I am reaching the six-month mark in my current job – which is crazy to me because I feel both like I’ve been there forever and equally like I just started. My twenty-fifth birthday is merely days away and I keep looking at my current place in life asking myself “when will I become successful?” I’m working my butt off, putting all my conscious thought into everything I do… and although I’m in a great place both mentally and professionally – I still don’t feel like I’m “successful” yet.

So I sat down and thought about it, and realized that I’ve been looking at “success” completely wrong.

If you know anything about me, you know that I set goals and celebrate milestones based upon when I’ve achieved them – or when I feel I’ve been successful. The great thing about success is that it’s pretty subjective – which means that my view of success is most likely much different than your view – and that’s okay.

But what is success? How do we define success and what does it look like?

To me, success is a feeling of achievement. Achieving greatness; overcoming an obstacle; learning something new; having an “ah-ha!” moment; celebrating a certain point in time; feeling accomplished. Imagine what that feels like, and imagine those experiences of success that occur separated from those which involve a preconceived ideal about what you should deem a personal success.

Imagine the feeling of your team winning the final round of a national hockey tournament; giving a flawless client presentation you’ve worked on for three weeks straight and landing the biggest account your company has ever seen; paying off your student loan, or a car you’ve been paying for years; meeting your idol; running 1/5/10 miles without stopping; teaching a 5-year-old how to read; finishing a puzzle that you’ve been working on for a month; finally learning to appreciate and live in the moment.

That moment when words won’t do justice for the feeling you’re experiencing – that’s the feeling of accomplishment.

Sometimes we recognize success immediately – sometimes you’ve already achieved it – and other times, it takes someone else to point it out to you to realize that success.

Just like how everyone measures success in a different way – we use the feeling of achievement in many different ways. For the purpose of this post, let’s call that the “power booster” if you will. When you feel successful, incredible, powerful thoughts will follow. Thoughts of possibility, excitement for what’s next, inspiration to do something you’ve never tried before or the creation of a brand new opportunity you’ve never imagined possible before.

No matter what it is, or how you reach that thought of potential success – the feeling that follows is nothing but filled with endless, powerful, possibility.

So, by deduction, everyone is successful. Your success should never be compared to the success of others, because when it comes down to it, no one will experience that sweet, euphoric, sensational feeling the same way as you do when you reach it – nor will you feel it the same way for other people’s successes. So why bother comparing or basing personal “success” upon a standard of others?

The successes I’ve experienced in the last year have been nothing but incredible. Moments to look back at with fond memories, moments to be proud of and moments which have opened the door to the next success. I have no way of knowing what they will look like, how many times the success will change before I reach it or how much influence one accomplishment will have on the next.

The great thing is, I love chasing that feeling of “success” – and the fact that I have been able to realize how profound those moments are, will only propel me to keep wanting those experiences. Some call it never being happy – I call it continuously chasing my dreams with those power boosters.

How do you define personal success?

It was a grueling 17 hours of training – but I learned so much in that short period of time, it was incredibly useful.

Day one:

The first day consisted of Shawn going through the two-handed swing, the one-handed swing, the clean, the clean and press, the snatch, the windmill and a bit of the turkish getup. It all ended with an insane workout… if you’ve been introduced to any extreme kettlebell circuits before… you’ve probably experienced it.

I won’t give it away if you are going to do it because its better if you don’t know ahead of time. It sucks. Big time.

Day two:

We started with the jerk (not in the final test), more of the Turkish getup and proceeded to refine all the other skills that were touched upon the day before.

Even though I worked my butt off, ripped my hands open and focused on nothing else but perfect form and giving it all I had – I know now there’s still so much more for me to learn than I imagined before.

I’ve obtained the skills to help teach others how to effectively use the kettlebell as a training tool.. but more importantly I’ve learned that the level of fitness I aspire to – requires much more than the ability to swing a kettlebell properly.

I realize it’s only a tool in the toolbox and there are so many others I have yet to perfect. This certification was “the end goal” when I was working toward it. I now realize it’s only the beginning.

What’s life if you don’t constantly set, achieve and then set new goals?

I’m ready to start teaching others the power and effectiveness of incorporating kettlebells into their fitness regimen – send me an email, tweet or comment if you’re interested in learning more and aren’t sure where to start!

After crushing last year’s goal of running my first half marathon, I was hesitant to run again because I hate running in the heat. But, if you know anything about me – I love a physical challenge! Last year it was hot, really hot, towards the end (and that was only a little after 9am!) so this year I’ve learned a few lessons that I know will help me this year.

2013 SeaWheeze tips:

Tip #1: Be prepared for heat. Wear very little clothing – trust me, you’ll thank me later.

Tip #2: Carry water on you. I didn’t train with water last year and I regretted it immensely when I hit the 15km mark. This year I’m buying a water belt!

Tip #3: Don’t change ANYTHING on race day. Make sure that you are 100% comfortable with all clothing, footwear and assescories you have on you. The only thing I wish I would have done differently here was fine tuning my play list a little better. I have a tendency to let my mind wander if I’m not feeling the music.

Tip #4: HILL TRAIN! If you take anything from this post, make sure you run the Burrard Street bridge and up West 4th to the lululemon store and back over the bridge. This was tough last year in the sun, I’m definitely going to do some practice runs over the race course – especially this league.

Tip #5: Have fun! I have many more friends running the race this year so I’m looking forward to doing some training runs with them. Go to the pre-race expo, get there early and do the group warm up, enjoy the after race brunch and go back to the yoga and concert to end the day!

It’s true that this is technically a race – but when it comes down to it, training for any kind of competition, test, presentation, performance – it’s all about enjoying the path to the race.

Don’t be too hard on yourself, but don’t cheat yourself either. Train hard, race hard!

2013 SeaWheeze goals:

1. Finish in under 2 hours. Last year (my first ever half marathon!) I was aiming for 1:50-2:00… and I crossed the finish line at 2:08.

2. Don’t stop. I let myself get overwhelmed towards the end of the last race and ran/walked the last 3 km – that will not be the case this time!

  There’s no backing down now!

Are you running the 2013 SeaWheeze? What are your goals for the race?

Yes?

I thought so.

If not, you better change your frame of mind because everyone is possible of great incredible things.

The other day I was riding the bus home and even though millions of people take the bus everyday, people barely look at one another. They get on the bus, look down at their phones, have their headphones in, brush past others to get to seats fast than the other.. and hardly take a moment to even look at the people they are riding the bus with.

Today, a little old lady got on the bus in front of me and made her way to the back of the bus. Not the front – but the back. I’m assuming she either likes the view (it’s higher up) from the back, or maybe she leaves the front seats free for those who aren’t as able – either way she sat right across from me.

At one point I looked up and she was looking at me, so I smiled. I think a took her off guard because she probably hasn’t had anyone look at her, let alone give her a smile on the bus in a long time – if ever.

You never know what someone is going through. They could have just lost their job, had someone close to them pass away, being bullied at work, feeling worthless and depressed… you never know who might just be looking for a little hope.

Kindness can come in the most simple of ways and can literally change a person’s day.

I just read this poem today and I had to share it: Crabby Old Man

Lesson of the day: Small acts of kindness can make the world of a difference for someone else. You have no idea what someone else is facing, dealing with, thinking or has just been through. Be kind, work hard, be humble, and most importantly, be present.

I know my body needed the sleep (I couldn’t get to sleep last night until really late) – so it was probably good that I slept in. Now, I’ have lots of time to workout and instead of going to the gym where I know it’ll be packedddd (let’s face it, it’s the second week of January, the gym is always packed with people feeling guilty for over indulging over the holiday break!) – I’m going to work out in my garage gym.

I know you’re probably thinking wow, you have your own space to work out – why would you ever go to a crowded gym?! Answer: Because it’s COLD out there and I’m a whimp!

To counter the freezing cold I’m going to start my workout with:

• (1 minute of skipping + 12 heavy kettlebell swings) x 6 rounds
• Typical kettlebell warmup of: 15 windmills each side + (10 push presses right then left + 10 snatches right then left) x 2

Main workout: 6 exercises x 3 rounds

Set your interval timer for 20 seconds rest/40 seconds work for a total of 18 consecutive intervals. I wanted to focus on lower body so I chose the follow exercises:

• Heavy kettlebell squats (2 x 14kgs)
• Alternating reverse lunges (14kg)
• Alternating kettlebell swings (14kg)
• Single-legged deadlift right (2 x 14kgs)
• Single-legged deadlift left (2 x 14kgs)
• Burpees (with high jump)

I’m also not afraid to sweat – that’s how I know it’s working :)

As my muscles were shaking I came in the warm house and made myself a protein shake to recover: protein, spinach, blueberry, banana + almond milk! Delicious!

What did you do to sweat today?

Change is ongoing and I truly believe in order to keep evolving and being successful in life – you must embrace change. Acknowledge your accomplishments, chase your dreams, keep pushing and love what you do.

The show documents the lives of 2 of Canada’s youngest PR professionals, Mo and Mariam, who just happen to be brother and sister. The duo own a private PR firm called Can Public Relations and for the first time ever they allowed cameras into their lives for this reality series.

Who knew when the producers were scooping out it’s online presence would stumble across my own personal brand: The PR Life?

They recently contacted me asking if I’d be interested in doing an interview with one of the cast members to feature on my blog. Being the PR professional I am, I knew it would be great to feature something fun on my blog – so here I have for you, a little snapshot about the upcoming reality show PR Life! with one of the show’s stars: Mo.

Amanda: Why is the show called PR Life! and who came up with the idea for the TV show?
Mo: We couldn’t really think of a better name that would best describe our show and our lives then PR Life! and the exclamation mark is there for a reason! The decision to allow cameras into our personal lives was really a mutual decision between my business partner Mariam and I. It’s crazy to say we’ve been doing PR for close to 8 years, and throughout our career we have collaborated with and come across numerous influential television producers, who have always been intrigued with our work as a brother and sister duo operating a private celebrity PR firm. When we signed our latest talent WICKER band for development, we considered an opportunity that came knocking.

Amanda: So I heard you and your sister are business partners, what’s that like?
Mo: Our personalities are completely different and often times it works in our favor because we do balance each other out. But It’s not always easy.. especially because sometimes we do live together when we’re working on special projects. I think working together with someone full time and then living/traveling with them can be somewhat challenging.

Amanda: The season premiere is tomorrow (Saturday Jan 5 2013), what can we expect?
Mo: We are all super excited for the premiere because its a small preview to who we are and the beginning of our journey on PR Life!

Amanda: How did Miss Universe Canada [Samantha Tajik] join the cast?
Mo: Samantha has been a friend for sometime, and she’s done a lot of television and promotional work as Miss Universe Canada. So it was certainly an asset to have her as the bands (WICKER) Artistic Director.

Amanda: Is there something you are not looking forward to with this series?
Mo: Frankly speaking there were a lot of personal moment/conversations that took place during production, I’m still unsure about how I feel about sharing that with millions of Canadians. As for specific scenes, I have only seen bits and pieces so I will be glued to my television every Saturday with my fingers crossed..

Amanda: The name is awfully close to my blog… have you visited my blog before?
Mo: No. But when our production associate told me about this interview, I certainly checked it out and was really intrigued by your posts. I really enjoyed the lifestyle theme!

Amanda: Tell us something about you we’d never find out on the show!
Mo: My favorite snack is frozen gummy bears. try it.

Chase your dreams, live big and push your limits.

“Maybe instead of looking at our challenges and out limitations as something negative of bad – we can begin to look at them as blessings. Magnificent gifts that can be used to ignite our imagination and help us go further than we ever thought we could go.” – Amy Purdy

If you missed my last post, I was off sick from work for four days last week with strep throat… a really bad bout of it. I couldn’t get off the couch until the fourth day and had a very, very low key weekend. I won’t go into detail as to how awful it was, but let’s just say I wouldn’t wish what I had on anyone, ever. Thank god for modern medicine because without it, I don’t know how I would have gotten better as quickly as I did.

The worst part? I missed out on a Kettlebell Instructor course that I’ve been waiting and training for, for months. I was far to weak after being sick and not eating much, to be strong enough for an intense weekend of testing and learning. I could barely stand without getting dizzy the day before it was scheduled to start – there was no way I could do it.

Tough lesson to learn

Here it comes… I was basically just asking for this to happen. Looking back at the past few months, I realize this was bound to happen. The unfortunate part for me was the awful timing. I’ve been taking on far too much and not prioritizing my time (and down time). Starting a new job in itself is stressful enough, but I go ahead and toss on frequently staying up late, not getting enough sleep, over committing myself, filling my schedule at nights and weekends AND trying to eat clean and train. No person can handle all that without getting at least a little overwhelmed. Unlucky for me, I have a tendency to stress myself out… so voila! – Immune system fail.

Looking back at it now, I’m realizing it was probably for the best. I wasn’t mentally prepared for the course and I could use a few more months to train and get my body where it needs to be. I want to feel good about the shape I’m in before I go learn how to teach other people a skill that will help them reach their fitness goals when I haven’t reached mine yet. Sure, taking and acquiring this certification is a goal of mine, but only when it’s right.

I’ve really come to terms with myself on what my priorities are, and if I’m ever going to be successful in the ones which are most important to me, I have to start saying no to other opportunities. It’s going to be tough, but I’ve learned my lesson the hard way and don’t plan on forgetting how horrible it was any time soon. That being said, I’m feeling way better and refuse to dwell on the time lost. I got back to training tonight and it was tough, as expected, but I went easy on myself (even though I know I’ll be feeling it tomorrow!).

Check out today’s workout:

I know I have horrible hand writing, so here it is for you written out:

Warm-up to start (I do a variety of stretches and 3x circuit of butt kicks, high knees and jumping jacks to get my blood flowing)

Push presses & snatches – I do about (10x each side for a total of 40) x 2

Workout:

A) 15 exercises (divided into 3 sets of 5) at 45 seconds of work followed by 15 seconds rest.

You can rest for a minute after each 5 exercise set – or do it straight through. I did it straight through.

Set 1:

1. Alternating reverse lunge (14kg kb)2. Snatches left side (14kg kb)
3. Snatches right side (14kg kb)
4. Inverted row (I used a barbell set on my bench – you can use rings, or TRX here)
5. Burpees

Set 2:

1. Heavy front squat (14kg kb)
2. Single arm swing right (14kg kb)
3. Single arm swing left (14kg kb)
4. Renegade Rows (2 x 14kg kb)
5. Alternating curtsy lunge (14kg kb)

Set 3:

1. Suitcase deadlifts (2 x 14kg kb)
2. Dynamic squats
3. Clean and press right (14kg kb)
4. Clean and press left (14kg kb)
5. Mountain climbers (these were tough at the end!)

* I took a few minutes to rest – this was tough! If I didn’t do it this way, I probably would have done 2 rounds of each set before moving onto the next at 40 seconds work, 20 seconds rest – feel free to give that a shot and let me know how it goes!

B) 3 x 3 exercises at 45 seconds work, 15 seconds rest – no break in between sets

1. Skipping
2. Straight left deadlifts (24kg kb)
3. Heavy front loaded squats (2 x 14kg kb in the rack position)

After this I was completely spent and I think it was the perfect balance for what I needed after not training for over a week.

Let me know if you need some direction on some of the exercises – happy training!

Enjoy :)

Spread the Christmas joy!

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