Any Moment You Choose: Shift From Old To BOLD!

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photo-1Damn these Dark Chocolate Almond Cherry Clusters. 

It’s 2:00am on Monday, June 10th. I’m in the kitchen eating a handful. OK, three handfuls.

Aha! You never know what might show up in your work or life as an opportunity waiting for you to claim it and own it – the catalyst for positive change – leading to your next success! (BRAVO YOU!)

Apparently these Clusters showed up as mine.

Two years ago, I committed to lose and be forever done with the *plus size* me. It was a body shape I needed to maintain during one of my most exciting adventures as a professional runway model and national fit model, a decade-plus career which became my inspiration for launching the first exclusive fit model agency in the country. What a ride!

Fascinating and frustrating is how I’d describe the fact that, when I decided to leave modeling to focus solely on building my agency business and BOLD, my body didn’t cooperate in leaving that size behind. My vision was lb’s falling off when no longer needed… um, no, it didn’t happen that way. As that great saying goes: there are no shortcuts to anything worth achieving!

It took a focused commitment: eating right (imagine that!) and 5am workouts. I posted my 5-day/week workouts on facebook and Twitter, set my goal, made my commitment and never looked back. I shed the size and feel strong and fabulous! One of my favorite headshots is my current website photo – in my yellow sweater – at my current size.

Thank You, Costco’s Dark Chocolate Almond Cherry Clusters (anyone else hearing Jimmy Fallon’s piano in that? ;) for being the catalyst I needed to take this next step in accomplishing the final leg of my goal. When I hit *Publish* on this blog post, I’m on my way to being back at my fighting weight/size at Christmas. (Join me?!)

My workouts are pretty much still in tact. I change-up/ease-up and get out of the gym to head outside in Summer. They’ve become who I am and how I roll, so I won’t be posting those. I’ll focus on clean eating instead.

The most exciting thing about change? Any moment you choose, you can change what’s no longer working. In your work and in your life.

Where to begin? Shift your thoughts, actions and outcomes… from Old To BOLD!

I’m jazzed to finish this Cluster and be done (amazing how this last one tastes like plastic). When I wake up tomorrow I am a girl with a plan. Back on top of my game. Walking My Talk. Owning It Like I Own It!

Do you have a change in your life you’re ready to pull the trigger on?

Get excited! Shift & GO BOLDly in any direction you choose! If you need a champion along the way – let me know so I can cheer you through!

Smiling that Yes, it really is true:

Your Next Success?  

It’s Up To YOU!

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© 1993-2017  Ann Ulrich   AnnUlrich.com

Photo:  A healthier choice: dark chocolate, cranberries, ginger and walnuts – a recipe David picked up on his recent tour of Hormel’s Spam plant – I know, seriously!

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9 thoughts on “Any Moment You Choose: Shift From Old To BOLD!”

  2. Oh Hello Dark Chocolate Almond Cherries! I also ate way too many of you yesterday. Haha love the Jimmy Fallon comment! Dan and I started Insanity this morning! Small step, but hoping to stick to it for big results! Thanks for the motivation mom!

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    • Oh, I know! I crack up every time I hear his *Thank You note* piano playing in my head…

      INSANITY? Whoa! BRAVO Natalie & Dan. KEEP GOING!!

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  3. You crack me up!
    I am joining you starting today!! Heading out to the fitness studio to pump some iron :)
    Thanks for the positive message!
    Xo
    R

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  5. In a world where women talking about their body size and weight seems encouraged solely for the Size 2 and smaller and anything above considered taboo (or scorned / judged), I give KUDOS to you Ann for effortlessly (and maybe even unintentionally?) opening discourse on the subject! And, what a fabulously relevant post to my life. When you wrote this, I began my health kick while I interned in Cleveland (hard to do when world-renowned eateries like Melt are only blocks away) as summoned by my urge to get in shape for my semester in Hawaii. Five pounds down + a more fit body + passion for running + refined cooking skills and knowledge of nutrients = a happily Hawaii-prepared Lisa.

    Way to go Ann, you are such a rockstar!!

    P.S. Had no idea you used to be a runway model much less started a fit model agency — you continue to amaze me. Seriously.

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  6. Love this and ALOHA Lisa! I read this earlier and have been giving it thought. Here are a few:

    Your first line says so much – it sure does seem like talking about body size, weight, is encouraged only for, as you say, Size 2. And yet you know what? I’m wondering if the reason it seems this way is because people of average or larger sizes simply are not speaking up, and often when we do we are referring to other people’s sizes, not our own.

    Someday yes, let’s hope sizes are invisible… or at least no longer an issue… we could say it starts with retailers and the media – in reality – it starts with EACH OF US.

    Which is why I LOVE your sharing this – and the inspiring way you focused and landed(!) your own goal for Hawaii – WAHOO! BRAVO LISA!! AND DON’T YOU FEEL FABULOUS!

    When I modeled for years as plus size 18, it must be said I was no fashion model growing up. In fact, closer to tomboy – and I never wore a stitch of makeup till later in high school. No wait, I think my senior picture, still none – until college.

    And then one day I became super passionate about fashion and found my first career as sales manager for Casual Corner’s #2 store in our market. (Whoa… I need more coffee to be remembering that far back!!) Years later, I decided being a plus size model was a way I could not just talk about feeling great whatever size I am – but literally walk the talk and be seen that way and hopefully inspire others to do the same. It was such a fun ride!

    And from this experience, among many I reflected on when I re-positioned THE BOLD! FACTOR this year.. this is one of the experiences that inspires me – to inspire others – to:

    SELECT YOURSELF FOR SUCCESS! OWN YOUR SUCCESS WITH CONFIDENCE! Don’t wait for others to notice how great you are – or give you permission – or invite you in. Select Yourself!

    Here’s how I define Success for me: I LOVE my work & life… or I change it. Simple as that.

    I digress… (early and often!)

    Keep Going STRONG Lisa!
    Ann

    If anyone wants to chime in you are most welcome – and appreciated!

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  7. ((While defining Success comes easy for me, change still does not… until I choose to name what’s not working as OLD… and commit to shifting it back to BOLD. ;)

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