by Ann Evanston | Oct 7, 2017 | Self-worth
I believe most of us have heard that constantly comparing ourselves to others can be devastating to our self-worth. It’s easy to compare your body type, how you dress, your career, your relationship, even what you choose to eat at a party with what other people do. Especially us as women, we are constantly comparing ourselves to other women.
I remember years ago when I would teach “Stress Management for Women,” I would say that it was always interesting to me when a man and a woman would walk into a large party. The man would immediately check out all the women in the room. And guess what the woman will do? Check out all the women in the room!
It’s when she’s comparing herself to them that it becomes a problem. Admiring and appreciating other women is different than comparison.
The most devastating comparison that I work to overcome regularly? Comparing my current self to my former self. We as women change over time — we evolve, we age. It’s important to be my best self now versus thinking that I need to be a version of my former self.
[Tweet “Breathe in the beauty that is you when you start comparing you to others”]
by Ann Evanston | Oct 6, 2017 | Vision Values Purpose
Last week I wrote about living your purpose. Then there is your vision. I explain a vision as the “visual” of your best life. What does living your life on the highest frequency mean to you? How are you creating a life that’s full, interesting, ALIVE?
For me, the vision of my best life rarely changes. I want these things:
Intimate, happy relationship that others admire;
Healthy body, mind, and spirit;
Playful, fun adventures;
Outstanding food and drink;
Gorgeous, abundant home and garden…..
These things we (we being my husband and I) have, and there is always the next level to achieve. It’s my vision because I never want to settle, or think “I’m done.” Next week I will share how we make it happen
So my vision of my best life constantly stretches me to do and be more!
[Tweet “Allow your vision of your best life to stretch you to greater success!”]
by Ann Evanston | Sep 30, 2017 | Self-worth
Paulo Coelho, author of “The Alchemist,” said: “never apologize for being yourself.” For most women I meet, in our hearts this makes perfect sense. Why would you ever apologize for being yourself? Yet, our dirty little mind can mess all of that up!
Have you ever noticed after a conversation where you were authentically you and someone disagreed that you replay it over and over again wondering what you could’ve done differently?
Or you have a fight with your lover espressing your needs, and vowed to never do what happened again?
Or maybe you get looks or comments about the way you’re dressed, and have doubts why you ever thought you could pull that off?
That is your mind apologizing for being yourself. See, you don’t have to apologize out loud. Each time your mind questions your authentic actions, words, and style it is apologizing for you. And that just wears away at your ability to truly be you all the time.
So in becoming unapologetically yourself you have to do some “minds” work. It’s time to stop that stream of thought that does the apologizing for you. Are you ready to make those changes?
by Ann Evanston | Sep 29, 2017 | Vision Values Purpose
I’m confident you have all heard that we are here to find a purpose. I can even remember 25 years ago watching that on the Oprah show. She would always say: “each of you are here for a purpose, you are meant to find it and live it.” And then the cameras would scan the audience and you look at these faces (of 99% women) nodding, yet still with a quizzical look!
I could almost read their minds: “yeah that’s great, but what the hell is my purpose?”
I think too many women confuse our purpose to be our job or career. When I work with women at my retreat, we learn that our purpose is bigger than that- it’s a way were meant to BE in the world.
When you discover how you are meant to BE in the world, you take it into all areas of your life: your marriage, raising children, friendships, community service, even your career. For example, if your purpose (the way you are meant to be in the world) is to discover and learn new things you will do that, And be that in all areas of your life. You will surround yourself with people who support and encourage that about you. You will work at a place that thrives on your way of being.
[Tweet “What is your purpose? Your way to BE in the world?”]
Discovering that and being able to line it in all areas of your life is truly living your purpose. I find that it’s pretty easy to discover what a woman’s purpose is! What is your purpose? Your way to BE in the world?
by Ann Evanston | Sep 25, 2017 | Mindsets
I make homemade salsa and hot sauces about this time of year from my garden. (If you haven’t heard, my husband and I have a huge urban garden and I convert it all to food!) The level of heat in hot sauce is always interesting. Even trying to label the jar is interesting, because it’s based on my taste. So if it says mild: it’s mild to me.
Sometimes I try to get creative and say “mild to medium”, or “medium to hot”, but that’s the point: what’s hot is up to you.
As I thought about this, I thought about how we as women perceive ourselves physically. Do you see yourself as hot? Or are you “mild to medium”? I think it’s based on taste. And I would hope that you know to believe yourself as hot first before others know you as hot.
So if you don’t see yourself as a great hot sauce, no matter the level of heat, maybe it’s time to change that perception.
