It’s okay. You have come to the place of like minded people who have binge watched Friends 5000 times since it’s been on Netflix.

Why do you think Friends is still relevant and totally relatable today? Because the lessons about friendship never get old (and it’s still hilarious!)

Now let’s talk about F•R•I•E•N•D•S•H•I•P and what I have learned this year through life experience and watching re-runs of Friends!

I reached out to check on a friend the other night to make sure he was doing okay. We chatted a little about his current situation and then he asked me how I was doing and he returned the favor and listened to me. And I remember thinking how cool it was to have a meaningful conversation with someone outside of my immediate circle. I also remember telling him about this year being a year of new friendship.

Most people know that I went through a terrible friend break up this year with my old roommate. Once I was all settled into my new, beautiful place I remember sitting in my bed thinking “this is great but I’m totally alone.” My old roommate had become my built in friend- even though we were totally, 100% incompatible as friends. I just never realized that because we moved in together when we both “needed” a friend. So our friendship didn’t develop because we wanted it to- it developed out of necessity- on both of our ends. I was going through a break up and she let me stay with her and she hated being alone so I just stayed instead of getting my own place. She and her best friend became my #1 & #2 people and I put all my eggs in to one friendship basket- so to speak. I have a ton of people who are acquaintances and friends but that I never developed into meaningful friendships because I used my old roommate as my scape goat. “Eh, I have two close friends- I don’t need anymore.” But when that all went south and I moved out, I realized I needed something different. So this year I opened myself up and I have been determined to find people who ARE on the same wave length as me.

Here are the lessons I learned:

1) Friends can come in a variety of different packaging. Think Oddball Phoebe. She’s out there and different from the rest of the group but arguably the most loving and caring Friend (and puts her friends above anyone else!) Never limit yourself from forming a friendship because the person isn’t exactly like you. One of my best friends in the entire world is in her 50s.

2) Being open to new friendships is probably the most important thing you can do and you never know what will happen when you open yourself up. Remember how Chandler wanted the photographer to be his roommate instead of Joey? He was so mad at first but then he and Joey bonded over Baywatch and became best friends for life? You never know where one small gesture or moment will take a friendship. You just have to put yourself out there.

3) It’s entirely okay to let go of friends that cause you more stress than happiness. Just like relationships, friendships are not all sunshine and rainbows. BUT there is a difference between going through a rough patch in a friendship and being friends with someone who just isn’t good for you or on the same wavelength as you. The only Friends reference I can think of that fits this is Amanda – who Phoebe and Monica “cut out” because she was crazy and self absorbed. You CAN and should let those people go.

4) Having a few great, close friends is necessary. When I met Lori Harder, she said something that was really important. She said “One person can not be everything you need.” As in, your SO or best friend or sister can not be your go to for every last thing in your life. That why it is important to have a tribe of people who love you. If you make one person your go to, you can end up isolating yourself from other people and experiences. Just like in Friends, there are 6 of them and they are never dependent on just one person for advice or a shoulder to cry on. (Not to mention they all have friends and acquaintances outside of the group.)

5) Be a good friend to get a good friend. Think of the 6 Friends and all they went through- no matter what came along, those guys really were there for each other. One thing I have learned is that if I want really great friendships, I will not find them sitting on my couch every night- exhausted or not!! I have always put work above everything in order to grow my career. While that has paid off, it left me a little high and dry in the friend and meaningful relationship department. It made me cling to friendships that were incompatible because I was desperate for friends but too exhausted to go out and make the right friends. But this year that changed. I have tried to make it a point to reach out and be a better friend. And it has paid off tremendously. I find myself saying yes a lot more and enjoying the company of really great people!

One of the reasons Friends is still popular is because we look at the bonds those 6 people created and think “Why can’t I have that?” While living in a huge Manhattan apartment probably isn’t realistic, having meaningful friendships and relationships like the ones in Friends can be. You just have to be open to them.

I moved on. I got back on the saddle. I had a bad ass photo shoot with Steven Visneau, picked up more clients, moved away from my roommate, did some Jiu Jitsu tournaments, lost 10 pounds and gained a lot more friends and experiences. I also eventually started dating again. I have done a lot.

This year has been eventful. Truly amazing even. I feel like I’m gearing up for some huge huge things.

But besides the last 10 pounds, negative energy has been lingering with me all year it seems. I have felt run down, more anxious than I’ve ever been, unmotivated and still go through bouts of being sick. How crazy is it that all these great things were happening and I felt as though I was a bystander in my own life? A lot of things are being done but barely. I thought seriously that maybe I was depressed. Is functional depression a thing? (And hell- maybe that is it.) But I knew one thing for sure: I was still drained from the emotional turmoil that I had been put through.

I can honestly say I was happy enough. I’m motivated enough. I’m doing well enough. But the enough version of Michelle is not what I am used to. I wasn’t faking it- but I was off. I’m used to “so damn happy I explode with joy” and the “get sh*t done- no excuses” Michelle. I covered up the enough version of Michelle and filled my time with work, clients, new ventures, half ass Jiu Jitsu training and very little training outside of that. I filled it with “all these things I want to do.” But the truth was that I had been half there in all aspects of my life.

I felt completely ashamed of that too. Embarrassed that it still bothered me. That I was still feeling the effects of it. Not that I missed my exes AT ALL (because if there was ever a bullet to dodge, it was that one.) But it took a toll on me.

Two very specific conversations with two of my best friends, Alyssa and Arlene helped me put things in perspective (even though they probably don’t realize it.)

I realized I never got closure (and why would I? They were narcissists.) But also, the shame of what happened has kept me down. I’ve tried so hard to hide it; to be strong; to stay positive. But the truth is: two years in a row I fell for guys who completely used me. They intentionally hurt me. Broke up with me right before my birthday (both of them!) and then strung me along. I know that screams “naive loser” to some but the reality that I was made to see was that I just cared. A lot. Too much. For bad guys. And instead of running away when my gut told me to, I let myself care for them. I let them make me feel small. I let them make me forget that I’m f***ing Michelle Trent. Strong. Smart. Sexy. Funny. Michelle Trent. (Also- good a Jiu Jitsu n stuff.) I’m everything that they are NOT and because of that, they hurt me.

And it has taken what seems like an eternity (in reality a few months,) tons of introspection, and one little piece of validation to get back to old Michelle. REALLY back to my old self. Not happy enough. Not confident enough. Not just enough to get by Michelle.

Me.

And oh- the future is so so bright. It’s like the fog has lifted and I’m free.

P.S.

Why did I tell you ALL of this?? Don’t let people dictate how you feel about yourself. If someone makes you feel bad about anything, it’s because THEY are the problem. If someone talks down to you, criticizes you, or berates you it is because they want to pull you down to their level. One truth I have realized over the last few years is that self growth and self care can make or break relationships. As one partner starts to grow, the other partner either jumps on board to grow too or they will try their hardest to keep you down. They will do or say anything to make this happen. Complacency (or narcissism) kills the relationship.

Don’t EVER put up with someone who tries to break you down. Run far far away! As I have experienced, it can have long lasting effects- some that you may not even fully grasp. ALWAYS go with your gut feeling. It may seem to suck at first but it will ultimately prove to be the best decision.

If you know me you know that I’m pretty open about my life stories. Not because I’m not embarrassed of all the ridiculous things that have happened (because 🤦‍♀️🤦‍♀️🤦‍♀️) or because I want attention. But I find that when I do actually share I get a lot of “Me too’s” and #relatable’s from so many people. This story is a little more personal and maybe a little longer, but I feel like it will help more people than it will hurt me to tell.

My last two exes were kind of doozies (before the super rad guy I’m with now!)

I dated the first one for a short period of time in 2016 before I became privy to his narcissistic bull sh*t. And although he lied and hurt me, I moved on and it taught me a lesson- one I clearly soon forgot.

The second one I dated last year and at the beginning of this year and I had dated him in the past. The first time around I left him in search of something more. My heart and soul told me to get out. I couldn’t quite grasp why until he resurfaced last year. For a long time I even thought I had made a mistake- that he was “the one that got away.” Ha! After his marriage fell apart, he reached out to me in short order. Even though he was total mess, I was excited to reconnect. 🤦‍♀️

It didn’t dawn on me that this man was just incapable of being alone. It didn’t dawn on me that he was a user and that he was using me to escape a bad situation. In my mind, I had my “one that got away” back. In his mind, I was just a pawn. A thing to use for his gain and then dispose of. Why, yes! He too was a narcissistic psychopath. The difference? He was much better at faking it than the first guy. MUCH better. Everyone loved him. (But then again, everyone loved Ted Bundy too.) But this past year I got to see the real him. I got to realize why I left the first time around. The gut feelings became concrete evidence that I made the absolute right choice of not marrying him. It took me going down that rabbit hole and getting the life knocked out of me (figuratively) to realize it, but hey- lesson REALLY learned this time.

Same spiel as Narcissist #1. He knew exactly what to say to win me over and pull me in. He was romantic at first (soulmates back together and all that nonsense)’and feigned interest in me- just to have glazed over eyes anytime I spoke. Then it really began. His superiority complex kicked in. His need to be the center of attention and “the best” at everything- Mr. Know-It-All, if you will, really kicked in. He didn’t really care about my accomplishments or desires. We spent every waking moment talking about him. His divorce. His crazy ex. His dreams. He feigned interest enough to let me speak but he always had a way of changing the subject. He did what he wanted when he wanted (even yelled that at me one time.) When I got really sick last year with my digestive issues, he barely lifted a finger to take care of me- never mind the stress of his baggage was what pushed it overboard. When I was in the hospital, he spent the entire time texting with one of his ex girlfriends. And when I got upset- he got so mad he almost wrecked my Jeep. Never mind that I spent a night in the hospital. That I was so sick I slept on my bathroom floor. It only mattered that I hurt his feelings. When I found out my mom was sick and had COPD- he told me I was using that as a way to get attention. He didn’t care. All so the attention could shift back to his chaos.

So-When it started going south, all of the old feelings I had came rushing back. Screaming at me to let go but I couldn’t. Why? Because I blamed myself. Every single time we fought he would say “well you left Michelle.” I blamed myself because he blamed me. He shamed me. He knew how to make me feel so small. So bad about myself. And when it all fell apart I was the problem. Yet, I tried to hold on. He broke up with me right before my birthday and went back to MS. Yet he kept me roped in (which is exactly what happened with Narcissist #1.) He made me feel sorry for him. “His life was a mess and he just needed to figure it out.” So I waited. Even though it hurt me so bad. Even though my gut told me to move on- I couldn’t. Because it’s like an instinct- the second I tried, he would know and would rope me back in. But at a certain point I had finally had enough of being ghosted. Ignored. Talked down to. I finally decided to try and move on. After ALL that he put me through, I tried to maintain that he was just really hurting from his previous relationship and that he was still a good guy. BUT- Not even a month after we had spoken for the last time and he gave me his spiel about “working his life out” he had moved in with and adopted a dog with another female. (One that strokes his ego exactly how he likes.)

Wow. That was a huge blow to my heart and soul. He used me and used me and then just dropped me like a sack of potatoes.

By the time he was completely out the door, I was completely used up. COMPLETELY Drained. I had let him live with me, I was his go to for everything while he was never my go to for anything. I couldn’t even talk about my life or my problems with him. He told me multiple times he didn’t care. I had been used. By someone who I thought I knew deep down was a good guy.

What did I feel? Anger. But also really ashamed. Here I was- still sick. 20-25 pounds heavier because my digestive issues were still whack, Career and Jiu Jitsu on the back burner while I got it sorted out- while I tried to feel human again. And there he was- shacked up with another girl. (That’s 3 girls in less than a year if you lost count.) I was so embarrassed that I let this man do this to me in one fell swoop.

So what did I do next?

Check out part 2 dropping tomorrow!

Loving who you are and self improvement can, and should, go hand in hand.

Unfortunately, there is this mentality had by some that you should “just love and accept yourself for who you are and what you have and that’s all you need.” – An actual statement said to me.

But that’s not all you need. The human condition drives us forward, to the betterment of ourselves, our families and our communities. Stagnation is like poison and the only cure is growth. Whether it be physically, mentally, or spiritually. Growth.

If you have seen literally any of my posts, you know I am all about self love and being genuinely happy with your life. Work a job you love. Do activities that you love. Be happy in your current situation. Conversely, I am also about hard and fast self improvement. Not just physically. But mentally and spiritually. And although I love the person I’ve become, I am definitely not arrogant enough to think I have anything completely figured out. To think that I have it made.

And with that self love and the happiness I feel about my life situation, I do not accept that the person I am now is as good as it gets. That this is as fit as I’ll ever be or as happy as I will ever be. Or that the money I make now is as much as I’ll ever make. The mentality that we should just accept our position in life, or accept where we are, is ludicrous. Absolutely insane.

We preach self love and acceptance at the highest levels. But what about self awareness? Introspection? Self improvement?Three very important things that should be driving us to better ourselves and the people around us. “Love yourself.” “Be yourself.” Yes! One thousand times YES! Please do that.

But don’t forget about the other three. Don’t wrap your mind around just accepting things as they are, Accepting yourself as you are IF you aren’t truly happy. Don’t just act happy because society is now trying to tell us to just accept what is. It’s okay to want to change. To want more. To grow and achieve.

Nothing great has ever come from someone who simply accepted their position in life. The person and place that you are right now is not finite. You can change. You can remake your life into literally ANYTHING you want it to be.

Love yourself enough to let yourself grow 🌱

Okay.. I get it. In a perfect world I would meal prep every Sunday, get all my meals in on time and I would definitely have a six pack by now.

I am a huge advocate for meal prep, and a prepper myself. (Not to be confused with doomsday preppers.) I am on point the majority of the time. But sometimes meal prep is just a bitch you don’t want to deal with. She’s boring. Needy. Time consuming. Takes up your whole day off.  And you have to do it just right or everyone ends up unhappy. (👈See what I did there.) But I digress. Sometimes it just doesn’t work that way.

So far this week I have lived off of protein shakes, protein cookies, jerky and what I would consider an obscene amount of mini cupcakes. (Kidding- it was only 3. And they fueled a Muay Thai workout and touched my soul so that’s okay, right?)

BUT obviously I can’t continue to eat only protein and cupcakes. So I stopped by Simply Fit Meals and got a few things. Yay for food!! 👇👇👇

My point? 1) Sometimes life happens. Did I regret those cupcakes? Yes. For a little bit. But did I let them ruin the rest of my night/week? No. I didn’t let one bad thing catapult me into the “I’ll just start fresh next week mentality.” 2) You sometimes have to make due. I haven’t had a lot of time for meal prep. Protein shakes and Quest cookies aren’t the foundation of a good diet but they are healthy options comparatively. And that is where Simply Fit came into play. I KNEW I would struggle to find time this week for prep, so I went ahead and got some meals to last until I will have time!

Plan ahead, but when a plan falls through, understand your mistake and just move forward.

I have been called fat, chubby, tubby, chunky (and everything in between) so many times that I have lost count.

 

 

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What do all these pictures have in common?

These were all times that I was extremely proud of myself in some capacity but was called fat/chubby/tubby by someone. It didn’t matter that I felt pretty, or worked hard, or lifted heavy, or won medals and trophies. All that mattered was that how I looked- and what I lacked.

I would be lying if I said that the comments didn’t hit a nerve with me. I talk very openly with my struggles with body image issues and body dysmorphic disorder, and now I am a huge advocate for working hard but loving yourself through the process.

But I found myself telling a client a few weeks ago “I am not comfortable enough with my body right now to post workout videos yet.” How is that being an advocate for loving yourself? It’s absolutely not. I also feel like I am doing a disservice to my clients and followers by not showing the highs and lows of my own journey.

Years ago I made it a point to be an advocate of “real-ness” in the perfectly posed world of the fitness industry.

I will say, over the years my skin has gotten so much thicker. That I can easily shake off comments about my weight or how I look. Because I KNOW how hard I work, how great of a trainer I am, and I know I’m a damn good athlete.

Does this mean I am not striving to have a perfect diet, unlimited aerobic capacity, or a bangin’ beach bod? Nope. It just means that in the process of getting those things, I will ignore negative, ridiculous comments that bring no value to my life.

Why am I telling you guys all this? Don’t listen to anyone when it comes to loving yourself! There will be haters who will constantly try to tear you down, no matter how great you look, feel, or are doing in your life. And- they can f*** straight off!

Remember: “In order to avoid criticism- say nothing, do nothing, be nothing.”

Current condition 👇👇👇👇👇

Judge me. ✌

Here’s to real-ness! 💪

XO Michelle

Self love without self awareness is useless. 

People seem to think that loving yourself and bettering yourself and your existence can’t go hand in hand. But the exact opposite is true. 
If you love yourself, isn’t it imperative that you do all that you can to evolve and grow as a person?

We could delve much deeper than weight loss and physical appearance but let’s just keep the theme with that I speak the most about. You can love yourself. A lot. And still want to change things. 

For example- I really love myself because I’m strong, good at Jiu jitsu and all that jazz. And, as many already know, it has taken me a LONG time to actually be happy with myself.  BUT I am constantly trying to improve my physique, my athletic abilities, etc. Because that’s what I want and that is what I think my body deserves. 
That’s called growth. And if your body goals are important to you, there should be no shame in achieving those goals!

On other topics, you can be proud of your intellectual abilities, financial status, family status- whatever the case may be- but it is STILL okay to want to grow. 

Example- I am very happy with my career as it stands. I am very happy with the knowledge I have acquired over the years. Does that happiness and being proud of what I built mean that I am done? That I don’t strive to reach even higher goals, both fiscally and mentally? Absolutely not! 

Wanting more does not mean that you don’t appreciate what you already have.

Again, wanting more does NOT mean that you don’t appreciate what you already have!

It means that you are self aware enough to know you are capable of doing and being more. 

I think about all the times I’ve “lost” something I thought I couldn’t live without. Things. People. Pointless goals I thought I absolutely needed to achieve- (this one, Especially.) How hard it was to let go of at the time.

It’s amazing how hard we fight to keep things in our life that just don’t belong. And I get it. Letting go is so freaking hard. There are so many schools of thought that say you have to fight and fight and fight for what you want. And that isn’t untrue, but we get so wrapped up that sometimes we don’t notice when things stop adding value to our lives. We don’t even notice when they drain us. But when something becomes more negative than positive, it is time to let it go.

One great example for my life is bodybuilding. Before Jiu Jitsu, I was a figure competitor. I thought that was my calling. But, at the time, deep down, I hated it. I was miserable. But, I thought it was the only way I’d be successful, so I clung tightly to that goal. I thought I HAD to do it. Until one day, I broke. And close to the end of my competition prep for a big competition, I just quit. To pursue MMA. Great decision. But I should have quit trying to compete- or taken a break- long before that day came. I just did not realize that competing was draining me. 

I think when the universe, God, whatever it is you believe in, is trying to tell you to let something go or that it’s time for something new, your life will become so uncomfortable that you have no choice but to change it.
Now, I think about how at peace I am with the things I’ve “lost” and I laugh that I ever got so upset about them. 

I will never regret any thing, person or goal that was in my life because at one time it was what I wanted. But looking back, I realize how much peace and mental clarity I lost trying to hold on to things that weren’t meant for me- or meant for me at the time.  

But now, when the universe tries to tell me to let something go, I try to let it be. Because I don’t want to waste my peace, my time, my mental clarity on things that just aren’t meant for me anymore. 

Motivation.

It’s a tricky, little beast of a word. It has layers of depth and meaning.

I think out of all the questions I get asked as a trainer, the number one question is “How do I stay motivated to keep going?” Or I get asked how I, specifically, stay motivated to keep going.

The answer isn’t a simple one. Why? Because the idea of motivation and staying motivated isn’t a simple one.

This morning I found myself jokingly telling my client “All I want to do right now is sit on my couch, eat pizza and get fat.” But honestly, I kind of wasn’t joking.

After my fight (and the negative things that have transpired since) I have seemed to have lost my daily motivation. Does that mean that I am sitting on the couch, eating pizza and getting fat?

F*** no.

I had my fight on Saturday, April 1^st and with two black eyes, a swollen lip and a bruised up leg, I was back in the gym Tuesday, April 4^th training. And I have been training ever since.

I believe there are layers of motivation. I believe that we all have deep seeded motivators (dreams, goals, call it what you will) that cause us to plan our lives so we can make them happen. And, if driven enough, we follow through every day to make those dreams a reality. Despite daily motivators.

See, motivation is a fickle thing and you can’t really depend on it. It comes and it goes. I know we have all been there.

Monday rolls around and we have a plan for the week,month, year, 10 years, etc. Man, we are super human in our intentions.

By Wednesday, the motivation wanes. And by Friday? It’s time for tacos and a margarita.

Well, how do we combat the Fridays, tacos and tequila in order to reach our goals?

I am sure everyone has heard the adage “Motivation is what gets you started but habit is what keeps you going.” Or “If you wait for the perfect conditions you will never get anything done.”

Easy to understand. Hard to actually follow, right?

But the truth is, habit and deep seeded determination are the only things that keep us going when our motivation wanes.

Do you think I really wanted to be back in the gym, answering questions, taking it easy when I usually train hard, and suffering from general embarrassment of defeat? Not just no. But hell no. But I was there. Why? Because it was extremely important to keep the habits I created. Because, although I don’t want to fight right now, I will want to again. And by keeping myself going, regardless of my level of motivation, when the time comes, I will be ready for fight camp.

Sometimes, no matter how many inspirational videos you watch, no matter how many quotes you read or how many fitness pros you stalk on Instagram, you just do not want to do it.

Those are the days you must do it. 

Those are the times you just have to tie your shoes and just walk out the door. You have to put your head down and go. Whether you have to take the long way to the gym or sit in your car for 10 minutes, or get out of your car just to get back in, just to get back out again (true story.)

And even if you are in a training slump, little by little, motivation will return. You will have a good session, or a good lift, or a good roll or you will talk to someone who inspires you and before you know it, it comes back.

You just have to show up.

Don’t confuse effort with results.

Let those words sink in. Let them really hit home.  

The definition of effort: a determined attempt.

The definition of result: a consequence, effect, or outcome of something. 

It’s tangible. You can see and measure results. You can never truly measure someone’s level of effort. 

I’ve thought a lot about this quote over the past few weeks, as it was very fitting to what’s going on in my life. Or what WAS going on in my life. Spinning my wheels. Training and training and feeling like I couldn’t get out of my slump and focus. Granted, I have been dealing with my own personal stuff, this time was different. Usually training is my outlet. I crave it when I’m stressed. But, although I went, I didn’t really want to train. If you know me at all, you know I LOVE training. I’m obsessed. I miss hanging out and dinners with friends and all the other things so I can train. I love the grind. I am my best self when I train. And for this little period of time, I had to force myself to go. I was going in and putting in my best effort (at the time.) Some nights were amazing and some nights I felt so defeated. I wasn’t focused. I made mistakes during training. On the nights I felt like I didn’t progress, I got pissed. Emotional. (At myself, mind you.)  

Then one day I saw this quote somewhere. “Don’t confuse effort with results.”

That same night, after a not so great practice, I had a come to Jesus meeting with myself. This saying just kept replaying in my head along with some tough love motivation from my coach.I thought to myself “Michelle, what the fuck are you doing?” I tried to make excuses and reason with myself that I was putting in so much effort and that I “couldn’t help” that I wasn’t making progress. Cue the “duh” moment. So much “effort.” Seemingly no RESULTS.

In this new era of participation trophies, helicopter parents, and the “treat yo self” mentality, this is hard pill to swallow for some. Effort does not always equal results. You can put in hours and hours of effort, but unless it’s 100% focused effort, you probably won’t achieve a high level of success. You have to be willing to change and evolve to get the desired outcome. If you truly want success, you have to be willing to understand and change things like your mindset, the way you approach a problem, daily habits, and more, when you have a setback or when things feel a little off. Instead of self reflection, so many people just want to cry over the proverbial spilled milk instead of cleaning it up and moving forward. Achieving palpable results requires growing and evolving.

Think about the areas of your life where you aren’t succeeding or making progress like you want. Business. Your job. Your relationship. Your training. Your Weight loss. How is that going? If it’s all going great, good for you. If not, why isn’t it going great?

Here are a few reasons.

Reason 1:

Actual effort output-

Some people put in a little bit of effort in an area and question why they aren’t getting a higher level of results. An example is somebody doing minimal exercise, without changing their diet and wondering where their six pack is.

Reason 2:

Mindset-

Your heart is in the right place. You are physically there, putting in the hours but you lack motivation, focus, or both. I am a great example of this. At the gym, but my mind was elsewhere.

Reason 3:

You fail to differentiate between 1 and 2-

I’m sure many of you have heard the phrase “work smarter, not harder.” Some times when you aren’t getting ahead and you keep spinning your wheels its natural to think “More. More. More!” More time in the gym, more time working, more time with a significant other and all your problems will be solved. In some cases, that is the answer. We are capable of so much more than we give our bodies and minds credit for.

In many cases, however, it’s a mindset thing. We all go through ups and downs, set backs and major life pitfalls. It can be so easy to let focus and motivation slip away. It can be so easy to go through the motions.

When you are going through a point of little to no progress or tangible results, it’s important to reflect and ask yourself “why?” Then ask yourself how much and what type of effort you are putting in. Once you understand these things, it becomes easier to set a direct path to success.