Yes we CAN comeback! A new chapter

Saying it's been a while would be a huge understatement.

Our last post was in April 2010 - It's now March 2013!

Oops.

Although we had high hopes to do every principle step-by-step and report back it just didn't work out that way.

However the Principles work! We employed just some of them and not to the fullest and we've seen great success.

For example - as of the last few entries before we dropped from this blog- I had just took a 'crazy' leap to run a half marathon and made weight loss goals (based on J.C's principles).

And guess what? I ran that half marathon. Yes I did. VICTORY!! You can read about that half marathon that took place in May 2010 here.

But guess what else? I went on to run 8 more half marathons, a full 26.2 marathon and a 200 mile Ragnar Relay Race that I've filmed for a documentary!

Picture during the 200 mile Ragnar Relay Race with my before and after pic

Thanks to that one goal and following the Principles to get there I went on to run all those races, launch a successful running blog with hundreds of followers, become a health blogger for a few major projects that pay me a good salary, made dozens of new friends from across the country, have traveled to some really cool places for races, reach and maintain (for 3 years!) my ideal weight and gain confidence. Beginning to run also led me to come in 4th place for Progresso Soup's "Souper Me" contest, landed me in the pages of Health Magazine, featured on the blog, "Run Like a Mother," and countless other amazing experiences and a changed life.

Just one goal on the list - with a (pardon the expression) somewhat half-assed approach to the Principals and my life is amazingly changed and better.

And a bunch of other good things have happened too.

That's just my story. Amy has some great success to share too.

Because of our success we decided to get full back on Jack track and pick up this life-long adventure and journey.

We've been reading our Jack re-tooling our vision boards and cracking open our gratitude, victory and goal journals.

Watch out world.

Two morals of my story? As Jack teaches, you can do amazing things when you take the steps to get there.  I never thought that I could be happily maintaining my goal weight or would consider myself a runner but with three years of running under my belt - that's me!

Also - it's never too late to recommit to getting better. So we fell off the blogging band wagon and some of the Principles - we are back.

"You can't start the next chapter of your life if you keep re-reading the last one."

XO
Jen

Day 10 - Clearly, I'm still not sure why I'm here...

Well, that's not all together true. I made an attempt a few days ago to figure out "my purpose" but Amy pointed out to me that it was kind of weak and she was right. I think it's probably part of the fear that can bubble up when you start down this kind of self-improvement path. You just don't want to mess it up. AND a life purpose does seem like such a big deal!! Talk about commitment - your life purpose is your whole reason of living!!

So anyway, I guess I came up with something that sounded a'ight and was trying to gloss on to the next chapter. It was pretty subconscience (sp?). I really thought I was doing the exercise but in hindsight, I rushed thru it and didn't give it another thought since. So not a Jack move. Good thing, I've got Acton to keep me honest :)

So I've been doing a lot of thinking on this one. This is what I've got after many attempts:

"My life purpose is to use my optimism and creativity to uplift others in a empathetic way to find their own unique talents to shine."

I'm still not 100% sure of this but I feel like I'm getting closer. Guess I'm still a work in progress on this one. Jack suggests considering meditation to help your purpose come. So I may turn to that.

week 1 in review

As the first week of our experiment draws to a close, I thought I'd reflect a little on some key SP concepts...

1) When it comes to the principles, you gotta actually do the work, if you want to lose weight, "no one can do the push-up for you." (Crap, you mean I actually have to use the gym membership?)

2) Take 100% Responsibility. Our choices affect everything - once we take responsibility rather than sit back & "let" things happen, we realize that we have the power to do anything... Lose the excuse - life is tough but we have the ability to achieve these things when we give up excuses and find solutions rather than dwell on obstacles. (but... but... but nothing!)

3) Stop complaining. Successful people replace complaining with making requests and taking action that will achieve your desired outcomes. (Complaining! Bah. not to complain but I hate complainers! ;0)

4) Heed "yellow alerts" - Amy spoke about these. To simplify, it's your "gut instinct" or other indicators of trouble that we often ignore. Successful people, tune into these alerts and trust them. Sometimes it's the tougher road but it's the one we need to start taking. (I knew it!)

5) Be Clear On Why You're Here: Figure out your life purpose - which is a combination of reflecting on your unique personal qualities + how you like to express those qualities when interacting with others while envisioning how people would act in a perfect world. (I'm pretty sure my purpose includes an Oscar after-party and a few million dollars...)

Though it was personally a rocky start to the New Year, I am excited to look ahead and anxious to do the work, take responsibility, give up complaining, pay attention to alerts and live my life purpose!! Why? Because, "yes we Can... field!"

xo

Jen

Day 4: The Dog Ate my Blog

OK, so I'm starting to feel a little better physically and emotionally. Thank you to all who expressed their condolences for our loss and concern over my illness.

I had enough energy to get back into Jack so I began to tackle some of the first chapter. And it's main focus is taking responsibility. Amy talked about it some - and her decision not to complain anymore as Jack recommends.

What hit home for me was the section titled, "You Have To Give Up All Your Excuses."

"If you want to create the life of your dreams then you are going to have to take 100% responsibility for your life... giving up victim stories, all the reasons why you can or can't... It is not the external conditions and circumstances that stop you -- it is you! We stop ourselves. We think limiting thoughts and engage in self-defeating behaviors... We fail to educate ourselves, learn new skills, engage in gossip, eat unhealthy foods, fail to exercise, spend too much money, avoid necessary conflict, fail to tell the truth, don't ask for what we want."

Well, holy crap. I am very guilty of excuses. When you read this chapter in depth, and examine what it means to make excuses and not take responsibility for your life, you start to realize that you are probably soooo guilty too. If you've ever uttered the words, "My life sucks because my job sucks." Or anything of the sort... You are guilty. Because you're making the choice to have a sucky life by staying in a sucky job.

Yes, you might have a mortgage and mouths to feed. People may not have the "luxury" to just quit. But there are always ways out. Most of us stay in "sucky jobs" and "sucky" situations more out of comfort than anything else. Change forces us out of our comfort zones. Often, when people are faced with whether they should consider using their time to really job hunt or learn a new trade or skill, go back to school, full on network - people opt to give into that feeling of, "eh why bother?" and they stay put, it feels immediately easier to stay in mediocre or even bad than shoot for great... I was guilty. I actually was in a somewhat comfy job, I liked the people I worked with enough, the job was okish but I felt there was more out there for me - I often didn't feel like I was operating at full potential or encouraged to. Yet, I stayed, I didn't try to get anything else and aside from being guilty of comfort I was even more guilty of being uncomfortable with the idea of change, rocking the boat, taking a chance, confrontation, having to quit and leave the people I'd worked with for years of thinking I'd be disappointing my boss and coworkers... I had an immense fear of leaving and winding up in a worse place and it paralyzed me to stay in a position of ok instead of seeking great.

In the past year, I've made so many excuses for things. Even losing weight. How many times when I had a full time job I uttered the words, "I don't have time for exercise." Now that I'm working from my home and theoretically have "time" to exercise, I still hear myself saying, "I don't have time to exercise." Yes I do and yes I did even when I was working in New York City full time. I might not like the time frame I have to exercise. Be it getting up at 5 AM or going at 8:30 PM but I technically can walk, do jumping jacks in place or go to the gym at those times - I've chosen not to. Why? Because quite frankly at 5 AM, I am choosing sleep and the warmth of my bed and at 8:30 PM I'm typically choosing a trashy reality television show but that's my choice. So, I have to take responsibility and say I am choosing not to use those times to exercise - instead of making the "excuse" of not having the time at all.

At first glance, excuses are like nice warm fuzzy blankets that comfort you. It pushes the fault off of you, it takes the decision out of your hands... "It's not my fault I'm fat... I just don't have time." But it's bullshit and the thing is, once you acknowledge it's BS, it's actually kind of liberating because now you can change your thinking from it's impossible to it's possible - you can control your life, your weight, your job, your dreams, your destiny...

Can I do it...? "Yes I Can... field!" (Oh I'm back.)

People stay with the wrong partner, in jobs that don't satisfy them, stop reaching for dreams, going for things they want for all kinds of "reasons" (excuses). We become so programmed to believe these limiting things that we take it as fact and not excuse.

Anyway, I'm going to work on this. If i want to lose weight, I'm going to lose weight. If I want to do something, I'm going to do it. No more blaming the economy, my boss, the decade, the weather, a bad hair day for my problems. No more complaining.

I gotta go, I have weight to lose!

Oh crap, the cat peed on my Tae Bo tape. maybe tomorrow ;)

xo

Jen

Day 3 Life is short

Day two was a bust for me, I just couldn't get out of bed between hurting physically and hurting emotionally. My sweet sister-in-law, Maritza, left this world early Sunday morning. She was 54 years old. She went in for a pretty standard procedure a few weeks ago and thru a series of events (the family will be investigating) this resulted. We are heartbroken, she was the strength of her family.

Needless to say, I haven't done much past the introduction of The Success Principles. I will try to read some later this afternoon.

Though this isn't the way I had envisioned kicking off 2010, If there's one thing this situation has reminded me of is this: Life is too short. Life is too short to "wait" to start living. Live everyday in a state of gratitude because as Jack has said, having gratitude is having abundance. Every day of life is a gift that we too often take for granted. What I am looking forward to with this book, even in this time of sadness, confusion and heart ache (not to mention the haze of Nyquil and antibiotics for my illness) is that this life we've been given is the only one we got - and we do have to take responsibility for making it the best it can be.

Amy, thanks for carrying the blog for now - I read it... and he is right - we need to be 100% responsible for our lives, our choices, behaviors, ideas, feelings - they are all us. It's easy to blame the economy, a friend, the media, the world for our problems but there's probably a way for us to do things differently to have a different outcome.

In any case, I'm ready to start taking responsibility for my life. Almost. Maybe tomorrow. Today I'm in mourning and trying to mend myself emotionally and physically.

Ritzie, I'll miss you. You touched so many people. Rest in peace, sister.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!! Day 1.

Happy New Year.

It's been a tough day already and the last thing I wanna do is this blog thing but I'm not giving up on our first official day.

I woke up feeling awful (no drinking last night - got hit with a sinus infection...) and really bad news. My poor, wonderful sister in law is in the hospital. She's not doing well and we are praying for her recovery. The whole thing with her is too overwhelming to bare right now.

I did manage to eek out the first few pages of Jack, though it's tough to be enthused right now - I'll be on Jack track soon... jen

Hey Jen, I am very sorry to here about your sister-in-law. She is in my thoughts and prayers. Don't worry to much about the introduction today. I can handle it for the both of us, it is only 7 pages. Nothing major.

The dedication:

This book is dedicated to all those courageous men and women who have ever dared to step out of the dominant culture of resignation and mediocrity and endeavor to create the life of there dreams. I honor and salute you.

OMG I love it!!!! why? because this is me! And Jen!

Now, this may be silly to you, and don't think I am one of those people who believes in signs and stuff... But I am going to share this with you because it made me feel good. And if ???? I did believe in signs this might be one. LOL :0)

In between the dedication and the introduction there are 2 quotes. One from, Self help author,Brian Tracy and the other from inventor, Thomas Edison. Now, this made me feel good or might be a sign because?????

Well, It just so happens that I LOVE THOMAS EDISON. When I was a child, and a not so young child, in high school as a matter of fact, it was realized that I was dyslexic.

My parents, who always had my back even when I wasn't doing well in school never ever thought of me as stupid or let me think that of myself.

Being from NJ, They would encourage me by using Thomas Edison(inventor and local historical hero) who was said to be dyslexic as well, as an example of someone who people might have thought of as stupid because he didn't do well in the typical school setting either.

When I was getting down on myself about my grades My father would say... "don't worry to much about it my love, the school system is set up simply for the average... And you Amy Beth are far from average. Just look at Thomas Edison, he didn't even graduate high school."

Anyway, sorry to bog you down... But the bottom line is I have always had a connection to Thomas Edison and there it was, one of my favorite quotes.

"If we did all the things we are capable of doing, we would literally astound ourselves"

- Thomas Edison

It just made me feel good. Really good, it made me reflect on my youth and how lucky I am to have the parents I have. How grateful and fortunate I am for their unconditional love and support. And how much, I feel like, I relate to Thomas Edison.

Just like Mr. Edison, there is greatness in me. My parents believe it, my brothers and sisters believe it, my good friends believe it, Jen Believes it. And now armed with the guidance of Jack Canfield and The Success Principles I am going to prove them 100% right!!!!!

A good way to start the new year!

Anyway, On with the Introduction;

A few key points:

Jack in no uncertain terms tells us that if we follow and fully apply the principle WE WILL BE SUCCESSFUL. he does not skate around it with words like... the possibility of, or the potential for.

He says...

" if you learn them,(the principles) assimilate them, and apply them with discipline every day, they will transform your life beyond your wildest dreams"

"If you choose to put in the effort, I promise you the rewards will be well worth it."

Jack suggests that we read the book thru once to get the feel for it, highlight and make notes as we go. Excellent, We have done that part already.

Now, we are ready and going to read it for the second time. One chapter at a time and applying and taking whatever time nessary to put what we have learned in to practice.

Here we go...

"it is time to start living the life you've imagined" - Henry James

Buh bye 2009 -leaving you behind: 366 days of Jack in T -1

2009 was tough, man. I mean, we said good bye to Patrick "Nobody puts baby in the corner" Swayze, lost the King of Pop, a teen movie making hero, John Hughes, and most shockingly, Brittney Murphy and DJ AM. It's sad.

This year's been a struggle for many and we're no different. Our financial situations have seriously suffered this entire year. It's been pretty humbling and eye-opening but we're surviving and still standing. Times like these remind you of what's important in life; friendship, family, love, health, reruns of Law & Order SVU...

We could complain but since we are turning over new leaves and we are getting on a Canfield wagon of no more "poor me's, we decided to look at the positives...

Why?

Because... (wait for it....) Yes, WE Can.. field. (I couldn't resist but I can see how that's gonna get old quick.)

Speaking of Jack, I stumbled upon this Jack Canfield quote, "When you are in a state of appreciation and gratitude, you are in a state of abundance."

So here are the top five good things that happened to each of us in crappy (I mean happy) 2009:

Some good things in 2009 for Jen:

Forming Media Meld Studios with Angela and Dan. It's been awesome and 2010 will be the year. We really took the time to build this thing.... and we shot a movie for cryin' out loud! A good one that I'm so proud of - Who does that? Besides movie people? ;) I lost seven pounds. I know you're thinking a half a pound a month is kind of slow and I still have 30 or so to go but down 7 pounds in a crappy year is better than being up 20 in a good one, if you ask me. I didn't totally give up everything and dive into a menage a trois with Ben & Jerry or have an illicit affair with Burger King, which I wanted to do. Often. Especially Burger King. He's royalty, you know. I got a book agent and almost wrote a book - the book ultimately didn't sell (too many similar titles out there) but just to have a respected, top-notch agent believe in me really gave me confidence I needed as a writer.... and I got paid to write a short screenplay. All good stuff. I also grew a pair and stood up for myself, I "advocated" for myself in ways I never would have in years past. So I guess, even though 2009 was one of strife, I can say that it was also a year that I "grew" as a person while my ass (believe it or not) shrank in size.

So Amy, tell us what you think - what good things happened for you in 2009?

Really???? Really Jen??? This is what I have to wake up to... a homework assignment of five good things that happened in 2009… I honestly want to just give up and go back to bed, this year kind of blew.

Hey, maybe tomorrow you could start my day with a chain e-mail that will tell me only great things will happen if and only if I send it to 50 of my closest friends. And if I don’t oh well, bad luck, forever, I guess… That would be nice… bad luck & a reminder that I don’t have as many friends as you.

Awesome.

Ok, but seriously after some moping around and no lie, crying this morning about the lack of my success this past year., my Husband got a little agitated with me and pointed out that I need to stop thinking that the only accomplishments in life are the big ones. Some of the things I think are no big deal are actually a very big deal and things that some other people only dream of doing.

So here it goes…

I found a business partner, Francesco, and we started our own business. Style Studio a fashion, beauty and personal style concierge service. And it is doing pretty good. It could be going better. But that is 100% our fault! Things like hanging out, shopping for ourselves and lunch easily distract us, Francesco and I LOVE lunch. But that is what this Canfield blog is all about. Forcing us to apply the principals instead of getting distracted with hanging out shopping and having lunch! I am kind of excited. If we could achieve as much success as we have with the minimum effort we have applied just image how successful we can be if we apply ourselves 100%!

I am in the home stretch of putting yet another Olympics under my belt. When I got the gig at NBC as the wardrobe stylist and consultant in 2000 for the Sydney games. I actually thought about how great it would be if I could do the games until 2010. It seemed soooooo far away. Suprize! 6 Olympic Games, 4 continents and 10 years later. Here we are 2010! Already? I can’t believe it!

Ok, I know this may not be the ideal for an accomplishment. But I am going to count it anyway. Judge me if you must. But I have a horrible guilty pleasure… Black jack. That is right, I said it… OK, so I like a little gambling. And at the end of the year my winning far exceeds my losses. And lets face it; we all know the casinos weren’t built on people winning. So hell as far as I am concerned that is an accomplishment.

I just turned 40, Freaking 40!

And that is an accomplishment. And I know what I am about to say is completely inappropriate but hell I have that problem. I tend to say out loud what (I think) people are thinking. So here it is… God rest their souls but DJ AM and Britney Murphy didn't make it to 40 and I feel sad for them but I made it to 40 and in a year like the one I've had - I'm counting my blessings on that one!

UMMMMM... God rest their souls indeed...

So, anyway... if you had a tough year too, we would encourage you as you drunkenly give the big ol' double finger to 2009 and belligerently kick this f'ed up year to the curb - to take ten minutes and reflect on a few of the good moments too! See ya in 2010!

PS: We are grateful for the three of you who have chosen to read this blog and for the one of you who decided to make if official and actually follow us... Thanks Ang! The other follower is my yahoo account but whatever. 2 followers look pretty. Can't wait for a comment! (hint, hint Angela our great, only follower!) Steph, thanks for reading, go ahead and follow us too!

xoxo

Jen & Amy

366 days of Canfield in T minus 2!

My best friend Amy had a brilliant idea - to blog about our decision to read and apply every Success Principle outlined in Jack Canfield's Success Principle book.

The book is designed to help average folks set big goals for themselves and achieve them.

Want to be a millionaire? A rock star? Media Mogul? Yes you can!! All you need to do is read the book and then, like any good advice, actually follow through with the suggested techniques.

Well, Amy and I usually get fired up for about 48 hours... OK sometimes even a week and then like many people who try to quit smoking or lose weight, our follow through falls flat.

We mean well but you know. Stuff gets in the way. Like, uh. You know... that. Hmmm. Which principle is the one about keeping focus? :)

It's a big book, chock full of mostly inspiring (sometimes corny - in a good way!) information and we will break it down for you and for us...

2010 - Good times again! We're gonna do it!

Because...

YES WE CAN...field!

See you at the Oscars, where we'll be the millionaire rock stars in the corner... OR the crazy (but cute) middle-aged Jersey girls trying to crash the thing!

xo

Jen

(for Amy & Jen)