In Search of Primo...

PERSEVERANCE

2012-02-14T23:13:31Z

Perseverance: steady persistence in a course of action, a purpose, a state, etc., especially in spite of difficulties, obstacles, or discouragement.

We say the word often....we persevere here....we persevere there....but then comes along that 'thing' in our life, either voluntary or involuntary, where the TRUE essence of perseverance is exposed. As I launched into 2012, I have been faced with not one, but two such 'things' requiring the most highest caliber of perseverance.

Causing me to ask....

When does perseverance become stupidity?....I really don't know the answer to that. Cause sometimes to keep proceeding toward a goal that is chock full of difficulties, obstacles and discouragement......really seems stupid!!!

I go to bed at night and think...this is it... I can't do this any more
My first thought when I wake up is..... today is my last day
This is so much harder than I ever anticipated
This is so much less rewarding than I anticipated
This is so discouraging
This is sooo time consuming
This is costing way more than I ever imagined
This is taking me away from what I'm really suppose to be doing
I'm doing 'this' as an excuse to not have to do 'that'
This is a waste of time
I need to quit
what's the point?

STUPIDITY!! Right??

So lets talk about that one 'thing' I went public with in the previous blog....The bodybuilding/figure competition.....I announced to my family last night that I was withdrawing from the competition....yup, quitting. They were in disbelief and they all seemed so disappointed, and of course each one of them said to me, "what about Persevere-Believe-Win??

When I announced it to Eddy (you remember Eddy my trainer...) he wouldn't take NO (Withdraw) for an answer. (This solidified my belief in the importance of seeking motivation on a regular basis from an outside source.) We went through each one of my excuses for wanting to withdraw. We discussed the tie in with my Primo mission, to motivate and inspire others to be motivated and inspired and how it can only enhance The Primo Lady's story. We discussed how I had invested so much physically, emotionally, and financially already....how can I turn back now? We then went through each one of the problems I was having and found a solution.

SOLUTIONS -- They are there, but when you set your mind on giving up because something is getting too hard, it is so easy to not seek the solutions and just say "It can't be done".

OBSTACLES -- All great goals will have obstacles....walls that will stop us in our track. Do we turn around and walk away or do we find a way to get over that wall?? You know the answer.

I told my kids that momma was back on for the competition, I realized at that moment that this first hand look at perseverance was a gift I could not deny them.

This 2 sec vid was taken right after Eddy got me over my wall......

Find Your Inner Strength, Embrace your challenges, work hard, persevere, believe, win..........Find Your Primo!!

Happy Valentines Day! Remember, Primo loves to Love! <3 <3

....It's a beautiful thing!

No More Excuses....

2012-01-23T04:09:59Z

"No excuse, no matter how valid, is impressive"

This is so true! We all have excuses for why we didn't do it, why we were late, why it won't work etc. Many excuses are valid but if you have committed to something, and/or are expected to do something (ie. be to work on time) NO excuse is impressive. Impressive is solving the problem before you need an excuse. Impressive is choosing to do things differently to avoid needing an excuse.

Meet Eddy....my "not impressed by my excuses personal trainer" from Just Fitness of Alpharetta (yes, that is a wig)

I have every excuse as to why I can't do what I'm suppose to be doing when it comes to this body building thingy. You never think it will be so bad when you sign on to such a commitment... Ok, That's not true....I suppose some people do and that's why they don't give it a shot....I however, always think "how bad can it be??"

The workouts are easy peasy....the 5:30 am, the Friday evenings, Saturday mornings, the pain associated with the ridiculous amount of weight I'm attempting to move...i can do all that, I rarely make excuse when it comes to the work-out (other than the occasional "I can't lift that, it's too heavy). It is in the eating and drinking where I lay the excuses on heavy.....the incessant eating and drinking is more than I can handle...it's making me nuts!! Ya, I know...poor me. My goal by show time (April 7th) is to put on 10lbs of muscle, which means LOTS of eating.....and lots of drinking....the pre work-out drink, the post work-out drink, and don't forget the gallon (or more) of water a day.

Gaining these 10 lbs are not as simple as grabbing a pop tart or running through drive-thru. Many days I leave in the morning and don't return until afternoon where I regroup and then head back out to shuffle 3 kids all over town for this, that and the other. Going from breakfast to 3pm without eating was just my thing! Now I need to plan and plan good (this does not come naturally for me). I'm constantly cooking eggs, chicken, and tilapia and washing out small containers to fill with tuna, peanut butter, or that Greek yogurt stuff -- I'm packing a lunch box everywhere I go....this of course makes me late getting out the door for almost everything. ....I have valid excuses!! Impressive??? ....not so much.

I showed up 15 minutes late to train the other day. The kids, the eating, the preparing meals for the day...I couldn't get out of the house! Excuses. When I complained of feeling lightheaded Eddy asked me If I was drinking my gallon of water......yup....I had more excuses. Seriously, am I suppose to take a potty break every ten minutes all day long??!! Have you ever tried teaching a pilates class with a full bladder?? (Is this TMI?) .....Excuses, I have a whole bunch!

When I feed Eddy my excuses for why I didn't drink enough water, or eat enough chicken, or drink my 2 protein drinks he just smiles.....I quickly came to realize what that smile was saying..... "If you really want this you will figure out a way to do it....you can't get there without doing the work" (He and his pleasant smile are the bomb!)

One thing I know for sure.... Excuses will not bring me to the end result I want!!

What does Primo say??? Work Hard, Persevere, Believe...................

I can do this..... No more excuses!!

Showing Off or Motivating Others??

2012-01-14T23:30:10Z

(As stated by Primo in a recent Facebook post) ....

"Some goals are easier for us to attain, so, keep working on those to stay positive and upbeat while that BIG goal is kicking your butt!!"

Any goal worth achieving will require hard work, perseverance, and belief in yourself but you know how we either stink at math and are good at writing or are horrible writers but natural mathematicians?? ....we'll I believe their are things we are just naturally inclined to doing....SO.... if while you are trying to achieve goals that don't come naturally and they are kicking your butt every step of the way....then challenge yourself also with something that comes a little more naturally. Cause lets face it...reaching a goal gives us fuel...it gives us strength, self esteem, and motivation ...just what you need to keep moving forward to conquer those butt kicking goals!!!

I have one such goal....one that will definitely be a challenge...one where I will need to dig deep to find my inner strength, I will need to work hard, persevere, and believe in myself every step of the way BUT this kind of goal comes naturally for me.....it charges me, it gives me fuel!!

To blog or NOT to blog about it?? Is it showing off or motivating others...idk, just feels a little pretentious... Blog, not blog, blog, not blog, blog, not blog......................???

When fate landed me in Albany, NY on Monday when my plane to Boston had to make an emergency landing due to a failed engine, and that same fate sat me next to just the person I needed to sit next to (so I would stay calm and not freak out) 5 hours later when they were finally delivering us to Boston... I decide I should listen to this intelligent guys advice ....and "Blog about 'it'". After all, what's the point of a near death experience (Ok, maybe it wasn't really near death - but I'm gonna milk it for all I can) if I'm not going to take something away from it. "BLOG about 'it'", he said "it seems like a perfect tie-in with this Primo thing of yours" (yea, I talked his ear off.... I know, shocking).

'IT' = The Supernatural Bodybuilding & Figure Competition

Yup, Primo lady has committed to train and enter into a Body Building/Figure competition this April. It's been 4 years already since I got my black belt in karate....it is time for another Physical challenge. Building strength -- Body, Mind, and Soul....mmmm, just my thing! I've thought about it for a while now, but what fool wants to work that hard in the gym and have to follow that meal plan??? Oh yea...that fool would be me !!

I hope for 2 things through blogging about this journey:

1. You all will hold me accountable
2. You will consider taking your health & body to your own personal next level. Was exercising and eating healthier on your New Years Resolutions again this year??

What are we without our health????

I look forward to sharing with you my stories/photos/videos of me digging deep to find my inner strength, and the daily struggles of the hard work, perseverance and believing in myself in order to reach this goal.

Challenge YOURSELF my Primo friends..... be the best YOU that YOU can be!!

Find your inner competitive spirit.....Find Your Primo!!

.....it's a beautiful thing!

The Joy of January!

2012-01-13T04:12:24Z

JANUARY!! I love January (except for the cold) ..... I love how January gives you permission to start fresh, get organized and evaluate your life. The perfect time to take a look at where you've been the last year and where you want to go in the year ahead. On January 1st I don't just write my resolutions but I write down all kinds of things beginning with my list of things to do for the day. I then move to my goals for my family (including vacations we would like to take), I make a long list of short term goals and a to-do list for the business and I always re-write the ultimate big picture for PRIMO. Then there's my physical goals...ya know, eat healthier, exercise more! I write down the things I want to keep back in 2011 and just general things I would like to see in 2012. I write down my blessings, and a recap and evaluation of where my kids are in their life and where my marriage is after another year. I sit with my paper journal and my pen and together we go out with the old and in with the new....I organize my thoughts, I am refreshed and ready to conquer the year ahead!!!

...............and that is a beautiful thing!!

I hope all my favorite Primo fans are off to a great start this year.... I have a feeling 2012 is going to be an extra wild ride for me; I am moving into the year opening my heart and mind to people and opportunities (respectively) that are bound to make me a stronger and better person. Yes, writing in this blog on a regular basis is on my new years resolutions!!! ....I look forward to sharing some of 'my stuff' that I have in store for this new year.....stay tuned.

In the meantime.......... Persevere - Believe - Win !!!

PrimoDonna & Self Acceptance

2011-10-17T18:29:46Z

"Have patience with all things but first with yourself. Never confuse your mistakes with your value as a human being. You're a perfectly valuable, creative, worthwhile person simply because you exist. And no amount of triumphs or tribulations can ever change that. Unconditional self-acceptance is the core of a peaceful mind.''(St. Francis de Sales)

I had the pleasure of working with a great group of young leaders last night. I hung with 16 8th grade girls from the local National Charity League for an hour and half for self reflection. The way I see it... how we see ourselves is a direct correlation with our self-worth/self Esteem but also with how we will treat others.

We spent our time telling stories and dissecting Primodonna...what...what?? OK, not really dissecting this sweet wacky girl character but using her funny body parts to represent our own lives. Sound complicated? Not really........check it out:

Her Feet represent those things that ground us! Her body/core aka power house represent our strengths...our skills....

Her hair represents those things we have a hard time embracing about ourselves....those things that lower our self confidence.

Her arms are for embracing. Embrace yourself and everything about you...the good, the bad, the ugly! Embrace others....be kind...encouraging...lift others up, don't tear them down. Find your own success by helping others be successful!!

"Let me Help You"..... for more information about what Primo, Primodonna, and the Primo Lady can do for your group or organization contact me at tanya@findyourprimo.com

Inspiring Others.............. It's a beautiful thing!

Primo's "High 5 Principles for Success"

2011-05-17T17:01:00Z

"Do what you love, love what you do" - The secondary tag-line for the Life is Good T-shirt company....those thoughts were running through my head when I was getting ready for yesterday morning's farewell speech to the graduating 5th graders at Ocee Elementary in Alpharetta, GA.

I love to get in front of a crowd and speak....I love the opportunity to share, motivate, and inspire, so I was thrilled to have the opportunity to do just that at our local elementary school....Do what you love, love what you do! I like to say - find your passion, find your strength, find your Primo!!

Because I know all to well, that much is lost in translation from our children to us.....or they may not tell us anything at all....I wanted to share with you (hopefully some Ocee Mom's and Dad's have been directed here) a very abridged version of the speech I presented to the kids yesterday...It will give you the main points however, it will be lacking some of The Primo Lady's wit and obnoxious boasting about this years Field Day t-shirts ( aahem....beautifully designed and printed by Primo Activewear

I created PRIMO for you so you can have a visual of your inner competitive spirit; the competitive spirit that you must awaken whether you are competing against someone to win or if you are competing against yourself to be or do your personal best. I created Primo to give you a fun way to picture in your mind what strength, hard work, perseverance, respect, a positive attitude and believing in yourself looks like...

...Reach down to your gut where he resides-

Don’t you know your strength comes from inside?

This competitive spirit dwells in us all...

So many times he waits for your call.

Competing to win against your opponent

Doing your best may be the component;

Dig deep within as you go on life’s ride,

I tell you again strength comes from inside

Primo is there, so go out on a limb

He’s waiting and waiting for you to go find him!

**( a snippet from the upcoming Primo book)

I understand your theme for the week is ‘looking to the future’…. Your future is out there (pointing out the doors)... But it is not some place that you are going to, as much as it is some place that you are creating, and what you create will depend on how you think and how you act .

Each finger of Primo's "unusually large hands" represents a personal skill/ trait/attribute that when combined become 'Primo's High 5 Principles for Success'. How one thinks and how one acts in accordance to these principles will create your future...........Are you creating the future you want?

P = Perseverance

R = Respect yourself and others

I = It is all in the attitude ("It's is not who you are that holds you back, it is who you think you are not")

M = Make the right choice (you can choose right or you can choose wrong...either way, you will get a result....are you getting the results you want?"

O = Open your mind to new opportunities (often times the greatest things that happen to us are the unexpected thing that come into our life....be open to new opportunities)

I asked the kids to make a commitment to themselves on May 27, when they walk out those doors for the very last time, to persevere in all they do, to respect themselves and others, to maintain a positive attitude, to make the right choices in life, and to always be open to new opportunities!!!

** I've known many of these kids since kindergarten, a few I saw get on the school bus for the very first times as tears ran down their parents faces, .... I'm so proud of them and wish them much health, happiness and success in middle school and in the FUTURE!!

.....................It's a beautiful thing!!!

It's in the Waiting...

2011-03-21T12:40:00Z

"Write down the vision clearly upon the tablets, so that one can read it readily. For the vision still has its time, presses on to fulfillment, and will not disappoint; if it delays, wait for it, it will surely come, it will not be late" Habakkuk 2:3

It’s in the waiting.........

I don’t know about you but I need momentum to keep me motivated.

So if momentum = mass x velocity.... And velocity = distance/time.....(my 4^th grader has a test on this tomorrow)

Then I need a whole lot of stuff to start moving quickly so that I will stay motivated!!

Don’t we all feel this way? It’s just not easy to wait on something you want to happen.

Are you waiting for something??

Funny thing is…life doesn’t always work that way. When an old friend I hadn’t seen or spoken to in a long time, left me a message the other day and reminded me about waiting for Gods timing…I took it as a sign from Above.

Be patient....wait...when the timing is right, it will all happen... you don't have to like it-- just do it This picture of me below waiting for “that” perfect wave is an awesome metaphor for life.

There’s a Derks Bentley song “when you know who want to spend the rest of your life with, you want the rest of your life to start right now” ….well, I feel the same way about my life calling………. When what you want to do with the rest of your life finally comes into focus, you don’t want to wait around, you don’t want take the time for the learning curve…you want the rest of your life to start right now!

Now, I find that in the waiting sometimes it may feel like procrastination….”I’m just waiting for the right time” …hhhmmm…. Not gonna fly!

So be patient but don’t sit around and wait…spend your time working toward building that momentum… do the ground work, stay diligent to the end result, plan, seek answers, seek knowledge, step out of your comfort zone, face your fears, be prepared… cause when HE feels it’s the right time…….there may be no slowing down.

Patience………it’s a beautiful thing!

Believe In Yourself

2011-03-05T18:10:00Z

It's a rainy dreary day and baseball and soccer have been canceled across the board-- so I'm cleaning closets!! Yea! In addition to all present day stuff there are boxes stashed of my old things and photos from high school...but it doesn't stop there, there also boxes of both my parents things....from high school! I could get lost in the reminiscing forever.........

I stumbled across this 'prayer' card that was tucked away in what seemed to be my dads wallet from...shortly after high school (there were all sorts of graduation photos of girls with all that mushy writing on the back).

Anyway, wanted to share---

Believe in yourself
To the depth of your being
Nourish the talents
Your spirit is freeing.

Know in your heart
when the going gets slow
That your faith in yourself
Will continue to grow.

Don't forfeit ambition
When others may doubt
It's your life to live--
You must live it throughout.

Learn from your errors--
Don't dwell in the past.
Never withdraw
From a world that is vast.

Believe in yourself;
Find the best that is you
Let your spirit prevail
Steer a course that is true.

-Bruce Wilmar (the writing of his name is so small I think I spelled it right....I refuse to get my reading glasses

As Kid Rock said in one of his songs last night....God Bless Saturday!

Wisdom from Mother Theresa

2011-02-03T22:23:00Z

"People are often unreasonable, illogical and self-centered;
Forgive them anyway.

If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives; Be kind anyway.

If you are successful, you will win some false friends and some true enemies;
Succeed anyway.

If you are honest and frank, people may cheat you; Be honest anyway.

When you spend years building, someone could destroy it overnight; Build anyway.

The good you do today, people will often forget tomorrow; Do good anyway.

Give the world the best you have, and it may never be enough; Give the world your best anyway.

You see in the final analysis, it is between you and God; It was never between you and them anyway."

Mother Theresa

January....

2011-01-25T13:41:00Z

Its January 2011...wasn’t it just January 1992?? Weren’t we just planning for Y2K?

The years are going by in the blink of an eye…

How does that make you feel?

Are you happy with the direction of your life? Is the new year a happy time for you?

Or – is the new year overwhelming-- are you discouraged with another year that’s gone by? Discouraged about goals you didn’t meet, discouraged by the dreams you didn’t chase, discouraged by opportunities you let pass--relationships that sat stagnant

Whatever the case may be...

Think of January as a clean slate

January is like a white board in a school and the janitor came in over winter break and wiped it clean…

January

Is a time to Review the past year.

January

is a time to Renew yourself and to renew your future

January is a time for a fresh start

What would it look like to Review your past year?

Did you keep your list of resolutions from last year?

REVIEW the list—Pat yourself on the back for the things you got to--

Acknowledge those things you didn’t …and decide if they need to stay on the list for this year.

Review your ups, your downs, your success, your failures
How did you celebrate the successes?
What did you learn from your failures?
What did you start this year? What did you achieve? What did you overcome?

What developed in the course of the year that you never expected?

I always say..."you don’t know, what you now" -

When I made my 2010 resolutions, I didn't even know what Toastmasters was...and now my biggest goal is to complete my "Competent Communicator" manual and becoming a public speaker!

What I’m saying is... have your new year resolutions written down but keep an open mind because you don’t know what opportunities are going to come into your life.

Spend some time to review the past year - Because...The years are going by in the blink of a eye!

January...what better time to renew faith in yourself and to renew your goals-

Spend time renewing your future-

Write down all the things you would like to accomplish in your life…anything that comes to mind.
list all the things you would like to learn or get better at.
List all the places you want to visit, the The people you want to spend more time with, the organizations you want to volunteer at.
list the things you want to do more of
The things you want to do less of or let go of all together-

Hopefully you already have your 2011 resolutions written down, and hopefully you’ve already made copies and you have one next to your computer and you’ve given the other to a friend so they can hold you accountable,

But I want this new list to be bigger!!

Sometimes these goals are going to feel overwhelming and daunting and sometimes its going to be easy to talk yourself into thinking you don’t really have to do it… believe me, I know! ! I also know this…

Making a positive change in your life is almost always going to be painful…initially

Believe that you can work through the pain

Believe that with hard work and perseverance you make things happen

Believe in yourself

And while we are on the topic of believing, let me remind you what the great Gandhi said…

“Our beliefs become our thoughts, Our thoughts become our words, our words become our actions, our actions become our habits, our habits become our values, our values become our destiny”

Its January 2011

2010 went by in a blink of an eye!

Review your past
Renew your future

Rejoice in the experiences of your past -- because they are the foundation of your future!

Rejoice in who you were created to be!

Rejoice in the blessings of another year!

Happy New Year....It's a beautiful thing!!

A Day in the Life of a Toastmaster Student

2011-01-07T18:23:00Z

"I think I can, I think I can, I think I can..."

Here I sit at the back corner of the public library... my stomach full from excessive amounts of water, almonds and Luna bars.

I have bulimia of the fingertips... I've spent hours agonizing over something of importance that I can write about. A single page Word document has 6 starts to 6 different speeches. Frequently I break into Explorer to Google something…anything. To eventually find myself one click away from purchasing the latest anti-wrinkle miracle …thank God I snap out of it and get back to the vomit on my page. I continue to write. Somehow it just happens -- It takes shape, it makes sense and the pieces of the puzzle start to fit; first the four corners, then the boarders, then small parts of the picture inside...until they all connect. Beast to beauty. It doesn’t stop there … I read and reread, cut, paste, cut, paste...it's all there, just needs a better arrangement. It will come, it always does.

Try it!

Writing……….it’s a beautiful thing!

Self Doubt

2010-12-19T13:39:00Z

*** NOTE TO READER**** Uugghh...technology-- if you are signed up to receive this blog automatically then you received this post already but it wasn't ready for you to read. It was the uncut version of last weeks Toastmaster speech...When I took a break to have breakfast it automatically published....seriously, I know I didn't do it, I don't know what happened....Here's your slightly cleaned up version

~It's not who you are that holds you back, it's who you think you're not.~ unknown

Are you holding yourself back from achieving your dreams?

Fear, lack of confidence, not believing in yourself

Self Doubt….will stop you in your tracks.

Self doubt simply can not exist if you want to reach your goals and achieve your dreams-

Self doubt is a huge obstacle that many of us face-

Self doubt is sneaky….You can't always recognize it….it disguises itself...

.. as lack of knowledge, as lack of understanding, lack of time….

"I need to learn more"

"I need to do more"

"I need to take a class first"

"Once I finish all this…then I can focus on that."

Recognize it and admit that it is you holding yourself back-

I know this first hand….

I have a goal…a dream – I want to be on stage in front of large groups of kids and adults and I want to motivate and inspire them to be motivated and inspired…..

But I say to myself…

I can’t do that…

Who am I?

Who am I to stand on stage and give an inspirational speech?
Who am I to call up organizations and tell them that I want to be their motivational speaker?
Who am I to teach anyone anything about life?

I haven’t accomplished anything great

I haven’t built and empire, I haven’t lived through anything horrific (knock on wood)

I don’t have experience speaking in front of crowds….

I am holding myself back from reaching my goals….

It's not who you are that holds you back, it's who you think you're not.

How do we face this monster called self doubt!

Check out these 3 Steps (key is...You have to do them!!)

Step #1

Know that GOD doesn’t make junk….and that each and everyone of us were created to have some sort of impact in this world…to make some sort of difference even if it’s in just one person’s life.

Keep A Journal

Make a list of the times you have worked hard and persevered toward something and achieved it…. I call these your Primo moments. They can be small everyday things or huge undertakings.
Make a list of the times you've made a choice and it's had a positive outcome on your life.

Make a list of the times you've had a positive impact on someone else's life.
Make a list of all the things and people in your life you are grateful for.
Make a list of the things you believe your family and friends and co-workers like about you.
Make a list of the things you believe those people don’t like about….then think about how you can start to change those negative things.
Make a list of your strengths

Keep this journal handy , read it and add to it often.

STEP #2

People say motivation doesn’t last…well neither does bathing, that is why they are both recommended daily….I love that quote by Zig Ziglar.

Get your daily dose of motivation-

Read Daily affirmations-
Try listening to motivational CD’s in the car on the way to work? or while getting yourself ready in the morning.
Read from a book at least 30 minutes each day that brings you closer to your goals and is a source of motivation.
Daily motivational quotes on your Google home page or calendar

Get your daily dose of motivation….

Step #3

… this I believe is the most important way to overcome self-doubt and to gain belief in yourself.

Surround yourself with people who believe in you!

Surround yourself by positive, like minded people who all want similar things out of life.

When your horoscope reads - “seek out the kind of people who can assist you in achieving your long-term goals” than do just that!

Spend time with those who have achieved what you want to achieve, learn as much as you can from them.

Spend time with those people who are going to push you to become the best possible you!

Lastly, Spend time with those people who love you unconditionally.
Limit your time with the nay-sayers…those people who say things like…”your work to hard, here you again, your crazy, why do want to do that”

#1 Keep a journal

#2 Get your daily dose of motivation

#3 Surround yourself by people who believe in you.

No more fear, no more self doubt, no more excuses…

It's not who you are that holds you back, it's who you think you're not.

...It's a beautiful Thing!!

Win A New IPod Shuffle

2010-12-08T20:43:00Z

Hey Hey "FIND YOUR PRIMO" Facebook Friends (yes, you must be on facebook) We are running an easy contest were you can win a brand new, silver, ipod shuffle by simply suggesting the 'Find Your Primo' facebook page to your many facebook friends. Who can't use a new shuffle for the holidays ??

Whoever sends us the most friends wins! We're all about winning!!
(minimum of 20 friends....I know you all have well over 200 friends)

Here's what you need to do:
1. Click "suggest to friends" on the left side bar of the Find Your Primo FB page

2. Share the page with your friends....In the "personal message" write that you are trying to win an ipod shuffle--Ask your friends to become a fan of this awesome page ...for a dose of daily motivation (you can say whatever you want) and then tell them they have to say "Hi" and post YOUR name on the wall.

3. Whoevers (whomevers ??) name shows up the most on the Primo wall will win (say that 3 times fast ) the Ipod shuffle.

(If there is a tie...I will have a tie breaker)

FANS....it's a beautiful thing!

Fall, Family, Fun

2010-10-12T14:23:00Z

Sorry I haven't written in a while but the truth is I'm only capable of writing when my mind is silent and I can write from the heart --- things are so crazy lately I just haven't had the 'still' to sit and write. Not to mention I have family visiting and we're busy having fun

We took a ride this weekend in my brothers RV for some good fall fun. We camped only an hour away but it felt like we were on a far away vacation. We planned nothing -- just grabbed pillows and toothbrushes and went for 24 hours. We hit a corn maze (we didn't actually hit it -- my brother is quite a good driver considering the size of his RV) and went apple picking; I hadn't been apple picking since I was a kid -- my boys have never been...they HAD to climb trees...oh ya, they hated that!!! (sense the sarcasm). While I'm in here trying to redeem myself with you for not writing in a while my mom is making homemade apple pie!! YUM!

Primo got another great review from "Momma in Flip Flops" I want to share. I encourage you to visit and even try for the Primo give-a-away. She reviews all kinds of great things. I love these blogs at holiday time because they feature so many hidden treasures that haven't made it to the malls...yet. Speaking of cool stuff....Tomorrow I'll be taking Primo and Primodonna down to the Annual Art & Gift show at The Day School - Sandy Springs Christian Church, Johnson Ferry Road, ATL . Come on by from 9-3 for some great shopping...the holidays are right around the corner!!!

Wherever you are I hope you are enjoying some nice fall weather. Take some time to visit an apple orchard, pumpkin patch or just take a long ride to enjoy the changing leaves!!!

Review and Give-a-way

2010-10-05T18:36:00Z

Boom! Another months gone by!! Where are they going ??? Happy October!

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Purchase your Pink Persevere/Believe/Win tee or thermal and 10% of proceeds will go the cause.

Primo got a great review at Flip Out Mama today and they are doing a t-shirt give-a-way ...Check it out!

Short and Sweet

Peace - out !

Contests are Fun!

2010-09-15T16:00:00Z

"...whether school, sports, relationships, injury or illness - we must all dig deep to find our inner strength, embrace our challenges, work hard, persevere, and believe in ourselves to win!" - Primo & Primodonna

September is National Childhood Cancer Awareness month. All childhood cancer foundations are near and dear to my heart as I have known entirely too many kids who have fought against cancer....10% of all sales this month at www.findyourprimo.com will go to the National Childhood Cancer Foundation

Also because I believe it's very important to praise our kids and recognize their achievements ('cause let's face it...most of the time we are yelling at them) ... I want to have a Contest!

Enter to win a t-shirt of your choice and a wristband for yourself, your child or for a friend-

Here's how to enter:

Tell us in as few or many words as you would like about a time in the last week that your child/grandchild/young friend has made you proud because they worked hard, persevered, and believed in themselves to overcome something (anything)- think school, sports, friendships, injury or illness.........

You Can:

Leave a comment here
Leave a comment on Facebook at Find Your Primo
email us at info@findyourprimo.com

....It's a beautiful thing!

Flat Is All That !

2010-09-01T14:36:00Z

"Finding your beauty is not about looking like everyone else. It's about accepting yourself - the parts you love and the parts you don't and then working with all of it ." (Scott Barnes)

...Do you accept how you look and what you do? Please read on...could this be you?
" Too short, too tall, too skinny, to fat...My hair's too big I should wear a hat..."
STOP!!! Enough with this enough with that! Be like the gal and let it all go for greatness awaits it's time that you know!
Look in the mirror, who do you see?
"There's a beautiful person staring at me...how did she get there who could it be??
...oh wait, that's ME!" - taken from the Primodonna Story

I love the quote above...especially about the part of 'working with all of it" Lord knows that with a little money (or credit) we can get pretty much anything changed on our body that we don't like but accepting what we've been given and working with it (talking in terms of our bodies) is a FINE alternative! We all have different "things" and we must chose what feels right and comfortable for each of us.

Let's talk about "Flat is all that" ... Let's just say, I'm 40 and still waiting to develop-- That Primodonna story for those of you that don't know me personally...it's based on me...the hair...the flat boyish figure and yes, my toes are bit odd as well (okay not quite as odd as hers)- For many years I considered breast implants, especially during the time I worked at a plastic surgeons office...perfect breasts everywhere, and those Victoria Secret catalogs !!! ....It's sort of like I'm missing out on a key element of being a woman??

But...WHATEVER!!! It would be cool if kids could embrace the "whatever" but unfortuneatly I think it just takes age and wisdom. It takes being able to put things into perspective and realizing that when you have your health, and life around you is relatively good...who cares about boobs or a little sag in the facial skin? (okay, I admit, I'm still working on accepting the facial skin stuff).

This was my turning point: I said to my friend..."I would just love to fill out one of those cute tank tops and not have it be all droopy, they look horrible, I can't wear half of what's out there" ...her response " are you kidding skinny bitch (okay, she didn't say that but I know that's what she was thinking) I can't fit my fat ass into most of the stuff out there, I can't wear everything I want...just stop trying those tank tops on and wear something else."

HUH....She had a point--I really took that to heart...we all have our thing....

I started to come to an acceptance. I would wear a little tank top without a bra and just go flat...and say (to my girlfriends) I'm embracing my flatness! Eventually when we'd go out on a girls night they would say to me ..."I see you're embracing your flatness tonight" ... I felt empowered!!

Two years ago I was working out at the gym, I had one workout top that looked cute on a flat chest. My choices for the gym were extremely limited if I didn't want to look like a 10 year old boy...I recall laying there on the chest press bench thinking I need to create a line of work-out clothes for flat chested woman ....(light bulb) I'll call it 'flat is all that" !! So here we are ...there's no full line, but I thought a tank with a built in 'shelf', no bra necessary, making a bold statement is a great place to start. Check out www.flatisallthat.com or of course www.findyourprimo.com

"Embrace your challenges" as Primo would say-

Flat is all that ! ....It's a beautiful thing!

Make it a Good Day! (print & keep handy)

2010-08-24T17:04:00Z

Laugh - It always feels good!
Appreciate Someone - because of the little things!
Do the Right Thing - even if it is hard to do!
Smile More Yourself - you will be happier!
Be Thankful - for something/anything!
Serenity Now - don't sweat the little things!
Say Hello More - especially to those you don't know!
Make Someone Smile - it's a win/win proposition!
Stop & Smell The Roses - slow down, take a breath!
Realize How Lucky You Are - things could be worse!

Persevering in the Game of Motherhood

2010-08-19T13:00:00Z

If there were no schools to take the children away from home part of the time, the insane asylums would be filled with mothers. ~Edgar W. Howe

Labor Day is a glorious holiday because your child will be going back to school the next day. It would have been called Independence Day, but that name was already taken. ~Bill Dodds
- hahahaha, I love that!

Well it's that time of year again...Today the kids went back to school (in the South we go before Labor Day) ... It's that time of year that I start to feel guilty because all my friends are boo-hooing that their kids are getting older and going off to school again and there's me telling my kids "don't let the door hit you in the ass on the way to the bus!!!" I'm soooo mean! Someone please tell me it's the dynamics of having 3 boys at home every day from 7am to 10pm (no one sleeps in) that makes me feel different from my friends!

I adore my 3 boys for each of their unique and special ways, and individually we have a lovely time together, but 3 straight months, day in and day out of the of the 4 of us....well, enough is enough. It's being referee 24/7 that makes me nuts, the constant fighting, wrestling, touching, poking, arguing, annoying, noise-making (you know all the noises boys make), excessive junk food eating, video game playing, "it's too hot to go out-side" complaining....I'M DONE! After 3 months going to the pool and making plans with their friends was even boring to them ! It's time...before somebody loses an eye..............or I end up in that insane asylum!

As I stated before....it is healthy for all of us to get a little break from each other, and despite them being another year older... they are another year older...growing up and blessed with all their goodness, and that's a beautiful thing!

SIDE NOTE: Speaking of healthy...Here's a link to some school-lunch ideas...that school food is REALLY not healthy for our kids...Oh yea, for a quick meal/snack try a wrap, tortilla, or syrian bread with a layer of tomato sauce and a sprinkle of cheese...stick it in the toaster oven - 10 minutes tops...VOILA....sort of the updated version of an english muffin pizza....

I am very excited about all the teachers my kids got this year, I am excited about all the new things they will learn and experience in 4th and 7th grade; I will brace myself for the early mornings, for the start-up of sports, the fights over taking a shower, the fights over eating cold cereal, the fights over doing homework, the fights over getting to bed early, the fights over wearing certain clothes (okay, I know this isn't nearly as bad as you moms with girls)....and I will enjoy my 6 hours of daily quiet so I can lay on the couch and eat bon bons....blahahahahahahaha.....

Seriously...I am anxious to get back to my daily routine...my random jobs, my volunteering at the school but mostly spreading the Primo message...learning more on social network marketing, Search Engine Optimization, Excel (I'm facing this fear), writing speeches, writing blogs, writing books, conjuring ideas, creating stuff, selling stuff ...all the usuals!!

Tic...Tic...Tic...4 hours left....I gotta go change into my Perseverance t-shirt , get some work done and make my famous homemade chocolate chip cookies for when the kids get home....See, I'm not THAT mean!!

First Day of 4th Grade...It's a beautiful thing!

Persevering in the game of raising kids

2010-08-09T12:39:00Z

"Men are made stronger on realization that the helping hand they need is at the end of their own arm" -Sidney S. Phillips

"I've got a theory that if you give 100% all of the time, somehow things will work out in the end"
- Larry Bird

From something teeny tiny to something gigantic, as a parent we are faced with issues, problems, concerns when it comes to raising our kids. But, when we see our kids struggling, hurt or upset, how do we do the right thing? How do we stand firm to what we know is good and right and will eventually make them a better, stronger adult?

I'm going to admit this right up front....I'm feeling like a hypocrite!! I don't believe in the participation trophy...you have to work hard and persevere to win...right?

Here's the thing, my son has been trying out for some pretty competitive baseball teams for next spring (his cozy little team that he had been with for a few years had come to an abrupt end) and despite all I know and believe I really just want him to be handed a fabulous spot on a fabulous team. He's an awesome player, he'll dive flat on his face to catch a ball, he runs like lightening (he didn't get the nickname Wheels for nothing), he hits the ball...most of the time...when he's not in a slump, his parents are easy to get along with and he has the most even temper of anyone I know (on the field anyway) .....he's perfect !!!

So my core beliefs are being put to a real test. We all feel our kids are perfect and deserving (for the most part)!

As a parent and the child we experience countless "firsts" with our children....

This is truly the first time he's ever really wanted something and may not get it.
This is the first time he's realized his small size is setting him at a disadvantage. (He's quite short for his age)
This is his first experience at having to consider a plan B
This is his first experience of 2 steps forward 1 step back

Maybe it seems so hard for me to watch because this is my kid that crawled at 6 months, walked at 9 months, spoke at 10 months and by 2 years was making you feeling like you were dumb...... he never had to to try for anything....
I knew this day was coming.....

Like Larry Bird said above, "give 100% all the time and somehow things will work out in the end" - I know this is true but why is it so much harder when we are talking about our kids?

If this team doesn't work out, or that team doesn't work out...maybe GOD has a different plan. Why is that so much harder to swallow when it's our kids?

Embrace your challenges....My son is genetically small, what if he never has the power to hit one out of the park? Why is embracing our kids challenges harder than embracing our own?

I know all this stuff I speak of seems so petty in this giant world we live in and that I'm sounding like bit of a cry baby .... but its all relative, it is real, and it's all part of raising kids. Despite how I sound I do know it's not the end of the world and do fully intend to use all of this as an awesome teaching moment ..............

Hey, if Primo we can do, we can do it too, right! This is where we dig deep, work hard, believe in ourselves and our character will shine through-

HARD WORK: "it's blood, sweat, and sometimes tears" (bob hayes)

Life.... it's a beautiful thing!