Your first D is Drive. You must remember your drive and remember what is driving you. Under drive come three things to think about: First, what is your intention? Second, what do you want to achieve how do you want to look and feel after a workout? Setting the intention to grow, how would you like to grow and how would you like to feel? We have goals and we must remember them. Focus on your dreams: If it’s twenty pounds or a healthier lifestyle, we must continue to focus on it. Thirdly, is desire. What are the desires of your heart? Remember why are you working out and why you are doing this. Our intentions, desires and goals are all interconnected and this is the essence of your practice. Remember the desire for transformation. Your desires are the essence of why you’re doing this.

The second D is Dedication! We must be dedicated: one workout at a time, one breath at a time, and just one moment at a time. Ask yourself these simple questions: are you dedicated to your workout and can you be dedicated to your goal? Can you be dedicated to your writing, to creating your resume and getting the job? Your dedication sets the tone for your transformation. If you don’t dedicate yourself to the transformation, it will never come to fulfillment.

The last D is Determination. When you are hitting a fork in the road, there are two choices: one, to give up or, two, keep going. Be determined not to give up. Be determined to get your workout in and make it happen. Be determined to make all of your dreams come true. Be determined to complete the workout so the transformation can begin.

Once you have all the three D’s, you must give yourself permission to be okay, to experience healthy living.

It is your yes that activates the drive that keeps you dedicated, and allows you to stay focused and determined. During your period of transformation, say yes to eating right, and exercise. Say yes to a healthy way of life. Say yes to wholeness. Say yes to life. Say yes to positive thinking, and say yes to you. BECAUSE YOU ARE WORTH IT!

Remember what your mother always said, “why put off until tomorrow, what you can do today.”  Well, that goes double for your transformation. Procrastination is the killer of all good intentions. When you are inspired to make the shift, you must act on it ASAP! The only thing that stops you from shifting your life, is you.

When we embrace the practice, may it be mind, body or spirit, we must accompany ours goals with action. It does not have to be the whole enchilada—take baby steps.  If you need to start a physical routine, begin by walking outside for 10 to 20 minutes, just three times a week to start.  If you are in need of meditation, begin by pausing during your morning activities to listen to your breath. If you need to shift your mind and the way you think, begin by saying three positive things to yourself every day: one in the morning, one in the afternoon, and one in the evening.  It all begins with your decision to change, followed by your willingness to make the shift. Once you have taken these steps, you must shake off the dust of broken promises and disappointments, and get moving.

When you know it’s time to transform your life don’t wait, just do it.  Every moment you hesitate, you are taken hostage from your divine opportunities. Don’t let this happen. The time is now! Today is your day.

Circle ‘day one’ on your calendar; you can’t, it does not exist.  Remember, the power to shift your life is always within you, waiting to be activated.

When we set the intention to transform our lives, we must begin with Gratitude. Whatever your goals may be, dropping an unwanted pound, or doing a complete ‘life makeover’, we must be grateful for what we have. This is the first step to moving forward and embracing your life as it has been given.

Gratitude is the highest form of appreciation in your life. Today ask yourself, “What am I grateful for?” Think of it as the acknowledgment of what is working in your life—your job, a romantic relationship, friendships, or your health. Whatever it is, use it to energize your transformation.

Gratitude can also come from the recognition of something that you do well. Think of something you love about yourself, something that truly expresses your true nature; once you have connected with that one thing within your mind, feel the energy of joy and gratitude welling up in the center of your being. This feeling, or energy, is the activation of love and gratitude. It doesn’t matter how big or small, we must find that one thing that says, “Yes, life is good.” The key to happiness is love and gratitude.

Ignite your workouts with gratitude. Start you meditation with a moment to give thanks and empower your life with the appreciation of what you do have. If you are grateful your life will be enough, and your transformation will be filled with tremendous ease and grace.

As we move into spring, it’s time to embrace the newness of life.  It’s time to spring into action with your Practice. Spring marks the birthing of a new season, not only in the weather but also in our life. March is the end of winter and the dieing of the old practice that no longer serves us. Once we let go, we must be willing to embrace something new; it’s the time to break out of our old boxes and step into a new way of living.

For the physical, try a new format of training the body, or simply go back to something that you have not done in years. Think about trying out a dance class, or a yoga session. Have you ever tried Pilates?  When was the last time you took a walk in the park? This spring, try and eat foods that are the colors of the rainbow; we call these foods, “sun infused foods.” Look for foods that are yellow, green, purple and red—foods that have been kissed by Mother Nature herself.

For the mind, embrace affirmative language: Only speak words that empower you. You can be your own worst critic, which is why empowering yourself can boost confidence to succeed. Be kind and loving, only using the word that embrace your life, not words that tear you apart.

As for the spirit, meditation is key. Challenge yourself with a 30-day commitment to meditation. Every morning, start your day with mindfulness. Take a moment to be still and set your intentions for the day. In your quiet time, just focus on the breath and be aware of when you inhale and exhale. Take time to connect with your inner self. Remember the practice, whether it is physical, mental, or spiritual, is like a bank account, you must make a deposit to accumulate your wealth.

Spring is in the air; it’s time to spring into action within your Practice.

During this time of embracing the practice, be willing to do something new. Step out of your comfort zone a try a modality that you have never tried before. Try switching up your physical fitness.  If you normally do yoga, then try walking outside. If you love lifting weights, then go for a run. Switch it up. Make it new. You will reignite your energy.

Sometimes we have a high mental, physical or even spiritual plateau when we set the intention to shift our lives. Truth be told, we just get sick and tired of doing the same old thing over and over again. Today ask yourself, “Do I need a change?” Be willing to hear the answer. If you get the message to shift, don’t wait—get moving. There is nothing worse that a workout that becomes boring and uninspired.

Also, you might need to change your trainer, instructor or coach.  You may need to find a new class or a new teacher.  Meditate and ask your inner self, is this person still serving my mission for transformation? There is no wrong or right answer; there is only the time when you are in alignment or when you are not. Sometimes we outgrow our inspiration. The time may have come for you to find someone or try something new.

What I know for sure is that life is an ever-evolving journey. Everything comes into our life for a reason and at specific seasons. Only, you can’t decide when the time to shift your practice comes along.  Awareness is key and self-exploration is a must.  Trust your own spiritual authority. Change is good if we fully embrace it.  As we evolve, so too does our physical, mental and spiritual practice.

Skip Jennings, ALSP, CPT
Licensed Spiritual Counselor/Personal Fitness Trainer/Transformation Coach

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Finding your joy is one of the most important things that we can give to ourselves as we transform the body, mind and spirit.

When workouts get challenging we have to go back to what we loved about them. What was your intention when you started your journey? What was the vibration of your soul when you first dropped one or two pounds?  The energy of pure Joy and celebration must anchor your workouts.

Find a modality that you love. Not everyone has to do yoga, pilates, rock climb, or go running. Just find that thing that works for you and makes working out fun. You don’t need to stress over being healthy. If you enjoy what you do you, then stick with it. Finding the Joy means finding a class or trainer you are happy with, that makes you see the light at the end of the tunnel.  This is a part of activating the inner love—“Joy raising”, as Oprah calls it.

When you find your Joy, you have found something that is working for you; we call that gratitude. When you come to a challenging place in your workout, return to the beginning.

Begin to create mantras about workouts filled with joy. Think about how best to connect with inner love—there is an opportunity to dance in the space of joy during every moment, including your physical practice.

Begin to shift the way you see the workout. Instead of seeing it as I have to, see it as I get to. We are Joy and we can be joyful in everything. Find your joy and see where it takes you.

 Exercise with Skip online.

For more information about spiritual counseling, fitness training, or life coaching visit:www.skipjennings.com

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The theme for this week is giving back. Once we have begun our personal transformation, the time comes for us to give back. The main reason we work out is so that we can be of service to others.  When we are constrained be our bodies service is the lasting thing on our minds.  Helping others along their journey to transformation is the principle of unity and fellowship but it can only come form our own self realization of wholeness. Giving back is what the law of circulation is all about; what you give away freely comes back you. Today is the time to reach out and be of service. Remember, we are all connected. What affects one, affects us all. There is power and strength in a community that stands together and lends a helping hand to their fellow man. Getting the opportunity to serve others is a gift, and as we serve others we serve ourselves.

Following up with the theme of giving back this week, I will be participating in the Cycle for Survival event on March 2^nd 2013. This event is a cycling event to help raise money for cancer, which is one of the deadliest diseases on the planet. If you have ever lost a loved one to cancer then you know that every moment and every little bit counts. Working together for the common good is the only force we have against this silent killer. Start giving back with me by donating to the cause and help raise cancer awareness as well as fund much needed research here.

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 There must be willingness for transformation to take place.  The willingness is a desire to be better. You must give yourself permission to be ok.  A willing to shift is fueled with intention to see the shift happen, to do the work, willingness to be whole and complete.

 2. Hope:

There must be a “state of hope” that a transformation can happen.  Hope is when you see the light at the end of the dark storm.  Hope is the personal invitation needed to begin the transformation of the mind, body and spirit. You begin to see the vision of a better life that the universe has in store for you.

 3. Courage:

 Transformation requires courage—the courage to begin—to take the first step; It is the energy that gets you to the gym.  IT the vibration that helps to seek out a trainer or a coach.  Courage is the power that helps you to change what is not working in your life.  When you are sick of carrying the extra, unwanted weight, or want to shift the way you think about of your life, changing the way you feel to get started. There must be courage. Human nature fights hard for sameness but we must be stronger to envision our future.

 4.  Love:

Understand that it is Love that is the healer.  It is the desire to love your self deeply; that is why we work the body temple, and why we shift the way we think about our selves. It is why we pray and meditate. Love devolves all issues.  Transformation is about the Love.  When we love ourselves, only then can we truly love others.  Love is the ultimate cure for all things.

5. Faith:

There must be faith for the transformation to begin and succeed. Faith is a belief that the transformation can happen.

6. Knowing & Confidence:

You must have the confidence to carry on during your transformation. ‘Knowing’ is the certainty that a shift is happening. Faith leads you to the knowing that you are shifting the body, mind and spirit. When you begin to see the payoff of the work you have said yes to, it will turn turning into confidence.

7. Fellowship:

 It is the unity of like-minded people that will support your transformation. When you go to a gym, people are working together with the same purpose in mind: to be healthy. This will help energize you, keep you accountable, and keep you on the right track. Fellowship tells you that you are not alone on this journey.

8. Perseverance:

You must have a “stick to it ” attitude.  No matter what, you must keep going.  When you think that your transformation is at a stand still you must not judge, just keep moving.  Sometimes your transformation has the appearance of a plateau, but every practice, every session and even meditation accumulative counts. Everything counts.  When you hit a plateau, you are at a transformational fork in the road.  You have 2 choices: give up or keep going. This will help you move over every milestone to the last pound. Winners never quit and the harder to push yourself your goals will come to realization sooner.

9.  Gratitude:

You must be grateful for what you have so that you can manifest the next stage of your life.  Learning to love and be grateful for the body you have been given as your transform the outer shell that is your body.  “Gratitude is the attitude for manifestation.” When we are grateful for what we have, it is always enough. If you spend your life looking for more each time, you risk happiness.

10. Be of service:

Once you have connected with your inner light, it is time to shine for others to see.  We transform the bodily temple so that we may be of service.  Transformation is not about getting anything, it about giving.  When we recognize that we are here to serve life, once we see the vision, we free up our spirit and our minds are able to give. We are able to serve one another. In transformation you find your true gifts. We want to access our spirit so our body doesn’t hinder our progress.