I’ve been lying to myself all month. During a Peloton Run Robin Arzón said that, “Excuses are lies of mediocrity that we tell ourselves convincingly.” That one hit me like a ton of bricks. One of the main characteristics I look for in the people I surround myself with is honesty. After hearing her say that, as I sweated through a couple of miles, I had to acknowledge the fact that I have been lying to myself all month long.

I’m tired because I tossed and turned all night.

This is too hard.

I think I’m getting sick.

I have a migraine. (I don’t get migraines.)

The list goes on…

You guys, I literally lied to myself every single morning this month to avoid my morning routine. As I examine my emotions throughout the last 30 days, I saw the immediate effect this choice had on me mentally. Not only was I more tired, I was really really hard on myself. I am my toughest critic… the people around me know. My love language is performance. I know that’s not one of the 5 on the list, but I am a firm believer that it should be. I am the girl that writes a task on her DayTimer JUST so that I can highlight it off of my list!

This month, I failed to perform. I failed to show up for myself and it’s taken a toll on me.

The Green light in this situation? I learned the absolute POWER of a solid morning routine.

I follow a ton of successful entrepreneurs and they all have one thing in common. Each and every one of them follows a strict morning routine.

Prior to my lie-to-myself-month, I got in the habit of a focused routine in the morning.

5AM my alarm goes off, 5,4,3,2,1 my feet are on the floor.

5:15AM I’m on the tread. I love to run, my brain completely shuts off and I am totally focused on completing the task at hand. I am blessed to have a Peloton Tread; it’s literally the best investment I’ve ever made. I HIGHLY recommend checking it out, or downloading the Peloton App to follow the running classes on there. These women have 100% made me a better, more confident runner.

6:00AM I’m sweaty and on my way home. #sweatybysix

6:15 Coffee, devotional, and journaling. I picked up journaling this year. It’s been such an amazing release for me. When I journal, I basically just write down my prayers. It allows me to have a daily conversation with God and He just shows up. I promise you guys, God shows up at 6AM.

6:45 Start Today Journal. Rachel Hollis is a massive influence in my life. I swear, she is my soul sister. She created this journal where everyday you document 10 goals as if you’ve already accomplished them and five things that you are grateful for.

7:00 Get ready for the day and listen to a podcast where I learn something, or am challenged by the dialogue. My go-to’s on YouTube are Impact Theory, Ed Mylett, My girl Rach, or Steven Furtick.

As I am writing this, I am literally craving this time with myself. So, why do I still struggle with this? Why do I allow myself to slip away from the things that may be hard, but are so great for me!? I know I am a better me when I show up for my damn self! I hope that I am not the only one out there that can relate to this.

As we approach the end of 2020, we are beginning to create resolutions in our minds about who we will be and what we will accomplish in 2021. So let’s just start right now… Ask yourself. Are there lies of mediocrity I am telling myself convincingly? I know I am. We’ve got to flip the script. You don’t do this anymore. You are worthy of more than this!

Now, I challenge you to find a routine that works for you. It doesn’t have to be at 5AM, but I challenge you to find time every single day where you just focus on you.

You are worthy of this time. We are worthy of this time!

Listen to all of The Worthy Blog Audio Sessions here!

Remember always, – YOU ARE WORTHY.

I have written and deleted and written and deleted trying to think of ways to discuss this with you. As I pop Christmas Hersey Kisses in my mouth, I find myself still learning to just be me when I write and sometimes fear holds me back from complete transparency… if I am being transparent.

I am the world’s biggest dreamer. I always have been. When I was a little girl, I would spend hours and hours dancing and singing in the mirror with a hair brush microphone, dreaming of being a superstar singer. I’m still that little girl; my dreams have just shifted a bit. Although, a day in the life as JLo still intrigues me.

Up until recently, I have always thought something was wrong with me. I’m such a dreamer, that sometimes my dreaming interrupts my ability to be present. For example: I’m front row at a JLo concert in real life and as I’m standing there watching her perform, I am thinking about the moment she asks me to come up on stage with her.

LOL. THAT big of a dreamer.

In the beginning of the year, I sought out help from a life coach. It was a conflicting time for me and my lack of contentment in what I thought should be the happiest time in my life was driving me crazy, so I sought out some help from and unbiased opinion. (Side note: If you’ve ever thought about therapy, or seeking guidance from a coach, I highly recommend it.)

During one of our sessions, my coach came to me with some homework. She asked me to journal what my ideal day looked like. I’ve never been asked that question, or ever even thought of taking the time to think about the answer. The purpose with the Ideal Day Exercise is to document everything you’ve ever wanted in a day. Who would you be? Where would you live? What car would you drive? What would you do? Who would you be with?

I took the task and ran with it. I was extremely thorough, you guys. Every single minute detail you can think of is listed on my Ideal Day. Right down to what I ate for dinner and where. The Worthy Blog came from this exercise. The girl that started her coaching sessions with zero clarity, came out the other side with perfect vision of what I wanted for my life.

I’m telling you this because I have some homework for you. I challenge you to find the dreamer inside of you. I challenge you to ask yourself “What does my ideal day look like?” And I want you to dig deep. I’m not talking about a day where you get to sleep in and eat carbs all day (Even though I love that sort of day.) I’m talking about documenting the version of you that is required to access your ideal life.

Here’s some questions that helped me get started:

• What year is it? What’s the date?
• Where do you live? What does your house look like?
• What time do you wake up? What’s your morning routine consist of?
• What are you grateful for in this season of your life?
• What are you wearing? What are the brands of clothing?
• Where do you work? What’s your role? What does your team look like?
• If a career isn’t ideal; what are your hobbies? What do you do for you?
• Who are you with? What are you doing?
• What car do you drive? Do you have a driver?
• Are you traveling? If so, where?
• What do you feel? What are the smells, tastes, sights? Engage your senses.

These questions might seem crazy to answer, but I PROMISE YOU answering them is so powerful. This exercise showed me that I have complete power to create the life that I want. I am in complete control of that and SO ARE YOU! Also, if you have big dreams to be a freaking pop star, then that’s YOUR big ass dream and NOBODY GETS TO TELL YOU THAT YOU’RE NOT WORTHY OF THAT DREAM. Whether you’re the CEO of a multi-million dollar brand, or if you’re a stay at home mom to beautiful babies and an amazing homemaker, nobody gets to tell you that your dreams aren’t worthy and that you’re unworthy of accomplishing everything you’ve ever wanted.

What do you want? Get out a piece of paper and write it down. Visualize your life. It’s the only one you’ve got and it’s all on you.

As Matthew McConaughey stated beautifully in his book, “An honest man’s pillow is his peace of mind, and when we lie down on ours at night, no matter who’s in our bed, we all sleep alone. The voluntary obligations are our personal jiminy crickets, and there are not enough cops in the entire world to police them, it’s on us.”

So what are your big ass dreams? What does your life look like when you accomplish everything you’ve ever wanted? Who are you required to become to get there?

Listen to all of The Worthy Blog Audio Sessions here!

Remember always – YOU ARE WORTHY.

I spent a lot of time this weekend watching various interviews of Matthew McConaughey discussing his new book, Greenlights. I’ve always had such a heart for Matthew and his work. Particularly his wisdom and teachings about life in the few keynotes I’ve watched him deliver.

I love that he is such a deep individual. In one of the interviews on the book tour, he was meeting with Joe Rogan and Joe described him as one with “whiskey philosopher wisdom.” You know, the kind of friend that you sit at the bar with and have a couple of drinks and they bring a lot of wise dialogue to the conversation, that you only hope to remember the next day? That’s the kind of friend Matthew is. He’s just full of wisdom… but his wisdom is so simple. His premise with catching green lights is that you go through life, and you catch a lot of green lights. You’re flying threw them and life’s good and life’s amazing, but sometimes you get a few yellows and a few reds.

This last week, I injured my back for the 5^th time this year. Long story short, in February, I was working out with too much weight and tweaked the nerves in my lower back. I’ll allow myself to heal, work out again for a month, then injure myself again. Over the last couple of months, I’ve been catching a lot of green lights. Life is good, work is good, my marriage is thriving. I’ve been placing a ton of intentional focus on personal growth. One of my daily goals that I write in my Start Today Journal every single day is “I am in peak mental, physical, and spiritual health.” It’s truly the first time in my life I have stuck with an eating plan that works for me and worked out consistently at the same time. I’m catching a lot of green lights.

Monday, I was on the treadmill doing a Peloton Boot Camp with Jess Sims. Shout out Jess Sims; I love you so much. Two minutes away from completing the boot camp, I came up from a plank position and completely threw my back out. My knees buckled underneath me and I was done. I literally said out loud, (excuse my language) “Fuck you, I did not just get hurt.” I tried to keep going, but I knew I was done.

I was devastated.

How did this happen? I’ve been hitting all the green lights! I’ve been doing everything I’m supposed to be doing! I’m waking up at five, I’m journaling, I’m doing a Bible Study, I’m in prayer, I’m breaking a sweat every day. How the heck did I just get hurt again!? This isn’t supposed to be happening to me!

I caught a red light.

Over the course of the next few days, I waddled my way around my office. I cried quite a bit. I felt so defeated. I skipped my morning routine for the rest of the week and laying in bed with carbs and Netflix sounded better than everything else. Then this weekend, I happened upon Matthew’s interviews.

Life isn’t always about catching the green lights. You’re going to catch them. It’s about what you do with the yellow’s and the reds. They’re coming. The red lights are inevitable. How will you respond? Will you give up? Will you call it a day and say, “nope this is too hard for me.” Or will you continue to push through and persevere even when everything in your body and mind is telling you not to. Betterment is built in times of adversity. This is where the hard work counts. This is where it matters most. This is where the daily routine is pivotal.

James 1:2-4 says, consider it PURE JOY, my brothers when you face trials of many kinds. Because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work in you, so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

I’ve read this verse a million times. Today it hit me differently.

Wait Lord, so you mean I’m supposed to be joyful in the trials? Yes.

So you’re saying the trials are what’s developing my perseverance? Not the consistency? Yes, Alex.

Perseverance must finish its work in me, so that I may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. So, in order to be mature and complete, I’ve got to persevere through the hard things? Yep.

I’ve got clarity people! A little Matthew and a little Jesus gave me some damn clarity! I’ve got to elevate myself above my circumstance.

Green light.

I leave you with this question today. Who are you when you’re hitting the green lights? Who are you when you hit a yellow and are forced to slow down? What do you do with the reds? How do you respond?

Listen to all of The Worthy Blog Audio Sessions here!

Remember always – YOU ARE WORTHY.