ELEVATE in '23????Word of the year, Dry January, and more ??

Happy '23!???Have you chosen a word for the year yet??

If you still need to choose a word, I invite you to borrow mine! Mine is ELEVATE!????????? I was super excited yesterday because my word of the year bracelet finally arrived, and I love it!

Thanks to my friend Nina for posting her word of the year bracelet; and for introducing?me to?ElyseRyan?and her beautiful work. Once I saw Nina's bracelet, I knew I had to order one.?What do you think?

I started choosing a word of the?year exactly ten years ago. This word became the year's theme and was where my focus was going. ??

Last year in 2022, my word was "unleash," I even borrowed the phrase "unleash the power within" from Tony Robbins, and boy, did I unleash the power!! ???

I chose "Elevate" this year because this is exactly what I would like to do. I want to elevate all areas of my life, and I have some particular focus areas. Now I admit that I started work in some areas in 2022, but that's exactly why I chose "elevate" because I want to take everything from 2022 and elevate it.?????

Over the last few years, I have also made that word my intention for my clients. So this year, I will invite my clients to elevate, and I invite everyone reading this newsletter to elevate with us in '23.

The word "Elevate" means to lift up or make higher. To raise in rank or status. To improve morally, intellectually, or culturally and lastly, to raise the spirits of "elate" (joy or pride). Isn't it perfect?!

So, when you think of elevating this year, think of these areas:

?? Faith

?? Relationships

?? Career/Business

?? Mental Fitness/Positive Intelligence

?? Health

?? Travels

Think of the new habits you can form to help elevate your chosen areas.?For example, eighteen years ago,?as I was approaching 30, I realized that my body was changing, my metabolism was slowing down, and I wanted to elevate my fitness. I knew that the evenings were not good for me, so although I was not a morning person, I realized that the only way I could get myself to workout before work (I entered at 8:30 am) was to hire a trainer to hold me accountable and I started working out at 6 am. This meant I was up by 5:30 am to be out the door and at the gym by 6 am.?

Last year, I knew I wanted to start my mornings earlier once again. This time it wasn't because of fitness but to have at least one hour all to myself before my husband and dogs were ready to start their day. I also wanted to start my work day earlier to accomplish a few projects that I was working on. Once I decided to wake up earlier, I knew I needed something essential to keep me accountable, so I decided to start attending the 8:30 am mass at my church. I knew this would force me to be showered and ready to go by 8:15 am. This meant that I needed to wake up early enough to have my one hour, walk my dogs or exercise, and shower and dress, so I was ready to go and start my workday when I got back from church. And now, I look forward to my mornings, and I haven't missed a day at church since late September.?

I share these two examples because it sometimes takes work when we are looking to elevate different areas of our lives. It takes commitment and some sacrifice.?But you can do it!????????

Next, for those of you that may be trying out the?"Dry January"?trend that's taking place,?I want to share a little bit about my "Dry 2022" in hopes that it helps motivate you as you complete your 31 days. Yes, you read that correctly; I had a dry 2022. And I've continued my "Dry Living" as I enter my '23 year of elevating.

According to many articles, including the one I linked on top from?Harvard Health Publishing, millions of people are now abstaining?from alcohol during Dry January. Here is a quote from a 2023 article on the?Today Show website:?

"Dry January?began in 2012 as an initiative by Alcohol Change UK, a British charity, to “ditch the hangover, reduce the waistline and save some serious money by giving up alcohol for 31 days.”

Millions of people now take part in the challenge, with more Americans taking notice each year. The hashtag?#soberissexy?is popular on Instagram.

The growing awareness comes as?recent studies?have found no evidence that light drinking might help keep people healthy.

In fact, more than five drinks a week on average can take years off a person’s life,?researchers have found."?

Some of you may be taking part in the challenge to get back into your workouts and increase your energy, and others may take part because it's the new trend. Either way, I want to share my motivation behind my "Dry 2022" and now my "Dry Living."?

My journey started a few years ago when I realized that alcohol was not agreeing with me. I never imagined that I would give it up because I've been a wine enthusiast for two decades. I even belonged to a woman's wine club. I truly enjoyed the lifestyle and didn't see anything wrong with it. I still don't. However, when I woke up in the mornings not feeling productive and a bit out of it, I realized I needed to change something. So I started to buy more expensive wine and champagne, thinking that would cure it. But truthfully, no matter what I drank, still, I didn't particularly appreciate how I felt the next day. Fast forward to 2020, the pandemic hits, and I want to stay healthy, so I stopped buying wine for the house and decided not to drink as much to keep my immune system healthy. Now, I was not always a daily drinker, but every so often, if I had a long day, I would have a glass or two with dinner. Most of my drinking took place socially. But in 2020, we were not meeting face to face, so my drinking became almost absolute. The same took place in 2021 until the first time I went out to a crowded restaurant with friends to celebrate my birthday on Dec 17, 2021. Similar to 2020, I had not had much alcohol in 2021,?but on this day, we went to a restaurant that had a nice bar, and I decided to indulge in some Burbon (that was the spirits I enjoyed). I had?a couple of drinks before running?into an old friend on my way to the bathroom, and I was so happy to see him that I hugged him and his wife. Mind you; I was so careful all of 2020 and 2021 not to hug anyone...not even family. But I didn't even think twice about it. Thirty minutes later, my friend sent us a round of drinks to my table. I was so happy that I got up again to thank him and hugged him and his wife again. Then I hugged them again before I left the restaurant. A day later, I started to feel sick. I took a Covid test that came out negative but then got worse. I took another test and got a positive result. I was the only one that got sick from the women that attended my dinner, and I just knew it was because of the hugging. I was sick for Christmas and New Year's.?I felt terrible, and I promised myself I would not allow my inhibitions to be lowered by alcohol.

January 2021 comes around, and a month later, I am getting ready to start my work year. I was dealing with my old dog Shadow when I tripped on the steps and fell. I tore a ligament on my ankle two and a half?months before my planned trip to Spain to walk the Camino of Santiago. As a high-achiever, I was determined to heal my ankle so that I could go on my trip, which meant that I had to be as healthy as possible...so I decided I would not drink during that time. I was looking forward to healing, going on my pilgrimage, and having some red wine in Spain.

But when I didn't drink, I realized my memory was improving. You see, all of my adult life, my family and close friends have made fun of me because I never remembered stories. I just assumed I had selective memory because I remembered everything regarding my work. I often told my family and friends that I didn't remember their stories because I needed to leave room for the essential things in my brain. But on January 29, 2022, before my pilgrimage, I was scheduled to attend the Pegasus 2022 Race, and as I was getting dressed, I was concerned that I would not be able to ignore and abstain from all of the champagne. Suddenly, a voice whispered in my head, telling me I needed to be present and remember everything. At that moment, I agreed with the thought, which was a strong enough reason to turn down the champagne. And I did; I enjoyed the Pegasus without a drop of champagne, and I remember every detail of that day. A few weeks later, I spoke to a?friend I've known since I was 12, and she mentioned that she had noticed an improvement in my memory. She didn't know I wasn't drinking, and I started to pay attention. I realized that my lack of memory occurred with social events where I was drinking. I started to see this as an experiment.?

My ankle healed, and I was on my way to?Spain.?

I got to the airport, and we proceeded to the Admirals Club where they welcomed us with champagne. I looked at it and turned it down. I shared my story with my traveling companions and told them I was saving myself for Spain. Once we got to Spain, we had a wonderful dinner the night before starting our walk, and I didn't feel like I wanted to drink, so I didn't. We started our journey, and I remember thinking that I wanted to be present and remember everything...so I walked for nine (9) days without the desire to drink. After we completed our walk, I did have a small glass of wine, mainly because I was curious about how the wine was, and then I had a champagne toast when we finally arrived at?Finisterre?to celebrate the end of our pilgrimage.

We blogged throughout our trip, and if you are interested in reading, here is the link:?https://browslasheshope.org/camino-blog

Here is a short video of my Camino journey.

When I returned from Spain, I didn't have the desire to drink, and in May, I decided to call it a "Dry Year."??Fast forward Dec 17, 2022, came around, and I realized that because I cheated in Spain with a glass of wine and champagne, I would extend it to April 3, 2023, which will mark an official year but quite honestly, I am enjoying this new lifestyle. I am inclined to make it my "Dry Living." More on that as I continue on this journey. For now, I hope that my story has inspired you to continue on your "Dry January" or that if you haven't tried it, perhaps you research and discern if having a dry month or year will help you elevate the different areas of your life.?

Here's to elevating in '23!

?, Vimari

Join the next Positive Intelligence Mental Fitness Bootcamp?of 2023, and let's Elevate together!

• Seven (7) weeks to go from Self-Sabotage to Self-Mastery
• Increase your Emotional Intelligence (EQ) and learn to respond to life’s challenges with a positive rather than negative mindset, creating more calm, ease, and healthy relationships.?

Click below to learn more:

Is this for you? Here I share a testimonial from a recent cohort.

Next Steps:

• First step: Take the saboteur assessment to meet your top saboteurs. (Note that you will be asked for an email address, and we recommend you use the same email address you will use to receive information during the program and download the app). Once you take the assessment, you will receive a series of three (3) emails from Shirzad Chamine, the founder explaining the work, and we recommend you read them. You will not receive any other emails after that from Positive Intelligence. All of the program information will come from Vimari. Here is the link for the assessment:

Take the Free Saboteur Assessment

• Second step: Confirm your interest and register now on my website.

Register Now - March 11, 2023 Cohort

• Third step: invite your friends and family to join you. At Positive Intelligence, they recommend participating with an accountability partner to help you build those mental muscles. Research indicates a 500% increased likelihood of establishing positive new habits when supported by accountability partners. Think of running partners etc. Pod members meet once a week to discuss the week's training. Pod members are also able to communicate privately with each other within the PQ Community under My POD.

As I mentioned, my intention for 2023 is to ELEVATE, and with that, I want to help our world elevate through mental fitness, and I hope you can join me and help me do that by inviting at least one person.

Are you a?leader thinking of how to spend your 2023 Training & Development budget?

Put your Training & Development budget to work towards training that will be sustainable with our Positive Intelligence Powered Teams program. You can select any date, and we can start a private Co-Hort just for your team.

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About Be Productive Coaching:

Founder?Vimari Roman?changes lives by helping professionals achieve peak performance and fulfillment through career strategies, coaching, professional branding, and mental fitness.

She began her career in Hospitality, and after over 20 years, she realized she had outgrown her career; in 2013, she transitioned her skillset, earned her Certificate in Meeting Management, and started her first company, Be Productive Meetings & Events. After a great start, she felt that something was still missing. She went inward and discovered that she missed the coaching and leadership of her teams. A year later, in 2014, she received her Global Certificate in Leadership Coaching and founded Be Productive Coaching, a boutique firm based in Miami, Florida. With over twenty-five years of experience in leadership, Vimari has mentored and coached hundreds of high-performing professionals in various industries, amplifying their unique talents and strengthening their mental muscles to help them achieve peak performance, fulfillment, and growth.

Vimari is a Certified Leadership and Positive Intelligence Coach who speaks on Mental Fitness, Professional Branding, and Career Strategies and Transitions. She is a proud and engaged member of the South Florida ICF Chapter, and in 2019 she was recognized by LinkedIn as a LinkedIn Career Expert.

Know someone who could benefit from working with a coach specializing in career strategies, professional branding, positive intelligence, and mental fitness? Personal Introductions are the lifeblood of solopreneurship!?www.beproductivecoaching.com