Finding Home

Any young lady who grew up dancing has seen the movie "Center Stage," starring Peter Gallagher, Zoe Saldana, and many others. I have seen the movie several times myself and a special scene never ceases to tug at my good ole' heart strings.

This scene shows one of the dance students, Eva, practicing late in the evening and working on perfecting her technique. No one else is around until Juliette, one of the dance school's instructors who Eva bumps heads with from the beginning, walks by the practice studio and sees Eva rehearsing after hours. Eva has been known to be the tough girl from the inner-city who appears to have a really bad attitude, but actually has some of the best technique and passion for dance.

After watching Eva practice Juliette tells her, "No matter what happened in class... in performance, last week, five minutes ago... if you come back here, you'll be home."

The here Juliette was referring to, was the ballet barre. It has been many years since I have been in a ballet studio, but I remember it always being a place of comfort, a place of peace, and a place that I could pour out my emotions. As young dancers, we were always told to "leave your soul on the dance floor." Never hold back and have no regret. 

I no longer dance, but I train my body, and the gym has been my place of solace, relief, and joy. I can walk in with the weight for the world on my shoulders, and leave knowing that I left it all on the gym floor.

Every time I return to the weight rack and pick up the iron, I am home.

In Fitness + Love,

~ Q. Olivia

Workout Wednesday: The Burpee Challenge

Happy New Year Fit Friends!!

As always, I am constantly looking for new fitness models, personal trainers and other fitness icons to follow on social media and learn from about different exercises and nutrition options. Just a few weeks ago I discovered personal trainer, Yvette Salva who has a great blog and Facebook page. She came up with a challenge that is perfect to kick off our new year right called The Burpee Challenge.

Now, I know we have seen tons of those challenges on Pinterest regarding 30 days to a toned tummy, amazing arms, and cute quads. Some of them are silly, but a lot of them are quite challenging; and you can easily go through the challenge together.

Now, I know many of you have seen or heard of the burpee. It is a wonderful exercise that has been deemed a ruler over all others. It is intense as it combines push-ups and squat thrusts and works the entire body. These little boogers are great for conditioning the body, burning mad calories, and it requires absolutely no equipment.

Some people perform an actual push-up and some people just get in the push-up position. The "how to" photo incorporates the push-up which will work your arms and core even more, but usually, I skip the push-up and simply return to the squat position before jumping up. With the challenge I may try out the push-up from time to time as I do want to strengthen my arms. You do it however you want.

With all that being said... today is the first day of January which means the Burpee Challenge starts right now! Join me in the challenge. Keep me posted on your progress!

We've got 5 burpees on the calendar. Do them full out. Ready... set... go!

In Fitness + Health,

~ Q. Olivia

Welcome 2014

Happy New Years Friends!!

I just wanted to take some time to wish you all a marvelous New Year.

May 2014 be filled with prosperity, love, laughter, joy, peace and purpose.

A new year means new possibilities, new adventures, new travels, new memories, new life moments, and new resolutions. Most people know I prefer the word goals over resolutions because of the low rate of success in achieving resolutions (8%). Still it is one of our biggest traditions and I too participate every year.

As I did last year, I have organized my 2014 goals in eleven basic categories (because I can be OCD). Many of them are continuations or repeats (if I fell short of the goal) from last year. So here we go...

Reading
1. Read 10 Entrepreneur Books
2. Read 5 Pleasure Books "For Fun"

Financial
1. Complete the 52-Week Savings Challenge
2. Continue following a monthly budget and using the envelope system

Cooking
1. Cook through an entire cook book
2. Complete a raw or clean recipe challenge every month

Fitness/Exercise
1.Complete in a bikini/fitness competition (REPEAT)
2. Continue with weekly meal prep
3. Exercise 5x/week
4. Run a 5K every quarter
5. Drop 10% body fat
6. Continue with this awesome fitness blog :)



Marriage
1. Pray together daily
2. Weekly date nights
3. Affirm my husband

Home Life
1. Create a cleaning schedule for the week
2. Quarterly Super Clean Day to discard junk and clutter

Work
1. Improve on leadership skills
2. Run the best department in my agency

Volunteer
1. Continue working with BBBS
2. Youth Group volunteer

Spiritual
1. Individual Bible Study
2. Join Women's Guild

Personal
1. Write more letters to family and friends
2. Continue sending cards for special occasions, birthdays, anniversaries, etc.
3. Take a few dance classes
4. Spoil my future niece/nephew
5. Get a passport and travel abroad

Business
1. New Business Cards
2. Attend 3 Vendor Markets
3. New Monthly Customers & IBOs
4. Platinum Level

In this last year, I enjoyed myself and working towards many of my goals. Though I fell short, there was much that I was able to accomplish. I learned so much and feel I have grown, though I have much further to go. One big thing I learned about goals this year was that "We first make our habits, and then our habits make us." It takes 21 days for a action to become a habit, and then the habit makes us. Our business team has complete the 21 day challenge four times this year to assist us in becoming more committed and consistent with our goals. It has been awesome having an accountability system and I highly recommend that for 2014. Find someone who also is serious about making life improvements and ask them to be your accountability partner. Every resolution or goal may require a different accountability partner, but it will make a world of difference as you move forward.

2013 Life Lessons

• Remember that this is your life to live. No one else can live it for you.
• Do what you love, and do it often.
• Life is short, so live your dreams.
• See yourself living in abundance and you will attract it.
• Set a goal to achieve that is so big and so exhilarating that it excites you and scares you at the same time. The goals must be so much in line with your spiritual core that you cannot get it out of your mind.
• Everything you are seeking is seeking you in return; therefore, everything you want is already yours. It is simply a matter of becoming more aware of what you already possess.
• Be thankful. Not just in November, but every day of every month.
• Explore. Go explore a new city, try out a new habit, and discover a new talent.

You are worthy of every dream and goal that you set for yourself. Make 2014 the year of victory and success. I believe in you!

Dream Big,

~ Q. Olivia