Motivational Moments with Maria: Recent Episodes

Maria Bradfield

Do you need a boost to start your day? Join me, Coach Maria as I deliver some moments of inspiration, motivation and sometimes ass kicking to help you live the life you truly desire and deserve. We will take a journey together to keep you focused, your attitude positive, energy high, mindset strong, and have some fun too. Simply subscribe and you will be notified as soon as the next podcast is available. I am excited to be on this journey with you. Imagine a relationship that is entirely focused on YOU. Imagine someone listening rather than just hearing you. Imagine someone who holds YOU accountable to YOUR dreams and aspirations. That is what Maria delivers to YOU.

Welcome my friends to a special episode of Motivational Moments with Maria. Given that we are in the Olympic Games season I thought I would share some of my research on how Olympians train.

Have you ever wondered what goes into being an Olympic Athlete? What goes through their minds? How do they train?

Olympic athletes share some excellent lessons to learn and I am always in awe of the magnificent athletes and how they prepare for these events. I mean these are world class top performers in all aspects of their sport. It’s just like you are in your profession, right? What would happen to your ambitions and dreams if you performed and trained like an Olympian?

I decided to do some research on how top Olympians think and act and how we can use this in our professions.

Listen in to hear what I I learned about top performing OLYMPIANS and how you can apply them to your craft.

As always, stay focused, stay positive, and have fun.

In this captivating episode, Thania True delves deep into the themes of authenticity, fear, and activating one's inner superhero. Through compelling anecdotes and insightful reflections, Thania explores the importance of embracing our true selves, overcoming fears that hold us back, and stepping into our power to make a difference in the world.

Listeners are taken on a transformative journey as Thania shares practical tips and empowering strategies for harnessing one's unique strengths and unleashing the superhero within. With a blend of wisdom, vulnerability, and inspiration from her son, this podcast episode is a powerful reminder that each of us has the ability to be the hero of our own story and create positive change in our lives and communities.

As always,

Stay focused, stay positive and have fun!

What type of position are you in? Do you have the necessary skills that all top performers need? Or, are you in a pivotal position, craving to break through to the next level of your professional and personal life?

Join me as I delve into the essential skills that distinguish top performers from the crowd. In this session, we will explore the indispensable capabilities that successful individuals harness to not just meet but surpass their goals. Together, let's ignite the fire within you and equip you with the tools to excel in every endeavor.

Tune in and elevate your performance as I reveal the top secrets that champions use to conquer challenges and achieve remarkable success. You know I just don't make this stuff up. Studies have revealed the skills to improve all areas of your life.

Stay focused, stay positive, and always have fun.

In a world filled with unexpected twists and turns, Jude Monteserrato’s journey stands as a testament to the resilience of the human spirit. After facing the cruel blow of sudden loss on September 11th, and navigating the depths of grief, she emerged as a beacon of hope, guiding others on their path to healing and wholeness.

Join us on a transformative journey as we delve into Jude's empowering story of rising from the ashes, transforming her pain into purpose. Embracing her role as a Health and Wellness coach, she now takes a holistic view in helping others realize that "You Can Live Again."

Through her own experiences of overcoming life's challenges, Jude embodies the unwavering belief in the power of transformation and the boundless potential within everyone. As a change angel, she leads by example, showing that it is possible to not just survive but thrive in the face of adversity.

Get ready to be uplifted, motivated, and empowered as Jude Monteserrato shares her journey of resilience, compassion, and profound growth. Let her story inspire you to break free from limitations, embrace change, and step into a life filled with purpose and joy.

Join us as Jude shares her message of hope and healing, reminding us all that no matter the challenges we face, with determination and support, "You Can Live Again."

Together, let's embrace the power of transformation and create a life that shines brightly with possibility and purpose.

Remember, you can rewrite your story and embrace a life filled with resilience, growth, and infinite potential.

Listen in and be inspired.

Stay focused, stay positive, and always have fun.

YouCanLiveAgain #Transformation #Hope #Inspiration #Wellness #Empowerment

Embrace the Spotlight: Kelly's Tale of Dance, Transformation, and Pilates Brilliance Welcome to the stage with me, Kelly Etter- a dance virtuoso turned Pilates powerhouse, on a transformative journey like no other!

As a seasoned performer who graced iconic stages from New York to Tokyo, and even high seas with Norwegian Cruise Lines, Kelly's dance prowess knows no bounds. With every step and every performance, she wove tales of grace and passion that transcended borders and touched hearts around the world.

But life, dear listeners, is a grand ensemble of movements and melodies. When the curtains closed on one chapter, a new symphony awaited. Kelly's transition from the spotlight to guiding others on their paths to strength and vitality through Pilates is a true testament to her unwavering spirit and dedication to growth.

Join us as we uncover Kelly's riveting journey - from sharing the art of movement at AMDA in New York City to embracing the healing power of Pilates as a certified trainer. Her story is not just one of change but of embracing new beginnings with open arms and boundless passion.

So, tune in, dear souls, as Kelly shares her powerful narrative of resilience, reinvention, and the limitless possibilities that await on the horizon. Discover how she continues to inspire, uplift, and empower those around her, all while cherishing the joys of family and the warmth of friendship.

This is not simply a podcast - it's a symphony of hope, a dance of transformation, and a celebration of the extraordinary journey that is life. Let Kelly's story be the driving force that propels you towards your own path of growth, fulfillment, and boundless potential!

Meet Rhonda Davison, a TedX Speaker, Certified Transformational Trainer, and international best-selling author. Rhonda is on a passionate mission to help others transform their pain into power and their grief into growth. Through the transformative "Intensati" methods, she discovered a path to healing her own grief and is now dedicated to serving others. Rhonda's journey from being "hangry" (hungry and angry) to healing is an inspiring testament to the resilience of the human spirit. Her commitment to helping others harness their inner strength embodies her belief in the power of transformation.

Listen in and gain some insights.

As always, stay focused, stay positive and have fun.

Are you ready to embark on a life-changing journey with Mary Beth Flemming? In this powerful podcast, titled "Unleash Your Greatness with Mary Beth Flemming: A Journey to Transformation and Wellness," you will be introduced to a force of nature, a beacon of hope, and a catalyst for change.

As a Transformational Life Coach and Purium Organic Superfood's Brand Partner, Mary Beth's journey is one of resilience and triumph over adversity. From her stressed-out, exhausted state to thriving health and entrepreneurial success, Mary Beth's story will inspire and empower you. Through her organic superfood protocol and entrepreneurial endeavors, she has experienced a personal transformation that has led to impacting the lives of thousands. But it doesn't stop there. Mary Beth's mission is to support holistic life transformations and foster community connections.

Her passion is helping motivated mothers, entrepreneurs, and visionaries seeking personal and professional growth. With Mary Beth as your guide, you will be encouraged to break free from self-imposed limitations, achieve new levels of performance, and embrace your greatness. And amidst all the achievements, Mary Beth finds joy in her family and friendships, reminding us that life is a journey of connection and cherishing moments. It's time to take action!

Listen in.

Welcome my friends to this week’s episode of Motivational Moments with Maria.

It’s always my intent to bring you some inspiration and thoughts on personal development. I want YOU to create more fun, joy and productivity in all areas of your life.

But first I want to take a moment to honor those who made the ultimate sacrifice in defending this great nation. On this Memorial Day, I say thank you. Did you know? Each year on Memorial Day a national moment of remembrance takes place at 3:00 p.m. local time. So while you are enjoying a family bbq or on the road traveling home from a fun-filled weekend, stop for one minute and just say thank you to all our military personnel.

Now on to today’s subject.

Have you ever found yourself asking, "Who cares if I make it or not?" Maybe you're feeling discouraged, overwhelmed, or uncertain about your goals and aspirations. Well, let me tell you something: You should care. You absolutely should. Because deep within you lies a powerful force waiting to be unleashed, and the world is eagerly waiting for you to embrace your potential. So, buckle up and let's dive into why it truly matters if you make it or not.

In this emotionally-charged episode, experience the awe-inspiring story of Monika as she shares her courageous journey from Argentina to the United States. Despite facing immense challenges, including bullying and the overwhelming uncertainty that comes with starting anew, Monika's determination and resilience shone bright. With an unwavering focus on helping her family, she harnessed her strength from within, rising above the adversities that threatened to hold her back.

This powerful narrative of triumph over struggle serves as a testament to the human spirit and reminds us all of the incredible potential we have within us to overcome any obstacle.

Join us as we celebrate Monika's unwavering spirit, her commitment to personal growth, and the everlasting impact she has made on her journey to success.

Stay focused, stay positive, and always have fun.

In this week's episode, join me as we embark on Kiara's extraordinary tale of leaving and ultimately returning to the United States. Through her heartfelt account, she shares her personal triumphs and challenges, painting a vivid picture of resilience, growth, and unwavering commitment to mental health.

Kiara Luna is a bilingual, Licensed Mental Health therapist, Best-Selling Author and the owner of Knew You Psychotherapy.

Kiara's journey is a testament to the human spirit's ability to overcome adversity, as she navigates the complexities of starting a new life in a foreign land and then returning to the U.S. From the initial challenges and uncertainties to the overpowering sense of determination that propelled her forward, Kiara's story is an inspiration to all.

But for Kiara, her experience extends beyond simply surviving. It intertwines with her profound commitment to mental well-being, as she shares her own transformative journey with vulnerability and authenticity. Her unwavering dedication to self-care and emotional healing serves as a guiding light, encouraging others to prioritize their mental health and embark on their own paths to personal growth.

Join me as we celebrate Kiara's resilience, her unwavering commitment to mental well-being, and her courage to share her story. Through her experiences, we discover the power of embracing our own vulnerabilities, dedicating time and energy to our inner well-being, and ultimately rediscovering the strength that lies within us all.

Stay focused, stay positive, and always have fun.

I am committed to serving you become the best you choose to become. After all, everything we do is a choice.

So here comes the question for this week.

Have you ever set a new goal and started to have heart palpitations and start to sweat?

I'm not sure about you, but each time I set a new goal that seems WAY beyond my present reach, I've encountered something called "The Terror Barrier”.

This is when the body tenses up – I might start to grit my teeth - and a general feeling of panic appears.

"OH MY GOSH, WHAT AM I DOING?" might also be a question that pops up in your mind.

Listen, this is a natural process, and there's a way you can overcome these feelings and replace them with those that are more in alignment with the good that you desire.

When this happens, we must literally "flip the switch" and return to a state of peace, gratitude, and knowing that our wish is being fulfilled - regardless of us seeing (or not) seeing HOW we can make this happen.

So let’s talk about some things you can do to remove the terror barrier.

Listen in for some insights on how to break through the “Terror Barrier”.

Every week it is my intent to increase your awareness of personal growth to help you stay more focused, energetic, disciplined, and inspired, so YOU can experience more excitement, fulfillment, fun and joy in all areas of your life.

Have you ever been around someone that just seems to have it together and they appear to be flourishing in all areas of their life? And you wonder…how do they, or how did they do it.

Listen a great life just doesn’t happen. When we use the right tools, imagine what’s possible.

A lot of people say they want to change but most people don’t take the steps necessary to make change possible.

I’ve been there. I was stuck and couldn’t seem to get ahead. But I wanted more and began to listen to some of the personal development “tapes.” Yes, I said tapes so you know that it was a long time ago. Some of you may not even know what I am talking about.

So how can we flourish? Decades of scientific research shows that we can be happier tomorrow than we are today.

But what happens? The media would have you believe that we should not be hopeful and they work hard on instilling fear, uncertainty and doubt in you. However, evidence shows in many ways the world and you are better off than ever before. There really is cause for hope in this world and it begins with you.

Psychologists have spent many years studying how people flourish so let’s first talk about why some people feel they cannot move forward.

Listen in for some positive thoughts on how to flourish.

Stay focused, stay positive, and always have fun.

Coach Maria

Every week it is my intent to increase your awareness of personal growth is to help you stay more focused, energetic, disciplined, and inspired, so YOU can experience more excitement, fulfillment, fun and joy in all areas of your life.

It also helps me stay more energetic, passionateand obsessed about my work. If I can make a difference in one person’s life….I am charged.

2022 seems to be flying by so quickly. Half the year is over and some of you are rocking your year and some of us haven’t hit all the targets we set, yes me included. Some of you may be saying…I’m not ready yet, I’m not good enough, I don’t know enough and it’s hard to start.

Let’s break this down using some quotes by Zig Zigler. It doesn’t matter what your goal is. It could be growing your business, improving your key relationships, getting healthier or building your wealth.

The first quote.

1.You don't have to be great but you have to start to be great.

If we wait until everything is perfect to start, we may never begin. We may be setting ourselves up for failure. I’ve watched entrepreneurs wait until they can completely understand the nuances of a targeted market before theystart any marketing. I’ve watched clients gather data and information about leads for hours before picking up the phone and having a conversation with the prospective client.

Take action, no matter how small, and the results will follow.

Listen in for some great quotes and insights to being GREAT.

Welcome my friends to this week’s episode of Motivational Moments with Maria. I am your host loving and crazy Coach Maria. Oh, my friends, it feels so good to be healthy again.

It’s always my intent to bring you some inspiration and thoughts on personal development. I want YOU to create more fun, joy and productivity in all areas of your life

As I listen to so many of you burning the candle at both ends I want you to STOP for a minute…or two. Stop and give yourself some grace for all that you do.

This week I want to focus on how to use PLAY to get healthier.

Yes, I said Play. So many of you are just too damn serious. Have you ever really listened to my tag line which simply says, stay focused, stay positive, and ALWAYS have fun. I make it a point to have fun no matter where I am or what I am doing.

Will life throw wrenches and rocks at us? Of course. Here is what I know…the more play time you give yourself, the happier you are.

Studies have shown that energizing play helps the body stay strong, lean, and fit.

Listen in on the value of PLAY.

Top of the morning to you my friends.

Welcome my friends to this week’s episode of Motivational Moments with Maria. I am your Host, Lucky and Crazy Coach Maria.

How many of you have heard the saying, you have the “The luck of the Irish. Do you know how that phrase came about? The origins of the ‘luck of the Irish’ saying can be traced back to the late 1800’s in America during the gold and silver rush. At that time, Irish and Irish Americans were some of the most successful miners to prosper and that is how the saying came to be.

Let’s dive deeper into that. Was is really luck or was it, hard work, perseverance and persistence?

Luck my friends is simply preparation meeting opportunity. And these “LUCKY PEOPLE” were willing to work harder and longer than others to achieve their dreams of a better life for their families.

I want you to consider how this conversation plays into your daily life.

Are you lucky, persistent and dogged in order to build a better life for yourself and your family? And can we create our own luck? Believe it or not, we can influence our “luck” and reach our pot of gold.

Your pot of gold is not necessarily gold coins, jewelry, money or material things as portrayed and written about in so many tales. What does the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow really mean? It is different for everyone. For me it is the freedom to work from anywhere, anytime and to empower and serve others to become their best selves, whatever that may be. So, in reality my friends, my pot of gold is all of you! Thank you.

Listen in and as always,

Stay focused, stay positive and have fun.

Here is your question of the week.

Have you ever suffered from IMPOSTER SYNDROME?

Yes? Then you are in the right place as I share some insights on Imposter Syndrome and some tips to overcome that feeling.

First we need to define what Imposter Syndrome is. According to Webster’s Dictionary, imposter syndrome is Your persistent inability to believe that one's success is deserved or has been legitimately achieved as a result of your own efforts or skills.

Simply put, imposter syndrome is the experience of feeling like a phony—you feel as though at any moment you are going to be found out as a fraud—like you don't belong where you are, and you only got there through dumb luck. I am sure once or twice in your life you may have given this a thought. Am I real or am I an imposter?

Don’t fret my friends…..you are not alone.

Join me for some insights on Imposter Syndrome.

In today's podcast episode, I want to empower, inspire, and motivate you to prioritize your well-being and discover the remarkable transformation that comes with embracing self-care. Now more than ever, we need to take care of ourselves, our mind, body, and soul. So, let's dive in and learn how to thrive this February.

First, we must understand self-care.
It involves finding ways to meet our physical, emotional, and mental needs in a healthy and positive way. It's essential to recognize that self-care is not a selfish act, and it is not a luxury. When we invest in ourselves, we become better versions of ourselves, and that positively affects those around us, including co-workers, family, friends, and other social circles. So, let’s change the narrative around self-care and embrace it as a crucial aspect of our well-being.

Self-care is not selfish; it’s necessary.

Listen in for some ideas on self-care.

Stay focused, stay positive, and always have fun.

Today, we are diving deep into a topic that affects our well-being and the well-being of those around us: I call them the devils in our life.

They are judgment, comparison, and gossip. These three little devils can creep into our lives and wreak havoc on our happiness and our relationships.

But fear not, for we hold the power to rise above these destructive behaviors and create a more compassionate and supportive world. As an experienced transformation coach, I've witnessed the negative impact of judgment, comparison, and gossip firsthand. And let me tell you, it isn't pretty.

In today's episode, we'll explore the effects that judgment, comparison, and gossip have on our own well-being and the well-being of others. We'll uncover how these sneaky devils can chip away at our self-esteem, erode trust, and create a toxic environment.

But remember, with awareness comes opportunity for change.

To help guide your journey, I'll be sharing some practical tips and techniques to control your own judgments, embrace your unique path, and gracefully deflect gossip when it comes knocking at your door. Remember, it's not about being perfect, but about progress and growth.

Listen in and as always, stay focused, stay positive and have fun.

Meet Karol V. Brown. Karol is the author of two books, The first book was, “30 Lessons in Love, Leadership, and Legacy from Harriet Tubman”, which presented 30 lessons that taught readers about the character and strengths that Karol feels Harriet Tubman shows in her life stories.

Karol says, “Harriet Tubman’s stories demonstrate her leadership traits like brilliant communication skills, teamwork, and compassionate servant-leadership. She believes we all need Sheroes!

Karol’s second book, “The Harriet Tubman Way, An Inspirational Guide to Self-Love, Empowerment and Legendary Leadership for Girls”, includes lessons in self-love and empowerment as well as guidance on being a servant-leader.

An actor and storyteller, Karol started portraying Harriet Tubman, sharing the journey of her life. She has shared Harriet Tubman’s stories as a jovial endearing elderly Aunt Harriet in schools, libraries, on stages, and in other locations.

Karol Brown's infectious energy and genuine care for her audience will inspire you every step of the way. By sharing her own triumphs over adversity, she fuels your belief in your own capacity for growth and change. Fuel your spirit, awaken your voice, and embark on a communication revolution that will leave you empowered, enlightened, and ready to seize new opportunities.

Stay focused, stay positive and always have fun.

Can you feel the excitement in the air? It's a brand-new year, a clean slate full of endless possibilities just waiting for you to seize them! Today, I want to equip you with the tools and mindset necessary to make this year your best yet.

Well wait a minute. It’s already mid-January and based on the conversations I have had, some of you are still just waking up and realizing it’s a New Year. So, my friends I am going to be doing a lot of repeating in this episode but with a different tone than last week.

The messages always remain the same. Perhaps you just need to hear it a little differently. Studies have demonstrated that we need to hear things 8 times before it sinks in. I promise I won’t do that.

Before we dive in, take a moment to envision your dream life. What does success mean to you? What do you truly desire? Close your eyes and let that vision come to life.

Now, let's make that vision a reality!

Step 1: Cultivate Clarity

Clarity is like a lighthouse guiding your ship through stormy seas. It's crucial to know where you want to go before charting your course. Take some time to reflect on your values, passions, and goals. What truly matters to you? What ignites your soul?

Here are a few questions to think about as you gain clarity.

What do you absolutely feel certain about in your life right now?
What do you value most in life right now?
Do you feel clear about who you are and what’s important?
Here’s my favorite question. If I asked you to mentor someone, what would you say to them on how you became successful?

Here's a tip: Journaling can be a powerful tool for gaining clarity. Write down the answers to the questions, jot down your dreams, aspirations, and what success looks like to you. Don't hold back, my friend. Dream big and let your imagination soar!

Step 2: Define Your Purpose

Once you have clarity, it's time to uncover your purpose. Your purpose is your North Star, the driving force behind everything you do. It's the reason you wake up each morning, filled with enthusiasm and determination.

To discover your purpose, ask yourself: What brings me joy? What am I passionate about? How can I make a difference in the lives of others? Remember, your purpose doesn't have to be grandiose. Even the smallest acts of kindness can have a profound impact.

Here's an example of mine...

Listen in to this week’s podcast for more insights on clarity.

Stay focused, stay positive and always have fun.

I believe in the power of personal development and must constantly challenge and renew my energy and commitment to my clients and myself. This podcast helps me be better to serve you. Thank you.

The New Year is here and some of you may just be wiping away the sleepiness of the last few weeks.

Some of you may just be coming out of hibernation and discovered, wow, it’s a New Year.

Welcome to a brand-new year, a fresh start filled with infinite possibilities. As we bid farewell to the challenges of the past, it's time to harness the power of our ambitions and desires to create a year that defies all expectations.

This is the year where you can transform your dreams into reality, supercharging your personal and professional growth. Are you ready to unleash your full potential and make this year your most extraordinary yet?

Look no further, for this podcast may be your guiding light, providing you with action items to embark on a journey of self-discovery and achievement.

Reflect on the Past and Visualize Your Future:

Before we dive into the action items, take a moment to reflect on the lessons and experiences of the previous year. Celebrate your achievements, no matter how big or small, and identify the areas where you wish to grow. What are your deepest desires and aspirations for the upcoming year?

This is where it all begins. Write them down, visualize them in vivid detail, and believe in their eventual manifestation. Many of you think that you can’t visualize and let me explain how easy it is. IF you can daydream, you can visualize. Right now, think of your car. Can you see it clearly? Visualization is just more structured and direct whereas daydreaming is casual and random.

Action Item: Set aside uninterrupted time for reflection. Write down your achievements from the past year and craft a compelling vision for your future. Visualize the person you want to become and the goals you desire to achieve. Where are you? Who are you with? What are you doing?

Listen in for some more thoughts on embracing your amibitons.

Stay focused, stay positive and always have fun.

Welcome to a new year. 2024 is here and The New Year brings a fresh start for everyone. We declare all these resolutions, we hit the reset button on our life, our relationships, and our careers. And that’s a good thing because it’s time.
It’s time to get your swagger back, and I don’t mean that in a negative way. Swagger is simply the way you present yourself to the world. It’s the way you handle a situation. It can be demonstrated in how you walk, talk, dress and present. Swagger is the ability to manifest who you really are and hold on to it in the face of all the psychological crap that’s going on around you. You have one face, one truth, one heart, and you show up with it no matter where you are, no matter who you’re with, and no matter what’s happening around you.”

So, go get your swagger back so you can soar in 2024.

Listen in for some questions to ponder as you embark on the New Year.

As always, stay focused, stay positive, and have fun.

This has been a roller coaster week of laughter and tears. The good news is that the tears were joyful ones of celebration. I released my first book, "Put Your Big Girl Panties On" with a virtual book launch and quite honestly, I lost it. The emotions were pent up inside and I just had to let them go!

Have you ever wanted to do something and stopped yourself? I did too. But not this time. This time I carried through with the commitment I made to myself.

It’s just like doing this weekly podcast. I have been doing it for several years and it does require commitment and consistency and courage to show up every week for you.

I want you to live a fully vibrant, energetic, and joyful life.

Your comments and ideas fill my tank and allow me to keep on rolling down the highway of personal growth and development and picking up some hitchhikers on the way.

I truly believe in the power of personal development and must constantly challenge and renew my energy and commitment to my clients and myself. I have to stay in warrior mode.

So here we are at the end of another glorious year. Some of you think I am off my rocker. What was glorious about it? Well, just about everything. We woke up on the right side of the sod, we delved into challenging ourselves to be better every day, we were a role model for others. We did our first video on social media. We had excellent business results. We rolled out a new marketing plan. We attended training to better ourselves and most of all, we loved deeply and encouraged others to be better every day.

Reflect on the year and the lessons you learned and before we move into 2024 I want you to declutter your mind and I am going to give you a little exercise to do that.

I want you to take out a piece of paper and a pen and answer the following questions honestly.

When was the last time you decluttered your kitchen cabinets?
Do you regularly wear all the clothes in your closet and dressers?
Can you find the screwdriver and hammer in your garage?
Did you take the 1 week (or longer) old empty Starbucks cup out of the car?
Did you take the week-old empty juice boxes out of the car?
Are you in a rut and bored with certain aspects of your life?

No music this week, no intro, no outro. It's a quiet moment with Coach Maria reflecting on the past few years. My voice is gravelly, my nose is stuffed (coffee hasn't kicked in yet).

It's an early morning and I just took time today to really reflect on the past few years and to ask you...what's holding you back? Is it judgement, fear of rejection, or some limiting belief.

What's next for you? We are at the end of 2023. Let's build something great for you in 2024.

Stay focused, stay positive and always have fun.

Coach Maria

I believe in the power of personal development and must constantly challenge and renew my energy and commitment to my clients and myself.

December is almost upon us. Thanksgiving has passed and as we move into December I ask you this…have you looked back on the year of 2023, and said WOW...look at all I accomplished this year.

Did you take time to congratulate and celebrate your successes...even if they were small wins such as learning how to use Artificial Intelligence or Facetime Live? Or maybe it was learning how to cook for yourself.

We must celebrate more. It’s not about achieving the big hairy audacious goal…it’s about taking steps every day to move towards the target. It’s about experiencing the journey and loving the journey.

What’s next for YOU? What ambitions do you have for yourself going into 2024? It’s time to regain that zest and love for your job, career, family and fun.

What do you BELIEVE is possible? We are at the end of 2023 my friends… the end of the another year…What do YOU BELIEVE is possible for you, your career and your family.

It’s time..time to reimagine and take control of your life’s ambitions. It’s time for you to believe that anything is possible. Am I repeating myself……Of course.

And why?

Because many of you have limiting beliefs that are still holding you back. It’s time to crush them and create new ones.

Stay focused, stay positive, and always have fun.

Everyone has a purpose, and my purpose is to provide you with the tools and inspiration you need to stay focused, energetic, disciplined, enthusiastic, and positive. My goal is to empower you to experience boundless excitement, fulfillment, and joy in every area of your life. I want you to wake up each day with the knowledge that you have shown up as your best self, regardless of the challenges that may come your way. And believe me when I say, there have been many lately.

I was having a conversation with a friend of mine last week, and she posed these questions:

Why do people take so long and think that others should solve their problems? Why is it so hard to light a fire under someone’s ass? When and how do you light a fire under someone’s ass without appearing to be a jerk?

You probably have guessed by now that it was a great discussion.

It all begins with your brain. Listen in so you better understand this concept.

Stay focused, stay positive and always have fun.

Whenever I sit down to write the outline for my podcast, I think of YOU. If I can make a positive impact on your life, it keeps me going. I anticipate someone listening in and saying… thanks for reminding me. It’s my intention to keep you just a little more focused, energetic, disciplined, inspired, and positive I want you to experience more excitement, fulfillment, fun and joy in all areas of your life. The human desires we all have call for it.

So my friends, thank you for helping me stay more energetic, PASSIONATE and obsessed ABOUT MY WORK. I appreciate you and all the comments you send.

It’s the last day of October so one final reminder: it is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Please, oh please, check yourself or get yourself squished.

So, my friends, let’s get on with today’s episode.

Have you ever witnessed a train setting off on its journey?

You look at this massive amount of steel and think to yourself…how can this thing move? You can hear the hiss of the steam as it builds up, reaching the pistons and slowly but surely, the wheels begin to turn, and you witness in awe as this massive machine starts rolling down the tracks. As the train, rolls down the track building speed, it gets stronger, more powerful, and builds momentum.

You cannot easily stop it. It can plow through a concrete wall and keep on going once it has built up its’ momentum.

Welcome, my friends, to another captivating episode of Motivational Moments with Maria. I'm Crazy Coach Maria, and words cannot express the immense thrill and honor I feel knowing that you have chosen to tune in. Your feedback and suggestions have meant the world to me, and I encourage you to continue sharing them. Together, we are on an incredible journey of personal growth and transformation.

It’s still October and that means it is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Please, oh please, get yourself checked.

Oh, by the way every day in October I wear PINK to continue to bring awareness. So, go on and check yourself. To all you guys...encourage the women in your life to check in!

Let's start with a question or two: How many of you love to dance? Do you even like to dance? What about music? Do you like to listen to music?

This past weekend I attended my nephew’s wedding and of course I danced my heart out and I thought about today’s subject. The dance analogy is so perfect.

Have you ever gone dancing and were a little reluctant to get up and do your thing to the music? When you first get up to dance you may feel a little awkward and it takes a little bit of time to get with the rhythm of the music. Pretty soon you find yourself feeling the music, warming up to the dance and fully immersed in your activity. You are now in the flow of the song and your body is in concert with the music. When the next song starts up you are already in momentum and feeling the groove, and may step it up a notch. That’s when your cool moves begin to show up.

As the music further penetrates your soul you lose yourself in the rhythm and flow of the dance. Time stands stills and when the song is over, you feel energized, and in some cases totally spent. The movements are so easy and natural.

You feel GREAT! You are in your natural rhythm and flow.

Yes, you can have what you truly desire and change your life. It was not always this way for Zehra Mahoon. She has focused her time, energy and passion on creating an abundant life.

Listen in as she shares her story and how she has manifested her life by design using the tools and techniques from her Law of Attraction research and studies.

As always, stay focused, stay positive and have fun.

Welcome, my friends, to another captivating episode of Motivational Moments with Maria. I'm Crazy Coach Maria, and words cannot express the immense thrill and honor I feel knowing that you have chosen to tune in. Your feedback and suggestions have meant the world to me, and I encourage you to continue sharing them. Together, we are on an incredible journey of personal growth and transformation.

Everyone has a purpose, and my purpose t is to provide you with the tools and inspiration you need to stay focused, energetic, disciplined, enthusiastic, and positive.

My goal is to empower you to experience boundless excitement, fulfillment, and joy in every area of your life. I want you to wake up each day with the knowledge that you have shown up as your best self, regardless of the challenges that may come your way.

Moreover, this podcast fuels my own energy, enthusiasm, and passion for the work I do. It is a constant reminder of the profound impact we can have on each other's lives as we embark on this journey of personal growth together.

Here is you question this week. What do you do to decompress? Many of you have asked me how I decompress after a long day of work. Today I will share 8 ideas on how you can decompress.

We all have a lot of chaos going on. You may have children running around the house all day, slinging diapers and toys around, you may have a high-powered stressful job that requires your full attention, or you may be a caretaker. It seems like every time we turn around, there is something to do.

While decompressing may not fix your daily stresses, it can help you from becoming frustrated and angry at life. By making time to release this negative energy, you're contributing to a healthier mind and body.

Listen in for some ideas.

Stay focused, stay positive and always have fun.

Welcome, my friends, to another captivating episode of Motivational Moments with Maria. I'm Crazy Coach Maria, and words cannot express the immense thrill and honor I feel knowing that you have chosen to tune in. Your feedback and suggestions have meant the world to me, and I encourage you to continue sharing them. Together, we are on an incredible journey of personal growth and transformation.

The purpose of this podcast is to provide you with the tools and inspiration you need to stay focused, energetic, disciplined, enthusiastic, and positive. My goal is to empower you to experience boundless excitement, fulfillment, and joy in every area of your life. I want you to wake up each day with the knowledge that you have shown up as your best self, regardless of the challenges that may come your way.

Moreover, this podcast fuels my own energy, enthusiasm, and unwavering passion for the work I do. It is a constant reminder of the profound impact we can have on each other's lives as we embark on this journey of personal growth together.

In today's episode, we dive into the realm of deepening your most important relationships. It is a dedication to the person who lifts my spirits, believes in me wholeheartedly, and constantly inspires my own personal growth. He is the wind beneath my wings.

Listen in and create your own tribute to your partner.

Stay focused, stay positive, and always have fun.

My goal with this podcast is to help you stay more focused, energetic, disciplined, enthusiastic, and positive so YOU can experience more excitement, fulfillment, and joy in all areas of your life.

My desire is that you live each day to the fullest and know that your best self-showed up…no matter what.

It also helps me stay more energetic, enthusiastic passionate, and obsessed about my work.

Today I am going to give you some work to do so maybe take some notes. Grab a pen or pencil if you can or come back to this later.

Personal growth is about knowing who we are, what brings us joy in our life and how we can introduce even more happiness. Call me an optimist, call me Mary Poppins, call me Pollyanna, call me whatever you choose but know this. THIS IS ME. I am the cheerleader, I am the encourager, I am the one who sees the positive, I am a believer, and yes, I am also a realist. I own my identity and don’t try to be something I am not. I have had enough people in my life telling me to shut up, to calm down and I so got over that years ago.

I have learned a lot of lessons over the years, made plenty of mistakes, and every year I realize how important is to continue to be yourself, do what makes you smile, and live your life with zest. Research proves that those with a sunny disposition and optimistic attitude live 15% longer in life. That's another decade my friends.

So here is the question for you.

How do you live your life? How much zest do you truly have in your life.

The VIA Institute on character defines ZEST this way:

Zest means approaching a situation, or life in general, with excitement and energy, not approaching tasks or activities halfway or halfheartedly. People who are high in zest are excited to get up in the morning, and they live their lives like an adventure. Zest is a dynamic strength that is directly related to physical and psychological wellness. This strength has the strongest ties to overall life satisfaction and a life of engagement.

Here is the question of the week. Have you ever been stuck? Do you find yourself ever getting stuck? Those moments when you can’t seem to go forward or backwards.

When I was a kid – ok that’s a long time ago…I was stuck in the mud in my rain boots up to my knees. I could not move. I couldn’t have been more than 7 or 8 and my brother had to rescue me. I was stuck and could not move forward or backwards.

My boots are probably sitting there at the bottom of the reservoir that was being built. I was STUCK! I may have been in a lot of trouble for losing those boots.

That’s a simple description of being stuck, but have you ever felt like you are on a merry go round and can’t seem to jump off. You have a sense of stuckness and are afraid to make the leap off that merry go round.

It seems as though you keep repeating the same things over and over and the same scenery keeps showing up.

Why is that and where does this stuckness come from? I am sure you have had plenty of conversations with yourself about this. I know I have.

It comes from our OLD CONDITIONING…what’s happened is we have created these deep mental grooves in our brain and our mind is conditioned to stay in DEFAULT MODE. The brain searches those grooves and voila, I know what I am supposed to do and then executes.

Now, default mode can be good because our brain shoots into default mode for most activities in life such as eating, driving, brushing your teeth, and all the normal routines of life.

However, DEFAULT MODE also keeps you stuck in the past because Your brain is trying to protect you at all times. It does not want to let go of our stubborn beliefs and habits.

Listen in for some ideas on how to stretch and get out of stuckness.

Stay focused, stay positive and always have fun.

Hello my friends and welcome to Motivational Moments with Maria. I’m Crazy Coach Maria and thrilled to be here with you.

Have you ever had a day where you felt like you didn't accomplish anything? Do you find yourself getting bogged down by the daily details and distractions of life? Then you get all upset that you didn’t accomplish what you set out to do.

Guess what? You are not alone. As much as we may want to be high performers who consistently hit our goals, the truth is that everyone faces setbacks and distractions, and I am right there with you.

One of the biggest challenges of productivity is staying on track. It's easy to have a set schedule and a clear set of goals, but sticking to them can be difficult. We're constantly faced with things that divert our attention, whether it's a random phone call or a co-worker asking for help on a project. I call those the “got a minute” distractions.

Many of us, including me, go into overwhelm when you start letting your brain think of all the things you have to or want to get done. How do we get more done. Well, the first thing I would like you to consider is identifying the enemies of getting things done NOW. There are 3 most common enemies.

Listen in.

I am speaking to you again from the beautiful Island of Hawaii. I believe we all need some down time to re-charge and re-juvenate and I make it a point that every 3 months I take some time to do it. Do You?

The pace of life in Hawaii is much more relaxed and I really appreciate the Hawaiian culture, values and spirit. This is my happy place because the aloha spirit is everywhere. I decided to do some further research on the Hawaiian value system and to ask you the following question.

What do you truly value and when was the last time you sat down and wrote down your values; what you truly appreciate in your life. Our lives are busy, and many times we simply go through the motions to get through the day.

I have been somewhat challenged this week as I have been taking care of my 3 youngest grandchildren for 9 days on my own and what I appreciate is the smiles and laughter and innocence they have.

I have had to stop, be fully present and get into a rhythm and flow with the grandkids and remind myself of my own personal values.

Our values provide direction and core values are our fundamental beliefs.

Here on the islands, he Hawaiian value system determines priorities, guides their interactions with others, establishes their behavior and is centered around the Hawaiian culture and traditions.

On today’s episode I am going to share some Hawaiian words and define them for you. These may be something to consider for your own life.

We are all familiar with the word aloha which is used by islanders and visitors alike.

**Here are the Hawaiian values, some you are familiar with and others you may not have heard.

Listen in.**

ALOHA and Welcome my friends to another episode of Motivational Moments with Maria. I’m your host, energetic, loving and High-Performance Coach Maria. I am honored that you are listening in today. I believe every day is an incredible day to learn and grow. I wake up every morning and say thank you to all the gods and spirits of the world for letting me wake up on the right side of the sod.

I am fired up today so sorry if I am more energetic than normal. I am surrounded by those I love on this beautiful island.

I am speaking to you today from the beautiful Island of Hawaii…..also known as the Big Island. As I was sitting on the lanai watching the palm trees swaying and listening to the geckos and birds chirping I said to myself…..I am so grateful to the have the freedom to be here. That prompted me to reflect even more on what our freedom is worth and what it means to me.

So, here it comes… yes, the question of the week.

How much is your freedom worth and what does freedom mean to you? Here in the US we are celebrating our country’s Independence Day, and I thought this might be a great topic to discuss our own personal freedom and what that means to you. How much is your personal independence worth? What are you willing to sacrifice or do to have more freedom and the time to allow your creative expression to emerge and do the things you truly enjoy?

Join me for some thoughts on declaring your own independence.

Stay focused, stay positive and always have fun.

Coach Maria

It’s always my intention to give you some thoughts as we continue on our personal growth and personal development journeys. My hope is that you discover more about yourself, what makes you happy and how to have more joy in your life.

Recently one of my clients expressed some dissatisfaction with her work environment and said she was feeling “burnt out.” She said, “I can’t do this anymore.”

This caught my attention and I had to do some further research on this one. Have you ever experienced workplace burnout? I would not be surprised if you said yes. I know throughout my career I have experienced some level of burnout. As a matter of fact I even remember myself saying, “I can’t do this anymore.” And so, I didn't. I walked away. What I learned through this burnout set me up for a new chapter in my life. I also learned with with the right skills and knowledge, you can get through burnout and avoid it.

This burnout doesn’t always appear in the workplace. You may be experiencing burnout at home, taking care of a sick family member or raising children alone or simply stressing out with the daily tasks of running a household.

The World Health Organizations defines burnout as an occupational phenomenon resulting from chronic workplace stress and who hasn’t felt some sort of stress that has NOT been managed?

Listen in for tips on avoiding burnout.

Stay focused, stay positive and always have fun.

It’s always my intention to give you some thoughts as we continue on our personal growth and personal development journeys. My hope is that you discover more about yourself, what makes you happy and how to have more joy in your life.

Let’s begin today with a question. What are your own unique strengths? Are you aware of them and do you use them?

Today I want to take on Embracing Your Unique Strengths and using your unique strengths to achieve your goals and desires while enjoying a fulfilling and joyful life. Let’s explore how embracing your individual strengths can help you live a more purposeful and satisfying life.

Your character strengths are the positive parts of your personality that make you feel energized and engaged. And, when we are energized and engaged, we are willing to take on more. some days, even when your work is done, you are still energized. You have tapped into your strengths.

But first, we must go on a treasure hunt. We must seek out and know what our unique strengths are. Research shows that individuals who know and use their strengths a lot are 18 times more likely to be flourishing. Each of us has unique talents and abilities that make us stand out from a crowd. You could be a great communicator, a great problem solver or are highly creative.

Stay focused, stay positive and always have fun.

It’s always my intention to give you some thoughts as we continue on our own personal growth and personal development journeys. My hope is that you discover more about yourself, what makes you happy and how to have more joy in your life.

I know that it can be difficult to stay focused on your goals when the chaos of the world is working against you.

Here is what happens: you get some bad news, or someone doesn’t respond to you as quickly as you would like and you begin to question yourself, your skill level, and your capabilities. The ants start creeping up…yes the automatic negative thoughts and you begin to lose your edge,... that thing that separates you from mediocrity.

Listen up my friends, you and I are no different than all high performers. We all have dreams, big or small and sometimes it feels like we’ve been spinning our wheels lately. We put out the important fires and it can be difficult to focus on the future when you feel like your day-to-day is out of control. You don’t need a new plan; you need to regain your edge by focusing on what's important and being persistent in taking action.

Your unique edge is when you are physically and mentally challenged but you are balanced and at ease. Nothing seems to stop you. Your edge is about exploring your limits and stepping in to your own power.

Every week my messages are delivered to help you stay just a little more focused, disciplined, inspired, and positive so YOU can create more excitement, fulfillment, and joy in all areas of your life. There is a ton of chaos and stress in our lives and we sometimes need a reminder to appreciate more and stay the course.

I really believe we all need someone cheering us on and encouraging us to be better each and every day.

This week’s session is a little different, and it begins with a question.

How do YOU react when you lose a friend, a colleague, a relative or someone you admire? Today is a fitting day because it is Memorial Day. It’s a day that we honor our fallen heroes, those that served our country and made the biggest sacrifice, allowing us to enjoy the freedom we have.

We remember those who gave their lives in defense of our freedom, our values, and our way of life.

We are forever indebted to these heroes and their families, who have sacrificed so much for our nation. Their courage, dedication, and selflessness will never be forgotten, and their legacy will continue to inspire us for generations to come.

We also lost a legend this week.

Join me as I pay tribute to those who served and a woman who inspired me.

Every week my messages are delivered to help you stay just a little more focused, disciplined, inspired, and positive so YOU can create more excitement, fulfillment, and joy in all areas of your life. There is a ton of chaos and stress in our lives and we sometimes need a reminder to appreciate more and stay the course.

I really believe we all need someone cheering us on and encouraging us to be better each and every day.

This week’s session is a little different, and it begins with a question.

How do YOU react when you lose a friend, a colleague, a relative or someone you admire? Today is a fitting day because it is Memorial Day. It’s a day that we honor our fallen heroes, those that served our country and made the biggest sacrifice, allowing us to enjoy the freedom we have.

We remember those who gave their lives in defense of our freedom, our values, and our way of life.

We are forever indebted to these heroes and their families, who have sacrificed so much for our nation. Their courage, dedication, and selflessness will never be forgotten, and their legacy will continue to inspire us for generations to come.

We also lost a legend this week.

Join me as I pay tribute to those who served and a woman who inspired me.

Several of you asked me what I mean by high performance coaching. Permit me the opportunity to explain. In my world of coaching high performers, we focus on developing a growth mindset, maintaining good habits, great relationships, and how to maintain focus and discipline and more. Coaching to high performance is a process that leads you to discovery, decision making, improving performance and overall better living. When these are in alignment, the overall satisfaction with life increases.

It truly all begins with your mindset. So here comes the question of the week. Do you have a magical growth mindset or a fixed mindset? Now some of you are probably saying, I am sick and tired of hearing about this mindset issue but let me tell you my friends, everything begins here.

What the heck is mindset and how does it impact you?

Can your mindsets change?

Well first we must look at the definition of mindset…

I went to the experts… Webster’s dictionary to get the definition. According to Webster, Mindset is a mental attitude of inclination. Mindsets help us understand how a person approaches problem solving and overcoming challenges.

Think of them as your basic instinct and your survival mechanism.

According to Stanford psychologist Carol Dweck – “what you believe about yourself plays a pivotal role in what you want and whether or not you achieve it. She has done the pioneering work on how our mindset predicts our potential, particularly when it comes to success and failure.

Her research has also shown that those with a growth mindset are more resilient, less easily discouraged and persevere longer and harder than those with a fixed mindset.

Join me as I share some insights on developing a magical growth mindset.

Mother's Day is more than once a Year.

Why is it that we only celebrate the most important woman in our life only one day a year?

Today I am going to challenge you to honor this person throughout the year. It's not one and done and then you don't have to worry about it for the rest of the year.

Someone that has had such an impact on your life deserves to b honored more than once a year.

Listen in for my short message today and as always, stay focused, stay positive and have fun.

The topic we are taking on today is self-reliance.

If you're like me, you've probably heard the phrase "self-reliance" before. But what does it mean? You are probably asking yourself, what does it have to do with me?

Well, I'm glad you asked! Let's talk about the meaning of self-reliance and how it can help you live a more meaningful and better life.

Merriam Webster defines self-reliance simply as “reliance on one’s own efforts and abilities. But it’s really so much more than that.

Self-reliance is just the idea that an individual can be their own source of strength. It's not about relying on others for help or support—it's about knowing that you have everything inside of you to do whatever needs to be done. Now I am not saying you isolate yourself from others but what I am saying is that you truly do have everything you need within yourself to achieve your desires.

In 1848 the great philosopher Ralph Waldo Emerson published an essay entitled Self-Reliance. It contains Emerson’s beliefs and perspectives on how society negatively impacts our growth. He argues strongly that self-reliance, self-trust, and individualism, amongst other things, are ways that we can avoid the conformity imposed upon us. Or, he also argues, that we quite frequently impose upon ourselves. Yes, we do that a lot to ourselves. You know it and I know it.

Listen in for some thoughts and ideas on how to increase your healthy self-reliance concepts.

As always, stay focused, stay positive and have fun.

Hello my friends and welcome to Motivational Moments with Maria.

Thank you so much for reaching out. Yes, I am OK. Yes, I was absent for a few weeks and yes, I’m back. I took a much-needed break to re-calibrate and re-set. I am back with a new level of energy and commitment to deliver some thoughts and ideas on our continued journey of personal development and growth.

I truly was doing some personal development work on myself and then took a family vacation. It was wonderful. We all need to hit the re-set button now and then.

Today’s topic seems to be a popular subject that so many of us struggle with. It’s about eliminating the ANTS in your life. These ANTS can derail your success.

Have you ever been to a picnic and watched as an army of ants take over a piece of melon or for that matter any piece of food that is available? The ANTS come marching in and start eating away at the melon until all that is left is the rind of melon.

Now imagine that piece of melon being attacked by the ANTS is your mind. The army of ANTS attacking your mind has the same power. Just like the army of ants can destroy a picnic, the ANTS in your mind can eat you up and paralyze you with fear and more.

Listen in on how to combat the ANTS.

Stay focused, stay positive and always have fun.

Every week my hope is that I deliver some thoughts and ideas to help you stay more focused, energetic, disciplined, inspired, and positive so YOU can experience more excitement, happiness and fulfillment in all areas of your life.

Today we are going to take on the topic of intention. It’s a word used by many high performers and in the personal development and space and there is a reason.

Positive intention is a powerful tool for manifesting your dreams.

It's not about being positive in the sense of being happy all the time—it's about finding out what you want, and then asking for it, with intention.

For example: imagine you're working on a project and having trouble getting it done. You could just keep working on it, but that might not be enough to get you where you want to go. You are stuck. Try this: step away for a moment. Then hover over your project and ask the project what it needs to get to completion. You may find out that what you really need are more resources or an opportunity to talk with someone who can help you get over an obstacle. Or try this, ask yourself what you want your project to look like when it's done. This simple act can help guide your decisions about how best to move forward with it. You might find that as soon as you ask yourself this question, all sorts of ideas come flooding in!

Let's be intentional.

Welcome to another episode of Motivational Moments with Maria. I’m your host Coach Maria and I am honored that you are listening in. I appreciate all the feedback and suggestions so keep them coming.

This podcast is to help you stay more focused, energetic, disciplined, inspired, and positive so YOU can experience more excitement, happiness and fulfillment in all areas of your life.

I like to ask questions to make you think and reflect. So, here we go.

Have you ever had one of those days where you just rocked it?

You know that day when you woke up, followed your morning routine, did your workout and then just got so much done, either professionally or personally?

Then At the end of the day when you reflected and did your wrap up for the day, you smiled and said…….man that was awesome. I totally crushed the day!

What happened and what did I just do?

How do I get more of these days in my week?

I will tell you…… You had a tremendous amount of the following DISCIPLINE.

Listen in to understand the Power of Discipline.

Welcome my friends to this week’s episode of Motivational Moments with Maria. I’m your host Crazy Coach Maria and am thrilled you are listening in. My intention every week is give you some food for thought and some tools to increase the joy, and fulfillment in your life.

Has anyone every accused you of being stubborn? Well, maybe. But is stubbornness a bad thing? Not necessarily. Change your thinking and you change your world my friends. Stubbornness is a sign of tenacity.

Three years ago I made two huge decisions that have transformed my life. I was dogged and stubborn with a purpose. I had a good job, yet I was not feeling completely fulfilled so I dug my heals in and said…it’s time…time for a change that will reignite my life’s purpose. Many said, don’t do it, you will regret the decision. Some said, you will fail. I was stubborn in my pursuit, and I quit the job, started my new coaching practice and am the happiest I have ever been. You see I wanted to impact more people in achieving their dreams and not be limited to an 8-5. I wrote down my goals with the end in mind.

So today is a big day and I am celebrating. I am celebrating 3 years of weekly podcasting. That’s a lot of episodes. That’s a lot of stubbornness. That’s a lot of consistency and I like to define stubbornness with another word – I call it stick-to-itiveness and I am certain you have heard me use that term before.

Stubbornness makes us persevere. It helps us stand our ground when everyone else is trying to tell us that we are wrong. Used with good judgement, stubbornness can be a strong leadership quality and a key determinant of success. Because stubborn people know what they want, they tend to be more decisive.

Listen in for some insights on stubbornness.

In this final week of self-love month, I hope you recognized how important you are and treated yourself even more lovingly this month. Sometimes we need to be reminded that self-love is vital to our well-being. What special things did you do for yourself this past week?

Someone asked me the other day, why I was doing this weekly podcast, and was it worth the effort. Here is my response:

I love doing this weekly podcast and it is my intent to give you some thoughts to reflect on, tips and insights to help you move towards what you choose to have in your life. If I can help empower one person then it’s so worth the time. I also love to infuse some of my energy into you so you can lead a more productive, vibrant and joyful life.

Based on the comments and suggests I do know that you truly desire to have more joy, happiness, productivity and vibrancy in your life? RIGHT! That’s what I thought. And for those of you that are already joyous, please, please share it with others and lift them up. Everyone needs someone in their court cheering for them.

On this last week of self-love month, I really want to focus on your desires again. I am going to break it down easily.

D in desire is for your DREAM. Your Dream is a desire and are you determined and brave enough to pursue your dream? Go after your dream with a vengeance. Don’t let anyone talk you out of it. I remember people telling me I was crazy (yes, I am) for pursuing my dream of being a coach. I kept that desire at bay and I finally surrendered to my Dream. I am so glad I did.

Listen in for more insights on desiring your dream.

What Are Your Desires?

Were you good to yourself this week? What special thing did you do to appreciate YOU?

Remember, It’s the Love Yourself Month - the celebration of Self-love and romance month. Did you love yourself enough this week and did you treat yourself well? I did something special and It was spectacular.

I am going to remind you every week what self-love is:

Self-love means having a high regard for your own well-being and happiness. Self-love means taking care of your own needs and desires and not sacrificing your well-being to please others. People pleasers of the world – take a vacation!

What is it that you truly desire for your life? So many of us sometimes just settle and say, oh well these are the cards I was dealt. I believe, and it’s my belief that we have the ability to achieve that which we truly desire. And, we do that through taking small steps each day.

Let’s talk about your desires. Oh wow, here she goes giving us more definitions. Hey, it’s just another way to look at things.

Desires are simply a strong feeling of wanting to have something or wishing for something to happen and according to Professor Steven Reiss from Ohio State University, there are 16 basic human desires that guide nearly all meaningful human behavior.

Welcome to the second week of “love yourself” month on Motivational Moments with Maria. I’m your host Loving and Crazy Coach Maria!

My intent and love of doing this weekly podcast is to give you some thoughts to reflect on, some tips and ideas to help you move towards the desires you want in life. You do want more joy, happiness and vibrancy in your life? That’s what I thought.

I seem to always open with a question.

Have you been good to yourself this week? Remember, It’s the Love Yourself Month - the celebration of Self-love and romance month. Did you love yourself enough this week? Did you treat yourself well?

I am going to remind you every week what self-love is:

Self-love means having a high regard for your own well-being and happiness. Self-love means taking care of your own needs and not sacrificing your well-being to please others.

As we continue with our Self Love Focus, here are some things that you may choose to consider on ways to improve your self-love.

It’s the love month. February is the celebration of love and romance month. Some of you may say, so what, I don’t care. It’s just a made-up holiday and I don’t have a sweetie to share Valentine’s Day with. I would argue that you do! Today we are going to focus on the most important person to love, cherish, honor, and live for – you and your SELF-LOVE.

Have you settled for good enough because you think you cannot ask for more from love? Are you even open to love?

Join me on Motivational Moments with Maria for some thoughts on The Heart of True Love.

Hello, my friends and welcome to Motivational Moments with Maria. I’m your host Coach Maria and thrilled to be here with you. My intent with this weekly podcast is to bring you some thoughts and ideas to keep you on your journey to live a fully joyful, productive, and vibrant life. Just a quick note to remind you how grateful I am that you are joining in and thank you for all the feedback and comments. You inspire me to be better every day.

It's the end of the first month of the New Year. How productive have you been? How happy have you been? How much joy have you spread to others? These are questions I ask myself at the end of each day. It’s part of my daily routine.

I have received several requests and questions from my listeners about schedules and routines so guess what we will be chatting about today?

Here is what I know...Routine is the Sign of An Ambitious Individual. The actual quote by W.H. Auden is..."Routine, in an intelligent man, is the sign of ambition." I hope you don’t mind but I had to take liberty with the quote and change it up a bit!

Some people ask…why do I need a routine? Can’t I just wake up and do whatever presents itself in the morning. Of course you can. But what happens when you do that? You have no intentions; you have no plan, and you allow any distraction to take you off your game.

Listen in for the power of routines.

Hello, my friends and welcome to Motivational Moments with Maria. I’m your host Coach Maria and thrilled to be here with you. My intent with this weekly podcast is to bring you some thoughts and ideas to keep you on your journey to live a fully productive, vibrant, and joyful life. Just a quick note to remind you how grateful I am that you are joining in and thank you for all the feedback and comments. You inspire me to be better every day.

Many of you know that I love to ask questions. Questions cause you to think and today I am throwing one at you about your friendships.

Do you have friendships and relationships that you may be taking for granted and have suffered?

It's so easy to get caught up in our busy lives and forget about the importance of good relationships. We're all about the hustle, but it's important to take time for people who matter and that includes friends!

Today I want to share some ideas on how to build deep, trusting and lifelong relationships. The topic is super important because good relationships help you grow, have fun, and challenge you to be your best.

Hello, my friends and welcome to Motivational Moments with Maria. I’m your host Coach Maria and thrilled to be here with you. My intent with this weekly podcast is to bring you some thoughts and ideas to keep you on your journey to live a fully productive, vibrant, and joyful life. Just a quick note to remind you how grateful I am that you are joining in and thank you for all the feedback and comments. You inspire me to be better every day.

Today I want to share some ideas on how to be believable. I absolutely love the word BELIEVE.

Why are we talking about this? Being believable is super important when you want people to buy from you or just listen to your message. If they don't believe what you're saying or trust that it's true, they won't be able to do anything with it and will not act on anything you tell them. Whether it’s buying a product or signing up for your newsletter or going on a second date, they must know that what you are telling them is true.

If they don’t believe you or your message… they will move on.

How do we make sure you are believed? Well, there are a few different ways: using stories and statistics from real-life experiences; using visuals like graphs and charts; having an honest tone when talking about yourself or your product; and having a confident attitude about what you do and who you are.

Let's face it, people buy from the people they know, trust and believe, right? Well, if you want to get your point across, you have to be believable. If you're not, then you won't be heard.

Listen in for some tips on how to be more believable.

Hello, my friends and welcome to Motivational Moments with Maria. I’m your host Coach Maria and thrilled to be here with you. My intent with this weekly podcast is to bring you some thoughts and ideas to keep you on your journey to live a fully productive, vibrant, and joyful life.

Have you considered or chosen a word that to align you with your 2023 goals?

Today, we are talking about one simple word that you can use in 2023 to remind you what you want to focus on. This episode will be helpful whether your New Year's resolutions are still intact—and even if they're not, it's never too late to start getting back on track. It’s only the second week of the New Year. Some of you are just wiping away the sleepiness of the holiday season and now is the time to get moving.

Why is choosing a word important? Your word of the year will remind you what you want to focus on, and it will inspire you to be better. It's a great way to set goals, and it can help you achieve them

Every year in January after I have reviewed my goals, I think of one word to remind myself to show up every day as my best self, to give of my best with intention. Last year my word was commitment. And I will be honest with you, I didn’t hold true to all the commitments I made to myself. I did shoot for the moon and landed in the stars, so I felt pretty darn good.

If you already have a word of the year, this is a great opportunity to check in with yourself and see how it's working for you. It may be early in the year but starting this habit of checking in with yourself is one-way high producing individuals stay high producing individuals. They evaluate their performance and re-set as necessary. One simple word will allow you to do that.

If you keep a word top of mind, you will condition your mind to see and do things that will keep you focused on that word. A simple word can keep you on track for your achievement and reminds you what you are going after.

Listen in for some tips on selecting your word.

Welcome to the new year and another episode of Motivational Moments with Maria. I am your high-performance Coach, Maria, and I am honored that you are listening in. You continue to inspire me every day. I hope you are feeling as excited and hopeful as I am for 2023.

I took a little hiatus for a few weeks, and it was just what the doctor ordered. We all need time for rest, reflection, and rejuvenation. Even with the chaos of the holidays, I was able to take some time to do all three things. Now I am back with a renewed spirit and commitment to deliver moments of motivation, inspiration, and energy. It is always my hope that you will create more joy, fulfillment, productivity, and energy in all areas of your life. If I can impact even one of you to think, act or do something differently, then I am truly excited.

So here we are in the New Year, and we all know the New Year is the perfect time for new beginnings and a chance to start over. I know you have heard the phrase New Year, New Me. It's become something of a joke in our culture. But what if we took it literally? What if we really did start over at the beginning of every year?

You have all the tools you need to make this year amazing so let’s get after it.

We can become whatever we choose to become with the right mindset and attitude. We are all capable of greatness, no matter what our circumstances may be.

We can choose to be happy and successful. We can choose to be kinder than we've been in the past, more loving than we've ever been before. We can choose to listen rather than talk, learn rather than teach, give rather than take.

Every week it is my intention to bring you thoughts and ideas for your ongoing personal growth. My desire is that you live a joyful, productive, and inspired life and share your wisdom with others.

As the holiday season bears down on us, I am so so grateful of the abundance in my life. However, the holiday season is not a happy time for everyone. In my opinion, the holiday season kicks off during Halloween followed by the dreaded time change…the days get shorter and we experience less daylight.

As the days get shorter and all the festivities for many continue, others are feeling sad, angry, and depressed, including business owners.

Thanksgiving time is a very reflective month for me. November causes me to look back at where I have been in my life, and how much love, light and appreciation for life I have. It was Thanksgiving the first time I was diagnosed with breast cancer and I went into a funk.

I was experiencing what many experience... seasonal affective disorder (SAD) or as I call it holiday affective disorder (HAD).

Join me and my colleague Perita Adams as we share some thoughts on combatting SAD and HAD.

Maria Bradfield
Certified High Performance Coach
Realtor
760-844-2000
Maria@CoachingwithMaria.com
DRE 01519091

Every week is my intent to provide you some insights and thoughts on personal development and because we all must be growing every day. My hope is that you will experience more fulfillment, fun and joy in all areas of your life. You my friends continue to inspire me.

Are you one of those individuals who continue to doubt yourself? If I have heard it once, I have heard it hundreds of times from friends, family members, and clients.

As the great comedienne Bob Newhart said in one of his greatest comedy skits, STOP IT. Look that one up if you have never seen it.

We are our own worst enemy. Our biggest critic.

Stop the negative self-talk, stop doubting yourself. Stop worrying about what others think about you. Stop thinking you are not good enough. Stop thinking you are constantly being judged. Stop thinking you are too old, too young, not cute enough, not skinny enough.

You are a beautiful, unique and talented individual who can become whatever it is you truly desire.

Tune in for some thoughts on how to slay the self doubt.

Every week is my intent to provide you some insights and thoughts on personal development because we all must be growing every day. My hope is that you will experience more fulfillment, fun and joy in all areas of your life. You my friends continue to inspire me.

Recently, I attended a live conference in Los Angeles. Like many others across the globe, I had not been to a live event with hundreds of people in years. The pandemic changed all that. It was incredible beings surrounded by like-minded individuals who like me, love inspiring others and encouraging them to be the best they can be. We challenged each other, we grew together, and we learned how to pour more value into our clients.

I started thinking about this and the people with whom we surround ourselves. Our tribe is so important for our happiness. Our tribe inspires us, lifts us up, challenges us, and makes us think, and they encourage us to be the best that we can be. There was so much mutual respect.

Do you have these types of people in your life? Have you ever worked around with someone that you truly admired? I mean they had it all as a leader and it got me thinking about the characteristics of a good leader, manager, coach, friend, and partner. The one thing is common is mutual RESPECT.

Welcome my friends to this week’s episode of Motivational Moments with Maria. I am your host loving and crazy Coach Maria.

Happy Halloween! Yes, here in the USA we are all dressing as goblins, ghouls and whatever character our imagination stirs up. It’s been incredible watching the different costumes emerging from the adult population.

Today is the last day of October. As we say goodbye to health month, I thought I would do a quick recap of the ways we discussed how you can get healthier so we can end the year strong and start the New Year guilt free because you know you have done your absolute best to take care of your health.

Listen in for some reminders.

Stay focused, stay positive, and always have fun.

Welcome my friends to this week’s episode of Motivational Moments with Maria. I am your host loving and crazy Coach Maria. Oh, my friends, it feels so good to be healthy again.

It’s always my intent to bring you some inspiration and thoughts on personal development. I want YOU to create more fun, joy and productivity in all areas of your life.

As I listen to so many of you burning the candle at both ends I want you to STOP for a minute…or two. Stop and give yourself some grace for all that you do.

October is health month and I have shared some ideas to keep your mind and body in optimal condition. This week I want to focus on how to use PLAY to get healthier.

Yes, I said Play. So many of you are just too damn serious. Have you ever really listened to my tag line which simply says, stay focused, stay positive, and ALWAYS have fun. I make it a point to have fun no matter where I am or what I am doing.

Will life throw wrenches and rocks at us? Of course. Here is what I know….the more play time you give yourself, the happier you are.

Studies have shown that energizing play helps the body stay strong, lean, and fit.
Listen in to learn how play can make you healthier.

Welcome my friends to another episode of Motivational Moments with Maria. I’m your host, Crazy and Energetic Coach Maria. Our health is our wealth! Yes Yes,I said it again. When we feel good, we have the ability to do more and challenge ourselves more.

October is the month to re-evaluate yourself and get healthier. October November and December have historically proven to be the months where we tend to snack more,(think Halloween candy) attend more social functions (eat more) and celebrate (drink more) with friends and family. Then when the new year comes along, we are sluggish and put all these resolutions in place to compensate for our overeating and drinking. The weather turns a little cooler and many of us don’t like the cold so we avoid the daily outdoor activity we need.

Let’s reverse the trend this year. Let’s focus on reenergizing our physical and mental well being. And that’s done every day by the routines and habits we have created in our lives.

Last week I shared 3 ideas with you on how to gradually increase your energy and overall health.

Just to quickly remind you there are:

Walk outside for 15 minutes. Gradually work up to 30 minutes
Get 7-8 hours of sleep per night.
Drink your water.

Again, you don’t have to do all of them, just begin to incorporate one small change each day.

Listen in to this week's ideas on improving your health.

This week’s topic was again, inspired by one of you.

I just want to thank you again for providing feedback and suggestions. I appreciate you and I am listening.

My goal with this podcast is to share some ideas and insights I have studied and learned to help you stay more focused, energetic, inspired, and positive so YOU can experience more fulfillment, fun and joy in all areas of you.

I am blessed to have some amazing thought leaders as coaches and as we all share information, I want to encourage you to pass on your wisdom to others. We all need someone cheering us on and encouraging us to be better every day. This thing we call personal growth journey continues for all of us.

This month will be just a little different. This month I want to focus on your health. As I said, our health is our wealth. Every year, October is my month to re-visit my health goals, see my doctors and evaluate my exercise routine to shake it up a bit.

It is also Breast Cancer Awareness month so I will be sharing some thoughts on this as it is near and dear to my heart. Having survived breast cancer twice I know what it can do to your physical and mental well being.

Have you ever been afraid to try something new?

Have you ever been uncomfortable making the call to your big kahuna prospect.

It just takes a little courage and courage shows up in many ways.

Courage is just like a muscle. We strengthen it by using it. The fear is in the anticipation.

Your mind plays tricks on you; once you take the leap or are faced with a risky situation and do the uncomfortable, the rest is easy.

Join me for some insights on courage.

Stay focused, stay positive and always have fun.

Welcome to Motivational Moments with Maria.

Each week it is my intention to help you stay more focused, energetic, disciplined and inspired so YOU can create more love, fulfillment and joy in all areas of your life.

I continue to be inspired by YOU. I am blessed to have some amazing thought leaders as coaches and as we all share information, I want to encourage you to pass on your wisdom to others. We all need encouragement every day. us on and This thing we call personal growth journey is a lifelong process.

Question for you this week. What would you be doing if money was no issue? No seriously. I want to know. Would you be doing what you are in your career today?

How do you feel when waking up on working days? Do you look forward to going to work or do you wish it was Friday afternoon already?

Research has shown that those who feel enthusiastic about going to work have a career that aligns with their interests, values, and strengths. This alignment increases intrinsic motivation and happiness, provides purpose and meaning, and buffers the effects of workplace stressors.

Do you have aspirations and ambitions of doing something else?

Listen in for some thoughts on assessing your career.

As always, stay focused, stay positive, and always have fun.

Today I want to share with you the Rule of 5 by one of my mentors John Maxwell and how it applies to your career, and life.

Here is the Rule of 5 and listen carefully so you can apply it in our daily life.

The rule states that if you have a tree in your backyard that you wish to cut down, and you have an ax, you will be able to cut the tree down by following the simple Rule of 5.

The plan involves picking up the ax daily, striking the tree five times and then putting the ax down until the next day. The next day you pick up the ax, strike the tree five times, and put the ax down again. If you strike that tree five times day after day, eventually the tree will come down.

Join me as I share how the rule of 5 can be applied to all areas of your life.

Each week it is my intention to help you stay more focused, energetic, disciplined and inspired so YOU can create more love, fulfillment and joy in all areas of your life.

I am inspired by YOU. I am blessed to have some amazing thought leaders as coaches and as we all share information, I want to encourage you to pass on your wisdom to others. We all need someone cheering us on and encouraging us to be better every day. This thing we call personal growth journey is a lifelong process.

So, let’s get on to today’s subject. Have you ever tried to influence someone into buying something? Or, how about having your kids clean their rooms. Or perhaps you may be trying to have someone believe in your ideas and lead them.

It’s all about the amount of Influence you have on them.

Many people struggle with this topic. Sometimes you cannot get through to your spouses, teenagers, co-workers, managers and even your clients. Then you get frustrated and don’t know what to say.

Today I will share some insights that have been studied over the last 20 years as it relates to influence. I am going to share 3 reasons we are not as influential as we want to be and then I will share a simple process you will remember to use every day.

The first question we must ask is…

Why aren’t more people influential?

Join me for some insights.

Each week it is my intention to help you stay more focused, energetic, disciplined and inspired so YOU can create more love, fulfillment and joy in all areas of your life.

I am inspired by YOU. I am blessed to have some amazing thought leaders as coaches and as we all share information, I want to encourage you to pass on your wisdom to others. We all need someone cheering us on and encouraging us to be better every day. This thing we call personal growth journey continues for all of us.

This week’s topic was inspired by YOU and I know it will resonate with many of you.

Here’s the question for this week I would like you to consider.

Do you have trouble setting boundaries? Hmmm. I thought so. Many of us do.

Have you ever felt guilty for setting boundaries. Although we may have desires to help as many people as possible, the last thing we want is to become the dumping ground for other people’s emotional drama. You walk away feeling like you have an anchor weighing you down.

Listen in for some insights on the why and how of boundaries.

Welcome back my friends to another episode of Motivational Moments with Maria. I am your host loving and crazy coach Maria and I am back! I am back with a vengeance. After two and a half years of not missing a single weekly podcast release, I took two weeks off. Now some of you asked me why I did this? Some of you asked me this question…why didn’t you just re-use or re-purpose some your old ones and release them. Well, first I am one that writes and records when the right moment hits. It may be 4am in the morning or 4pm at in the evening. Something triggers me and I start typing away. It may be a book I am reading or a conversation I am having with someone and voila I am ready to sit down and write. Sometimes it makes sense and sometimes it only makes sense to me and sometimes a situation or area in our life can leave us feeling uncertain or trapped.

Have you ever felt that way? Was I feeling trapped into a weekly podcast?

So let me ask you this. Have you ever felt guilty about stepping away from something that you were committed to doing and loved doing? Let me tell you, I felt so guilty and felt like a failure, but I could not bring myself to do it. I told myself I was LAZY, LAZY, LAZY. What I realized is I needed to hit the re-set button.

So, I took a long walk on the beach last Sunday morning and thought it through with me, myself and I. It was a great conversation. Try it sometime. People on the beach saw me talking to myself and avoided walking towards me. Psst, look at that crazy lady talking to herself on the beach, let’s walk around her so we don’t have to engage. I know you have already pictured that in your mind.

What I realized is this. Sometimes we do need to step away from everything and everyone. We need alone time. Alone time allows your mind to wander to dark places and enlightened places. The what if questions show up.

What if you stopped doing this podcast, what if you just throw in the towel and retire, what if you just fade away into one of the beautiful Hawaiian sunsets. What if, what if.

And then as a wave came crashing over me, it hit me. I had fallen into comfortableness. You know that place you are in right now. You have worked hard over the years to build a good life; things are going well, you have a wonderful family and great friends, and you are living the life you chose to build. But like all good things in our life, comfortable may cause a deep sense of restlessness within us. I am living a comfortable life and guess what has set in? Yes, my friends, complacency. Complacency has set it. Holy crap. I am complacent. I admit it.

Welcome my friends to Motivational Moments with Maria.

You inspire me to help you stay a little more focused, disciplined, inspired, and positive so YOU can create more excitement, fulfillment, fun and joy in all areas of your life. With the chaos and stress of our daily lives we sometimes need a reminder to appreciate more and stay the course.

It also helps me stay more energetic, and obsessed about my own personal development studies. I really believe we all need someone cheering us on and encouraging us to be better each and every day.

I trust you projected the qualities of a winner this past week and created your award-winning script for your life. How did it feel? And since you are a regular listener, did you project some of the qualities of a winner? I thought so, and good for you. Remember, the real key to winning in life is projecting that image of yourself that you would like to become and practice it each and every day.

I was speaking to my coach the other day and we are challenging each other to project one of the unique qualities of a winner and make the subtle changes we need to make in our lives. My wish is that you do too.

So on to today’s topic and of course it’s always going to start with a question and here is your question of the week. If you had to score yourself, on a scale of 1-10, on your Credibility, how would you rate yourself? Take just a moment to reflect on that. And what does credibility mean to you?

Your credibility is everything and what I mean is how do you think you are viewed by others and what they think of you. Now I know you shouldn’t care what others think of you and the truth is we do and we know others are talking about you. It does not matter what line of work you are in, credibility is so important. Do others look at you as a reliable resource? Do they believe what you tell them?

Being credible means developing a set of very specific qualities--no matter what your role, your organization, or your industry. If you're serious about establishing yourself as credible here are some of the qualities that you can develop.

Listen in for some credible thoughts.

Every week it is my intent to increase your awareness of personal growth is to help you stay more focused, energetic, disciplined, and inspired, so YOU can experience more excitement, fulfillment, fun and joy in all areas of your life.

It also helps me stay more energetic, passionateand obsessed about my work. If I can make a difference in one person’s life….I am charged.

2022 seems to be flying by so quickly. Half the year is over and some of you are rocking your year and some of us haven’t hit all the targets we set, yes me included. Some of you may be saying…I’m not ready yet, I’m not good enough, I don’t know enough and it’s hard to start.

Let’s break this down using some quotes by Zig Zigler. It doesn’t matter what your goal is. It could be growing your business, improving your key relationships, getting healthier or building your wealth.

The first quote.

1.You don't have to be great but you have to start to be great.

If we wait until everything is perfect to start, we may never begin. We may be setting ourselves up for failure. I’ve watched entrepreneurs wait until they can completely understand the nuances of a targeted market before theystart any marketing. I’ve watched clients gather data and information about leads for hours before picking up the phone and having a conversation with the prospective client.

Take action, no matter how small, and the results will follow.

Listen in for some great quotes and insights to being GREAT.

Aloha my friends and welcome my friends to another episode of Motivational Moments with Maria.

I am broadcasting to you from the Big Island of Hawaii and enjoying some rest and relaxation with my family.

Today I want to emphasize to you the importance of rest and relaxation so you can re-energize, re-new, and really relax.

When you change the scenery and your schedule to unwind a bit, your mind begins to clear the clutter and loosens the tightness in your shoulders and back. You begin to see your surroundings through a different lens.

You get more clarity on what’s important to you. It is in these moments of rest and relaxation that

you begin to see new possibilities and the most amazing ideas come to mind.

So my message to you this week is simple and short.

Give the gift of rest and relaxation to yourself. Plan something that you love to do with someone you love to be around. Be fully present with them!

Enjoy your independence day. We are blessed to live in such a wonderful country and as always my friends, stay focused, stay positive, and always have fun. ALOHA!

Every week it is my intent to increase your awareness of personal growth to help you stay more focused, energetic, disciplined, and inspired, so YOU can experience more excitement, fulfillment, fun and joy in all areas of your life.

Have you ever been around someone that just seems to have it together and they appear to be flourishing in all areas of their life? And you wonder…how do they, or how did they do it.

Listen a great life just doesn’t happen. When we use the right tools, imagine what’s possible.

A lot of people say they want to change but most people don’t take the steps necessary to make change possible.

I’ve been there. I was stuck and couldn’t seem to get ahead. But I wanted more and began to listen to some of the personal development “tapes.” Yes, I said tapes so you know that it was a long time ago. Some of you may not even know what I am talking about.

So how can we flourish? Decades of scientific research shows that we can be happier tomorrow than we are today.

But what happens? The media would have you believe that we should not be hopeful and they work hard on instilling fear, uncertainty and doubt in you. However, evidence shows in many ways the world and you are better off than ever before. There really is cause for hope in this world and it begins with you.

Psychologists have spent many years studying how people flourish so let’s first talk about why some people feel they cannot move forward.

Listen in for some positive thoughts on how to flourish.

Stay focused, stay positive, and always have fun.

Coach Maria

How much energy do you have each day and how can you amplify it?

What is energy and why is it so important? Everything in life is energy. You can measure energy in many ways and you can increase your energy with implementing some daily practices.

High performance calls for amplified levels of energy.

Are you having great experiences with your friends, family and when you are having those experiences are you bringing the energy and enthusiasm. I know you’ve been to one of those events where no energy existed. When we bring energy to any given situation we life the spirits of others.

Join me for some insights on energy and some practices you can implement immediately to increase your energy.

Last week I went to the movies and as the previews were showing up one that stood out was the new Jurassic Park movie. Consider the dinosaur. It was a masterpiece of design. I mean how could a brain the size of a walnut control a body the size of a giant earth mover? It got me thinking about an old book I read many years ago that is still relevant and it is titled "Dinosaur Brains". The dinosaurs were hatched fully programmed. They knew everything they needed to know; how to stake out a territory, how to handle danger, how to find a mate, and get ahead in the herd. It’s all very primitive and instinctive.

How does all this relate to us as humans. Oh, just hang on, we are getting there.

Over the years, I have worked with many Dinosaur Brains and what psychologists know is that we humans don’t always act like humans.

Why is it that some people at work can be totally calm and sensible one minute and then completely and utterly irrational the next? One minute they are normal and the next they are little better than reptiles.

Have you been around any people like this or have you ever acted that way?

Want to know why? It’s because your Dinosaur Brain is controlling you! You use the reptile response–your primitive thinking pattern instead of the rational part of your brain. Anyone can be a Dinosaur Brain at any time. The Reptile Response happens totally outside of the conscious mind. It’s instinctive. It’s raw. It has no filter.

Listen in for some insights on how to control your dinosaur brain and how to work with Dinosaurs.

Every week it is my intent with this podcast is to help you stay more focused, energetic, disciplined, inspired, and positive so YOU can experience more excitement, productivity, fulfillment, fun and joy in all areas of your life.

At the end of the day, don’t you want to say……YES!. It was a great day and I crushed it. Me too! How do you make that happen?

You have probably heard this before and it’s definitely worth repeating over and over again. PROPER PLANNING AND PREPARATION PREVENTS PISS POOR PERFORMANCE. Yes, that’s what I said. Proper planning and preparation prevents piss poor performance. Hereafter I shall refer to this as the 7ps.

Let me ask you this...Have you ever just slapped something together only to realize you had the wrong tools, wrong location, wrong time, wrong systems, people, or ingredients. You get frustrated and sometimes just throw in the towel. I am here to tell you, I have experienced it myself many times and there is nothing more costly than re-work.

Let’s discuss some steps you can take to create more productivity in all areas of your life.

My intent with this weekly podcast is to bring you some thoughts and ideas to keep you on your journey to live a fully productive, vibrant and joyful life. After all, that’s what we are all seeking. If I can make a difference for you then I am one happy wisdom warrior.

Today is Memorial Day. A day that we honor our fallen heroes, those that served our country and made the biggest sacrifice, allowing us to enjoy the freedom we have.

Did you know, each year on Memorial Day a national moment of remembrance takes place at 3:00 p.m. local time.

Today when the clock strikes 3:00pm local time, take a minute in silence to remember and thank those that we have lost in service.

Here we are at the end of May. That means we are entering the final month of the first half of 2022. How are you feeling about your accomplishments so far? If you are on target, I am giving you a standing ovation right now! I am celebrating you for sticking to your plan.

I realize that sticking to your plan day after day after day gets boring and tiresome. I know it’s not easy. It’s something I struggle with every day too. I see the sun is shining, and the beach is calling me. I hear the sound of children playing in the park mid-week as schools are out for summer break.

Sometimes it takes you back to the carefree days of your childhood when summer was so freeing and, it still can be that way. We just have to plan for it.

When June rolls around, we all get a little ho-hum about our goals so before the summer doldrums kick in, let’s talk about a model that you can use today to gear up to charge into the second half of the year with gusto.

I use this model frequently so get out a piece of paper because this is a working session. Jot down a few notes so you can go back and review. And, you can always listen to this podcast over and over in case you are not in a position to take notes right now.

Then share it with others and use it with your kids, family and team members or colleagues.

Before we begin, the first thing we need to do is look back and assess where we have been year to date. Why? Because if you don’t know where you have been, how can you determine where you are going, or where you want to go. We are looking at the gap.

Take a few minutes and review your calendar and the major projects you were working on the first half of the year. Rate yourself on a scale of 1-10. No judgement here. This is for your eyes only. You can do this for all the major categories….health, finances, relationships, business, hobbies, and spiritual.

Listen in for the framework to grow in all areas.

Hello my friends and welcome to Motivational Moments with Maria. I’m your host Coach Maria and thrilled to be here with you. My intent with this weekly podcast is to bring you some thoughts and ideas to keep you on your journey to live a fully productive, vibrant and joyful life. After all, that’s what we are all seeking. If I can make a difference for you then I am one happy wisdom warrior.

Today’s topic is about the world of clutter. Do you live in a world of Clutter? Are you a clutter bug, a hoarder who is Unwilling to let things go?

Research shows that decluttering benefits you not only in terms of your productivity but in all areas of your life.

Ladies, listen up. A study published in the “ Social and Psychology Bulletin proved that women who live in cluttered homes had higher levels of cortisol which is the Stress Hormone and were more depressed. That alone is reason enough to start purging and eliminating all the excesses we have in our lives. No more Xanax.

Furthermore, the Princeton neuroscience Institute collaborated this finding and states, “The visual stimuli of seeing clutter can cause your brain additional stress and limit how much you can absorb.” It’s a sign to get rid of the shitake that is cluttering your mind and your environment.

Join me for some thoughts on how to remove some of the clutter from your life and mind.

Stay focused, stay positive, and always have fun.

My intent with this weekly podcast is to bring you some thoughts and ideas to keep you on your journey to live a fully productive, vibrant and joyful life. After all, that’s what we are all seeking. If I can make a difference for you then I am one happy wisdom warrior.

I had a call the other day from a colleague and the conversation centered on FOCUS and how we manage to stay focused throughout the day. We started to share the tricks we use to keep ourselves on task and thought you may be able to use some of these ideas in your life.

Now if you ask my family members, they will tell you I suffer from severe squirrel syndrome but what you may not know about me if that I really do have the ability to stay focused. I know it’s hard to believe but have you ever paid attention on how I sign off on every email, note, letter card, and this podcast. Stay focused, stay positive, and always have fun.

It’s a reminder to myself to be focused. I use several different strategies to keep my focus in line.

How about you? Do you ever have difficulty staying focused? No, not you. Ok so let the truth out. We’ve talked about distractions before and those distractions take away your focus.

FOCUS is the term that is used to describe the concentration and centering of our attention on a single stimulus, such as a sales report, a client letter, rehearsing lines for a performance, or practicing music or other forms of the arts.

Join me as I share some strategies on how to maintain your FOCUS.

Today, I want to share a cool story and then of course I will follow up with a question. I attended a meeting last week when a lovely woman approached me and said, I appreciate your podcasts and here is the one word that sums it up….Authentic. Your authenticity shows up over the sound waves. That really made me smile and after thanking her profusely I really stopped and thought about it. That is absolutely the highest compliment one can receive.
What does showing up authentically mean to you? And, are you showing up as your authentic self or showing up as someone you think people want you to be? Trust me, it happens a lot. We are all guilty. We are afraid to reveal our true self because we are afraid we will be judged or ridiculed. So what do we do? We create this persona at work, or at social engagements and yes, sometimes even with those that are closest to us. Think about this in your key relationships. We make concessions all the time and give up a little of ourselves.

The truth is we can only do that for so long before we feel like a fraud, or an imposter.

Let me share some news on the benefits of showing up as your authentic self. Dr. Stephen Joseph states, authentic people cope better with stress, live more harmoniously with others and have deeper relationships.

Join me for some insights on authenticity.

Many of you say you don’t have the necessary skills to become successful and get ahead. I say, go get some. Take control of your life and quit whining and making excuses. Turn the television off, turn off facebook, turn off the news. Bury your head in some books. Take one class on line. Be the person you wish to become. Shoot that one video and post it. Be brave and challenge yourself.

We live in a world full of abundance and opportunities. Are YOU taking advantage of them? If not, WHY NOT? What are you waiting for? Who are you waiting for?

I used to be the same way. I thought that I was destined to be a low level worker with no future. After all, we grew up poor. My mother was a factory worker and supported 6 kids on her own. She never received a dime from my father. We didn’t know any better running through the streets of San Francisco loving life.

One day, Something inside me recognized the courage, strength and power she had and I knew deep down inside, I had it too and I wanted more. So, what better way to honor her and her courage than to push myself to be better and embrace the opportunities presented to me.

I had a huge mindset shift and began to realize that I needed to develop my skills. I now had the right mindset so what’s next...SKILL DEVELOPMENT. After MINDSET, the most important thing you can do is to develop your SKILLS to become the person you wish to become.

Join me as I share my list of skills, in my opinion you can develop.

Hello my friends and welcome to Motivational Moments with Maria. I’m your host Coach Maria and thrilled to be here with you. My intent with this weekly podcast is to bring you some thoughts and ideas to keep you on your journey to live a fully productive, vibrant and joyful life.

Here’s my question this week. How many times a day do you allow the evil distraction monster to take over your productivity? A recent study stated that over 75% of employees surveyed feel distracted throughout their work day. That’s huge. Imagine what might happen to you if you were equipped with some insights on how to handle these evil distractions that keep us from achieving our vital priorities for the day. Noticed that I said “US” and not you? That’s because I too fall into the category of allowing distractions to take me out of my daily flow.

Let’s dive into this. On average, we are fending off the evil distraction monster 56 times per day. Holy Toledo. That’s a lot of wasted time.

Join me for some insights and tips on how to ward off the evil distraction monster.

Hello, my friends and welcome to Motivational Moments with Maria.

This week I am doing something a little different. I simply just hit the record button and started speaking with you about giving yourself some grace. In our high speed world of constant activity we sometimes forget to stop, and acknowledge what we have accomplished and where we are going.

Having said that, I decided that I was going to give myself some grace this week. In other words, this is a short message to remind you to have faith in all that you do. Have faith that even on those days when you don’t feel like working at full speed, it’s ok. Give yourself permission, give yourself some grace to slow down. Because you will be back. Have faith.

Have a great week, and if you are so inclined, join me live on Facebook, Friday, April 22 at 12 noon PST for a course on building more confidence in all areas of your life.

As always, stay focused, stay positive and have fun.

Several of you asked me what I mean by high performance coaching. Permit me the opportunity to explain. In my world of coaching high performers, we focus on developing a growth mindset, maintaining good habits, great relationships, and how to maintain focus and discipline and more. Coaching to high performance is a process that leads you to discovery, decision making, improving performance and overall better living. When these are in alignment, the overall satisfaction with life increases.

It truly all begins with your mindset. So here comes the question of the week. Do you have a magical growth mindset or a fixed mindset? Now some of you are probably saying, I am sick and tired of hearing about this mindset issue but let me tell you my friends, everything begins here.

What the heck is mindset and how does it impact you?

Can your mindsets change?

Well first we must look at the definition of mindset…

I went to the experts… Webster’s dictionary to get the definition. According to Webster, Mindset is a mental attitude of inclination.

Mindsets help us understand how a person approaches problem solving and overcoming challenges.

Think of them as your basic instinct and your survival mechanism.

According to Stanford psychologist Carol Dweck – “what you believe about yourself plays a pivotal role in what you want and whether or not you achieve it. She has done the pioneering work on how our mindset predicts our potential, particularly when it comes to success and failure.

Her research has also shown that those with a growth mindset are more resilient, less easily discouraged and persevere longer and harder than those with a fixed mindset.

Join me as I share some insights on developing a magical growth mindset.

Hello my friends and welcome to this week’s episode of Motivational Moments with Maria. I’m your host Coach Maria and thrilled to be here with you. My intent with this weekly podcast is to bring you some thoughts and ideas to keep you on your journey to live a fully productive, vibrant and joyful life.

As I love to do, I want to get those brain cells active so I am going to open up with a question for you. Have you ever had a bad moment in your day? Of course, you have. Who hasn’t. We all have. The question is, how do you bounce back after something or someone throws you off your game today?

Let me give you a quick scenario. You wake up and your feet hit the ground and you are fired up and ready to win the day.

Then, as you stumble to the bathroom, you stub your toe. Do you let it mess up your head for the whole day? Of course not. Oooops. Take ownership. It was my bad because I left my shoes out and tripped over them. That’s the spirit.

That’s an easy one. But what about those moments when you get cut off on your commute or you receive a call that your big client has cancelled her order. Shittake big time. It’s only 10:00am. Do you allow this news to ruin your day and go hide in the corner?

Some of you say yes it does and just blow the rest of the day off. However, studies from the High Performance Institute reveal that you, yes you, Mr. or Ms. High Performer know that you have the ability to re-set your day so you can win the remainder of the day. Don’t let those hours go to waste complaining to someone about getting cut off or getting an order cancelled. I know some of you had already added up the commission on a sale and then devasated when that cancellation comes through.

Listen in for some insights on how to re-set and win the day.

Do you ever wake up in the morning and just need a boost? Perhaps it may be a few words that will get that internal engine fired up and the brain thinking. You know, those inspirational quotes that set you in motion and put you in the right frame of mind. Having spent the last 11 days in the wonderful country of Greece, I was surrounded by so many inspirational sayings from the great Greek Philosophers that I thought I would share 5 of them that may get you to higher levels of growth and productivity.

Remember, my goal with this weekly podcast is to feed you ideas that you may choose to use for your own personal growth and development because it is always my goal and desire that you experience more joy, fulfillment and productivity for all areas of your life.

So let’s get to these and I will give you my two cents on what they mean and how to apply them to your daily life.

"Everything flows, and nothing abides, everything gives way, and nothing stays fixed."—Heraclitus

In other words, change is inevitable. The more we resist change the more stagnant we become. It applies to all areas of our business and personal lives. For example, would you have survived the pandemic of 2020 if you were not willing to learn how to use Zoom, Microsoft Teams or make the adjustment to work from home? Absolutely not. Or how to be patient as you were making a customer call reservation with an actual agent working from home while listening to the roosters crowing in the background. Simply put, when we embrace change and become aware of what needs to change, we grow. So learn to embrace change. Nothing ever stays the same.

Listen in for some additional lessons from the great Greek philosophers.

The stars and the planets do align and impact us in more ways than you know. Have you ever read your horoscope? Do you believe in astrology and the position of the planets and the impact this might have on our lives?

Not sure. Well on this week’s episode I have the pleasure of bringing a special Astrologist to the show to talk about this somewhat controversial subject. Half of you are probably wondering…coach, what does astrology have to do with personal growth? Half of you are saying…it has a lot to do with our personality traits and how our life is influenced.

Listen in as Astrologer Bethany Sharifi shares with us the impact of astrology and how astrology is a tool of empowerment. Bethany has been studying Astrology for over 15 years and considers this her life-long labor of love.

What are your thoughts? Open your minds for some amazing thoughts. If you want to connect with Bethany for your own reading, reach out to her at www. in and if you want to connect with Bethany, she can be reached at www. Inner-Sacred.com.

Want to see an actual reading? Check us out on my you tube channel, Coaching With Maria as she shares a chart reading.

Top of the morning to you my friends.

Welcome my friends to this week’s episode of Motivational Moments with Maria. I am your Host, Lucky and Crazy Coach Maria.

As I recorded this episode in Barcelona, Spain I thought this….I am so lucky. Is it luck or was it something created?

It’s almost St. Patrick’s Day so let’s talk about luck and finding your own pot of gold.

How many of you have heard the saying, you have the “The luck of the Irish. Do you know how that phrase came about? The origins of the ‘luck of the Irish’ saying can be traced back to the late 1800’s in America during the gold and silver rush. At that time, Irish and Irish Americans were some of the most successful miners to prosper and that is how the saying came to be.

Let’s dive deeper into that. Was it really luck or was it, hard work, perseverance and persistence?

Luck my friends is simply preparation meeting opportunity. These “LUCKY PEOPLE” were willing to work harder and longer than others to achieve their dreams of a better life for their families and I want you to consider how this conversation plays into your daily life.

Are you lucky, persistent and dogged in order to build a better life for yourself and your family, and can we create our own luck? Believe it or not, we can influence our “luck” and reach our pot of gold.

Your pot of gold is not necessarily gold coins, jewelry, money or material things as portrayed and written about in so many tales. What does the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow really mean? It is different for everyone. For me it is the freedom to work from anywhere, anytime and to empower and serve others to become their best selves, whatever that may be. So, in reality my friends, my pot of gold is all of you!

Part of my pot of gold is doing this podcast. It brings me joy and my intent and love of doing this weekly podcast is always to give you some thoughts to reflect on, SOME ENCOURAGEMENT AND ideas to help you move towards your own Pot of Gold. I do know that you truly desire to have more joy, happiness, productivity and vibrancy in your life. How do I know? Because of your comments and emails and messages. And I so appreciate them.

Listen in to this week's episode of Motivational Moments with Maria so you can create more luck in your life.

Today I am really excited to bring a cool guest to the show but first I am going to do what I always do and that’s ask you a question so here it comes.

Do you ever let OBSTACLES get in the way of your performance? Many of us do and today’s guest is going to share ways to CRUSH THOSE OBSTACLES.

He is the author of the book “Obstacle Crusher” and so appropriate for today’s subject.

I am excited that he agreed to be interviewed for the show.

Too many of us let obstacles get in the way of achieving our dreams. So, let me introduce you to Ray Wilson.

Ray Wilson, the Results Coach, has helped hundreds of individuals and businesses achieve breakthrough results. He is a Results and Success Coach, trainer, author and speaker. He is the author of the books, Entrepreneur Mindset, Creating a Better You and the award-winning author of Obstacle Crusher.

His book, Obstacle Crusher is the blueprint for transformation, to address the obstacles you might face in achieving your business and personal goals.

It explains what you need to know before you take the first step toward crushing the obstacles that might be hindering you from achieving your goals. Obstacle Crusher outlines a step-by-step process, identifying and addressing the obstacles so that you can achieve your goals.

Join me for a candid discussion on how YOU can crush your own obstacles.

It’s the last day of February and I have to ask one more time…did you love yourself enough this month and did you do something special for yourself during self-care month?

My thought is that you carry a self-care ritual through each month of the year and do something special for yourself every month.

Let’s ask the question of the week. Have you ever looked at someone and said…I really admire and respect that person? What qualities did the person have? What did they do? How did they treat others?

As I reflected on the question, and given that we are approaching Women’s History month in March I thought about the women I have admired in my life. Now I may not have had direct contact with them but I have studied them, and read their biographies.

They all possessed very similar traits and I thought I would share what we can learn from them.

First, is the great Eleanor Roosevelt. The first lady of the United States for who many called the First Lady of The World. Her quotes are famous but this one really resonated with me.

"A woman is like a tea bag; you never know how strong it is until it's in hot water."

Eleanor Roosevelt said her most important task was creating the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

Join me as I share the traits of these inspiring women.

I received several requests and questions from my listeners about schedules and routines so guess what we will be chatting about today. Of course, I will start with a question.

Have you ever wondered where the day went? Are you just waking up late and allowing the day to take you wherever you please? Or perhaps, you have to please someone else’s agenda.

Or, have you ever looked back on the day, not remembering what you did and then beat yourself up because you didn’t accomplish enough?

This is a great topic since we are still in the Love Month of February which is Self-Care and Self-Love Month. If you are not loving yourself enough that tells me you may not have a powerful routine to keep you on track.

It’s like getting in the car heading to a destination you have never been. If you don’t have a map before you start your day, how do you know where you are going?

So for you listeners that requested this, thank you.

Here is what I know……Routine is the Sign of An Ambitious Individual. The actual quote by W.H. Auden is…."Routine, in an intelligent man, is the sign of ambition”. I hope you don’t mind but I had to take liberty with the quote and change it up a bit!

Good Routines help us build good habits. Habits are like rubber bands: they pull you back to what you've done… just like resilience allows you to bounce back. Routines and habits do same. When things go badly, you've got to break the old rubber band and get a good new one so you can snap back into a good routine.

Good Routines are also like road signs and …..they keep us going in the right direction and keep us on track in getting to our destination. Have you ever veered off the main road or took a wrong turn and found yourself lost for hours?

If you have a routine that you follow you become more productive and when you are more productive I bet you feel great….as you should.

Listen in for some ideas on building your own daily routine.

February is all about self-care and self-love so I am focusing on bringing inner peace and calm to oneself. I believe that many of us don’t give ourselves the gift of self-love nor enough self-care.

We get so busy taking care of everyone else that the most important person is sometimes ignored. Then, when we are feeling out of sorts, we run to the Doctor’s office to get some prescription drug to ease our ailment.

Join me as I speak with Dr. Ram Tamang, an Ayurveda Medicine practitioner. Ayurveda medicine is one of the oldest medical practices in history.

Dr. Ram Tamang is an Ayurvedic Physician and Master Herbalist with over 18 years of full-time Ayurvedic practice in Southern California. He is a teacher, mentor and above all, a healer to thousands of clients from all walks of life, who have learned from him, and transformed their lives.

Dr Ram has his practice with The Healing Gardens of Ayurveda, a full-service Ayurvedic clinic in Orange County, CA. The Healing Gardens was established in 2005 and offers Ayurvedic therapies, cleanses, panchakarma and more. Over the last 18 years of his practice, Dr Ram has traveled and taught at numerous schools and organizations in Europe and America.

Join us for a heartfelt discussion on the healing practices of Ayurveda and some insights on preparing for the spring season.

The love month has arrived.

It’s February, the celebration of love and romance month.

Hello my friends and welcome to the “love yourself” month on Motivational Moments with Maria. I’m your host Loving and Crazy Coach Maria!

My intent with this podcast every week is to give you some thoughts to reflect on, some tips and ideas to move forward towards your desires in life. You do want more joy and happiness in your life? Of course you do. Let’s get to it.

The love month. Well, some of you may say, so what, I don’t care. It’s just a made-up holiday and I don’t have a sweetie to share Valentine’s Day with. I would argue that you do!

This week we are going to focus on the most important person to love, cherish, honor and live for – you and SELF-LOVE.

Have you settled for good enough because you think you cannot ask for more from love? Are you even open to love?

Let’s dive into this a bit on Motivational Moments with Maria.

I am committed to serving you become the best you choose to become. After all, everything we do is a choice.

So here comes the question for this week.

Have you ever set a new goal and started to have heart palpitations and start to sweat?

I'm not sure about you, but each time I set a new goal that seems WAY beyond my present reach, I've encountered something called "The Terror Barrier”.

This is when the body tenses up – I might start to grit my teeth - and a general feeling of panic appears.

"OH MY GOSH, WHAT AM I DOING?" might also be a question that pops up in your mind.

Listen, this is a natural process, and there's a way you can overcome these feelings and replace them with those that are more in alignment with the good that you desire.

When this happens, we must literally "flip the switch" and return to a state of peace, gratitude, and knowing that our wish is being fulfilled - regardless of us seeing (or not) seeing HOW we can make this happen.

So let’s talk about some things you can do to remove the terror barrier.

Listen in for some insights on how to break through the “Terror Barrier”.

Hello my friends.

Thanks to all of you that expressed concern about our travel last week. Just to wrap up last week’s events, I did finally make it back to California. After two more soccer games on Monday, we hit the road to head back to Nashville. Wanting to avoid the white stuff that freezes the roads, we took the long route back to Nashville. The drive may have taken a long 8 hours, and we did avoid the white winter weather. I was able to board my very early morning plane back to California. Commitment baby!

When I boarded the plane, something struck me as incredibly awesome. More than incredibly awesome. This is a first for me and over the years I have traveled a ton of air miles. But, I have never seen this……ever! I wanted to take a picture but wanted to be respectful of the passengers so I chose not to.

Fortunate enough to have been upgraded to first class, I was stunned to see the entire first-class session filled with women. Yes, all seats in first class were occupied by women. My friends, this is a first. Never ever have I seen this.

I made a comment to the flight attendant and she too was shocked. In all her years of working, she had never witnessed it either. I made another comment to the women seated in first class and they were in disbelief too. The ladies were looking in front of them and behind to confirm. I think we were all in disbelief.

Ladies, we have shattered the first-class upgrade glass ceiling. Another first in my life.

Not sure what the glass ceiling is? Many women over the years have referred to this invisible "glass ceiling", myself included as we strived to get promotions in our careers.

Join in on this week’s podcast to learn about the invisible glass ceiling and more.

My intent with this weekly podcast is to bring you some thoughts and ideas to keep you on your journey to live a fully productive, vibrant and joyful life.

It’s been a crazy week but don’t worry, this crazy week is relevant to today’s topic I want to share with you.

However, the first thing I want to do is take a moment to honor the late Great Martin Luther King, Jr. It’s Martin Luther King Day and the choices and words he used inspired millions of others to be better and do more in the pursuit of independence and equality for others. Dr. King did it with such conviction and commitment.

He was committed to non-violence and as he eloquently stated:

“Non-violence is absolute commitment to the way of love. Love is not emotional bash; it is not empty sentimentalism. It is the active outpouring of one’s whole being into the being of another.”

And, that is exactly what I am doing today. I am so committed to pouring into all of you for your continued personal growth.

Commitment is my word for 2022. Have you chosen a word to align with in 2022? A word that will remind you to be your best self and show up every day with the intention of giving your best.

Every week, yes, every week it is my intent to bring you something of value to boost your day, increase your productivity, or simply to put a smile on your face because I am committed to serving you.

One of the reasons I am so committed is because when you win, I feel like I won. I may have helped create an environment for you, where you’re living your joy, you feel fulfilled, and you’re adequately compensated for the value you bring. That is important to me.

I was speaking with a client last week and she said to me…you always come across as confident when you are speaking and teaching. You come across as being knowledgeable, and the subject of credibility and believability came up.

Today, people may know me as being confident, poised and of course, the energy magnet. But what you may not know is I have also dealt with self-doubt, fear, nervousness, and uncertainty about the future.

I was just as scared as you might be right now. My knees shook before every presentation or speech I had to give or course I had to teach.

Here are the thoughts that were going through my head. What if my client doesn’t like me? What if I cannot make the sale? What will I do next? What if they boo me off the stage when I give that presentation? What if I don’t connect with the audience I am teaching? What if they start yawning and leave the room?

So, as I grappled with these self-doubts and the drunk monkey scrambled around in my head to the point that it felt like marbles were controlling my every thought.

What I have learned over the years is you have got to be believed to be heard my friends. You have to make an emotional connection with your listener. I took the necessary steps to read the books, attend the seminars, and practiced and practiced building the confidence, competence and connection skills necessary to survive and thrive in all areas of my life and every day, I look at ways to improve my believability and performance meter.

My friends, to be believed we have to plug into the power of the FIRST Brain The first brain is the secret of believability, essential to effective and persuasive communication. The First Brain is the secret to attaining mastery of the direction of your personal and professional life. It is the emotional brain. The first brain is real, it is physical, and it is so very powerful. If you ignore it, neglect it or fail to realize and use its power, you will most likely fail to be heard. Understand it and watch out world – you will have emotional connection with your clients, your audience, your friends, and your community.

Join me for 9 tips on how to increase your believability.

It’s always my intent with this podcast to bring you something of value so you can experience more fulfillment, productivity and joy in all areas of your life. We, the human species all want the same thing... more aliveness, connection and meaningful pursuits in our lives.

Draw yourself a triangle and put those words on each point of the triangle. Then write your name in the middle of the triangle in big letters. Underneath your name, put the words DREAMS and GROWTH.

My friends, here is the first question of the New Year. What dreams do you want to see come true in 2022? I know you have some. I do. I have dreams and aspirations just like you and there was a time when I first started my personal coaching business that I was afraid. I mean really afraid to make that leap of faith and believe in myself enough to pursue my dream of inspiring more people, motivating more people and pushing people to new to reach new levels of production, and personal growth.

Yes, I could have been complacent and stayed in the same job making a good living but that wasn’t hitting the meaningful pursuit and aliveness buttons of my life.

Have you had similar feelings? Have you had thoughts of depression or disappointment and not certain about what makes you happy?

Well here is what I want to share with you about making your dreams come true in 2022.

First, we must start each and every day with the intention of being the best person we can be. Who is that person and what does that person look like and feel like to you?

I mean this is where you have to be very conscious of who you and what you dream about doing.

Join me for some insights on making your dreams come true in 2022.

This past week I was finishing up some holiday greetings and while going through my contact list I suddenly realized how many people are no longer with us. It hit me like a rock to the head and I did get a little melancholy.

We all have lost loved ones this past year and as I hit the delete contact button it was a defining and reflective moment. We experience so much change when we lose someone we care about. I keep asking the universe for a few months of quiet solitude and yet it never comes. Why? Because we are continually being challenged and CHANGE is inevitable. It’s a constant. The sooner we embrace change, the stronger we become and the new lessons learned are so insightful. It doesn’t matter if you are 20, 40, 60 or 80 years old, it’s necessary for us to keep growing and keep our mind open to change. As a wise man once told me, it’s all part of the program. Because my friends, let’s face it, there will be people we will lose, there are people who will disappoint you, there will be vicious and spiteful people. There will be people who are jealous of you. There will be people who try and trip you up because they are unhappy with their own circumstances. There are people who will blame you for their woes and want to play victim. They are stuck and you are not. How do I know this? Because you believe in self- improvement and personal growth.

Question to you this week. How do you handle these people or changes in your life? Do you embrace change or do your resist it?

Join me for some insights on embracing change.

Newton’s Law of Physics says that an object in motion stays in motion…..well the opposite is also true. An object at rest, stays at rest. When you stop it is sometimes very difficult to raise yourself up again. Sometimes you may be feeling a bit overwhelmed with all you have to do. I totally understand. We have all been there. It feels better to do nothing or procrastinate.

However, determined individuals like you, know that doing something, no matter how small, reactivates the mind and body and pushes you to take the next step. Listen in as I interview an 11 year old that understands the important of determination and shares her own insights to this important success factor.

I saw this quote in Pure Happy Life yesterday and it sums it up.

“Sometimes the smallest step in the right direction ends up being the biggest step of your life. Tip toe if you must, but take the step.”

DETERMINATION IS THE PRODUCT OF 3 FACTORS

GOAL – Is it important to you?

COMMITMENT – Are you truly committed. You all know how I feel about this one.

FOCUS – Stay focused on the goal.

These 3 factors are a winning combination. My hope is that you will revisit your intention for all your goals and ask yourself….HOW DETERMINED AM I?

It is always my intent to provide some insight into personal development and today is no exception. You are getting a bonus round today as I am joined by another energetic, and loving Coach and I know you are going to love her, and you will love her beautiful accent too.

I am thrilled to be joined by my friend and colleague Carmen Payne.

Carmen is a personal and professional development coach. She works with business and corporate professionals to develop leadership skills and increase self-awareness to help create an even better personal and professional life fit.

One of Carmen’s passions is her “Leading with Your Heart Program.” Since you are all leaders, no matter what career or role you play in life, the one question that Carmen suggests we all ask ourselves is this…….

Listen in to this episode and hear Carmen’s important question and more. She will share her 5 fundamentals of “Leading With Your Heart” and how this changed her life.

Join us for an enlightening conversation.

really believe we all need someone cheering us on to be better each If I can encourage just one of you to be or do a little better then, I am one happy Wisdom Warrior.

I want to share with you an experience I had this past week which caused me to think about our vision and the clarity in our lives.

I had a little bit of eye surgery to inprove my vision and the clouding in one of my eyes. As I saw the world with such crispness and clarity, it reminded me of the song by Johnny Nash, "I Can See Clearly Now."

When you truly listen to the lyrics of the song it discusses how he can see clearly now – all the rain is gone. Well I changed the lyrics just a little. I can see clearly now, all the clouds are gone. But let’s go deeper into the song and the meaning and how it can impact our own life.

Listen up for a minute. Now remember, I cannot and don’t sing but here are some of the words…..Coach Maria’s Version

I can see clearly now; the clouds are gone.

I can see all obstacles in my way.

Gone are the dark clouds that had me blind

It’s gonna be a bright, bright, bright sun shiny day.

I was singing that song all day. As I looked at the crevices of the surrounding alluvial mountains with such crispness and the blue sky’s vibrancy I kept singing and smiling. Everything was so vivid. I was thrilled that I don’t have to wear my glasses.

The song is about hope and courage for people who have experienced adversity in their lives but have later overcome it. It’s about looking forward to a brighter future. It is the epitome of a feel good, positive vibe song.

Welcome my friends to another episode of Motivational Moments with Maria. I’m your host, energetic, loving and High-Performance Coach Maria. I am grateful and honored that you are listening in today. Let’s keep on growing together and sharing positive messages with those in our lives. Your comments keep me obsessed about doing my work each and every day.

We are coming off a great week of giving thanks and appreciation for all the goodness we have in our lives. One of my clients is so incredible and collected funds and delivered 215 turkeys to the local food distribution centers. Another one led a fundraiser to handover $3000 to the local food bank. Talk about servant leaders. I loved getting an update on their progress and listening to the excitement in their voices. The cherry on top the top was seeing the sheer joy it brought them. One person’s vision impacted thousands of people in the community.

How can we sustain that feeling as we move in to the final month of the year, a year where we all have had phenomenal growth and learning? Hey, if you did not experience growth this past year, then you had your head in the sand with your you know what exposed.

So here it comes my friends. The question of the week. What will you do in 2022? Have you given this any thought or are you waiting until the end of the year to put a stake in the ground and make those New Year’s resolutions.

I say start now and get that big steam engine rolling so we build momentum and speed going into 2022.

You are all high achievers. You have big dreams and aspirations and please never lose sight of your dream.

Everything begins with a vision and purpose. In order to develop mastery in anything we must have a vision. It is a process of continually focusing and refocusing on what you truly want. Our vision may not change and what we know is that it is ever evolving and as we achieve new levels we and create and re-create new targets for ourselves.

This weekly podcast is to help you stay more focused, and positive so YOU can experience more, fulfillment, fun and joy in all areas of your life.

Speaking of joy and fun, I just spent the weekend in San Diego at the only live 3-Day 60-mile Breast Cancer walk in the country. The energy was incredible. Everyone was so thrilled and excited to see each other after two years. It was the biggest reunion I have ever been to.

The waves of pink starting in beautiful Del Mar were spectacular with the blue Pacific Ocean in the background. The streets of San Diego were overflowing with thousands of spectators cheering the walkers and high fiving one another. Needless to say, the full range of emotions were experienced by all.

As I turned a corner to see some familiar faces this Madam was overcome with tears of gratitude. Tears of gratitude that I am able to stand here before you and proudly wear the label of survivor. You see over 25 years ago, at Thanksgiving, I was given my first diagnosis of breast cancer. In those days, it was considered a death sentence. Fortunately for me, and for those I love, including you, we caught it early enough and it was treatable. Then 9 years later when it returned, I was really scared. Ten surgeries, radiation, a double mastectomy and guess what, I am still standing.

November is a very reflective month for me so if I am a little emotional this week, I hope you will indulge me. November causes me to look back at where I have been in my life, and how much love, light and appreciation for life I have.

Listen my friends, it’s Thanksgiving week here in the good old USA. I love this country and all that it offers so this week more than ever…

Don’t just count your blessings, share them.

Share your blessings of love.

Your messages of hope, achievement, and personal breakthroughs help me stay more energetic, enthusiastic, and obsessed about my work.

So, thank you, thank you, thank you. My desire is that you live each day to the fullest and know that your best self-showed up…no matter what. Here is the question of the week. Have you ever been in a negative VORTEX?

You feel stuck and unable to move in any direction and all the negative feelings begin to summon themselves. You may find yourself feeling tired, drained of inspiration, experiencing feelings of anxiety and sometimes even depression.

These Negative energy vortexes do exist and there is nothing worse than that feeling of despair. Those moments when you can’t seem to go forward or backwards. Let me share a little story with you on this.

When I was a kid – ok that’s a long time ago…..I was Stuck in the mud in my rubber rain boots up to my knees. I Could not move. I couldn’t have been more than 7 or 8.. I was in a mud vortex and could not move forward or backwards. I was so scared and started crying. It felt like the mud was sucking the life out of me.

Just even remembering it gives me the heebie jeebies. My older brother had to rescue me. The boots are probably sitting there at the bottom of the reservoir that was being built. I was STUCK! And I may have been in a lot of trouble for losing those boots. That’s a simple description of being in a negative vortex.

Or, have you ever felt like you are on a merry go round and can’t seem to jump off. You have a sense of stuckness and are afraid to make the leap off that merry go round. It seems as though you keep repeating the same things over and over and the same scenery keeps showing up I bring up this subject today because you asked me, as a coach for some guidance on this. So, I will give you a framework to use when this happens.

It’s always my intent to bring you something of value to energize, inspire, or motivate you to reach new levels of performance.

It may be something in your personal life or professional life and this week is no exception……because I believe we all need someone cheering us on to be better each day. I am committed to serving YOU because when you win I feel like I win too.

Have you noticed that I emphasized the word because so take a second to reflect on that word: BECAUSE. It is a powerful word and listen to this…. BECAUSE is the number 1 word linking our inaction to excuses.

Because is a very powerful word. BECAUSE is guilty of pacifying our wants and desires and threatening our future by passing on to us this ugly and horrific gift….THE PERMISSION TO LOSE.

That’s harsh isn’t it.

Listen to this:

I can’t be a manager because…… I am not a sales person because….. I am not good with money because…. I can’t make ends meet because….. I can’t lose the weight because….. I haven’t written my book because…

Listen in to this week's episode.

It’s always my intent to bring you something of value to energize, inspire, or motivate you to reach new levels of performance. It may be something in your personal life or professional life and this week is no exception……because I believe we all need someone cheering us on to be better each and every day. Have you ever wondered what the factors are that predict your success and the success of high performing individuals? It’s a great question so I gathered up the research and identified the top 10 factors that predict success. Hang with me here my friends. Here’s the thing….. We are getting near the end of the year and this is an incredible time to review, reflect and ask yourself again. What you may have thought success was a year ago is different for you today. You all know I love questions and ask a lot of them. This week is no exception and with the end of the year approaching, this is a great time to reflect, review and reset. First what is success? It’s different for everyone. What does it mean to you? One of my favorite mentors Jim Rohn defines it this way….. “Success is the steady progression of a worthwhile goal. The person you want to be. The things you want to have for yourself and for your family. The goals that give you satisfaction and joy.” I want YOU to define what it is you really want, and then make it so. What does success look like for you? What does a good, successful relationship look like to you? What does a successful career look like to you? What does a healthy body look like to you? Get CLEAR on this! You want to be able to touch it, smell it, taste it. When you get so clear on your success vision you can feel it, and your brain can’t help but desire it! You activate your RAS and then those little neurons go to work. So let’s talk about the 10 success factors.

So here it comes my friends.

The question of the week.

Have you ever wondered how your thoughts really work?

Or, when your day is going crazy, have you ever felt out of control?

Of course, you have.

Something happens and suddenly your mood changes. It comes down to a matter of perception and how we perceive things. And, it can get wicked my friends.

Let me walk you through the steps of perception. Perception is simply organizing, identifying, and interpreting of sensory information in order to represent and understand the information or environment.

All perception involves signals that go through our nervous system, which in turn result from physical or chemical stimulation.

This is how it works. Information comes in to you. We grab that information and many times we turn it into something more than it really is.

What did I see or what did I just hear? What did this person just say to me?

We also feed the information to ourselves. What am I listening to? What am I watching and who am I hanging with?

In other words, how am I perceiving this information. Has anyone ever said to you….hey it’s ok, calm down.

All the information we are surrounded by impacts your day and what started out as a perfectly normal day suddenly turns into a negative situation. How can we change that.

This past weekend I spent a few days in our great nation’s capital. For me it is always a humbling experience. I toured all the memorials and I read some of the quotes from our forefathers and past presidents. I took the time to reflect on what our freedom is worth and what it has cost our nation.

You are probably wondering what all this has to do with personal growth and personnel development? Well… Everything. When you believe in something so strongly you are guided to take certain actions and these actions stem from your principles.

I call these beliefs your Guiding Principles. Just like our nation’s founders and leaders had guiding principles, you do too. Our nation’s freedom came at a great expense and our leaders were willing to take a stand for what they believed was in the best interest of the people, even at the cost of their own lives. They were ridiculed, judged, hated and in some cases assassinated…..because they held steadfast to their Guiding Principles.

Have you ever sat down and just gave this some thought? Do you know what your Guiding Principles are? Perhaps you just never thought through your own set of Guiding Principles. You live your life a certain way guided by key factors that made you who you are….your education and experiences, your role models, and your genetics. And, as we gain new insights and experiences, your Guiding Principles stay steadfast and your core values may change.

I really believe we all need someone cheering us on to be better each and every day and If I can encourage just one of you to be or do a little better then, I am one happy Wisdom Warrior.
So here it comes my friends. The question of the week.

Have you ever allowed self-doubt to sabotage you?

Don’t worry you are not alone. Self-doubt can paralyze you and keep you from moving forward. Hey, I have been there my friends…on more than one occasion.

I remember being exactly where you are now...Asking myself and wondering if I should take the leap into the unknown. I have been riddled with self-doubt on many occasions.

It sounds like this… what if?

The what ifs of the world will keep you stuck in the mud every time.

I challenge myself every week to stay focused and obsessed about personal growth and positive psychology studies.

I really believe we all need someone cheering us on to be better each and every day and If I can encourage just one of you to be or do a little better then, I am one happy Wisdom Warrior.

It’s October my friends and that means every day in October I wear pink to honor the men and women who we have lost to Breast Cancer and to those who have survived breast cancer. It’s a horrible disease and I encourage each of you to get yourself checked this month.

It affects both men and women. Give yourself the gift of a self-check. I am grateful blessed to have survived this disease twice and let me tell you, it has not been fun. So that’s my soapbox for today.

I have deemed October self-care month so STOP whatever you are doing and perform a quick self-check on yourself. So here is a question for you to ponder this week.

Why are some people more successful in their careers than others?

Why is it that some people grow, flourish, get promoted, move ahead rapidly, and enjoy greater satisfaction in their lives and careers?

Is the person who earns $250,000 per year ten times smarter, better or more capable than the person who earns $25,000. Absolutely not.

That’s Rubbish! Research clearly shows that successful people think differently. Everything matters to them including what they say to themselves.

How many of you have ever created art by using a Paint By Numbers kit?

They are so easy to follow aren’t they?

Last week I had the opportunity to work from my son’s home and in the evening watched the grandkids doing their homework. One part of homework was a paint/write by numbers exercise and it dawned on me that life is similar to a paint by numbers kit.

It’s easy, isn’t it?

You just follow the instructions and pretty soon you have a beautiful piece of artwork. You stand back and appraise your work, pat yourself on the back and are quite proud of yourself. It was easy and turned out beautifully.

My friends your life is the same way. We can create our own masterpiece. It’s simply a matter of following a plan… and the instructions and guidance others give us.

When we do embrace this, life can be pretty rewarding. If we look around and observe, we must ask this….why are some people more successful in their careers than others are?

Why do some people grow and flourish, get promoted, move ahead quickly and enjoy greater satisfaction in their lives and work?

Your Wild Card is your attitude.

Attitudes can be seen and felt without a word being said. Your attitude is expressed through your behavior.

We can sense and feel someone's attitude, If we have a hardened attitude it will cause us to close our minds and create a dark outlook about life. Are you choosing to take a dark outlook or are you choosing to have an attitude that will carry you through all the challenges we all have faced?

Our attitude is the primary force that will determine whether we success or fail.

What new habits have you created in your daily routine to keep you on your game, protect yourself, and take you to the next level of performance for yourself?

As Benjamin Franklin stated: “Your Net Worth Is Usually Determined by what remains after your bad habits are subtracted.”

We are on auto pilot or cruise control 95% of the time.

Our daily actions are unconscious and they become second nature. A habit is something that you don’t even think about.

It’s like taking medication. You know what time and how much you need to take each and every day and you have created a daily habit of taking your meds at the same time.

You know when it’s time and how to brush your teeth, drive a car, eat, drive and so much more. These are all learned behaviors that you have developed over time and you have created habits around them.

Remember this, We were not born with any habits so each habit has been learned…yes both good and bad ones.

So my friends if you picked up a habit that you are not fond of, like smoking, overeating, drinking sodas, the great news is that you can unlearn these habits that we picked up. And, the longer you have been doing the habit, the longer it will take to undo it as it has become so strong over time.

Let me give you an analogy to consider.

Habits start out like a spider webs. Have you every really looked at a spider web in the making. When you first encounter a small one, you bat it away without a second glance but……if you have seen one that has been weaved and created, the spider web is so strong and you cannot just bat it away. You can get entangled in it and it can be as strong as steel. So, imagine your habit being as solid as steel and you have to chip away at it a little at a time.

It’s going to take some effort and some time.

Happy Labor Day my friends.

The last big 3-day weekend of the summer.

The idea of Labor Day is to recognize and honor the American labor movement and the ways in which American workers have contributed to the country's success over the years.

This holiday was born in response to a series of workers' strikers in the late 19th century, as workers protested against unfair working conditions.

Thousands of Americans have marched, protested and participated in strikes in order to create fairer, more equitable labor laws and workplaces – and still do today. Today we have good working conditions and I for one say it is time to get back to work.

Time for all of us to get back to high productivity. Let the fall begin and in many states children are going back to school.

For many it is the first time they have been in the classroom for over a year and I do recognize the excitement and trepidation for parents and children alike.

*Have you ever heard the term…SOME WILL, SOME WON’T, SO WHAT…..NEXT?

Here is a quote from Jose N Harris. “There comes a time in your life, when you walk away from all the drama and people who create it. You surround yourself with people who make you laugh. Forget the bad, and focus on the good. Love the people who treat you right, pray for the ones who don’t. Life is too short to be anything but happy. Falling down is a part of life, getting back up is living. "

I love this quote because it succinctly summarizes today’s topic which is one of my favorite words…..NEXT.

No matter what career you are in, there will be people and circumstances that will disappoint, frustrate or anger you.

Those that know me will often hear me say this…..Some will, some won’t, so what……NEXT.

In other words, move on and let it go.

Yes, I know it’s hard sometimes. You worked your butt off for a client and when they decide to go a different direction, your emotions start percolating and you want to complain about the situation and become the victim.

While that may feel good for a short period of time, it serves absolutely no purpose. High performers know this and have practiced the skill – it is a learned skill: they assess the situation, and ask themselves the following questions….*

Here is your question of the week.

I’m really curious about this subject. What are some things you do to deepen your relationships?

And by this I not only mean your significant, intimate relationships but with your friends, family and co-workers too.

Much too often we take our friends and family and most of all our significant others for granted. What I have learned over the years is it takes effort to keep relationships alive and thriving. Are you investing enough time in deepening all your relationships and creating new ones?

All relationships are cyclical. Relationships go through cycles. The first is the merge….you come together and this is the fun stage.

You start out playful, fun, and then boom, something happens and you start pulling away and move to the doubt and denial phase.

This is when you start noticing subtle differences between yourselves and all is not rosy any more. You begin to critique more and may withdraw or disagree more often.

You notice yourself criticizing your partner or friends or co-workers or perhaps they are criticizing you. You find yourself avoiding certain situations.

This is a really difficult phase and sometimes it ends up being the decision phase to move on for some. Perhaps you don’t care for the person’s negativity, energy or victim mentality.

This is when you become extremely aware of what you need in deep friendships and intimate relationships.

Here is your question of the week.

Have you ever suffered from IMPOSTER SYNDROME?

Yes? Then you are in the right place as I share some insights on Imposter Syndrome and some tips to overcome that feeling.

First we need to define what Imposter Syndrome is. According to Webster’s Dictionary, imposter syndrome is Your persistent inability to believe that one's success is deserved or has been legitimately achieved as a result of your own efforts or skills.

Simply put, imposter syndrome is the experience of feeling like a phony—you feel as though at any moment you are going to be found out as a fraud—like you don't belong where you are, and you only got there through dumb luck. I am sure once or twice in your life you may have given this a thought. Am I real or am I an imposter?

Don’t fret my friends…..you are not alone.

Join me for some insights on Imposter Syndrome.

Here is your question of the week.

Have you identified the possibilities available to you in your life and are you realizing your full potential?

What do you need to do to reach the next level of your potential. What does having potential really mean?

Potential can be either good or bad. ...

But when a person "has potential", we always expect something good from it in the future.

As an adjective, potential usually means simply "possible". So these two words go hand in hand and let me say this…..you my friend have more potential and the possibilities are greater than you know.

I know you want to be more, do more and have more.

If you say NO, I don’t…..I say BOLLOCKS….another word for rubbish or BS.

You would not be listening to this podcast if you did not believe in your own potential and the possibilities that life presents to you. Are you grabbing it; are you pushing yourself to be a better partner, spouse, lover, mother, father, employee, employer?

Or are you just playing through and say to yourself…I am comfortable where I am and don’t want any more.

This week’s question to ponder.

What do you believe about yourself and what factors contributed to your belief system?

Your thoughts are running rampant all day long triggered by your internal compass or what I call Your internal belief system. It is your guide, your map on how we live our lives and let me explain.

It started a long time ago and the best way to explain this is through the story of John. John was a young immigrant boy who grew up in Southern California in poverty. His family was poor and he worked the fields side by side with his parents.

He was told…..this is what we do! He never had new clothes, just hand me downs from other siblings. When he went to school, there were many others like him but there were others that made fun of him and teased him because he was different. He was of Hispanic descent and the color of this skin was different.

Other children made fun of him. He spoke another language and people teased him and laughed at him because of his accent. What do you think this young boy believed about himself? He was told, you are different, you are not good enough, you can only go so far. And he carried those beliefs with him everywhere he went.

Through all his elementary, middle school and high school years.

All he kept hearing from his Mother was this. “I just want you to graduate from High School.” That’s it. That was his only goal. To please his mom and graduate from high school.

Then what? Get a job and do the grind everyday?

Make enough money to live, pay your bills and maybe have some leftover for something fun.

He heard this too…You are only capable of making a certain amount of money and you will need to get a high school diploma.

This was his ceiling. Imagine that.

I love to start each week with a question and this week is no different.

How do you recharge your battery?

Do you know when it’s time to recharge and are you aware of the signs that you are fatigued?

Here is what I have been observing over the last few weeks. Many of you are feeling the summer doldrums and are not interested in anything…..I mean you don’t want to work, you don’t want to workout, you think you are not cut out for your career.

These are all signs that you need need a re-charge break. And we can’t just take a two week vacation once a year and think that is good enough.

I have been coaching my clients to recharge every day and I mean every day.

So many of you are burning the candle at both ends, responding to emails and text messages at all hours of the night. You have become addicted to your phone and feel that you have to answer your messages immediately.

Do you sometimes feel that if you don’t, you might lose a client?

Don’t hide…..yes some of you do.

This week I received a question from a listener and she asked…are you always this positive? The answer is NO. I have my share of disappointments, negative nellies, critics and what I call non-believers. However, what I have learned and continue to practice is staying in alignment with my life’s purpose. Once my internal alignment is on track, every action taken in the direction of my desired outcome results in positive, forward momentum. And Momentum is actually the principle behind Newton’s Law of Physics that states….an object in motion tends to stay in motion. What is momentum anyway….Momentum is the force of speed produced by anything that is in motion. It applies not only to physical objects such as a train building up speed as it rolls down the tracks or a huge boulder rolling down a hill but it also applies equally to the motion forward (or backward) of our most practiced thoughts, feelings, moods, habits and behaviors. So, this week’s question…..do you ever get off track and out of alignment? Does life throw you curve balls and cause you to give up? How do you get back in alignment and momentum?

The aloha spirit is alive and well. I am speaking to you again from the beautiful Island of Hawaii. Even though I am on vacation, I am doing some work to do, and really pacing myself because I believe we all need some down time to re-charge and refresh. The pace of life is much more relaxed here and I have come to really appreciate the Hawaiian culture and values. The aloha spirit is everywhere and that prompted me to do some further research on the Hawaiian value system and to ask you the following question. What do you truly value and when was the last time you sat down and wrote down your values and what you truly appreciate in your life. Our lives are busy and we go through the motions and today is just a gut check for you. Our values provide direction and core values are our fundamental beliefs. Here in the islands,The Hawaiian value system determines priorities, guides their interactions with others, establishes their behavior and is centered around the Hawaiian culture and traditions.

I am speaking to you today from the beautiful Island of Hawaii…..also known as the Big Island. As I was sitting on the lanai watching the palm trees swaying and listening to the geckos and birds chirping I said to myself…..I am so grateful to the have the freedom to be here. That prompted me to reflect even more on what our freedom is worth and what it means to me. So, here it comes….. yes, yes….the question of the week. How much is your freedom worth and what does freedom mean to you? Here in the US we just celebrated our country’s Independence Day, and I thought this might be a great topic to discuss our own personal freedom and what that means to you. How much is your Personal Independence Worth? And, what are you willing to sacrifice or do to have more freedom and the time to allow your creative expression to emerge and do the things you truly enjoy?

Question of the week my friends. What frequency are you transmitting to the world? Just as we switch channels to listen to different radio stations, we have the ability to change our internal channels for the emotional set points that we transmit. When I was growing up, we listened to the radio and were limited in the number of channels available. We set the dial and then made minor adjustments to get a clearer signal so we wouldn’t have all that static. Unlike today’s hundreds of channels and satellite networks, we only had a few where we could actually tune in to the transmitted signal. Sometimes we would have to adjust the antenna so we could get the best signal and enjoy the music. If we were in a car, we had a limited number of stations available and if someone broke your outside antenna, you were shitake out of luck. When we tuned in to a station we loved and the station was transmitting a strong signal we were happy! If someone even got close to the knob to change the station, we slapped their hand away saying don’t touch it. Why did I give you this analogy? Because our lives are similar and we alone have the ability to control our emotional dials. We can dial into country, rap, classical, comedy, spiritual and so much more. In the same way that you now have access to hundreds if not thousands of different programs on your radio all types of life experiences, both wanted and unwanted, are available to each of us in every moment – because each one of us has access to the full range of emotions by dialing in.

Over 111 Countries celebrated Father’s Day to honor Dads. Where did this celebration of Fatherhood come from? A quick bit of history for you. The first Father's Day celebration originated and took place in the United States. It was on June 19, 1910. Sonora Dodd, the daughter of American Civil War veteran William Jackson Smart had requested the Spokane Ministerial Alliance observe June 5th, which was her father's birthday, to honor fatherhood. Her father had raised six children, as a single parent. Her deep sense of gratitude, and love propelled her to make this request. Finally, the Church agreed upon the third Sunday of June to commemorate. Following which, much later in 1966, President Lyndon B Johnson announced the third Sunday of June as Father's Day as he signed a presidential proclamation. Almost 62 years later Father's Day was declared as a national holiday by Richard Nixon who was the then President of the United States in 1972. Most recently, like last week, President Biden proclaimed June 20, 2021 as Father’s Day and directed the appropriate officials of the Government to display the flag of the United States on all Government buildings on this day. His proclamation stated. “Let us remember our fathers, living and deceased, and give them the honor and gratitude they deserve.” What are the attributes of a great father? A father is not necessarily the one that provided the one ingredient necessary to bring you to life. He is the one that was there for you in the good and bad times. And then there are those men that step up to the plate and raise another father’s children. Yes, the step dad. As the quote by Ray states, “It takes a strong man to accept someone else’s children and step up to the plate another man left on the table.

I do this weekly podcast to help you stay a little more focused, inspired, and positive so YOU can create more joy in all areas of your life. With the chaos and stress of our daily lives we sometimes need a reminder to appreciate more and stay the course. It also helps me stay more energetic, and obsessed ABOUT personal development and positive psychology studies. I really believe we all need someone cheering us on and encouraging us to be better each and every day. If I can encourage just one of you to be a little better each day, BAM, I am a happy camper. We flew out to Dallas for the weekend to watch our granddaughter play soccer in an Olympic Development Program. Watching these kids practice and play reminded me of a few words that each of us may choose to practice daily in order to improve our careers, increase our productivity and grow as individuals. As I sat and watched these 10 and 11 year olds play their hearts out in the blazing heat, these words came to mind.

Here is the Moment of truth question to ask yourself this week. Are you on track to hit your goals for this year? I am not talking just in your career, but in your health, wealth, experiences, relationships and learning? When was the last time you even looked at your goals? Hey, my friends it’s time to level up your game. It’s time to be more accountable to yourself and your family. It’s June my friends, almost the end of the second quarter of 2021 and it’s time to perform a mid-year review on yourself. I just did mine and I have some work to do! I set some lofty goals at the beginning of the year and I am a little behind, and I am excited because I am still taking ACTION. I said self….. you should have and could have gone faster and what I learned is that it’s ok to go slow. It’s not ok to give up and throw in the towel. It’s not ok to settle for mediocrity. It’s not ok to give up on my dream. Remember at the beginning of 2021 when you said you wanted to get it done in 2021? Now that I have done my Mid-Year Self-Assessment, I intend to get it done in 2021. It’s time to LEVEL UP and perform a let’s be honest with yourself assessment.

Today is Memorial Day. A day that we honor our fallen heroes, those that served our country and made the biggest sacrifice, allowing us to enjoy the freedom we have. Did you know? Each year on Memorial Day a national moment of remembrance takes place at 3:00 p.m. local time. Today when the clock strikes 3:00pm local time, take a minute in silence to remember and thank those that we have lost in service. It’s also a good time to remember those loved ones we have lost and take a moment to reflect on the goodness they brought to your life. A few things happened this past week that reminded me of the importance of seizing every opportunity to stay connected, stay in integrity and to seize each day with joy, a reverence for life and gratitude. We have all loved and lost. How do you react when you lose a colleague, a friend, or a family member? Initially we go into disbelief and shock and denial. No, no, no. This can’t be true. I am experiencing a bit of that right now and I cannot seem to shake it yet. Someone in my life that I respected immensely left this earth. He served his country and so many others. We met while I was teaching a class and he was a student. A retired attorney, he decided to re-invent himself and start a new career in Real Estate. As I was teaching, I noticed he always sat in the back of the room staring intently. He had a poker face and I could not read him. Every good teacher prides herself at being able to read the audience and adjust the style and delivery as necessary. So, I did what I have been taught, engage the audience and have them participate. Join me on Motivational Moments with Maria as we honor those that served.

Have you ever been around someone that people were just drawn to like a magnet? You know that person at a social event that seems to command the room or at a business meeting and people gather around them to listen to the conversation? You wonder, what does that person have that I don’t, or what are they doing differently? They seem to speak with ease and those around them are smiling and appear to be enjoying the conversation. Is it a natural ability or a learned skill? I am here to tell you, it is a learned skill, a 100 percent teachable skill, and one of the most valuable skills you can learn. What is this skill? My friends, it is the ability to connect. Not just communicate but to really connect with people. Join me for a conversation on Motivational Moments with Maria.

If you had to score yourself, on a scale of 1-10, on your Credibility, how would you rate yourself? Take just a moment to reflect on that. And, what does credibility mean to you? Your credibility is everything and what I mean is, how do you think you are viewed by others and what they think of you. Now I know you shouldn’t care what others think of you and the truth is we do and we know others are talking about you. It does not matter what line of work you are in, credibility is so important. Do others look at you as a reliable resource? Do they believe what you tell them? Being credible means developing a set of very specific qualities--no matter what your role, your organization, or your industry. If you're serious about establishing yourself as credible here are some of the qualities that you can develop.

There is a psychology to winning and it’s simply developing a lifestyle that is pleasing and inspiring to yourself and sets a healthy example for those who look to you for guidance and encouragement in their own lives. The real key to winning in life is projecting that image of yourself that you would like to become and practicing on a daily basis. Listen in for some insights.

Mindfulness is simply the practice of filling our minds with the present, moment by moment. When we are mindful, we are more present; when we are more fully present, we listen rather than just hear, we perceive rather than just see. It affects everything we do, and impacts every interaction we have with others. Let’s focus on the core components of mindfulness. I will explain these concepts one by one in a few moments. The first component is always attention because mindfulness is all about cultivating attention.
▪ The second one is open awareness.
▪ The third component is acceptance. Mindfulness is about allowing the experience to be present.
▪ The fourth component is about identification, and finally,
▪ the fifth component is about choice Join in to learn more.

You know I am always going to start with a question. So here it is…. Have you ever driven a car that was out of alignment? What does that feel like? Don’t you have to constantly adjust the steering wheel to keep you on track and not veer off the road? And of course the steering wheel was resisting the entire time because it was misaligned. Alignment in your vehicle assures your tires meet the road at the proper angle, your wheels are pointing straight and your tires are centered in the wheel wells. It adjusts the angles of your wheels for best gas mileage, proper road contact, a smooth ride, and the longest tire life. What causes bad alignment in your vehicle? There are environmental conditions, driver error (hitting the potholes) and wear and tear of suspension. All of these can shorten the life of your tires and ultimately your vehicle. When the vehicle is in alignment it’s smooth driving. Well the same things happen to our body, minds and spirit. In order for you to perform at your peak, your mind, body and spirit need to be in alignment. When you are out of alignment the road in life becomes bumpy. Signs of being out of alignment show up in the following ways: headaches, joint or muscle pain, sitting too much, back pain, and limited range of motion. What would you do? Most people head over to the chiropractor to re-align the body for peak performance just like you would take your car in for an alignment. That’s terrific. Having your physical body in alignment is one part. But, we have to go deeper than just the physical.

When was the last time you gave yourself a challenge? Do you challenge yourself enough? Or have you settled in to your comfort zone and want to nest there for a while? Hey, that’s ok and here is what I have learned. The longer we stay in our comfort zone, the more stagnant we become. High performers like you can only remain in stagnancy for so long and then one day you look around and say to yourself, I need to do more. I would stop you right there and say, you don’t need to do more, it’s more like this. I GET TO AND CHOOSE to do more. I choose to stretch myself to learn something new. I choose to and get to work on a new project. I get to try something new. As one of my favorite mentors Jim Rohn said, “You’ve got to try. You’ve got to try again. If it doesn’t work the first time, you’ve got to try and try.” What causes us to be so afraid to challenge ourselves? Quite simply we are afraid of the outcome. Social psychologists say that we may be afraid to challenge ourselves because a challenge involves psychological trauma that brings fear, self-doubt, and insecurity. However, when we take on a challenge it ultimately leads to better performance, and what we have done is just proven to ourselves that we can do anything we set our minds to. Isn’t it interesting how that works. Listen my friends, life is like a roller coaster. It has its ups and downs, it has its exhilarating times and comfortable times. It has its hairpin turns and slow turns. The roller coaster has you anticipating and screaming about the free fall. When the roller coaster ride is done, you feel thrilled, excited, sometimes peeing your pants and sometimes congratulating yourself on completing this one challenge. And for some of us we are nauseous and just have to go throw up. But you took the ride. You summoned the courage to do it. Life is the same way. Listen in for some insights on challenging yourself to be better every day.

Today is going to be a let me be blunt and honest with you. Some of you need to make a change. I hear it in your voice mails, emails, coaching sessions and direct messages. Have you been feeling a bit overwhelmed lately? Perhaps a bit stressed out from work or the home life? Are you still afraid to travel? It’s time to take control of your life once again and make the necessary changes to bring back the excitement so you can reach your unique and full potential. What changes have you been wanting to make and have resisted because of the whole chaos and fear of the COVID situation? My friends, the world is opening up. Millions of people are being vaccinated and it’s time. What do I mean by it’s time? I mean it’s time to take back your Freedom to explore again. It’s time to raise your confidence and get out of the house and visit people you have not seen in over a year. Some of you have been diligent about staying away and I honor your decision to do so and now it’s time to make a change. It’s time to start living again. It’s time to unlock your cage and explore.

Do you suffer from shiny object syndrome? Don’t know what that is? Every high performer like you suffers from it or suffered from it at some point in their career. If you are a solopreneur or entrepreneur, this affects you even more. So, listen up. I am going to share with you why you need to avoid the shiny object syndrome and what it may actually cost you and your business to go chasing the next shiny object. First, let’s define the shiny object syndrome or SOS. Simply put, shiny object syndrome is a distraction of some sort that takes you off the task you were working on to chase another project or another gadget or the latest fad. It’s a disease my friends and if affects entrepreneurs and high performers like you because you crave new technology, new challenges, and new developments. You tend to be highly motivated and are not afraid to start a new project and create something cool. Listen in for some tips.

Positive Psychologists define Flow as one of life’s highly enjoyable states of being, wrapping us entirely in the now, and helping us be more creative, productive, and happy. Psychological Flow captures your positive mental state of being completely absorbed, focused, and involved in your activities at a certain point in time, as well as experiencing enjoyment from being engaged in that activity. As I prepare to write my blogs and record my podcasts, I get into rhythm and flow. I have intense concentration on what I am doing and focused on the task at hand. As with anything in life we tackle, we must get into our own natural state of rhythm and flow. Can you get into a FLOW State? You betcha!.. Here are some tips on how to get yourself in flow, and what I would love you to consider is starting with one or two of these a day. Listen in for some tips on getting yourself into FLOW.

Have you ever been thrown off your game first thing in the morning? Did you let it ruin your entire day? I had a situation happen this past week that reminded me how resilient and solution based we really can be. Here is the resiliency lesson: • When faced with challenges, do not give up so easily. Know that you have the ability to figure things out. While you may want to stop, drop and roll, don’t. In other words, don’t be quick to give up and believe in your ability to bounce back. • Be resilient so you can recover quickly from difficulties. • Don't wallow or dwell on failures; acknowledge the situation, learn from their mistakes, and then move forward. Listen my friends, • Resilience is important for a number of reasons; it helps us to develop mechanisms for protection against experiences which could be overwhelming, it helps us to maintain balance in our lives during difficult or stressful periods of time, and resiliency can also protect us from the development of some mental health difficulties.

Today is a very special day and I am late, late, late, late, late. Time has flown by so quickly and I did not realize that a year has passed since I released my first podcast. What was I thinking? It’s a milestone. Did I know how much work would be involved? Did I think anyone would listen? Who do you think you are Maria? As a great song goes….I’m still standing…..better than I have ever been. Yes the great Elton John. Here comes the question for you……have YOU ever thought about doing something and didn’t go for it? Of course, and that’s the difference between low performers and high performers like YOU! You have a desire to do something, and while you know there might be some scary times, you go for it anyway. So that’s what I did. I had no clue what I was doing. I did not know anything about podcasting and yet, it was a funny thing, when I made the decision, things began to unfold – people started appearing with the knowledge and wisdom I needed to move forward. Others encouraged me to go for it. Has that ever happened to you? I was reminded of my favorite formula – the success words I use to guide me. Join me on Motivational Moments with Maria as I share my formula for success.

Have you ever looked at the colors of a beautiful rainbow and wondered what is at the end of the rainbow?

There is something quite magical, mystical and beautiful when we see a rainbow from afar, and of, course as we gazed at the rainbow we wondered if we could find the POT OF GOLD as I know we have all heard the tales of finding a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.

The most well-known story of the pot of gold is of the poor Irish farmer and his wife.

When they pulled up their last carrot from the ground, attached to the roots was the little Leprechaun. The captured leprechaun offered them one wish in exchange for his freedom. The couple could not decide on one thing and started wishing for everything (new tools, new house, new animals, and so much more until the Leprechaun put a stop to it.

Sensing their greed, the Leprechaun told them they could have all their wishes, and more if they could find his pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.

Well what do you think happened?

The poor farmer and his wife chased rainbows forever and never a wish was granted. Moral of the story……don’t let your greed overtake you.

In other words, quit chasing rainbows. Your pot of gold is not necessarily gold coins, jewelry, money or material things as portrayed and written about in so many tales.

What does the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow really mean?

It is different for everyone.

For me it is the freedom to work from anywhere, anytime and to empower and serve others to become their best selves, whatever that may be. So, in reality my friends, my pot of gold is all of you! "

How many of you have heard the saying, you have the “The luck of the Irish. Do you know how that phrase came about? The origins of the ‘luck of the Irish’ saying can be traced back to the late 1800’s in America during the gold and silver rush. At that time, Irish and Irish Americans were some of the most successful miners to prosper and that is how the saying came to be. Let’s dive deeper into that. Was is really luck or was it, hard work, perseverance and persistence? Luck my friends is simply preparation meeting opportunity. And these “LUCKY PEOPLE” were willing to work harder and longer than others. They took menial jobs to survive. The big migration of the Irish to the US was so they could have a better life for their families and not be persecuted for their religion. They clearly were the underdogs coming to America like many other immigrants, no one wanted to give them jobs but they persevered. Now I don’t mean this to be history lesson and I want you to consider how this conversation plays into your daily life. Therefore, my question to you is Are you lucky, persistent and dogged in order to build a better life for yourself and your family? And can we create our own luck? Believe it or not, we can influence our “luck”.

In this final week of self-love month, I hope you recognized how important you are and treated yourself even more lovingly this month. Sometimes we need to be reminded that self-love is vital to our well-being. What special things did you do for yourself this past week? Someone asked me the other day, why I was doing this weekly podcast, and was it worth the effort. Here is my response:. I love doing this weekly podcast and it is my intent to give you some thoughts to reflect on, tips and insights to help you move towards what you choose to have in your life. If I can help empower one person then it’s so worth the time. I also love to infuse some of my energy into you so you can lead a more productive, vibrant and joyful life. On this last week of self-love month, I really want to focus on your desires again. I am going to break it down easily. Listen in to my insights on the pursuit of your dream.

What is it that you truly desire for your life? So many of us sometimes just settle and say, oh well these are the cards I was dealt. I believe, and it’s my belief that we have the ability to achieve that which we truly desire. We do that through taking small steps each day. Let’s talk about your desires. Oh wow, here she goes giving us more definitions. Hey, it’s just another way to look at things. Desires are simply a strong feeling of wanting to have something or wishing for something to happen and according to Professor Steven Reiss from Ohio State University, there are 16 basic desires that guide nearly all meaningful human behavior. The desires are: power, independence, curiosity, acceptance, order, saving, honor, idealism, social contact, family, status, vengeance, romance, eating, physical exercise, and tranquility.

As we continue our Self-Love month, let's focus on how we can improve. It's a powerful word and I will share some insights on how improving your love of self will help you achieve your goals.

It’s the first day of February, the start of the Valentine’s Day Month, the celebration of love and romance month. February is considered the month of love. Some of you may say, so what, I don’t care. It’s just a made-up holiday and I don’t have a sweetie to share Valentine’s Day with. I would argue that you do! Today we are going to focus on the most important person to love, cherish, honor and live for – you and your SELF-LOVE. Have you settled for good enough because you think you cannot ask for more from love? Are you even open to love? Join me on Motivational Moments with Maria for some thoughts on why Self-Love is at the heart of true love.

This week’s question for you.

Have you ever felt your energy and motivation waning throughout your day? What do you do to keep yourself motivated?

How do you do it?

Listen my friends, it’s simple.

Everything we do in life is a result of the choices we make Our life is made up of choices every minute of the day.

What choices are you making each day to move towards your tomorrow? It’s been such a fun week and it’s because of you, my listeners. This week’s podcast is dedicated to all of you who asked the same question. What do you do to keep yourself motivated? How do you do it? And what causes you to be so positive?

Join me on Motivational Moments with Maria as I share my 5 tips to keep myself motivated.

As always stay focused, stay positive and have fun.

Has anyone every accused you of being stubborn? Well maybe. But is stubbornness a bad thing? Not necessarily. Change your thinking and you change your world my friends. I like to define stubbornness with another word – I call it stick-to-itiveness and I am certain you have heard me use that term before. When you believe in something so fiercely, Stubbornness just means you have a dogged determination not to change your attitude or position on something, especially in spite of good arguments or reasons to do so. Welcome my friends to this week’s episode of Motivational Moments with Maria. I’m your host Crazy Coach Maria and am thrilled you are listening in. My intention every week is give you some food for thought and some tools to increase the joy, and fulfillment in your life.

Have you ever gone to the end of the day and looked back and said to yourself…..what did I do today? Then you get all upset that you didn’t accomplish what you set out to do. Don’t worry, you are in the majority bracket. Well wait, that can’t be you because you, my friend, are a high performer, right? Here is the reality. The truth is everyone one of us gets bogged down in the daily details and distractions of life. My wish for you is that you recognize you have veered off your schedule and have the awareness and discipline to reset and get back on track. Join me as I share some tips to simplify your day so you can get more done.

The New Year is here, The New Year is here. Are you ready for 2021? Did you write down all your resolutions for the New Year and prepared to have an awesome 2021? What are you most excited about? The new year is here and we are at the starting line. The whistle has blown, the fireworks are over and now it’s time to let 2020 go. It’s in the past, done, fini, over. The money has been spent, the checks have been cashed. There is no going back and holding on to yesterday. As the great humorist Will Rogers said, “Don’t let yesterday take up too much of today.”

What did you learn about yourself this year? Come on it’s the end of the historical year. I know many of you are looking forward to 2021 and saying goodbye to 2020. As the car ad says …..make it a December to remember however in this case it’s the entire year to remember. I will ask again, what did you learn about yourself this year. Who showed up? It is time to reflect on your own personal journey of 2020. Last week I asked my clients to reflect on the year and share their story on how they showed up this year. How did they react during the trauma filled, emotional year? So let me run this with you. Take a moment to think about where you were and what you were doing when the announcement came out that you were locked in to your home? What was your initial reaction? What emotions came up for you? Was it anger, fear, disbelief, anxiety?

Determination determines your destiny. Something triggers your lack of determination. After all, determination is to your success as oxygen is to your life. What do you think causes us to lose our determination? Newton’s Law of Physics says that an object in motion stays in motion…..well the opposite is also true. An object at rest, stays at rest. When you stop it is sometimes very difficult to raise yourself up again. Sometimes you may be feeling a bit overwhelmed with all you have to do. I totally understand. We have all been there. It feels better to do nothing or procrastinate. However, determined individuals, like you, know that doing something, no matter how small, reactivates the mind and body and pushes you to take the next step. I saw this quote in Pure Happy Life yesterday and it sums it up. “Sometimes the smallest step in the right direction ends up being the biggest step of your life. Tip toe if you must, but take the step.

Have you ever had the client from hell? You know the one that you wish had never entered your life? The one that disrespected you, had no integrity and you could not get rid of them fast enough? They sucked up your time and energy. Yes, you are probably picturing that person in your mind right now. Take a deep breath and release that thought and my apologies if I created a little angst. Imagine you had the most perfect client that you wish you could clone? They had all the qualities you desire in a client? The client was a perfect fit for you and your business. You recognize them the moment you meet them and there is this connection which quickly leads to mutual admiration. You are in alignment with this client. That is a great feeling and you are thinking to yourself…, how do I recreate that feeling over and over with more clients? Create your own strategic attraction plan so you can attract the type of clients you DO want to work with.

It's time to start believing again. What do you want accomplish in 2021. What do you BELIEVE is possible? This is December my friends…..it’s the end of the year and what a year it has been…… What do YOU BELIEVE is possible for you, your career and your family? It’s time….time to reimagine and take back control of your life’s ambitions. It’s time for you to believe that anything is possible. Am I repeating myself……Of course. You simply must BELIEVE that anything is possible. As Napoleon Hill said “Whatever your mind can conceive and believe it can achieve".

Last week I was teaching a class and this question was asked 3 times on the post class chat and questions. Coach Maria, how do you have so much energy and what do you do to sustain and increase your energy throughout the day. This is a subject that is near and dear to me so I decided to answer the question and give you some tips on how to increase your energy. Many of these tips come from my colleagues in the coaching space and I love their ideas and use them daily. Energy is everywhere and yes, you can increase your energy. By the way, it’s not just physical energy. We must also have mental energy and stamina to get us through each day.

This month more than ever it is important to stop and appreciate all that you have in your life. Gratitude is associated with leading a more satisfied life and contributing positively to your overall well-being. Having a daily habit of gratitude will enhance your life satisfaction.

Have you ever struggled with learning something or have you ever attended a training session where you were talked at most of the time by the presenter? Me too! How do you learn? Were you aware there are different learning styles? When you understand your learning style you can thrive and learn faster. Join me on Motivational Moments with Maria to find out about your learning styles.

We find ourselves in two cycles of life. One is the success cycle and one is the failure cycle. I have found myself in both. The failure cycle takes you to negativity, resistance, chaos and isolation. The success cycle allows you to take action, get results and keeps your mindset positive. Join me on Motivational Moments with Maria as I explain the stages of each and how important it is to be aware of both.

Someone asked me the other day about the word ambition and whether or not it was a good thing or a bad thing to be an ambitious person. AMBITION. Right this moment I want you to think of your initial reaction to that word. AMBITION. Do you perceive it as a positive or a negative word? Ha! Just as I thought. It is surprising to me how many people perceive Ambition as a negative word and react with disdain for the word. By the end of this podcast I my hope is that you have a better understanding of ambition, what it truly means and how you can amplify and energize yourself through your own ambitions.

Let me begin with this….. Once upon a time…..isn’t that the way all stories start? AND Don’t you absolutely love a good story? STORIES BRING US TO SIDE SPLITTING LAUGHTER OR PAINSTAKING EMOTIONAL TEARS. STORIES ALLOW US TO CONNECT WITH OTHERS AND TO PASS ON GENERATIONS OF INFORMATION. In every great story there is joy, sadness, defeat, fear, strength, triumph and then the happily ever after. So where are you on your personal story journey? Imagine this….you wake up every morning and in your backpack or briefcase is your life story that you are carrying around all day. What is yours saying? Is it weighing you down or lifting you up? Is it drudgery or excitement? Join me on Motivational Moments with Maria for some insights on creating a new story.

Here is the question of the week. Have you ever been stuck? Do you find yourself ever getting stuck? Those moments when you can’t seem to go forward or backwards. Why is that and where does this STUCKNESS come from? Join me on Motivational Moments with Maria to find out why you are stuck and how to move you to a different level.

Preparation and Planning for any task is a must. Join me as I share some examples on how to increase your productivity.

When you are in FLOW, you can get so much done. Join me for some triggers to get you into FLOW so you can be more productive and energized.

Your imagination is powerful. Remember when you were a kid and anything was possible. Your imagination allowed you to be a superhero saving your village from the evil demons. Your imagination allowed you to be a princess or prince in your own enchanted world with unicorns and other gentle creatures. Your imagination took you to places like the beach as the graceful dolphin carried you over the waves. When did you put your imagination on pause? Was it because someone said you didn’t fit in? Did someone say you shouldn’t act so silly. Join me on Motivational Moments with Maria for some steps on engagig the power of your imagination.

We are covering a subject that many of you may be experiencing right now. In speaking to my clients, seeing them on Zoom calls and listening carefully to their tonality, it caused me to stop and really assess the current situation in our world again. My hope is that I can share some tools to help you overcome what the professionals are calling “DISASTER FATIGUE”. Listen to Motivational Moments Maria for some coping tips.

Have you ever wondered what goes in to being an Olympic Athlete or a top performer in your field? What goes through their minds? How do they train? As the summer winds down, I must admit that I did miss the Summer Olympics in Tokyo. I am always in awe of the magnificent athletes and how they prepare for these events. I mean these are world class top performers in all aspects of their sport. It’s just like you are in your profession, right? What would happen to your ambitions and dreams if you performed and trained like an Olympian? Join me on Motivational Moments with Maria as I share the how the mind of an Olympic athlete works.

WHAT COULD YOU ACCOMPLISH IF YOU WERE ABLE TO OVERCOME YOUR FEARS. Is fear getting in the way of your productivity? What would you do if you were not afraid? Your mind is swirling right now with the possibilities, isn’t it? Join me on Motivational Moments Maria as I share a process on how to overcome your fears.

Being enthusiastic means showing interest in the things that you do and getting pleasure from them. ... Enthusiasm means having a good attitude and getting satisfaction from getting things done and pursuing your dreams. Join me on Motivational Moments with Maria for some insights on increasing your enthusiasm.

Everything in Life is Energy. How energetic are you? Join me on Motivational Moments as I share some tips on how to generate more energy.

Discipline Means the Following: D for dedication, I for inspiration, S for sticktuitiveness,C for commitment, I for intentional, P for purposeful, L for learning, I for inspirited, N for necessary, and E for Excellence. Join me on Motivational Moments for some suggestions on how to get more disciplined so you can have more freedom.

Have you tapped in to your full potential? There are some key indicators that you have more potential than you know. Join me on Motivational Moments with Maria to discuss how to tap into your potential.

If you have ever struggled with your relationship, join me as I interview Certified Relationship Coach Melody Chadamoyo. She will share some insights from her book on self love.

The Power of Daily Affirmations Description: Affirmations can be a very powerful tool in your daily routine. Join me as I share some quick tips and tools on how affirmations work.

We each possess a dominant personality style. What is yours? Are you a D, an I, an S, or a C. Join me on this week’s episode of Motivational Moments with Maria as I give you an explanation of each style. and the impact it has on you.

We say we are committed and then we use every excuse in the book not to fulfill our commitments. Listen in for some quick tips on Motivational Moments with Maria.

If you are constantly trying to please others, you may be giving up the best of yourself. Listen in to Motivational Moments with Maria for some tips on People Pleasing and how to break the habit.

Are you making lemonade or still sour over the country's events. Listen in to this week's Episode of Motivational Moments with Maria for some insight.

Last week I shared the first 5 success factors of High Performers. Part 2 shares the second 5 and also includes a little challenge for you.

Listen in to this week’s episode of Motivational Moments with Maria for Part 2 of success factors.

Have you ever wondered what the factors are that predict your success and the success of high performing individuals?

It’s a great question. So, I gathered up the research and identified the top 10 factors that predict success of high performing individuals. You are one of those, right?

Listen in to this week’s episode of Motivational Moments with Maria for Part 1.

The year is not over. It's time to get excited about your future.

Everyone has a dream. What's yours and have you given up? Join me on Motivational Moments with Maria to fire up your passion.

How To Deal With A New Obstacle

You demonstrate courage every day. Join me on Motivational Moments with Maria for your story.

Influence by connecting with intention, positivity, and heart.

How joyful are you experiencing life every day? You have the power to add more joy to your life each day. Join Coach Maria as she explains how living with joy can help create positive changes to your daily life.

School is officially out and parents are home with children. Join me for a special interview with Homeschool Expert Ariel Yarger as she shares the 5 best practices for educating your children at home. Ariel homeschooled 11 children over a span of 20 years!

Are you choosing to be a couch potato observer, guardian or warrior during this crisis? You choose. Join me on Motivational Moments with Maria as I share some thoughts on each of these roles.

Routine is the sign of an ambitious individual. If you have a daily routine to follow you accomplish more and your mindset stays strong. Join me on Motivational Moments with Maria as I share some daily strategies for creating your own daily routines that may help you get through our "time out" from the world.

Attitudes can determine how far you may go in life and how people respond to you. Do you have a positive attitude or a negative attitude? What are the implications?

Join me on Motivational Moments with Maria to discover how shifting your attitude can make a difference in your life and the life of those you care about.

We are in a turbulent time. The US has never seen this massive of a change to our lifestyle, health and financial stability. Major events have been cancelled; you are disappointed, you are sad, and you are mad. Managing your thoughts and energy are key.
It’s almost as though an enormous hurricane hit the entire country.

So how do you keep your mind strong and disengage from the hectic world? We must practice mindfulness.
How does one practice mindfulness……you change the story. Join Coach Maria on this week's episode of Motivational Moments with Maria for some tips.

Have you ever been stretched so thin and so far? Do you have the ability to spring back from life’s challenges? Join me on Motivational Moments with Maria where I will share with you some tools to use to become even more resilient than you currently are. We have an amazing capacity to spring back and you just need some tools to guide you.

What type of position are you in? Do you have the necessary skills that all top performers need? Join me, Maria, on Motivational Moments with Maria as I share the TOP 5 Skills all successful people use to meet and exceed their goals.

What is your current state of mind? Do you check in with yourself daily? Let’s discuss the importance of having a strong mindset for creating the life you want to live. A powerful mindset can be the difference between average performance and super-hero success.

Are you ready for a new beginning? Would you like a more productive and fulfilling life? Join me, Coach Maria, as I share the four Cs of living a more productive life on Motivational Moments with Maria. I will help you ignite the spark within.