What award would you give yourself?

If you were to give yourself an award for this year, what would it be? 

The end of the year is upon us and it's time for a little reflection. 2019 was a big year of growth for me. I pushed myself harder than I've ever pushed myself before. I stepped out of my comfort zone more times than I care to count. I accomplished things I never dreamt possible. I met tons of new people and built on those connections. I worked hard and surpassed the goals I set at the start of the year, both personally and professionally.

If I was to give myself an award, I'd accept the following...

Dared to Dream the Impossible and Succeeded Person of the Year

What about you? What award would you give yourself?

2019 is almost over and it's time to heap praise on all you accomplished this year.

MRS N

Make persistence your fuel @NNP_W_Light

"Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not: nothing is more common than unrewarded talent. Education alone will not: the world is full of educated failures. Persistence alone is omnipotent." – Calvin Coolidge

Persistence... it's the word I am chanting over and over today.  Persistence is flowing in my veins.  Persistence is the mindset of fulfilling your dreams despite the obstacles.

I've known talented educated people who are not successful.  Sure, they had a brilliant idea but didn't have the persistence to see it through to fruition.

Persistence is the difference between having a dream and making it happen.

I've faced and will continue to face obstacles.  Do I get down sometimes?  Sure I do!  There are some who tell me that I can't write about such things.  They don't understand and I personally feel sorry for them. With each obstacle, I lift my head upwards and look at the end goal. 

Are you facing an obstacle right now?  Do you feel defeated and don't know where to turn?  Think about what your end goal is.  Write it down.  Commit it to memory.  Look deep inside your heart and then say aloud, "I can do this and no one can stop me!  I will not fail and I will hold tightly to Persistence."

MRS N

Pain is your friend so... (@NNP_W_Light)

Positive thinking is a valuable tool that can help you overcome obstacles, deal with pain, and reach new goals. ~ Amy Morin

Do you view pain and suffering as your friend or foe?

A week ago, I hurt my rib muscles. I went into the doctor because the pain became unbearable. He diagnosed I had a grade 3 inter coastal rib strain. The healing time is 7 weeks to 3 months. Oh great.

Yesterday, I woke up in immense pain. The spasm in my rib cage on both front and back on the right side was nonstop. It hurt to move, breathe, work, stand, sit. Nothing helped.

I needed to do the dishes. There was no getting around it. Even in teeth-jarring pain, I had to do it. There wasn't anyone else who could do it. MR N was at work in a meeting. I couldn't ask him to come home just to do the dishes. So, I gritted my teeth and breathed through the pain.

Ladies, imagine trying to do dishes while being in the middle of labor. Every step, bend, twist, was pure agony. I was breathing hard and sweating like crazy. It took all my strength but I did it. I did the dishes.

Later, as I was telling MR N what happened, I felt good about myself. The old me would quit, the pain too much. The new me pushed through the pain to get it accomplished.

Pain is your friend.

No matter what you're going through, push through the pain and suffering. You'll see how much strength you have and how brave you are. Pain helps you become the warrior you're meant to be.

You can do it!

MRS N

Don't panic! Take a new approach @NNP_W_Light

"Panic causes tunnel vision. Calm acceptance of danger allows us to more easily assess the situation and see the options." ~ Simon Sinek

When an unexpected catastrophe happens, is your first instinct to panic?

Sunday evening was a little eventful for me. As MR N was finishing up his weekly fantasy baseball report to send out to the league, we heard a loud pop. We both looked out our windows (where the sound came from) and wondered what the sound was. I looked back at the television to find a black screen. No power in 2/3 of our apartment. The kitchen's power was still on, thank goodness. But we had no tv, no internet, no wi-fi, no lights. 

As minutes slipped by to an hour and still nothing, panic slid up and down my spine. I drove it down because I needed to stay calm. I called the electric company as well as our landlord. I had to have faith it was going to be fixed soon. Instead of focusing on our ruined night, we played Monopoly. It was a good distraction until the clock turned to 9 pm. Two hours and still no power. 

My self control slipped and I started to panic. My stomach felt like it was tied in knots and my body broke out in sweats. I closed my eyes and tried to meditate. I needed a distraction. So I lit two candles in the living room and MR N put on an old radio program CD. We listened to the comedy and started to laugh. It was the perfect distraction. The electricity was restored in twenty minutes. 

When something unexpected happens, do you panic or do you try to find a solution?

Listen, there are some things which are out of our control. Like the quote at the top says, when you panic, all you can see is your panic. It's only when you stay calm that solutions appear and you're able to stay level-headed about the situation. 

The next time something happens, take my advice and take a different approach. Shove down your panic and calmly access the situation. You might be surprised by how quick an outcome appears. 

How do you handle crisis? I'd love to know.

MRS N

How's your mental toughness? by @NNP_W_Light

“Your toughness is made up of equal parts persistence and experience. You don’t so much outrun your opponents as outlast and outsmart them, and the toughest opponent of all is the one inside your head.” – Joe Henderson

On a scale of one to ten, how's your mental toughness? 

We were watching the Travellers Championship final round yesterday afternoon and a guy who hasn't won a tourney in ten years was three holes away from winning. His 6 stroke lead narrowed to only two. It didn't look good for him and we were sure he was going to lose. As we watched him concentrate, one of the commentators commented on his mental toughness. He went on to win and I was thrilled for him.

When your back is against the wall and it's only you and your competitors, do you embrace your mental toughness to win?

I really like the imagery this quote evokes. It's not about outrunning your competition but outlasting them. It's about playing your game and defeating your most dreaded enemy: doubt.

Every day I face my inner critic and combat each blow with everything I have. I wear my mental toughness like a forcefield around me. Some days are better than others but no matter how many times I fall down, I brush myself off and keep going.

So again, I ask, how's your mental toughness?

Wrap it around you and use it to battle your opponents and your doubts. Your dreams and goals are waiting for you at the finish line. On your mark, get set, GO!

MRS N