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Product Review: Skincare for My Over 40 Peeps

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Turning 40 has been a lot more positive than I thought it was going to be. I didn’t have that “OMG…I’m turning 40, life is over and I’m dying” dread that previous generations had. In fact, I’m more excited about my life and where I’m headed because I know what I care about and I know what needs to be let go.

I’m a lot more secure in who I am. People have come and gone from my life, and I’m okay with that. I’m made a lot of mistakes. I’m okay with that. I continue to make mistakes. Also okay with that. I think with age (and wisdom?) you realize what’s important, where to put your energy and when enough is enough so you choose to move on.

Yes, 40 is awesome. Exciting, actually. And, while I love being in my 40’s and I know that I’m supposed to embrace every aspect of aging, I just don’t want to. I like healthy looking skin. I like being fit and strong. I like taking care of myself and feeling good. Not for you. Not for the fellas. Not for anyone but me, myself and I.

So, forgive me, or don’t…but I LOVE trying new skincare products that help me “glow”, that help my skin stay healthy and that help me feel better…for me.

I was given the opportunity to try a few skin products from Brazilian Skin and while I’m a total skincare hussy, and will try anything that smells yummy or claims to be good for my skin, I truly did like these products.

I used a product called “Age Reversal Bratoxin“, a serum used twice daily. You truly need a very small amount and after a few weeks of using the product I had some wonderful compliments about my skin “glowing”. MISSION ACCOMPLISHED! Love this product.

Brazilian Skin also has a super amazing magic wand called Bratoxinsta. This little magic trick can be used before an event or going out or whenever you feel you need a little “wrinkle-be-gone” boost” because it does, in fact, smooth areas I don’t super love (hello, crows feet). Now, this isn’t permanent and only works for a few hours (kinda like Cinderella…the magic wears off), but it does work for the short-term war on wrinkles I love to battle.

So, there you go. Two more skincare products that I really liked and saw…what?…actually results! Ba-BAM! Yes, please! I’ve promoted the product a few times on my social accounts (Instagram and Facebook) where I had a code for a discount! Let me see if I can hook y’all up again.

Give this stuff a try…I did. And I liked it! Woop! Let me know if you try it out! I’d love to hear from you!

From Me to You – I Sure Do Love You.

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Dear Hot Mamas,

I’ve sat here now for a few days trying to find the words to write to all of you but no words could ever possibly do justice to the emotions coursing through my body.  I started Hot Mama because I love teaching fitness, I love my kids and I love empowering women to be their best selves. It’s who I am and when I teach, I am the happiest version of myself. 

This company has been all of me for seven years now. I’ve been able to “stay home” with my kids (while working 18 hours a day, lol), it’s given me an outlet to follow my passion and I think we all did a damn fine job at building a supportive and loving community of women supporting women. I’ve received hundreds of messages over the years about how we’ve changed lives for the better and I know we’ve made an impact on generations to come. Well, at least my own kids have been impacted by Hot Mama, and for that, I am grateful. 

I met some of my very best friends through Hot Mama and I have met the most incredible women while I pursued my dreams. I cannot explain to you how important you all are to me and how much you’ve changed and formed the rest of my life. The gratitude and love I have for each and every one of you will never diminish, no matter what happens. 

I grew an empire. It may be a very small empire, but it’s mine and I will look back at this time, smile, sigh and lift a glass of wine to its success. 

But, the time has come for me to step aside and take a break. It’s time I put myself and my family ahead of anything and anyone else. I’m sure this will be a surprise for most of you, and to be honest, I have agonized about this decision for a long time. I’m a little scared, sad and a whole lot…tired. 

I need a rest. I need the company to grow and be the powerhouse I know it can be, and for that to happen, I need to rest and let someone else take the reigns. The Hot Mama team will be in touch as decisions are made, but know this…this is not the end of this community…this is a shift where a shift is needed. We do good work…it cannot all be for nothing. So please, continue to support your local Main Mama, continue to love and support and honour one another. Continue to sweat, swear, cry and cheer. Please.

If you feel I’m letting you down, please know that my goal was never to let anyone down. My goal was only ever to support and love, inspire and encourage. I could not be more grateful for the support and love you’ve all given me over the years. Without you, I would not have survived the seven years without all of you support and encouragement. You are the heart of this company and I only wish I could truly express what you’ve all meant to me. 

A few weeks ago I taught my last Hot Mama class. At that time, I wasn’t entirely sure if that would be it, but my heart was pretty sure. I cried as I taught, though I’m uncertain anyone saw my tears (we were all a little sweaty), I cried only in celebration of the strength and sense of community I felt in that room. You cannot know how it felt to teach that class and to feel the love from you all at that moment. I will never ever forget it. Ever.

This isn’t the end of me. This is a pause for me. I need to reset, recharge and get healthy. I need to remind myself of who I am and what I want and I need time to do all of that. The Hot Mama community is incredible and even playing the smallest role in building this business has been the most wonderful experience of my life (aside from being a Mom). 

I need you ALL to know that through it all I have loved every moment, every person and every memory created. I love you. I love you all so very much. I only wish I could have been more and done more for you. You deserve it. You truly do. 

I will be offline for a time now to rest and surround myself with only those closest to me. I hope you’ll respect my desire to rest at this time. 

Again, please continue to support Hot Mama. It truly is an incredible business with wonderful and strong business owners giving it their all. 

Thank you, Hot Mamas. Those two words could never possibly be enough, but until I see you and am able to wrap my arms around you and let love seep from my heart to yours, it is the best I can do. I am grateful for Hot Mama and I am most certainly grateful for any woman, man or child that has been a part of this crazy ride that is Hot Mama. 

Until next time…

With love, gratitude and respect,
Lindsay, Your OHM

The Domino Effect of Deciding to Change

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We all know that change is hard. There are thousands of books written on how to go through the process of making changes for the better. There are thousands of articles on steps you can take to help you through the hard times. But honestly, the hardest thing about change, about pivoting something in your life, is that you have no idea, absolutely no idea if the change will actually be for the better.

I mean, sure, there are some decisions that you’ll make that are pretty dang clear, but I’m not talking about the easy decisions. I’m talking about those major decisions you need to make in this life of yours that change the entire path you’re on. These are the decisions you eventually need to just trust your gut, throw caution to the wind and…decide.

How daunting is that? It’s no wonder many of us sit stuck in a place because we’re too afraid to take even the smallest of steps in one direction. How can you decide something that will forever impact your life if you have no idea if it’s right or wrong?! 

But, at some point, you’ll need to throw your hands up in the air and either pivot or don’t. Make the move or don’t. Change or don’t. 

But, here’s the #1 thing I’ve learned about change:

Change is not just one decision and you’re done.
Change requires thousands of decisions and pivots.

Change starts with one decision and one pivot that dominos to many. It requires a decision to make a move, and that move will then need to pivot, then another pivot, then a pivot to that pivot, followed by an unexpected pivot and then probably 897,00+ more pivots. This is one of the biggest lessons I’ve learned as I’ve made some pretty major decisions in my life. 

Your decision to change, to pivot the way you’ve been leading your life, your business, your job, your relationship, whatever you’re changing doesn’t end with that one decision. That one decision snowballs and apparently, for the most part, most major decisions will impact every aspect of your world. I don’t say this to scare you, I just wish I’d known that when making major decisions I’d need to put on protective gear for all aspects of my life because one major decision has the potential to affect all areas of my life.

And honestly, whether the major decision or change you’re making is in only one area of your life, it’s going to affect that area PLUS all the other areas. Making a big work decision? It’s going to impact your personal life. Making a big personal decision? It’s absolutely going to affect your work life.

Oh Lindsay, stop being so dramatic. 

I know that’s what you’re thinking, but hold on…I’ll show you what I mean.

We’ve recently made a change to how I run my business. We’re testing out a new business model, moving away from franchising and into licensing. Now, this was a MAJOR decision and one I didn’t take lightly. I spent months and months agonizing about the decision. I did my research. I spoke to my mentors. I consulted successful business owners. I read, I researched, I took courses and I finally decided to make a change, to pivot my business.

Here’s what happened:

  1. I pivoted and was instantly filled with self-doubt.
  2. I lost sleep.
  3. I didn’t eat – that’s my stress response.
  4. The people around me panicked (change is hard and when you make a decision that impacts others…they’re going to panic).
  5. I worked like a fiend to prove that I made the right decision.
  6. I pushed my team to work as hard as me.
  7. I upped my exercise regimen because exercise is medicine for me and when stressed, I workout.
  8. I had little time or energy for my friends.
  9. I cocooned.
  10. I got sick.
  11. I worked long hours sacrificing precious family time.
  12. I then had to pivot my pivot and I didn’t see that coming. 
  13. I then had to pivot the pivot I initially pivoted. 
  14. Then all these new changes I made further impacted all the areas of my life and so the cycle repeats.

You see…one decision impacted the mental, social, physical and emotional areas of my life. Completely and totally. And, I still have no idea if I’ve made the right decision. I have to believe I did, but again…one change has led to 897,000 additional pivots (okay, that was a liiiiitle dramatic).

Change is hard. It can affect you physically (sleep, physical activity, food intake, alcohol intake, etc.), emotionally (stress, irritability, all-consuming self-doubt, etc.), socially (all relationships and how you function as a mother, partner, friend, etc.) and mentally (mental sharpness, ability to pay attention, thoughts and ideas, etc.). 

But the best thing I’ve learned about change? Even if you make a mistake, you’re one pivot away from a new direction. You’re just one decision away from redirecting yourself to where you’re meant to go.

Although change is hard and most big decisions will impact every area of your life, don’t stop. You have to continue to pivot. Did our first pilot test of licensing work? Maybe. I didn’t stay long enough in that decision to find out, I pivoted again and again because I listened to my gut. Did I give up? NOPE. I continue to pivot and adjust daily. And I will continue to pivot in this direction until I nail it.

We pivot. We pivoted the pivot. So, no matter what decision you make, whether it was “right” or “wrong”, you will absolutely, 100%, need to re-evaluate and adjust. I wish I’d known that. I wish I’d known that one pivot or decision isn’t enough. 

One decision leads to thousands. One change will lead to thousands of tiny, super significant pivots. 

It’s effing terrifying, isn’t it?! Trust me, as someone going through MULTIPLE changes, I know how you feel. But, the greatest consolation I can give you is that you’re one decision away from righting any mistake you’re about to make. So go on, change. And know that no matter what, whether that one decision you made was a mistake, you’re just one more decision, one more change, one more pivot away from getting on the track you truly desire to be on.

It’s not much of a consolation, is it? But, it’s something.

All this to say: Don’t be afraid of change. Make the decision, change your footing and remember it’s okay to pivot. Give yourself that permission. You’re not going to get it right the first time. But, I have to believe, at some point, I’m truly going to nail this. At which point…I’ll pivot…and make it even better. 

 

30x30x3 Workout Series – Workout #2 – At-Home Lower Body Workout

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Wiggle it. Just a little bit. I want you to wiggle it. Just a little bit.

Um…not really, but today we’re going to rock your lower body with this 12-minute burner and you’ll want to dance your rump around the kitchen because you’ll feel so good! 

This is the second workout in my 30x30x3 Workout Series. If you remember, the first was the 30x30x3 Upper Body Workout! Now, you can do this workout alone OR you can link it with Workout #1 and have a wonder 24-minute upper and lower body workout! BOOM! You’re welcome!

The Workout:

You’re going to tackle 4 blocks of exercises
Each block has 2 exercises.
Complete exercise #1 in Block 1 for 30 seconds.
Complete exercise #2 in Block 1 for 30 seonds.
Repeat two more times (for a total of 3 times through each exercise).
30 second break, then move on to Block 2 and repeat the above.
Complete Blocks 3 and 4 and finish the workout STRONG!

Voila! Magic!

If you’d like to have me coach you through this workout, you can listen to this workout via podcast by CLICKING HERE or you can download the workout via iTunes or Stitcher radio. 

Be sure to check out the YouTube video for the How-To for all the exercises included in this workout! Also…subscribe to the channel so you don’t miss out! 

So. Many. Options! Woop!

Now…get to it! You got this!

Off you go! 

 

The Power of Incredible Coaching on Childhood Anxiety

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As many of you know my son suffers from some pretty severe anxiety. He was diagnosed in grade two and his Dad and I have worked hard with him to help him cope and manage situations where he feels nervous or anxious. He doesn’t like breathing exercises, so we’ve had to rely on numerous other tools available. But, I think anxiety will be an ever-changing and growing beast we will need to control in continuously new ways as he grows. 

But, sometimes all the tools in the world don’t work and I see his face change, I see his chest begin to rise and fall faster and I see “the look” on his sweet face. In that moment, I know there’s nothing much I can do but let him know “I’m here” and he’s not alone. I hope it’s enough.

But this isn’t about the tools we use, this post is about the power of sport and coaching on kids with anxiety (or even on kids without anxiety).

What I’ve realized this year with my child in both hockey and baseball, is that in sport, I’m not alone in my battle against my son’s anxiety. In sport, I have coaches and this past year I have been honoured and blessed with incredible coaches who understand my child. Or, even if they don’t understand…they try, they’re compassionate and they’re everything I could ever ask them to be for my son.

A little background:

My son decided to play baseball this year. He’s 9 and this is his first year playing. So, I knew going into this we were looking at some anxiety episodes, 100%. I wasn’t wrong. His first introduction to his team had him sobbing, hyperventilating and unable to speak to his team. And that was just picture day. Luckily, one of our coaches who knew him came over, put a hand on his little shoulders and just talked to him. Although he had a minor panic attack that night, it would have gotten to be a full-blown attack without that time with one of his coaches. Win #1. 

But recently, the power coaches have on our children became even more apparent. His baseball coaches “saved” baseball for my child. 100%. My child will play again because of his coaches this year.

How a Good Coach Can Save the Day:

My son had an awful game last week. Awful. He got hit by a pitch…twice. He was then playing left field when a pop fly headed in his direction, another kid called it so he backed off. The kid missed the catch. No big deal. But, the next time I see my big guy go up to bat, his face has changed. It’s his “anxiety face”. I immediately think “Oh f**k”. Something happened. He strikes out. Anxiety face is now deeper.

I go talk to him. He says it’s nothing. So, what can you do? I say “O, I’m here if you need me.”. Then he tells me a kid said something to him on the bench about how he messed up. Many kids can shrug that stuff off, but for a kid with anxiety, words cut deeper and he owns them…for days. But, I get him back onto the field.

Pop fly. 

F**k.

It drops beside him. He pulls his baseball hat far down on his face, puts his hands on his knees and I see his little shoulders start to shake. 

Let’s go, O. You got this. 

Next time they’re out in the field. O is back in left field.

Pop fly.

F**k.

It drops beside him. 

He’s fought this attack for a while now. But that…was his breaking point. But, kudos to my kiddo. Although he was crying, although he had anxiety all over his face…he managed. He finished the game and it wasn’t until we were halfway to the car after the game that he really let loose. 

Sometimes his body just takes over. He dropped his glove and bag and just stood there with tears running down his face. I managed to get him to the car where he finally released the energy he needed to release. He cried, and cried, and cried. He couldn’t speak. It’s the silence that really breaks a Mama’s heart. 

So, I start talking. “It was just a bad game”. “O, man…that was a suuuuuper shitty game”. “Terrible”. “We have to learn that you’re going to have both good games and bad games”. “We have to learn from this”. Blah, blah, blah.

All while the tears still stream.

“I’m done with baseball”. “I won’t go back”.

Those were the words he finally managed to get out after a few hours before I tucked him into bed. 

“That’s not how we do things, O, but for tonight…okay”. 

But here, my lovelies, is where the power of coaching comes in. The beautiful, amazing, brilliance of incredible coaches. The IMPORTANCE of coaches….who VOLUNTEER to HELP YOUR KIDS. 

The next morning I see an email from O’s coach with my son’s name in the subject line. Now, I have to say, even I was anxious opening the email because I was hoping it wasn’t a “suck it up” email.

As I started to read the words the coach wrote my own tears began to fall. The email was written to my son and it was sentence after sentence and paragraph after paragraph talking about improvement, growth and being the kind of kid that all coaches want on a team. It was about acknowledging a bad game and addressing the fact that that’s sport. It was saying “I’d draft you to my team again and again because of the kind, hard-working and coachable kid you are”. 

As I read the email to O, I could barely get through the message without tears again (but er…I’m emotional and kinda cry a lot when something impacts me). When I looked up after I finished reading his coach’s words I saw the best reaction ever. My son was beaming. BEAMING. He was proud.

(This is how his coach always talks to his players and how
I imagine he’d be talking to O as I read this email to my son.) 

His coach had just saved baseball for him.

His coach. A volunteer. He took time out of his own life, from his own family to help my child. He wrote words that my son will take with him his whole life. Of this, I am sure. He said things that could only come from a coach because the same words from his Mama wouldn’t have the power.

Moving forward:

After your child has a really bad game, followed by some pretty serious anxiety, taking him to the next game is a must. It’s not easy, but it’s a MUST. But, it wasn’t hard this time. He had confidence on his side because his coaches believed in him.

O has three coaches in baseball and each one has given him a gift that has led him to believe in himself again. They make him laugh, they coach him and give him jobs…all very effective ways of dealing with kids with lack of confidence and anxiety.

After that dreaded bad game, the coaches knew how to build him back up. But, not only did they know, they followed through and went the extra mile. The effort, time and words the coaches have taken with him to build him back up have been wonderful. It’s the little things: kind words, high fives, kneeling down and talking to him, acknowledging his strengths and also reinforcing the fact that sport is sport and you’re going to have good and bad days.

His coaches continue to teach him. They continue to push him. They continue to respect his needs and who he is. And as his Mama, the gift of incredible coaches to my child will be one of my most treasured gifts that he will receive. 

Coaches – through the grief and bitching I’m sure you get from some parents, through the time it takes to plan practices and get to every practice and game, through the demands we, as parents, put on you…please know there are people out there who are beyond grateful for all you do.

You changed my son. You gave him confidence in a way that I couldn’t. You reached out and made  him a better little man. You taught him. Honoured him. Respected him. 

I cannot ever, ever, repay you. 

If you ever doubt the power of your coaching, please know that you saved sport for my child. You saved baseball and he was so excited to go play his next game where he scored the winning run. And THAT…is everything to a Mama who works hard to build up her child while, at the same time, much of the world works to pull him down.

It’s comforting to know there are coaches out there on the same mission of raising incredible sportsmen. He may never play in the big leagues, but I absolutely know baseball will be a part of his life in a positive light…forever. 

Mad respect and gratitude to all coaches out there. From all the Mamas in all the land…thank you.

Oh…FYI…congrats to Triangle Baseball for your incredible coaches. What an amazing organization, I am proud to be a part of it.