Last week was hands down the busiest week of 2012 for me: 40+ hours of work jumping back and forth between two stores, Being Extraordinary dinner and class, a baseball game, hosted book club, chaperoned a Fun Run around downtown Chicago, yoga, crossfit, shopping and dinners to host a good friend in town for the week, a 30th birthday partaay, brunch Sunday Funday, and topped it off hosting a happy hour for my lulu loves and more. Woof.

Needless to say, I’m exhausted. I’m worn out. I need a weekend to recover from my weekend, but it’s already Monday night and we’re full steam ahead into the next week jam packed week.

A friend sent me a pep talk from Danielle LaPorte (one of my most favorite bloggers ever) that I’d like to share with you, as it’s kept me motivated, kept me in my zone and kept me up to something. I hope it does the same for you (:

the grand pep talk: decide to rise (refer to this when in doubt, or sick & tired)

I’m all for mental health days. And gentleness. And I think the world should take the month of December off. And for the love of God, a 4 day work week would revolutionize the collective human spirit and thusly, healthcare. But this pep talk isn’t about taking it easy, this is about another form of self care: doing whatever it takes.

Just got dumped? Lace up your runners and move your body.
 Under the weather? Go in to work any way, wearing your favorite sweater. 
Up to your earrings in deadlines? Go cheer on your friend. Show up at the bake sale. Call your mother.
 Crying before show time? Put some tea bags on your eyes. Say a prayer. Enter stage left.


Push. Turn up the volume. Go hard. Go harder. 
Re-prioritize your aches and pains. 
Infuse your sensitivities with courage. 
Tell fear to fuck right the fuck off. 
Devote to Done.

There are soul-justified reasons to cancel. There are times to just stop. This isn’t one of them. Keep going. Show up. Full on. Full tilt. Full out. Decide to be one of those people who pull it off.

Do what you say you’re going to do. 
Don’t let us down. Decide to rise. Why decide to rise? Not for the reasons you might think. In fact, these are the reasons that will make you sick and tired.

Do not rise out of obligation. Do not rise because of feared consequences. Do not rise because you think being tough makes you smarter (it doesn’t).

Decide to rise because you want to expand — your being, your life, your possibilities. Decide to rise because super powers are meant to be activated and applied in everyday life. Decide to rise to explore your place in the universe.

On the other side of deciding to rise is illumination, ecstasy, insight. And the angel of your strength is there waiting, smiling, applauding, with a goblet of endorphins for you. Drink up.

When you transcend circumstances you get special privileges. You get evidence that you are indeed amazing, and irrefutable proof that what your heart and mind choose is what matters. And you get the deep knowing that life wants you to win.

Decide to rise. Lean in. Listen up. Closely.
It’s your soul speaking and she says, 
Get UP! I need you. I want you. I am you. Choose me.