ITS THAT TIME OF YEAR AGAIN! 

 TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS... 

F.A.B Women Fitness Style!

Twas’ the night before Christmas and all through hood

 F.A.B ladies were smiling cause they were feeling so good.

Their stockings were thrown on the bed without care

Cause we all know those things really suck to wear.

The children were nestled all snug in their beds

While visions of iPods danced in their heads.

And I was in the kitchen, sipping a nightcap,

With the book 50 Shades resting in my lap.

When out of the blue there arose such a clatter

I pulled myself away from Christian Grey to see what was the matter!

When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,

But two F.AB ladies full of good cheer.

They were dancing along to music so lively and quick

I thought to myself, “I must join these chicks!”

On tight jeans! On dress skirts! Oh "I look like a Vixen!"

Cause working out and personal development they are a mixin’!

Tone your BODY, Focus your MIND, Enrich your SOUL

While having a blast, is the main goal.

Now I’m rocking it out… though it’s been quite awhile

But it don’t matter cause I shake it Gangnam style

I worked out with F.A.B, I learned quite a bit,

And I feel so much better after experiencing it.

It was getting quite late and the F.A.B girls had to go

Over the river and out into the snow

But I heard them exclaim as they drove out of site…

“Happy Holidays to all and to all a F.A.B night!”

www.fab-women.com

Time for SHOW – NOT TELL By Sheila Turner


Lately it seems as though every time I log into Facebook, Twitter, MSN, etc…I am bombarded with these “10 Things I Want My Daughter, Son, Teenager, Dog… to know posts. Sure, they’re nice and great and lovely and all, and I want the same for my kids, but with each new post, I become increasingly annoyed.

Don’t get me wrong, I do want my daughter to know that she is loved no matter what and that life isn’t always fair. I want her to grow into a beautiful, caring, self-respecting woman just like every parent wants for their child. And I want my teenage son to respect girls and to know that you get out of life what you give to it. As for my dog – I actually don’t have a dog and haven’t seen a post for dogs, but I have a funny feeling one will be hitting the social media scene any day now.

But I have to be honest here. While these posts, whether they’re 10 things, 25 things, or a million things, have all the right intentions and address some pretty important life-lessons, they miss the mark big time on what WE as parents and adults are actually DOING to SHOW our kids that these life-lessons are real and take work, not just words.

Sure, it’s easy to tell someone that they are beautiful and loved no matter what. We can say it over and over and over again. We can print it out, frame it and hang it on our walls, but are we living that way ourselves? Do we TELL our children one thing yet SHOW them the opposite? Do we criticize our bodies and point out flaws in ourselves and others? Are we truly SHOWING them how to be honest, faithful and trustworthy? And when we tell our children that we want them to be strong and healthy, are we SHOWING them the same or are we teaching them by the, “Do as I say, not as I do” method?

I used to think these posts were great but then realized that they never address the fundamental principle of showing by example. We tell our children to be honest, faithful, generous, loving and forgiving. We tell them to love themselves, respect others, and give to those in need, but do we SHOW them how? If we’re not living what we’re preaching, then our words are just words - and our children will see right through those words and learn to deal with life’s challenges the way they SEE us handling them.

We live in a land of excuses and avoid doing the very things we want our children to do. We blame our parents, our upbringing, our challenges, and tell our kids that we are the way we are because of our past. We want them so desperately to NOT be insecure and critical, and out of shape, and stressed out all the time that we resort to lists telling them we want them to live differently. But by NOT SHOWING them how we want them to live, we are simply begging them to be different and expecting them to do so with no role models, no tools and no clue.

So I challenge you to make that generic “10 Things I Want My (Son/Daughter, etc) to Know” list and change it to your very own “10 Things I Am Doing to SHOW My (Son/Daughter) to Know” list. Sit down, take some time, and write out exactly how you’re going to SHOW your child how it’s done.

SHOW how to give to the community.
SHOW how important it is to be healthy.
SHOW how to love yourself and your body.
SHOW how to respect others.
SHOW how to handle a challenge with a level-head.
SHOW how mistakes can become opportunities.
SHOW how to stand up for what you believe in.
SHOW how education is essential in your daily life.
SHOW how you strive to become better every day.
SHOW how you value yourself, your purpose and your dreams.

More showing and less telling makes for a list worth framing!

Be Impeccable With Your Word

There is a book by Don Miguel Ruiz called the Four Agreements. These agreements act as guideposts for a happy fulfilled life. I thought I would share the first agreement with you as I believe in it wholeheartedly.

BE IMPECCABLE WITH YOUR WORD:
 Speak with integrity. Say only what you mean. Avoid using the word to speak against yourself or to gossip about others. Use the power of your word in the direction of truth and love.

Imagine being so clear in your thoughts that you are able to articulate exactly what you want to say with confidence. Now imagine that the words coming from your mouth are like darts whirling toward the person you are talking to and that those words hit the target. Your words have a direct impact on everyone you meet so it is extremely important to choose your words wisely.

Say out loud the following words: hurt, pain, anger, hate. 
How did that make you feel?

Now say out loud the following words: love, joy, giggles, tomato. 
How did THAT make you feel?

Hopefully you felt the difference. There is an energy around every word you say and every thought you think.

If your mind only focuses on supportive and loving thoughts about yourself and others there is much more room for clarity and positive energy abounds. It will be much easier to stay true to your self and communicate that truth. 

You can easily follow your internal compass when your mind and mouth are not bogged down by what ifs, should of's, and verbal pooh!

So I challenge you to become aware of how you talk to yourself and others. As they say "If you can't say something nice, don't say it at all." And I say "If you can't THINK something nice don't think it at all." Its a waste of valuable mind space!

Joy Pump Pump It Up!

I am so excited to share this video with you because the Journey to Joy book launch, of which I am a co-author, is upon us!! WOOHOO

Initially, I had never given much thought to the word JOY or to what it takes to bring JOY into my life. I was very goal oriented and focused on what goals I wanted to achieve but I never pondered joy before. Well, let me just share that once I started to think about the joy I currently have in my life and how I could bring more joy into the world of Sarah...... well...... SHAZAM! something shifted and there was no turning back.

Its true that what you focus on grows so I challenge you to focus on JOY!! For example, right now, sing out loud or in your mind if your a shy one the words of my boy Rob Base. DO IT!!!! I'll start...

Joy (pump pump it up! ) and pain
Like sunshine and rain

Now you...

Joy and pain
Like sunshine and rain

See?! You can't do it without feeling good!! You may feel silly but silly is joy with a funny bone.

So focus on joy and bringing joy into your life. Give it some thought and follow that with some joyful actions.  Pop some popcorn without the lid on. Buy a children's coloring book and spend 10 minutes a day coloring in it. (You WILL feel happy I swear it) Do whatever brings you feelings of joy!!!!!!

In the words of Mother Theresa ~ A joyful heart is the inevitable result of a heart burning with love.

Love and Joy to you all!

Sarah

My Personal God and a Push- Up Bra

* When I use the word GOD in the writing below I am using it as a general term to represent whatever it is that YOU identify as the Greater Power, Universal Consciousness, or Supreme Being; the Creator of Life, Truth, Love, Mind, Soul, and Spirit.

Let me start off by telling you something very important. YOU MATTER.  Yes, YOU, the person reading this.  You matter!

Close your eyes for a moment and imagine yourself doing what you absolutely love.  What you’ve always secretly dreamed of doing. Go on…. I’ll wait….

THAT is what you should be doing with your life. Are you doing that? Yes? No? Either way I am 100% confident that you are going to do something great with your life. You are… I KNOW you are. If you doubt yourself, you can always think back to me, the author of this blog, and you can say to yourself  “Sarah knows I am going to do something great with my life, so I better get to it!”

Who am I to tell YOU what you are capable of? Well, it’s true, that I am no different than you. I am a human being trying to live through this crazy experience called life the best I can.  I am pretty ordinary. I‘ve earned no Grammy despite my fabulous vocal performances in my shower. I have not been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize despite my ability to transform three arguing 5 year olds into “BFF’s” within 3 minutes and Sports Illustrated must have overlooked my swimsuit photo.  Muffin-top stomachs are all the rage at the PTO meetings!

I am ordinary. Well, I guess there is this one thing.

Did I mention that God is within me? She is, so I guess THAT makes me pretty special. She resides in the seat of my soul…or maybe I should call it the Laz-E-boy of my soul since she is pretty comfortable there.   She sometimes visits by head and has me questioning all sorts of things. Why are we here? Why is there so much pain in the world? What is my purpose?

She spends loads of time in my heart. I notice her there when I watch my daughter do something phenomenal like take her first step, learn to read, or open presents on Christmas morning.

Sometimes, when things get really tough I think she has gone away because my heart and head feel so cold but that is when I have to remember she is back in the Laz-E-Boy of my soul and she isn’t going ANYWHERE. At least not until my soul has grown, my heart has expanded, or my head has learned a life lesson… and sometimes that can take awhile.

The good news is you have God within you too. Did you know that? I couldn’t read the expression on your face just then… it was either ‘I so get that’ or ‘what is she talking about?’

Personally, it took me a long time to realize that part of her was here all along.  For a long time I thought I alone had ALL the answers and then for a long time I thought I had NO answers and I was just angry most of the time. Now I know together God and I will figure life out. Even when I can’t fully understand why something is the way it is I find solace in our being together. After all, she is GOD, and I am only human. 

Seriously, who am I to think I am going to comprehend the meaning to everything? It’s like the grain of sand understanding a universe of beaches or like my breasts understanding how to reverse gravity. I don’t even attempt to try. It’s impossible. I am just thankful for the push up bra.  Oops! Did I just compare God to a push up bra?  Thank goodness she has a sense of humor.  After all she IS supportive, she pulls me together, lifts me up, and most of the time I don’t even notice her there BUT without her I fall to my knees. Wow, the Miracle bra just took on a whole new meaning!!

Its amazing to think that when I was younger I couldn’t even comprehend such a relationship as the one I am developing with God right now. Back then, God was up at the Altar, and I was in the pew. But I have learned that there is a time and place for everything and the universe presents you with what you need to help you grow at just the right time. She totally knows what she’s doing.

Looking back, I DID always feel an instinctual connection to the universe.  To the environment and the people surrounding me, I just never associated that with God.  Sure, God created it all but because she was up there… I just never realized she could also be down here, over there, in me and in you. But now I think how could she not be in everything and everyone?  I gave birth to my daughter and although she is her own self I see reflections of me in her all the time.

It seems only natural to have a relationship with the source from which you came! So why are there so many spiritual solos (or soul-low as I like to call it)?  Why are there so many people who have turned away from a relationship with their personal God?

What is your relationship with your personal God? What have you done to exercise that relationship to make it stronger and more powerful?

Like I said earlier, YOU MATTER, and I KNOW you are going to do something great with your life. I KNOW this because you have God in you and when you tap into that relationship anything is possible!

Womanizer

Hello!

Here is another video for your at home workout. I am not in my pj's this time and we video'd the song to show you two different angles. I hope you enjoy it and remember more attitude means more calories burned!!!

Now go on with your jammin' selves ;)

Cold Hearted Snake

Finally! Its here for your at home workout enjoyment. Just click on the link and you can rock out in your own home. I will continue to post new songs so you can create a playlist and eventually have enough songs for an hour long workout. And yes, I have no makeup on and I am in my pajamas for this first one. 

Which means you have no excuses -- get your groove on!!

Enjoy!

http://youtu.be/pC554RmY9rM

CLUB F.A.B

I am so excited to have co- founded F.A.B Women Fitness with my soul sister, dancing diva, and business partner in crime, Sheila Turner. I feel a higher calling is taking fruition in a way I never expected..... but I guess thats the way it happens ... life unfolds in ways we can't imagine and thats what makes it crazy fabulous!

I am really looking forward to our next event on Friday April 26 (check out www.fab-women.com for more info) when we will be turning Sheila's dance studio into a dance club for one fun, female bonding, she's a maniac dancing, dorm room flash-backing, evening.  

Preparing for the event got me wondering about how often my friends, my clients, and my class participants feel truly carefree and how often they let go of the day to day self-imposing limiting beliefs that impede them from feeling complete uninhibited joy. My conclusion is not often enough!!!

So I have decided to share some funny, inspiring quotes that I hope will help you feel carefree and help you to let go of any stress you may be experiencing right now..... even if only for a few moments.

Life is short, wear your party pants! Loretta LaRoche

Where there's a will, I want to be in it.

The truth will set you free. But first, it will piss you off. Gloria Steinem

Its the good girls who keep diaries, the bad girls never have the time.- Talullah Bankhead

Now remember you are stronger than you know and you are beautifully unique.... just like everybody else.  HAHAHA!!!

Re-charge, Re-focus, Reveal a Better You in 2013

You don’t have to take life the way it comes to you. You can design your life to come to you the way you want it.

This is your life, your one and only life, and you don’t want to miss any part of it. Lets not only live the length of our life but lets live the width of our life as well.

What is your life going to be? You decide. Starting today. Starting here and now.

Do you ever feel like there isn’t enough time to focus on what YOU want for your life? Do you sometimes get to the end of the day and think where did this day go? What have I accomplished?

Well you have exactly the same number of hours per day that were given to Helen Keller, Beyonce, Mother Theresa, and Albert Einstein.

Are you thinking well they are exceptions or have something you lack? POPPYCOCK!

There has never been another you. You are a once in history event!! You are one of a kind and therefore no one can really predict what heights you may soar. Well there is one person and that person is you!!

You may not be able to see your undeveloped potential, but it is there--- and it is enormous!!!

Decide what’s next in your life and strategize how to get it! Live your life on purpose. The best day of your life is the day on which you decide your life is your own, the day that you realize your life is an amazing journey, and you alone are responsible for the quality of it.

Life is about the choices you make so it is important to choose wisely. One way to make happy healthy choices is to choose your values and let your values be your guiding stars. Your values are personal choices you make about what’s important to you. Being guided by your top values brings immense satisfaction and meaning to life.

Examples of values are fun, communication, beauty, family, friendship, health, wealth, learning, community, faith, integrity and many more. Identifying your lifetime values is a shortcut to identifying your top goals in life.  

Who do you want to be? How do you want to live your life? Take some time right now and think about your top values.

Think Big! Most people don’t aim to high and miss they aim to low and hit! When you hit the end of your life do you want to be one of those people who are glad they did, or one of the people who wished they had?

Start doing things today that will matter tomorrow. Don’t leave this world without giving it your all!!!!