Tuesday:) Toni and Tony Robbins:) The Ultimate Breakthrough Challenge 2022

“If you talk about it, it’s a dream. If you envision it, it’s possible. If you schedule it, it’s real.”

~Tony Robbins

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If you know me, you know that I’m always searching. I want to keep learning, teaching, creating, challenging, loving, sharing, writing, and growing until the day I die. (I’m my mother’s daughter.❤️)

I’ve listened to hundreds of speakers, instructors, clergy, webinars and podcasts over the last two crazy Covid years. Tony Robbins is just one of the many motivational speakers who has influenced me. So, when I heard about this 5 day challenge, I signed up. What’s the worst that could happen? I’d either love it and learn a lot, or I’d hate it and just shut it off. It’s free, and I have free will. Some people get turned off by certain voices, exuberance, or annoying snake oil salesmanship, but I listen to the message and glean what I feel useful.

Mr. Robbins has motivated millions of people, from presidents to famous athletes to movie stars, to grocery clerks and janitors. So, why not me? Why not you?

The Day 1 challenge started at 1pm, central time. He kept slamming it down until 3:45.

Some folks might not appreciate his jump up and down, wave your arms, and scream when excited technique. But, to each his own. Tony explains when your body is excited and activated, it motivates your brain. Makes sense. Would you be motivated by an old man with a gray beard who sits in a cushy chair and whispers, “Let’s get motivated and change your life. Now, close your eyes and make it happen?”

One challenge is to write down a time when you struggled and changed. What was the trigger that made it possible? Maybe you didn’t have one, but are going through a challenge now.

I took a lot of notes. That’s another thing I’ve learned from several other speakers. Writing things down increases your ability to retain that information so much more than just listening.

NOTES: Patterns and habits become automatic. If you want to change…

1, Recognize patterns. See what works and what doesn’t. 2. Pattern utilization. How to use it and enhance it. 3. Pattern creation. You need to creat a high energy. When in low energy, you say and do things that ruin your life and relationships.

Where does energy come from? Not food, or sleep or medicine. Energy is a physical habit using movement and sound to change your body with your mind. Instead of your brain saying I should, your brain says I do.

“Complexity is the enemy of execution.” Make it simple.

Our story is how we see ourselves and how others see us. If you don’t like your story, YOU can change it. It takes work, it it can be done.

“Knowledge is NOT power, execution is power.” You can know all the tips and tricks, but if you don’t do anything about it, you don’t change. Your mind controls your story. If you think about all the medical studies with placebos, and how people believe they are taking life changing medications, they often heal with a sugar pill. The brain is an amazing tool that we need to utilize more efficiently.

During the workshop, we did several interesting visual and physical challenges, too long to describe here.

Here are the four archetypes in all of us, and we need to have each of these cooperate with the other. One exercise was to touch the part of your body
that expresses your warrior, magician, lover, or sovereign. For example, the warrior clenches his fists and grunts, saying to the magician, “I’ll use my muscles and you use your magic.” What sound does it make? How would it talk to the magician, the lover, or the sovereign? Then, proceed to the next. All interacting together for the betterment of each.

The closing was our homework or challenge. What has the story of your life been about? What is our role, what emotions or obstacles got in the way? That was your old story. What will your new story be like?

“Change your story, change your life.”

Over 757,000 people from all around the world heard this same message today. Perhaps if we all change our stories for the better, we can change our lives and make the world a better place.

Thank you Tony Robbins. See ya tomorrow.

Monday:) My Five Year Mission~ Mission Accomplished

“How few there are who have courage enough to own their faults, or resolution enough to mend them.”

~Benjamin Franklin

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It’s a new year, and every January 1st, I’m reminded that it’s a chance to start a new page for the new chapter of a new story.

Space: the final frontier. These are the voyages of the starship Enterprise. Its five-year mission: to explore strange new worlds, to seek out new life and new civilizations, to boldly go where no man has gone before.

http://youtu.be/S6R3MiAv9ac

The following is my very first post on January 1,2012. A lot has happened since that first story five years ago. My plan was to see if I could write something every day for one entire year. Like the Star Ship Enterprise, it turned into my five year mission…to boldly go… well, I’ve explored strange new worlds. I’ve shared happy news and sad news, and I have met wonderful new people and made great new friends, and I’ve been hurt and betrayed by someone I loved for over four decades, I’ve complained about politics, and solicitors, but I no longer have to complain about my dogs or husband. They’re now EX’s and gone. Yep, a lot has changed. What didn’t changed was my resolve to write every day, and I didn’t miss a day in five years

My mission now complete, I can relax and now write only when the mood strikes. But, the one thing I’ve learned these past five years is, when you look for something to write about each and every day, it teaches you to focus on the beauty and importance of life.

My New Year’s resolution… I don’t have one. I haven’t changed in nearly 65 years, I’m not going to change now. I LIKE ME, JUST THE WAY I AM.

This was my first blog post five years ago,

 

 

New Year’s Resolutions

2

JAN

SALUTATIONS AND FULMINATIONS

It’s a new day. It’s a new year. It’s a new blog. As I get ready to toss out the old, well-worn 2012 calendar, I’m reminded of two things. One: I always make New Year’s resolutions that I seldom keep for very long. Two: I don’t have a new 2013 calendar. Now what? But, with all the fancy-dancy digital and techno-gadgets at my disposal, who really needs a paper calendar? Let’s face it, I don’t need one, but I still like the old fashioned ways. I prefer turning the real pages of a book as opposed to swiping my index finger across an illuminated tablet, and I enjoy the tactile custom of flipping over a calendar page filled with scribbled appointments and birthday reminders. Don’t get me wrong, my iPad is jammed with info, pictures, contacts, stories and reminders. I just need both.

This year, my resolution is not just to do more writing, but to share my writing with more people. So, here I am, and if you are reading this, I’m off to a good start. Thank you!

It was difficult to come up with a title for my new blog. It seemed like every idea I had was already out there when I Googled it. I wanted to use words like ruminations, contemplations, or rantings, but they were taken. Therefore, I did what every perplexed writer does in time of need. I looked up some words in my red Webster dictionary. In this case, I used the on-line version, but many times, I actually use the old fashioned hard cover copy on the book shelf.

The word fulminate popped up during my exhaustive search. Whoa! That’s a good one, and low and behold, my Google search didn’t bring up much with that word. Perfect! If you aren’t familiar with the word, as it was a new one to me, the synonyms are rant, rave or spout. Yes, perfect.

My plan is to share happy news, discoveries, stories about new places and fun people, thus the salutations. But, once in a while, I get a bee in my bonnet, and I start ranting or complaining about politics, phone solicitors, or the ever popular things my husband does to aggravate me, therefore, the fulminations.

Today is New Year’s Day, a great day to start a new project. I think I’m getting off to a good start with my inaugural post. Wish me luck!

 

After five years, I’ve had 82,919 views on my site, nearly 20,000 just this year. I have made hundreds of new friends. I’ve written 1,839 consecutive days, and have read thousands of posts from the many interesting people I follow. It’s a NEW YEAR, blessings and joy to you and yours.

Tuesday:) Taking Time and Day 10 of “Pay it Forward” Challenge

Take time to smell the roses

Take time to smell the air

Enjoy each lovely sunset

And don’t forget to share.

~Toni Armenta Andrukaitis

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This morning, I discovered several still blooming roses and emerging buds on my solitary Knockout rose bush in my front yard.

  
Take time to smell the roses.

  
Look at this glorious sunset. I always take time to snap a quick photo.

Talk about sharing, today is Day 10 of my 12 Days of Christmas “Pay It Forward” Challenge.

Day 10:) A few weeks ago, I had posted some photos of my hand-painted wine glasses and vases on Facebook.  A gentleman had commented how nice my items were and asked if I had any champagne flutes left for sale.  He thought his wife would love them and they’d make a great Christmas gift. Mark is a talented photographer, and it’s always a huge compliment for one artist to admire another’s work. We arranged to meet at Sweet Spot Bakery on the Square this afternoon. When I showed him the flutes, he was impressed. When he took out his checkbook, I explained my “pay it forward” challenge and told him that it was my gift. I did request that he do something nice for someone when an opportunity presented itself. He assured me that he would. We chatted a while about photography, the square, starving artists, and random acts of kindness. Mark and I had never met in person before, just Facebook friends, but today we parted with a smile, a hug, and a promise of making the world a better place, one random act at a time.

  
Don’t tell Mark’s wife. It’s a surprise.

Fantastic Phenominal Friday: 1,000 Posts

“There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you.” ― Maya Angelou, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings

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I truly never thought that my lofty goal of writing my blog every day for a year without missing a day would be achieved so easily.  365 consecutive days is amazing. THEN, to surpass my greatest expectations by writing every day for 1,000 days is just phenominal. I still can’t believe it. 

One thing I am sure about is, writing every day has given me a reason to get up, explore, experience, and find the beauty, bizarre, purity or pain in every  day. The challenge is to write it all down and share it. Instead of struggling to find one topic, I often have trouble editing and cutting back on multiple subjects. TMI. 

When I looked at the stats for my 999 posts, I was thrilled and honored to see how many views, followers, and comments I had.  

 
42,791 views since I started.  20,755 visitors, and  531 followers. WordPress also keeps stats of  “Best Views Ever.” I had 484 views in one day for the story I wrote about my lying, cheating, scumbag ex-husband Tony Andrukaitis (AH), and his lying, cheating, slut, tramp girlfriend Debbie Causey. (HO) If you missed it, here is the link…

Sunday: SEX, LIES, and AUDIO TAPES (A true story of betrayal and survival) Happy Anniversary! http://wp.me/p3106f-1Fk via @toniandrukaitis

  
“One part at a time, one day at a time, we can accomplish any goal we set for ourselves.” Karen Casey 

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Thank you all for being a part of my journey, and a part of my story, but most importantly, a part of my life. I love you all !!!

Tuesday: Today’s Trials, Tomorrow’s Triumphs

“The harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph. What we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly; it is dearness only that gives everything its value. I love the man that can smile in trouble, that can gather strength from distress and grow.”
― Thomas Paine
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All of you reading this entry right now have traveled this journey with me, whether for the first time or from day one, you are why I write.

January 1, 2013, my incredibly happy, care-free life inspired me to create a blog, with a personal challenge of attempting to write every single day for an entire year. It was fun in the beginning, sharing photos and fun events happening all around me. The words came easily, and every day was an adventure. Half way through the year, my world came crashing down.

It wasn’t easy to complete my goal. Lies, cheating, and ultimate betrayal spun me around and knocked me down, but I kept on writing. My friends and family got me through the bleakest hours, and I kept on writing. Every painful day, I tried to focus on something positive to post. I shared photos of glorious sunsets or inspiring Sunday sermons while tears streamed down my face. I kept on writing.

By the end of 2013, I met my challenge and didn’t miss a post, even when in the hospital. I had around 10,000 views that first year. I was ecstatic, and honestly, very surprised. All the interesting comments and friends I made along the way inspired me to continue writing every day. My blog has journaled another year of my life, and you have traveled along with me through 2014.

I no longer write with salty tears on my face, but rather with a smile of TRIUMPH, strength, and commitment. I have endless stories to share, and YOU are the reason… I’ll keep on writing. THANK YOU!

I wanted to share my stats after the second year on wordpress. When I saw over 30,000 total views and over 1,000 comments, I knew exactly what I was meant to do. “The harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph.”

I’ll be writing my “great American novel.” I take that back, more like I’ll be writing a lot of books and stories. Stay tuned!

Wednesday Words of Wisdom

All change is not growth, as all movement is not forward.
Ellen Glasgow
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I deplore change! I love writing my blog and I am comfortable with the format, but while attempting to start a new blog for a friend, somehow the format was all different on the new site. What’s that all about. I spent endless hours trying to figure out how to get the photos posted and how to add the text. I must have added and deleted a dozen things. It finally got posted, but not the way I wanted.

My friend, Linda Grossman, is a local realtor and over-the-top busy lady. She has complimented me many times my writing skills and style, and asked if I’d help her set up a blog about local activities and great places to visit in McKinney. Right up my alley, piece of cake, no problemo, right? Wrong!
Although I deplore change, I thrive on challenge. I’ll figure it out. Here is the link. What do you think?

http://mckinneytx.wordpress.com/