I am so excited to share with you the first, in my new series, Being Your Sassy Self, with Lizza Monet Morales.
Being Your Sassy Self is an inspirational series offering insights in living your best life, from people, in all walks of life. So if you’re looking for inspiration and ideas on how to move toward living the life you want, then Being Your Sassy Self is what you’re looking for. It features guests who have achieved remarkable success in various facets of life, from personal, to professional. It delves into how they did it, how they find the courage to push past obstacles, along with advice they’d give to others trying to do the same, and insights into their newest projects. It’s jammed packed with goodness, so you won’t want to miss a single episode.
Today’s Being Your Sassy Self features Lizza Monet Morales (xoxolizza), actor, TV host, content creator in English and Spanish, and author of Latina Empowerment Through Leadership and soon, #ClassyChingona. Yes, she’s as amazing as that all sounds, but don’t take my word for it. Hear her insights in living your best life, here.
There is so much truth and power in everything Lizza talked about. If there’s something you don’t like about your life, change it.
Get on a “word diet”
If you aren’t living the life you want, whether personally or professionally, you need to make a change. And I know, trust me I know, change is scary. But so is living with regret or wonder about what could have been, so start off small. I know going on a “word diet”, as Lizza explained, helped me begin shifting my perspective from a life of limitations, to one filled with possibility. Now whenever I hear the words can’t, won’t, or should, coming out of my mouth, I stop to examine where they’re coming from.
If I’m saying “I can’t do that” or “They won’t say yes,” I remind myself that’s just my ego trying to not get bruised vs. reality. So I take a deep breathe, recenter myself on the positive, and go for it.
If however, I find myself saying “I should: give her a call, volunteer for that committee, etc.” I examine whether I really want to do it, or if that’s just the pleaser in me really wanting to say no, but saying yes to make others happy, without really tuning into what actually makes me happy. Any of this sound familiar? Trust me, I know, but being aware of these things has lead me toward living a better, happier life.
Wish is another one to be aware of. Anytime I wish for something, “I wish I could: travel more, lose weight, find a better job, etc.” I stop and examine whether it’s a true passion or if I’m just saying it as a filler in conversation, or using it as a distraction from things that aren’t going so well in my life. If it’s not really something I’m passionate about, then I just let it go and get myself back to dealing with the real issue I’m trying to escape. If however, it’s something that I’m tired of not having or being able to do, then I make a shift from wishing and hoping it was reality, to believing I can and will make it a reality.
Shift your perspective
As you start bringing awareness to the words you use, and start losing the baggage from your “word diet,” you’ll start shifting your perspective. Add in some time to recognize all the things you have to be grateful for, and you’ll be well in your way to brining new opportunities into your life. I know as soon as I added gratitude into my morning and night routine, life just seemed to be more for me, than against me.
So instead of starting the day by going down the list of things I have to do, which can sometimes be filled with stress and dread, I go down a list of the things I’m grateful for that morning. Sometimes it’s as simple as being grateful for the breathe in my lungs and the roof over my head. That immediately puts me in a better, positive mind set and kicks off my morning on the right foot, which is why Lizza mentioned morning routines are so important.
Then before I go to sleep, I examine my day to find the things I’m grateful for that day. This not only allows me to clear away any negative experiences, but allows me to see and focus on all the postives that happen in everyday life.
Centering yourself through gratitude allows you to quiet the ego. This frees you from fear and focusing on what you don’t want, have, etc. and allows you to focus on all the positive things you do have. This shift allows you to refocus your intentions toward getting what you want. That’s when the magic happens. You begin to see new opportunities and life begins to happen for you.
Take the leap
There’s no more perfect time to start, than now. I know we can all come up with 10,000 reasons why now is not a good time for change. I have: bills to pay, a family, no time, etc., but I believe everything happens for a reason. If you’re starting to think about making a change, then that means you’re ready. You’ll find a way to make it work. So break out of your “golden handcuffs,” as Lizza refers to this point in our life, and move toward living the life you want.
Just remember to be gentle with yourself through the process and know that it doesn’t all have to happen at once. While some have no problems walking away from an old life (quitting a job, getting out of a bad relationship, making a change in eating habits, etc.), that’s not the only way change happens.
When I was ready to make a change from a high power, high paying career, toward one that made me happy and moved me closer to living the life I want, I started by taking baby steps. I started by really looking within to redefine the kind of work life balance I was seeking and used that as my guide toward finding the career of my dreams.
So pick which ever feels right to you and do it!
Make a plan and work the plan
Once you decide to take the leap, Lizza suggests you ask yourself – “if you were to succeed (in making the change), what would that look like and is it satisfactory to you?” Once you’ve answered that, it’s time to start getting clear on your goal(s) and defining the steps needed to make them a reality.
So on top of continuing your “word diet,” and starting your day in gratitude, there’s another list you need to add to your morning routine. That’s your “success list,” as Lizza likes to call it. This is where you make time to invest in yourself and your dreams. She suggests you list at least 5 specific, targeted actions that will get your closer to your goal(s) and add them into your schedule. This helps keep you accountable and on track to reaching the life you want.
The choice is yours. You can continue to let life happen to you, or you can make the choice to get clear on your intentions and live the life you want. Because I promise you, whether consciously or subconsciously, we’re all living the life of our choosing. So if you’re not happy with any part of it, it’s time to start making new, conscious positive choices that benefit and uplift vs. ones that keep you where you don’t want to be.
So start now. Invest in yourself, be gentle with yourself along the way, and share your story to inspire others to do the same. Then come back here for more inspiring stories in living your best life and keep up with all things Lizza by following her on all social media channels at xoxolizza!
What steps did you take or are you taking in Being Your Sassy Self and living your best life?
This post is not sponsored, however this post contains affiliate links, which means if you purchase something via those links Your Sassy Self receives a small percentage of the profits. Thanks for your support!
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