working mama Archives - Popcorn and Pandas

{45} Lately…

So you guys, it may seem like I have skipped a few Lately posts, but the last few I have done LIVE over on my Facebook page…42, 43, 44…so this is the first written one I’ve done in awhile!!! Excited to be back in action with this one since it’s one of the blog favorites and also one of my personal favs….

Lately I’ve been…

reading So many things you guys! I recently finished Miracle Morning by Hal Elrod which has been LIFE CHANGING and I absolutely recommend it to EVERYONE. Expert Secrets by Russell Brunson which was AMAZING for any entrepreneur or anyone pursuing a side hustle and Into the Water by Paula Hawkins (author of The Girl on the Train) which I have to say was good, but not as good as The Girl on the Train. I then read The Couple Next Door by Shari Lapena in about 24 hours. Couldn’t put it down. I just had to find out what was going to happen next. I am also re-reading The Compound Effect by Darren Hardy along with my current challenge group.

writing Not a whole lot, but still striving for my daily 5 minute journal habit that I started up in January of this year. I will absolutely re-up for 2018.

listening I’m going to embarrassingly admit that I am enjoying the Hipster Yoga playlist on iTunes during my Miracle Morning.

thinking About how awesome my Challengers who are rocking CLEAN WEEK are doing! Seriously! They are crushing it.

smelling Broccoli. Yep. Roasted broccoli was happening when I was writing this post.

watching Grey’s Anatomy. Still obsessed.

wearing These amazing new leggings from the new Target athletic line, Joy Lab.

exercising You guys…I’m on Day 47/56 of Insanity Max 30…a program I tried once 2 years ago and swore I would NEVER do it, because it was too freakin’ hard and it way way to hardcore cardio and guess what…I’m almost done.

feeling Kinda badass about post above.

wanting Someone to cook for me right now, because I’m hungry but don’t feel like cooking. Should have prepped better, dang it.

needing Hot coffee.

loving All of the adventures I’ve been taking with my boys this week…zoo, museums, etc. Feeling like I am getting a great balance of break time, coach/work life, and mom life with our new routine this school year.

wishing Luca could get over the hump of tears at school drop off. I felt like we were doing well and now it seems like things are going backward. He also recently is having trouble going to sleep on his own and I feel like it’s all related. That being said…his experience in school is definitely showing in other aspects of life…at a music class we went to yesterday he was really involved and participatory whereas in the past he would have clung to me the whole time. Baby steps.

hoping That all of the costume items I ordered for Halloween will actually come before Halloween lol.

craving Wine.

clicking Around about a few things I am interested in doing and learning in terms of health and fitness and taking things to the next level. Yoga teacher training? Mind Body Green nutrition program? Podcasting? Organizing a Wellness Retreat? Thinking long-term here and not TOMORROW by any means, because let’s face it, I’m already crazy-busy. But always good to do research and advance ourselves when we can!

following Amanda Bella – her blog is super cute and I just love her hair and make-up video tutorials!

HAPPY FRIDAY!

Are you celebrating Halloween this weekend? Dressing up? Or that’s just for kids?

What have you been up to lately?

XO,

Gina

Dreams into Reality

Team Spark Happy Hour June 23

About a year and a half ago, I felt a little lost. The company I worked for had folded 6 months prior, I had an 18 month old and was newly pregnant with baby #2. My mother had always worked outside of the home, and naturally being the person I am, I always wanted to do the same. I never wanted to rely on anyone else and I wanted to “be successful” in my own right.

Before becoming a mom, I also could never have imagined how hard it would be to balance work and life. Going back to work was easier said than done. I liked my old job, but it was definitely hard to leave every morning. During those 6 months of “soul searching” I realized I didn’t want to go back to working in advertising full time and leaving my son (and future son to-be) 5 days a week for incredibly long hours.

My blog and a couple writing gigs told me that I wanted to do something from home…and on my own…but I just didn’t know what. Because the blog was certainly not paying the bills…

At the same time I was also incredibly out of shape. Aside from walking, I hadn’t done anything since I got pregnant with my first born. This was a heck of a lot different from my athletic past life, and I did not feel like myself and was quite sure I would probably never again.

It was then that I stumbled upon the coaching opportunity. A fellow blogger started her journey and I quietly followed until I saw she was looking to mentor new coaches. I thought to myself “WHY NOT ME?!” What did I have to lose? If I hate it, I will just find something else.

So I took the JUMP. A year and a half ago, I had NO idea what I was getting myself into…but I knew that I would be helping people and I would be getting healthy at the same time.

Fast forward to the present day, and my life has completely changed. I am able to stay at home and raise both of my kids AND also have a full time job that I work in part time hours. I have helped over 200+ people start their health + fitness journey and achieve incredible results, and I have trained and helped mentor 20+ coaches to build their own businesses and start their own journey toward financial freedom. I have been able to take multiple vacations so far this year and have at least 5 more trips on the books for the rest of the year. We are paying off debts from old houses owned in Baltimore, hubby’s student loans, and more. I have made so many new friends (pictured above) from across the country who are positive, uplifting, supportive and who I look forward to talking with every day.

The journey is not over, and it’s hard work, but it’s work that I LOVE, so it doesn’t actually FEEL like work. It’s something I can do on my own time, my own hours, + create and design by MY standards. I wake up each day excited to check in with my challengers and my team. I love seeing the lives transform each and every day, including my own. It makes me feel happy that I can provide for my family and be a positive example for my boys.

Are you looking for something MORE in your life? If you have ever felt the way I did…if you want more time with your kids, more travel/vacation time, a chance to do something for yourself, the opportunity to feel as if your success is limitless, to surround yourself with an amazing community of people….

Then PLEASE JOIN ME + Team SPARK! – THURSDAY night 6/23 at 8:30pm where we will share our stories and give you a behind the scenes of a day in the life of a coach. How we help others, why we love it + how you can fit coaching into your already busy schedule.

***Comment below “I want to learn more!” with your e-mail address***

Come learn how to turn your DREAMS into a REALITY – And don’t forget something to say “Cheers!” on Thursday! 🙂

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Hope you all have an AMAZING Monday!!!

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XO,

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Gina

***Team Beachbody® does not guarantee any level of success or income from the Team Beachbody Coach Opportunity. Each Coach’s income depends on his or her own efforts, diligence, and skill.***

Fit Mama Thoughts

Shortly after I became a fitness coach, I discovered I was pregnant. I panicked. Not because of the whole extra child part. For that I was pretty excited, even though we were a tad surprised at the time. But I panicked about just starting a new job where people would rely on me to reach their health & fitness goals, because how could I set a good example while pregnant? I obviously wasn’t going to be showing any “results” photos from my program. I had to switch my program. I would be getting BIGGER…not smaller. What if I couldn’t keep up? Would people want to work with a coach who couldn’t practice everything they preach?

But I decided to give it a shot…give it my all…and see what came out of it. I have been working out as much as I can, eating healthy, and sharing my journey through pregnancy as a fit mama.

And you know what? I now have over 30 challengers in my groups and THREE of them are prego mamas just like me! I never would have dreamed I would be able to help and inspire so many people to reach their goals and stay healthy…especially the pregnant mamas. I am actually so incredibly inspired by THEM and all of my challengers to keep going on a daily basis.

This job has given me an amazing opportunity to not only help others but to better myself in the process 🙂 A year ago, I never would have thought I would be able to stay at home with my son and still accomplish so much in the working world. I am incredibly blessed and thankful, and I can’t wait to see what else is in store!

Hope you all are having a great week!

XO,

Gina