why not

And then I said “Why Not?”

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It took becoming a mom for me to greet life with a “why not?”.

My son just does stuff. He thinks it and he does it. He is just completely open to life. The kid has never met a stranger (we’re working on that). He walks into a room full of kids and his response is “hey guys!”. He’s always open to new people and new experiences. I love that about him. I love that I have become more like him. Isn’t it funny that I became more like him? I admire his open approach to life. I know that it’s because everything is new to him. He’s only four and so much of life is a mystery to him. He is not afraid of the mystery though. Instead he welcomes it. Isn’t it awesome how kids make you see things differently?

kid-president-1 I have to say that since becoming a mother, I have noticed that I’m far more open as well. Whether that means sharing my experiences or speaking up when opportunities are in front of me. I had one of those moments recently. There was a woman I saw on television. Her missions and goals directly lined up with mine. I saw an opportunity to reach out and I did.

In times past, I would have been to shy to reach out – even on line. The mama version of me has an attitude of “why not?”  So, I found an email and reached out. It felt so good to hit “send” on that message. It was yet another reminder for me of my growth. Reaching out to her falls right in line with my mission to inspire and motivate moms to find and follow their passions. It felt right. It would be great if a connection is formed because of my willingness to reach out. Even if it leads to nothing at all, it’s a step for me.  It doesn’t matter what happens from here. The success for me is in making the move, taking the step.

And that is how I’ll keep working toward making my dreams come true. Whether they be giant steps or baby steps – the thing is, keep moving! And to think all of this new found boldness started because of a little kid – mine.

How have your kids changed you? What have you said “why not” to lately?

Update 4/23/14 12:57pm PST: The woman I sent the email to responded! You’ll be hearing more about her next month! Excited!

The Power of Disney, Dreams and Why Not?

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When you were a kid were you told you could do and be anything you wanted? Were you encouraged to reach for the moon? As a kid,did you believe anything you imagined was possible? If the answer to any of these is yes, know you’re not alone. I was that kid too. I thought I would be following in the footsteps of my favorite singers and taking the world by storm with my powerhouse vocals. Only my vocals don’t pack much power. Still as a kid, you could not have convinced me that I didn’t have a shot a stardom.

There is something to be said about blind faith. We have it as a kid. Somewhere along the way we lose it. It kind of falls away, bit by bit. I think part of it is because the older we get, people stop telling us the world is ours and instead invite us to step into the “real” world. As an adult you are told and often forced to get your head out of the clouds. While this is a good thing, it’s also crazy confusing. How is it that the world is your oyster as a kid but as an adult you have to accept that that oyster had an expiration date and (sucks for you) you missed it?

I get growing up, but what does that mean for your dreams? Is it just kaput once you hit a certain age? I think of this all the time. Probably way too much. I am one of the few that still believe in the power of dreams, no matter how out there they seem.

Dreams Have No Expiration Date

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My family and I recently took a trip to Disneyland. It was a dream come true for my nearly four year old son. He’s been wanting to go there for the last two years. While we were there, immediately, I felt the bubbling up of the Disney magic. It was such a feel good environment from the minute we entered the gates of the park. I inhaled and took it all in.

As we strolled through the park and squeezed through the crowds, I couldn’t help but feel perkier than I had when we walked in. It could have been all of the music I heard that took me back to a childhood of endless possibilities. It could have been that I was surrounded by fairy tales where all the stories have a happy ending. Whatever the case, it was enough to inspire me to not only keep dreaming but to dream bigger and believe that dreams can really come true. Maybe it’s childish. Maybe I need to snap out of it and pull myself out of the clouds. Or maybe that land of make believe was all I needed to make me believe in a bigger way. I have seen too many of my dreams come true to not think that “Impossible things are happening every day. ~Cinderella”

I never would have thought a trip to the happiest place on earth would be just the re-boot I needed. While my son is still talking about the magic of seeing Mufasa in the Disney parade, I have my own bit of magic tucked away. The question is how do I hold on to these good vibes?

Stay positive!

The feel good music in Disney was a mood changer. Keep yourself surrounded with positive people, positive quotes, affirmations and a  little feel good music never hurts.

Believe in happy endings 

While life can be kicking your behind at every turn, know that happy endings are real. I always say, “Everything is all right in the end. If it’s not, it’s not the end.” {click to tweet}

Know your power 

If you tell yourself something is impossible, then it is. You’ve already set it up to be that way just by speaking the words. Why not live in a place of why not? If you want to try something new, instead of telling yourself all of the reasons it’s not possible, simply say “Why not?”

IM POSSIBLESource

How do you keep yourself motivated? Tell me in the comments!

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