Have you ever noticed that some people just stand out and radiate success?

Regardless of their industry or profession, they rise to the top. Are they just lucky and gifted?  Not necessarily.  I believe they’re a testament to the fact that when it comes to success – it’s not what you do, but how you do it.

The how refers to your attitude, mindset and daily habits. It’s not just talent, skill or luck.  If you look at the many examples of successful people in any industry, there are certain common habits that they exhibit.  I believe these are some of the best “secrets of success.”

Secret #1: Plug-in to your passion

Most people who have achieved great success love what they do. Anyone who has risen to the top of their industry or profession attributes having passion for what they’re doing.  Success generally requires hard work, commitment, persistence and discipline. All of these things can sound daunting unless you’re passionate and genuinely excited about the work you do.

How passionate are you about the goal you’re pursuing? Take an inventory of how often you get to do what you love in your current job or business.  When you infuse your life with activities that excite and inspire you, it takes much less effort to stay committed to your goals and it creates positive flow in every area of your life.

Secret #2: Be great at taking action

Successful people are good at making decisions. Often the biggest opportunities in life come and go quickly, those that take action tend to have the advantage. This doesn’t mean we should be irresponsible with our decisions, but sometimes we need to take a risk and follow our intuition and simply take action. It may not be perfect, but we learn from our mistakes, and course correct accordingly.

What decisions are you avoiding? Perhaps joining a gym, getting a trainer, starting a course or new hobby, updating your resume or asking for a promotion? What is the worst that could happen?  What’s holding you back?  Inaction is the antithesis of success.  Mistakes and failures are part of the game.  Most successful people fail more than they win, so don’t wait for the timing to be perfect.

Secret #3: Be focused

Successful people focus on one thing at a time, at least the thing they want to be great at.  Athletes don’t try to be great at tennis and football. Entrepreneurs don’t start two businesses at once.  Even entertainers tend to be great at one thing first (singing or acting) then move into other areas.  The key is to pick one thing and devote your time and energy to becoming great in that one area before moving onto something else.

Are you focused on your main goal?  Are you trying to do too much?  It’s not about making sacrifices and choosing one area of your life over another, but rather, knowing that not everything needs to happen at once. Many of us take on too many goals at once and we end up distracted, conflicted and ultimately frustrated with ourselves for not being able to “do it all”.  Pick one big goal that is most important to you for the next three months, and then focus all of your effort and attention to doing your best in this one area. When you achieve it, celebrate your success.

Secret #4: Surround yourself with great people

There’s great truth to the saying “You can’t do it alone.”  Have you noticed how everyone who has accomplished something always has a long list of people to thank.  From friends and family, to team members, co-workers, teachers, mentors, trainers and coaches.  Successful people surround themselves with great people – people that are positive, supportive, inspiring, talented, knowledgeable and successful.

When you look at the circle of influence around you, are you surrounding yourself with the best possible people to fuel your success?  Do you have the support; motivation and inspiration that will help you reach your goals?  Do you have people around you whom you admire and who genuinely want you to succeed?  If not, make a conscious decision to seek out more like-minded people. Networking or joining various clubs is a great place to start.

Secret #5: Believe in your dreams

There is absolutely no substitute for positive thinking. Successful people are able to see their success before it happens. Even if they’re not certain of how or when, they believe it’s possible. They believe in themselves, their abilities and their own potential.  They believe that hard work, persistence and practice eventually pay off. They’re confident and optimistic.

To what extent to you believe in yourself?  Are you skeptical or doubtful at the first sign of resistance? Do you hope for the best but prepare yourself for the fact that you may not reach your goals?  If you notice that you are being negative about the goals you want to achieve, begin to consciously work on your beliefs and the internal tape player in your head. Write down or say a positive statement every time you catch yourself being negative.

Secret #6: Strive for excellence

Successful people don’t settle for “good enough.”  They aren’t content with being average or mediocre. They hold themselves to higher standards. They have an exceptional work ethic and expect more from themselves than even others expect of them.

How much do you expect from yourself?  How high are the standards you set for your own personal level of excellence?  Where in your life are you settling for “good enough?” The more you expect from yourself, the more you’ll be able to achieve. Pick one area in your life where you would want to be above average. Set a goal that stretches you. Don’t settle. You’re worth more than that.

Secret #7:  Make self-care a priority

Successful people recognize the importance of “recharging your batteries.”  They understand the need for balance and the fact that in order to operate at a certain level, they must take care of themselves – physically, mentally and emotionally.

How well do you take care of yourself? Do you often feel like you don’t have enough left to be able to focus on your goals?  Do you take care of your physical body and emotional wellbeing? The first step in self-care is to learn how to say “no.”  Find a way to put yourself on your priority list. To reach your goals, you must pay attention to your own needs, and value your happiness as much as you do everyone else’s.

Wishing you abundant success 

Victoria xx

A little inspiration to brighten your week

“Regret for the things we did can be tempered by time; it is regret for the things we did not do that is inconsolable.”

When we’re faced with a decision to take a risk in our lives, we often fear making a mistake.  And when we do make a choice, sometimes it doesn’t turn out like we had hoped.

We can spend a lot of time re-writing our past, wishing we had made different choices.  In these moments it’s important to remember that the most painful type of regret is not over mistakes we made, but over the “what if’s” and things we didn’t try.

So if you’re holding yourself back, remember that it’s easier to course correct than to do nothing.  Take chances, follow your dreams, and most importantly follow your heart.  Life is an adventure that is meant to be lived to its fullest.  Forgive yourself if things didn’t turn out like you planned and know it’s better to try than regret it years from now.

Have a beautiful and exciting week!

Victoria  xo

A little inspiration to brighten your week

“Life isn’t about finding yourself.  Life is about creating yourself.” 

I love this quote because it reminds us that life is a process and that we have some degree of control over our destiny.

Instead of waiting to find out who we’re supposed to be, we design who we are going to be with every choice we make – our career, our friends, our partner, our health. In each moment we have an opportunity to make a different choice, to listen to our intuition and to create a life that is aligned with our most authentic and best self.

What can you do this week to create the best version of yourself?

Have a beautiful and healthy week!

Live Fit, Live Happy.

Victoria  Xo

A little inspiration to brighten your week…

I hope this quote inspires you to think about your health this week.

In our diet obsessed society, we often make food decisions based entirely on caloric intake and fat grams. We think in terms of deprivation rather than nourishment. But really, the food we put in our bodies affects so much more than our waistline.So the next time you roll your eyes at the thought of another salad or wish that you could eat cake for dinner (believe me I have those days too), think about your life and your goals, and what’s important to you. Think about everything you want to accomplish, all that you do every day in your family life, your relationships, your career and your community. These are the reasons to eat healthy, so that you’re at your very best each and every day of your life.

We aren’t meant to wake up every day dragging ourselves out of bed, having trouble sleeping, living with headaches, brain fog, constant fatigue, moodiness or major illness. That is not our body’s natural state and it’s not the foundation from which we can thrive.

You don’t have to give up your favorite foods, but do pay attention to quality and the balance of healthful foods you consume. It’s not a sacrifice or a compromise, it’s the gift you give yourself, so that you can live your most happiest and successful life.

A little inspiration to brighten your week…

“I have decided to be happy, because it’s good for my health.”  ~ Voltaire

Many of you are already in a wonderful state of happiness and gratitude today, as you celebrate Canadian Thanksgiving!  I hope you have a beautiful and joyful day enjoying time with family and friends.

Wouldn’t it be wonderful to feel this happy and joyful all the time?  Well the truth is, we can.  The good news is that happiness is for the most part, a choice.  We cannot control the circumstances that surround us, but we can always control two things: our response to and our perception of, those circumstances.  We can choose to respond in a loving and compassionate manner, and we can choose to see challenges as lessons, opportunities and blessings.  We can choose to be positive and forgiving.

Our emotions can have a big impact on our physical body.  Studies have shown that happy people tend to get sick less and recover more quickly, even from serious illness.  Knowing this, it becomes a conscious choice to worry less and get angry less, not only because it’s better for our relationships, but it’s actually better for our health.

There will no doubt be challenges and it’s not about pretending to be happy.  But it can be very empowering to know that you can decide to feel happy, rather than waiting for some external circumstance change.  Books like What Happy People Know and The Happiness Project are a great resource if you would like more strategies and examples for how to create more happiness in your life.

Remember that deciding to be happy will change your physiology.  So give as much attention to your daily dose of laughter as you do to your daily dose of veggies

Have a beautiful and happy week!

Live Fit, Live Happy.

Victoria  Xo

A little inspiration to brighten your week….

“If you limit your choices only to what seems possible or reasonable, you disconnect yourself from what you truly want, and all that is left is a compromise.”

My life changed when I began to realize that in order to do, have and become what I truly wanted… I needed to follow my heart.  And in order to that I had to stop filtering every idea through my head – the place that tells us if our dreams are possible, reasonable and realistic.

When we live in a state of compromise we can often feel frustrated, unfulfilled, bored and uninspired.  We may be unaware there’s a problem, only a feeling that something isn’t right.  Compromise is a subtle state that builds over time until we find ourselves off track.

The problem with listening to our head is that the mind is disconnected from our intuition, which is our internal wisdom and guidance system.  Our thoughts are often influenced by fears, and the external beliefs and opinions of others.  While our hearts are grounded in faith and the truth of who we are and the life we are meant to live.

Each time we ignore our heart and ignore what we truly want, we are compromising the fullness of our life.  It’s not always easy to follow your heart. It can be scarey and uncomfortable; however when you begin to live in alignment with your true desires, you open yourself to experience authentic joy and fulfillment and step into the person you were meant to become.

Have a beautiful week

Victoria

xo

A little inspiration to brighten your week…. 

“If you concentrate on finding whatever is good in every situation, you will discover that your life will suddenly be filled with gratitude, a feeling that nurtures the soul.” 

Gratitude is so important.  We hear it all the time and yet it can be difficult to do on a consistent basis, especially when we’re in the midst of a particularly busy and stressful period in our lives.

And yet whatever we are facing, the very thing we think we don’t have time for – the practice of gratitude – is usually what we need the most.  I know in my life I’ve found this to be true.  No matter what is happening, as soon as I come back to a state of gratitude, everything shifts.  Life doesn’t change overnight, but your perspective does and this has a ripple effect on everything and everyone around you.

You can end your day with gratitude:
Keep a gratitude journal by your bed and every night before you go to sleep, write down 3 to 5 things that you are grateful for from that day, or find 2-3 positive outcomes or lessons from whatever stressful situation you are going through.

Or begin your day with gratitude:
While you are hitting the snooze button and thinking about your day, before you get out of bed, visualize 3 things that you are grateful for in your life or looking forward to that day.

Pick whatever works best for you and do it consistently every day this week.  Let me know if you feel a shift!  I’d love to hear from you.

Have a beautiful week

Victoria xo

I wanted to share with you another item I’ve recently found that I am absolutely in love with – mala beads by a company called Tiny Devotions.  Not only do they look beautiful, but they are sacred necklaces that have been worn for thousands of years in Buddhist and yoga traditions.

Originally used for meditation, the meaning and energy behind mala beads is truly extraordinary.  They are made with 108 handmade beads plus one additional guru stone, 108 being a very sacred and auspicious number. They are known to bring good luck, good energy, healing, health and fortune to its wearers.

Each mala is made with a different intention, and each stone represents something whether it is strength, love or healing.  Check out the site for a full description of each guru stone, and then pick the one that you’re most drawn too.

I initially purchased the Turquoise Ocean Mala and most recently, the Citrine Sunshine Mala.  It’s amazing, I actually feel different wearing them.  It’s my favourite thing to wear and I love to keep them on my mat during my yoga practice.

Everything in our life is impacted by intention, so be mindful of your thoughts and energy when you put on your mala beads.  I find that having them on helps to serve as a reminder to be more present and conscious as I move through my day.  I am so grateful I found these beautiful necklaces.  Check them out… you will love them too!

Live Fit.  Live Happy.

Victoria xoxo

I recently came across this line of jewelry at my yoga studio.  It’s a collection by Laurel Denise.

I’ve been very conscious of surrounding myself with positive energy lately, and there is nothing more powerful than our own words and thoughts.  When I saw these necklaces I immediately loved the simplicity and lightness of the designs. What drew me where the words – grace joy, be, smile, wish, inspire.  Words are powerful. We know this to be true. It’s so inspiring and uplifting to wear these pieces. When I put them on it feels like I’m setting an intention for the day.

When I first ordered them, I couldn’t pick just one, so I ended up selecting four different words! Feel free to contact Laurel directly and she can customize your order.  I think they would make great gifts too, especially when you are looking to give something special and meaningful.

Check out the silver and glass collections, they are my favourite!  Visit the site here. I hope you like them as much as I do.

Live Fit. Live Happy.

Victoria xoxo

“Slow down and everything you are chasing will come around and catch you”

I recently saw this quote and smiled. I have been on a path of slowing down for the last few months and have directly experienced the truth of this statement. Even though I continue to experience the miracles of this in my own life, I still find it one of the most difficult things to do.

I think for many of us, slowing down is so difficult because it implies being perceived as lazy, unmotivated and lacking ambition. Even more challenging is just the simple act of doing less. When we are busy, we don’t have time to think and reflect. Slowing down requires us to reconnect and create space for things to happen. That space can be scary.

As I considered what to write about this month, this seemed particularly timely given that August is an interesting time of year. On the one hand, it is very much a time for slowing down. The “lazy hazy days of summer” are the time when businesses slow down, families take vacations and the city feels quieter as everyone heads up North for the cottage.

At the same time, we find ourselves half way through the year and thinking about the remaining months ahead. Many of us start to stress about whether we have time to accomplish all that we set out to do before another year ends. And so we try to enjoy the summer yet battle the guilt of feeling like we should be doing more to get ahead.

Whether you are at the cottage reading this or just enjoying summer days with friends and family, I want you to see how you can use the slow energy of August to your advantage. The essence of the above quote is that we often end up getting the very things we want when we let go of the need to have them, particularly the need to have them quickly.

This is very similar to the concept of surrender. It is not about giving up on our goals, but letting go of the grasping, needy energy that often keeps our dreams at a distance. We all know this is true. Perhaps you’ve experienced it yourself or heard stories from others. The ones where you lose weight when you stop trying, or you find love when you stop looking, you find a job opportunity when you weren’t really looking, or the perfect shoes when you don’t really need them. The examples are endless.

So as you enjoy the rest of this summer, keep this quote in mind. By releasing any guilt or stress and anxiety that you may feel around your goals, you are able to create the space for things to come to you – in the form of ideas, inspiration and opportunities. It can be amazing the changes that take place when we are in a state of peace and acceptance.

Enjoy the next 4 weeks. Soak up the sun and the heat and be present to the stillness. Use this time to get clear on what you want to accomplish before the end of the year, and write out your plan and action steps. Brainstorm all of the things you can do to move you in the direction of your goals. Taking the time to reflect, you will find inspiration and new ideas which can go a lot further than simply doing for the sake of doing. So grab a book and a refreshing summer drink and go soak up the sun! Fall will be here before you know it.

To your health and happiness,

Victoria