Motivation from JLo...yeah, JLo

Last night I went to bed with the intention of getting a job the next day. I imagined waking up with motivation, doing a mind-clearing yoga set and then opening my laptop to discover the perfect career avenue just waiting for me grab it.

Well, it didn't quite happen like that. But, I did get a weekend babysitting gig for a couple of weeks from now...not exactly a career...brings in some cash flow though. And, I found some inspiration from an unlikely source: the Jennifer Lopez article in my huge Glamour Magazine (seriously it says "biggest issue in 20 years" on the cover). In the middle of gushing about her married life and return to her career, was this:

[Glamour] "Will you do another triathalon?"

[JL] "I would if I didn't have to swim in the ocean. That really scared me! If it were in a pool, I'd do it again in a minute. It's an amazing thing to push yourself and to accomplish a goal like that."

[Glamour] "Does that apply to everything in your life?"

[JL] "I think so. I feel if in your mind you can do it, you can do it. You cannot doubt yourself. Doubt is a killer. You just have to know who you are and what you stand for...It just takes faith and belief in yourself, and you've got to dig deep into that. That has to come from you - nobody's going to give you that."

It may be simple almost "duh" advice, but it truly resonated with me. It was exactly what I needed to hear. I've carried around this fear of failure that makes me question myself for so long. And, juxtaposing the fear of swimming in the ocean with the fear from doubt really opened me up to self reflection. I saw how a fear of sharks is so much more immediate and legitimate than a fear of not being good enough. I probably can't battle a shark's grip. Yet, I can always attempt to fix areas where I fall short - I can ask questions, I can practice skills, I can try new ways, I can change directions. I have control over my own doubt in a way I don't have over the dangers of the ocean. So, I'm really going to focus on believing in myself...on loving myself. That may be the most worthwhile thing I can do.

And, then, I had another perfect reminder right after closing the magazine and starting the job hunt. My homepage is set to bmindful, an affirmation community, and the affirmation that came up said, "I can do this." I just chuckled, looked up and said, "Thanks, yeah, I can do this."

So, here is a picture of Jennifer Lopez...my inspiration of the day. (she makes chowing down so chic!)