I Am Under Construction…It Is A GREAT Thing!

I have discovered that everything in life, jobs, relationships, being alive, is always evolving and if I stay “static” or not moving in one area then everything eventually seems like it gets “stuck”. It becomes a force that is very hard to move forward.

The beginning of 2018 brought upon many incidents/accidents that have had me begin to re-evaluate much of what I have been working on.  Not like a problem, only that knowing when many challenges show up, sometimes it is like the universe’s way of saying “HELLO TAMMY!! Are you listening?”

The most prominent that started my year were 2 car accidents less than 2 month’s apart. Both times I was rear-ended and ended up with whiplash and concussions. The second time I was hit, my car that I just purchased less than 6 month’s prior to the accidents, it didn’t make it.

Being that I work primarily in the fitness industry this was very hard physically to see some of the limitations I was having after both accidents.  I had headaches regularly, my body was very sore constantly.  I would easily forget things I had just done or said in the first few weeks following these accidents. It was terribly frustrating at the time.

Thankfully, I know my body well and went directly to my chiropractor and medical doctor right after the accidents. I immediately got the support I needed and have bounced back extremely quickly so I can keep working doing what I love.

That being said, the accidents also opened something up for me. I realized I really had no back up plan if something were to happen that I didn’t “bounce back” again if something else were to happen. The question to myself was “If I am not able to dance anymore, then what?”

I realized this year that my passion is and always will be to support others in discovering what lights them up. Supporting others in finding the relationships they are looking for. Supporting people of all abilities to move and find their groove! Supporting others in making their dreams reality, whether it be fitness goals, relationships, financial, building businesses, creating extraordinary events, and so much more.

The company I have built, the Live OUT LOUD Movement, is so much more than just a fitness program based primarily in Zumba Fitness.

The Live OUT LOUD Movement is a LIFE MOVEMENT.

A place to take all that seems like heavy weights on our shoulders and discover the silver lining within them all to produce extraordinary results in the face of no agreement in life.

I truly believe that everything happens in our lives for a reason. Even all the “bad stuff” that I wish never happened. I see it as it had to happen to show me something that I couldn’t see was available before. In the moment, it never “feels” that way, however the true gift of this MOVEMENT is the opportunity to look more in-depth at what is happening and discover what I/we can’t see right away.  Discovering the knowledge that is hidden deep within what ails us to creating a strong and vibrant life that impacts ourselves and others by what is discovered!

I am in the process of rebuilding new aspects to the Live OUT LOUD Movement and new offerings over the next few months to really dive deep into what is possible through this company to help people in a unique way.

I hope you stick around to see what is next and how it all plays out. I will always continue to dance for as long as my body will let me, you can bet money on that and now is the time for me to take what I have built thus far and expand it far beyond where it is today!

EXCITING TIMES!

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Smiles Can Turn Your Day Around

In this day and age, I have discovered fewer people look up at each other when walking by.  Many are immersed in their cell phones and totally oblivious to what is happening around them.

Recently, I began ensuring that when I am out walking, I have no phone in hand and my head is up and I am making EYE CONTACT with anyone who looks my way.

Why?

I have discovered that when making eye contact AND flashing a smile….in most cases even a “hello!”, “Good morning/afternoon!” seems to alter not only my view of the day but it rearranges the molecules of the person I interact with.  Someone who may look completely down in the dumps can easily shift to a smile and exhibit a sparkle in their eye!

What I believe is that we never know what is going on for another human being. It may be the worst day of their life. It may have been a mediocre start, but as soon as I bring a SMILE or a FRIENDLY GESTURE into the interaction, they light up and so do I.

My request for the remainder of the week is for everyone to put our phones down, raise our eyes to meet others and make it a GREAT WEEK for not only YOU but those whom you interact with!

You never know how that smile of yours can impact others!

Go out and see how powerful you truly are!

The Importance of Self Love…

I have been thinking a lot lately about how I take care of myself and questioning whether or not I really take the time to check in within myself and ask “how am I doing?”

Many of us go about our day ensuring that everyone around us has what “they” need and often times forget to check in and make sure we are taken care of.

Can anyone relate?

Only recently did I notice how not checking in with myself left me with this feeling of being like a hamster on a wheel running like mad to get things done and actually not getting anywhere.  Hamsters actually enjoy this activity, however, I have discovered for sure that I am NOT a hamster and that IS good news!

Here is what I discovered when I took the time to really look….what I needed was personal time to write.

I bet you thought I was going to say dance…Actually that would be second but WRITING…writing comes FIRST!

Writing is something that has always given me great pleasure.

For me, it is not something that I need to share with anyone and that being said, sometimes I choose to share my writing….but for the purpose of taking care of me, I just need time to write at least once a day.

Sometimes I know what I want to write about and sometimes it becomes what I refer to as a “mind dump”….just let it all out and then I can breathe again.

It is important to me that others understand that as successful as you may think I am, I literally am no different from anyone else. I forget to take care of myself sometimes.  I have thoughts that do not empower me all the time. Sometimes I really do not want to work out.

What I know though is that when I honor myself by taking time to write, bring back the positive thoughts and work out whether I “want to” or not, I always always always feel better and am able to support those around that I  love to the fullest!

It is important to discover at least one thing that you can do to take care of your SELF that will light you up and light your soul on fire!  Whatever it is for you, love it, give yourself the time to do it NO MATTER HOW BUSY YOU THINK YOU ARE and know that YOU are the most important person in your life.

Without YOU, there is NO amazing life!

YOU COME FIRST and all else FALLS INTO PLACE!

One Step At a Time!

Do you ever just want to do some type of fitness but stop yourself because you have the thought “but will THIS be the thing I can stick to?” or “will THIS be the exercise I will actually get in shape with?”

Many people stop before they even get started due to mindset.

Myself included.

I knew for many years that I wanted to do some form of fitness and many times I would start at the gym and do some cardio, a bit of weights and then get frustrated because either

a. I wouldn’t be consistent because I couldn’t see where this work was going or

b. I just wasn’t having fun and it began to feel like another j-o-b and quite frankly I already had one of those doing 40+ hours a week!

When I discovered Zumba, I realized it was actually similar to something I would do often that would pick up my spirits. At home, I would crank up my music, clean my house, sing out loud, shake my bum while I tidied up!

The best part with Zumba is I no longer had to CLEAN UP to get this inspiration going! 🙂 

I could just go to a class, stand in the front or the back and just dance and lose myself in the music.  I stopped having those thoughts of “will this get me in shape” or “will this be the thing I stick to.”

It just became easy because I fell in love with it.

A great zumba instructor and class has a freedom to it. Everyone is accepted. Everyone CAN dance and are in a safe, fun environment where people just let loose and sweat awesomeness everywhere.

You will be having so much fun that you don’t need to see the end result, you just ride out the journey….one…step…at…a…time!

See you in class!

Don’t Miss Out…Just Move!

As an instructor of Zumba, I hear from people who say “I have 2 left feet, I can’t dance…” or “It’s too hard, I have no rhythm.”

Understandably, some people seem to have better rhythm or are quicker to catch on than others, however, it is in my opinion that each and EVERY person on this planet CAN dance!

Dancing can look a variety of ways of course but dancing is dancing all the same.

How can I say that?

Simple.

I have been fortunate to be teaching Zumba classes to people of all abilities. What this means is I teach people in wheelchairs, canes, crutches, mental, physical, emotional issues, epileptic, down syndrome, mute, deaf, Parkinson’s and of course those who say they have no rhythm for many years now.

What I have learned is that at the heart of every human being, there is a rhythm.

There is a basic ability, an innate way of being that has movement to music be present whether we can physically move our body or not. The movement can also occur within our mind while our body does something completely different.

Some people when they dance make it look so easy and fluent that they would be masterful in a dance competition. Others look awkward BUT in actual fact they are moving their body to the rhythm THEY hear and feel and truly are dancing no matter what it may “look like.”

In society, we tend to compare ourselves to one another in many areas, including our dancing skills. If we were just able to, for a moment, step out of comparing, we would all see we ALL have the ABILITY to move our bodies and be lost in music no matter what it looks like.

Therefore, we ALL have the ability to DANCE!

Stop worrying about others will think when you move to music. Give yourself over to the rhythm and in the case of my deaf clients, I teach them dance motion through mimic movements and they light up when they match my movements.

Just imagine for a moment how freeing it would be to just enjoy music for what it is. A beautiful sound journey that ignites your body, mind and spirit. A joyous playful rhythm that ignites your ability to move freely!

Anyone CAN do it and personally, I KNOW YOU CAN TOO!

Summer is Here to Stay!

Summer is NOT over….EVER…

Why do I say this?

Because in a Zumba class it doesn’t matter what time of the year it is…you WILL have the experience of landing on an island somewhere and dancing till you feel like it is summer where ever you are!

Don’t believe me?

Then come try out a class! Experience it for yourself! I keep the moves simple and you will sweat and feel HAPPY emotions flood over you like they do on a nice sunny day!

I always thought that was a crazy analogy…until I started taking Zumba myself! Once the class begins, no matter how cold outside, in moments you are warm all over and a smile will be beaming from ear to ear.

It is kind of magical really!  

Don’t take my word for it. Quote this post and get the class on me to give it a whirl!

Come get hooked on Zumba and have the experience of summer all year-long!

Much love,

Tammy

~Your friendly neighborhood Zumba instructor

All Roads Lead to YES!

Do you ever have the thought “Should I go?”…. do not worry, you are never alone with this question. 

Majority of people will question whether to do something and especially when it comes to taking time for yourself and your own health & well-being, MANY people question and then choose to do something other than taking care of themselves.

Myself included, until about 9 years ago when I got serious about taking care of me!  I used to question whether I should go to a class or go to the gym a couple of times a week.  When it came down to going to the gym, I would often sell out on myself because I did not enjoy running on a treadmill or lifting weights. It was easy to say “no I won’t go.”

Even when I started Zumba, as much as I enjoyed it, there would be times I would say “nah, not today!” but what would end up happening is that one day would turn into a whole week and then I would feel anxious, lethargic and behind the game of taking care of me rolling into the next week….

Once I adopted the mentality of still asking myself “should I go?” with full intention of the answer always being “YES!” no matter how I felt (unless running a fever), I would ALWAYS feel better that I went.

It is so easy to sell out on ourselves and get busy in the day-to-day. Honestly though, once I started being consistent with taking care of me, the Day-to-day just got really easy and more fun too!

Take time out for YOU….ALWAYS!!