Elizabeth Bourgeret's Blog, page 13

My Latest Passion

I love to dance.  LOVE to dance.  If my feet are touching the floor and there is music in the air, I'm usually wiggling around in some way.  I used to get my fill of dance by teaching ballet and jazz and then ballroom or doing the choreography for summer camps or shows, but my life has changed so drastically over the last few years that I have not been able to partake in these old stand-bys.

It seemed that nightclubs were my only option to shake my groove thing, but that takes you late into the night and being around all that smoke is no buenos.  And people frown at you when you want to go all the time.  (What? The band is REALLY good! I need to dance!)

Couldn't join a Ballroom Club because my schedule changes every week and you usually need a partner.  But oh!  How I love those Latin rhythms!  I love to salsa and cha cha and rhumba  ... sigh. What's a dancer to do?

I have discovered Zumba!!  I know it's been around for a while and I have heard of it... I was always curious...  I assumed it was more of an exercise routine, like Jazzercise.  Uh, not interested....  

But then I saw an infomercial. (I know.  Don't judge me!!)  They looked like they were having SO much fun!! And I certainly wouldn't object to my abs looking like theirs.  I ordered.  

I AM HAVING SO MUCH FUN!!!! I LOVE ZUMBA!!!  

I Zumba every day.  Sometimes I Zumba twice a day!  I get to get my Latin groove on, get some exercise and fulfill my need to dance.  Granted, it is no ballet or ballroom, but it does require the same kind of discipline!  I am loving the challenges it is giving me!  I am so excited!!

Whoops....

In the midst of my raving, I realized that you have come to expect some kind of advice or encouragement from the blog posts and this one just kind of turned out to be a personal fun one for me... but let me think... how can I turn this into a lesson?

We can go the exercise is good for you route...nah.  I'm going to go with the "Add Four New Positive Habits A Year" route (that's straight from the Total Truth Workshop!) AND  the ever popular, Do What You Love theme.

It is good to always continue to expand your mind (and body) to new techniques and applications that will help you consistently build on what you already know.  So by adding four new habits a year, hopefully you're replacing bad ones and you are in a constant state of improvement.  Zumba is definitely something new for me.  It takes what I already knew about Latin dancing and kicks it up a notch.  Good for my body.  Good for my brain and it really is true what they say about exercise, I am more energetic and focused and motivated!  (This completes my four quota for this year too!)

And- Doing what you love makes you happy and when you're happy you are more likely to share that joy with others WHICH in turn, brings it back to you.  Follow your heart, do what you love and share your happiness with others.

*contented sigh*   I think that about sums it up!  Have a great week everyone!  What's that?  A little calypso drum?  I think yes!!

Happiness Is A Moving Target

We all have things in life that we want.  We think, "Oh, if I can just get that one thing, then I'll be happy!"  If I could just lose 50 pounds, buy that house, run that race, see the Mayan ruins, quit smoking... The list is never ending.  And it should be.  Because if you are not constantly striving for something, you're life will become stagnant.  And who wants that?

There is a difference between contentedness and stagnant.  Content is being satisfied with your life and how it is progressing.  Being happy in the still moments.  Stagnant is when you have given up on your dreams and are just making your way from day to day doing the necessary things that have to be done to survive.  Wishing that things could be different but knowing that they won't.  See?  Doesn't that sound boring and depressing?  We don't want that.

So, on that note, what are you striving for today?  And what are the things you are doing to get there?  I am proud of you for reaching.

Happiness is a moving target.   Don't wait to reach those BIG items to enjoy happiness.  The truth is, the things that made us happy before might not make us happy now.  Don't wait, putting all your happiness in one basket so that if you never lose that fifty pounds or buy that house you will feel like a failure or feel you don't deserve to be happy.  Stop and smell the daffodils!  There is happiness to be found all around us.  Don't wait!  It will make your journey toward your bigger goals so much better and you'll be able to keep rolling through those rough spots a little easier when you focus on the big picture.  Celebrate as you go.   

I always encourage people to have several goals.  Long term, short term and daily goals.  Mix it up!  Add to your list!  Find new things that excite you and make you want to go after them.  Remove the ones that when you look at them you're like, "What was I thinking?"  Check your goal list often and make sure you are still working toward happiness.  Perhaps you have been working on something so long and you've forgotten why you're pursuing it.  Or maybe you have reached your goal and it no longer fulfills you.   Find your happiness.  Don't just sit on the couch and wish for it.  

Cliff Notes: When you reach your goals, even the small ones, celebrate.  And while you're on the road to reaching said goals, find happiness along the way.  Life is more than the destination.  It's about all the little stops along the way too.

Life Doesn't Happen Overnight

I've always known I was meant to be in an instructional role of some sort.  I have always been the one people come to with their problems.  My glass is always half full when I look into someone else's future.  I even had a tutoring "school" on the front porch of my house when I was a kid to help out the other kids on the block with their school work.  But I didn't know at what capacity I was meant to be an educator and to whom.  And writing?  I've been writing stories forever! But I didn't want to go to college to BE a journalist.  I didn't want to go to college to BE a teacher.  I didn't want to go to college to BE a psychologist.  I didn't want to go to college to BE an anything!  "It takes too long!" is the mantra I belonged to.  I wanted life to begin right here and now.

I have eventually reached the teaching capacity I was meant to achieve and I am happier now than I have ever been.  And I am a published author!  Something I never took the time to do before and my self-confidence lead me to believe that it could never happen.  And looking back, I was bucking my destination the entire time.  The beauty of it is, God works all things out for the good.  So all of my side roads, all of my smaller chunks of education, all of my experiences, built up and have led me right back to where He wanted me to be in the first place.  My calling.  My calling is to educate and coach, to help others see their potential, to lead by love and... to write.  Which, I had apparently been doing all along, I just didn't know what to call it and I SURE didn't get paid for it!

I don't regret my decisions (well, most of them) because they have made me who I am today and I am grateful for that.  Sometimes I think I would have gotten into less trouble if I went the 4-8 year college route, but then I think- it would have just been different trouble. 

And here I am, almost...uh,  well, older, doing exactly what I am supposed to be doing, but taking the longest route ever to get here!!  Granted, it makes me unique in the experiences I have to share, but if I'd have known how satisfying my life could have been twenty-something years ago, maybe, just maybe, I could have started it sooner.

My point in all of this, is that it's never too late to do what you want to be doing.  I had to figure out what I wanted to be doing, and that was part of my problem but so often I hear, "I can't go back to school!"  "I can't find a new career!"  "I can't buy a house."  

You're busy with life.  I get it.  But you only get one.  Shouldn't it be the best it can be?  And I'm not saying to turn your world upside down to get to the life you want, but at least take a step.  ONE step. And then maybe you'll be ready for another one.  
And don't let money get in your way!  There are many things you could be doing BEFORE it gets to the money part, even if one of those things means tucking away a dollar here and a dollar there so when the money part DOES come up, you'll be ready.

You're not going to be a doctor over night.  You're not going to be an all-star pitcher over night.  You're not going to be the number one real estate agent over night.  You're not suddenly going to be able to buy that new Hog over night.  All of those things happen because of one step.  That pitcher, probably threw that ball thousands of times before someone caught a glimpse of that talent.  That doctor has probably been reading and talking with people in the field long before she signed up for school.  But suddenly, you look back and one step after another, you've climbed a mountain.  You got that degree.  You saved up for that vacation.  
And when you look back on your life you'll be able to say "I did," instead of, "I wish I had."

Take the one step.  You never know where that new path will lead you.  Sometimes even to places you would have never suspected.

World Series Fever

I can honestly say that I am not much of a sports fan... okay, you'd be hard pressed to find that adjective in my list of top 10.  And if I did choose a sport to entertain myself with it would have to hockey.  I love the fast-paced, aggressive, can't-look-away-for-a-second kind of action.  Baseball in general moves along pretty slow... I mean you could leave your seats, run out and grab a hot dog, a couple sodas and some nachos and make it back to your seat and still have not missed much.  But then again.  I live in St. Louis, MO!!! Home of the St. Louis Cardinals!!!  And that's a bird of a different color!  So perhaps I should rephrase.  I don't like everybody else's baseball.  But I love our Cardinals baseball!!

I don't mean to brag, but we have a pretty awesome team here and AGAIN, we have found ourselves in the World Series!!! Woot! Woot!!  So, in my St. Louis patriotic duty, I shall muster myself to be a baseball fan and I will support my team along with the rest of my proud city.

We are in the World Series!! That's a once in a lifetime... oh wait, nevermind!! Lol!!  

First game is tonite, so, if you're not a Boston fan, join with me in cheering for the Cards!!  Go Cards!!
(And when all this hoopla is over, we can get back to Blues Hockey!!)
How are you feeling about the World Series this year?  Give me a little feedback!

Scary Movie Night

There's just something about getting the ba-jeezes scared out of you.  In a controlled environment, of course!  And tonight is the night!  The kids are all coming over with an assortment of scary movies so we can be terrified in the safety of Momma's house!

Which begs the question, which are your favorite scary movies?  It's too late to influence our decision for tonight, but it's still relatively early in October and I'm sure we can squeeze in a few more movie nights before the season is over.  Because at the end of October, all bets are off!  No more scaring the Momma!  We move on to Charlie Brown and Santa Clause!  But for the next couple weeks, the dark side prevails!!!  So give me your favorites!  

After we decided on our movies, the topic turned to; what scares you?  For me it's clowns... hate those things.  Even when I was a kid I'd steer clear of them!  Spiders,  heights, and snakes also came up for us.  "Anything that can kill you in one bite!" my Thomas added.  

It's fun to enjoy the creepy holidays with the teens!  Thriller by Michael Jackson sounds just a little cooler around this time of year, pumpkin flavored anything is in season, hoodies, apple cider and bonfires are the call to action! Embrace your fears for a short time and let it be okay to hide behind your pillows and peek out from behind your blankies and lets not forget the ultimate excuse to squeeze a little closer to the ones you love!  Scary movie night!  Gotta love it!!

Chime in on your Halloween favorites below!!  What scares you??

Completed Teen Photo Shoot!

As many of you know I can barely contain the excitement about launching my new teen line!  New books, new websites, new workshops and new coaching services!  We just completed technically two photo shoots and I am thrilled to be able to put the photos to use!

So let me begin with my thanks. 

Thank you to Scott Neer who was our photographer for the St. Louis shoot.  He is most comfortable in the sports world or has beautiful, and I mean beautiful pictures of animals from zoos.  This time, I think Scott met his match!  I'm sure he'd rather have hockey players and polar bears than have to ever deal with teenagers and great danes again! Lol.  We gave him a run for his money.  Thankfully, we got a few good pictures that will be used for our upcoming events.

Jenni Muzillo who was the photographer for the Arkansas shoot.  She got in there with the kids, lined them up, and really showed their best sides!  She took tons of pictures and it will be hard to narrow down my favorites.

Mary Spezia, of Sweet Note Styles,  who does my hair and make-up did a lovely job as usual.  Unfortunately, on the St. Louis shoot, her artwork stays hidden under sunglasses most of the time!  Outdoor shoots can sometimes get tricky! Lol.  But that's okay, I felt pretty!

Joey Felps, my go-to behind the sceens guy took TONS of pictures!! They are so much fun to look at.  I see a bloopers reel coming!

Paul Arthur took on the job of capturing video.  He is the creator behind my website and has been urging me to get some video on there, so we started at the St. Louis shoot.  It was so windy that I don't know how much of it is usable, but hey, it was our first attempt! AND, I might mention, this is a huge hurdle for me that I am struggling to overcome.  Seeing myself on video... not a pleasant thing...

And most of all, thanks to the kids that took the time out of their busy teenage lives to help me out when I needed them.  They were all so wonderful and had great attitudes and beautiful smiles and were a joy to work with.  In no particular order, I thank: Ariel Cummings,  Catalina Holbrook, Laycie Bivens, Thomas Arnold, Elizabeth Weick, Eric Cummings, Chrissy Holbrook, Dylan Blackwood, John Cummings, Dustin O'Donnell, Katie Bourgeret-Caldwell, Andrew Hopkins, Will Skaggs, Emma Sievers, Megan Jines, Austin Brown, Thomas Cornelious, Daniel Hopkins, Ashley Evers, Kylie Prestien & even my Great Dane, Meera.
Look for these wonderful faces to start showing up everywhere!  I am so excited at the turn of events for my future and I can't wait to get started!

Under Construction

There's a lot of changes going on at the Elizabeth Bourgeret camp and when you visit the website, it's like going to a playground and not being able to play on anything!  I know there are a lot of new tabs to click on that are not giving you the information that you're looking for, but I promise you, we're working on it!  

The teen photo shoot is scheduled for this Sunday, and that was part of the hold up because we need the images from the photo shoot. (If you haven't signed up for the shoot and still want to, click on the camera icon on the home page for all the details.)  And, honestly, there is just SO much happening that I'm having trouble keeping up!  All good things, I assure you.

As you might have seen, I'm opening up my Teen Life Coaching sessions on a broader (more public) scale and the brand new Total Truth Teen Workshop which will be launched in St. Louis in January 2014!  (Then, look for it in your city after that!)  I have switched my schedule around so I can kick my speaking engagement opportunities up a notch and yes, on top of that, I will still be writing my fiction novels and non-fiction books.  The next fiction, Waiting for the Sun, should be released in Spring of 2014.  And that's not all!  There's more!  But I'll tell you about those things another time!  As you can see, things are pretty busy around here!

So, I just wanted to thank you for your patience and to ask you to please come back and visit when it all gets set up and running smoothly!  I'll be sure to share in more detail with you all the new things that are going on.  I just know you'll be excited right along with me!  I anticipate that the site will be completed by October 14th.  (Whoo!  There's something about putting that date out there that motivates me to work twice as hard!  Don't want to disappoint!)  

I hope you will like the changes that are coming and it will benefit your lives in positive ways.  I am already so blessed that I didn't think it could get any better, but I am happy to be wrong! 

Young Adult Photo Shoot

Big things are happening in the Elizabeth Bourgeret franchise I am happy to say!  I am getting ready to launch an entire new line.  I have been working on these things for some time but just didn't have the platform to be able to offer them to the world.  I am so excited to tell you that because of you, my fans, readers and friends, this dream is finally able to come to fruition.

But before I can tell you all the specifics, I need to get through this photo shoot first.  So I can show you the whole package... WITH pictures!! 

So, (obviously) I'm having a photo shoot, and I need a few more teens to help me out. If you are or know of a young adult between the ages of 13 and 20, I need your face!!

The photos and some video will be used for upcoming books, websites and teen workshop promotional materials.  It will be so much fun!! And yes, I'm not above bribing with food and sweets!!

So if you're available on Sunday, Oct. 6 from 2-6, I need you!!  Go to my home page and click on the photo icon and I will email you all the details!

And then, sit back and wait for the unveiling!!  Featuring your faces!!!  So join me for an afternoon of fun, food and photos!  

Click on the camera icon to get more info and register to be a part of the action!

What Are Your Priorities?

What are your priorities?  What moves you to work a little harder?  What motivates you to reach your goals?  What is on that priority list that you keep in your head?  Do those items move your forward?  Or work as a reward for you?  Or keep you in defeating habits?

Traveling, is a priority to me.  It seems to me that I am most productive when I am traveling.  I'm not sure why that is... Maybe its the lack of a set schedule, or the relaxed state of mind that I fall into when I am allowed to leave my daily grind.  Or maybe it's just the change of scenery that shakes things up a bit.

When I am driving, out on the long highways of America, a couple things happen.  First, I am so filled with a patriotic pride that I live in a country where I am allowed to freely move through state after state just because I want to. And let's not forget the beauty that each state has to offer as I pass through their small towns and big cities and miles and miles of untouched land.  I get to meet and talk with people from all walks of life and all matters of culture, and food!  Don't even get me started on the variety of foods there are to try!
And second, those hours spent in the car, my mind is free and has no boundaries.  I come up with my best ideas, story-lines and future plans behind the wheel of my SUV. 

Being able to travel is a high priority for me.  Even when my budget is tight, I have to make an allowance that will let me travel.  Usually to an ocean destination.  The ocean feeds me, makes me feel strong and yet very small at the same time.  It literally washes away my tension and no matter how many times I see it, I stand in awe.

When I am allowed to travel, I write more (which is important for an author!). I am inspired.  I feel sense of worth and can clearly see the goals for my future.  I also know that these circumstances are limited, so I try and make the most while I am away.  A little work, a little sight seeing, a little cultural experience and a little relax time.  It's a balance that has taken me years to perfect!

I also travel because the winter does bad things to me!  I absolutely hate to be cold and am not a big fan of snow.  But for the moment, I must stay where I am residentially, so I use travel to help break up the long dark winters.

And finally, traveling keeps me moving forward. Literally.  It works in a circle.  I am more motivated to reach my goals, to create more speaking events, to make more money, to be able to travel.  And now being asked  to travel AS my job?  Well, that's just about perfect!  I am so thankful that my world is opening up to create those opportunities!  

Keeping those priorities in front of me!!  Keeping me on the road and traveling...

So keep an eye out for me in your town in the near future.  I am going to be offering a whole new series of seminars and speaking topics!!  I am so excited about what my future has in store for me and I am excited to share it with you!  I'm looking forward to meeting you and visiting your home towns.  So, if you live in a warm climate I could show up any time! But if you live in the colder climates, I'll be around to visit in the summers!

Big things happening at elizabethbourgeret.com!  Stay tuned so you don't miss a thing!

Congrats to all the GoodReads Contest Winners!

Congratulations to all twenty winners of the Goodreads Give-away Contest!!  And thank you to all 984 people who entered to win!!  I am so inspired by the feedback I have gotten from this, my debut novel!

I am very grateful to have the opportunity to get this book into the hands of some avid readers and am anxious for their feed back!

For those of you who were not chosen as winners, may I offer that Amazon has Captive Heart on sale and is available for free shipping! 
(http://www.amazon.com/Captive-Heart-Elizabeth-Bourgeret/dp/147917453X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1378003819&sr=8-1&keywords=elizabeth+bourgeret)

"This book is inspiring and is a great read for all of us who are or have at some point faced adversity that tested our faith in what we know and feel." - Jessie King



"This is one great novel.  I average about 3-4 books each month and this one is in a class by itself.  So realistic that it really grabs you by the throat (and heart)."  - Terry Hutton

"I absolutely loved this book!  I had trouble putting it down since there were so many exciting parts and I couldn't wait to see what happened next." -Megan Chadwick

"It was incredible! I laughed, I cried... Seriously, a good book! Thank you!" - Christy Lawson, Element Church, Wentzville, MO

Congratulations again to: D. Senn of Portland OR, D. Duncan of Dover OH, M. Geenen of Redmond OR, P. Bogue of Hopkinton RI, C. Chu of San Francisco CA, B. Wheeler of Spokane WA, H. Bridenstine of Crossville TN, G. Ocamplo of Chicago IL, J. Morris-Duffy of Portland OR, M. Melton of Lincoln NE, J. Kohman of Salina KS, M Dotson of Marshall TX, J. White of DuPont WA, S. Tromm of Tracys Landing MD, C. Diggs of Pensacola FL, H. Kinnon Tallahassee FL, L. Siebeneichen of Adamstown MD, L. Fennimore of Flagtown NJ, and T. Smith of Van Nuys CA!!

It is so exciting to see all the different cities that Captive Heart is heading out to!  I hope you enjoy reading the book as much as I did writing it!