It’s Not Always Unicorns And Fairy Dust… Results Take Time.

Posted on February 3, 2026 by lizzyc1973

Wow.

Just like that, here we are and it’s February. The THIRD!

If going to the gym everyday were my resolution, I’d be toast.

Thank God… it’s not. I do OLW One Little Word. It’s a word I’ve chosen to navigate these 365 days in 2026.

Results.

We’re going to talk about results a lot this year. The results I’m getting, the ones I’ve not… and the WHY behind all of it.

This week (and it’s ONLY TUESDAY) have given me a lesson in patience with results. Results take time. Just like going to the gym… I can’t go three days and expect my bench number to increase dramatically or to go from a size 18 to an 8 (which I’ve recently arrived at!!) It takes time. It takes steady, thoughtful consistent action when you want results with positive outcome. Getting to this size 8… well, let me share with you what it too.

Courage. Enough courage to realize I needed help with my weight management and loss.

Surgery. I had a gastric sleeve procedure on August 21, 2024. After years of not caring for my body (and a healthy dose of menopause) — she simply didn’t have the ability to just change as easily as she once did.

Investment. $5000 ish dollars to be exact. It seems like such a large amount of money. Yet, as I look back on it, it was a small price to pay to get the help I needed. I could go down a rabbit hole of what the hell is wrong with the healthcare system in the United States at this point. I’ll pause and make that another story for another day.

After care. Everyday I need to make choices supporting my surgical results.

Truth.

It’s not easy.

Now… the not so hot results, you know the ones. One more beer, skipping the gym, opting for Taco Bell rather than a more nutritious real food choice, those seem to come so much easier for us don’t they? Of course they do. They’re EASY.

And they’re a trap.

And they still get me. It’s super easy to hit the drive through on a busy day to grab one taco. And sometimes I still do. I try to make the smartest choices available, most of the time… but even now, sometimes I just don’t.

And that’s the point.

Our journey to better results isn’t unicorns and fairy dust. It’s intention. It’s consistent work. And we won’t always get it right.

What matters is this:

Never. Stop. Trying.

Results come to those who stay in the work.

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Transforming Conversations for Better Results

Posted on January 28, 2026 by lizzyc1973

re·sult

/rəˈzəlt/

noun

plural noun: results

  1. a consequence, effect, or outcome of something.”the tower collapsed as a result of safety violations”

I’m excited.

I’m excited because this year’s OLW—One Little Word—is resonating with me in exactly the way I hoped it would. My intentionality is heightened. I’m more aware of what I’m putting in and more attentive to what’s coming out as a result of those choices.

Here’s an example.

There’s a person in my life whose days are very routine. To some, their life might even seem monotonous. When we talk, I often hear the same story more than once—sometimes in the same conversation. If I’m honest, that repetition can trigger me. It makes it harder to stay present, and it affects how I show up on the other end of the phone.

And then, in one moment, I paused—and chose to show up differently.

I asked myself: What is it like to live a life that’s less dynamic than mine?

Every day in my work is different. There is no shortage of chaos in a career centered on multifamily and municipal mitigation and restoration. Vehicle impacts. Large-scale water losses. Constant movement. Constant change. I’m grateful for that. Truly.

Beyond work, my life is full. I have my church community, my ladies cohort, friends from Denver, The Girl Tribe here in Arizona. I’ve recently been called to serve on the vestry at St. Peter’s Episcopal Church in Litchfield Park. I have my husband, with all the daily rhythms of married life. And of course—Oliver and Stanley, who at this very moment are in the pantry doing Lord knows what.

Every day looks different from the one before.

But that isn’t true for everyone.

And there it is—the rub. A life full of movement, contrast, and constant change paired with someone whose days are steady, predictable, and familiar. I’m a person always in motion. So how do I show up for someone who is, in many ways, my opposite?

Differently.

No rocket science here.

I slow myself down. I choose attentiveness. I consider what it might be like to be someone else. And honestly, it doesn’t matter whether someone moves at a slower pace or simply has a different set of ebbs and flows. The choice remains the same.

I have two ears and one mouth for a reason.

If I want a different result—if I want to avoid being triggered, annoyed, bored, frustrated—then I have to approach conversations differently. Ready to hear. Ready to listen. Committed to listening in order to understand, grow, and learn—not to refute or rush to respond.

It really is that simple.

And I’m grateful for that.

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Hang On… Just A Little Bit Longer.

Posted on January 12, 2026 by lizzyc1973

January 12th.
Just like that, we’re two weeks into the new year.

Typically, this is about the time when our goals and drive start to take a hit. The excitement begins to wane. We question ourselves:
Can I actually do this?
Did I choose the right goal?
Does it even matter?

I’m here to tell you—yes, it does.

On January 1st, I had a quick but meaningful conversation with a girlfriend about when we make goals. It’s a valid conversation—an important one. She shared an article about the timing of goal-setting, and it made me pause.

January 1st lands us smack in the middle of winter.
Things are dormant. It’s colder. Darker earlier. Heck—we even manipulate the clock to give ourselves more daylight, as if time itself needs a boost.

The article argued that we see a much higher rate of success when we align goals with the beginning of spring—when life returns. When energy shifts. When we spring the clock forward to give ourselves more time.

And here we are—January 12th—the moment motivation often disappears.

It’s like new car smell. At first, we can’t get enough. We breathe it in—deep. It’s intoxicating. And then one day… it’s gone.

So we start to wonder:
Were my intentions not good enough?
Not valid enough?
Not SMART enough?
Not SMARTER enough?

SMART and SMARTER

I don’t think so.

So let me ask you this—

If we can change the clock to suit our needs, is it really so far-fetched to believe we can change our minds to do the same?

Here’s what I believe: the WHEN is less important than the WHY.

Why did I choose RESULTS as my OLW (One Little Word)?

Because I was tired of getting what I get.
I was consistently giving what I give—and receiving the same outcome.

Then it clicked:

The only way to get a different result is to give something different.

January 1st wasn’t just a new year. It was a clean page. A conscious decision to start giving something different so I get something different.

This year, I decided I need to be SMART—and then be SMARTER.

There are 525,600 minutes in this year. I know I won’t be militantly on task for every one of them.

But I do know this:

I can reset.
As many times as necessary.

I can fall down and get back up—over and over and over again.
Sheesh… I’ve been doing that for 52 years now.

So hang on. Just a little bit longer.

Get SMART. Then get SMARTER.
Change the timeline as much as you need to.

And get the RESULT that actually makes a difference.

So here’s your call to action:

Don’t quit just because January feels heavy.
Don’t abandon the goal just because the motivation faded.
Don’t wait for spring to give yourself permission to begin again.

Revisit your why.
Adjust the timeline—not the commitment.
Make one small, intentional choice today that moves you closer to the result you want.

And if you fell off?

Good. That means you were brave enough to start.

Reset. Recommit. Take the next right step.
The result you’re looking for is still possible—but only if you keep going.

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The Keys to Better Results: A Fresh Start

Posted on January 1, 2026 by lizzyc1973

We’ve all heard the idiom. The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and over again and expecting different results.

Truth.

We’ve all done it.

And as I sit here again… on the first day of the year and look back at what happened in 2025…2024…2023 and what I want for my life in 2026 it’s uncomfortable.

More. Truth.

I’ve been expecting different results, but I’ve been doing the same old tired things.

So welcome to 2026 my friends and my new OLW (One Little Word). OLW is a concept. Instead of making a resolution, it’s choosing a word to serve as a framework. This word guides the direction I’d like my life to take in the coming year.

RESULTS.

I want different results and to do that. We start right here, right now and look at the old patterns square in the eye and we confront them. I have unwittingly taken something beautiful, a word of focus and relegated it to the despair of New Year’s Resolutions all neatly tucked away in the drawers of what might have been. Which really, makes this whole exercise futile. Doesn’t it?

But I want more than that.

I want to look back at this time next year and say well done Liz… well done.

I’m going to tell you a quick story… and then get on will driving to what I want to be this year. In my past, when I’ve not been a good shepherd of my resources and the bills would stack up and the calls would come… I would bury my head, right in the sand. If you don’t see it — it’s not there right?

Wrong.

The bills were still there, and the calls still came and my absolute phobia of answering the phone and checking the mailbox was as real as it gets. This past year, my husband and I separated while we work on our marriage. Both of us have things to sort out and get real with. Messes to clean and changes to make. Mine started with my home and financial life. I had to swallow a whole lot of pride and get help. My stepmom Carolyn came and spent a week with me for my birthday and saved me. I put my financial mess on the kitchen table, a stack of unpaid bills, an accounting of the money I make, and Carolyn got to work. Honestly, it only took a matter of a day or so before I had a well crafted budget and plan that I’ve been successfully navigating for three months. And by choosing to do something different, I stopped the insanity of financial fear and am getting different results. Now by no means am I 100% dialed in and fully executing all of the time, but I am better, and it is measurable progress.

So the results I want for this year…

Tithe 10% to my church.

Retire as much of my existing debt as possible.

Keep an emergency fund (and trust me, not EVERYTHING is an EMERGENCY)

To get a different result, you have to take different action. So welcome to #NoSpendJanuary. This month the “discretionary” spending is on pause. Similar to “Dry January” it’s a detox of my spending. The only money I can spend are budget dollars for household expenses, groceries, gas. I can spend gift cards… but my debit card is now on hiatus. Thanks so much to my Brandy for coming up with such a beautiful, slightly mad plan for getting me on the path for different results. I’ll be checking in. Doing better. Getting more intentional with my blogging so this time next year, I’m sitting in a place of fulfillment and satisfaction for a job well done.

Let me know what results you’re aiming for in 2026, I’d love to be your support!

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Turning Life’s Lemons into Sweet Success

Posted on February 3, 2025 by lizzyc1973

There is little doubt that life is going to throw some lemons your way.

It. Happens.

Last week, my position was eliminated at my job. The vertical that was being pursued didn’t yield results enough to justify the squeeze. (pun intended) And just like that, I drove home from work on Thursday with a lovely little basket of very ripe lemons.

I didn’t cry.

I’ve been seeing the writing on the wall for the better part of at least the last three months. It’s a tough market to break into and it’s a long haul. I’ve been looking for my next opportunity, passively, but it got a bit more serious when I recently interviewed for what I can only categorize as my dream opportunity! I wasn’t the finalist for the first round of hiring they’re doing this year, but remain hopeful that I will be in round two. I will also continue the much needed follow up and connection to the decision makers.

In. The. Meantime…

I have this lovely little basket of “Life Lemons” in my heart. So I thought we should talk about what to do when life throws these sour little delights your way. We can continue to suck on them, savoring every bitter drop of juice we can extract from them, but that does little to help us feel better, move forward, or be hopeful for the better days ahead of us.

Let’s make something of this…

We can make lemonade, we can be more creative and make margaritas, we can make lemon cake, or lemon poppy seed muffins.

Here’s the truth.

You and you alone can decide what to do with the lemons that life puts in your life. I and only I can choose what to do with my lemons. As for me… I am going to choose to create something amazingly sweet from my lemons. I’m not 100% sure about what that looks like yet, but I know the juice from the squeeze will be worth it and result in a sweeter outcome than I could have ever imagined.

So while you consider your “Life Lemons” here are some really great lemon recipes for ideas…

https://www.wikihow.com/Make-Lemonade-when-Life-Gives-You-Lemons

And here are some great real lemon recipes… I hope the squeeze is worth it and the sweetness is something you’ll savor!

https://www.allrecipes.com/recipes/1294/fruits-and-vegetables/fruits/citrus/lemons/

Let me know what you’re planning on doing with your next set of “Life Lemons.”

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Embracing Life’s Ups and Downs: Finding Your Mojo

Posted on January 15, 2025 by lizzyc1973

The past few days… no check that, the past few weeks have been a bit of a roller coaster ride in my life.

On December 23, 2024 my husband’s father passed away. He’d long battled with COPD and clearly was never getting better, but after a short hospital stay he came home to hospice care. One short week after that he took his final breath and left this life to be reunited with his wife and Jesus. I’m sad for my husband, the feelings, the loss, the what’s next in a long list of things to be done. I am happy for Ken, his father. No more suffering, struggling for breath and the helpless feeling of your lungs just giving up on you. I’m happy that he has a new eternal body, and will have an eternity in heaven.

We knew it was coming, someday, but the intention was that it would not happen for a while. You’re never ready for death… sudden or not, at Christmas time or the middle of August, it’s just not something anyone is really EVER ready for.

Work.

It’s filled with ups and downs, some days are on and some days just aren’t. While my intention is to always roll with the punches, there are days where I find it’s a challenge. Sometimes I feel like I am really winning and then out of no where comes a gut punch. Losing a bid, missing an opportunity, feeling like you take one step ahead only to take two steps back. Can I get an Amen?

Today, my work bestie and I were going to do a LinkedIn Live presentation about giving a master elevator pitch and how to create it, only to find we hadn’t done the backbone to the technology piece of it to bring it to life. So in McGyver fashion… we did a Google Meet and carried on, not in the way we intended, but we were capable of executing… so it’s a win. Sort of.

Home.

Filled with ups and downs, and then some more downs. Today we have a water leak that originates in our upstairs bathroom and has made its way downstairs to the kitchen. Ugh…

Christmas decor has finally made it back into boxes and bins but still sits in the middle of the living room floor.

Getting my father-in-laws memorial arrangements made, getting his home ready to sell, donate clothes or not, what to do with eighty years of living…. what to do with paperwork, and boy howdy, there’s a lot!

Here’s the deal.

My mojo is being pushed and tested in all of the ways and all at the same time. And I’ve learned that my mojo is fleeting, it ebbs and flows like a river. I’ve also realized I need to fight for my mojo. I need to protect her, like I would my child. I need her, she needs me, we’re dependent on each other to get through life. And that… my friends got me here, on this page writing about what’s troubling me today, where am I losing? Where am I winning and what can I do to feel like I have some modicum of control.

I’m winning. I’ll keep winning.

I’m winning because I have a support system to make it through the tough days, and a support system to fist bump with for the wins too.

I’ll leave you with an article I found helpful: What To Do When Your Mojo Is a No-Go.

Enjoy, and let me know your best tips and tricks for keeping your Mojo humming…: Embracing Life’s Ups and Downs: Finding Your Mojo

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Habits of Excellence: Why Consistency Matters

Posted on January 7, 2025 by lizzyc1973

What we do consistently drives the course of our being.

Or from Aristotle… “We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act but a habit”. 

Consistency also seems to come much easier in some areas than others. Like eating Taco Bell today makes it easier to eat it again tomorrow. And the things we find more difficult to execute will become that much harder when we leave them on the shelf.

Eating broccoli today, if I don’t like it is hard. It’s hard tomorrow and will be that much harder every day I make the choice not to eat my broccoli (Do you wonder why we pick on broccoli so much??

So the rub… how do we embrace the harder things? Sometimes it’s just a choice, setting an intention, nothing more.

But what if it’s not that simple?

Get Help.

Super easier said than done, but necessary just the same.

What I do.

Lately, I’ve been making it a game. Pick the hardest most awful thing on my list and do that first.

Confession.

I don’t always do that. I work on it everyday, but am a far cry from perfection in this area. I keep trying. Read Eat That Frog, by Brian Tracy. The premise and the point, do the hard things first.

There are literally a million resources in the internet from amateurs and pros alike on how to tackle the things that are challenging us. I’m confident there’s an internet expert out there just for you!

Here’s a quick link from The Life Purpose Institute with 10 action items for doing the hard things. Take a read, and know there are tons more, if this article doesn’t speak to you, by all means, don’t give up. Keep looking, there’s a resource for you I promise.

: Habits of Excellence: Why Consistency Matters

https://lifepurposeinstitute.com/10-ways-to-get-things-done-even-when-you-dont-want-to/

I believe in you.

I know you can do the hard things. I know I can do the hard things too. So let’s do them. #Blazing2025

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New Year, New Goals: Achieving Success in 2025

Posted on January 1, 2025 by lizzyc1973

Here we go!

Happy New Year!

For me New Year’s Day is only out done by a few other days in the year. Christmas Day, marking the birth of Jesus Christ, Good Friday, the day HE paid it all, and Easter Sunday; when HE rose again. There are a few others… December 1st, my anniversary, and November 4th the birth of my son Daniel. Few other days hold the same magic, but New Year’s Day is definitely one of them.

What is it about January 1st that makes us believe that ANYTHING is possible and how do we bottle enough of today’s magic to sustain us for another 364 days?

Confession time.

I’ve fallen into the trap of “mentally” tracking my goals for the better part of the last two years. The problem with that…? Well, I can not say one way or another that I’ve made any real progress. At least not by my efforts anyway. And like so many, I give myself all sorts of mental talk about why I’m not writing things down. Why am I not putting in place things that hold me accountable to the aspirations I have or goals I’ve set?

I don’t have time.

Fact. Check.

I have not prioritized or BLOCKED the time I’ve needed to, to guarantee there is space to work on the goals I’m about.

I lack the tools.

Fact. Check.

I may not have ALL of the tools I need to achieve my goals, but I have a good brain in my head, and likely have some of the tools I need right under my nose. I have access to calendars, auto prompts, hand written journals and so much more.

I lack support.

Fact. Check.

I have an amazing support system. Have I done the work I need to? Have I let my friend Amy know what I’m up to and need support in? Have I communicated my goals with my family? Have I communicated my goals with my number one fan and partner in life? Have I shared them in my journal, in this blog or with anyone else in my tribe that can help support me in asking me how my progress is going? Encouraging me when I feel rudderless and helping me get back on track when I fall?

“The road to hell is paved with good intentions“

The exact origins of this phrase are unknown though it was first known to have been published in a London paper in 1828, cited as a Portuguese proverb. (Wikipedia)

And so is my road.

It’s chock full of good intentions, and at the end of 2025, I’d really like them to be so much more than intentions, but things I’ve taken action on which translate into goals met, 365 days of me taking action so when I next look back at the year passed, I do so with a smile.

So I leave you with this.

Here are some tips for achieving goals in the new year:

  • Focus: Focus on a few key goals instead of spreading your efforts across many. (consider a short and sweet vision board)
  • Set SMARTER goals: Make goals that are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound, evaluated, and revised and rewarded.
  • Make a plan: Break down your goals into steps, set deadlines, and celebrate milestones. 
  • Find your why: Consider what you want to achieve and why. (this is so necessary in sustaining your drive)
  • Celebrate progress: Recognize your wins, even the small ones. (especially the small ones when you’re first staring)
  • Hold yourself accountable: Share your intentions with others to help you stay on track. 
  • Adjust as needed: Be patient and be willing to adjust your goals as necessary. (your life doesn’t happen in a vacuum adaptability is huge!)

Other tips include: Writing down your goals, Keeping it interesting, and Including friends and others. 

Today’s goals…

Drink 64 ounces of water.

Set up auto transfer for savings.

Book a weekly appointment with this blog.

One of these… already done.

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Blackeyed Peas: A New Year Tradition for Luck

Posted on December 30, 2024 by lizzyc1973

It’s December 30, 2024, and we’re staring the end of the year right in the face. There have been ups and downs. As I prepare to blaze into 2025, I intend first, to eat my blackeyed peas.

It’s a tradition hundreds of years old, but new (ish) to me. I wanted to learn more. I want to know why this little “cowpea,” as it’s often called, is a symbol of luck and prosperity.

In my reading I’ve found a couple of reoccurring stories. The first cites the Union Army during the Civil War raiding food supplies and burning crops during battle leaving only behind the blackened pea, which was considered to be livestock feed. With limited food supply , people including slaves and the confederate army turned to blackeyed peas and salt pork to ward off starvation.

Other folklore claim blackeyed peas were eaten by slaves on January 1, 1863. This was the day the Emancipation Proclamation became law, freeing the slaves of the south. They ate them not for luck, and not for celebration, but because it was the only food they had.

Hoppin John, a combination of blackeyed peas, vegetables and pork, served over rice is probably the most common preparation; dating back to the Civil War Era. Later, as folklore and legend grew often a coin was placed in the pot while cooking; whomever was served the coin in their peas would have an extra helping of good fortune in the coming year. it’s also said if you want to ensure a year of good luck and fortune you need to eat 365 of these little beans one for each day and to leave three on your plate, one for good fortune, one for good luck, and the last for luck in romance.

In addition to blackeyed peas, you may want to include a portion of collard greens, representing paper money, as well as cornbread representing gold.

Here’s the recipe I’ll be trying brought to you by Bad Manners, one of my favorite places for great recipes that make amazing meals and share my love of the word FUCK.

https://www.badmanners.com/recipes/hoppin-john

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Doing the things…

Posted on December 21, 2024 by lizzyc1973

There are habits I have and things I do.

So seamlessly I often don’t even realize I am doing it.

And I bet you do too.

It’s not necessarily bad. Yet, it happens. At a recent visit with my therapist, I was reminded of just how often I do it.

Put. Me. Last.

Be. The. People. Pleaser.

Do you do it?

We all do, to a certain extent. I think it’s just a part of the natural condition of being humans in relationships. And I realize I have a checkered past of doing it to the point of detriment.

Person: What do you want for dinner?

Me: I want Thai.

Person: I don’t want Thai.

Me: Okay, whatever you want is fine…

I end up at a local Mexican eatery or somewhere else. When really, what I wanted was Thai food. This example is not exclusively indicative of my current partner. It is true of any partner, friend, coworker, sibling, or anyone else in my life. It’s happened a million times. And…there’s nothing particularly wrong with individual cases of the above conversation happening. Still, if left unchecked, it can leave you feeling powerless. You find yourself just doing the things to keep the peace and harmony in a relationship.

A recent conversation with my son Daniel prompted me to take serious ACTION. It helps me work on my habit to speak up. I want to make my thoughts and desires known, acted on, and most importantly, validated. I love that we’re taking ACTION together to stop Doing The Things. I’d like to invite you to STOP doing the things too!

We’ve started reading Not Nice, by Dr. Aziz Gazipura, PsyD. It’s an interesting discussion about why we are people pleasers and where it comes from. Most importantly, it addresses how to break the cycle to become more authentic to ourselves. We become more empowered to act on our wants and needs, speaking up, saying NO, and unapologetically being yourself.

Now don’t get me wrong… I don’t think I’m always the “nice girl.” I’m not. Nonetheless, I definitely see patterns in my life. These patterns show behaviors where I totally get sucked down the people pleasing rabbit hole. When it’s unchecked, it leaves me feeling icky, resentful, victimized, and just gross.

I’ll continue posting about our journey into being Not Nice. I hope you’ll think about how being Not Nice can make you stronger. It will help you become the happier person you’d like to be in 2025.

Here’s a quick link to Dr. Aziz’s book and website, feel free to pick it up and join us!! #Intention #Blazing2025 #NotNiceBook

https://www.socialconfidencecenter.com/notnicebook

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