Updates from Leah Negrin

This week the Monday Monster could have taken over, it would have been easy to let it. I was away from my sunny happy California 🌞🌊 life (back there in Feb!), did a whole lot of nothing on Saturday (which was actually kind of nice, so working on the balance of guilt and enjoyment for doing that🤔), have literally over 1,000 unread emails to either delete or attempt to read or save for later-whenever that is 🤷-and in reality I could keep listing the things that could have 'won'. But I won't, because there is so much more to be positive about!  I like to list those out too! I have some delicious hot slique tea next to me (since for me it's quite cold already here in Chicago❄️), I have a beautiful home office to work out of, clean sheets on my bed (I definitely count this as a positive because I have laundry where we are living and don't have to take it out of the house to do!), my family who supports me through thick and thin (sometimes I cry with gratitude over how blessed I am with this one!👨‍👩‍👧‍👧) and oh so many more things! 

I like when I'm able to let the positive win, to look around and see all the good and not all the things that could stress me out. It doesn't always happen and sometimes it's a battle or really it feels like I'm trying to pull myself out of a deep dark cave and my hands keep slipping on falling rocks, the beads of sweat on my forehead keep getting in my eyes, but I keep trying not to look down at the dark abyss and focus more on the light above. So I decided the light will win today, and I will stay out of that cave and in the sunshine 🌞.  

What is one thing you did today to beat the Monday Monster?! 👻 ❤️‍❤️‍👻

Monday Monster time! Today has actually been a wonderful day, nothing overly spectacular but at the same time, peaceful and accomplished. I normally struggle through Mondays (hence the weekly post) with more negative feelings than positive-even though I do like my jobs and my life. Prior to this recent time spent in 🥑California🌅, Mondays would be a struggle but last Monday really wasn't and frankly this one hasn't been either. I think if I had another Monday in 🥑California🌅 I'd have to change the structure of my posts! (So when I do move here, look out for that!) This morning work threw me a small curve ball, I could have teared up or given up, but I didn't. I help strong and had a great day!-It was like the negative thought didn't even hit my forcefield of upbeat thoughts!   

I am often able to share most when I'm not feeling so upbeat, the feelings are more translatable I think, than simply feeling happy. Some of us struggle or used to struggle with how it really is okay to feel happy (even if there are horrible things going on in the world), that spreading the happy vibes helps those around you, almost like pay it forward with your smile or kind actions.  ❤️‍❤️‍

What is one thing you did today to beat the Monday Monster?! 👻 ❤️‍❤️‍👻

This week's Monday Monster was harder than previous weeks to write, because I truly didn't feel like I was fighting anything. I woke up a bit tired, but got right out of bed, brushed my teeth and sat down to my computer to start the day. But as the day wore on, it was a bit more difficult. I realized all of the things I had to do and wondered how on earth 🌎 I'd get to all of them?! 

But instead of wallowing or just not getting anything done, I looked at what I had been reading last night, which was "The 5 Second Rule" by Mel Robbins. Mel was at our convention in Utah this year and it was just 'wow'! The premise is, whenever you are thinking of something you have to do, simply countdown from 5,4,3,2,1 and get up and do it! So Mel started this when she couldn't really manage to get up out of bed, she'd hit the snooze button on her alarm 5 to 10 times but then one night she was watching a rocket launch and hearing the person on the TV countdown, 5,4,3,2,1 launch, she felt like she could rocket herself out of bed the next day-and she did! There is obviously a lot more to her journey but reading about this aspect pushed me to do things today that I hadn't ever done or didn't really want to do. 

What is one thing you do to beat the Monday Monster?! 👻 ❤️‍❤️‍👻

Monday Monster, part IV (and yes I had to double check the roman numerals, maybe I missed that lesson in elementary school?🤷) I've had trouble in the past being consistent with posting things, or sharing what I'm going through so I am proud of myself that I have posted 4 weeks in a row! It might not seem like much to others but for me, powerhouse moment! 💪

This weekend was  seriously incredible, it was filled with amazing, uplifting, empowering people that were so filled with love and support it just blanketed me in peace. Not only did I get to meet fabulous new friends but I got to hear from some seriously successful entrepreneurs! (and that's a word that makes me grateful for spell check!👏)

So related to all of that, I had heard the song, The Greatest Show from The Greatest Showman soundtrack in a spin class recently and I was like, 'this is a fabulous song, push-pull-push-pull, right-left-right-left-I've got this!!' (anyone who has taken a spin class knows what I'm talking about here)  🚴 I honestly didn't see the movie because of the animal cruelty 🐘 aspect of the circus industry these days but this weekend the conference I was at had a bit of a theme and this song fit right in. If you read the lyrics below you can see that it highlights  freedom, dreaming, pushing forward and knowing nothing can stop you! This is only part of the song but if you watch this clip from where they perform it in the movie (and yes there are some non-English subtitles in there 🤷) it is mesmerizing and inspiring! 

The point of watching this clip basically shows what the movie was about; a place where people were allowed to be accepted, to be who they were without the judgement of outside society. (or at least that's what I took from it!) Sometimes we can feel like we don't quite belong where we are or wonder why we think so differently than others or just why do we feel so weird?! This jam basically says, 'go for your life-however you want it to be, dream big, live big and enjoy it!' There is a home for everyone, just find your tribe!! ❤️‍❤️ (I'm so blessed to have found mine, even if we're separated by many states now #dreamteam)

"Don't fight it, it's coming for you, running at ya

It's only this moment, don't care what comes after
Your fever dream, can't you see it getting closer
Just surrender 'cause you feel the feeling taking over
It's fire, it's freedom, it's flooding open
It's a preacher in the pulpit and you'll find devotion
There's something breaking at the brick of every wall that's holding all that you know,
So tell me do you wanna go?

Where it's covered in all the colored lights
Where the runaways are running the night
Impossible comes true, it's taking over you
Oh, this is the greatest show
We light it up, we won't come down
And the sun can't stop us now
Watching it come true, it's taking over you
Oh, this is the greatest show
Don't fight it, it's coming for you, running at ya
It's only this moment, don't care what comes after
It's blinding outside and I think that you know
Just surrender 'cause you're calling and you wanna go"

What is one thing you do to beat the Monday Monster?! 👻 ❤️‍❤️‍👻

It's odd, usually I have a good Sunday, and don't really mind the upcoming Monday. I wouldn't say I jump up and down with excitement for work the next day but I don't dread it either. I've had many jobs that in fact I did dread, I would get that deep anxious feeling in the pit of my stomach and just a level of darkness that would make it hard to see the light. So when my Sunday was darker yesterday than normal I was not entirely looking forward to today, Monday.

The day started a bit rough, I couldn't seem to pick up out of the darkness, no matter with what oils, foods, books or conversations I was having with friends. But finally, in the afternoon after I woke up from my 20 minute nap I had a wonderful message from one of my oily friends, basically showing that she cared and helping me think through some of the business blocks I was having. 

When I feel these blocks it tends to resonate with my personal life as well, so it all feels intertwined. Today I had to decide; do I wallow or do I get up and  make things happen for myself? 

I chose not to wallow! And to pick myself up and think about it all like this, it might be a hard time right now , things might not be perfect, maybe business or my personal life aren't where I thought they would be but bottom line, I'm working on it. I'm moving forward, focusing on my personal development and making sure that I don't fall back down, but instead keep rising up. 

What is one thing you do to beat the Monday Monster?! 👻 ❤️‍❤️‍👻