#SelfImprovement

May 31, 2020
2 min

Are you a Disappointment Magnifier or a Blessing Magnifier?

Point to Ponder: Which box do your actions and words best fit in: the blessing magnifier box or disappointment magnifier box? I came across this quote (in the picture above) by the late John Wooden and thought it was simple, yet profound and so true. John Wooden coached the UCLA Men's Basketball team from 1948 - 1975, winning 10 national championships. One of the characteristics that made him so successful was his big-picture fatherly wisdom he shared with his players. They

Mar 7, 2020
3 min

A Change You Don't Ever Want to Miss (or take for granted)

Point to Ponder: How often do you pause and remember your various and different seasons of life, their significant connection with one another and the impact they've had on your life and how they've shaped you into the person you are today? This week, while taking a walk through our neighborhood I was struck by the contrast of what still looks to be winter (the brown/seemingly dead grass in the picture) mixed in with the sweet signs of spring (the tulips on the verge of full

Feb 2, 2020
3 min

The Goal: To Fearlessly Pursue Life

Point to Ponder: Do you wake up every morning excited to pursue life? I’m only speaking for myself of course, but last Sunday when I learned about the death of Kobe Bryant, his daughter, and those with him in the helicopter, my heart broke. While we are a basketball family and I was sad the basketball world lost one of the best, more than anything I hurt deeply for his family- his wife and now three daughters. Whether or not you were a NBA fan during the Kobe era, there is o

Jan 25, 2020
4 min

Staying Connected to What's Real

Point to Ponder: Is your (and your family's) reality more real or faux? Can you believe that picture is 100% real with not one single edit?!? It was taken during sunrise meditation at our ReNew Year Retreat in San Diego and as you can see, it's why we choose this location every year to retreat and renew. The cleansing ocean air and breeze, spectacular sunsets and sunrises, and the soothing and rhythmic rolling waves...it's perfect and everything we need. This completely natu

Dec 15, 2019
4 min

Why We Need 7-9 Hours of Sleep Each Night

Point to Ponder: Are you getting enough high-quality sleep each night? The purpose of today’s journal is to encourage you to make high-quality sleep a priority so you can feel your best throughout your holidays and beyond. I know we all agree that sleep is important, but it’s actually more than important, it’s critical. This journal will only scratch the surface of why sleep is so important, but for starters, sleep effects everything from our immune system, our mood, our ab

Dec 8, 2019
4 min

What Are You Allowing?

Point to Ponder: What is one “thing” you are allowing in your life that is causing stress and negatively impacting your joy. Last week during one of our iGnite Tulsa classes we discussed our Health and FITmas Challenge. I explained all of the ways to accumulate points and earn iGnite credit (with taking 9 iGnite classes being at the top of the list). As we discussed self-care, the importance of it, and all of the various forms, we also talked about one necessary self-care pr

Dec 1, 2019
4 min

12 Reasons to Participate in Our Holiday Health & FITmas Challenge

Point to Ponder: Do you let the holidays control you, or do you control the holidays? Alright, alright, alright…the holidays are here and before your computer combusts from online shopping and your shoulders get stuck to your earlobes, take a moment to breatheeeeeeeeeee…..in through your nose and out through your mouth. I’m kind of exaggerating (but not really), however holiday anxiousness, stress and chaos is prevalent, and preventable! We have a choice, and it’s starts wit

Nov 10, 2019
3 min

The Best Among Us: A Veteran's Day Tribute

Do you ever wonder what a veteran looks like? If you iGnite in Austin it's likely you iGnite next to one. It's also likely we pass veterans everyday, more than once, and don't even know it. Veterans look like you and me, have daughters, sons, grandchildren, regular jobs and are extremely humble. They keep to themselves, don't crave attention and when they get thanked for their service they reply with a simple "Thank you", or "It was my pleasure". These people are the heroes a

Nov 3, 2019
2 min

Finishing Your Year on the 20th Floor

Point to Ponder: In relation to your health and wellness, what are 3 things that are working for you and 3 things that are not working for you? A few weeks ago my professional coach and iGnite member, Martha Lynn Mangum, asked me these two very important and thought-provoking questions: What are 3 things that are working for you? What are 3 things that are not working for you? Martha asked me these questions so I could evaluate 2019 and determine what changes I needed to make

Oct 13, 2019
5 min

Hills and Valleys

This picture was taken during our 9th Annual Adventure Escape in Whitefish, Montana.

Oct 7, 2019
5 min

The Overwhelming Connection Between Depression, Anxiety and Time in Nature

Point to Ponder: Are you spending enough time outside? One of the things I look forward to this time of year are the migrating Monarch butterflies. In case you didn’t know, the Monarch butterfly is iGnite’s mascot and in mid to late September and early October she makes her annual migration journey to Mexico. Like all life, I find her journey miraculous and inspiring. Weighing all of .5 grams, she flies at an average speed of 6 miles per hour and covers between 25 to 100 mil

Sep 29, 2019
4 min

Outdoor Fitness: The Heart of What We Do

Find out why spending time outdoor and in nature is vital to our health, well being and existence.

Sep 15, 2019
4 min

Run Toward Hard

Point to Ponder: What area of/in your life do you run from instead of running toward? Since the summer I've had my head buried in two books, one of which is Can’t Hurt Me by former Navy Seal, David Goggins. I’ve got two words—HOLY COW! This book is intense (and so are his word choices) and it smacked me in the face. I won’t give you all of the details because you’re going to want to read it, but David, now 44, likely overcame more obstacles than I’ve ever heard of. By the tim

Sep 8, 2019
3 min

Are Others' Opinions Impacting How You Max Out?

Point to Ponder: Are the choices you make, and how you choose to max out and live life based on the opinions and experiences of others? I can only speak for myself, but last week I loved focusing on maxing out. I feel like it helped me and I got better. I’d like to think I maxed out before last week and on many levels I have and I do, but the truth is I get lazy, procrastinate, and get distracted, and therefore my max out efforts aren't consistently what they can and should

Sep 1, 2019
3 min

Why We Need to Max Out

Points to Ponder: What area in your life can benefit from max out efforts, and are you maxing out in an area(s) that doesn't have ROI (doesn't matter or and isn't aligned with what matter most)? This July, while leading our Adventure Escapes in Whitefish, Montana I had this thought: Am I maxing out in life, and where in my life do I need to put forth max out effort? The genesis of this question came from physically and emotionally maxing out every day on the Escape. We all ma

Aug 25, 2019
6 min

Seal Summer With a Kiss

Point to Ponder: Have you taken a moment to reflect on all of summer's sweet memories? As I contemplated writing about an important and relevant topic for this week, the one that stood out was: sealing all of Summer's sweetness with a kiss by giving her the gratitude, high-five and respect she deserves--before, of course, slamming the door in her face and opening the door of fall. For most of us, I feel like there are two common end of summer sentiments: If living in Texas, O

Apr 14, 2019
3 min

Why I'm Loving Naked Barbie

Point to Ponder: Is what you are saying and doing consistent with who you want to be and the impact you want to have? I bet you are curious where this journal is going??? I gotta tell you, I am so pumped about this image and the message behind it. It goes like this: Last week, iGnite San Diego member, Erinn Hanson, sent this picture of Barbie, perfectly planking. Of course, she didn't strip Barbie down and put her in a plank, but one of her daughters did! Here's what I lov

Apr 7, 2019
2 min

Why I Can't Stop Saying "Freakin'"

Point to Ponder: Are you "Spring Break Ready"? Last week, while thinking about our 6-Weeks to Spring Break Challenge, I found myself thinking about Spring Break and the real “why” behind us wanting you to make every effort to iGnite 24 times in 6-weeks. In the event you think we’re trying to guilt you into exercising because it’s time to “Get ready for bathing suit season.” No way, Jose! That’s not us. In fact, how annoying and unoriginal is that line? Of course we want you

Apr 7, 2019
3 min

Why I Can't Stop Saying "Freakin'"

Point to Ponder: Are you getting "summer ready"? Last week, after we launched our 6-Weeks to Summer Challenge, I found myself thinking about summer and the real “why” behind us wanting you to make every effort to iGnite 25 times in 6-weeks. In the event you think we’re trying to guilt you into exercising because it’s time to “Get ready for bathing suit season.” No way, Jose! That’s not us. In fact, how annoying and unoriginal is that line? While I’m on the topic, if anyone ev

Mar 31, 2019
4 min

What Are You Looking For?

Point to Ponder: What people or things do you take for granted? For Christmas, we gave Malaine, our five year old daughter, her first pet, or I should say her first “practice pet”. Rather than get the puppy she had been asking for, we opted for the easier and other pet she wanted: a Bearded Dragon. I said “No” to a dog and “ Yes” to the bearded dragon because, as expected, I became the primary caretaker of the lizard. Thankfully, she’s a pretty easy pet and I’ve become quite