Never chase a goal so hard you forget to have fun with it.♥️

I’ve been going through some old photos—compiling them from all the various shows I’ve done over the years. I have a specific purpose for this complication for myself and my training. It’s interesting and useful to see how I’ve changed my physique over the years. Change happens small and over time. Pictures help with perspective.

As I go through them, I am reminded there’s been quite a few and I’ve now been doing this more than just a year or two.

Guess what? Looking back I think, “hey, I was more prepared than I thought I was.” But maybe I was placing too much priority on what the judges thought? I’ve been blessed with open doors for a quality education in the fields of human developmental and nutrition. I’ve planned, prepped and been focused and dedicated. I have the gift of discipline. And I found the nutritional edge my biochemistry needed to shred down lean.

I highly recommend AdvoCare if you are looking for a rock solid supplement that has safety and efficacy. I’m including a picture of me on the left, 6 weeks after birthing my fourth child. Contrast that to picture on the right, on stage in my second season. I believe my FIFTH child was two years old when the picture on the right was taken. I don’t have the exact dates of the photos so you have to take my word and visit the website:

NextLevelcoach.com

Aside from all of this—you never feel ready, at least I don’t. You can feel you put in the work and the time, but not ready. I feel this way with every show. So as I look at these pictures I am once again reminded of all the memories that have been made. All the friendship and community that has been built.

How about you?

Have you ever had something you worked hard at and sometimes you forget that you do your part and trust God to bless your efforts?

I think back to when I was in school. I never felt ready in college. Always did the work, but was it enough? Never felt prepared enough. But I graduated and I guarantee I remembered to have fun!

How about parenting?

If you’re a parent for sure you’ve had times you got so caught up in the job of parenting that you forgot to just cut loose and have fun with them?

I’ve always found humor in the parent who was desperate to potty train their child by the age of two. I just smile, good for you (knowing that most likely they know when to run the kid to the bathroom. Most one year olds don’t have enough muscle and mind to muscle control for that—but some do).

But to the mom who feels less than prepared because her four year old still soils their pants I always share—“they’ll be fine. They aren’t going to graduate high school in a diaper.”

Puts it in perspective, right?

I love to laugh with my kids. They crack me up. But I’ve had a lot of them so each kid progressively benefited from the more laid back me. The oldest always gets to be the pioneer for younger siblings. Isn’t that true! I know my oldest agrees with this (I’m an oldest sibling, too)!

I’ve got some homework for you this week.

📌Spend some time enjoying yourself.

📌Indulge in some simple pleasure.

📌Smile often.

📌 Be friendly.

📌Show others kindness.

There’s so much more to life than work and purpose and direction and intention.

Just Be.

You plus God is greater still.

When you simply do what needs to be done, you can trust in a God who says, “it’s enough”. Forget the judges—you’ve got the win. And as for your kids, they’re going to turn out just fine. Keep loving and leading and every little voice that says it’s not enough, you’re not enough or things are pretty rough—ignore it!

These are just a few examples. You already know what it is that presses you, and maybe you need to just enjoy it a bit more because you've been thinking of it the entire time you’ve been reading this. So, you know what to do...

Enjoy♥️

<Nicole