Self-imposed limits are a result of our own thinking based on past conditioning. They are boundaries we’ve set in our minds about what we can’t be, do, have or achieve. These limits are not real; they only exist in our minds.

If you’re frustrated with boundaries and feel ready to expand your life, I encourage you to identify your self-imposed limits. Once you know what they are, you can free yourself from restrictions.

Self-imposed limits feel constricting and depressing. They often sound like the following

• I should stay in this career since this is what I earned my degree for.
• I am too old to even try now.
• I shouldn’t risk it; it could take too long and be too much work.
• I’ll never earn much money. No one in my family has ever made over $75,000 per year.
• I don’t have the time to “just do it.” I am too busy.
• I can’t publish a book; I am not a professional writer.

Self-imposed limits are false restrictions we place upon ourselves that stop us from taking further action and turning our dreams into reality. Imagine fully believing in your true potential rather than holding back because of self-imposed limitations.

This week, prepare yourself to jump out of the box and start creating your life from a much bigger space.

1. Make a List of the Limits You Place on Yourself.

Once you bring your awareness to the boundaries you’ve built, you can decide to make different decisions that align with what you really want. You no longer need to tell yourself “I can’t.”

Become inspired and open to all possibilities for recreating your life.

2. Change Your Beliefs.

Ask yourself whether you are truly limited in the way you previously thought. Why would you believe you are limited? What could you do without these limits?

Replace your negative, false beliefs with true and empowering ones.

3. Improve Your Self-Image.

Start seeing yourself as the highest and best version of you. Ask your highest self for daily guidance and listen to your intuition. By listening to your highest self, you start to develop a higher level of confidence.

What would your best and most confident self say to those limitations?

4. Have a Positive Expectation.

Expect the best with complete certainty. When you free yourself of limitations, you create space to fully see and believe in all that you’re capable of. Positively expect amazing outcomes. When you let go of self-imposed limits, you naturally release worry and need for perfection. You become present in the moment.

You were born to succeed and that is the beautiful truth. Now, fully expect it with certainty.

Please do! Just be sure to include this complete blurb with it:

Empowerment Expert , and Master Certified Coach Karen Fagan publishes her “Live in Your Brilliance” weekly ezine. If you want special tips to live bold, brilliant and rich in your life and business, you can sign up for a FREE subscription to Live in Your Brilliance at www.karenfagan.com. Want to see more secret tips? see Karen’s blog at Karen http://www.karenfagan.com/blog/

Taking the time to get to know your wants and desires can take many women years and years.  Do you have difficulty allowing yourself to become your true self? Programs like my Rock Your Body, Soul and Finances Program really allow you to stretch yourself to your limits, find your dreams and desires to become a strong and beautiful woman.  By becoming this woman that is hiding inside of you, you can free your body, mind and spirit and get the control back into your life that has been hidden or is missing. By simply opening yourself up to the process you are allowing yourself to be free of the ties that bind and hold you back. Let’s get out from behind the rock, open up and be who you are meant to be!

There was a time in my life I was really disconnected to my own self. I didn’t even know what I liked, what pleased me, not to mention, what I wanted to do with my precious life. But the one thing I did know, I was not living the life I desired. I felt this in my soul.  It’s not something I had to know – it was a feeling deep down inside me.

Once I figured out who I was as a woman,  I was so afraid to reveal this to the world. I was afraid to dress the way I truly wanted, even as far as being afraid to wear too big of earrings in case people talked about me.  I was afraid to tell people that, once, I really wanted to take my own life.  I was afraid to eat super healthy food in front of people who weren’t eating the same way or who were unhealthy themselves. I thought people will think I am crazy; too much – too demanding – too into living a higher quality life.

So, I just kept myself a very small version of me in hopes I wouldn’t rock the boat.  In order to not get people mad, I kept myself safe and small so others would like me and wouldn’t judge me for living a happy and healthy life.

Has something like this ever happened to you?

Many of my private clients used to be scared silly to express who they are as a woman and what their place is in this world. They stay quiet; stay in the wrong place in their lives or careers; carry extra weight and have depleted energy and bank accounts.  Sound familiar?

Take an honest look at what your life is right now. When it comes to your body, your relationships, your personal life, your career – Are you a woman who is rocking it authentically, or are you hiding behind the rock? Playing small, playing safe and hiding behind a rock – doesn’t work EVER! I know!!

I lived behind the rock for a long time. Why? Because nothing was ever allowed to feel good … I never allowed myself the pleasure of a job well done; the pleasure of living a good and healthy life; of having quality relationships. Living behind the rock keeps you completely out of alignment with who you really are; who you are meant to be and it will never bring you any closer to your heart desires.

How do you step into who you really are as a women and be who you are meant to be?

Take a look at this list and see what you can change and start working on today.

Women Who Rock Out Life Authentically …

1. Never apologizes for who she is, what she wears, what she desires and for what she does or what she doesn’t like.
2. Says what she means even if it pisses people off.
3. Lives her life with compassion but doesn’t sacrifice her happiness for others.
4. Has very clear boundaries
5. Is very clear with when she says YES and when she says NO
6. Lives free from guilt, self-criticism, and gossip
7. Asks for what she needs – without hesitation.
8. Brings her best self forward even when she doesn’t feel like it.
9. Knows that if she is at a restaurant and her meal comes not to her standard,  she can graciously ask for it to be returned, corrected or ask for something else – without feeling like she’s been needy or a b%$#@.
10. Knows how to please herself and knows how to ask others to please her.
11. Is surrounded by friends that support and challenge her to be her best.
12. Wears larger than life earrings when she feels like (My private clients did this – it felt so good to her to wear what she truly desired)
13. Rests and replenishes because she craves it.
14. Makes decisions without the need to justify them.
15. Knows when she indulges in spa treatments or shopping, she doesn’t have to hide it from her loved ones.
16. Spends quality time with her children and loved ones, free from distraction.
17. Thrives on contribution.
18. Knows exactly when she needs rest.
19. Flosses her teeth, feeds her body with high quality food.
20. Seeks all things wonderful.
21. Doesn’t waste time in drama and chaos
22. Has decided to no longer waste time with body image issue; rather set her life up to love her body and support it.
23. Invests in herself and life without hesitation or guilt.
24. Continuously adds more color in to her life.
25. Allows herself to connect to her sensual energy as women.
26. Lives in love not in fear.
27. No longer pretends everything is o.k. when it’s not. She stopped pretending and telling herself it will get better. She finally gives herself the gift of a powerful coach.
28. Allows dreams; she is curious; she desires the best for herself, family, animals and community

So tell me… how will you authentically start Rocking Your Life Out?  Start today by posting your comments on how you will start. I would love to hear them!! Together we can do this!

I have coached hundreds of women over the years that have struggled – or are currently struggling and in pain with body image issues – feeling uncomfortable in their body. The truth is, they are not living the life they really want to live. It’s really holding them back from living a life with passion blocking them from going after what they want and keeping it!

I completely feel their pain. I really understand it, as I hid for many years behind my body image issues that left me feeling so uncomfortable in my own skin.

It took me a long, long time to fully understand that the struggle with my body image was keeping me from growing and expanding my entire life. I realized, in the process of struggling with my body image issues, I was just distracted in the un-truth and disconnected from my personal power.

If I had been connected to my truth and personal power, I would not have been critical of myself and my body at all. I would have honored myself and only noticed my beauty and wonder. I would have taken action like nobodys business to create my most yummy life.

Instead, I stayed in pain and missed opportunities for fun, love, and adventure.

My BIG turning point was when I realized my body images issues were nothing but a BIG DISTRACTION keeping me in hiding, preventing me from taking risk and living the life I really wanted to live. My body image issues thoughts, feelings, and actions –were creating the exact things I didn’t want in my life.

I deeply began to understand that obsessing about my body was a big decoy, because what I was really afraid of were the following:

• Not being enough
• Failing
• Not measuring up
• My ability to receive love
• My life change… and so on, and so on.

I NOW know how to live a life Free from struggling with body image issues, and I want to help you find this Freedom, too. Its very empowering and life changing to feel vibrant and amazing in your skin.

I learned a huge reason why we struggle. Struggling only keeps us in the same place. Struggling keeps us from expanding our life, health and business. Body image issues constrict us (at every level) and deplete and drain us, and keep us imprisoned. It blocks true intimacy with life, keeping us from savoring or experiencing it fully.

When we obsess about our body, it is a huge indication that something is out of alignment within our heart, mind and life. It shows us we are disconnected from our truth and personal power and are hiding from what we are really afraid of.

Many women I have worked with have struggled with their body image. It breaks my heart, because I know these women really desire a full and bodacious life with complete emotional and financial Fr*eedom.

Body image issues are a big distraction, keeping you confined from taking action and fully creating the life you want. Think about this for a moment – Who would you be and what would do if you werent struggling with body image issues? Would you be confident, happy, blissful, and really successful?

Here are ways to Free yourself and move away from body image issues and into full Fr*eedom. Where you love your body, have sweet love for you and allow much bigger success to come to you:

1. Your body is completely beautiful allow yourself to own this and stop denying it. It may not be where you want it to be, but you have the power to change this. For now, see your beauty.

2. Your body is brilliant and takes care of all things for you. Honor it. Respect it. Fuel it and listen to it.

3. Create a list of all the wonderful things your body lets you do. Read it and add to it often. Example: I love my legs because they take me great places and I get to see so many wonderful places with them.

4. Make peace and be Free. Your body is a beautiful vessel that carries your soul.

5. When you obsess about your body image, ask yourself this question: “What is it that I really want in my life that I do not yet have and why am I holding myself back?”

6. Visualize feeling amazing in your body and skin. Fully connect to it. This will instantly empower you to make better choices for you.

7. Re-focus on something that you really love about your body (you will find it if you are willing to look with love). If love seems too much – then start with what you like.

8. Reflect on all the things you really want to accomplish in your life and business. Realize that if you shift your focus away from negative thoughts about your body, you’ll move into beautiful thoughts of achieving your true dreams and desires. This shift will instantly make you feel better and motivate you to take action to go after what you want.

9. Make a list of the things you have put off due to body image issues, then go and take action on one item. Notice how fantastic this feels.

10. Write a Sacred Contract letter to your body with your commitment for honoring it starting today and include a thank you for all its wonder and beauty.

11. Rest and nourish your body like royalty. Rest, replenish, stretch, massage, hydrate, and moisturize it. Stop pushing so hard rest.

12. Exercise because it makes you feel better, connects you with your personal power, and makes your body healthy, strong, and shapely.

13. Think back to a time in your life when you felt good about your body and connect to this feeling again. You will take inspired action from this feeling state.

14. Write a list of at least 10 positive things about yourself and add to this list daily.

15. When you find yourself being harsh on your body, get curious and find out what you’re really afraid of.

16. Please, release attachment to the way your body used to be. Meet yourself where you are today – so you can be Free of struggle and this will empower you to take the action you need for the changes you desire.

Doing even one of these action items will shift your energy, have you feeling much better in your own skin, connect you with your beautiful body, and move you into a place that allows more abundance in your life.

Please listen closely.  I want to let you in on a big and very well kept health secret. Ready? Here it is… Being a women in pursuit of pleasure—and the ability to allow yourself to experience and receive it—are essential in creating and maintaining ultimate health. Please read that again.

Now take a moment and answer this question: When was the last time you completely let go and allowed yourself pleasure?

I know  you may not even remember, because it’s been that long. Often, women become disconnected from experiencing pleasure and have a hard time answering the above question. This is so common because most women have been so busy and overwhelmed keeping up with the demands of life – that they have completely forgotten what it is that actually brings them pleasure.

I so get this – as there was a time in my life in which I forgot what pleasure was and what it meant to my soul to give it pleasure – not just occasionally but on a daily basis. I didn’t even know how to go about experiencing pleasure (never mind asking for pleasure).

This is when I became a pleasure-seeking woman!

When I coach my private clients, I have found these top three beliefs to be what most often keep them from experiencing ultimate pleasure in their life:

1. They think they’re too busy to experience pleasure.

   The thought of pursuing pleasure as an important goal makes them feel guilty. (The term guilty pleasure comes to mind immediately, right?) Here is the deal: As women, we do not allow ourselves enough pleasure and it’s time to change the game.

2.They don’t feel confident or comfortable in their bodies, so they create more pain than pleasure.

3. They give more pleasure to others than to themselves.

Here’s the truth – pure and simple:

We are pleasure seekers from birth. Think about when you were a child – all your thoughts and energy were about play and fun, and that resulted in pleasure. Just watch children and you will witness the pleasure seeker in them. They are curious and follow their bliss.

When there is lack of pleasure in one’s life, there is lack of health and wealth as well. If there is lack of vibrancy in your health, body, and finances – it’s a wakeup call that you are not experiencing enough pleasure. Our health, our body, and our finances reach the ultimate level, when we are happily pursuing pleasurable activities, or thinking pleasurable thoughts.

Pleasure is wonderful. It feels amazing and it connects you to sensual energy, bringing out the woman you were born to be, and creating much more intimacy in your life. (Plus, it’s super sexy!)

No more denying yourself pleasure – deal?

1. Create Pleasure in Your Day-to-Day life (and do it like a pleasure seekers business!):

When our life is devoid of daily pleasure there is unhappiness – such as carrying extra weight on our body, wearing clothes that feel uncomfortable on our bodies, denying ourselves our true desires and the beauty we crave in our life, having struggles in relationships with ourselves and others. Not to mention that constant struggle with our bank accounts. Simply put, lack of daily pleasure results in having a lot of unsatisfying experiences.

The only way to achieve a feeling of optimal well-being within your body is by including regular doses of pleasure in your day-to-day life! Get clear about what brings you pleasure. It doesn’t have to be extravagant – it can be quite simple. Determine your pleasure and start adding this into your life now – from the moment you wake up each day. I teach my private clients how to do this and this one step alone is a big positive game changer!

2. Make a Commitment to Your Pleasure:

Understand that all sustainable pleasure requires, is the honoring of your happiness each day. Do this with joyful discipline, courage, and practice. If you want more happiness and enjoyment in your life, pleasure must become something you do – just like breathing. Have the discipline to catch yourself indulging in “negative pleasure” – and stop.

3. Name Your Bliss and Follow it:

To know sustainable pleasure, you must know what you desire – what fires you up! And you must also learn to trust those desires. I believe that our souls speak to us through our desires, and we discover our unique gifts and talents only by allowing ourselves to follow our bliss. After all, desire is what created our bodies in the first place. We were conceived with an orgasm – the entire universe started with a big bang (funny right? And true!)

Verbalizing and owning your specific desires and then manifesting them uplifts the entire planet. Let’s get as specific as possible. Make a list.

• Do you want to wear beautiful clothes?

  Then first, you must let go of all that does not serve this. Get rid of the closet full of clothes that do not fit you. Make a committed decision to finally lose the weight you have been struggling with. Or, perhaps it’s about wearing the beautiful clothes already in your closet, and realizing that just wearing them adds pleasure to your life.

• Maybe you desire to be surrounded by beauty. Then you must first remove all that is un-beautiful for you. Don’t think about it – just do away with it.

• Do you desire new lingerie with beautiful lace? Then go get some! And wear it daily even if you are single.

• Do you crave morning calmness without chaos? Then wake up earlier with a cup of your favorite coffee and do some inspirational journaling, or move your body and allow yourself to indulge in your morning pleasure.

4. Schedule pleasure into your life with the same regularity as you schedule brushing your teeth.

Do this now! Don’t hesitate – grab your calendar and make pleasure your priority, or it will never happen. Schedule pleasure into your life with the same regularity as you would brush your teeth.

5. Pleasure Begins With Your Thoughts.

Pay Attention to Them:

Change the ones that are not pleasurable – the minute you notice them. (Remember, this is a discipline that takes practice.) Here’s why this is so important. Thought plus emotion equals belief. Your beliefs are what create your reality and your state of health. Beliefs, which are felt primarily in the heart, transform your world either positive or negatively.

Every thought you think creates a specific biochemical reaction in your body and also attracts specific opportunities and people into your life.

Give this pleasure thought a whirl.

Think this thought: “I am a highly desirable, sexy woman.”

How does that thought feel in your body? Alive, Sexy and Good right?

Now contrast how that feels with this thought: “I am unattractive, getting older and have so much weight to lose why bother. It’s too late for me to feel sexy or happy.”

Which thought connects you to more “feel good”? I’m sure you know, without a doubt, it’s the first.

Your power to live a pleasurable, prosperous life lies in your willingness to focus your attention on thoughts, people, places, and events that are joyful, fun, sexy, and uplifting.

6. Allow Yourself to Receive Pleasure and You’ll Have Even More.

One of the most meaningful and (pleasurable things) I have done in my life was learn how to receive and ask for pleasure.

Receive Pleasure:

What this means is if someone wants to give you a compliment, receive it rather than dismiss it. When you see something that is pleasurable, take a moment and enjoy every morsel of it. The more pleasure you spread around, the more you feel yourself. Allow yourself to invest in more pleasure – this may mean hiring a coach to help you achieve a pleasure in your body, life and finances or to indulge in wonderful bath salts, a regularly schedule massage, or a nice luxury meal.

Ask for Pleasure:

It is your divine right to be satisfied. If you are out to eat and you order a meal that is not pleasurable, do not feel guilty asking for a new dish that will bring you pleasure. If you have a massage and you want the masseuse to massage deeper then ask! If you want to experience better loving making and sensual orgasms, ask to be pleased – decide to stop denying this.

When you take care of yourself with pleasure, your influence creates abundance in your well being, body, relationships, and career – and even with money. The world is depending upon your happiness, your joy, your pleasure. You have nothing to lose by following your bliss except your suffering (so you see it is highly worth creating pleasure). And when your own suffering decreases, your pleasure increases. You will probably lose a few extra pounds too and will display a new radiant health and well-being to the world!

1. Understand Your Body’s Natural Energy Flow

Understand your natural ebb and flow of energy throughout the day so that you feel a sense of peace, calm and overall ‘feel good’. Doing this, and aligning life with your natural energy flow, will increase your energy level on a daily basis.

Perhaps you are full of energy first thing in the morning, or maybe your energy level increases in the evening. Knowing when your energy peaks is helpful when planning to do the things that you normally resist, or put off doing. Scheduling these when your energy is higher is going to make a huge difference in your productivity, happiness, self-confidence, and joy.

Once you understand your natural, daily energy rhythm, you can work on the important tasks during your peak hours, and avoid “trying” to do these tasks when your energy level is too low.

2. Organize Your World

A scattered world leads to a scattered life – which depletes our energy level and only leaves us feeling less than productive. Let’s face it, when our lives our scattered we end up procrastinating and turning our back on the very things that need our attention.

You can organize your world in big and small ways. A small way would be to create an intentional plan for how you will use your time each day. Create this plan first thing in the a.m.  A big way to organize your world may be to rid the clutter that drives you nuts! This could be achieved by scheduling time on your calendar to finally organize your home or office.

You deserve to live a non-chaotic life. There is nothing that feels better, or raises your energy level quicker, than the organization of your world. When your world is organized, you don’t have to expend mental energy to keep track of “a million things”.

Make a decision now about what top three things you need to organize in your life, and then complete the process, so you can have more energy each day.

3. Move Gym Time to the Morning

I know, firsthand, the power of exercising first thing in the a.m. And, I have committed to doing this, not only for the amazing energy it gives me, but because I give more to everything I do and to the people in my world, family friends, clients, when I work out early. This one step will transform your entire life, if you do it and do it with consistency.

A lot of people go to the gym after work, and this is often because it is something they dread and end up blowing off. Instead, allow yourself to experience all of the amazing benefits of exercising first thing in the morning. This is  YOUR time. A time for you and you ONLY. When you start your day off like this – your energy will soar!

Exercising in the morning gives energy that lasts all day – PLUS it increases your level of self-confidence and overall ‘feel good’ energy.

Sure, you will have to wake up an hour or two earlier, but I guarantee you are so worth it! After you create this new morning ritual, it will simply become something you just do –
like brushing your teeth.

4. Do Away With Low-Value “Things &  Tasks”

To live a Bold, Brilliant and Rich Life (and get these kinds of results in your life) you must do away with anything that is low in value. Move your energy, thoughts, and actions toward the things that bring the highest level of value to your life.

This means doing away with participating in, or spending time on, anything of a lower nature. How do you know if it is of lower nature? The answer is, you will feel it in your body. Your energy level will be low. It’s that simple!

Some steps to eliminating low value things in your life can include:

• Stop eating low value foods that you know do not serve your body, but rather deplete your energy
• Refuse to participate in someone else’s drama. Remember, even listening to it can drain your energy.
• Do away with low value tasks. Be fully aware of which activities are bringing you the highest return in your life – and spend more time doing them.

If you have a ridiculously long to-do-list that is simply impossible to get all the way through, and you feel tired just thinking about doing those items, here are some tips that are sure to turn your to-do-list (and energy level) around:(I highly recommend that you look at each item on your to-do-list and ask yourself the following questions):

1. Is doing and completing this item going to add to the value of my life?

If you answered YES, go to question number two. If you answered NO, free yourself of the struggle by knocking it off your list right now! Just be done with it.

2. If doing this item is going to add value to your life, ask yourself this: Are you the only person that can complete the task, or is there someone you can delegate this task to?

(When we delegate we free our energy both mentally and physically so we can put into more of the things we love.)

Next, add the following to your to-do-list.

5. Schedule a massage & take an Epsom’s Salts bath.

Add this to your to-do-list. A to-do-list should always include personal care items, like a massage and special bath time. Both will help you let go of any stress you are holding in your body that is zapping your energy. It is a wonderful way to nurture your body, mind, and soul and regain an increased sense of well- being and clarity.

Decide to make getting massage a normal part of your life so you do this regularly. It may seem like it’s too much of a luxury at first, and you will probably tell yourself why you  “shouldn’t “ do it, but once you allow yourself to experience all of the wonderful benefits a massage offers, such as more energy in your life, you will want to do it regularly.

Adding a weekly Epsom’s salts bath to your routine is an inexpensive luxury! I do this at night – and I can tell you that  the nights I do this are the nights I sleep so well, and awake so refreshed the next morning.

This is what happens when we take impeccable care of ourselves! We have more energy, feel more gratitude and abundance, and have so much more to offer the world.

6. Empowerment Dressing is incredibly energizing.

When we put beautiful clothes on our bodies we feel better, and our energy levels go up! You don’t need to spend a fortune on clothes to look and feel like a million, either.

If you are in a rut – wearing a lot black – begin to throw some brighter colors into your outfits – this is a natural energy lifter.

Dressing up naturally makes you feel better about yourself. It has a magical way of giving you more energy and connects you to your feminine sensual energy.

When you wear clothes that are so/so, you end up feeling so/ so, and honestly your self-confidence and what you accomplish ends up being so/so, as well. Make a commitment to wear clothes that uplift you and make you feel good.

–Put on some make up. A little lip-gloss can make the difference between feeling like a rock star and feeling like a frump. Putting on body lotion that invigorates your senses and soul will stir your internal energy. Do this and you will be amazed at how empowered you feel.

7. Plan to fuel your body with high quality fuel foods.

I often talk to women who tell me that their energy level is so low. Sure enough, they come to find out that their nutritional intake is way too low and they are not drinking enough water. They just aren’t eating enough to fuel their body!

Consistently eating 5-7 small meals of lean protein, good carbohydrates, vegetables, fruit, and good fats will make a huge impact on your energy level and physique.

Decide today to eliminate all food that is of a lower nature and depletes your energy. Instead, choose foods of a higher quality to fuel your energy. If you do this, you are going to feel so amazing and empowered. There is nothing that tastes better than eating well!

Where in your life can you connect more with your passion, creativity, soul, greater purpose, and live a most succulent life? Scroll down for 30 delicious ways for Creating a Life, More Succulent!

Creating a succulent life is about fully accepting and expressing yourself without apology. It’s about connecting to your creative being.  By experiencing every dimension of your brilliant and powerful self to the fullest, biggest, and deepest level, you will gain the confidence and knowledge that you deserve. As a result, you’ll begin to better understand that you are more than capable of achieving everything you dream of!

1. Living a succulent life means being connected to your heart, standing strong in the woman you were born to be, and experiencing yourself and your life as the rare and divine treasures they are.
2. Approve of yourself now and always. No matter what!
3. Passionately love yourself; create radical self-love and your entire life will reflect
   your positive change.
4. Own and claim your inner greatness; anything less won’t work for living the life you
   truly want.
5. Stop tolerating and settling for less. It is your divine birthright to full-fill your true
   desires.
6. Set your juicy intentions daily. Focus on what you desire.
7. Share your brilliance with the world in a much bigger way.
8. Do away with dismissing, hiding, and disregarding yourself and your needs. Speak up
   And be heard.
9. Add color to your life where it has been dark.
10. Speak your truth and set yourself free.
11. Completely and deeply acknowledge your greatness daily.
12. Commit to your excellence and ending self-sabotage. Take action to empower
    yourself.
13. Get comfortable in your own skin. Eat watermelon naked.
14. Dress yourself in a way that feels really, really good to you.
15. Do more of what you want to do and leave the rest behind.
16. Develop an attitude of gratitude.
17. Break free from captivity, outdated self-images, and limiting beliefs.
18. Love your body, your curves and even your stretch marks; see your body as divine.
19. Create your own rules.
20. Always say “Yes” to your wonderful self; be delicious!
21. Exercise daily – both mind & body – and move beyond your own self-imposed
    limitations.
22. Connect to sources that inspire you.
23. Lighten up and have more fun.
24. Do what scares your panties off. You will expand and grow for sure!
25. Nourish and honor your body’s needs and desires.
26. Find your true tribe.
27. Do the exact thing you think you cannot do.
28. Stop obsessing – great well being and wealth is about making your life bigger, not smaller.
29. Surprise yourself and PUSH past your physical limits.
30. Take charge of your own reflection. STOP letting the mirror win!

You are so worthy of re-creating your life to be the way you desire. It’s time to experience true succulence in your life. You must invest in yourself and your growth and have supportive people in your life, to reach the level of success that you crave.

Give yourself the permission to embrace all of you; there is no better time than now. Then – get ready for all the wonderful people, opportunities, and surprises that are sure to come into your life as a result.

This Week’s Question:

Karen,

I can’t seem to do anything right! I made a New Year’s resolution that this would be the year that I would lose the 30 lbs. I gained during my pregnancy two years ago and do whatever necessary to build my online business to new heights. Here it is, the middle of April, and nothing has changed.

I feel like I will always be the one who just hopes and dreams to no avail. My girlfriends have tried to help, but I don’t think they can understand. They all work for someone else and don’t have all of the pressure and responsibility of owning a business. None of them has the weight problem I do. Whenever I tell them how I’m feeling, they just tell me it will all work out and that I worry too much.

I go to bed every night promising myself that tomorrow will be different – that I’ll quit spinning my wheels and accomplish more. But, for whatever reason, I keep failing to live up to my promises to myself, and I feel like I’m disappointing my husband and possibly even my friends.

What’s wrong with me – and how do I make it right?

Kelly -Frustrated in Florida

Karen’s Answer:

I am so glad you wrote in, Kelly! I reallywant you to hear me say this – “There is nothing wrong with you”!

The real truth is that you can be or do anything you desire.  It’s not too late for you to meet your goals; in fact, you can turn things around starting today!  So, let’s cut to the chase and ditch that entire BS that there is something wrong with you, and get you in a much better place, instead.  Continuing to think you are flawed and unable to move forward is just holding you back and blocking you.

My Five Steps To A Better Place

Here are 5 steps that will shift your energy, motivation, and mindset.  Decide to apply them today and watch your life and business begin to transform – instantly!

1. Practice Motivation & Clarity. Let’s break this way down. My sense is that the combined thoughts of losing 30 pounds AND moving your online to new heights is depleting you – rather than motivating you. You see, you CAN accomplish it all and have it all – but first – let’s re-focus and break it all down into doable steps.Would you feel better thinking about losing 5 pounds instead of thirty? I bet you said yes! You see, you’re not giving up on losing thirty; you are simply shifting your focus for the next month to that of losing 5 pounds. It is what we do with consistency and momentum that allows us to achieve our goals.Breaking your goals way down into doable steps is key to unlocking your success. Instead of the much broader concept of taking your business to new heights – let’s get clear – what specific area of your business would you like to bring to a new level?  Pick just one area of your business, and once you accomplish your goals in that area, then move on to the next area in which you would like to improve. Once you get clear, break it down into do-able steps and your motivation will sky rocket!  Without motivation, we fail to take new action – and new action is always needed to create different results in our life.

1. Ditch the “I promise and I’m hoping to.” Begin, immediately, to take ACTION. Take action like you mean it!  The truth is – promises mean nothing. That is why, as you said, you keep failing to live up to your promises. You need new action! I cannot stress this enough – it’s all in the action.Once you gain more clarity about your goals and break them down into doable steps, then just look at them month-by-month. For example, by the end April define what you want to accomplish and then define the new action you will need to take to achieve this goal. If losing 1 ½ pounds by the end April is the goal – define the action(s) necessary to achieve this goal – such as: “Get rid of all junk food in the house and shop for nutritious foods that will support my goal to lose 1 ½ pounds by April 30th, and set my alarm 30 minutes earlier every morning to ensure enough time for a walk.”

1. Stop worrying about what others think. The only person you are disappointing is you.  No one else cares more about your life than you do, so take back your power NOW, by focusing on you! When you focus on what others think, you instantly disempower yourself, which is a complete distraction. It keeps you focused on what is not working and no new action will ever transpire in this place.  You have no time for that. Your current level of happiness is less than what you deserve right now. You can’t disappoint others – they choose to be disappointed – remember this, o.k?You desire to live fully, intently, and with massive passion.

1. Mindset – shift it now. I want your thinking to shift into that of being a winner! From this point forward no more thinking about what you haven’t done – once again, this does nothing but disempower you and keep you in the position of victim.  Instead, imagine and fully see yourself as a winner, already in obtainment of your goals. How does this feel? Connect with this daily and often. See yourself in possession of you goals. This will make you feel so good and motivate you to take continued action.

1. Find and Utilize Support. It’s important for you to build connections with like-minded people who get where you are in your goal setting, and can offer you helpful direction and guidance. This could mean making new friendships, joining a local group for businesswomen, or even hiring a private coach who can offer you important and effective tools you may be overlooking.