Whatever You’re Grateful For, Write It Down

Do you want to be happy in life?

My advice is to practice gratitude every day. That isn’t always easy.

While some days are meant to be celebrated, others simply have to be endured. But in all days—regardless of what happens—be grateful in all things.

One activity that will help you stay in a state of gratitude is to start writing every day in a Gratitude Journal. It’s not something other people will read—it’s just for you.

Every evening, as you end your day, jot down those things you’re grateful for—whether it’s something you have now or something new that showed up for you today. It may even be something that felt bad in the moment but that was an important lesson you needed in that moment.

Or it might be something amazing that will lead you to your ideal life.

Whatever you’re grateful for . . . write it down.

While your Gratitude Journal may include the same stuff for a while, in time, this will change as new things enter your life and your dreams come true—only to be replaced with new dreams and goals for the future.

I learned about gratitude journals from Oola authors Dave Braun and Troy Amdahl—aka The OolaGuys.

And now that I’ve joined forces with them as a Certified Oola Life Coach, I’m here to help you focus on getting what you want by finding balance and pursuing new opportunities with confidence. In fact, you can make massive progress in just 10 weeks with the Oola Coaching Program—delivered jointly by The OolaGuys and me.

Message me and we can jump on a 30-minute call to discuss how coaching can work for you.

Or check out the 10-week Oola Coaching Program for details.

But right now—just for fun—drop a comment below and share the craziest thing you’ve ever been grateful for. We’ve all got a few that were wild in the moment, but ultimately led to something we truly wanted.

Are you ready to get your OolaLife? Be grateful!

Together, we are Positively Powerful!

Living In A State Of Grateful Anticipation – That’s So Oola!

So, here’s a question: can you be grateful for what you have, but also want more?

Absolutely!

In fact, you should. But unfortunately, millions of people are too satisfied. They’re complacent. They’ve achieved some of what they want, but they haven’t taken their life to the next level: they’ve stopped growing.

What they don’t realize, of course, is that wanting more of what’s good—and living in this state of grateful anticipation—will actually bring them even more to be grateful about.

The idea of grateful anticipation is something I learned in the book, Oola: Find Balance in an Unbalanced World by Dave Braun and Troy Amdhal (aka “The OolaGuys”).

Once you get into the practice of being grateful, you’ll discover that opportunities to grow in gratitude exist every day. But here’s the key: these opportunities will only be found if you proactively seek out things to be grateful for.

What kinds of things am I talking about?

Watch for big things, like a phone call that up-levels your career, or randomly discovering your dream house before it goes on the market. Look for little things, like finding a parking space near the entrance, or getting a refund check in the mail. You’ll soon see that opportunities are hidden in every encounter, and that “unexpected” new relationships, happy coincidences, little conveniences and other forms of good routinely show up to make your life easier or more enjoyable—all of which you can be grateful for the moment they happen.

When you meet each new day with the expectation that something amazing is going to happen for you, it keeps you in a state of grateful anticipation—dreaming of what you will have, while also feeling gratitude in the present for what you do have.

Try it for a few days and see what shows up.

As a Certified Oola Life Coach, I’ve joined forces with Dave and Troy to help clients grow and create more to be grateful for. Through the 10-week Oola Coaching Program, I’ll help you establish new goals, prioritize your tasks and—most importantly—stay accountable to accomplishing them week by week.

Message me and we can jump on a call about it. Until then, be grateful, have faith, and go get your Oola Life.

Together, we are Positively Powerful!

Be Grateful, Go Get You Oola Life.

You get what you focus on.

Have you ever heard that motto? While it normally applies to something we want to accomplish in our lives, there’s nothing wrong with focusing on being grateful for what we have already.

Here’s something I learned from “The OolaGuys” (Dave Braun and Troy Amdahl, authors of the international bestselling book Oola): focusing on what’s good, what’s plentiful, or what’s improving in your world helps keep you in a state to receive even more of what’s good, plentiful, and improving. It’s like you’re saying, This is all cool. What else is out there for me? It keeps you in a state of grateful anticipation.

And by the way? Getting your own Oola life doesn’t necessarily require money, time, connections, education, or special circumstances.

• If you’ve got family and friends who “get you” and who celebrate your wins and cheer you on, be grateful.
• If you’ve got a career or calling that you love and that keeps you inspired to constantly grow, be grateful.
• If you wake up every morning in a place that’s serene, inviting, or energizing—with birds singing outside or the excitement of the city calling to you—hey, lots of people only dream about that.
• And don’t forget you’ve got opportunities to start a business, move to a different city, start a charity, go back to school—or anything else you want to do.

These are all things to be grateful for, but there’s also nothing wrong with taking steps to keep growing.

When I first started working with The OolaGuys to become a Certified Oola Life Coach, I discovered that the Oola formula has changed the lives of more than a million followers around the world. Story after story appeared on Oola’s Facebook page of people who had hit major life goals (or simply transformed their chaos into balance and calm).

The 10-week Oola Coaching Program is a gamechanger for anyone who wants to be grateful, keep growing, and ultimately live with less stress, more balance, and greater purpose.

Message me and we can jump on a 30-minute call to discuss what coaching is like and how it can work for you.

What’s the first step YOU need to take toward growth? Drop a comment below and share it!

Together, we are Positively Powerful!

Chaos, Overwhelm, Pandemonium – Put A Positive Spin On It!

Chaos. Overwhelm. Pandemonium.

Some days just roll like that, right? But have you ever thought about putting a positive spin on these chaotic days? Have you ever said, “Yeah, reality bites, but I can still be grateful about other things in my life that are working. I can still be positive even in the face of turmoil.”

If there’s one thing I’ve learned from “The OolaGuys”—Dave Braun and Troy Amdahl, authors of the international bestselling book Oola—is that gratitude not only helps us stay balanced during life’s crazier moments, it actually brings about the support, opportunity, and abundance that keeps us balanced. Gratitude fosters hope, help and healing.

So having a grateful heart—and staying in a state of grateful anticipation—is an important part of living the OolaLife.

But being grateful doesn’t mean you’re complacent or done with striving for a better life. As the OolaGuys recommend:

Keep one hand on your heart in gratitude, while the other hand reaches out toward growth.

There are probably parts of your life you’re satisfied with right now, but other parts where you know you need to grow.

That’s where I can help.

If you’ve been following my past posts, you know that I’ve joined forces with Dave and Troy to bring my followers the Oola formula via a 10-week coaching experience designed to transform your life, your finances, your relationships and more. Message me and we can jump on a call about it.

The Oola Coaching Program is the formula I discovered that has transformed not only my life, but the lives of countless people around the world. Not only will it help you define the goals you want to achieve, it will keep you accountable to doing those things every day that bring about the results you want.

Check out Oola Coaching and work with me every week to find balance and calm the overwhelm in major life areas like finances, fitness, family, field (career) and more. For now, comment below (or message me) with one thing you’re grateful about today – and one area where you know you need to grow.

Together, we are Positively Powerful!

Oola and “The Great British Baking Show”

A Balanced Life is Like a Well-Balanced Recipe.

When I first started pursuing my dream career of Life Coaching, my husband would get asked, “What does Life Coaching mean?” My ever-unfailing husband stated, “Think of a recipe. Everything has to have balance in order to cook correctly and taste right. That is the same with your life. My wife helps you get all the ingredients correct for YOUR life.” What a great explanation!

“The Great British Baking Show”

Recently, my husband and I have really enjoyed watching “The Great British Baking Show”. The show is on PBS and Netflix. On the show, 12 contestants do bake offs to see who made the best dessert or breads. The contest lasts 10 weeks and has 3 stages – signature, technical, and show stopper. Every week 1 or 2 contestants are sent home, and one of the remaining contestants is named Star Baker. During the final week, the last 3 contestants compete to win the overall competition.

As we have watched, I have noticed several similarities between the contestants’ journey on the show and one’s journey to living an Oola Life. First, the contest lasts 10 weeks, just like the Oola Coaching Program and my new Positively Powerful Life Coaching Program. Next, the word BALANCE continues to come up time and time again when discussing the contestants’ recipes and when critiquing their end results. Last, the signature stage of the contest kicks off the theme for the three bakes. In the coaching programs, there is also a theme that we focus on each week.

What Ingredients in Your Life are Balanced?

A recipe can have any number of ingredients and steps to it. Luckily, getting your Oola Life consists of focusing on 7 Areas of Life and 3 Steps.

The 7 areas of an Oola Life are: Fitness (mental and body health), Field (career), Finances, Family, Faith, Friends and Fun. The goal is to have as much balance as possible in all of these areas. When you bake a cake, it’s done. There is an end result. However, the journey to live an Oola Life is ongoing. There is no finish line per se. For some, this may seem daunting. Most people want a finished product. But think about your life. It is always evolving – always changing. The Oola coaching programs teach you the skills you need to overcome obstacles, some we call OolaBlockers (Fear, Guilt, Anger, Self-Sabotage, Laziness, Envy, and lack of Focus), and how to use the best practices for manifesting your dream life with a good dose of OolaAccelerators (Gratitude, Love, Discipline, Integrity, Passion, Humility, and Wisdom).

The 3 steps to living an Oola Life are the Oola Wheel, Oola Plan, and Oola Path. The Oola Wheel is finding where you are presently. The Oola Plan helps you identify where you want to go, and the Oola Path is the planning and executing how you are going to get there.

10 Weeks to the Life You are Meant to Live.

Now, unlike ”The Great British Baking Show”, there is not an elimination at the end of each week. The commitment you put into each week of the coaching program is what you get out of it. When you decide to show up and put in the effort, you will begin to see and feel positive changes in your life. Often, people around you will also notice the changes too. People will seem to gravitate more to you. Afterall, who doesn’t want to be around someone who lifts them up and makes them feel good?

If you are ready to start your 10 weeks, contact me below. Let’s achieve the life you are meant to live!

Together, we are Positively Powerful!

One Hand In Gratitude, The Other Reaching For Growth

Be grateful, have faith, and go get your OolaLife.

For years, I’d heard that mantra from Dave Braun and Troy Amdahl—the “OolaGuys”—in their popular books, webinars and more. The idea of being grateful in all things—no matter what—comes from the story of Dave’s nephew Jared, who constantly looked for things to be grateful for as he slowly battled and eventually succumbed to luekemia.

Are you grateful in all things?

I find that, when I’m grateful, even more good things show up in life. I’m even grateful for the mishaps I’ve lived through, since it gives me better appreciation and a more positive outlook on where my life is going next.

Being grateful in the moment is important, but so is looking forward to what’s next—another lesson from Oola. In fact, as the OolaGuys say:

Keep one hand on your heart in gratitude, while the other hand reaches toward growth.

So where do you need to reach out and grow? Where do you need be grateful?

When I coach clients through the 10-week Oola coaching experience, we look at the 7 major areas of life and create a plan for growing (and being grateful) in each of these areas. Can you grateful for what you have, while also growing in new ways?

Fitness: Grateful for good health, but exercising more?

Finance: Grateful for good pay, but lowering debt, too?

Family: Loving the kids, but improving your marriage?

Field: Grateful for your job, but seeking new skills, too?

Faith: Grateful for faith, but with a daily practice, too?

Friends: Grateful for BFFs, but seeking mentors, too?

Fun: Grateful for time off, but adding adventures, too?

If you’ve been following my posts, you know that I’m big into getting what you want in the 7 major areas of life. Now, as a Certified Oola Life Coach, I can help you bring about the lifestyle, relationships and financial security you need to be happy, balanced and growing.

If the 10-week Oola coaching experience is something you’d like to pursue as 2020 winds down, message me and we can jump on a 30-minute discovery call to explore the idea of working together on your goals. I’m here to help next year be a breakthrough year for you.

Together, we are Positively Powerful!

To Everything There Is a Season

Lately, The Byrds’ song “Turn! Turn! Turn!” (To Everything There Is a Season) has been playing in my mind.

Is it because we are actually going from the fun, family, sun-filled days of summer to the beautiful, cool days of fall, or is it because of my Fibromyalgia Flare, or is it because of the exciting new things I am developing for my business? I think it is a little of all of these and here’s why.

Summer to Fall:

Interestingly enough, when I look at the three Oola Fun goals I wrote for myself last December, I have accomplished all but one. The one I was unable to do was drive to St. Cloud, Minnesota (an 8-hour drive for me) to visit so many amazing people I had to leave behind when I moved back to Bottineau, North Dakota. Obviously, due to the pandemic, this had to be put off until next year.

The other two were making a point to spend time with my parents once they came back to North Dakota after spending the winter in Arizona and to have plenty of family time at the lake.

In North Dakota, the cold weather comes way too soon and often lasts longer than we would like, so making the most of the summer days is quite important. The lake is also where I can go and immediately feel grounded. We do not have a lake home, but we do have a beautiful state park – Lake Metigoshe (met-ah-go-she) State Park – with a wonderful public beach that we take advantage of. Additionally, my brother-in-law has a boat that he graciously has us out on quite often. Even if I only go to the lake for half an hour, it is sometimes all I need. Furthermore, we go hiking on many of the trails at the state park. Many laughs have been had in the middle of the woods! Of course, the family joke is if we get lost, we just have to make Nicole laugh, and they will find us! How RUDE!

I also like to go for walks with my family at a gorgeous park here in our town, the Forestry Park. Getting exercise while catching up on family news is the best way to stay connected while enjoying the outdoors.

My parents are in their seventies and both have underlying health conditions. The retirement community they are involved in Arizona has helped keep them young and active with all of the events and socializing opportunities available. They act like a couple of teenagers down there! Haha! Even though they act young at heart, I realize that every day I have with my parents is a blessing, and I want to make the most of each of those days. I don’t want to feel, when it is too late, that I should have made this more of a priority.

Fibromyalgia:

When the seasons change from summer to fall and then winter to spring, I get a rather lengthy Fibromyalgia Flare. There are many reasons for this. The major reasons include barometric pressure changes and extreme temperature changes within the same day and week. The “Fall Flare” starts when we begin to have frost at night and lasts until the first snow. Often, this can be a 2-month flare. The same thing happens in the spring. It happens for the same reasons but because of opposite weather patterns as the days become warmer. When the night freezes stop, the Fibromyalgia starts to abate or at least have daily pain levels that are easier to handle.

For those of you that are new to this blog, let me tell you a little bit about my flares. I have excruciating pain all over my body, headaches, migraines, and extreme fatigue. When I state that I have pain all over my body, I mean EVERYWHERE! I literally have pain from the top of my head, including my hair, to the bottoms of my feet and tip of toes. Often, my fingers cannot close up into a clench. My eyes have a hard time focusing which makes it hard to see things clearly and read. You can read more about my Fibromyalgia journey here.

Exciting Business News:

Even though I cannot do much during my Fibromyalgia Flare, one thing I can do is think and dream! And that is exactly what I do. The positive that comes out of the Fibro Flares is that I take time to reeallllly sloooowwww dooowwwwnnn and regroup.

With this said, I have had a couple of ideas floating around in my head but have not had the time to really think them through – that is until one of my flares. During one of my recent flares, I began developing a new business idea, and now, I am so excited that I am able to up-level my coaching options for YOU!

The first is that I have been wanting to develop another coaching program to meet your needs. I created a new, 10-week coaching program. I debated about the length of time for the program and realized for the best outcome you really need 10 weeks. I have also produced additional informational activity bundles to enrich your experience during this program. The program launched the last week of October so it is ready to go. Once you have completed the course, you will not only have all your goals ready for 2021, but you will also have the action steps needed to achieve them. What a great way to start a New Year!

Lastly, I am toying around with the idea of a Positively Powerful membership site as part of my website. There will be a monthly fee to belong to the site. If you purchase a full year up front, you will receive a complimentary Jalendar. In this membership site, I will have more videos, resources, positive affirmations and quotes. Things I am considering for this site include: 1. Money Monday, 2. Tricks of the Trade Tuesday, 3. Wednesday Wise (Positive Quotes), 4. Thriving Thursdays (Positive Affirmations).

As this would be a huge undertaking, I would really appreciate some feedback from all of you. Here are some questions continuing to swirl around in my head:

1. Would you pay a monthly fee for a membership site, knowing what I have given you this summer and turning the volume up on that information?
2. What would you pay monthly for this?
3. Are 4 days too much or too little information? If so, how many days would you like?
4. Any other ideas for titles for the weekdays?
5. Other thoughts?

Please email me below. This is private so you can be as honest as you want. I appreciate the feedback you all will give me. Afterall, I want the resources I develop for you to work for YOU .

Together, we are Positively Powerful!

Friends That Have Your Back

https://soundcloud.com/user-175139695/friends-that-have-your-back

Friends. We couldn’t have gotten through this year without them.

If the past several months have made you value friendships and connection, I have a question: what would your life look like if your closest friendships were even more solid and supportive?

And what if you added some key friendships like mentors who could guide you in making difficult life or career decisions. Friends just make life better.

In fact, “Friendships” is one of The 7 F’s of Oola—the proven formula created by Dr. Dave Braun and Dr. Troy Amdahl, authors of Oola: Find Balance in an Unbalanced World. We’ve teamed up to bring my followers the 10-week Oola Coaching Program to help you make goals, stay focused and achieve the happy, balanced and growing life you want.

But let’s take a look at your current friendships.

Where do you need to improve? On a scale of 1 to 10, how would you rate your friendships? If you answer “1,” that means low/bad/least true, while answering “10” means “high/good/most true”:

• I would rate my social network of friends………. ____
• I have unconditionally loving, supportive, and empowering friends ……………………………… ____
• I am satisfied with the number of friendships in my life …………………………………… ____
• I am a good example/mentor for my friends ….. ____
• My friends support my dreams and are good examples/mentors for me………………. ____
• When I think of my three closest friends, I have no stress…………………………………………… ____
• I openly communicate and trust my friends……. ____
• I have friends who are good mentors in all 7 F’s of Oola ……………………………………….. ____
• I have no hard feelings or ill will toward my present friendships………………………………… ____
• I am not judgmental toward my friends ………… ____

If you need to upgrade your friendships—plus stay focused and accountable to your other life goals—I’m here to help.

Together, we can make sure you’re disciplined—with new habits and behaviors that propel you toward your goals. As I’ve mentioned before, the Oola Coaching Program is designed to support you in making massive progress in just 10 weeks. I’d be delighted to privately coach you through the process. Message me for more details. But for now, drop a comment below and share something about your friendships you want to upgrade.

Together, we are Positively Powerful!

A Faith to Handle Anything

For many people, 2020 tested their belief, their faith, and their daily walk with God.

Have you noticed? It always seems that we look for answers or support whenever there’s a major upheaval in our lives . . . and, so far, this year has brought plenty of turmoil.

As part of my continuing series, all month long I’ve been introducing you to a series of self-assessments that Dr. Dave Braun and Dr. Troy Amdahl—The OolaGuys—use in the popular 10-week coaching program we conduct together. Now I’d like to share another one with you about your faith.

“Faith” is one of The 7 F’s of Oola—those major life areas that all our problems, happiness, improvement and challenges seem to fall into.

Is your faith strong?

Or could it be stronger? On a scale of 1 to 10, how would you rate your faith? If you answer “1,” that means low/bad/least true, while answering “10” means “high/good/most true”:

• I would rate my faith …………………………………… ____
• I feel connected to a higher purpose……………… ____
• I am plugged into a faith community and continue to learn/grow ……………………………….. ____
• I spend at least 20 minutes a day in meditation and/or prayer…………………………. ____
• My beliefs and the way I live my life are congruent…………………………………………….. ____
• I use my faith to help resolve conflict and issues in my life…………………………………….. ____
• I reflect on my faith often throughout the day .. ____
• I forgive easily…………………………………………….. ____
• I rely on my faith to guide my choices and my decisions………………………………………… ____
• I feel comfortable sharing and teaching my faith to others………………………….. ____

While The OolaGuys don’t tell you what to believe or which religion to follow (and neither do I), we DO know that having a strong faith is a critical part of a balanced and happy life.

If your life could be better in every area—fitness, finance, family, field, faith, friends and fun—I’d like to invite you to have a chat about the 10-week Oola Coaching Program. Message me and we can jump on a 30-minute call to discuss it. It only takes 10 weeks to make massive progress. Let’s work together to make that happen.

Together, we are Positively Powerful!

A Career You Love!

Are you happy, growing and balanced in your career?

Do you need to make a change in 2021? This past year has been a wake-up call for many people—and not always in a bad way.

For instance, if you were isolated at home for 8 weeks, perhaps you discovered how much you love the calm environment, slower pace, and being at home with your kids full-time. If you were furloughed or laid off, maybe that gave you pause to think about what you really want.

Whatever your wake-up call was this past year, why not commit to making 2021 better than ever?

I’ve mentioned The OolaGuys before. Their book and coaching program, Oola: Find Balance in an Unbalanced World, teaches a simple formula for creating a life that’s balanced, happy and growing.

This month, I’ve been sharing a series of quizzes that Oola uses to pinpoint where you are and what you need to work on. Today, that assessment focuses on your Field—one of The 7 F’s of Oola.

On a scale of 1 to 10, how would you rate your career (field)? If you answer “1,” that means low/bad/least true, while answering “10” means “high/good/most true”:

• I would rate my overall job satisfaction …………. ____
• My job financially meets my needs……………….. ____
• I love my job ………………………………………………. ____
• I feel as if I am doing what I was created to do .. ____
• I have solid goals for myself in this field…………. ____
• My current job doesn’t interfere with my family and personal time ………………………… ____
• My job makes the world a better place………….. ____
• My job utilizes my natural gifts and abilities…… ____
• My current job can support my long-term financial goals……………………………… ____
• My job offers the opportunity to grow personally, professionally and financially ………. ____

How does your scorecard look?

If you want to improve it, I’m here to help. Together, we can make sure you’re focused on getting what you want and on pursuing new opportunities with confidence. In fact, you can make massive progress in just 10 weeks with the Oola Coaching Program—delivered jointly by The OolaGuys and me.

Message me and we can jump on a 30-minute call to discuss how coaching can work for you. Or check out the 10-week Oola Coaching Program for details. Just for fun, drop a comment below and share your most important career insight.

Together, we are Positively Powerful!