Fall is my favorite season for sure, but what I’ve realized is that I get excited about the start of EVERY season because seasons are all about change. I like change. I’ve always been someone who is very open to change and finds boredom in the same old, same old. And aren’t the seasons the best example of this? (It probably helps that I live in the state of Virginia where the change of seasons are so evident!!!)

I think I especially have change on my mind because I’m heading out to Los Angeles to attend what I’ve hear is a life-changing event – a Tony Robbins conference called “Unleash the Power Within.” Apparently I will be locked in a freezing auditorium with 9,000 strangers and will have the opportunity to walk on fire!!!

First of all, I get cold easy so that part is particularly uncomfortable to me! (I packed my down jacket, gloves, and wool hat!) And I’m not sure how I’ll walk on fire without burning my feet…...

It’s funny how your mind can want things but until you actually make A DECISION to do them, it won’t happen. They will just continue to sit in your mind as thoughts unless you TAKE ACTION. Just thinking about them and wanting them will not change anything. I’ve been particularly inspired recently by Tony Robbins. I’ve been reading and listening to his books and DVD programs, in preparation for one of his conferences I’ll be attending later this month. Tony is all about mindset and training the mind to think differently. He teaches specific techniques to help you shift your mindset.

Yesterday’s assignment was to take TWO actions immediately that will move you towards the success you want - actions that you’ve been avoiding or procrastinating.

So last night, my first action was to set my alarm for 6am. My alarm has not been set, except in the rare case of an early appointment, since I left the corporate world on 6/30/15. I’ve always been...

Want to know what I did last Thursday? For those of you who guessed tattoo, you are sort of right…. I now have PERFECT eyebrows!

I have wanted to do this for over a year when I first heard it was possible. I even went to a tattoo artist and had a dye test which I blogged about last November: http://notyouraveragegrandma.com/2014/11/11/my-eyebrow-adventure/

But for some reason, I was hesitant and not comfortable with moving forward even though I hate my eyebrows. I didn’t want to do something that made them worse.

So I waited and the universe answered when I went in to the dentist a couple of weeks ago to get a filling replaced. While paying my bill, I noticed the woman who was processing my credit card had perfect eyebrows. And if you know me well, you know no question goes unasked!!! So I point blank asked her if they were tattooed. She said yes. And the rest is history. Then we bonded over our sad eyebrow stories!

Personal recommendations are a big deal to me so...

Today I came upon this wonderful Facebook post (see it beneath picture of flower below) from my fellow coach and friend Heidi Riter and thought it was the perfect opportunity to tell you a little about Heidi because this flower is a perfect example of the person Heidi is. Heidi always brings a smile to my face. I'm not sure how she found me but I'm so glad she did. On June 6th, I got a random email from her titled "looking for a coach." We chatted a couple of times before she made the decision to hop on board and begin coach training.

How many times have you gotten all excited about an idea or a project and you start working on it, only to get distracted with life and have it peter out a short while later? I am soooo guilty of this! If only I could STICK WITH IT!!! But time always seems to get in the way…

BUT, I’m thrilled to report that I got a GREAT idea last December, from author Elizabeth Gilbert, that I decided to implement and I’m here to tell you it’s still going strong after 6 months!!! Can you believe it?!!!

The idea was to create a Happy Jar that you fill with your year’s happiest moments. What this entails is simply remembering each day to take a short minute to think about & jot down the happiest moment from the day before.

I’ve stuck to this consistently every single day of 2015. I’m sooo proud of myself! And I can’t wait to read them all on January 1^st, 2016. What a great way to close out a year, or better yet, start a new one, than by reviewing...

I usually steer away from subjects that tend to cause a lot of controversy, like religion and politics, because they often ruffle feathers and create conflict, which I hate. But today I’ve decided to dip my feet into the controversial waters and share my view of the recent Supreme Court ruling that makes same-sex marriage a right nationwide. Not because I want to stir anything up, but because I just feel like letting people know where I stand on the issue. I saw some very shocking posts on Facebook yesterday that made me want to share my view - posts about the devil’s work and the end of the world being near. I even unfriended someone due to the remarks made. I’m all about “different strokes for different folks” but when someone is at such an opposite extreme as me, there can’t ever really be a great connection. And for me, great connections are the true basis for friendships.

What I say here today may not align with your belief system and it may...

Last week I got a whisper from the universe. I attended the funeral of a woman who was loved deeply by her family. Two of her grandchildren gave beautiful eulogies. (I was very grateful to find some used kleenex in my purse!) It struck me that if my 2 grandchildren were to give me a eulogy, they would probably say: "I love my Nannie, but she's always on the computer." I spent a lot of my children's lives on my computer, working almost 24x7 trying to build my career. I never had a 9a to 5p schedule really. It was work, work, work. (Fortunately they turned out ok in spite of that!) And now while super focused on building my 2nd career, I find I'm often tuned out during what should be family time.

I've always been someone who has felt I needed makeup to enhance my looks. Call it a crutch perhaps but I would actually turn around and come home to put it on if I'd forgotten it. Lately I'm wearing it less. And my husband likes me without it which reinforces that it's my own issue. The funny thing is most people probably don't even know if I'm wearing it!!! Except the ones that are self conscious like me!!!

One thing I'm learning as I get older and am surrounded by positive, uplifting people is that what truly matters is on the inside. And the people that you should surround yourself with will look at your soul, not at the fancy decorations that cover it.

What is your mind’s eye telling you? Did you know that it can work against you?

I came upon the Ted talk below and found it very interesting especially because the presenter, Emily Balcetis, used health and fitness as an example of where it can work against you. As a coach, I am always trying to find ways to motivate my customers so I am intrigued that a little alteration to how their mind is seeing things might be just the answer!

Emily talks about research that proves people who are more out-of-shape see exercise as more difficult while people who are in shape see it as easier. That makes sense! And she also says that the people who see exercise as more difficult also see the finish line as farther than people who are in shape. Again, that seems quite logical! But what’s really interesting is that when the out-of-shape people are asked to focus and keep their “eyes on the prize,” their mindset changes and they see the finish line closer.

So is the answer to...