Any week… Any day… Any moment can be a fresh start!

Given it is a Monday morning though, it is a practical time to set your intention for the week ahead and make goals.

What is this week about for you? What is your intention for this week?

Set your intention by completing this sentence: My intention for this week is…… .

This can be big picture stuff, a general feeling or approach for the week. It might be a theme or a mantra that resonates for you given where you are at right now.

My intention for this week is ‘eat the elephant one bite at a time’. I will approach each of the projects that matter most to me with focus, perseverance and endurance. I will take time out each day to nurture myself through what I eat, training, sleep and by surrounding myself with the people, places and things that bring love and joy.

What are your goals for the week?  

Here is where you get really specific and you may even break this down into daily goals and tasks in your diary. This is when I bring out my notebook, diary and calendar of a Sunday night and get really focussed and specific. Granted, as the week unfolds, things change and I aim to stay flexible and adjust (rather than throw in the towel when plans are upended!). For example, if I have 4 training sessions planned but by mid-week if I have had a late night or two due to a deadline and I am feeling particularly flogged from the previous two training sessions then I adjust my plans… I do a different training session that’s less intense, or I try to get a sleep in / nap, or I post-pone training or I call it a rest day.

Our work and personal life does not run perfectly. Our bodies and minds are not machines that run exactly the same way day in, day out. It is important to plan but also to be able to adjust to what unfolds.

So – over to you. GO! What is your intention for this week? What are your goals?

Be clear. Write it all down.

Share if you wish in the comments below. Have a fabulous week!

“Hold the vision. Trust the process.”

For some time, this is a quote I have understood – logically.

Recently I realised that I did not actually know it or feel it. I did not *actually* GET it.

How did I come to that realisation? Because in the flash of a moment I GOT IT.

I knew it. I felt it. I truly got it.

Down to the bones, with every fibre of my being. I GOT IT.

Think of ‘the vision’ as a goal or plan or a desired outcome.

The missing puzzle piece dropped into my head, the missing step.

Before I could actually hold the vision I needed to first say YES to the vision. Else, it was just a bunch of plans in my head that maybe I could / would pursue but it was all a bit airy fairy and near impossible to ‘hold’ in my mind. I had not consciously or mindfully agreed to the big picture in my mind. I realised I was not completely committed. I have been in a phase of learning and reflecting, which is great; there is always a time and a place for that.  It’s wonderful to be open to all the options presented however action requires choice and commitment!

This seems so obvious to me now as I write this however, to get to that realisation I had to back my brain up and think through it: Before I can focus on a goal or plan what do I need to do?  First step is to have the goal – that was clear to me immediately. No brainer.

Like I imagine is the case for so many of you, having the goal or plan is often not the hard part. For many of us we may have a bunch of goals. For some reading this, you have no shortage of goals and possibly feel you have too many and you get lost in them. Perhaps some of you flit between goals never following any of them up seriously.  Or you may be presented with a number of competing options or goals you could pursue… and be paralysed by choice or doubt about which to pursue…. or be unclear about which is the most important to you right now.  I know I have experienced all those things throughout my life.

Having a goal or some goals was not the sticking point. For me, I knew that having ‘the vision’ or ‘a plan’, or even ‘purpose’ if you prefer, was not the hard part. I have plenty and I can think of them in their order of priority or in terms of what are the most compelling for me, what I am most passionate about. I can see the big picture vision and I can see the options and steps to make that happen. I can easily do that. Given that, why was I so frustrated? Why was I still not taking all the action that I knew would take me towards my goals? There was something missing between having the vision and this “Hold the vision. Trust the process.” part that kept nagging in my mind.

I pushed myself to think about it in the most simplistic terms I could: “OK. So I have goal X in my mind. What do I have to do before I can focus on that Goal X and hold that goal in my mind for the time it will take to give it the energy and attention required to make it a reality and achieve the desired outcome?“

Bingo. I had asked myself the right question!! It was only then I realised it was simple. I had to say “YES” to Goal X.  I had to be 110% totally and absolutely on board with that plan. Completely down with it and committed.

If you do not truly say YES to the vision, how can you hold it in your mind and heart to make it happen?

In that moment of realisation I put myself on the spot: “Ange, do you REALLY want to pursue this big picture you can see before you?“.

In a nanosecond my body and mind screamed the answer: “YES!“. I instantly felt a shift:  the frustration and uncertainty lifted replaced with clarity, joy, excitement and peace.

It was like some much more intelligent part of myself said “Thank f**k. She gets it. She is on board. Now, let’s start huh?“. Haha.

I realised that I have been frustrated with myself and struggling because I had tried to leap from having a bunch of options and partial plans to holding the vision of these without actually checking in to see if I was totally committed to it!

Since then, each time I think about my big picture vision, as well as the smaller components and individual goals connected to that, I have stopped to ask myself how I feel about it. I have taken time to be mindful and see how that plan or goal or vision ‘sits’ with me. How do I feel when I picture the outcome of that goal? Do I want this outcome?  This has resulted in tremendous clarity and a massive “YES!” to my big picture vision for my life. This Big Yes has spun out a whole bunch of other Yes statements to smaller goals.

Like I said, it is wonderful to be open to all possibilities and experiences presented but at some point it is crucial to mindfully consider your goals, plans and dreams and consciously say YES to that which you most wish to make a reality.  Now I have said YES my big picture vision and goals details are crystalising more rapidly in my mind, the frustration and uncertainty is dissipating and taking action seems almost effortless.  Do not get me wrong – pursuing your goals and dreams requires huge effort. Hard work is not something I ever shy away from. Frustration and struggle I prefer to learn from and move past as efficiently as I can!

Over to you – please share your thoughts.  Are YOU 110% on board with YOUR goals or dreams? Is there something YOU need to say YES to?

Ange xxx

Friends! I have caught up on all your Facebok inbox messages. Wow!

Since the start of 2013 my inboxes have been absolutely inundated! Thank you for your patience – it has been a whirlwind start to the year for me while I have been embarking on new challenges as well as adventuring around the country with Emazon to deliver the Stand Your Ground national tour.

A fair bit to share here… read on!

You will notice some exciting changes here in the coming months and I will very much be using social media to connect with you all as I increasingly I allow my worlds to collide and engage with you in multiple ways that create opportunities for you to empower yourself, learn, grow and transform.

If you have sent me a message but have not received a reply, please follow up with me. I am still catching up on emails – nearly there! Please send the message to this page: https://www.facebook.com/angela.wallace.1305 as I check it frequently.

What do I mean by allowing my worlds to connect and collide?!

Well… my worlds of medicine, health, science, ethics, research, lecturing, workshop facilitation and science communication coming together with my worlds of fitness, weight loss, personal training, coaching and transformation. These worlds have been largely separate and my foray into social media has been purely from a transformation and weight loss perspective because I began blogging and using social media 3 years ago when I signed up for 12WBT… the adventure has been epic and unimaginable since then. Just wonderful! It has brought me to realising who I am and what I can do to help others. 3 years ago I thought “Oh I will blog for 12 weeks then delete all this online stuff.” HA! How very wrong was I?!

Sooooo… it is time for all my worlds to connect and collide! Kaboom!!

During the week I am a lecturer in the Medical School and a health researcher in epidemiology, evidence based medicine, disease prevention, health policy and economics at the Queensland Centre for Mental Health Research. On the weekends I run regular outdoor training sessions in parks around south east Queensland. Throughout the week I open my schedule for some 1:1 mindset coaching sessions, these take places face-to-face or via Skype or telephone. I will state there is a small waiting list for the 1:1 mindset sessions; however I am opening up more appointments – especially at convenient times for parents.

In the near future there will be exciting announcements about new events and happenings that I cannot wait to share with you and invite you to take part in…ways for you to tap into what you need most to be the most empowered, strong, happy and healthy version of YOU when it comes to training, nutrition, mindset and beyond.

If you have requests, ideas, suggestions, questions – HIT ME WITH THEM! Always open to seeing what additional things come up that I never previously dreamed of could be brought to life!

I love hearing from you all – keep sharing your struggles and successes.
Worlds colliding. Much magic to come! xxx

EMPOWER YOURSELF!  No matter where in the world you are, join this group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/219851484806287/

Transforming Your Life On All Levels

Health & Happiness | Fitness & Fun

This group is founded by a group from all over Australia – no, from all over the WORLD!, who met in recent years in various ways: park runs, training sessions, online forums, social media & blogs, 8 or 12 week challenges and other health and fitness events.

The group is open to anyone from anywhere across the globe who wants to connect online to provide support, encouragement and move forward in leaps and bounds, whatever your goals may be!

The objective of the group is for YOU to create the supportive community that YOU need. You are free to connect and share about any topics you like. Post questions. Create events in your area. Ask for help. Share your story and struggles. Support one another.

It does not matter to us where you come from, what other resources, programs or groups you are tapped into.

Members of this group are from so many backgrounds and have much to share in terms of mental health fitness, physical fitness, weight loss, exercise and more. Members have made and are making epic transformations in their life and share those ups & downs. Members may be currently doing a fitness challenge through their gym or with their personal trainer. Members maybe be ripping their way through online challenges like The Biggest Loser Challenge, Michelle Bridges 12 Week Body Transformation (12WBT), Lisa Curry’s KISS program, Shannon’s 8 Week Challenge, Weight Watchers etc. Some members have graduated from these programs and are working on the next part of their transformation adventure, adding more tools to their toolbox! Some members are working on health, lifestyle and fitness changes in collaboration with their health professionals and some are going it completely alone – working out what they need.

There is no one right way. We each work out what we need for each phase of our life and take the elements from resources that work for us. No one program or resource is better than another. This group is not about any of those programs or resources – it’s goes beyond any one of them as everyone graduates from a program eventually, everyone gathers the new resources they need as they evolve and grow. This group does not dictate that any one program is to be discussed or restrict the resources that can be shared.

Are you starting to get the picture? This group is open to all and has no association with any one resource, business or program! Everyone is welcome. Share what has helped you so that it may help others! Give & Take: what you put out there you will get back in abundance!

Together, we make this group incredible.
Together we create what we need.
Together we have so much to share with one another – for free.

Free to share and support however we choose.

We come together to unleash our awesomeness – no limits!

Let’s see what magic WE can create here!

https://www.facebook.com/groups/219851484806287/

xxx Ange

PS Here is the group just for Queenslanders: https://www.facebook.com/groups/149353945227507/ 

Local meet ups and events being planned by group members. Previous post about it here. 

Queensland Crew: Unleashed! is a group is founded by a group of Queenslanders who met in recent years in various ways: park runs, training sessions, online forums, social media & blogs, 8 or 12 week challenges and other health and fitness events.

We are predominantly based in South East Queensland but this group’s doors are wide open to all Queenslanders. In fact, the group is open to anyone from anywhere across the globe who wants to connect online to provide support, encouragement and move forward in leaps and bounds, whatever your goals may be!

The objective of the group is for YOU to create the supportive community that YOU need. You are free to connect and share about any topics you like. Post questions. Create events in your area. Ask for help. Share your story and struggles. Support one another.

It does not matter to us where you come from, what other resources, programs or groups you are tapped into.

Members of this group are from so many backgrounds and have much to share in terms of mental health fitness, physical fitness, weight loss, exercise and more. Members have made and are making epic transformations in their life and share those ups & downs. Members may be currently doing a fitness challenge through their gym or with their personal trainer. Members maybe be ripping their way through online challenges like The Biggest Loser Challenge, Michelle Bridges 12 Week Body Transformation (12WBT), Lisa Curry’s KISS program, Shannon’s 8 Week Challenge, Weight Watchers etc. Some members have graduated from these programs and are working on the next part of their transformation adventure, adding more tools to their toolbox! Some members are working on health, lifestyle and fitness changes in collaboration with their health professionals and some are going it completely alone – working out what they need.

There is no one right way. We each work out what we need for each phase of our life and take the elements from resources that work for us. No one program or resource is better than another. This group is not about any of those programs or resources – it’s goes beyond any one of them as everyone graduates from a program eventually, everyone gathers the new resources they need as they evolve and grow. This group does not dictate that any one program is to be discussed or restrict the resources that can be shared.

Are you starting to get the picture? This group is open to all and has no association with any one resource, business or program! Everyone is welcome. Share what has helped you so that it may help others! Give & Take: what you put out there you will get back in abundance!

Together, we make this group incredible.
Together, we create what we need.
Together, we have so much to share with one another – for free.

Free to share and support however we choose.

We come together to unleash our awesomeness – no limits!

Let’s see what magic WE can create here!

https://www.facebook.com/groups/QueenslandCrew/

Finally, February is here. Which means the Emazon Stand Ur Ground Febraury ROADTRIP is ON! I thrilled to be joining Emazon and her team as a co-instructor to deliver this Stand Your Ground tour to Perth, Adelaide and Ballarat across the month of February.

Having been on the other side of Stand Your Ground workshops & STAND Fight training with Emazon, I know the various feelings you have as you consider signing up for a session…. curiosity, uncertainty and a feeling there IS something you need to STAND up for – whatever words you use, ultimately it boils down to STANDing up for YOU. Whatever that means for you. It’s different for everyone and at different times in our transformations… in our lives.

I know the feelings once you committed and signed up to attend… and as the sessions draw closer: Anticipation, nervousness, excitement, perhaps even terrified. In Queensland back in 2011 when I first invited Emazon to run sessions for my Queensland Crew ladies the term TERRICITED was born – just for Emazon SYG sessions. TERRICITED = Terrified + Excited. Sums it up completely, right?!

As for what happens during the sessions…or how you will feel during the workshops or after… that is something ONLY YOU can experience.

I am finishing this post as I sit on the plane, waiting to take off for Perth. It is more than a bit surreal. This adventure that is my life is a

bit surreal right now. I spent the morning at the hospital teaching my medical students and in a few hours & a cross-country flight and I will be “on tour with Emazon”. Farrrrk! Insanely awesome!

So for the weeks ahead I will co-instruct in sessions with Emazon. I had a taste of crossing to the other side from participant to helping deliver the session when I co-instructed in 2 SYG workshops in Sydney in November 2012. Bring it on baby!!

Not sure how one prepares for the intensity & epicness(damn autocorrect on phone wants’epicness’ to be ‘spiciness’. Baha!!) of going on tour with Emazon …. but here I am, ready as I will ever be.

So … down the rabbit hole! Here I go again on another adventure just a short time ago I would never have imagined!

More info about the tour, locations, dates etc below if you are interested.

Saddle up! This ride is taking a new turn.
Xxx Ange
*forgive the typos & stuff pls. First ever blog post from an app on my phone….first of many in the weeks ahead perhaps!

First it’s Perth’s turn – kicking off from TOMORROW: Saturday 2nd in Joondalup with Stand Your Ground 1 Workshop. Here is the welcome message just for YOU, Perth peeps!

We are PUMPED. Beyond pumped.

With Emazon’s slammin’ schedule who knows when she will be back to the West Coast… make the most of this. 2-6 Feb Joondalup is up! Then 7 – 10 Feb it’s Attadale’s turn. Event listing here. Not too late to book – and you can stay up to the minute via the Emazon Stand Ur Ground Facebook page.

We are bringing a man with a brilliant mind & just a bit of muscle too… Shannon Brenton!

There will be the signature STAND YOUR GROUND workshops, Mind Mechanics, Food Mechanics, STAND Fight, YOUTH Stand plus 1:1 sessions with Emazon & Shannon.

Check out the FB page below AND the website’s event listings for all the details: http://50.87.53.238/~emazontv/

Did I mention we are pumped?? We are going to hit the West Coast with a KABOOM!! Spread the word.

For more informatin head to www.emazon.tv and check out these links to commonly asked questions:

Who is Emazon?

What is Stand Your Ground?

What are the workshops and sessions about?

What happens in a 1:1 with Emazon?

Pretend to be your Future Self (read: the most happy, healthy, fit, loving, peaceful, relaxed, grounded & resilient version of yourself) advise your Current Self to do??

Feel free to post your Current Self’s reply below in comments or over under this post on Facebook if you are happy to share.

Else, note it down and then think about how to ACT on the answer(s) from your Current Self.

3…2…1… GO!

EXCEPT a clarification… the only ‘hero’ who will ‘save’ you is YOU.  

STOP hoping. START standing. 

“I Stand”

When you ask me, who I am:
What is my vision? And do I have a plan?
Where is my strength? Have I nothing to say?
I hear the words in my head, but I push them away.

‘Cause I stand for the power to change,
I live for the perfect day.
I love till it hurts like crazy,
I hope for a hero to save me.
I stand for the strange and lonely,
I believe there’s a better place.
I don’t know if the sky is heaven,
But I pray anyway.

And I don’t know
What tomorrow brings
The road less traveled
Will it set us free?
Cause we are taking it slow,
These tiny legacies.
I don’t try and change the world;
But what will you make of me?

‘Cause I stand for the power to change,
I live for the perfect day.
I love till it hurts like crazy,
I hope for a hero to save me.
I stand for the strange and lonely,
I believe there’s a better place.
I don’t know if the sky is heaven,
But I pray anyway.

With the slightest of breezes
We fall just like leaves
As the rain washes us from the ground
We forget who we are
We can’t see in the dark
And we quickly get lost in the crowd

‘Cause I stand for the power to change,
I live for the perfect day.
I love till it hurts like crazy,
I hope for a hero to save me.
‘Cause I stand for the power to change,
I live for the perfect day.
I love till it hurts like crazy,
I hope for a hero to save me.
I stand for the strange and lonely,
I believe there’s a better place.
I don’t know if the sky is heaven,
But I pray anyway.

In 8 days I head off on tour to deliver the Perth Stand Your Ground events with Emazon Stand Ur Ground!

Talk about intense work experience! Time to close my eyes and leap!! I cannot wait to get there Perth Emazon friends!

I also cannot wait to bring back what I learn to those who attend my 1:1 coaching & group training sessions here at home!

For those who’ve read my blog & followed my adventures over the last few years you know how much I have gleaned from Emazon Stand Your Ground workshops & you will remember this sign posted to me by Emazon back in early 2012.

I have learnt how to STAND THE F*#K UP.

Are YOU ready to do the same??

Let me clearly state that I have NEVER been under contract with or had any official affiliation with the 4 or 5 different celebrity trainers and their associated programs / training sessions I have blogged or posted about on social media over the last 2.5 years. I have been very fortunate to train with each of them and this has been as a full paying member of the public. I have not received payment or ‘kick backs’ for talking and blogging about my experiences.

I am a member of the public who paid for programs and training just like everyone else and simply followed an adventure that unfolded. I shared a hell of a lot of my story freely in this process in the hope others would be inspired to know they can also make the changes they desire.

I will freely admit I have been naive and I had no idea that some people following my adventures assumed I was under contact or being paid by any of these trainers, nor did I realise I had a ‘profile’ where anyone would have cared to give it thought!

Whatever you assumed or thought please review that, read this statement and know that I have never been, nor am I now, under contract with or have any official links to ANY celebrity trainers or programs. If that changes I will be the first to make a clear statement of the facts!

xx Ange

I do not want to rehash it all so please, limit your comments accordingly in response to this post. I must make a statement so that moving forward I know I have clarifed and I am free. I know your intentions are great but please – NO re-hashing. This is part of me clarifying and moving forward! Thanks xx