Dreams – imperfectly courtney

Wanting It Is Not Enough

March 6, 2015 Courtney

Another week has come and gone, far too fast if you ask me. Lately I feel like my life is a never ending version of Groundhog Day

Wake Up. Coach. Work. Coach. Cook. Clean. Sleep. Repeat. I get overwhelmed far too easy and let myself get sucked into the routine of the day to day, trying to survive… when this is the year I wanted to thrive. I spend a lot of time running on auto pilot and checking off to do list boxes on the “Must Do’s” of daily life, still. Mostly right now I struggle with having these goals I want to achieve and not making the time to invest in them. I say I want it, but wanting it is not enough.

Those moments of motivation come in waves. We are absolutely driven to achieve our goals in that very moment. We want it so bad we can taste it… In that moment. But that desire to be better, stronger, faster, lighter… it fades away. Life goes on and unless you consciously decide to do something to achieve your goal it won’t happen.

Using my @passionplanner to stay focused on my big goals while being able to juggle the day to day #passionplanner

A photo posted by Courtney Norman (@courtnorm) on Mar 6, 2015 at 9:22am PST

I recently order a Passion Planner and so far it has helped remind me every day that I have a bigger goal than just making it through the day. My big goal? Finish my Nutrition Cert. My smaller every day goals? Make good nutrition decisions, spend quality time with my family, and take some time to refresh myself every day, even if its 5 minutes of silence or playing a stupid game on the iPad… Just some time to try not to think about what I have to do.

You can apply this idea to any goal you have. You may want to lose 5 pounds. Get Pull Ups. Learn a new language. Teach yourself to crochet. Wanting it is nice and it sounds great on paper. But you have to put in the work. I was reminded of that again today as I attempted The CrossFit Open workout 15.2, which included pull ups. Last summer before my surgery I was close. I was doing a pull up progression program 3 days a week and got so much closer to doing a strict pull up. I even got to the top of the rope a few times! After my surgery I stopped all hanging/pulling movements for a good 3 months. I couldn’t hang from the pull up bar without pain until probably December. Since then I just didn’t focus on pull ups at all. I barely fit in regular programming and didn’t make time to do any extra work on my major weakness. If you struggle with pull ups, hitting them every now and again in regular programming isn’t going to make them better. You have to make a dedicated effort to improving your strength. I knew that. So I’ll take my score of 10 on 15.2 and use it as a reminder that my weaknesses will stay my weakness until I decide to something about it. Reminds me of this guy:

When I made this I was terrified of box jumps. I conquered that fear.

Now I’ll attack the biggest hole in my CrossFit arsenal… gymnastics. This year I will get pull ups and rope climbs back! You are my witnesses, now keep me accountable!

What is something that you are wanting and need to take action to make it happen?
Let’s crush our weaknesses together!

Dreams, Life

Do More of What Makes You Happy

January 19, 2015 Courtney

Oh, January. The month of reflection and goals continues on… As I mentioned a few times I felt like 2014 was just a year of surviving. It was like I just went through the motions of doing all the things that I had to do and not so much time doing things that I loved to do. I often work from 5 or 6am until 7pm, splitting my time between Coaching at CrossFit 70 and working as a consultant with our Web Marketing company. On top of keeping the house running well and having time for my family I often felt like the things I enjoyed doing just got pushed to the side. I realized I became my work. I have had zero work/life balance. That happens when you run your own business and when you work from home. Constantly running back and forth with the “must do” things is like continuously withdrawing from a bank account and neglecting to deposit back into it. Operating on that negative balance is exhausting. The things that used to be no big deal for me to do became such an ordeal because I was running on empty. My happiness meter was dangerously low. So this year I decided to change that. My word for the year, Thrive, was something I picked to help me focus on my personal and professional growth regardless of circumstances. In order to Thrive I need to be able to step away from the grind for a minute or 10 and really recharge my soul.

For most people I know getting away for an hour to workout most days is a part of their recharge time. And, yes, it is for me too. I need that time. It stopped being a choice a long time ago. If I were to put a relationship status with CrossFit I’d have to say “It’s Complicated” because it is a hobby, a release, a recharge… but it is also a business. So being there to work out is never just about working out, there is always still something that needs tending too. So I’ve decided on top of my daily workouts I’m going to take some more time to myself and do more of what makes me happy.

I’ve kind of been helped along in this whole process with my Passion Planner. One of my short term goals was to enjoy life more. I love that the planner helps you break those goals down into actionable steps and keeps you focused on those small steps throughout the week. I made my goal last week to do more of what makes me happy, but in order to do that I spent some time doodling and listing out things that made me happy.

I’ve really enjoyed using the @passionplanner to keep me on track with balancing my have to’s while staying focused on my want to’s. Turning dreams into reality is hard work. The #hustle is worth it. #dreambig #workhard

A photo posted by Courtney Norman (@courtnorm) on Jan 16, 2015 at 9:46am PST

My list included coffee/tea dates, reading, having a clean house, DIY projects, writing, painting my nails, and most recently… Yoga! I am happy to say I did yoga twice last week, cleaned a good amount of my house, read an entire book, painted my nails, and spent more time writing. Do I have time for all that? No, but I made time for it because it sets me up to be in a better place mentally where I am far more productive in far less time. Really, it comes down to knowing you are worth it. You are worth investing in yourself. I am worth investing in. Even if it means pressing pause on some other things, It is SO worth it.

What is something that makes you happy?

Dreams

Coffee Date Friday

September 19, 2014 Courtney

Happy Friday! We made it to the end of another week, congrats! Let’s raise our mugs and share a celebratory toast over a hot cup of coffee. While we’re at it, lets chat. I love coffee dates. Mostly because I love coffee, but I like to talk too… So it’s pretty much a win-win, right? If we were having coffee I would be super excited to show you my new Keurig 2.0 that I got through a campaign with Influenster.

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Isn’t she pretty? What’s cool is that it comes with a Carafe, so you can brew up to 4-5 cups with a K-Carafe! It still brews single serve too, but make sure it is a Keurig approved k-cup because the 2.0 is so smart it will read the labels and only brew quality Keurig k-cups. If you’re interested in purchasing a brewer from Keurig, let me know! I have a link I can send you that gets you 2 free boxes of k-cups! I love coffee, but I love free coffee even more! Also, I love big mugs. Thanks to one of my friends my new favorite mug can probably hold a whole carafe of coffee on its own. No need to refill!

Now, let’s talk about life. I’ve been doing quite a bit of reflection lately. You see, I’m a big dreamer (duh). While that is mostly a great quality, sometimes it causes me to miss the now. I started to think about my dreams and goals and realized that I am so entirely blessed to be basically living my dream. I get to wake up every morning next to my best friend, I am blessed to have the most precious daughter ever, I get to spend the mornings and evenings coaching people I love to better health and fitness, share my crazy thoughts with the world (aka- You awesome readers), and I am in the best shape of my life. Yes, I want to do more, be better, and try harder… but, really, this life I live right now is pretty awesome.

I found this quote the other day and it hit me like a ton of bricks. I’ve always been chasing something… a weight loss goal, a business goal, the next new car or phone… But really I have found the way of life I love to live. I’m absolutely living my dream. But that doesn’t make it easy. I have to make hard choices and sacrifices to live this way. The past few years have been a blur of early mornings and late nights. I have said no to things I’d rather say yes to, and I’ve said yes to things I’d rather say no to. I’m learning to find the balance between chasing my dreams and living them.

[Tweet “I’m learning to find the balance between chasing my dreams and living them”]

Life is hard. Chasing your dreams is hard. Living in the now is hard. It’s all going to be hard, so why not put the effort into something you love. CrossFit, Zumba, Running, Crochet… find what it is and then do it…. and enjoy it. Because you’re worth it.

If we were having coffee I’d ask you what it is that you love to do… What is it that makes you feel most alive? And how often do you do it?

Dreams, Health, Weight Loss, workouts

I’m A Real Person

October 16, 2013 Courtney

When I started my fitness journey I tried to look for blogs to motivate and inspire me. I, like the rest of the internet, was obsessed with the before and afters. I spent countless hours scouring blogs looking for “the secret” to their success. It seemed like every blog I read was already a success story. They were living their after. And somehow in my mind I thought they were nothing like me. Sure, I read posts about people struggling with a plateau or gaining back a few pounds, but those didn’t stick out to me. It was like all I saw was the photoshopped, edited, perfect happy endings. I’m not saying that is all that was there, but that is what my mind focused on.

So I started documenting my journey, in all of it’s glory, in hopes that other people would realize that I’m just a real person with real life and real struggles to deal with along this journey. But sometimes I get the feeling that people look at me and see the “edited, publishable” side of my story more than the struggles I’ve faced. While I may not consider myself an after yet, I’ve made some progress.

I hear so often “If only I had your motivation” or “I could never do that” or maybe when I’m not so busy…. That one is my favorite.

I try to be as open as possible, but of course every person wants to showcase their best. Do I instagram everything I eat? Nope. Am I more likely to post pictures of meals like this:

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Then pictures of the FroYo I had on Friday night? Of course. But I also post my progress pictures, including the extra skin. I guess what I’m saying is please remember I’m just a real person. I’m a wife and mother. I’m a business owner. I’m pressed for time and sometimes the best decisions aren’t the easiest to make. I drink way too much coffee. I don’t drink enough water. I’m up at 5:15 most mornings (4:15 on Fridays) and have to get my pre-workout meal prepped and eaten while trying to wrangle a sleepy 3 year old. Yes, I fitness is a part of my “job title” as a CrossFit Box owner, but that just means when I’m at CrossFit I’m in coach mode. Sure, it makes it easier to work out in the mornings because I’m already there. But there is still the business to be run, the kid to be taken care of, and clients around. I have to choose to push myself. I rush home from morning classes to get breakfast ready for the hubs and kiddo as well as myself, which often means cooking separate meals. Clean up as much as I can and then on to the “day job” –

Yes, I work from home. But I still sit at a computer all day answering emails and working on projects. Lunch break means another chance to cook several different meals and attempt to clean what I can then back to work. Work some more until its time to prep to leave for evening classes at the CrossFit. Coach all night, back home for another round of meals. Get the kid ready for bed, try to clean up and prep for the next day before collapsing into bed. Somewhere in there I manage to fit in a couple hours of school work a week. My house is almost always messier than I’d like. Clothes stay in the drier and laundry baskets longer than I’d care to admit.

I still only have 24 hours in a day. I’m still human. I still mess up. I’m a real person. I have been at this for awhile and I still get discouraged about my progress. I know the scale is a liar but I still hate it when the number is higher than I think it should be. I get pimples, have to worry about facial hair (thanks mom), and struggle with the reflection in the mirror some days. I hate how some clothes fit me, struggle with any sort of fashion that isn’t spandex or sweats. But I’m also proud of my journey. While I may mess up and binge on spaghetti on what is supposed to be my low carb day (whoops) I still make healthy choices more often then not. I may hate my saggy skin but it is a reminder of how far I’ve come. I try my best to be grateful for the journey and my progress so far, but I know I’m not “there” yet. I still care what people think of me even though I know I shouldn’t.

I don’t say all this to be like look at me rockin life. Because if we’re honest 70% of the time I feel like I suck at life. I say this to encourage you! You may struggle with some of these same things, but you can still make progress. One step at a time. Maybe it’s starting to make a meal plan. or waking up 15 minutes early to stretch or go for a walk. Maybe it’s drinking one more cup of water a day. Maybe you’re just having a day where you feel like nothing you do matters. It does. You are important. You are worth it.

When you look at pinterest or tumblr or blogs don’t judge people by their progress. More importantly don’t judge yourself by their progress. Their journey is different than yours. They are real people too. You don’t know their struggles. I promise you, they had struggles.

Have you ever felt alone on your journey? What decisions can you make today to be better than you were yesterday?

Dreams, Health, Life, Running, workouts

Happy New Year- 2012 in Review

January 1, 2013 Courtney

Happy New Year!! I can’t believe it is 2013. Sometimes I still think the 90’s were 10 years ago. Weird, I know. How did you ring in the New Year? We hung around the house with friends, played monopoly, and watched the ball drop (at 11…) and then at 12 we went out the garage and did a little workout. I practiced my double unders, and got 2! BAM! This is going to be the year of conquering the double under! I will RX a workout with Double Unders! The hubs threw the weights around for a bit but I wasn’t feeling it… it was after 12am after all…

Looking back over 2012 I am super proud of the progress I made. It blows my ever loving mind that at this time last year I had been training for 6+months for the Disney Marathon. And that even after 6 months of outrageous amounts of running… I was still huge. I think I fluctuated around 215 +/- 5lbs for most of my training. Granted I wasn’t focusing on my food as much as my training, but still proof that lifting weights makes such a huge difference. I was around 190 during our November trip to Disney.

While I lost about 25lbs, I feel like I gained a significant amount of muscle too. I can tell my arms, legs, and butt are way smaller and my face thinner. I have accomplished more this year than I ever thought I could. I’m going to try to highlight some of my favorites

Ran the Disney Marathon

Ran a 5k While on Vacation in Texas

Tried New Rules of Lifting for Women (when my love for lifting began!)

Ran the Go! STL Half Marathon

Entered a 60 Day Fat Loss Challenge

Got some Sobering

Results from my DXA Scan

Tried CrossFit for the first time!!

Pushed Past my Mental Block

Was Inspired by the CrossFit Games

Confronted my inferiority complex

Completed my 60 Day Fat Loss Challenge

Was a Finalist in the Promax DOer Contest

Rocked the Color Run

Ran my first 5K with a Stroller

Realized what Healthy Living Has Freed Me From

Got Pretty Muddy In Chicago

Celebrated 5 Years of Marriage

Conquered the Warrior Dash

VICTORY OVER THE BOX JUMP!

Got to drive a Tahoe for a week

Ran the Zombie Survival Dash

Hit my first handstand

Realized I’m Not Perfect

Celebrated the Victory

Set at 5K PR

Man, what a year! I’m so thankful that you guys have come along for my journey. I hope you stay around for 2013!

Going into 2013 my focus word is going to be “Intentional”

I will be intentional in my relationships, eating, and training. I will continue to set monthly goals, but as far as yearly goals or resolutions go I just want to make this an intentional and focused year. This is going to be a huge year for us. We have some huge plans and exciting things in the works. I can’t wait to see where 2013 is going to take us! This year I am chasing some scary dreams and taking big risks. Dreaming big is scary. But I am encouraged by this quote I found on a bracelet (that I now wear every day):

Every day, every minute you are making a choice that will either help your dreams come true or won’t. Small choices add up to big results. Another one of my mantras for this year!

How was your New Years Celebration?
Any goals for this year?

Coffee Date, Dreams, Faith, Vlog

Coffee Date: Love the Moment

October 26, 2012 Courtney

Good morning Lovelies!

How are you doing this week? I’m feeling a little behind. After being sick on Sunday I have felt a day behind all week. I didn’t get to some of my weekly chores from my Home Routines App, I’m trying to stay on track, but it gets hard sometimes ya know? I always look forward to these friday morning coffee dates to share with you. I’m drinking some Caribou Coffee in my new favorite cup- What are you having?

This week I have a lot on my mind, a ton of thoughts on reaching for goal after goal vs loving the moment. Plus there is a ton going on this weekend. Ready for our coffee date? Here we go…

I’m linking up at Rags to Stitches and The Wiegand’s

Your turn!

If we were having coffee – What would you tell me? What are your plans this weekend?

Dreams

What being the next Promax DOer means to me

September 11, 2012 Courtney

Hey Friends! Yesterday I posted that the voting was open for the Promax 2013 DOer Contest is open. I entered this contest on a whim, and found out I was chosen as one of the 10 finalests!! This is HUGE for me.

While I never really struggled with with horrible self-esteem, I had some serious body image issues. I lacked the confidence to believe that I could ever be considered “fit” or “strong”. I saw so many amazing before and after transformations. Biggest Loser, Blogs, Advertisements… all sharing someone’s before and after. 2 years after starting my journey to Health, I still struggle with seeing myself as one of those people with a “transformation” story. I know I am not where I need to be, but I have fought HARD every step of the way. Being acknowledged, even as a finalest in this contest has given me a sense of validation. It is one thing to notice the changes in my mind and body towards my health and fitness. It is a whole different level of validation to be recognized for it in a contest like this. I would be humbled and excited to have the opportunity to represent the “everyday” person alongside other Promax DOers that are elite athletes and fitness professionals. (Of course, the year supply of Promax Bars and Adventure Trip would be nice too!)

To vote please click over to the Promax Facebook page, find my picture (second row, on the right) and click VOTE. You can vote once a day between now and September 21st!

Thank you all for your support and encouragement along the way! You guys are rockstars!!

Disney, Dreams

Little Things

May 11, 2012 Courtney

You know, it doesn’t really take that much to make me happy. I’m easily amused and love to enjoy the everyday things that some may see as “ordinary.” I wanted to make a little list of the little things that make me happy to share with you guys as we head into the weekend to help you recognize the little things in your life that can make you happy.

Dual Monitors

ok, this one might seem a bit nerdy, but it really has made my working (and blogging) life so much better! Having a gazillion spreadsheets, emails and documents open can get confusing. This helps a ton. It was actually my Mothers Day gift (You know you married a techie when…) and I couldn’t think of anything better, besides a trip to Disney… which leads me to my next point.

Another thing that makes me happy… Disney.

I always have my Mickey Mouse glasses (those aren’t pink polka dots, they are Mickey Shapes!) and use my Disney Resort cup for Ice Coffee nearly every day. They remind me of the awesomeness that is Walt Disney World and help bring a little bit of that magic into my everyday life.

Also, I love that I have a family that shares this Disney love. As I type this an album of Classic Disney Songs is playing on Mr Dreamer’s computer. And what 2 year old little girl doesn’t love Disney Princesses? I’m pretty sure Little Dreamer is convinced she really is the lost Disney Princess.

For some reason my camera didn’t focus while I was taking the first picture, and while it might be blurry it is one of my favorites. Just look at that face! And the second picture makes her look so old. Stop growing up!!

Mail & Packages

Not email. Snail Mail. Although I don’t use it as much as I’d like, I love getting it! If you want to make my day (or week!) Send me a letter or package! I still listen for the Mail Lady and run out there after I see her put the mail in the box. It is usually junk mail and bills, but every once in awhile I get something good. Today was the jackpot of good mail days. I got a surprise package from Lindt Chocolate for participating in their recent BzzAgent Campaign.

Beautiful and Delicious.

I also received a copy of the new book Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff for Moms and I am excited to be a part of the Don’t Sweat Moms team. Looking forward to reading this over the weekend, just in time for Mother’s Day.

Besides these two awesome surprises we also go Mr Dreamer’s and Little Dreamer’s passports in the mail. We are one step closer to Costa Rica! And we got back a $50 rebate card from a recent purchase from our wireless company. How often do you get that much goodness in the mail?! Today was an extra special day!

Now it’s your turn… What are some little things that make you happy?

Dreams, Vlog

Three Exciting Things!

May 4, 2012 Courtney

Hey Dreamers! What’s up on this Friday night? I should be reading my Healthcare Management Text book… but instead I’m eating Trader Joe’s Gone Bananas Chocolate Covered Frozen bananas, watching Dateline NBC (there is something Keith Morrison’s voice that draws me in every time!), and working on the blog.

I have a few special announcements… up first… I have been accepted as a FitFluential Ambassador! FitFluential is nationwide network of Fitness Enthusiasts sharing their journey online.

I’m so excited to join the ranks alongside some of the bloggers I have been ~~stalking~~ following for sometime now. It is crazy to see how far I’ve come. I hardly recognize myself, in a good way! I enjoy running, I prefer healthy food (most of the time), and I crave strength training sessions. Now instead of reading about people changing their lives, I’m the one writing about it. Being accepted as a FitFluential ambassador made it seem all the more real to me. I’m so excited about this partnership. For real guys! It is just another dream come true. Stay Tuned for more updates. Secondly, I have started a Facebook page for the blog. Check it out here. Like it. You know you want to.
Please don’t make me resort to begging/bribing… ok… if you like the page you’ll get to see even more cute pictures like this one…

And Last, but certainly not least, I have a special treat for you guys… No, I’m not going to share my Frozen Chocolate Covered Bananas… even better… I made my first vlog! Special thanks to PoopieMommy for posting her vlogs and inspiring me to do my own, You rock!

Anyway… Here is the vlog where I try to give you a little bit of the vision behind JourneyofaDreamer.com Hope you don’t find it too boring…