Heartless Heathens

When Adriel passed the test to become a certified therapy dog with Therapy Dogs International, Matt and I were thrilled. We could not wait to share our little treasure with those who are really in need of a smile.

In the past three years, we have gone to so many different places and have met many wonderful people. My personal favorites are the local Kids’ Club and a center for Autistic boys. Their faces lit up when Adriel pranced into the room.

Unfortunately, while visiting a care center, I contracted C. Diff. This is probably the nastiest bug that I have EVER contracted. The C. Diff virus messes up the natural balance of bacteria in your colon. For me, this meant many frequent trips to the restroom coupled with extreme gas. Not the kind that you can smell, but the kind that you can hear rumbling around in your belly from across the room.

The first week that I was on medication to clear up the C. Diff was great. I was finally starting to feel like myself again. But the second week, I just wanted to die. Literally. I had to miss an entire week of work because not only was I running to the restroom, I also felt like I was going to throw up 24/7.

I spent the entire week sleeping and trying to eat. I would definitely say that this was the worst week of my entire life. Once the medication was done and over with, things seemed to go back to normal.

However, as my life became more stressful, the issue cropped back up. I was terrified that the C. Diff had returned. I deposited several stool samples at my doctor’s office to be tested. Each one came back negative. Whew!

So, if I didn’t have C. Diff again, what was the problem? My doctor did his best to cure me. He prescribed this disgusting orange powder to drink. It didn’t help. Finally, after dealing with this issue for 6 months, I was sent to a G.I. specialist.

A colonoscopy was soon scheduled. I must say, the prep work was the worst part. The actual procedure itself was a piece of cake. The doctor and his staff were fantastic. I waited patiently for the results. Then I got the call: normal!

To be completely sure, I had to have a second procedure done. This one involved swallowing a camera and being hooked up to a monitor that recorded the pictures that the camera took. Not painful at all. A bit weird, but no pain.

Yesterday, I received the call: normal again! While I am relieved to know that there is nothing serious going on, I am still having colon issues. So, the nurse scheduled me for another consultation next Friday, August 29^th. 

This is the busiest time of year at my job. So busy that we are not allowed to take time off during the entire month of August. I never thought of this as a big deal since I hardly ever take time off to do something fun. It is almost always a doctor’s appointment or a car repair.

I have always prided myself on making my appointments for the absolute latest time during the day. This way, I can save what little sick/vacation/personal time that I have. I also feel that this is the most respectful thing to do in regards to my employer.

The time off request slip was placed in my inbox. While the time was approved, the following note was written on the bottom of the slip:

“Lauren, please try not to schedule appointments for the month of August as we are not to approve any time off requests.”

I was shocked. Stunned. Livid! I was not asking to take the whole day off. I was asking for one measly hour. My appointment is at 3:30 p.m. I wanted to leave at 3:00 p.m. (and I work from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.). I could not believe that I was being chastised for trying to take care of my health.

Not to mention that next Friday is August 29^th, the LAST DAY of August. Our crazy-busy time has already come and gone, and they know that. What was I supposed to tell the doctor and nurses who are trying to make me feel better? “I’m sorry. While I am still having horrible colon issues, I regret to inform you that my bosses do not care about my health and I will have to reschedule my appointment for some time in September.”

Needless to say, my work moral is officially shot. While I will continue to work with the same professional attitude and efficiency I always have, in my mind, I will simply be coming for the paycheck. I have lost all respect for my bosses. Knowing that they simply do not care about my health and well-being is crippling and I will never view them the same way again.

I do not understand why many jobs are treating their employees this way. My husband’s job expects the employees to be superhuman and to never get sick. While they accrue sick time, they are often penalized by their supervisor for using it. How can you perform at your best when you are not in good health? Not to mention that I have personally experienced getting sick from fellow co-workers who knew that they were too sick to come to work, but literally had no choice. Do the bosses not understand that allowing one sick employee to come to work has the potential to make ALL of their employees sick?

Additionally, more and more jobs seem to seek total control of their employee’s lives They do not care that their employees have lives outside of work. These people have families, pets, and hobbies. How can there be a balance between work and home when jobs are becoming so demanding?

Case in point, we were all required to work two 12 hour shifts and one weekend shift for the past two weeks. I worked my weekend shift and turned right around and worked my second 12 hour shift that following Monday. I did not really get a weekend. I had no time to catch up on sleep or relax. And I have felt exhausted for the remainder of the week.

Why does it have to be this way?  Instead of being rewarded for our hard work and dedication, we are punished for being human and getting sick or for wanting to spend time with our spouses/family/friends.  I truly wish that there was something that could be done, however, at this point, we all feel stuck.  While we are somewhat lucky to have the jobs that we do, it is hard to work for an employer that you know does not care about you and does not view you as a fellow human being.

 

Ravaged Writer

Writing has always been my passion.  I love being able to connect with people through the gift of words.  However, the journey to becoming a published author is anything but easy.

Much like a college graduate, I entered the publishing arena wide-eyed and ready to put the work in to see my dreams come true.  Upon doing a Google search for publishing companies, I came across Trafford Publishing.  I quickly filled out their online form and submitted my collection of poetry for consideration.

Imagine my excitement when I received an e-mail from Trafford stating that my poetry was wonderful and exactly what they were looking for.  I was sent a contract to sign with the promise of grand things to come.

For some reason, $1,000 didn't seem like a large price to pay at the time.  My book was published and actually turned out well.  It can be found on Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble.com and is available on Kindle and Nook.  However, I was constantly hounded by foreign speaking employees trying to get me to spend thousands of dollars more on marketing packages.

Needless to say, I cut ties with them immediately.  Now, I am left with a box full of my books and the occasional $1.00 royalty check.

I have now written my first children's book entitled "Priceless Penny."  This tells the amazing adoption journey of my three-legged dog, Penny.


Once again, I took to Google to help me find the perfect publisher.  I soon discovered Tate Publishing.  My dreams of being a successful author were rekindled.  I could have my very own book trailer...if I was willing to spend the money.

I signed the contract with my head in the clouds, making my dreams appear closer than ever.  While I certainly thought that the $4,000 Tate was asking for was steep, the fact that they were so willing to create a payment plan option for me put my mind at ease.

Thankfully, I began reading some comments from my fellow authors and friends on Goodreads.  I soon found out that both Trafford and Tate Publishing are whats known as "vanity publishers."  Essentially, these are companies that will literally publish ANYTHING as long as they receive payment.  Luckily, I was only $150 in when I cancelled my contract with Tate.

Like any hopeful author, I began to tirelessly send out over 120 query letters.  Rejection after rejection came pouring in.  Until one day, I received a letter from Martin-McLean Literary Agency, LLC.  My manuscript had been accepted for representation!

I did research the company on Predators and Editors and found that most of the complaints dealt with the fact that the potential authors' manuscripts had not been accepted.  One author complained that the publishing company that the agency had secured a contract for him/her "wasn't big enough."

I honestly felt like the complaints had no merit.  With the contract signed, my faith in humanity was restored.  I did not mind paying $52 a month to have submission packets mailed to potential publishers.  Most recently, I received a letter from the agency informing me of the Book Expo America.

For $300, the literary agent would attend the conference and speak with at least 30 publishers.  Like Jillian Michaels says, "You need to take risks."  So, I sent in my confirmation letter.  But, something didn't feel right about it.  Why should I have to pay my agent to attend a conference that could possibly guarantee him/her a cut of my profits?

I decided to ask the Goodreads gurus.  They informed me that this is most certainly not the norm.  Once again, I had been duped.  I am greatly frustrated that such people/companies exist.  With all of the information on the Internet, how does one know who or what to believe? 

I have still not given up on my dream of becoming a successful author.  I am now a full fledged member of the SCBWI, which my Goodreads friends have assured me are legit.  Hopefully, fourth time's the charm.

Pitiful Parenting

One Friday night, my husband attempted to take me out to a peaceful dinner.  We had both been having a terrible week and I was looking forward to relaxing together.  My stomach growled as we pulled into the Arby’s parking lot.

We found a cozy both near the center of the restaurant.  As we waited for our food, we began to have a discussion about our jobs.  Suddenly, a little boy screamed, “DADDY!”  I turned around to look.  Sure enough, there were two young boys ( I would say ages 6 and 8) sitting with their father.  He was apparently oblivious to his son’s shouting.  Matt smiled at me and resumed the conversation.

Once again, the boy began to yell for his “daddy” and then whine when his other brother received the attention he was so desperately seeking.  I kept turning around and giving the older boy “the look.”  I had hoped that he would nudge his brother and get him to quiet down since his dad didn’t seem to care that his child was disturbing other patrons.  Of course, the boy couldn’t care less.  They continued to hoot and holler.

What happened next absolutely enraged me.  The screamer (as I have dubbed him), yelled “Daddy, what are they going to do with that thing they’re taking out of my neck?”  Seriously?  I suppose the dad was trying to ignore his son’s inappropriate question, however, this made the boy shout it two more times.  He then followed up his performance with, “When are they taking it out?  Will I be able to see it?  How are they going to take it out?”

I almost jumped out of my seat and reprimanded the boy myself.  Who teaches their child to behave this way?  Why would you ever just sit in silence while your child screams and proceeds to discuss medical procedures in a restaurant?  If I would have acted like that when I was little, my mom would have immediately whisked me out of the restaurant, given me a spanking in the parking lot and taken me straight home where I would receive another spanking and be sent to my room.  The dad and his sons FINALLY left, laughing and smiling.

Unless a child has a mental or behavioral disorder, how he/she acts is a direct reflection of his/her parents.  And when parents allow unacceptable behavior to go unpunished, they are simply creating a monster that everyone will have to deal with.

Not long after they left, a woman came in with her daughter (she looked to be about 5 years old).  The mother placed their order and then sat down in the booth next to ours.  She quietly instructed her daughter to remain seated while she went up to get their drinks, napkins, etc.  The little girl sat quietly in her seat while peeking over the divider at us.

When the mom returned with the food, she began talking with her daughter about their summer plans.  The girl conversed with her in an “inside” voice and never shouted.  In fact, I could barely even hear her.  She was a perfect little angel and ate her food without any fuss (even though she thought the Arby’s sauce looked suspicious).

When Matt and I finished eating, I saw the mom at the condiment counter.  I complimented her daughter’s wonderful behavior and the mother’s fantastic parenting skills.  While I felt awkward for doing so, the mother seemed quite flattered.  She didn’t realize how much her daughter’s peaceful demeanor had changed the tone of our tense evening.

The parenting skills between this mother and the a fore mentioned father are like night and day.  The boys kept fighting for their father’s attention by screaming and he did nothing about it.  But, this little girl followed her mother’s instructions to the letter and still exhibited a delightful personality.  Please understand that I do not want any child to behave like a robot.  I am simply saying that parents need to take their role seriously and expect their children to behave and follow their rules.

I have also come to find that children are also the product of their environment (i.e. how they are raised).  I will be honest, not everyone is cut out to be a parent.  Such as the people in this next scenario.

On Saturday morning, one of my friends posted a harrowing story on Facebook.  She had gone to the local Shop n’ Save to complete her weekend grocery shopping.  When she got out of her car, she noticed a baby locked all alone in the vehicle next to hers.  Aside from being this being a bad idea in general, it was also very hot outside, in the upper 80’s.

Outraged, she marched straight up to the customer service desk and began to explain the situation.  Little did she know that the baby’s parents were behind her.  They began to scream at her to “mind her own f-ing business.”  Which they followed up with “We were only going to be gone a minute.”  And guess what was so important that they both had to leave their baby for?  Alcohol.  Yep, they were buying beer.

I was so proud of my friend for standing up to the so-called “parents.”  She yelled right back that one of them needed to stay in the vehicle with the baby.  She also informed them that it is too hot for the child to be locked up like that.

I shudder to think that things like this actually happen.  What would possess you to leave anything alive locked up in a hot vehicle?  Don’t even get me started on people that do this to pets!  And aren’t people worried about their child being abducted by some creep?  I never let my dogs out of my sight even when they are in our fenced in yard.  How could you just think that leaving your baby alone is a good idea? 

My fears are further confirmed by another story that appeared on a local news channel.  A woman was getting married and she wanted to include her baby in the big day.  So, she tied the baby to the train of her gown and the baby was drug behind her all the way down the aisle. 

I seriously wish that DCFS would swoop in and take these children away from these careless human beings.  And if women find themselves “unexpectedly” pregnant and feel that the baby will “cramp their style,” I pray that they will make the wise decision and place the baby up for adoption.  A friend of the family adopted her second son from such a situation.  That little boy is getting more love than he knows what to do with.  He is leading a much better life that he ever would have with his teen “parents.”

I realize that raising a human child is hard, however, it can be done.  My parents both worked full time jobs and still managed to teach me right from wrong and shower me with love and affection.  Matt’s mother even took on the role of teacher by homeschooling both him and his sister.

As a society, we need to stand together and speak up when we see parents neglecting or creating harmful situations for their children.  Remaining silent only perpetuates the endangerment that plagues too many of America's children.

Gastly Glasses

As my husband and I prepared to go into Kohl’s last Saturday, I noticed something on the left lens of my glasses.  I took off my glasses and wiped vigorously with my special cleaning cloth.  No matter how hard I rubbed, the small line remained.  That is when I noticed four similar lines on my right lens.

 

I had purchased my glasses from All About Eyes.  The optometrist had been phenomenal, however, the woman who sold me my frames was terrible.  She forced me to order a pair that I was not crazy about.  I ended up not leaving the parking lot that day and changed my order to the frames that I wanted.

 

A month after owning my glasses, I noticed a small circle in the center of my left lens.  I took my glasses back and received fantastic service from the manager.  He stated that a piece of the protective coating had come off and easily found out that the lens replacement was covered by my insurance.  I had my new lenses within a week.

 

But, my new scratches were a different story.  My husband inspected them and agreed that they are definitely scratched.  He complained about having a cloudy lens on his glasses, too.  So, we headed into All About Eyes expecting the same wonderful service.  What we received was arrogance and belittling.

 

We calmly stood at the front counter and waited until a very tall gentleman approached us.  Matt went first and showed him the cloudy lens.  The first words out of the man’s mouth were:  “What do you use to clean your glasses?”  I was mildly miffed.  I have had glasses since the fourth grade.  I think I know not to clean them with a burlap sack, thank you very much.  So, I pointed to the cleaning cloth that was on the desk and said, “A cloth just like that one.” 

 

The man grabbed his bottle of spray and the cloth and began to clean Matt’s glasses.  I told him, “We’ve done that already.”  He continued to wipe and then said, “Yes, I can see that they are cloudy and have a scratch.”  Duh!  That is when he really insulted my husband.  He said, “This is what happens when you don’t use the spray AND cloth.”

 

I was furious!  No way was I going to have this person tell me that our glasses are messed up because we don’t know how to properly clean them.  That is when my husband, who is usually a quiet guy, piped up.  “We have never had problems with our glasses from other places.”

 

This really riled the employee.  He raised up and immediately jumped to the defensive.  “Well, it’s nothing WE did, if that’s what you’re thinking.  These glasses are made at a lab in another state.” 

 

Wow!  Not only was the man not taking responsibility for the shoddy work done by a lab that their company endorses, but, he was also treating us (paying customers) like dirt.  I handed over my glasses and was informed that my scratches were definitely different.

 

I said, “I woke up this morning and the scratches were there.  And if the glasses aren’t on my face, they are in a case.”  (I wasn’t trying to rhyme, it just happened.)  I had a feeling that he was about to blame me for the mysterious blemishes anyway.

 

“Well, it all has to do with the type of coating on the lenses.  You could have gotten the better coating, but, who wants to spend the $80?  You went with the cheaper $40." 

Seriously?  Did this man just call us cheap?  We ordered the type of coding that the sales person had suggested we order, but yet, the defects are OUR fault?  Stunned, Matt asked if our glasses were still under warranty.  The man fumbled around with the computer and told us that he wasn't sure.

What he said next was truly bizarre.  "If your insurance doesn't cover the lens replacement, we could always try to work out a deal."

A deal?  We had already spent over $200 on our glasses.  And I had brought my glasses back just two months after wearing them with the first issue.  Now we are going to have to shell out more money for yet another shoddy pair of peepers?  The employee wrote down Matt's phone number and said that he would double check with his manager on Monday and give us a call. 

I knew what I had to do.  "Could we both have a copy of our prescriptions, please?"

The man gave me a very hateful look and said flatly, "Sure."

Monday arrived and Matt was angered to learn that not only was the lens replacement not covered by the insurance, but the man made no mention of the so-called "deal" we were to receive for all of the trouble.  In addition, I am still having to look through scratches every day, which is driving me crazy!

Thankfully, I was able to order another pair from America's Best.  A very friendly employee informed us that the problems we are experiencing have to do with the anti-glare coating.  I noticed that on their sales sheet, it said that the coating actually makes it easier to clean and prevents smudges.

"Really it's just the opposite," she said.  "The coating is the first thing to scratch or flake off."

Since neither of us have trouble driving at night, I told her to just leave the coating completely off.  I cannot imagine spending another $200 for a third pair.  I am already $400 poorer because of this whole fandango.

The glasses should be ready in 7-10 days and I cannot wait!  My advice to others is to not let anyone pressure you into purchasing eye wear that you do not like with features that you do not need.  Speak up and let the sales people know that YOU are in control of your own purchases.

Priceless Penny's Journey

Curtly Cutoff

Picture this:  You are telling a funny story to some of your friends when – BAM!  One of the friends begins to talk over you.  Stunned, you try to regain control of the conversation, but the friend continues to ramble on.  Eventually, frustration takes over and you give up on finishing your story.

 

This is my top pet peeve.  I can’t think of anything more rude than interrupting someone and then continuing to speak over them as if nothing has happened.  What truly troubles me is that this appears to be a growing trend.

 

I was first introduced to this practice by husband’s family members.  Whenever I shared something that sparked a shared interest, you could rest assured that one of them would cut me off.  The first time this happened I thought that perhaps this particular member couldn’t hear that I was still speaking.  I shrugged it off and simply let my end of the conversation die.  On the second occurrence, I decided to continue speaking, figuring that the other person would get the hint that I was not finished talking and clam up.  Instead, this person began speaking louder and just kept going on his/her ramble.

 

Anyone who knows me knows that I am big on respect.  I was taught that you should respect everyone at all times, no exceptions.  Not to mention the fact that my mother is a teacher and my father works for the Illinois State Police (no, he’s not a cop).  Both jobs demand the constant transference of respect from co-workers, administration, children and even parents.

 

However, working at a college, I can assure you that I have been cut off on more than one phone conversation.  Students and even parents will talk right over me as I am trying desperately to assist them with their financial aid questions.  I cannot fathom why they simply do not wait until I am finished with my explanation.  They may even learn the answers to their questions if they would respect me by allowing me to finish my statement.

 

I believe that people engage in this practice for the following reasons:

 

1.   Attention:  In the case of my husband’s family, I believe that they interrupt in order to gain attention.  Case in point, if I am ever speaking about the places that I have traveled to, I know that I will be cut off so that one of my in-laws can rave about all of the places that they have been.  While I am merely trying to share an experience, they are trying to upstage.  Conversation is not a contest.  It should be a mutual exchange between all parties involved.  Trying to bring the conversation back to me is next to impossible because one rave leads to a rabbit trail of other discussions and I am soon left in the dust.

 

 

2.  They do not like what they are hearing:  Unfortunately, I have witnessed this among my own family as well as at my place of employment.  If someone does not like what they are hearing, they attempt to change the outcome by speaking over the speaker.  They believe that this will make the person change their mind or even back down from a staunch stance.  What this really reminds me of is a little five year old, standing in the corner with his/her hands over his/her ears going, “I’m not listening.  La, la, la, la!”   Very mature.  How on earth can anyone think that this will get them their desired result?  Imagine walking into an executive meeting and having a co-worker begin speaking right over the Vice President!  I can tell you exactly what result that will get:  the employee’s termination.  In regards to my family, I will not change my beliefs, ideas or ways of life just because someone else does not like them.  At work, I must abide by the state and federal laws and rules.  I have no power in changing the these regulations and wish that students and parents would understand this as well. 

 

 

3.  Pulling Rank:  Some people feel that they have the right to dominate the conversation because of their “rank” in life.  I am not talking about an actual military rank.  I am talking about a “rank” that they feel they are entitled to due to earning a certain degree or having a certain type of job.  Because I work at a community college, I have had the unfortunate stigma of being “uneducated.”  When my husband introduces me to new people or I need to call the help desk at work, it is perceived that my job is menial and that my brain capacity is akin to a common house fly.  However, I earned my Associate in Arts degree at SWIC before transferring to SIUE where I earned my Bachelor’s Degree in Science:  Mass Communications Print Journalism (English minor).  Did I mention that I graduated Suma Cum Laud?  My GPA was 3.8 on a 4.0 scale.  But, I do not brag about my achievements or use them to give me leverage in a conversation.  You never truly know who you are speaking to, so don’t judge.  In addition, having a prestigious job no more gives you the right to disrespect people than it does to allow you to run red lights.  My dad has a very prestigious job as the Regional Supervisor for the Illinois State Police.  I am most proud of his latest advancement because everyone he has ever worked with has always complimented him on his respect for others.  He treats everyone as equals, as part of a team.  Did I mention that he “only” earned his Associate in Science degree?  Never believe that you are more or less important than someone else based on a degree or job.

 

 

4.  Fear:   Some people use this tactic as a way to avoid feeling dumb about certain topics or debates.  They figure if they can loudly change the conversation, they will gain control and look knowledgeable in the process.  Others simply feel uncomfortable speaking about certain situations or emotions.  We, as humans, greatly fear rejection.  We believe that if we make a social mistake, we will be sent to an imaginary island of isolation.  No one will ever want to have contact with us again because we did not know about the mating habits of a mosquito.  Or how much an Oscar (the award) weighs.  In reality, I couldn’t care less about the things that my friends, family and co-workers don’t know.  I simply love to hear about the things that interest them.  And I can’t tell you how many times I have had debates with my husband about topics that I am certainly no expert on.  Instead of speaking over him, I politely wait for my turn and begin my rant with, “In my opinion…”  Unless you are being asked to speak at Harvard, you should not fear having to impress anyone.

Remember, conversations are all about give and take.  Be sure that you have an even balance between speaking and listening.  Fight the temptation to interrupt those around you.  Just like in kindergarten, you need to wait your turn.

Exercising Excuses

Thanks to Ms. Jillian Michaels, exercise has now become a part of my daily life.  While others think I am crazy for working out five days a week, I have never felt (or looked) better.  I have a new found confidence that I can only attribute to the fact that I now know exactly how strong and capable I really am.

I have had people come up to me and ask, “What’s your secret?”  The minute I respond with “Exercise,” I can see their eye glaze over.  It seems that people think I was just born with the body that I have.  The reality?  I work extremely hard to keep the figure I have.

My wake-up call came in 2008.  I was standing by the copy machine at work, waiting for my papers to print.  I decided to look down at my feet…and I couldn’t see them.  While I won’t say that I was grossly overweight, I am pretty sure that I was carrying at least 20 extra pounds.  I grabbed every Jillian Michaels DVD that Target had and got to work.  I even purchased her amazing Body Revolution program, which is what really got me cut.

Unfortunately, we live in a world of instant gratification.  Videos on demand!  Shopping online!  We have forgotten how this country was built:  with hard work.  This is quite a valuable lesson that our ancestors have taught us.  But, we are constantly in search of the quick fix.  We will try diet pills, plans and programs, going so far as to blend grass into a smoothie and drink it all in the hopes of avoiding the big “E.”

I would like to share my favorite exercise excuses with you.

1. “I’m too tired to work out.”  This has to be the excuse that I hear the most.  I get it.  You work hard all day and you come home, hoping to relax.  And this is how most people “relax”:  they grab some chips, dip and a calorie laden soda and park their booty on the couch where they proceed to watch cable TV for hours on end.  I can assure you, you will never lose weight if this is your practice.  In the time it takes to watch an episode of “Nashville,” you could burn about 400 calories doing Jillian’s One Week Shred program.  All it takes is just 30 minutes of your free time dedicated to making you healthier.  What could be more important than that?  Besides, exercising gives you a rush of endorphins that will give you a lasting energy burst for up to a half hour after your workout.  You will even burn more calories during that time.  Trust me, I have had those moments where I just wanted to hop into my pajamas and say “Forget that!”  But, when I push through the workouts, I feel more energized than ever.

2. “I don’t have time to work out.”  Seriously?  If I have time to work a full time job, take care of all my fur babies, catch up with my husband, maintain our house and fit in a workout, so do you.  Since I am a very routine based person, I include exercise time in my daily schedule.  This way, I feel like I have to complete my work-out because it is a part of my day, just like going to work or making dinner.  I do realize that not everyone has an hour to devote to Zumba the way that I do.  But, there truly is an exercise for all timeframes.  With the Zumba games for the Wii and Xbox, you can choose the length of your class.  Only have 15 minutes?  No problem!  Simply select the “Custom Class” option to choose your songs and dance time.  Plus, Jillian offers her Kickbox Fast Fix which gets you in and out in exactly 20 minutes. What other things do you make time for?  Shopping?  Eating out?  Going to the movies?  Be willing to make your health a priority and you will be amazed at how much time you will “find.”

3. “Exercising is boring.”  I am a child of the 80’s.  I do remember the jazzercise show that came on in the wee hours of the morning.  Yes, that was boring.  Doing the same moves over and over again, day after day.  Thank goodness it is 2014!  There are so many options to keep your workouts fresh.  And all of the pros (including Ms. Jillian) encourage switching things up.  Hey, they get bored, too!  I used to do one workout routine for the entire week.  NEVER AGAIN!  Plus, you need to change the moves that you are doing to give your muscles a chance to rest and recover.

Check out my weekly workout:

Sunday - Pilates

Monday & Wednesday – Jillian Michaels One Week Shred AM Strength Training

Tuesday & Thursday – Zumba Rush/Core for the Xbox

If you like going to the gym try a spin class, then try yoga.  Maybe you want to kick it up a notch and try Cross Fit.  The possibilities are endless and boredom is officially vanquished.

4. “Exercising is too hard.”  I think this excuse bothers me the most.  Exercising, like life, is not supposed to be easy.  It is called a “work out” for  a reason.  You need to work at getting your body into shape.  When I started doing Jillian’s DVDs, I thought I was going to die.  My legs were on fire the next day.  I could barely get up off of the floor after placing a file in a cabinet!  At first, the pain terrified me.  That is when I learned that the pain is actually a sign of change taking place in the body.  That fire in my legs was actually the calcite that I had been storing for years breaking down.  And the more I worked out, the more my body adapted.  Eventually, the pain was gone.  Instead of being sore, I was sweaty and toned.  I have loved seeing my personal growth through each of Jillian’s DVDs.  In the beginning, I had to pause the routine at least twice to catch my breath.  Now, I can do any of her work-outs all the way through without stopping.  I am doing moves that I originally thought were impossible.  Why?  Because I stuck with it.  I refused to give up on myself and so should you.  Believe me, you are stronger than you think.

5. “I don’t like going to the gym.”  Neither do I.  I remember having to take a PE class in college.  It was horrible!  Guys were always ogling me as I worked out.  Thankfully, I was with my entire class.  I can’t imagine going to a gym by myself.  Too many creepers for me.  The beautiful thing is, you don’t need to go to a gym and pay outrageous membership fees to get the body that you deserve.  I exercise in the comfort of my own home using DVDs, fitness video games, hand weights, a kettle bell and an exercise ball.  I can pause my workouts and get more water or use the restroom and not have to worry about someone coming and stealing my machine.  Not to mention the fact that I can control the thermostat and keep it as frosty as I like. 

6. “I’ll never look like that.  I’m just meant to be fat.”  While genetics do play a factor in a person’s weight, it does not have to be the deciding one.  You have control over what you put into your mouth.  And it all starts at the grocery store.  Don’t buy foods that you know are not good for you.  I gave up purchasing chips and candy about 4 years ago.  I thought it would be super difficult to live without these foods, but, I found out that I really don’t miss them.  Granted, if I have a sandwich from Subway, I will get a bag of Cheetos.  At Easter, I will munch on the Reese's egg that my mom placed in my basket.  The key is that I am going without more than I am indulging.  Don’t deprive yourself, just keep everything in moderation.

No more excuses!  You have the power to change, but you must be willing to do the work.  Find your "why" and make your dreams a reality.