The Rest of the Story!

4 TIMES IN CUFFS......
  
     1.  17 years old- Threw a party while my parents were out of town.  If they hadn't just warned me, I would've had 3-5 charges on me that night!
     
     2.  18 years old- Shoplifting at Wal-Mart, Post Arrested, I was banned from Wal-Mart for  one year, used all of my graduation money to pay fines, probation

     3.  29 years old- Domestic Violence- Spent Memorial weekend in jail, probation, anger  management classes

     4.  32 years old- Embezzlement-FELONY, pretrial diversion, restitution, community service


As you can see each time I got in trouble it was a little worse than the last time!  Had I not decided to make a change, chances are pretty good I'd be doing some serious jail time for my actions! But this is only a small portion of the things I experienced during my addiction!  I may just have to sit down and write a book one day!

I had absolutely no respect for anyone much less myself! I was a thief, a liar, and most of all such a disappointment to my family.  I was selfish in all the wrong ways! No one trusted me being around HAHA!! Could I blame them one bit?  I had no concern for anyone else's feelings or anyone else's stuff they worked so hard for!  When you have an affair with any kind of addiction, it honestly becomes your EVERYTHING!  It's like being married in a small town and cheating on your spouse! You think all your tracks are covered...., BUT EVERYONE IN TOWN KNOWS!!! Pure ignorance I mean GEEZ!

There's only ONE EXPLANATION as to why I'm where I'm at today!  GOD!  God rescued me! This time I listened because I was in desperation.  I lost everything I owned and worked so hard for! I lost much love and respect from so many! BUT THANK GOD I'M FREE AT LAST! He brought me to my Beachbody family that accepted me with open arms!  The workouts are AMAZING!  Shakeology is AMAZING!! But my transformation  what happened on the inside!

 People ask me all the time, WHY ARE YOU SO HAPPY?  I am so happy because I understand the true meaning of the word LOVE!  With all the Personal Development I do, I learned to LOVE myself again!  I learned my self worth!  I learned that I am deserving of so much happiness!! The reason I am so positive is because I came from such a dark side of the bridge and finally found my way across to the happy side and I will NEVER apologize for my "OVER THE TOP" personality!  I believe with my whole heart and soul that IF I CAN DO THIS, SO CAN YOU!!! This is the reason I make my motivation videos!!  I want to give you HOPE that's it's possible!! I could not have done this alone!  I give so much credit to the few family and friends that had a wee bit of faith in me,  my Beachbody family, that saw something in me when I couldn't see it in myself, and my heavenly FATHER above!

Feeling worthless and ashamed are common feelings when you're having an affair with ADDICTION, trust me I know!  I would love nothing more than to be your personal CHEERLEADER!! Everyone needs SOMEONE Cheering for them!

Everything Is Gona Be Ok!

Do you think it's a coincident that a complete stranger opened my eyes to a simple, yet complex word?  A word that's so misused and misunderstood.... LOVE!!

I don't at all believe in coincidences.  I believe God puts specific people in your life for a specific reason.  In the short 28 days of this new year, I've met some pretty amazing people, but this one in particular just touched my soul.  :)

Over the last few months, I've had to really work hard at LOVING myself again for all the things I've done and the people that I've hurt.  Some days it wasn't an easy task, but I had to keep reassuring myself everyday that I AM WORTH IT!  Forgiving yourself is sometimes the hardest thing we face as humans in my opinion.  Once you finally do, though, it's the most FREEING feeling ever! But what good does LOVING MYSELF again do if I'm not spreading it around every place I go?

My life theme is "Make a Stranger Smile"!  I live by it and apply it every where I go, but do people really feel the genuine LOVE that's in my heart by my smile?  People do smile back at me, BUT  I know that behind some of those smiles is a world of hurt.  I know behind some of those smiles there's a world of shame.  I know behind some of those smiles there's a world of fear.  How do I know?  I've been there!

When I go out into the world today,  I ask GOD to allow me to show people true LOVE.  Even though it's very uncomfortable at first to go up to a complete stranger and try to make their day better when you have no idea what's going on in their life!  Sometimes all people need is a simple gesture of a hand shake or a hug and tell them everything's going to be ok! This is something very new to me, but I have high hopes that offering COMPLETE TRUE LOVE to STRANGERS will get easier!

This is the lesson I learned from a complete stranger!! And now no matter what I MUST pay it forward! 

I used to be a LOSER!

It's true!! I used to be a LOSER! Even though something deep down inside of me kept telling me I was something special, I allowed for SO LONG people's opinions of me become my reality! Once I got SOBER and put the right people in my life, I started believing in myself again!  Do you know how AMAZING that feels to wake up BELIEVING you have a chance again?  Do you know how AMAZING it feels to wake up having others BELIEVE in you again?  It's the most empowering experience ever!

When I signed up as a Beachbody Coach I had no freakin clue how I was going to get ANYONE AT ALL to believe anything I said.  Over the years I burned so many bridges and pretty much completely ran my life into the ground.  Even though I felt so much better inside and out, something deep down inside me just felt like I wasn't good enough for this.... People are going to think... WAIT!! STOP!! RIGHT NOW AMANDA!!.... Didn't you just say you listened to people's opinions for so long and just where did that get you??  This is the exact conversation I had with myself.  ( I talk to myself A LOT these days )

Instead of putting thought into what people are going to think, I made the decision to be MYSELF and admit my failures.  This definitely was not easy at first.... and still isn't some days.  But I do it anyways.  I tune the world out and follow my heart!  I put my STORY out there in hopes to inspire someone along the way to make the necessary changes in their own life to find their happiness!  If you have a burning fire inside you like I do, I encourage you to take that leap of faith and do your part to inspire others.  Become a Coach and let's change the world together! 

Thanks to so many great LEADERS in Beachbody that inspire me to keep going, I still have the COURAGE to wake up every single day and talk to strangers about changing their lives.  Most people think I'm crazy and that's quite ok!  I know I have left a stain on their mind that they can't wash away!  Being a Coach to me is showing people there is a way across the bridge of darkness to happiness!  And the beauty of it is, that applies to so many different aspects of LIFE!  TODAY I'm NOT A LOSER! TODAY I'M A WINNER!  And I want you to be a WINNER TOO!  

WOW JUST WOW!!

I read this question somewhere today... A year ago, did you think you'd be where you are now?  Absolutely NOT!!  My daughter didn't want to live with me, I had lost another job, I totaled my car, got evicted, my dog died all in a few weeks time.  Sounds like a dead gum country song! HAHA!  I was spiraling down further in my addiction.  Seriously people told me all the time how worthless I was.  "You won't ever amount to anything, Amanda."

Today... WOW TODAY!  I can barely even get my thoughts out because I'm so overwhelmed with all these amazing emotions running thru my soul.  I have been reaching out to Recovery Centers in the Tampa Bay Area to volunteer my time!  Today I met with the director of this one in particular that just happens to be one mile from my house!  I walk in not really knowing what to expect.  I know that I want to volunteer fitness workouts, because to me FITNESS IS A MUST IN RECOVERY!
Do you know this facility wants ME to help them lead RECOVERY CLASSES??? OOOMMMYYYGGGOOOOSSSSHHH!!! I am so very Honored!! I'm excited, and I'm nervous, and I'm scared, and I'm HAPPY all at the same time!! HAHA!!! I'm not experienced in Leading Recovery Classes, I'm not experienced in talking in front of people, BUT I am so very passionate about helping others cross that same bridge that I crossed! I have no idea what words will come out of my mouth my first time in front of people... BUT I KNOW THAT GOD HAS LEAD ME HERE AND HE OBVIOUSLY KNOWS I CAN DO THIS!!

One year ago....No one believed in me, I didn't believe in myself and there's no way I would've believed ANYONE that told me this would be my life now.  The moment you LET GO AND LET GOD he leads to your true destiny.  All the adversity I faced was for a specific reason so I can give a glimmer of HOPE back to someone that needs it! When you believe in YOURSELF and have THE ALMIGHTY GOD on your side, ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE!  Don't give up on yourself because YOU ARE WORTH IT! If I can do it SO CAN YOU!! xo