Here are 30 life lessons I want to share with you to help you along the journey:

1. Life is very short, you need to be living it now. 
2. Being honest is a whole let less work than lying. 
3. People do not change unless THEY want to. 
4. You do not need to believe in karma because karma believes in you. 
5. Point to your own successes. There are enough people who will point out your failures. 
6. When you say, “I love you.” truly mean it. 
7. True friends make life better whenever you are with them. 
8. Always forgive but never forget. 
9. When you thing something is wrong, it probably is. 
10. Your health is a gift you need to treasure because it goes bad, you will miss it. 
11. Take risks. 
12. Face your fears. 
13. You don’t need to impress people, they need to impress you. 
14. Smile a lot. 
15. Leadership is all about building relationships. 
16. All relationships are built on trust. 
17. Love your family because they are the only one you have.
18. Learn to say no and mean it. 
19. Excuses are just lies. 
20.  You have to love yourself before someone else can love you. 
21. Bad things do happen to good people, how you handle them is what makes the difference. 
22. Life should be fun. 
23. When opportunity knocks you need to be dressed and ready to go. 
24. Stress will kill you so learn how to deal with it. 
25. Make time for yourself. 
26. Always be open for love and friends. 
27. Don’t think about the people who don’t like you, think about the people who do and why.
28. Being young comes from the inside. 
29. Don’t be afraid to make mistakes, you learn the most from them. 
30. You are looking for your best friend when you are looking for your life partner. 

30 questions to help you change your life:

1. What are ten reasons someone would be happy to be in a relationship with me?
2. Who are five people I admire for their ability to share love?
3. What’s holding me back from opening my heart? 
4. What are ten qualities I really value in my closest relationships?
5. Am I willing to take risks and create more connections with others? If not, why not?
6. What do I need to change or develop in myself to achieve the success I desire?
7. What are my five greatest strengths at work? 
8. Who are two people I truly admire in business and why? 
9. What would I do differently at work if I knew I couldn’t fail or be criticized?
10. What are ten things I really like to do?
11. What are five activities I used to enjoy doing as a child that I wish I did today? 
12. How can I bring these childhood pleasures into my life today? 
13. Who are five playful partners or potential partners in my life today?
14. What playful activities am I willing to initiate in the next week? 
15. Who are my most treasured friends and why?
16. When do I feel most connected with others?  When do I feel most disconnected?
17. When I distance others what are the fears, resentments or other reasons behind this?  
18. What do I need to change about myself to have more fulfilling friendships?
19. What can I do this week to create more meaningful connections with others?  
20. At what times in my life have I felt most passionate or alive? 
21. What activities or personal experiences feel most meaningful to me?  
22. Do I want to create a more spiritual connection in my life?  What is something I could I do to cultivate this? 
23. Looking back at my life, what are three problems from my past that have paved the way for positive growth and how did this occur?
24. Choose three current problems in your life today.  How can these problems be turned into opportunities for personal growth?
25. Do I ever create problems to get attention or pay someone back?  If so, how?
26. Who are three people I feel handle problems effectively?  How are they different from me? 
27. What are ten things I feel grateful for in my life right now?
28. What is standing in the way of spending time each day in moments of gratitude?  What do I need to do to change this? 
29. Which people would I like to thank for their help and support in my journey through life? 
30. What are ten ways I can acknowledge myself along this journey? 

Michael, it’s high time that you step forward to claim and demand whatever it is that you want from life.

Just remember though, the gate keeper who will give it to you is the same gate keeper who has kept it from you… your gorgeous self. 

Let me in, too - 
    The Universe

It is hard to realize that we control our lives. That we are accountable for creating the life we have always wanted. It is also hard to realize that we are also the same person who keeps us from what we desire. 

Here are 30 ways to stay in control of your life:

1. Remember your Vision - Without a plan, how do you know where you are going? Creating a vision is one thing but remembering it to keep you motivated and driven is another. Make sure you create a visual reminder so you see it everyday so you know where you are headed. 
2. Dream BIG - Dreaming allows us to think about all that is possible. It helps us to learn what we want and how it will make us feel. These dreams lead to developing our vision so we can move them into reality. 
3. Have a Support Team - You do not have to do it alone. Bring in your friends and family that you love and trust. They are your best cheerleaders and will be glad to support you through your journey. 
4. Learn to say No - When we are 2 we learn the dreaded word “no” and we use it all the time. We also are taught at that age that it is a bad word and we shouldn’t use it all the time. Yes, we shouldn’t walk around saying no to everything but we should say no to the things in life we do not want to do, feel obligated to do, or pressured to do. 
5. Follow your Passion - What really gets you motivated about life? When you find this, follow it to where it leads. Your passion is where your heart and strengths lie and allow you to be the best that you can be. 
6. Let Go of FEAR - Fear stands for False Evidence Appearing Real. When you realize this, you can move yourself step by step to letting the fear go. We have control over our fear and we can conquer it in time. We can’t let our fear get in the way of our dreams. 
7. Trust your Intuition - There are many times where if you had trusted your instincts, things would have gone better. You ultimately know what is best for you. When you start listening to your instincts you will notice life starts to fall into place. You see, know and hear more than you think. 
8. Don’t Listen to Self Doubt - With intuition, you also have another voice in your head - self doubt. It loves to come in and stop us from moving into action. Recognize it is there and then confront it. Think about what is the worst that could happen, then think about what is the best that could happen, isn’t the benefits worth the risk?
9. Know your Insecurities - When you self reflect on what makes us insecure we can work to grow and develop in these areas. We have control of our lives so we can create confidence in these areas with a plan of action. 
10. Believe in Yourself - Another way to reduce insecurities and self doubt is learn to believe in yourself. When you truly believe in yourself, you allow yourself to trust and support your dreams, goals and passion. You realize that you wouldn’t drive yourself in the wrong direction and you know what is right. 
11. Become Selfish - When all know it is bad to be selfish because the world doesn’t revolve around us, but doesn’t it? You have control of your life and your life only. You know what is best for you and you know what you want in life. It is OK to put yourself first because it is all you have, YOU! When you take care of yourself it allows you to be able to take care of others. 
12. Have Fun - Life is not meant to be boring. If you are not having fun, then think about what is going on. Could you not be following your goals, dreams, or passion. Yes it takes work but when you are in control of your life even the work is fun because it is for you. 
13. Stop Judging Others - When you judge other people, you are giving them the right to judge you. Do you want everyone to be judging you or would you prefer for them to accept you as you are? Shouldn’t you start by accepting them as who they are? 
14. Live for the Present - A lot of time we live life for others now, because of the pay off we will get in the future.  We are not guaranteed a future. Yes, you need to plan for your future with your vision but you also need to live your life today. Take time each day to do something for yourself, you deserve it. 
15. Make Yourself Proud - A lot of times we do things because it impresses others such as our friends or family. Maybe it is our boss or co workers. What if you let it all go and only did things to make yourself proud? Wouldn’t it give it greater meaning? It would be for you. 
16. Learn to Love - To truly love others, you have to love yourself first. Take the time to love yourself. Love yourself for who you are and who you are going to be. When you have this love, you are complete and all other love is icing on the cake. 
17. Be a Student of Life - Do not think you will ever be an expert at life and you will have it all wrapped up. Instead realize that life is all about learning along the way and be a good student who studies up. 
18. Keep Learning - There is always a new book, new seminar, new training or even a new degree you could get. There is never an end to learning. 
19. Don’t Panic - When life doesn’t go the way you expected it is not time to freak out. It is time to take a deep breathe and think about what you can do (maybe small) to take back control. This is not a time a panic but to reframe. 
20. Laugh at Yourself - Life doesn’t have to be serious all the time. Sometimes you are going to trip, fall or embarrass yourself. Don’t stress about it, just laugh. You need to have a sense of humor so you can keep moving forward. 
21. No Regrets - You are going to make choices and later regret them. It is not time to dwell on the past but realize the lesson in the experience. Don’t beat yourself up about it, learn from it. 
22. Be Honest - Life is so much easier to control when you are just honest with everyone and yourself. You can get tired of playing the game of lies.
23. Celebrate - When you work hard on something and achieve it, you need to celebrate. You don’t need others to throw you a party, throw it for yourself. This will build momentum in your life and keep you moving in the right direction. 
24. Know Your Values - What are your core values? Your values really allow you to know how to make decisions so you are living the life you want. It helps you as a compass in your life to keep you going north to your vision. 
25. Be Authentic - Know who you are and embrace it. Why fight yourself along the way? When you are true to yourself all the choices you will make will support who you are and you will be more committed to the goal. 
26. Stop Listening to Others - When you are authentic, you know that you know what is best for you. You do not need to live your life by other’s advice or expectations. Set your own and be yourself. 
27. Take a Time Out - When life seems to be out of control. STOP. Sometimes if you just take a few minutes, hours or even a day to just relax, you will be recharged and able to see everything so clearly. We all need to balance our lives. 
28. Simplify - Our lives can be way more complicated than they need to be. Take the time to see what is important to you and what is not. Make life simple, it can be if you let it. 
29. Learn to Respond - A lot of time we spend our lives reacting to what is happening to us. Instead learn the art of responding. Instead of jumping emotional to a reaction, we take the time to really think about it and prepare a thoughtful response. It changes how we see everything and how others will respond back. 
30. Enjoy the Journey - Things will not always go the way we want them to but that is OK. We can go to the extreme of trying to control everything when sometimes we have to realize it is all about the journey. Enjoy it, learn from it, and have during it. 

This list makes you reflect on who you are and how you describe yourself. It also allows you to see the words you don’t use that maybe you want to add in your description of you by developing these areas in your life. 

So here you go, 30 words that describe me:

1. Funny
2. Silly
3. Driven
4. Demanding
5. Trusting
6. Loving
7. Careless
8. Clumsy
9. Energetic
10. Enthusiastic
11. Down-to-Earth
12. Positive
13. Hopeful
14. Insecure
15. Charismatic
16. Flexible
17. Impatient
18. Focused
19. Smart
20. Intuitive
21. Dreamer
22. Honest
23. Influential
24. Warm
25. Open minded
26. Fearful
27. Zany
28. Encouraging
29. Open book
30. Friendly

How about a list of things that make you happy? How fast would it take you to complete that list?

For most of us, it will take awhile. We really spend our lives knowing what we do not like instead of looking at the things we do like.

So continuing with the birthday countdown and theme, here are 30 Things that make me happy:

1. The beach
2. Laughing until it hurts
3. Sleeping in
4. Carmel apples with nuts
5. Halloween
6. Having lunch with my mom
7. When Justin tells me he loves me
8. When Piper meows when i get home
9. Eating hot cookies out of the oven
10. Making someone smile
11. Emailing Becky all day
12. Afternoon naps
13. Going swimming at night
14. Singing loudly and badly
15. Crossing an item off my list of goals
16. When someone says something compliments me
17. Reading a really good book
18. Talking to Karen on the phone
19. Talking on the webcam with Nick
20. Fall weather
21. Peanut butter
22. Seeing Kelly and Brenda on the NEW 90210
23. Looking at people’s photos posted online
24. Finding random people you know on MySpace or Facebook
25. Reading celebrity gossip online
26. Watching Romy and Michelle’s High School Reunion for the 400th time
27. Getting a massage
28. Receiving comments on my blog posts
29. Great hugs
30. My birthday!

What would happen if you started to think about all the things that make you happy? Wouldn’t it give you a list of all the things you want MORE in you life so you could create a plan to make yourself happier?

Here are my 30 goals:

1. Go on my first cruise
2. Go on the segway tour at EPCOT
3. Go to Vegas
4. Complete a 5K and get a medal
5. Do the Beluga Whale Interaction at Sea World
6. Complete my first book 
7. Start my “Coaching for a Year” program for my clients
8. Work on my fear of flying
9. Go on a haunted ghost tour
10. Participate in National Novel Writing Month
11. Go in a shark cage
12. Go to Not So Scary Mickey’s Halloween Party
13. Go to Howl O Scream in Tampa
14. Eat dinner alone at a sit down restaurant for the first time
15. Go for a walk at least 4 days a week
16. Keep a gratitude journal
17. Go on the Sea Aqua tour at EPCOT
18. Work on one thing a month to simplify my life
19. Double my current blog subscribers
20. See Cirque “O” Show
21. Work on reducing stress in my life with an activity a month
22. See the Bellagio fountains
23. See Cirque Zummanity show
24. See the Fremont Street Experience
25. Continue to work on eating healthier
26. Create my next 5 year vision for my life
27. Visit Justin’s hometown
28. Break the habit of sleeping with the TV on
29. Go to NYC for the first time
30. Go on the Sex and the City Tour

Some of my goals are big and some of my goals are small. It is about completing the dreams that are in my head right now and turning them into reality. I don’t won’t to look back on life with a bunch of would’ve, should’ve, and could’ve. Do you?

What is one goal you want to achieve this year? Let’s celebrate together!

“I don’t believe in coaching” he responded. “It is OK. I don’t believe in you.” I said. 

He looked at me puzzled and said, “There is nothing to believing in me because I am standing right here.”

I said, “I know and so am as a life coach. The only difference is when I believe in you as your coach, you will never have to think about people believing in you. Because you will truly believe in yourself.”

Are you living, or merely exsisting?

Discovery Cove is an unbelievable experience you can have in Orlando. It is a small inclusive theme park which has a limited entrance each day. You get to spend your day swimming in the coral reef, lying by the wave pool, traveling down the lazy river or even playing with a variety of exotic birds in the aviary. The best part is your one on one interaction time with a dolphin.

I love dolphins and I was so excited to be able to swim, touch and interact with one so close. I was at the park with my friend who was more concerned with looking good in the pictures than interacting with the animals. He spent 5 minutes in the coral reef until he was so freaked out with the sting rays and getting his hair wet, he left to sit by the pool. I spent most of my day in the coral reef like the Little Mermaid enjoying the tons of fish that would swim right by you.

As we approached the water to begin our dolphin interaction, my friend reminded me that I was not to get his hair wet at all. I was also told not to act silly or too excited because it could ruin any of the pictures they take of us together. I received my clear instructions and jumped into the water.

We spent a lot of time touching and learning about the dolphin. We then each got a solo shot where I was able to get a kiss from the dolphin. When it was my friend’s turn, he was told to splash the dolphin. By the look on his face I knew he was not happy and when he did, the dolphin splashed back and barely wet his hair. I got a look as if it was my fault.

We then got the opportunity to have the dolphin swim us back to the shore. First you have to walk across all these jagged rocks as the water gets deeper. I slipped at one point and accidently bumped into my friend. He quickly shoved me which caused me to fall and hit my knee on a rock. He screamed, “I TOLD YOU! Don’t get my hair wet!” I said I was sorry and continued to the deeper water.

We had to tread water until it was our turns with the dolphin. I looked over to see my friend struggling to keep his hair from getting wet so he would have the perfect picture. When the trainer asked which one of us would go first, I quickly yelled, “ME!” and grabbed onto the dolphin. I got another look but I didn’t care, this was my time with the dolphin. It was a great experience that I will never forget.

After we finished the whole day, we went to get the pictures. In all the pictures, I was smiling, having fun and being me. My friend, on the other hand, looked mean and stern in most of them or they were just bad photos. This is when I learned that the camera doesn’t lie. It doesn’t matter how great your hair is, or how much you pretend to be happy the camera sees deep. It sees who you really are.

I hope you enjoyed the photo week and I would love to hear which ones you loved the most. I hope these pictures show you a little more about me and let you see another side of the real Michael.