Overwhelmed . . but working on it!

So, I'm feeling pretty overwhelmed right now! Just came off a mild flew that threw me off big-time over the last 24hrs, I'm missing my love back home, and there just seems to be more and more work on our quest to get a ton of sponsors and raise money for our team. So, I decided to vent a bit - to let it go - and I figured that this is what our blog is for: to report all aspects of this journey, not only the ups but also the more challenging times as well.

Don't get me wrong, even in my bummed feeling right now, I still feel so lucky to be doing what I am doing. I just feel off and, like I said, overwhelmed with all the 'back-end' things that we have to do to make this team run as it needs to. Couple that with a good dose of home-sickness and I guess there's reason for me to feel a bit down right now.

So now that I've gotten that out, the big question becomes: what am I going to do about it? Well, to start, I'm going to take tonight off - no more work for me. Maybe Liz and I will watch a movie or play a game. Maybe I'll write a love note back home to make me feel closer to MJ since we're apart. And, I will definitely do a meditation before I go to bed tonight to set the tone for my sleep, and for the new day tomorrow.

And, this little vent online has helped as well, just to get things out - I'm not very good at keeping my emotions bottled up inside. In fact, I already feel better! It's amazing how writing things down and making a plan can change things around!

So Grateful to be Training in LA

We've been in California for 3 full days now, and the training has been outstanding.  It is so great to be back with Coach Cam, in our familiar 'hood' of Manhattan Beach, outside in the sun playing the sport we love!  Does it get any better than this??

We're living in the cutest little apartment (albeit, a little dark for our liking, kind of like a cave in the evening) about 3 blocks from the court where we train.  So, we walk about 3 minutes and can see the ocean.  In fact, we can hear the ocean from our windows at night.  Again, does it get any better?

I say all of this not to rub it in (as I know most of you are as sick of snow as we were when we left last week), but to point out my gratitude for the life that I lead, my gratitude for all of you who are sharing this journey along with me.  Somewhere along the way I learned the importance of expressing my gratitude, mostly to stay positive and present.  If I'm having a bad day, listing all the things I'm grateful for, helps turn my day around.  Even if I'm having a bad game, if I can start small and find gratitude for where I'm playing or a part of the game I'm doing well, I find that the rest of my game soon starts to follow suit.  

So I guess this blog entry is one of gratitude for where I am, what I'm doing, and for all those important people who make up my life.  Thank you!

Raptors Fundraising Raffle!

Win 2 Gold Tickets to the Raptors while helping to support our team!
Want to watch Bosh, Bargnani and Calderon hoop it up against former teammate, T.J. Ford and the Indiana Pacers IN GOLD SEATING?! Now is your chance! We are holding a raffle for the Toronto vs. Indiana game to be played on Sunday, March 15th at 12:30. Fundraising Raffle Ticket pricing is as follows: 1 ticket for $20 or 5 tickets for $50! Hurry and buy your tickets because the draw will take place on Friday, February 27th. Specs: Section 116A row 14 seats 1&2 - ticket value $330.

All proceeds will go towards the 2009 Travel and Competition fund of Team Mizara, so please pass this info on to any Raptors fan you know. To purchase raffle tickets simply email Team Mizara at info@teammizara.com.

A Dose of Inspiration

2009, A New Year full of New Possibilities! For those of you who are saying “Wow, how did January pass me by so quickly?”, and wondering when exactly your New Year’s resolutions flew out the window of time, I am here to tell you that it’s not too late. It has been my experience that goals remain unachieved mostly because a clear outline of their attainment was never created. That's where the Goal Setting Staircase TM model that I created is useful.

As I tell the kids in my Esteem Team Speaking Engagements: you have to picture your goal as being at the top of the staircase with you looking up from the bottom (so the bottom of your staircase is today). The trick is to write a small goal on each step of the staircase, breaking down these steps as much as possible into tasks you can do today, tomorrow and the next day, each with their own ‘due date’. With each step, you will be one little bit closer to achieving your goal.

Now, the neat thing is that if you plan this out with the greatest attention to detail, your staircase starts feeling like an escalator; as one step moves effortlessly to the next without any extra energy expenditure. That’s when you know your pathway is the right one - when things seem to flow together. This is what I call the Goal Setting Escalator TM, and it is essentially what Liz and I have used to plan out every step on our journey to 2012.

Now, I’m not meaning to imply that there won’t be any speed bumps along the way - of course perseverance is essential. But if you set out a good plan, and focus on your goals, the whole journey is made a lot easier. Your steps might change along the way, but at least you have a path to follow and, most importantly, a goal you can achieve today! Are you ready to take the first step? We are . . .