May 10th, 2021
Sorry I've been a little MIA lately... I BOUGHT A HOUSE!! Last February, I started my home buying process and struggled through it until I finally made settlement on April 29th. I'm a freaking homeowner guys! Very exciting times, but also very hard, frustrating, and upsetting times. When I finally signed my papers, I was able to officially be excited, but given how the last year went, I couldn't celebrate that feat until I knew it was real, like really real.
I mentioned how this was a hard, frustrating, and at times, an upsetting adventure. I needed to work on myself a lot through the process. Reminding myself every day that I am worthy, I am capable and I am focused on my goals. This was a hard feat given the countless houses I looked at, the six other offers I put in, and being beat by better offers, cash offers (like who the heck has that much cash lying around), the waiving of inspections, or just outrageous prices of homes. Many, mannyyy times, I cried and got frustrated by it. Note to self (and others): buying a house in a pandemic, not advised lol.
As much as this process was tough, it was so worth the outcome. In a few short weeks, I'll be moving in and getting myself settled. Ready for the next chapter of life. Through this my motivation, self-love, and goals were a huge part of the process.
Motivation
I've been building my business and continuing my self-love journey, in my bedroom at my mom's & in her basement. I would hold my self-love calls and team training calls in front of the washing machine in her basement. Everyone starts somewhere, right? That's what I kept reminding myself, and it's true. We call this self-motivation. Motivation doesn't find you, you find it. You need to create the motivation that keeps you going. This relates to all aspects of your life. You begin to feel better by doing better. Remember that no one is perfect at this, motivation fluctuates and you need to fluctuate with it. When you lack motivation, you lack discipline and the focus you claim to have. Think about how many times you have told yourself, "I'll start tomorrow" "I'll start on the 1st" "I'll start next month" "Monday's the day" -- guys, you are already setting yourself up for failure. Because before that "day" you are dreading and obsessing over starting something. There is nothing easy about motivation, the definition itself means "the general desire or willingness of someone to do something." If you lack willingness, you will never turn the goals you have into realties. You need to be willing to push yourself through the struggles.
We all have the same 24 hours in a day - are you making the most of those hours?
M O T I V A T I O N is key in making these hours count.
Motivation & Self-Love
How does motivation connect to self-love? I thought for the longest time that it didn't, but going through this journey, especially over the past year, I've learned that they are completely connected. In order to love yourself, you need to push through the struggles and continue to move forward. Something I have been focusing on the past year is "NO BAD DAYS." My team's group chat shares this with each other often. Showing up on the hard days is 100% worth it. When you feel like you are in one of those moods remember, to not let them grow. A bad day happens, we're human, however, there's a difference between a bad day and bad days, weeks, months, etc. When a bad moment or day happens you have two options: 1. let it take over or 2. show up and do something about it. My hope for you is that you choose choice #2. SHOW THE F UP AND KICK YOUR BAD MOOD'S ASS and don't feel bad about it.
How do I shake off a bad day/ mood, I ...
-listen to a podcast
-go for a walk
-take a shower/bath
-check in with my team
-jam to music
-have a good cry.
You may have other ways of shaking it off, so do you boo.
This all ties directly back into your motivation. When you show up for yourself, you are pouring back into yourself. The whole concept of self-love is pouring back into yourself and finding ways to love you. Set your goals. Write them down. Look at them often.
Goals or Plans?
Think about yourself and your life -- are you celebrating goals or are you celebrating plans? I listened to a podcast recently that talked about this and really put it into perspective for me. Take a second and think about goals and plans.
Goal: the object of a person's ambition or effort; an aim or desired result
Plan: an intention or decision about what one is going to do
Many times we think we are setting goals when in reality we are setting plans. I admit I am guilty of this, I plan to do this or that, but it never makes it past that. It is a plan and that's all it amounts to be. However, when you set a goal for yourself, you are setting a result. If you are always celebrating your plans, you are taking the easy way out. Make your celebration mean more and have more of an effect on you by celebrating your goals. The best goals are the ones that are big and scary. The thought of them makes you want to crap your pants.
What are your goals standards? Are you setting them so that you can check them off right away and move on? If so, you're not thinking big enough. While checking things off a list is a great feeling, are you only checking off things that are easy for you to grab? If so, it's time to think and dream bigger. I had a reallllly hard time with this because I didn't think that bigger goals were for me. But I have changed my thinking, and my goals are now bigger than ever. It was a goal for me to buy a house, but I never imagined that I would buy a house, by myself, for myself. That goal became bigger when I realized that I was capable and worthy of that goal.
How much are you going to celebrate if it's completely obtainable? Don't get me wrong, I am all for celebrating, I actually encourage it however, I want you to celebrate big! When you celebrate something that you KNOW you are able to do, the celebration isn't as cinematic as if you were to celebrate something you never thought you could do, but busted your ass to do it. That's what a goal is.
Take some time and write down some goals, then think, are these goals big enough? Would Nicole be proud of me for dreaming bigger? Share some of those goals in the comments or take on a challenge to tag me in your goals, whether on insta (@nicolekoe_) or facebook (Nicole Koenig). Share your goals and be damn proud of them, because they are yours and no one else has any say in your big, scary goals.
Please share this blog with others, I want to grow our community together.
as always, you are beautiful. you are worthy. you are capable.
thank you for coming on this journey with me
xoxo nicole