8 self development leaders – November 2019

// November 2019 //
Since getting back from Bali 4 weeks ago, I have made a few (small but big!) changes to my life/ routine.

I know I have moved forward in huge leaps and bounds already! Here’s what I’ve done and how copying me could help you too …

Quitting CrossFit

After having a tearful, rather dramatic breakdown in CrossFit (sorry to my coaches, I couldn’t hold it in!) I quit. I accepted it was an exercise step too far for me.

I didn’t want to be a machine/ athlete fit – it was making me put wayyy too much pressure on myself. I really enjoyed lots of the workouts but the focus on barbell (weights) work wasn’t clicking in my brain. The day I felt my brain go black and blank-out in a session was the day I realised; this really isn’t for me. 

I love working out and had to get back to finding what made me tick!

… So, I took lots of learnings with me and bowed out of CrossFit. I decided it was time to find different ways to challenge my body and mind.

I went back to what I knew and what I felt comfortable doing – I threw myself back into an early morning routine of gym-before-work.

The CrossFit team showed me so many possibilities of ways to work out and how to strengthen my body and confidence. One thing I am particularly proud of is; I CAN SKIP.

I always thought ”I can’t skip – haven’t been able to since school”. Turns out; I CAN SKIP. CrossFit showed me I could!. I have since been practicing every day and am tracking my progress in the gym mirror. I look more confident and at ease (in the flow!) as the days are going on.

… It’s a great, empowering sight to see after years and years of giving myself a hard time for ”failing”.

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Motivated mornings for the WIN!

Currently I get up at 6am, hit the gym, get ready – go to work. I give myself 2 hours and 30 mins from waking up to arriving for work. That’s a lot of quality me-time to put some undisturbed effort into becoming a better human!

This is where I take my body and mind each week day – routines vary on weekends, depending on what I am doing but this is pretty much what my mornings look like, as I continually work on building out who I am and what I can offer to the world.

After Bali I realised how much work I wanted to do on myself, something happened to me on that trip that opened my eyes … I knew there were a lot of underlying things in me that needed addressing.

I started to form visual-paths of where I wanted to go and while I knew I had been ”doing my best”, as I always did over they years – was I REALLYYY doing my absolute best in life?

‘Course I wasn’t – there is always room for us to do more …

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Find your focus

Things I wanted to improve / work on mainly focus around being focused. I want the drive I have in my belly to always be there and my light for life to never go out.

Since arriving to Cairns there have been many (many!) times when my spirit has been shaken and/ or broken. I decided I wanted to safeguard myself, to build on my strength of character.

So, I set about learning more from key motivational speakers. I wanted to broaden my general skillset and sharpen my business mind as I went …

The content I look for to watch / listen to is generally motivational – I DIG THIS STUFF. I have always been ‘into’ content like this, but I wanted to step things up a gear. So I did. And here we are …

Here’s what I have been enjoying – check them out!

YouTube (Watch/ listen). I listen to these as soon as I wake up. I don’t check my phone for a while. I start positive. I play them while getting ready, in the shower, driving and working out. I am always searching for new content but these are great starting points.

#1 Anything featuring Jim Rohn

#2 Tony Robbins

#3 Law of Attraction Coaching

Books – I read before bed. I might just read a page from each – a little reading is better than no reading!

#1 The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin

#2 Stop Doing That Shit by Gary John Bishop

#3 12 rules for Life by Jordan B. Peterson

Podcasts – Again, I listen first thing in the morning (6am), while driving and during the gym, getting ready etc. I am shying away from Spotify to concentrate on learning – it’s Podcasts or YouTube at the mo!

#1 Under the Skin with Russell Brand

#2 The School of Greatness with Lewis Howes

YouTube and Podcasts are with me whenever I get a moment – I listen in work and after work too. Any time I can give my mind more positive content; I duly go for it!

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Let’s be ready for what’s to come!

Throughout my life I have often felt like I am ”on the cusp” of something, like a great thing was always around the corner. I think it’s fair to say it’s because I naturally live with hope and faith in myself/ life.

However; I have experienced many moments of despair (as we all do!) but somehow we get through to the other side don’t we? … Recently; I feel I want to be prepared for the next dash of greatness to come my way.

As much I know I must be ready mentally for when life deals me a dark card, I more-so want to be prepared for when I get new chances to step up to the next phase of my short time on this planet.

Let’s go!

Thank you for reading – I would love to hear your feedback on this. Please leave me a comment or message me any time.

@laralain