The art of focus.

Five [5] tips to keep your eyes on the prize!

How many of us made a concrete decision to eat healthy, have positive self-talk, exercise more or quit something? [My hands are up.]  Then we come to a fork in the road and our simple decision get's challenged, we adjust our choices to include an amendment.

EX: I will eat clean in the New Year! Then something happens so we adjust.

EX: I will eat clean in the New Year on weekday's! Again, we're challenged and we make another adaptation.

EX: I will eat clean in the New Year on weekday's but only Monday and Wednesday.

“Focus is a muscle that is created through the flexing of choices. Every decision has the ability to impoverish or prosper you, in mind, body & soul.”

— Ho'omalamalama

Here's where the fun begins, let's dive into the, "5 tips to keep your eyes on the prize."

STOP! Breathe, and observe. Chances are that you already know what is getting in the way of your success. 

Is it a person, place, thing or any other noun? 

Do you have control over this particular situation?

Is this situation in control over you?

Now grab your trusty journal, I use my Make Mahalo planner, and write down,

"WHY"

that person, place or thing is distracting you.

Why are they or it allowed to distract you? For me it was my iPhone, all those push notifications, which I allowed to distract me. Children and spouse fall into this category sometimes.

There are three categories that every distraction will fall into.

1. Life threatening. This defines itself and I'm pretty sure that you won't need an example.

2. Avoidance. [One of my evils.] When you do everything except what you should be doing.

3. Out of your control. Not life threatening but it has put a hurdle in your smooth path. What other's do to you.

Counter all the negativity.

Write a list of all the things that are important to you. What get's you up in the morning?

Perhaps you feel compelled or called to complete a certain task. What is it?

Maybe you want to complete a task that someone else started but didn't get to finish.

For every "WHAT" you wrote on #4 write a "WHY. " Here lies the heart of your motivation. If you lack inspiration or feel shadowed by discouragement, then this step is extremely important.

I wrote a previous blogpost called, "How strong is your WHY?"

I'm doing a whole new series about FOCUS on my Instagram page. Using images that I've take to inspire the subconscious mind to persevere. If you're ready to surround your life with awesome intention and focus join here.  

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READY TO FOCUS? HERE ARE THE BENEFITS

• Success

• Health

• Goals Reached

• Joy of Completion

• New Heights

• Career Improvement

• Business Growth

• And many more...

TIME TO INFLUENCE OTHERS

The best way to make sure that you've learned something is to go out and start teaching it to others. Share the 5-Tips with three other friends. Better yet, do the writing exercises with them. I've included a link below that you can click and it will send a message to your friends on twitter.

Tweet: Walk with me as I walk in beauty. Join the newsletter & get exclusive content. #WholelisticFit

Tell me about your experience with the 5-Tips, Comment below. 

Detox Your Soul

Our souls, [deep breath] a wonderful connection to infinite & beyond our comprehension. It often goes unnoticed because it doesn't fit the usual standards.

It isn't like the mind, capable of expressing itself. Neither is it like the body where it has a physical presences. 

What is the soul?

The difficult part is that there isn’t a way to measure it. We often can't tell if the soul is starving or maybe we don't know how to feed it?

In my eBook, "Walk in beauty" I wrote about the Soul and how to maintain it. To be honest that was the hardest chapter for me because it’s intangible. You can learn more here.

“The SOUL is a bridge, to place far too marvelous to understand, one that connects the mind and body”

— Ho'omalamalama

Two things I would like to share before moving on. First this post is based off of my experiences. Secondly you are in control and have the power to choose.

If nothing in this blog resonates with you I hope this will... 

YOU ARE POWERFUL

Only you can remove, change or erase the toxicity in your life. Keep in mind that healthy routines offer a type of balance that you'll find helpful. Especially during stressful moments. Always make time for self-care, self-love and above all self-respect.

If you've read this and want to learn more about the soul check out walk in beauty. It covers the 5 Realms Of Beauty and the soul is one of them.

FIT FOODIE

I launched my MANA WAHINE Program, Hawaiian for strong woman. It's a type of strength connected to knowing who you are and valuing yourself. I combine holistic lifestyle + dance fitness + fit-foodie coaching. Eventually I will be offering the fit-foodie portion as an online program. The goal is to create thought patterns and lifestyles that are healthy not fad-ish. A community of MANA Wahine. 

Here's a simple drink that I shared on my Instagram feed. You can add a touch of stevia to this morning smoothie. As far as measurements go, I don't really measure any of it. I generally taste as I go.

If you haven't followed me on Instagram than you're missing out. There's food, nature and quotes to live by. It's positive inspiration that you can look forward to seeing. Much like the image below. It's part of my Words Of Beauty series. 

Maintaining YOU, Maintaining YOUR Mana

Self maintenance requires... 

• Time

• Investment

• Flexibility

• Awareness

I was chatting with a cousin, who's a project coordinator at Kamehameha Schools, about MANA! The Hawaiian rendition goes like this, "Remember where your MANA comes from!" and "You can feel the MANA!" Which is synonymous throughout Polynesia; Tahiti, Aotearoa, Samoa, Tonga and Fiji. So the proper title of this blogpost should be...

Maintaining MANA

So in essences the question is, "How do you maintain the MANA that resides within you?" My cousin, Kalani Hiapo, and I talked for hours, there is much to be discovered and uncovered. [WHY?] Because MANA is a deep seeded condition of balancing past and present. Honoring your heritage and yourself. This is how it's done...

• Time is what we all have, how you use it defines YOU.

• Investment into self-help tools & holistic living.

• Flexibility is the key to sanity, what to keep and release.

• Awareness allows you make adjustments and move on.

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#1 ENERGY

Your words are indicators. What type of words do you use to describe your life, Ohana [family], relationships, job, business, children, body and opportunities? After all, energy isn't seen but heard and felt. That's the same with your words. We can't see them trickling out of your mouth but we can hear and feel its impact. Energy comes from within, what you speak your mind reasons, and the result is a belief. Maintain your words.

#2 DRIVE

This is extremely practical and hands-on. If you want to stay engaged and complete what you started with determination you will need these items: a planner, colorful pens or pencils and a few embellishments. It's called planning with intention. Before you can have DRIVE you must first develop DISCIPLINE and the easiest way is to bullet journal or plan.

#3 HEALTH

With all the wealth and wisdom in the world it's nothing without wellness. I've known ah-mazing healers who died too soon because their own personal health wasn't maintained. The MANA they carried needed a foundation. Regular sleep, clean water + clean eating and fitness aren't fads they're facts. Holistic health is a whole living lifestyle.

#4 HAPPINESS/ JOY

Authenticity is the result of a person who lives their word. What they say is who they are. Feelings and the energy they put out into this world aligns with their plans that drive them towards success. They are the masters of their thoughts and happiness is what they create. The best way to maintain this level is to write in a gratitude journal. Gratefulness = Joy

#5 FUN FACTOR

You have to make time for fun! You weren’t born to pay bills. Fun allows us to make sense of this crazy world, while giving us something to look forward too. Living holistic means that your foundation is rooted in daily practices which support you during life’s trying moments.

If you're ready for change and want more, may I suggest my eBook, "WALK IN BEAUTY uncover its secrets & unlock your potential." I wrote about the 5 REALMS of BEAUTY and how it relates to you. This blogpost is a tiny summary of the 'aha moments' you'll receive in the eBook. 

The best part about my conversation with Kalani is connecting our knowledge from different sides of the Pacific Ocean. He's currently working on projects in Oahu and I've also included links for Shift Massage & Make Mahalo, because they deal specifically with two of the subjects I've mentioned. The goal of this blogpost was to light the way and give you tools.

Become an influencer and Tweet out this message, invite others to join the Mermaid pod and read the blog. 

Tweet: Join me & access to a password protected holistic lifestyle blog + newsletter + occasional printable #WholelisticFit

How to get over a fear of success.

In order for me to write about fear I have to reveal a little about my journey.

I honestly didn't think I had an issue with success. Until I had an interesting conversation with a friend. She looked at me and said, "You give so much, that I don't think you value yourself enough."

My honest expression was "Huh?" 

So I sat with this comment and let it marinate within my mind. I didn't defend or deny it, I just reflected. Then I realized that what I didn't value was my success! 

Whoa... stop the press! How did I get to this place in my life? I had a real "aha" moment. I literally sabotaged myself to fail because success seemed too good for me.

“Success is a belief, long before it becomes a reality. Yet it’s in that hallowed place of inception that we fear the delivery. Let fear pass, breathe and deliver. You are meant to succeed! ”

— Ho'omālamalama

So many thoughts streamed into my mind and I did the only thing possible, I wrote my thoughts and feelings down in my MAKE MAHALO PLANNER. [Mahalo: Hawaiian for gratitude or thank you.]

Pen in hand, I began a stream of conscious writing, a technique I learned from a good friend. This flow lasted for a solid five minutes. As I gazed down at my writing it revealed some of my inner struggles. It was as if my subconscious finally had my attention.

So if you're dealing with lack of self-respect, inability to charge for your services or constantly wondering... "What happened to my goals and dreams?" This post is for all of us. I too had a fear of success that prevented me from reaching my potential.

The 12 questions are from my personal experience. 

Notate any feelings or emotions that may arise. Have an open mind and willingness to finish the entire post. Trust me, this blog gets better towards the end.

If you answered "YES" to any of these don't feel bad.

Like I said earlier these were written from personal experience. Look at the list without judgement but empathy. The same kindness that you would show to a friend, become that friend. Maybe pause and give yourself a hug for being brave enough to read the entire list. [BIG HUG]

Now if you've reached this portion and feel alone and overwhelmed, don't be. I can help in three ways. First, continue to read through the end of this blogpost for the 12 Steps to an abundant mindset. Second, read the eBook I wrote called WALK IN BEAUTY; unlock your potential. Third, become a MERMAID; join my email list because there's a possibility that you can work with me. 

12 Steps to an abundant mindset.

1. Be excited when starting something new and break down your plan into smaller steps. Sometimes we give up mid-way because the excitement can make us feel overwhelmed. Take time to write down your idea and create simple task.

2. STOP comparing yourself! That's one of the worse things any human being can do. There's a saying in my home, "Your only competition is  NO-ONE, just be your best!"

3. You don't have to start every project that comes to your creative mind. Get a box and label it IDEAS then write them down with a date. Honor your creativity but don't get distracted. Have a place to revisit your ideas when you've completed what you started. 

4. Learn to say NO. Abundance doesn't mean that you're saying yes to everyone. Reserve some time in the day to honor your wellness. You can not reverse time but you can spend it wisely.

5. Be cautious. Before you promote someone's product, fundraiser or Facebook page consider if they're doing the same for you? This also applies to love. Do you receive love, at the same measure or more that you give it. [Lessons of LOVE are in my eBook.]

6. You can not give from an empty cup. Make a habit of self-care and schedule it weekly. Abundance is a reflection of your inner and exterior health.

7. Create rituals of motivation. It can be centered around your spiritual practice or keeping a gratitude journal. Because there will come a time when you have to draw from a well of inspiration. Make sure that you're filling that well, your mind, with good thoughts.

8. When feeling mundane... acknowledge it and do step #7. An abundant mind isn't void of sorrow or mishaps but it is equipped with tools of inspiration.

9. When you realize that success made a detour don't stress out. History is jammed packed with individuals who met with opposition after opposition. Borrow their stories and use it to help you realign, adjust and reimagine your dream.

10. Allow yourself to experience simple successes. It will help rebuild your self confidence and eventually you will step into fulfilling that previous dream. [For some it can be loosing a few inches or learning to play the piano.]

11. Breathe. The opposite of fear is love and abundance. You can not change what you will not acknowledge. This awakening will allow you to embrace success. Your success!

12. Failure is an indication that your dream is closer then you think. Keep moving, you'll get there. Just remember that you can always ask for help.       

Are you at a place in your life that you need a coach to reach the next level of success? Become a MERMAID to learn more about our programs.

The benefits of working with a me is that you don't have to remember everything you just read. I'm creating eCourses, eBooks and programs for work/life balance. If you invest the time I will invest my attention to walking with you. Make sure you're a MERMAID. 

More about MAKE MAHALO planners click here.

Learn about JOURNALs and writing as a holistic practice click here.