by Amy Matthews | Dec 5, 2017 | Inspiration |
The world we live in is crazier than ever. The uncertainty of our times is profoundly affecting us all. It’s crucial more than ever to take care of ourselves. But what does it really mean to take care and nurture yourself – from the inside out? Here are my Top 5 Tips to keep from getting overwhelmed or run down.
#1 Meditation and Yoga
Simply put: meditation makes me better. When I meditate, I’m kinder to myself and I have more ease in my life. I see things more clearly and am present with people and situations. Even 5 minutes a day makes a difference. Similarly, yoga helps me unwind my mind and wring out all the goo – you know, the stuff that can weigh you down and make you feel stuck.
#2 Gratitude
A daily appreciation practice shifts your perspective. For one day, instead of judging or worrying, consider looking at how lucky and blessed you are! Before I go to bed, I think about the 5 things I am most thankful for that day.
#3 Know Your Limits
If you’re feeling overwhelmed or stressed, ask yourself what you need in the moment. You may not know at first – that’s okay – just keep asking. You are only human, and contrary to popular belief, humans have limits! If you need a break, “just say no” to an event on your calendar. Instead, get a massage or take a candlelit bath.
#4 Detox
I’ve been cleansing for 20 years. I was ahead of the times in this department: when I started, it certainly wasn’t considered cool. I’ve experimented with all kinds of cleanses. If you haven’t done a cleanse before, do some research. I’d recommend to start by removing foods from your diet like gluten, dairy, sugar and alcohol. Try it for 21 days and you’ll feel better – clear, light, grounded and inspired.
#5 Sleep
Sleep is the new status symbol. Lack of sleep has huge consequences on our health, happiness and overall performance. I am not the best sleeper, so I turn off my electronic devices an hour before I go to bed to unwind. A nap can be life changing, too. You’ll feel refreshed and ready to rock!
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by Amy Matthews | Nov 27, 2017 | Mindset |
“Worrying won’t stop the bad stuff from happening. It just stops you from enjoying the good.” – Author Unknown
“Worry is like a rocking chair: it gives you something to do but never gets you anywhere.” – Erma Bombeck
Worrying has become an epidemic among women. There is the healthy kind of worry that is instinctual, like when a parent worries about the safety of their child. But there is the “not so good kind of worry”, a form of anxiety, which leads to overthinking. Do you know what I mean, when you go over and over it in your mind and can’t let it go? This type of worry wreaks havoc on our happiness, health and quality of life! So what’s the solution? Here are a few ways I’ve learned to turn off my worry button.
#1 Share your worry with someone close to you, a sister, friend, partner, or even a journal. By talking or writing it out, It will help you process it. You may realize your worry is not as big as it seems! Either way, getting it out of your head will make you feel better.
#2 Do things that divert your attention. Walk in the sunshine, get on that treadmill, head to a yoga class and breathe. Take yourself out to dinner. Dance! Whatever it is for you. Or listen to that podcast you love.
#3 Live in the moment. Most people worry about situations in the past or things that haven’t happened yet, or may never happen. If you live in the present, you say YES to joy in this very moment. This takes discipline, but it’s worth it: wouldn’t you rather be happy?
#4 Pay closer attention. Slow down and start monitoring your worries. Are they like a ping-pong ball? Are you ruminating about things which you can’t actually control? Is there a pattern to the stories you tell yourself? Once you become aware of your thoughts, they will have less of a grip over you.
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by Amy Matthews | Nov 21, 2017 | Inspiration, Mindset |
I’m over the moon! The article below was published in Susan Hyatt’s Dig Deep on-line magazine! It’s about a very special person in my life, my sister and her unwavering, positive attitude.
Here’s a story about my sister, Susan. Susan is four years older than me and we’ve always had a special relationship. I was her greatest fan growing up, as little sisters often are. I was forever complementing and supporting her because I thought, and still do, that’s she is a beautiful human being inside and out. As an older sister, she has looked out for me. To this day we are very close. I am grateful for our friendship and sisterhood.
Susan has a Type A personality and is 110% an extrovert. She’s a dedicated mother, wife, sister, aunt and friend. She cares deeply for everyone in her life, including people she has just met. She is smart, capable and accomplished. She’s a committed advocate for causes she firmly believes in. She has more energy than she knows what to do with. And like many of us, she can get a bit crazy at times. In her case, it’s because she cares so intensely about the things to which she gives herself that she can get too emotionally involved. Picture a dog with a bone who just won’t let go. This also means that the girl makes things happen and gets shit done. She still somehow finds the time to fill her life to the brim with fun, fun, fun. Everyone loves Susan because she puts so much love and positive energy out into the world. If there ever was a “You Get What You Give” campaign, she would be the poster child.
Growing up, ever since I can remember, when Susan tried to convince our dad to say “yes” to something she desperately wanted to do, she’d say, “Dad, I have to do this now, it may be my only chance!” Susan has continued to live this way since childhood and has never looked back.
I call this “Eating the Brownie”. Living fully, out loud, with #noregrets. My sister Susan is a perfect example of someone who eats the proverbial brownie every day. As a Business and Life-Freedom Coach for Women, I believe in taking action towards what you really want, whatever it is: the things which bring you more joy, inspiration and meaning.
That’s the backdrop of the story. Here’s the second part.
Susan and her husband recently went out of town for a few days. After being abnormally tired one night, she woke up the next morning with tingling in her feet and found she couldn’t walk straight. Something was wrong. They had a jolt of coffee and rushed to the emergency room. After a series of tests to rule out the worst illnesses, she was diagnosed with a rare autoimmune syndrome. She needed immediate treatment and was quickly taken to a nearby hospital where she would spend 5 days. Once treated, the illness left her unable to move her extremities and complete everyday functions. She went from working out on a stair climber one day to not being able to brush her teeth the next. CRAZY…right? And terrifying! She spent the next 10 days in a rehabilitation facility to get back on her feet. Susan has always been a Chatty Cathy so we were all very grateful that she could think and express herself clearly. But she did have to learn how to do things all over again, like walk, dress and write. Things she – and we – take for granted on a daily basis.
Susan felt more vulnerable than ever before in her life. She was thinking “What happens if my whole life is different now?” Her family and loved ones – were all wondering too. Truly frightened, she vehemently declared to her doctors, “I don’t want to die, I have too much to live for! Please don’t let me fall through the cracks!!” Her medical team was top notch and of course, they didn’t.
Susan, miraculously and admirably, has had a positive attitude and outlook through her whole ordeal. Despite intense waves of fear, she went out of the way to be friendly to everyone she met in the hospital, including all the other patients. She was a bright light in other people’s lives during her most difficult moments.
Susan loves her life and everyone in it. She is determined to get 100% back to normal. She believes she will, and so she will. No ifs, ands or buts. Her doctors agree there’s no question that she will. Susan has always found a way to go after what she wants, because she believes wholeheartedly in it and then works hard to get it. I say, it’s a testament to her unwavering positive attitude and determination. I also say, boy do I still look up to my big sister.
Life is amazing and full of surprises. Some good and some not so good. When times get tough, are you able to rise above it with an unflinching can-do attitude, bringing positivity and kindness to those around you? The choice is for each of us to make. I think it can be simple: if you will, you will.
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This is good stuff. Thank YOU!
I’ve learned what I love myself.
Focusing on what I want has been AMAZING !!!
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by Amy Matthews | Nov 7, 2017 | Mindset |
A couple months ago, I went on a 24 hour trip to Boulder, Colorado. I had been invited to an impromptu party with sorority sisters whom I hadn’t seen in more than 20 years. At first, I said I couldn’t make it as I had plans in San Francisco that night. Then I realized I HAD TO GO! I needed to connect with old friends and reclaim that time in my life. Seeing and connecting with women I had once lived with, and hadn’t seen since I was 21. CRAZY…but a good crazy! A total blast from the past.
One of my favorite conversations was with a sorority sister who is very real and honest. We immediately reconnected; it was as if we were transported back to our college days. The first thing she told me was she had been married three times. With her dry sense of humor, she said: “First one – mistake. Second one – sociopath. Third one – eh, he’s a good guy.” She is now happily married to #3. We talked about her marriage to the sociopath and the difficulty she endured. She shared with me what she learned from being with him and how she had grown from the experience. The best part of the story was when she told me how she gained the courage to finally leave him. I said to her: “sometimes it takes several tries to get it right”.
Here’s what I have to say. Don’t ever be scared to make mistakes because we all make them. Sometime they are really big and other times they are relatively minor. Making mistakes helps you grow up and learn what you really want vs. what you thought you wanted. Some of my most profound learnings have come from failed attempts to get what I wanted. If you make a mistake in your career or in a relationship, don’t let it stop you from moving forward towards what you want. Just try again. Own what you want and go after it. Never give up, keep going until you get it right.
I will also add: at some point, you will feel better if you stop making the same mistakes over and over. Better to make new mistakes! Learn from the experience and don’t let go of your dream if you don’t get the result you wanted the first time. Life is one big learning process and it gets messy! Live your life full force and out loud, even when you encounter speed bumps along the way.
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by Amy Matthews | Oct 31, 2017 | Mindset |
Do you find yourself forever waiting for people or situations to change? Are you waiting for your job to get better, for a colleague to leave the coveted position you want? Or are you waiting for your partner to get through their own shit and show up for you? Maybe you’re waiting to get over your fear of taking the next step towards your biggest dream. Or to become the thin version of yourself. Or to find what you want to do in your life, or to become all that you can be.
I have news for you; waiting is a no-win game. It’s a way to limit yourself, to keep yourself small. Instead of putting yourself in the forefront of your life and taking action, it puts everyone else’s priorities ahead of yours. This can be toxic because more often than not, you end up feeling frustrated or angry.
Your life is happening now! In fact, you are creating it every minute of each day. Don’t wait for life to happen, make it happen. Instead of waiting for a change, create a change. Remember, you are front and center. Figure out what you want to manifest in your life, come up with a plan, and start taking deliberate action. Once you do, things will unfold. It will take time! You will also have to trust! Patience is still a virtue. So is hard work, determination, perseverance, right timing and luck!
If you’d like to move forward in your life or career, I can help. Together, we’ll go through a process to discover what you really want, uncover your mental blocks, build your confidence and most importantly, outline the actions you’ll take to finally get it. I’ll be with you every step of the way.
There’s no better time than now: if you wait until you’re ready, you may be waiting for the rest of your life. I’m offering a free 30 minute coaching session. Come on, let’s go!
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