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I have been a stress eater most of my life… If that’s you, I feel your pain. Food, had become my go-to; for years. It had to stop. What can I do instead? Surely there is something better. You feel the pressure of the day, the pressure of the conflict. The pressure of the world. You eat! And, you feel better. You know why? Because it releases serotonin, the feel-good hormone. You actually do feel better. So, mission accomplished, right? Wrong! If you are like me, you will start beating yourself up. Why’d I do that? That was stupid! You’ll go on and on, berating yourself. Guilt, shame and who knows what else. So there, now you feel bad again. Unfortunately, you still have the same pressure and now you blew your diet too. What a dreadful and vicious cycle. It is a hard battle, like any addiction. I know, because I quit smoking after 27 years. When I was younger, I also craved alcohol; I chose not to drink because of the alcoholism that runs rampant in my family. So, addiction, I get it. Here’s the thing that makes it harder for food. Cigarettes, alcohol or any other drug you can just abstain. Just quit. Once you decide, you just don’t do it anymore. Don’t buy any more, stay away from places where people smoke or drink if possible. If you don’t want to it, don’t! Set your mind and keep it set. Of course, food is a different story. We have to eat. We can’t stay away from food. We have to buy it; we have to be around it. We need it. There are no if ands or buts about it. But we need the right foods. Good food that serves us. Food that supports our health and wellbeing. Food that makes us healthy and strong. We all know that. If you are a stress eater like many people, I have a suggestion for you. Please keep in mind that this will not stop stress eating. It will however, not cause the crazy amount of damage that a bag or Doritos, a pint of ice cream and a coke will do. So it is a great place to start; and you can start today. Make a commitment to not eat processed food. Just start there. You can do that. You will feel better in no time. Once you stop eating garbage, junk food, you will stop craving it. It’s true. Here’s a valuable tip for setting yourself up for success. Get rid of chips, crackers and other junk food. Don’t even keep it in the house. It doesn’t serve you. Throw them out, or give them away. You don’t need them, and neither does your family. You can set a great example by making healthy choices for yourself. I keep veggies cut up in the fridge. I love the crunch. For sweet, I have sugar free Jell-O. I make it every other morning because I don’t care for the instant. But they make instant too, so no excuse. I love it; I eat it almost every night. They also make sugar-free Cool whip. Put a spoonful of that on top, delicious. I think it’s about 30 calories a bowlful. You can eat tons of veggies, and it’s good for you! Try them with salsa or make a lite dip from fat free Greek yogurt. Lots of bites, little calories or fat. Admittedly, this doesn’t stop stress eating but it controls the damage caused by it. So just using these two little ideas, you can give you a jumpstart on the problem. I believe it will help get you going in the right direction; to the healthier version of you!

Follow your heart and pursue your dreams. Back when you were a kid, what was your biggest dream? Was it to be a teacher? How about a movie star? You may have been told that you shouldn’t chase your dreams. Why not? Dreaming is wonderful. It keeps you thinking, it gives you a reason to live. You must be willing to day dream and imagine the life you want. Make a plan, don’t jump without a strategy. Well if you want to then go for it. Solidify your dreams through journaling. Be daring again. What do you really want? What is your greatest desire? Allow your imagination to wander free. Your dreams may be closer to reality than you think. You don’t have to stay in a career you don’t like. It is very possible for you to have several careers in your life. I surely have. I am 60 years old and starting over again- right now! You can be thankful for your job and the income it’s providing, no matter what it is. Be grateful. Just don’t gripe about it, it does no good to have negative energy. If you are not happy find a job to sustain your life until you can have the career of your dreams. Sitting still and doing nothing is never the answer. Why not explore the ideas that are stirring in your heart? Start exploring now and try to figure out what you want to do and how to get started. Start looking around, step out of the comfort zone, see what’s out there. What would you do if you could do anything? Figure out what is stopping you. Is something holding you back? Keep your day job while exploring the possibilities. When your side-hustle begins pays enough then go for it. The sky is the limit! We live in a world of limitless possibility. You can create your own job due to technology. Do something you love and enjoy every day.

as created by Bill Cortright Step Five of the Seven Steps of Stress Mastery is The Green Focus Power Hour (GFPH), a series of exercises designed to reprogram the subconscious mind of the Cage Mind. The six exercises of the GFPH are designed to build new skills (Habits) that support the Growth Focus. These exercises in the GFPH will eventually become mastered skills that can be used in Conflict-Resolution. Mastery is the ability to perform a skill without conscious thought. Mastery of the skills of the GFPH will allow one to switch out of the Red Zone into the Green Zone and will allow one to maintain the Growth Focus in expansion. Moving out of Stage Three (Socialized Mind) into Stage Four (Self-Authoring Mind) is about mastering the Cage Mind. Again, mastery is the ability to perform a skill without conscious thought. Mastering the Cage Mind allows one to maintain Part Three of the Human Construct -Mind Identity and conscious mind control. This is accomplished thru the process of releasing old programs (Let Go Technique in the previous lesson) habits, that do not serve our expansion and growth and installing new skills, creating new habits, that allows us to grow and expand. As you are learning the subconscious mind of the Cage Mind drives 95% of our behavior. The subconscious mind was programmed in Development Stages One and Two when we were children. The process of this programming was done through adding content to the subconscious computer by teaching the child skills through lessons, repetition, writing, and affirmations all designed to create experiences so the child would internalize the teaching and allow it to become part of their identity. The identity is designed to serve through the cultural stories programmed and held in mind. This programming is what drives your behavior. Awareness The GFPH uses six exercises to create new programs that will serve the individual as skills mastered. These skills or habits will be performed automatically without thought and designed to support the Green Zone in Body and Mind for the Focus of Growth. These exercises are performed first thing in the morning to SET your day in connection of Head-Heart-Hand. WE MUST SET EACH DAY CONSCIOUSLY. The reason this is essential is that every human wakes up to the Ego and in the state of Event-Judgement-Reaction. Practice Each exercise is done for ten minutes. Simply set your timer for ten minutes, and when it goes off move to the next exercise. Please do not deviate from the order of the exercises until formally instructed to do so. Green Focus Power Hour Each exercise is done for ten minutes. When the timer sounds move to the next. Do not dwell on the previous exercise of where you may have left off or may have built some momentum simply move to the next. 1. Read: To create change and create the life we want we must program our computer (subconscious) with good data and content that expands and stretches our comfort zone. To live in expansion and Growth we must maintain flow. Mental Flow is blocked when we get stuck in old knowledge and fail to introduce new experiences to the mind. Read books of development in whatever area you are looking to expand in. Personal growth, biographies, philosophy, spirituality, etc. 10 minutes 2. Journal: The act of writing connects the Head and Heart, Mind and Body; it is a neuro-psycho activity. When we write we release pent-up energy of the Cage Mind, and this moves the nervous system out of the Red Zone into the Green Zone. The simple process of writing releases the energy of the activated program. This keeps Emotional Flow open. It doesn't matter what you write about; it can be about something that you are working to let go, or it can be what is taking place in your life story. You can write about the lessons you are learning or write a letter to God. Set up a special journal for your GFPH and Shift Coaching 10 minutes 3. Affirmations: Every word we speak is a direct command from the conscious to the subconscious mind. Repeating a set statement plants deep seeds into the subconscious programming. These statements of affirming will become behaviors of action. Affirmations are also a way of canceling the Ego when it is in a negative state of Event-Judgement-Reaction. By consciously repeating a statement of growth and expansion you take conscious mind control and control of the input of the subconscious mind. This keeps the Cultural Flow open. Affirmation Part One - The S L O W – D O W N Technique Repeat the phrase S L O W – D O W N by drawing both words out slowly and deliberately. Take a breath and say Slowwww Downnnn. Repeat this statement 5 or 6 times. This process will activate the vagus nerve and connect Mind-Body, Body-Mind. ***I do the same thing, but I say Be Still slowly– it connects me to God. Affirmation Part Two - Powerful statement Here you can repeat any powerful statement that you desire to turn into a program for behavior. You must stay with the statement for a minimum of thirty days. The following is the affirmation I give to all my coaching clients, as it is a complete statement of truth. Repeat it slowly, with attention in the present moment. Repeat the statement over and over until the timer goes off. Also, you can use this throughout the day. Repeat for 10 minutes “I AM whole, perfect, powerful, strong, I AM loving, harmonious, and happy… I AM Free. I AM Free. I AM Free.” *** I have a list of positive affirmations in my journal. I am more comfortable adding them in with the above statement. I am creative, I am loving. I am kind and worthy. I am valuable, I am loved. You must make it comfortable for yourself or you may not do it. 4. Visualization: The Law of Mind is powerful and always in play: What you think you create, what you feel you attract, what you imagine you become. The first two parts of the law is the mind-body connection of the Cage Mind; the third part is the imagination of the Creation Mind. In Quantum Theory, all things in life are created and manifested in the zero-point field. This field is interacted through what we hold in mind. Visualization is the power tool for this interaction and is the base exercise in setting Identity-Based Goals. This keeps the Social Flow open. Create a movie of a day in your life five years from now. Write this out on paper in detail. When you first start this exercise have the paper handy. Include as many of the Five Life Categories as you can. Watch yourself going through this day in your future life. What are you wearing? What kind of shape are you in? How much money is in your accounts? What are you driving? Who is collaborating with you? How do you interact in your relationships? How are you feeling? Make sure you are connecting to the tool of Gratitude held in Creation Mind. Relax and really enjoy this process. There will come a time when you can close your eyes and see your future. 10 minutes 5. Meditate: This exercise is an introduction to meditation. The next step of Stress Mastery expands meditation, but in the beginning, when one is moving from Stage Three (Socialized Mind) into Stage Four (Self-Authoring Mind), the key to meditating is consistency. It can also be a very disruptive exercise at first, so the key is to just do it until the timer sounds. This keeps the Whole of Flow open. The Practice Simply, sit up tall with a straight back in a chair or, if you desire, cross-legged or in lotus position on the floor. Take a deep breath to a slow count of ten and then hold the breath for a count of ten, and finally release the breath to a slow count of ten. REPEAT this 3-4 times and sit quietly and observe the breath. Then, as you breathe in, mentally say to yourself SOOOO and as you breathe out mentally repeat HUMMMM. Do this until the timer goes off. If the Ego steals the conscious mind and you get caught in thoughts simply return to the SOOO-HUM mantra. 10 minutes 6. Exercise/Move: There are no rules here. Do something for ten-minutes or more. You can go for a walk or just jog in place. You can do push-ups, yoga; stretch or just jump up and down. I have several clients who head to the gym or hit trail for their daily workout. There is no wrong movement, but it needs to be at least ten-minutes. This final exercise solidifies the Green Zone and sets your day up for success. 10 minutes You can gain more understanding of how and why this works at StressMasteryCommunity.com This practice has made creating a new mindset so much easier for me. When you speak positively to yourself every day; and see who the person you intend to be living out the life of your dreams every day it changes the perception of who you are in your mind. I have noticed that I used to say negative things about myself much more often than I do now. Now when I hear myself say “I don't look very good”, or “that was dumb.” I catch myself. It goes against what I say to myself every morning. So I notice. 😊 Try it for yourself; I believe it will work for you too!

Don’t be afraid to do what makes you happy. No matter what it is. I know it is hard to make a change. The bigger the change the harder it is. We all live in fear. We are all afraid of rocking the boat. Losing our money, wasting our time or just afraid it won’t work out the way we want. For years I wanted to write a book, be a life coach and speaker. I want to help people. I love to help people; and I am a problem solver. Truthfully, people have always sought my advice. I’ve gotta laugh at myself because since I am being honest, I’ve given lots of unsolicited advice as well. But guess what? I don’t just say go for your dreams, I do it too! I am going for it! I have a book at the editor right now. I have a publisher. I am a life coach. I have a weekly podcast. I am getting this website going. Finally. I had to plan this all out; I made lots of changes in my life to get to this point. I’ve had to buckle down on my spending. I let go of clients so I’d have the time to do this. But I am investing my time in myself, in my dreams. I am worth it. And so are you. Please, please, don’t let life pass you by. Don’t push your desires out of your mind to save for later. Tomorrow never comes. It really doesn’t. Do what is important to do. I have a wonderful goal setting program that will help you see what is really the most important things in your life. Those are the things you plan for. There is nothing sadder I can imagine than getting to the end and saying ‘what if’? Just seeing all the dreams that never came true and the wishes left unfulfilled. Heartbreak, what a waste of life. Believe me, I’ve been where you are. I know thinking about big change is scary. I’m with ya. And, I totally get it, but living in stress and unhappiness is worse… Isn’t it? Please don’t let the fear and doubt stop you from being the person you were meant to be. Reach out and I will share my goal-setting program with you. I can show you how to set proper goals that will lead to a fuller life. The life you were meant to live.

We are all human beings; we are all hardwired the same way. Of course, we have different personalities, different families and different life experience. We all have different programming. So of course, we don't behave the same. 95% of our behavior is dictated by what is held in mind. What you hold in mind is your choice. Change the way you think and your whole life will change. Those behaviors are set by our programming. Many of these programs were not set by you; they were actually set for you by your parents, society and groups you are in. You don't have to be the person they told you to be. You no longer have to live the life they set for you. Leave fear behind you. Worry no more, we are all able to live the life of our choosing. I have the tools you need to remove the obstacles and release the past. Let's get started! Connect with me today!

as created by Bill Cortright Taking charge of our lives starts with the body. The healthy lifestyle plan is designed to take charge of the stress response and turn off stress. Diet and Exercise are the first two steps in Stress Mastery. Mastering stress will change your quality of life. It is important to grow in your understanding of the Mind/Body and Body/Mind connection. The body always supports the mind. The body will feel and do what you tell it to feel and do. Diet and exercise are very important, but so are your thoughts. Change your thoughts and change your life. Ultimately creating the Head-Heart-Hand connection. This is essential to creating a life of high performance, focus and living in the Green Zone. To this end, the Seven Steps to Stress Mastery have been developed by Bill Cortright. These seven steps have changed the lives of thousands of people. They will work for you, too. Creating good practices will help to change your life. You can begin to manage the stress response through diet and exercise for your physiology… Step One: Diet Stress Mastery begins with the management of the physiological response to stress and this is done through diet. The purpose of diet is to manage the physical Stress Response and it is this management that allows our nervous system to leave the Red Zone and work in the Green Zone which increases focus and performance. There is no one diet that works for everyone. The best way to see how your current diet is working for you is through bloodwork. Step Two: Exercise Step Two is the management of the body and its stress response creating the body-mind connection. Science has proven that exercise overrides our genes and has the ability to change our brain chemistry, allowing us to re-wire our brains to be in a state of flow and focus. Step Three: Name the Ego Step three is the beginning of the personal development and reprogramming. All our habits, beliefs, and actions come from the subconscious mind. The programs in your cage are controlled by this voice in your head which is the Ego. When we name the Ego, we begin the process of detachment from negative programming. Creating this awareness allows us to perform even when the voice is attempting to sabotage our efforts. You are not your ego. Naming it helps us become aware of the constant negative chatter. We are designed not to change. We are designed to stay locked in the comfort zone, like a cage. The ego has one job and that is to stop you from changing. Understanding that that critical voice in my head wasn’t me, was the beginning of my transformation. Step Four: Let Go Technique Step four teaches us the art of reprogramming our habits and the Tribalization Process. When we master and begin to let go of our past programming, we let go of the programs that caused lack of focus and performance. The Let Go Technique releases us from past failures. I have found that we are constantly thinking about yesterday or tomorrow. What happened last time; or what may happen next is a complete waste of time and energy. It keeps us stuck. This is the ego, not wanting us to change. Allowing ourselves to let go of the past creates a better future. There is no room for the past in the future. Step Five: Green Focus Power Hour Step five is about re-programming our subconscious mind, thus programming our life with habits that are geared for our Growth. In this step you set the programs and habits that support you in reaching your goals. It is step five that sets the day in the Green zone which creates connection of Head-Heart-Hand. Step Six: Meditation Step six of Stress Mastery is designed to build the concentration muscle. It is about using simple techniques that increase the brains capacity to work without getting overwhelmed. This ability to concentrate increases performance and focus. Meditation is one of the best performance tools that anyone wishing to increase performance could use. Step Seven: Finding the NOW Step Seven is where we find Stress Mastery. When we find the Now, we are Focused and act from a responsive state, opposed to the reactive state of stress. In this state, the outer circumstances of our lives no longer affect our inner being. Bottom-line…No Stress! Several years ago, I made a goal, to live in peace. I lived nearly 60 years in fight, force, and strife. Oh my gosh I was sick of stress. I have spent four years practicing these Seven Steps of Stress Mastery and they have literally transformed my life. No, I am not Wayne Dyer, Eckhart Tolle or the Dalai Lama. But my life is so much more peaceful than it was. Finding the now is being able to slow down enough to relax in the present moment. You don’t have to react when the world is spinning. Awareness is key. The ego tries to speed everything up and create stories about what's going to happen and how terrible everything is going to be. If you can be still for a moment, take a deep breath, connect to your heart, and you will see almost every time, that right NOW everything is OK. At this moment, you are OK. The outside reality can match your inside reality. And you can find peace in the moment. My practice… I see the ego trying to take over. I sit still, take a deep breath, and say “Beeeeee Stillllllll”. I connect to the Holy Spirit. In that moment, I can feel my head connect to my heart. Yes, with practice even in the midst of strife…. It works. What is Next…? Read the Pause Plan book by Bill Cortright The focus of this book has been on the Body – Diet and Exercise. This is where you work and master the Pause-Plan Lifestyle System. The next three steps that follow (Naming the Ego, Letting Go Technique and Green Focus Power Hour) are where you will work on creating a new mind. Finally, the last two steps (Meditation and Finding the NOW) are focused on Spirit. Each of these are a natural progression, leading to connection of Body, Mind and Spirit. The next steps 3, 4 and 5 are in the book “The Illusion of Stress” and are taught in the specialized coaching that is built around Stress Mastery called “Shift Coaching.” Also, on the Stress Mastery Podcast, where we touch on all different kinds of subjects and how they tie into Stress Mastery. *I am a Stress Mastery Shift Coach and I am honored to reach thousands of people on the Saturday episode of the Stress Mastery Podcast. *If you are interested in seeing how much I have been able to shift my life, please read my book, Finally! Becoming Who You Were Always Meant to Be.

Where I’ve been has made me who I am. At the age of 15, I decided to quit high school. Things weren’t going well. At the age of 40, I was able to go to college, where spent several years obtaining a Bachelor of Arts degree in Human Development. Earning a degree was a longtime dream. I worked hard and graduated with honors. In 2007, I took a gamble and started an Allstate Insurance Agency. I thrived. And by the time it sold in 2017, I had won many awards, including grand trips. I was finally able to see some of the world. I grew tired of dealing with the stress of the agency, and was beginning to lose my joy. There just weren’t enough hours in the day to get everything done right. If I am going to do it, I want it to be my best. I needed to have more time more with my children, grand-children, friends, and family. Things were getting harder as the pressure grew. Never able to relax because I never stopped to truly rest. Always thinking about work; the employees, the ever-changing business model, and the never-ending challenges. I finally buckled under the pressure. I felt forced to sell due to the unrelenting stress I was unable to manage. That was when I decided to coach with Bill Cortright. This one decision changed everything for the better. I live in peace. Life is much different when you feel relaxed and you are living peacefully. Until recently, I honestly had never known what it felt like to relax and enjoy the moment. I do now. I am now a snow-bird. I live in Arizona in the winter, and Oregon in the summer. I love to travel, entertain, and I am a fan of NFL football. Most of all I love my people! I cherish my time with family and friends. People often say I’ve never known a stranger. All are welcome in my world.

Choose PEACE! and Transform your body, mind, and life experience. Through my own life experience and the Stress Mastery Curriculum written by Bill Cortright, we can make real and lasting change while overcoming life’s challenges. When you master stress, you create balance, increase focus and productivity, enhance health, and then all things are possible. How do we achieve this?! By following “The Seven Steps to Stress Mastery” Step One: Diet – The Body Supports the Mind Step Two: Exercise – Movement and Muscle Management Step Three: Name the Ego – Create Awareness: Separate the ‘I’s Step Four: Let Go Technique – Releasing Stage Three Step Five: Green Focus Power Hour – Building Skills of Conflict-Resolution Step Six: Meditation – The Answer Step Seven: Finding the NOW – Stress Mastery With daily practice of Stress Mastery, you will begin to understand that stress is not good or bad, but rather it is just a part of life. Stress is a survival response that cannot be switched off. Let's learn to manage stress, and then master it together!

I have worn many hats in my day, as a young mother, entrepreneur, and now -- life coach and author. In these roles, I have had my fair share of failures and victories, leaving me well versed in life's many challenges. I am a mother... I have been a mom since the age of 18. I have three children and two grandchildren. Three sisters and three brothers. My family is the most important thing to me. Even though we live apart we keep in touch often. I can’t imagine life without them and all of their love. I am an entrepreneur... As a mother at a young age, I had to be resourceful with my time, money and talents. And in addition to being called, 'mom' ... I was also called a Serial Entrepreneur. The Basket Case I started my first business by the age of 20, selling baskets and other wicker items. I began putting together gift baskets and selling them to friends before moving on to sell them in bulk to businesses for both clients and employees. Full-Time Childcare & Play School ...for six children! My husband was much happier when I was home with our young family. I worked several different part-time jobs as well as babysitting to subsidize the household income. This came easily to me, but was not fulfilling. Except teaching young kids kindergarten basics. Hair Salon Owner & Operator After a heart-breaking divorce I went to beauty school and thrived personally. I soon purchased the salon and had several employees. Life began to get better as I grew. Realtor I loved real estate and was agent of the month in her office several times. It was fun, but it kept me away from the kids nights and weekends. That didn’t work because they were young and they needed me. Travel Agent I absolutely love life and learning. Interested in seeing the world, I decided to work with one of my sisters as a travel agent. House Flipper After my second husband died at an early age, I turned her interest to buying, fixing up and selling real estate. I was able to be home when the kids were and still make money. Caterer I love to cook. I co-owned a catering company with one of my younger sisters, where I worked with her until she got up and running. Event Planner In addition to owning a catering company, I was the chairman of outreach at my church for many years. During my tenure, I planned many events for my community. These ranged from small activates for a few dozen people, to large gatherings, such as BBQs, that were attended by well over a thousand people. Allstate Insurance Agency Owner I loved my time at the agency and won many awards for my achievements. Due to my desire to help people live their best lives, I often held teaching workshops and lunches for both my clients and my community. These workshops gave members of my community the opportunity to learn from (and meet) experts, realtors, bankers and financial planners. Stress Mastery Shift Coach I began coaching with Bill Cortright in 2018 and it changed my life forever. I didn’t even realize the multitude of grief, guilt and shame I carried with me. I had many successes in life. I have been blessed in so many ways. I had come so far from where I started. I was happy – mostly. A true rag to riches story. I believed I was good, just needed a little to deal with stress. Oh my gosh. I now live in peace. When Bill Cortright asked me if I’d consider being a coach I immediately said yes. I didn’t need to think about it. I had been wondering how I could break into the coaching arena. I knew would love to be able to help people like he does. And now I do! Stress Mastery Shift Coach Trainer Having successfully completed my training for Stress mastery, I am currently working with Bill to produce the curriculum for the new GoRight coaching programs. Podcaster The Stress Mastery Podcast – Living Right with Bill Cortright. This is new for me, and has pushed me far out of my comfort zone. The information shared in the Stress Mastery podcast can make a huge difference in your life. It gives you a lot to think about. Understanding why we do what we do often makes it easier to take a step to make a change. Remember we are all human; we are all hardwired the same. I am the host of Saturday’s episodes. Take a listen. I am an author... I am currently publishing my first book, 'Finally! Becoming Who You Were Always Meant to Be.' Launching September 19, 2022. It is my hope that with this book and my authentic communication that people will learn and grow. There are many lessons to share through my experiences, both the good and the bad. It is my intention to show others that if I can pull myself up and out so can you. We can all enjoy a beautiful life experience. If I show you, you can show another. I always have a plan, it is my desire to have plenty of content on this website, workbooks and journals to help those who can’t afford one-on-one coaching. I am also hosting workshops, retreats and other speaking engagements where I am able to offer others hope.

Vacationing while living on purpose. (you don’t have to throw in the towel to go on vacation). I am on vacation in Los Cabos Mexico. I love it here and I have been here quite a few times. It is close to Oregon, quick and easy access by air. I once owned a time share in Cabo San Lucas. Villa Del Palmar, cozy one-bedroom, roomy condo with a big bathtub to relax in. Lots of space. I enjoy being able to put my things away for the week. I don’t like to live out of a suitcase. Every condo is oceanfront. Not just a little peak, a true ocean view. Here’s a bonus, each unit had a kitchen. I enjoy cooking, it doesn’t feel like a chore even on vacation. That made it much more affordable to vacation while raising a family. My kids loved the resort as well as the fun we had. So, they were happy when they were able to go. Los Cabos is full of resorts and hotels spanning about 30 miles. This is called Los Cabos Corridor and it runs right along the Sea of Cortez. It hits the Arch Rock and on the other side of the arch is the Pacific Ocean. The airport is in San Jose Del Cabo and at the other end of the corridor is Cabo San Lucas; It is the tip of the Baja peninsula. You may have seen pictures of the Arch Rock. They call it Lands End. This is where the famous Lover’s Beach is. When my friend asked me to come here, it was an easy yes. I am comfortable here. I know what to expect. I know this resort too. It is in San Jose, which I consider to be the mellow side of town. I figure we’ll hang around the resort and sit by the pool and go for walks. Sounds good to me. I have explored this area many times , so I am happy to just relax in a nice spot. Once I said yes, I had to think about what I am going to do. I have been living a nice healthy lifestyle. I have lost over 50 pounds and I feel fantastic. It has taken me some time and I don’t want to mess up. I read an inspiring quote in the Stress Mastery Community a few weeks ago. – If you are tired of starting over; Don’t Quit! Or something to that effect. It grabbed my attention. The truth is a start and do great and then I decide to stop for a minute and then it becomes a day, a week, and then a month. Next thing you know you are starting again at Day One. I am happy at the end day one. Yes! I did it! 😊 I know I am back on track, and I know I can do it again tomorrow. Day two will feel great. While I am happy with days one, two and three; I am overjoyed that today I am on day 56! I sure don’t want to mess up my streak for an enchilada or a marguerita. It doesn’t make sense to me after all this hard work and the discipline I learned. I got to buy smaller shorts for this trip! I know I could easily slip and fall back into my old habits and routines very easily, if I don’t pay attention and make a plan for success. So I made a doable plan. The way I do my diet is that I give myself a cheat day once every week or two. This way, you are never depriving yourself of things that you enjoy. You know that you can have what ever you want, just not every day. In the past I have been able to stay on track in Yuma. I eat alone there, and the gym is two blocks rom my doorstep. I have created great habits for myself there. I love my routine. It has become easy, but then I leave and there and eat meals with my family. Then I’ll decide to take a little bite here and there. Next thing you know, it’s an extra cheat meal and then this and then that… Now you are off the plan. And then you start to promise yourself- I’ll start tomorrow. OR - Ok for sure, I’ll start Monday. It is so hard to get started again. So, I remind myself -just don’t quit! I know that is easier for me to stick to it then it is to get started. I have a streak and I want to keep it going. With that in mind, I decided to hold myself accountable and not blow it this time. I knew I’d have a kitchen, so I decided to cook. Protein powder is a staple for me. I do not read Spanish, so to make sure I had it, I brought it with me. I know I can’t control what a restaurant puts in the food so I will limit how many meals I eat out. I am happy to order meat and vegetables while we are out and ask them not to add fat. I will have a cheat meal while I am here. I have a workable plan. I went to the grocery store my first night here and got meat and salad and gallons of purified water. There is a gym here in the resort and I am happy about that. I am set, I can get in a workout before the day starts. It is open 24 hours. It doesn’t have a rowing machine which is my favorite for cardio , but there is recumbent bike and that works for me. I did some weights for about 20 minutes. I also walked for hours around town today. I’ll have plenty of steps in every day when I am here. I’m on the 4th floor and I have been up and down the steps 10x a day. I decided not to take the elevator this week. Can I hear that voice in my head saying “Oh come on, have a drink. You’re on vacation.”? Well of course I can. But the truth is, I feel so much better with my new habits that nothing seems worth giving that up. All my meals both home cooked and ordered out will be tracked. I will keep track of it in my Lose It app the best I can. I may not lose any thing this week. I feel confident that I will not gain. I have had several people tell me to lighten up and not be so strict while I am on vacation. I just remind myself that I want to feel good every day. That I love myself and don’t need to eat things that aren’t good for me just because I am out of town. What purpose would that serve? It is so easy to revert back to the way we always have done things. We have to be willing to change our ways, our habits. Just because most people eat, drink, and spend what they want on vacation doesn’t mean you have to continue that behavior. I choose not to revert to my old ways, no atter where I am. It no longer serves me. That isn’t even who I am anymore. It is my hope that this will give you some ideas to take with you wherever you are heading. We all have one life to live, and I pray that you will live with confidence and purpose. Live every day on purpose, Peggy Romero