Blog - Page 2 of 18 - Meet Me At The Barn

Day 23 Create A Life You Love: What Was Fantastic About Your Day?

What Was Fantastic About Your Day?

There is something to the notion that what we focus on flourishes. So, I invited us all to focus on what is fantastic about our days versus the trouble. There is always something whether we choose to recognize and honor it or not that is pretty damn terrific about each day. I have made it a practice to sit quietly for a few minutes at the end of each day and reflect on all the goodness in that day. It is a great way to wrap things up and it is certainly a positive way to enter the sleep state.

Join Me In This Challenge

I am inviting you to join me in this practice of focusing on fantastic. Take a few minutes before you shut the light out at night to embrace where you are thriving in your life.

https://youtu.be/rF-ZCBp-nxk Stay true and be you —

Annie Create a Life You Love
Participate in the Online Edition of Lines In The Sand Join Us Now

Facebook Comments

By Annie|2018-08-02T09:55:00+00:00July 23rd, 2018|Categories: Thoughts from the Barn|Tags: fantastic, its all good, what is the gift, what was great about your day, what you focus on flourishes|0 Comments

Day 22 Create A Life You Love: The Man In The Arena

The Man In The Arena

On April 23, 1910, Theodore Roosevelt gave a 35-page speech called Citizenship Of A Republic. On page seven of the statement, he talks about ‘the man in the arena.’ Here is what he said:

“It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.”

Daring Greatly

Roosevelt states in this speech that the man in the arena is daring greatly. The question I ask myself and that I invite you to ask yourself is: In this one precious life I am given, am I daring greatly? I don’t know about you, but I know I am willing. Willing to remind me on a daily basis to dare greatly.

https://youtu.be/YLsCxv-Uk0c Stay true and be you —

Facebook Comments

By Annie|2018-08-02T09:28:51+00:00July 22nd, 2018|Categories: Thoughts from the Barn|Tags: April 23 1910, great speech, paris, sorbonne, teddy roosevelt, the man in the arena|0 Comments

Day 21 Create A Life You Love: Move Your Body

Move Your Body

We only get one body at least until science offers us other options. Therefore, it is imperative to take care of this one precious body with which we were born. One way to contribute to good health is to move your body. There is always something that we can do each day to put our body in motion and give it the exercise that it needs and craves. I offer these workout challenges to provide you with some ideas on what you can do in limited time with limited equipment.

High Plank Hop Across

The plank is one of the best overall exercises we can do to keep our muscles in shape, especially our core. Watch the video below and then follow along. If you are a beginner, instead of hopping across, simply step side to side. If you are an advanced exerciser, speed up the pace to give yourself more of a challenge. Get your plank on and move your body.

Core strengthening & fancy footwork! Get after it! 😀💪🏻

Posted by Kate Grace on Monday, June 4, 2018

Stay true and be you —

Annie Create a Life You Love
Participate in the Online Edition of Lines In The Sand Join Us Now

Facebook Comments

By Annie|2018-08-02T09:09:46+00:00July 21st, 2018|Categories: Thoughts from the Barn|Tags: high plank hop across, move your body, take care of yourself, your body is your temple|0 Comments

Day 20 Create A Life You Love: Where In Your Life Are You Playing Small

Are You Playing Small?

There are times in our life when we don’t feel adequate or worthy or good enough or whatever. It is during these times that we ofter choose to play small. We don’t show up with confidence and certainty. Sometimes we don’t show up at all. We play small because we don’t think we deserve to be seen or heard. We don’t believe that what we have to offer or share is valuable. We are not willing to be our best self. We mediocrityly meander through our lives with no direction feeling unfulfilled. At some point in our lives, we have all experienced this smallness. The question is, what are we willing to do about it?

Where Are You Playing?

It is time. Time to step up and recognize and claim where it is you are playing small in your life. Get out your journal and record where you know in your gut you are playing small. Get it out there. Claim it. Now, the key to making a massive change in your life is willingness. Whatever it is you are chosing that is keeping you small what are you willing to do to step into your authenticity and power? What is one thing you are committed to doing that will assist you in stepping out of the shadow into the light?

It Takes Practice

To improve upon anything in our lives, we get to practice. If you want to shed a few pounds, commit to taking a 30-minute walk each day.

Facebook Comments

By Annie|2018-08-02T08:34:35+00:00July 20th, 2018|Categories: Thoughts from the Barn|Tags: its time, level up, maya angelou, no excuses, stop playing small, when you know better do better|0 Comments

Day 19 Create A Life You Love: Tiny Beautiful Things

Read This Book

Cheryl Strayed is the author of many books. Best known for her book Wild: From Lost To Found On The Pacific Crest Trail, the tail of her solo 1000 mile trek in search of herself. I read Wild and truly enjoyed it. After taking in such a good book, I went in search of what else she had written. This was when I came across Tiny Beautiful Things: Advice on Love and Life from Dear Sugar. Several years ago Strayed was an anonymous advice columnist for the online magazine, The Rumpus. Readers would write to her for advice on anything from how they could pay their bills to hot sex and everything in between. Over time, thousands of people sought her flavorful, cut to the chase, honest, and endearing advice.

In 2012 a collection of the letters she had received and her thoughtful advice back to the inquirer were gathered together in Tiny Beautiful Things. The book is fun, funny, gut-wrenching, raw, and full of damn good information. Regardless of what might be going on in your life, get this book and read it. You will be glad that you did.

https://youtu.be/aTJrC744jEA Stay true and be you —

Annie Create a Life You Love
Participate in the Online Edition of Lines In The Sand Join Us Now

Facebook Comments

By Annie|2018-08-02T08:32:41+00:00July 19th, 2018|Categories: Thoughts from the Barn|Tags: advice columnist, Cheryl Strayed, Dear Sugar, honest truths, The Rumpus, tiny beautiful things|0 Comments

Day 18 Create A Life You Love: Isometric Exercise

Isometric Exercise

It is important that we vary our workouts so that our bodies don’t get used to a certain routine. Isometric exercise is a great way to shake up what you do in the gym. The exercise we are demonstration here is a back lunge with a shoulder press. The isometric hold at the end of the shoulder press forces your body to keep its balance and engage all of the stabilizer muscles. These holds need to be done between three to five seconds and the exercise can be done 15 to 20 times.

The important thing to remember is to move your body at least three times a week. And, make sure you ad variety to your physical exercise regime.

https://www.facebook.com/Katejgrace/videos/10156458699357381/ Stay true and be you —

Annie Create a Life You Love
Participate in the Online Edition of Lines In The Sand Join Us Now

Facebook Comments

By Annie|2018-07-20T10:39:16+00:00July 18th, 2018|Categories: Thoughts from the Barn, Uncategorized|Tags: back lunge with shoulder press, create a life you love, isometric exercise, move your body, strong, take care of your body|0 Comments

Day 17 Create A Life You Love: Take This FREE Self-Assessment Survey

Regular Self-Assessment can lead to a life you love

I often hear people say that they are frustrated and unfulfilled with some aspect of their life. And, although they know they feel like this, very few of them know where to start to turn their annoyance and displeasure into a life that they love. One thing that I have found useful over the years is to step back and take inventory through self-assessment of my life to help me to identify where the frustration and lack of fulfillment are coming from.

At least once a year I sit down and look at nine domains of my life and note my level of satisfaction in each area. The next thing I do is write down at least one thing that I can do in each of these areas to increase my quality of happiness and fulfillment. This exercise helps me to pinpoint exactly where I want to focus my time and attention to continue to thrive in my life. I have found this so useful that I have created a Self-Assessment Tool that will assist you in determining what areas of your life could use some sprucing up.

Get yourself on track with free tools

Do yourself a favor and complete this five-minute free Self-Assessment Tool. Not only will you learn where your opportunities for enhancement are, but you will also gain access to numerous life tips, coaching, and inspiration to help you create a life you love. You have nothing to lose and

Facebook Comments

By Annie|2018-07-18T15:01:14+00:00July 17th, 2018|Categories: Thoughts from the Barn|Tags: do this for yourself, improvement, self assessment, turn up the volume on your life, what you focus on flourishes|0 Comments

Day 16 Create A Life You Love: The Operator

The Operator

The Operator by Robert O’Neill is a riveting book that all Americans would benefit from reading. O’Neill is an honest and graphic storyteller opening the reader’s eyes to the reality of what it takes to be the best of the best in US Military operations. These men sacrifice everything, including their lives to protect our great country so that you have the opportunity to Create A Life You Love. Don’t ever take this for granted.

O’Neill didn’t plan on signing up to be a Navy Seal, but as fate would have it he ended up squarely in the middle of one of the world’s most intense military training programs. In his book, he describes in excruciating detail the unimaginable training that Navy Seals go through to prepare for the most deadly military missions on Earth. During his time as a counter-terror expert, he went on over 400 missions in some of the most God-forsaken areas of the planet.

And finally, he talks about being the shooter of Osama bin Laden. Days before the mission he and his seal mates wrote letters to loved ones and discussed the fact that they would likely not survive the assignment. The task did not go as planned and so his team had to adjust to one of their helicopters going down and a handful of other unexpected occurrences. If you haven’t read this book, do. If you have read it, give it to someone who hasn’t.

https://youtu.be/Bh3ZwiBsI-k Stay true and be

Facebook Comments

By Annie|2018-07-18T14:45:23+00:00July 16th, 2018|Categories: Thoughts from the Barn|Tags: badass, brotherhood, courage, military missions, navy seals, rob oneill, thank you, the operator, United States of America, warriors|0 Comments

Day 15 Create A Life You Love: Workout Challenge

Workout Challenge

Many workouts can be done with little or no equipment. Below you will find a video of a workout challenge that requires your bodyweight and gravity. That’s it. Our bodies benefit in many ways from moving. It helps keep our bones and muscles sturdy, it helps to circulate our blood throughout our body, and it assists in a good nights sleep. At the very least I suggest that you go on a 30-minute walk each day. You can always add hand weights to help increase your heart rate and burn more calories. Whatever exercise routine you choose for yourself, make sure you keep it interesting and challenging.

https://www.facebook.com/363589876989357/videos/1306800246001644/ Stay true and be you —

Annie Create a Life You Love
Participate in the Online Edition of Lines In The Sand Join Us Now

Facebook Comments

By Annie|2018-07-15T12:29:18+00:00July 15th, 2018|Categories: Thoughts from the Barn|Tags: lower body workout, move your body, not equipment required, upper body workout, workout|0 Comments

Day 14 Create A Life You Love: Design Your Own Home

Design Your Own Home

I went to a home tour event that was sponsored by the Historical Society in my community of Rancho Santa Fe, California. All of the homes we toured were designed by the late architect, Lilian Rice. Many of the houses and buildings that she designed are listed in the Historical Registry. After visiting the homes today, I thought it would be a great writing/design challenge for you. Design your own home. What would it look like? How big/small would it be? What materials would be used? What is the color scheme? What does the exterior look like? What does the landscape look like? Go to town. Have fun with this. If you could design your ideal home, what would you do?

I Designed My Home

Several years ago, my home was destroyed by the wildfires in southern California. I had never planned to build a house from the ground up, but Mother Nature gave me the opportunity. It is an arduous process that requires thousands of decisions, but I found it to be an incredible learning experience. I learned a lot about design, construction, project management, and of course, myself. As a matter of fact, the ceiling of my dining room was created from wood that came from the first school built in Rancho Santa Fe in the early 1920’s. The designer of the school, Lilian Rice. So, get after it, design your own home.

https://youtu.be/UIOf_Ysba1E Stay true and be you —

Facebook Comments