it to make sense to run back, so I'd sit and play Words with Friends or watch Hulu. So, after a year of that, I realized what a colossal waste of time it was. #duh

So, the next year, I joined a gym right near where her rehearsals are. I found that, in the hour or so from when I drop her to pick her up, I could get really sweaty. I had just enough time to run to the gym, park, get inside, and get a good workout. It's not ideal, but it worked for me. (Exercise without guilt is a good thing.)

So that's the majority of what I do to sneak in exercise.

But how do you actually make yourself do it? 

For that, I would highly (highest recommendation) recommend you read or listen to Atomic Habits by James Clear.

He has studied how to make habits stick more thoroughly than anyone else I've ever read. It's fascinating if you dig that stuff.

Quick Muscle-Building Workout. 

I also wanted to share this quick muscle building workout as I have done it a lot when I had a gym membership last year. I could get in and out of the gym in a half hour. No, it may not be the MOST effective workout in the world, but I do believe in “done is better than perfection”. And this was something I was able to commit to.

That's it for me. Now it's your turn. How do you find time to exercise in your busy day?

Warmly,

Nicole Dean

PS. I love reading this when I feel like I just can't do something or I feel intimidated or overwhelmed.

“No more excuses! Do it or don’t do it but don’t make excuses. Stop using your incredible brain to think up elaborate rationalizations and justifications for not taking action.

Do something. Do anything. Get on with it! Repeat to yourself:

‘If it’s to be, it’s up to me!’

Losers make excuses; winners make progress.

Now, how can you tell if your favorite excuse is valid or not? It’s simple. Look around and ask, ‘Is there anyone else who has my same excuse who is successful anyway?’ When you ask this question, if you are honest, you will have to admit that there are thousands and even millions of people who have had it far worse than you have who have gone on to do wonderful things with their lives. And what thousands and millions of others have done, you can do as well—if you try.”

~ Brian Tracy from No Excuses!

And I oftentimes rewatch this when I feel like I'm backsliding or not making progress fast enough. #DUDE

Today I sent one of my smart coaching clients this…

Yes. Our brains are meant for one purpose. To keep us safe.

Anything that makes our bodies feel in danger…

EVEN the fear of something completely physically safe like writing a blog post or sending a mailing… our minds will try to divert us.

You open that book draft you've been working on and all of a sudden…
“I’m hungry.”
“I’m thirsty”
“I need to go to the bathroom”
“I wonder what the dogs are up to”
“Did I ever confirm that hair appointment?”

This is all an effort to get us to avoid the perceived danger.

When we listen to the fear, we don't do the things we need to do to grow.

Heck, our brains will even try to protect us from the fear of embarrassment.

“I can't go to the gym until I lose some more weight. Everyone will stare at me.”

“I can't post this even thought I want to… What if I get haters?”

I watched my kids battle this.

Me: “Sit down with me and do your handwriting.”

Boy child: “I'm hungry.”

To me, the awareness of that is huge.

Personally it gives me power, because I can point at my reaction and go “ok, brain. I know you love me and you're trying to keep me safe. But I also know that I need to do this thing. So let's work together to do it.”

I also make sure that I'm telling my body that I AM safe.

By breathing. Slow. Steady.

Because when we are scared, we hold our breath.

And, conversely when we hold our breath, our bodies think we are in danger.

So, just by consciously breathing through the things we do on a daily basis (and might potentially avoid), we can be more productive.

Try it out. Take a few slow breaths right now. Feels good, right?

So, what are you avoiding doing today? Is it a fear-based avoidance?

Perhaps “I know that I should finish creating this training, but… I'll post on social media a few times. That's still working, right?”

Our brains are slippery. They think they're helping. And they do keep us alive. “GO BRAINS!” But they can also stand in the way of achieving the things that are out of our comfort zone.

Just some food for thought.

Hugs and high fives,

Nicole Dean

PS. If you'd like some done-for-you content about keeping your brain healthy and happy, grab this package:

Because my business is such an extension of me, the two of us can ebb and flow together.

When I'm up, my business is up. I have more energy and creativity and focus and fun.

When I'm down, my business is down.

You get me? That is why I protect my mindset with my everything. Because my mindset (and mental health) is directly correlated to my ability to provide for my family, and to take care of myself.

How do I do this?

• I surround myself with awesome, loving, warm people as much as I possibly can.
• I feel my brain good stuff. (Speaking of which, right now, I am gobbling up the Buddhist Bootcamp podcast.)
• I meditate (here are two articles I've written about it: Entrepreneurs who Meditate | Best Resources for Meditation) and do yoga and eat healthy foods.
• I stay away from negative people as much as possible.
• I question my every reaction to see what it's gaining me, if anything, and how I can reframe my thoughts.
• And I work on ME. I don't just invest in marketing courses and the latest business strategies. I invest in ME. Becoming the strongest version of me possible. (And I hope you do the same.)
• I also do these 20+ things to stay on top of my anxiety.

One person who has always challenged me to be the Awesomest Nik possible throughout the years, is Kelly McCausey.

She's my business partner in Beachpreneurs. She's my travel buddy. And she has loved me fiercely over the years, even when I haven't even liked myself.

She came to me the other day with an idea that she was really excited about and asked for my feedback. I read the sales page and told her I adored the idea.

Here's what she's doing.

She's created a fun program where she's sending a little encouraging note in the mail every month that you'll receive in your mailbox, along with an audio that will boost you even more.

This is specific to entrepreneurs … those of us who doubt ourselves on a minute by minute basis.

Whether you need an occasional pick-me up or reminder that what you're doing matters, or you just want a little love every month, I do think you should check this out.

Get your mindset notes right here.

10% of every purchase will go to a fund that supports women in some way. The organization will be collectively chosen quarterly.

I'll be back with more soon!

Warmly and with big hugs,

Nicole

I was really resistant to meditation myself until it kept punching me in the face everywhere I turned.

It started poking me when I was reading Tim Ferriss' book last year –  Tools of Titans, the tools, tactics, and ‘inside baseball’ of the billionaires, icons, and world-class performers.

Meditation was mentioned by so many top performers that it was so apparent that I should dig a little deeper.

I started to meditate a bit. Not consistently (and a little resentfully) but I was doing it on occasion, very infrequently. More as an “I'm feeling totally overwhelmed. I'm going to go sit a bit.” As if it's an instant thing. lol. Laughing at myself as I type that.

Then, as I've been listening to a book a day, the topic of meditation KEPT coming up over and over again with science proving its benefits to our bodies and minds.

And then, a few months ago, I was reading”My Morning Routine” by Benjamin Spall & Michael Xander, and it again, was mentioned again and again I was like “OK already…. I get it. I'll do it every day.”

Oprah Winfrey told Dr. Oz that encouraging everyone at her office to meditate has benefited her company immensely. It started with 7 people meditating, to 270 and now EVERYONE meditates in her company.

The effects? She said….

“People who used to have migraines, don’t. People are sleeping better. People have better relationships. People interact with other people better. It’s been fantastic,” she said.

Jerry Seinfeld says this about what could have been the most stressful years of his life…

“With the Seinfeld show, I was doing a TV series in which I was the star of the show, the executive producer of the show, the head writer, in charge of casting and editing, for 24 episodes on network television—not cable—for nine years!

And I’m just a normal guy. And that was not a normal situation to be in… So I meditated every day. And that’s how I survived the nine years.”

So that lead me to research some more. I looked up some people I admire and I also asked my smart friends this:

Do you meditate? If so, what style / how?
How often? Why?
And what results have you felt from it?

This post is a compilation of responses from my friends and quotes from people who I admire who are not my friends – yet.

I hope you enjoy this post. If so, please share!

Tim Ferriss
New York Times Best-Selling Author
Tim.blog

From Nicole: In a guest post for the Medium, Tim said…

For the last few years, I’ve interviewed more than 200 world-class performers for my podcast, The Tim Ferriss Show. The guests range from super celebs (Jamie Foxx, Arnold Schwarzenegger, etc.) and athletes (icons of powerlifting, gymnastics, surfing, etc.) to legendary Special Operations commanders and black-market biochemists.

The result was my book Tools of Titans, the tools, tactics, and ‘inside baseball’ of the billionaires, icons, and world-class performers I have been fortunate enough to interview.

Of all the routines and habits, the most consistent among guests is some form of daily meditation or mindfulness practice.

More than 80% of the world-class performers I interviewed shared this trait.

It is a “meta-skill” that improves everything else. You’re starting your day by practicing focus when it doesn’t matter (sitting on a couch for 10 minutes) so that you can focus better later when it does matter (negotiation, conversation with a loved one, max deadlift, mind-melding with a Vulcan, etc.).

Meditation acts as a warm bath for the mind. Perhaps you’re a world-conquering machine with elite focus, but you might need to CTFO (chill the f* out) a few minutes a day before you BTFO (burn the f* out).

Meditation allows me to step back, so that I’m observing my thoughts instead of being tumbled by them. I can step out of the washing machine and calmly look inside it.

Maruxa “Muh-Roo-Shah”  Murphy
MaruxaMurphy.com

Yes, I absolutely meditate. To me, meditation is my first line of defense every morning to ensure I can create more love, opportunities, and impact on all I plan to do that day.

I wake up before the kids and the husband does, grab a cup of my Perky Perky coffee, and then listen to a meditation through Insight Timer (an app that has thousands of guided meditations). I usually will meditate for 15-30 minutes and then stretch and then get started with waking up the kids for school.

I've actually however, added 3 more mini-meditations throughout my day as well though! I'm working with a coach named Betty Jean Bell on loving myself and my body (I'm currently trying to lose some weight and keep it off) and as part of her training, she has me doing 5-10 minute meditations on self-love and awareness of body morning, midday and before bed. They are INCREDIBLE and I've found adding this mini-meditation breaks has helped me see what is possible when I am more present with myself. I love meditation!

There's plenty more below from Lewis Howes, Natalie Sisson, a bunch of other smart awesome people, and of course, me. Plus I created a separate post with tips on where to begin and the best tools and resources that I like.

You are welcome to keep scrolling to read. Or if you'd like the resources, too, just sign up here…

(If you sign up, you will not lose your spot on this page.)

Natalie Sisson
Entrepreneur and Adventurer
NatalieSisson.com

From Nicole: In a blog post about her morning routine, Natalie says…

After I’ve rolled up my yoga mat and am feeling pretty good about myself, I sit on the comfy rug at the foot of our bed, and lean my back up against the bed, and I open up my insight timer app.

Note: This is the ONLY time I grab my phone. I will choose somewhere from a 10 to 20 minute guided meditation, a chanting mantra meditation, or simply one that just plays a really beautiful chime or gong, when the time is up.

I’ll focus on my breath. But I’m more of a fan of the guided meditation because I still haven’t quite worked on the focusing the mind.

Depending on how excited I am about the day ahead, which is usually a lot, my mind can be wandering to some of those tasks and projects already. So I really liked the guided meditation. This app is free.

You can bookmark your favourites.

She goes into a bit more details her free download “My Morning Routine Checklist” (<- get it!) where she says…

It’s taught me to be much more grateful, aware and present and to behave more mindfully in all situations. It’s also incredible for focusing on breath and as a result I breathe more deeply and have a greater sense of calm throughout the day, not just during meditations.

Research shows that meditation can help reduce cardiovascular disease risk factors and have been shown to help with anxiety and depression.

Plus, it helps us to stay centered and calm, shift our mental perception and change our reactions to varying situations, as well as allow us to connect with our inner wisdom.

What’s more you don’t have to be sitting like a zen monk to do it either, you can lie down, sit and even do walking yoga. Make sure it works with you and your lifestyle.

Candice L. Davis
Author Coach
CandiceLDavis.com

Meditation makes me a better writer and a more effective business owner. Sure, I expected to feel more focused and creative right after meditating, but I also discovered the effects carry over throughout the day. When I'm meditating regularly, I can make decisions faster and I'm much less prone to distraction. It's easier to bat away the noise and create the next product, write a blog post, or connect with a client.

I usually meditate every day, sometimes for five minutes and sometimes for up to thirty minutes.

Whether I use a mantra meditation or a guided meditation to release anxiety, allow abundance, or fall asleep, I find the results are equally as good.

Chase Jarvis
Photographer, Former Professional Athlete, Founder/CEO of CreativeLive
ChaseJarvis.com

From Nicole: In a blog post about his morning routine, he shares:

I’ve been on record for several years now sharing my experiences with meditation. Meditation and the resulting benefits, have probably been the biggest game-changers for me as an adult.

Throughout my life I’ve tried a few different methods with differing degrees of “success” but it wasn’t until I found Transcendental Meditation that I really felt like I was receiving the greatest benefit. Again – I’m not aiming to be preachy here – just sharing what’s worked for me.

It’s perhaps also worth noting that I am not at all religious in the classic sense. I consider myself spiritual (think that we are all connected and that life is a magical thing and the world a magical place), but I don’t look at meditation as a woo-woo thing, or a religious thing, or anything other than a healthy practice that connects our physical + mental worlds in a meaningful way.

Again, I’m not advocating you use TM specifically — there are a lot of different methods out there …but it’s been hugely beneficial in my life and worth trying if you haven’t already.

The science also, finally agrees with the thousands of years of practice, that meditation increases creativity, reduces stress, adds clarity and focus, and a lot of joy to the lives of many people the world over.

Sarah Santacroce
LinkedIn Consultant & Strategist
SarahSantacroce.com

I started meditating 2.5 years ago. Something to do with my 40th birthday?;-) Midlife crisis or as Brene Brown would say ‘midlife unraveling'. I'm a type A personality who always believed that there is no way that I can sit still and think of nothing! But when I start something that I really believe in, then I'm going all in. It was like that with meditation. I really knew that I needed this in my life so I wanted to make it a regular practice.

I try to meditate every week day, for 15 – 20 minutes, before the kids get up. When I say ‘try' it's because it really is a ‘practice'. I don't just sit there and get in some kind of woo-woo trance. Usually out of the 20 minutes I get 15 minutes monkey mind (meaning the mind goes in all kind of directions and I keep coming back to the present, breath or whatever else it is that I'm focusing on) and only 5 minutes are these moments of absolute silent mind. But those 5 minutes are so worth it!! And I know that by practicing daily these 5 minutes will become longer and longer

As you can tell I'm still a meditation-newbie. But I have seen major changes in my life & business thanks to meditation. I'm less anxious and less reactive. I don't make a big deal out of small mistakes anymore. If I send an email with a broken link to my whole list I don't panic. When someone on my webinar says that there's no sound, I don't hyper ventilate. I trust in the process and I trust in the compassion of others. When a big mandate gets cancelled last minute I trust that there was probably a good reason for it and that it's not about me, because I am enough.

In fact that's probably the most important thing I have come to realize thanks to meditation: I am. And I am enough.

From Nicole: If you are an introvert, you'll love Sarah's podcast. You can listen to our interview here.

Lewis Howes
LewisHowes.com

From Nicole: In his book “The Millionaire Morning” (<- which you can get free plus shipping at this link), Lewis says:

Meditation has been something that’s expanded my mind ever since I started when I was 19 years old, training in sports.

It allowed me to stay calm, focus on my vision, and decompress my mind from any stresses of life. When I meditate, the rest of my day goes much smoother, and when I don’t I sometimes feel overwhelmed.

In his podcast, he gave some more details on one type of meditation (of several) that he does each morning:

During this meditation, I’m visualising, who is the human being that I want to become? What is the dream that I have in my heart, and how am I going to bring this to life, today? And I also reflect on, again, when things go wrong, how am I going to respond? Do I want to be a human that responds out of frustration and anger, or from a place of peace, calm and love. And that’s what I do during my meditation, and at the end of that, I move my body a little bit, to kind of come out of the meditation, and then I’m off to taking on the most important task for the day.

Kelly McCausey
LovePeopleMakeMoney.com

A few years ago I read the book ‘Rewire‘ which has some great information about meditation. The subtitle is “Change Your Brain to Break Bad Habits, Overcome Addictions, Conquer Self-Destructive Behavior”.  There is a particular meditation suggestion where you sit and imagine that you are holding yourself as a baby.  Your goal is to comfort your tiny self.

It was profound for me. I had a flood of emotion around thoughts, wondering if anyone actually held and comforted me as a baby. Imagining that I was holding and loving myself as a baby was so much easier than imaging loving myself as a grown woman.  Interesting, right?

I've repeated that medication practice a few times since then and it becomes more natural and easy every time.

That experience got me interested in meditation. I bought 10% Happier and enjoyed that. I listen to the 10% Happier podcast and used the App for awhile too.

It hasn't become a steady habit for me, but I turn to it when I'm feeling twisted up about something.

Laura West
Creative Business & Success Coach
JoyfulBusiness.com

Yes, I do meditate! I have been using Calm.com and Headspace. They are my two favorite meditation apps. It’s definitely a “practice” as in I’m always practicing. I find when I do it consistently it helps me be more present. When I’m out of practice then I find I get really great ideas during my meditation and I struggle between letting go of the pull of the idea or jumping up to write my great idea down! Back to the breath…

From Nicole: Laura has a cool free gift for coaches (or for you to use in your own business). Get it here: Easily Creating Client Breakthrough Magic. (Contains 5 Coaching Tools.)

Ed Catmull
President of Pixar and Walt Disney Animation Studios & Author
CreativityIncBook.com

From Nicole: In the book “My Morning Routine” by Benjamin Spall & Michael Xander, he shares:

“I meditate every day (I haven't missed a day in years) for thirty to sixty minutes before working out. It is always some form of Vipassana meditation, such as focusing on the breath. I have received a great deal of benefit from the simple yet difficult practice of learning to stop the internal voice in my head. I learned that the voice isn't me, and I don't need to keep rethinking events of the past, nor overthink plans for the future. This skill has helped me both to focus and to pause before responding to unexpected event.”

He goes on to say that he keeps a pen and paper by him when he meditates in case he gets a great idea so that he can jot it down and get back to his meditation.

Nicole Dean
Awesome Human, Author, Business Consultant, etc.
From here!

I meditate. In fact, that's me doing a little yoga / meditation in the Atlanta airport.

Usually twice a day, but I do get in at least 15 minutes once per day, every day in the morning.

My second meditation is usually another 15 minutes, but if my schedule isn't conducive, it may be just 1-5 minutes whenever I can fit it in, even if it's in my car when I get home from running an errand.

I usually find my afternoon meditation to be more relaxing than my morning one and I look forward to it more.

It's something I commit to doing but if I need to miss it, I'm not going to beat myself up about it.

I am fairly new to meditation compared to some of the people above, but it definitely makes me smarter, kinder, and more successful than just letting my monkey mind rule the day.

I find that I can have one of two days…

A day without meditation.

Roll out of bed, grab my coffee, then my phone, check email and I'm off in reaction mode all freaking day long. My stress levels are high, I feel resentful, and I'm overall not the best version of me as the day goes along. As things seem to snowball (because I'm being reactive), I then “don't have time” for an afternoon meditation, because I'm not being productive.

A day with meditation.

Roll out of bed, grab a cup of water (add green powder) and my coffee and bring them both to my bedroom. Drink the water concoction, and set my coffee on my night stand.

Then, I grab my phone and choose my meditation app for that morning. if I'm listening to something, I put on my headphones, sit comfortably in bed, close my eyes.

Before I start the app, though, I do a breathing exercise and then a quick mindfulness exercise that I love. Then I look at the time (if I'm not using an app) or I press play on the timer / music and let my mind rest. (Remember, even while you sleep your mind is still active, so this time is so needed!)

After my 15-20 minute meditation ends, I decide whether to do another or if I'm ready for the day. I either choose a second 15 minutes after a few sips of coffee, or decide that I'm done.

Usually if I do a second one, it's just silence with me and my mantra. (Or my afternoon one is.)

After the meditation time, I stretch a bit in bed. Nothing too big. Just some forward stretches and side stretches – mostly so I can reach the puppies and pet them a bit.

I then grab my notepad and write the following four things.

• My number of days in a row of the habits I'm currently practicing. So, for instance, it may say “Day 45 of BAD (Book a Day)“.
• My “creation statements” (through my coaching with Belanie Dishong).
• I write “Why am I so thankful?” on the same page and list 10 reasons. They might be something basic to life like clean water (which so many on the planet do not have access to), or sushi (because sushi), or men who do yoga in kilts (comments filtered).
• My 5 wins for the day. Basically what 5 things do I need to accomplish so that the day will have been a success to me? They may be personal or business or a mix of two.

I get out of bed, calm, thankful, and ready for my day. I am less reactive when things go wrong, and I don't physically feel like crap, like I'm in fight or flight all day. I can just be.

And, it's not made up. This stuff is being proven with science now.

For instance, Sarah Lazar, Ph.D. has been studying the effects of meditating for 8 weeks on two groups. She did a brain scan before and after the 8 weeks in a study that was funded by the NIH.

Here's what she found.

(From an interview with the Washington Post you can read here.)

Lazar: We found differences in brain volume after eight weeks in five different regions in the brains of the two groups.

In the group that learned meditation, we found thickening in four regions:

1. The primary difference, we found in the posterior cingulate, which is involved in mind wandering, and self relevance.

2. The left hippocampus, which assists in learning, cognition, memory and emotional regulation.

3.  The temporo parietal junction, or TPJ, which is associated with perspective taking, empathy and compassion.

4. An area of the brain stem called the Pons, where a lot of regulatory neurotransmitters are produced.

The amygdala, the fight or flight part of the brain which is important for anxiety, fear and stress in general. That area got smaller in the group that went through the mindfulness-based stress reduction program.

The change in the amygdala was also correlated to a reduction in stress levels.

But if stress, health, and productivity isn't enough of a reason, there is this…

Your Sex Life. 

“If stress is impacting our sex—which it is—and if meditation is the most effective stress-relieving tool that we have, then it stands to reason that if you’re practicing meditation, it may in fact make your sex better.” – Ziva Meditation Founder Emily Fletcher

How to Start?

What NOT to do is to say “I'm going to meditate twice every day for 15 minutes each time, like these people.” That's a lot. And I think I would have quit if I'd started like that.

I've created a separate post with tips on where to begin and the best tools and resources that I like. You'll also receive this post in an email in case you want to refer back to it.

If you'd like that, just sign up here…

Warmly,

Nicole Dean

There was a story in there that impacted me and I wanted to share it with you.

The Fun Challenge.

In the book, there's a fictional story of a young man whose great-uncle (an inventor) passed away. The great-uncle had recently invented a fun-meter that you wear on your wrist, much like a Fitbit, only it measures fun instead of steps. The fun gets rated on a scale of 1-10.

A one meant you were “down in the dumps” and ten meant “happy as can be”.

Although the young man didn't know the wealthy uncle well, he was asked to come to the reading of the will. He was shocked to find out that he was awarded $100 million dollars … if he could pass a test.

The young man would have to wear the fun-meter every day for a year. The watch's data would be sent to the estate's office each day.

If, at the end of the year, the young man had reached a high of at least a 7 at some point every single day for the entire year, he would be awarded the $100 million dollars. If not, he got nothing.

I've told several friends this story and asked what they would do on their first day.

And to me “FUN” can be replaced with “JOY” or general happiness.

So what would bring you joy?

The results were very interesting.

One person, who I will not name, said “I would go bowling”. Now this person has the time and resources to go bowling and, in fact, there is a bowling alley only a few miles from our (uhhh… I mean HIS) house. This man has only bowled a handful of times since we were … I mean HE was married 23 years ago. So, WHY on earth isn't he going bowling? I mean, even stopping by for a game here and there after work? It doesn't have to be a big commitment or a big deal. He can just grab his smokin' hot wife and take her out bowling once in awhile.

Another friend of mine said said “I'd go fishing”. I asked “What's stopping you?” He said “Honestly, nothing!” I hope he goes fishing.

Now obviously we can't just have fun all of the time and ignore work. But really, for me a 7 on a joy scale would be jumping in the pool for a bit with my sexy husband, going on a bike ride, playing a game with my son, going to see my daughter in a show, or going to the park and swinging a bit.

Cheap. Easy. Quick. And, yes, I do all of those things, but I have not been mindful enough to make them a daily habit like brushing my teeth.

The Story of the “Poor” Fisherman.

It reminds me of the story of the executive and the fisherman. (I've googled and googled and can't find attribution so someone please help me to attribute this to the right person). I may ALSO be getting this story totally wrong, but here's how I remember it as I heard it years ago.

An executive sees a poor fisherman standing on the bank, fishing in the sunshine. The executive walks up to the fisherman and strikes up a conversation. He asks why the man is not working. The fisherman says that he is happy fishing and has all that he needs.

The executive tries to inspire the fisherman and says that if the fisherman works hard for many decades, he could be wealthy some day. The fisherman again says that he has all that he needs and is happy.

The executive says with pride “Well someday I will be wealthy.”

The fisherman asks “What will you do when you are wealthy?”

The executive stop and states with a little laugh “I will go fishing”.

The fisherman replies as they laugh together “You don't need to be wealthy to do that!”

My Challenge to You.

So on this beautiful day, going into the weekend, I challenge you to commit to doing something every day to reach a 7 in fun (or joy or happiness) that day. Make a plan to do so. It can be cheap, easy, and fast if you're short on time.

• Go blow bubbles with your kids.
• Bake some cookies.
• Sing show tunes in the car.
• Climb a tree.
• Go on a walk along the waterfront.
• Get an ice cream cone.
• Try something new.
• Surprise someone.
• Snuggle puppies, humans, kittens.
• Play. Laugh. Love. LIVE.

I appreciate shares and I adore comments! Please share your thoughts.

With much appreciation.

Warmly,
Nicole

If you'd like to read about that, you can find that right here

What BS Rules are Keeping You From the Best Experiences of Your Life?

(Please share if you like it!)

Today, I want to share something else fun with you. It's about another BS Rule that I discovered to be untrue.

I've always loved to read, but I had made up this rule that it took too much time to either read or listen to books. Hours that I didn't have (at least not without sacrificing something else – health/exercise, family time, business stuff). Sure I would sneak in audible books on car rides and read while waiting places, but I sure wasn't absorbing as much good stuff as I wanted to. And frankly audible books, while awesome, are SO long. (Call me Miss Patience.)

Well, I just discovered a way that I will be able to “read” 180 books before the end of the year (one per day) without adding any extra time, and I invite you to join me.

I've already consumed 6 books in the last 6 days.

Optimize with Brian Johnson has created “Philosopher's Notes” versions of over 600 books that you've been drooling over.

These are basically each a 20 minute summary of the key points in each book, along with a pdf that has the same notes.

And you can listen to tons of books for free right here.

What I love about them is that he ties in related themes from other books that he's done, which is giving me a growing list of authors and books I want to listen to over there, and proof that the concepts are true, because he's telling me about other authors who have proven the same thing. This reinforcement is really interesting.

My plan (and I invite you to join me) is to listen to at least one book each day WHILE doing something else that I'd already be doing.

And do this every day for the rest of the year.

I plan to listen to books while

• Cleaning the house
• Taking a shower or bath
• Doing yoga / stretching (Yes, I know part of the beauty of yoga is the silence. I like to listen to something smart sometimes, too.)
• Going on a walk
• Driving somewhere
• Lifting some weights at home
• Folding laundry

You get the picture.

Imagine how amazing you'd feel about yourself if you committed to doing this with me.

Like I said, I've already listened six books in six days. And it was easy.

• One while cleaning my office.
• One in the shower.
• One while taking a mental break from writing.
• One while driving.
• One while putting away laundry.
• One while sorting a junk drawer.

Leverage, my friends. Leverage. THIS is leverage.

Leverage your time. Leverage other people's work and smarts in a good way.

And watch your business grow.

Here's what I did and I invite you to join me.

Sign up here to listen to all of the books for free on this page.

1. I signed up for the coaching program option so I'd have a commitment for the rest of the year.

(You can see the coaching option here, but do sign up for the free books first. I just want to make sure you'll love it before you join.)  

2. I spent about 20 minutes going through the different categories of books and favoriting those that looked interesting to me. That way, each day, I can just go there and choose one to “read” without having to think too hard.

Update: This is NOT necessary. I'm learning about all kinds of books from the Notes themselves that I want to soak up. The pdfs have all kinds of recommendations to other books to listen to. All are included in the membership.

3. I started listening. You can mark the books as complete when you're done so you have a growing list of books that you have yet to listen to.

4. After listening to the book summary, each day, I open the accompanying pdf from the PREVIOUS day and skim it to make sure I understood everything fully and didn't zone out. This gives me a different modality of learning, as well, which I like. And it deepens the material as we know there's a “forgetting period” after we learn something if it isn't touched again.

If I see that a bunch of you are interested in this (based on who signs up), I may create a FB account or a blog post series or a daily “here's what I *read* today” or something fun.

I'm anticipating questions.

You may be thinking…

Q: “I listen to podcasts and they are free. How is this different?”

A: I think about all of the effort and research and smarts that goes into writing a book versus how anyone can pick up a mic and just start talking. About anything in their heads.

Me? I'd rather focus on getting the solid stuff. Sure, I listen to an occasional podcast. Books are where it's at for this girl. I consider listening to most podcasts to be a colossal waste of my time. So when I do listen, it's mostly for fun.

Q: Do you really get the whole experience of reading the book?

A: No, you do not get the whole experience of reading the entire book. You get the key points. With this, I'm getting a lot of new info, plus I feel like I'm being reminded of a lot of things that I have not been making a priority for myself. It's kind of how what you need shows up when you need it. I'm getting that feeling.

For me, the twenty minute summary is enough to provide me with three valuable options when I finish a book “note”:

1. I get what I need and am super thankful that I listened to the Notes. I apply what I've learned and move on. OR….
2. I decide it's not the right book for me (and am thankful that I didn't just take hours of my life to figure that out). OR…
3. I love the material but it was only a part of the story. I want more so I choose to buy the book (or go check out the authors' other books/follow them on social media/sign up for their lists, etc).

Q: Is this cheating the authors?

A: Actually because you do not get the whole experience of reading the book, it's very tempting to go and buy your favorites (or follow the authors on FB and Twitter – which you can do from inside your account or go find them on YouTube or sign up for their lists.) This is probably why some of the authors give Brian advanced copies of their books prior to publishing them…

Personally I am finding that there are a few books that I still do want to actually read after listening to the notes. And, if you look at the testimonials, many are from the authors themselves, so I believe this is a win-win-win. A win for Optimize, a win for the authors, and a win for us!

Here's the link again. Go get you your free book summaries! 

What are some other “rules' that we are following that are NOT serving us, I wonder?

Got questions, please comment. What are you currently reading that you love?

Stay tuned. We'll talk about some more.

With hugs and high fives,

Nicole Dean

PS. If you're curious, here are a few quotes from a few of the books I've listened to at Optimize the last few days. Good stuff.

From “Letters from a Stoic” (on Creating what's in your Heart for a Life of Purpose)

“Everything – a horse, a vine – is created for some duty… For what task, then, were you yourself created? A man’s true delight is to do the things he was made for.” – Marcus Aurelius

 

“Musicians must make music, artists must paint, poets must write if they are to be ultimately at peace with themselves. What human beings can be, they must be. They must be true to their own nature. This need we may call self-actualization… It refers to man’s desire for self-fulfillment, namely to the tendency for him to become actually in what he is potentially: to become everything one is capable of becoming.” – Maslow

On not giving up:

Picasso created nearly 100 masterpieces in his lifetime. But what most people don’t know is that he created a total of more than 50,000 works of art.

“Your morning sets the stage for the rest of your day. That doesn’t mean that you need to get up early: it does mean you should use your morning to do what’s most important to you.”
~ Benjamin Spall and Michael Xander from Morning Routine (see it on Optimize | see it on Amazon )

And, I soooo love. It gives me goosebumps.

Once you’ve mastered the code in this book, your biggest challenge will be dreaming bigger dreams! That’s right: Once you’ve tasted success and gained the confidence of making a dream come true, a funny things happens: You get addicted to making dreams come true. And as each dream gets a little bigger and a little scarier, you get stronger, smarter, and better at making them come true. And isn’t that what life is all about? Live your dreams!”

– Alden Mills from Be Unstoppable (see it on Optimize | see it on Amazon )

Self-Theories by Carol Dweck –

The hallmark of successful individuals is that they love learning, they seek challenges, they value effort, and they persist in the face of obstacles. – Carol Dweck

I'm working on this one…

“Remember that one of the guiding principles of wealth creation is not to worry. And remember,
too, that the best way not to worry is to have a project you are engaged in. Without a project, you
descend into worry. Your project becomes worrying. Your mind has to spin somewhere, and if
it can’t click and lock its gear’s teeth into a creative project it will look outward and worry about
other people and the world at large.”

~ Steve Chandler from Wealth Warrior (see it on Optimize | see it on Amazon )

As an introvert (and a “fresh air” kind of girl), I really had ZERO desire to go to NYC. But, I have a Broadway-loving daughter and I promised her we would go for her 16th birthday.

She's turning 17 in September so it was time to as we say either poop or get off the pot.

So I pooped. lol.

I fully intended to not like NYC. The noise, the crowds, the concrete.

And it was all because I had made up some BS rules about NYC and about ME that were not even a bit founded in truth.

I'd been doing some training by Vishen Lakhani from MindValley about what he calls Brules (his term for BS rules) and I'm working with Belanie Dishong from Live at Choice. So I'd been watching for these BS Rules to show up (so that I can SMITE them)  in all areas of my life. I had a feeling this “I won't like NYC” just might end up being another one of them.

So, not one to be a party pooper, I made the decision to go as if I loved it and embrace the adventure (even though I was secretly still dreading it a bit).

And, wouldn't you know it, but I FREAKING LOVED IT. Like I could easily live summers there.

I loved everything about Manhattan except for the obvious shortage of public restrooms. (If you've been, you know that there are times you will buy a banana or a Starbucks just to be able to use a restroom. But of course, buying a Starbucks just puts you in the same predicament an hour or two later. lol.)

• I loved the noise.
• I loved the energy and the people.
• I loved the food.
• I loved the shows.
• I loved the culture.
• I loved seeing iconic buildings.
• I loved the tall buildings. The 70 elevator ride up the Top of the Rock gave us a beautiful fresh air view of Central Park, the Empire State Building, the Statue of Liberty… so gorgeous.
• I loved watching my daughter and husband fall in love with New York City.
• I loved it all.

So the RULES that were in fact BS included….

• I am an introvert and introverts hate crowds.
• Cities are not for me. They are scary, dirty, yucky, and confusing.
• I will feel out of place in New York City.

I wanted to share my experience here, because of two reasons.

1. I could have let BS rules in my head ruin what was a life-changing trip.

2. I am curious about how many other BS rules I have running that are keeping me from magic.

3. I wanted to ask you to be curious, too!

I invite you to question the stories in your head. I sure am.

I'm very excited to see what other BS rules (ie chains, binds, and blockages) that I can blast out of existence.

And… I invite you to travel. Whether a small trip or a large one, I come back changed from every trip I take. I can't imagine if I had chosen not to go because of some crap I made up. It's heartbreaking to think of missing what I just experienced. Please. Don't Think. Just Go.

For instance, it is heartbreaking to think that I may have missed ALL of this… because of rules that I made up.

A quick recap of just a few of the things that I am thankful for having been able to experience….

Oh my goodness, the Statue of Liberty is beautiful!!! And.. #freshair #boathairdontcare

I never realized that she's walking. That touched me, deeply. I always had it in my head that she was standing still – but she is a woman ON a mission, heading to shore. #danggirl

Mastering the Subway … after a Few Snafus. #theyleftmebehind #adventure #lovemyfamily #theyfoundme

We spent a quiet few moments with Alexander and Eliza. #hamilton

Dinosaur butt. (Because I'm secretly still 10 years old.) And walking down to where they filmed Star Talk (my husband is a fan.)

I got to see amazing shows… 
Spongebob Squarepants the Musical with my favorite Bean #bestdayever

Watching my sweet girl meet awesome hard-working actors from the shows she's dreamed of seeing.

And a surprise date with my hubby to see “Escape to Margaritaville” that was quite magical, as well. I am so glad we got to see it as it was the last few days it was on Broadway. Apparently Jimmy Buffett was there a few days prior to see his show one last time. #whatwouldjimmybuffettdo

Let's Chat!

Have you faced a situation like this where you discovered your assumptions were totally false and holding you back? I would love to hear all about it.

Or maybe you want to tell me about your favorite things to do in New York City for my next trip?

As always, if you liked this post, I so appreciate shares and I adore comments! <3

I'll be back with all kinds of goodness soon.

Hugs and high fives,

Nicole Dean

PS. If you've been holding back on going to events because of some BS rules like “they won't like me” or “it'll be a pitch fest” or “I can't travel alone” then I invite you to the following events where the people are warm and the learning is smart.

If you are looking for a fun adventure, this is my upcoming agenda…

August 2018… Exposure and Profit (Atlanta, Georgia)

Learn More here: http://www.exposureandprofit.com/nicoledean

I'm speaking about Community Building with Affiliates.

January 2019… Ladies Only Beach Cruise (Port Canaveral, Florida to Bahamas)

Learn More here: http://cruise.beachpreneurs.com/

If you've always thought cruising would be fun, but you've made up excuses not to go, it's time to throw those BS Rules out the door!

March 2019… Ladies Only Beach House Mastermind (Pensacola Beach, Florida)

Learn More here: http://www.beachpreneurs.com/

April 2019… Ladies Only Beach Camp (Daytona Beach, Florida)

Learn More here: http://invite.beachpreneurs.com/

It's guaranteed to be fun and smart and general awesomeness – and you will come back a slightly different person. I always do. I hope to see you there!

If you've been with me awhile, you know I try to keep it light and bright and fun here. I always try to make you smile when I write these notes and when I write my emails.

There's a reason for that.

I'm honestly not sure where this is going to head today, but I feel like I need to share. So I'll plop this out there and then let you decide.

Over the years, I've shared about how I've struggled with anxiety for many years. In fact, in 6th grade, I went to the doctors where they said that my stress levels were causing me to start to get ulcers. Yeah. Sixth grade.

Pretty much after that and into high school, as the overachiever that I am, it developed into major depression along with anxiety.

It got progressively worse until in January of 1992, when I was hospitalized to protect myself. I had decided to die by suicide. My dad was very confused by my change of attitude. I had become nearly giddy after weeks of sadness (which is apparently a common sign to look for). But first, I promised my dad that I would go with him to a counsellor's appointment, so we went. The counsellor spotted that I was in the final stages, despite my outward appearance. I was sent to the hospital.

I got a nice 21 day stint in the hospital, including all of the fun bits, like losing my shoelaces (because I could try to hang myself with them) and lots more. I got to do Occupational Therapy – making sun catchers and arts and crafts. I had private and group therapy. And, of course the meds. All the meds. The worst part was I did not get much fresh air. I love fresh air.

In the 26 years since then, mostly around the holidays and winter, it comes back with a vengeance. (This is why oftentimes you can go weeks without hearing from me during those times.) Yes, I discovered much of the depression is / was medical. Thyroid, vitamin D deficiencies, etc. (Always get those things checked if you have depression.) But even as those are regulated, the darkness remains – on a lesser scale, but it's still there.

I honestly have not looked at the news about Kate and Anthony. I am still personally reeling from Owen Wilson's suicide attempt in 2007 and the loss of Robin Williams in 2014. And, I know that reading the details is not a healthy thing for someone like me. With a past like I've had.

Each a brilliant, sensitive, creative entrepreneur, JUST LIKE US.

This is NOT a club we want to join!

I know the stats. And they are ugly.

Each year 44,965 Americans die by suicide. 

Again, I don't know where this is going, but I do know through friends and family members how horrible it is to find someone they love gone, by their own hand.

In most cases, they had NO clue that it was coming. They were blindsided and shackled with that memory of finding their loved one and the confusion and guilt that accompanies it —  for the rest of their lives.

That's part of the problem. It's NOT being talked about. When I was at my darkest, I honestly though that I was doing the right thing and that the world would be a better place WITHOUT me in it.

Over the years, I've talked with dearest friends who I know suffer from depression. And, I've also talked with my husband and my kids, too.

I've explained to them the impact that it would have on me if they were to die by suicide. One friend, I spoke with after he was hospitalized, said that he had never thought about the impact on his friends and family. He said he would never put me through that. I hope he keeps his word. Because I love him. And he makes my world a better place.

I reminded them each that I am always here, always, to talk to if those thoughts come.

I opened the door for them to come to me, without fear of judgement, and they know that they will ONLY get love and help.

One thing you know about me is how much I love to travel. I talk about it all the time.

Do you want to know a dirty secret of mine? Only my closest friends have known until now.

I keep planning out trips, and adventures (even little ones), on my calendar so that I have something to look forward to.

Because I know that on my darkest days, I NEED to have something to look forward to.

No, I don't believe that I would or could, at this point, hurt myself, for many reasons, but mainly because I know the impact that it would have on my children and my husband. We've talked about it.

The doubt, confusion, pain, guilt, and a lifetime of terror and nightmares. I could not hand that to them.

But …I do not know the future. If I do have thoughts, I know that I can re-focus on the good things I have coming, when I have things to look forward to.

It's just a trick I play on my own mind.

It's obviously not as simple as that. I wish! I just wanted to share and that's where that headed.

I do one other thing. When I get very very low, I go through pictures of my life from when I was 18 years old until today. And, I think “I almost missed ALL of this because of one moment. One decision.”

I look at pictures of my kids, my husband, my friends, and the silly things we have done together.

And, I cry. And I cry. And I cry. The kind of big ugly cry that needed to get out with lots of snot.

And then I sit in gratitude. Because I didn't miss it.

So, that's probably more than you ever wanted to know about me.

And if half of my lists unsubs now that you know all of this, it's ok, as long as one or two of you are nodding your heads and feeling a bit more understood and loved today.

If you're appalled that 123 people in the US die each day by suicide, here are some ways to help. If you need help yourself or for a loved one, check the PS for resources. I will add more if you comment with the ones you love.

I'll be back with all kinds of goodness soon.

Big hugs,

Nicole Dean

I also like: https://afsp.org/find-support/ and https://save.org/

Suicide crisis lines by country:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_suicide_crisis_lines

Saving & Investing.

There were three reasons why I wasn't investing regularly.

1. I already had a few investment accounts from past jobs – and they were so difficult to work with that I couldn't get money into them regularly – so I didn't want to repeat that mistake. Like they are STILL sitting there without money going in. Craziness.

2. I didn't know enough to know what I needed to know to get actual help. Heck. I didn't even know what questions to ask, let alone what to do with the answers.

3. I'm an introvert and didn't want to have to walk into a bank and feeling stupid… But, finally I adulted and DID walk into a bank and I took hours of time to set up a SEP (like a 401 K) account, but it was such a pain to get money into that again, I just never did.

Again, businesses shouldn't make you jump through hoops to give them money, right?

It felt hard. Totally complicated and time-consuming and I was just over it. Until I realized that I *really* needed to make it a priority to sock away some money. I'm not getting any younger.

I found the perfect solution for me.

It's called Wealthfront and here's why I love it.

1. You can set it up in MINUTES online.

2. No having to walk into a bank and waste your time.

3. It's automated. I set it up with my bank account and it pulls money into my three accounts automatically each month and reinvests dividends.

So what three accounts did I set up?

• I have one 529 (college savings) account for my daughter. She's in high school, so I put a little in there once a month. Because she's so close to college already, it doesn't make sense to put a ton in in case the stock market decides to blurp right before her Freshman year and not recover before she graduates, but I did want to put some in there. (And yes, we have other funds for this. Just not in an investment account.)
• A Joint Investment account. I have money going into that twice a month.
• A SEP (again, like an IRA to save on taxes and have money for retirement). I have money automatically go into that weekly.

It all runs like clockwork and I can just sit back and relax – knowing it's another thing that I don't have to think about. Plus, if my income fluctuates and I want to put more (or less) in, I can adjust it ONLINE without having to pick up the phone. (SWEET!)

Automation is my friend!

This is a simple tweak that's helping ME to be more responsible, to save and to prepare better for my retirement.

PLUS, there are no fees at all until you reach $5k if you sign up through my link.

So, if you are at all interested, check out Wealthfront and click on “get started” and it'll walk you through a quiz to see what kind of investments make sense for you.

Of course, I'm not an accountant or financial adviser. I just like simple, easy, profitable things to bring me health and wealth – and this has been one for me. Less stress. More money. Happier me. If you prefer another route and that's working for you, then that's awesome. I just wanted to make sure you knew that there IS an easy way to get started saving a bit each month, especially if you've been putting it off until you found the “perfect” or “right” solution.

Warmly and with big hugs,
Nicole

​PS. Got any other tips for me? I'd love to hear them in the comments!