Create High Energy for You and Your CLNC® Business
Here at the CLNC® Certification Program in Philadelphia one of the students asked me, “Where do you get the energy to teach six straight days? Do you just wake up like that?” I had to chuckle before I answered. That’s because I don’t pop out of bed like a piece of toast. Tom jokes that he has to “shuck the oyster” each morning (being from New Orleans I like the simile) to get me out from under the covers (I have been known to burrow with the best of them). But, once I’m up, I’m a woman on fire and I burn white-hot until the end of the day.
I often say, “We are what we eat.” You can’t feed a thoroughbred horse potato chips and then ask him to win the Preakness. But there’s more to energy than food.
After two cups of healthy green tea interspersed with that bowl of Fage Greek yogurt mixed with ground flax seed, it’s off to the gym three times a week for a butt-kicking workout (usually it’s my butt that gets kicked) to lift some free weights (dumb bells and barbells) to build bone density as well as muscle mass. I mix in some aerobic exercise or a brisk walk to keep my heart healthy alternated with some yoga (to stretch myself literally and figuratively) and you’ve got my morning regimen. I know some of you are already tired after reading this, but this is a look into what I do, before I start my day. I know that I cover a lot of ground between 4:00am and 8:30am, and I have to. My workday starts early and it ends when it ends, whenever that may be. If I don’t work out at the beginning of the day, chances are I won’t get to at the end of the day.
I haven’t always eaten healthy. New Orleans is known for fried foods, French bread, celebrating funerals with donuts and putting condensed milk and Hershey’s chocolate on our snowballs. In short, I’m lucky to have survived my childhood without being larger than a size 2 (just kidding). I had to learn to eat healthy on my own. It wasn’t something that was taught, much less encouraged.
So, I understand that for some of you it may be hard to figure out how to exercise, how to eat healthy and how to accomplish this as you juggle work, children, your spouse and other obligations. But here’s my point, you can make those excuses into a crutch that supports your bad habits or you can use them as a reason to turn your family into something better.
Trust me, having dietary issues can easily be compounded by family. My sister has two sons and a husband who won’t eat anything green (except Jello). One of my godchildren thinks a complete meal comes with a toy in the box. If my husband Tom planned the meals we’d be eating a whole lot more cheeseburgers than we do.
Someone has to be responsible for your nutrition and guess what – that’s you. If you want to have the energy to run your CLNC® business, your family and your life, you’re going to have to make some changes. Start with the simple ones. Pack a lunch instead of eating from the cafeteria or meal machine at work (it’s all fat, salt and sugar). Snack on celery instead of those darn tasty potato chips.
Take a little time each evening to prepare a meal for dinner and prep some stuff for the next day while you’re at it. One of my friends involves her daughters in cleaning and bagging the veggies for snacks. Freeze your healthy leftovers for later in the week.
It’s not hard to make time to take care of yourself and your family once you get into the habit and it’ll only get easier. But like the journey of a thousand miles that begins with a single step, the healthy life begins with a single action. Make one healthy promise to yourself today and then keep it. Once you’ve mastered that, make and take the next one. Set some rewards for milestones to make it fun and before you know it you’ll have the energy and the inclination to seize your own day, and make time for all that marketing to attorneys you’ve been putting off. Enjoy watching your legal nurse consulting business soar.
Success Is Inside!
P.S.Comment and share one thing you will do to create high energy for yourself and your family.
2 thoughts on “Create High Energy for You and Your CLNC® Business”
Trying to eat healthy and get some exercise is a challenge and especially so with a hectic schedule. My circadian rhythm is turned upside down which drives my husband crazy. He is a morning person and I am a night owl. What morning people want to accomplish in the first half of the day (or like Vickie by 8:30 AM) I want to do in the evening. After 8:30 PM, my husband doesn’t want to hear any noise in the house.
To live healthy, every individual has to make time for exercise and be conscientious about eating healthy. We can share what works because it might help someone else with a similar situation. I work in my garden in the spring and summer and use my stationary bike in the winter. In the fall I can the produce from my garden. When I am at my desk for long periods, I do sitting exercises. I tried an exercise regimen and that did not work for me. I do little things throughout the day like take the stairs instead of an elevator; whenever little opportunities arise to exert my muscles, I do it.
When I go on marketing campaigns, I walk whenever possible. If I was not in pretty good shape, I would not be able to do this. Beating the pavement, going up and down stairs, in and out of buildings, and standing and waiting is very taxing. I am also more mentally alert when I get enough exercise.
This post could not be more timely! While in Philly, we ate and ate and ate for 6 days. I left feeling like the plane might not leave the ground if I was on it! I landed at midnight and took off on an international flight by noon the next day. It is most difficult to exercise while jetting around, but as soon as I landed again, I purchased a pedometer to make sure I was getting my daily 10,000 steps. This simple exercise helps me mentally and holds me accountable. Like Diana, I am not a morning person. I always joke and say I could stay up all night and meet people like Vickie for breakfast at 4, easier than I could “get up” at 4! With all that is happening while I finish school and build my business, the words of wisdom are much appreciated!
LegalNurse.com is accredited as a provider of nursing continuing professional development by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation.
The National Alliance of Certified Legal Nurse Consultants (NACLNC®) is the largest and oldest association of legal nurse consultants.
Need tuition assistance? We've partnered with Sallie Mae to provide financing options.
*The opinions and statements made by Vickie Milazzo, the founder of Medical-Legal Consulting Institute, Inc. are based on her experiences and expertise, should not be applied beyond the specific context provided, and do not guaranty or project actual results. Vickie Milazzo is no longer involved in the operations or management of the business, but is involved as an independent education consultant.
Trying to eat healthy and get some exercise is a challenge and especially so with a hectic schedule. My circadian rhythm is turned upside down which drives my husband crazy. He is a morning person and I am a night owl. What morning people want to accomplish in the first half of the day (or like Vickie by 8:30 AM) I want to do in the evening. After 8:30 PM, my husband doesn’t want to hear any noise in the house.
To live healthy, every individual has to make time for exercise and be conscientious about eating healthy. We can share what works because it might help someone else with a similar situation. I work in my garden in the spring and summer and use my stationary bike in the winter. In the fall I can the produce from my garden. When I am at my desk for long periods, I do sitting exercises. I tried an exercise regimen and that did not work for me. I do little things throughout the day like take the stairs instead of an elevator; whenever little opportunities arise to exert my muscles, I do it.
When I go on marketing campaigns, I walk whenever possible. If I was not in pretty good shape, I would not be able to do this. Beating the pavement, going up and down stairs, in and out of buildings, and standing and waiting is very taxing. I am also more mentally alert when I get enough exercise.
This post could not be more timely! While in Philly, we ate and ate and ate for 6 days. I left feeling like the plane might not leave the ground if I was on it! I landed at midnight and took off on an international flight by noon the next day. It is most difficult to exercise while jetting around, but as soon as I landed again, I purchased a pedometer to make sure I was getting my daily 10,000 steps. This simple exercise helps me mentally and holds me accountable. Like Diana, I am not a morning person. I always joke and say I could stay up all night and meet people like Vickie for breakfast at 4, easier than I could “get up” at 4! With all that is happening while I finish school and build my business, the words of wisdom are much appreciated!