Susan Hyatt

Resolutions Made Fun in 2012!

Posted on 06. Jan, 2012 by Susan in Blog, Motivation

Life Coach Susan Hyatt explains ways to reach those New Years resolutions:

Part One:

Part Two:

I Wanna See Your Freak Flag in 2012

Posted on 22. Dec, 2011 by Susan in Blog

I’ll Show You Mine If You Show Me Yours

Confession: I’ve been married twice. To the same dude. Yep. Scott Hyatt and I were so ridiculously in love, that when he was offered a job far, far away, while we were engaged, instead of waiting until the church wedding to be married and together, we eloped. And then lied to my parish priest about it so that we could still have a church wedding. My mom? Horrified.

Would you believe that for years (years!) I didn’t want anyone to know that we eloped first. I mean, after all, I lied to a priest. I’m surely going to burn in hell. Ridiculous, right? Because I bet you just read my little confession and thought “That Susan! She.is.hilarious.”

At least I hope that’s what you thought. 

But even if you didn’t find that particular story side-splittingly-funny, you probably like me a little better for being open, honest, vulnerable and a little bit weird.

You guys. There is nothing better than being who you are and letting your freak flag fly.

A watered down version of you isn’t really you. We often tell ourselves that it’s safer to blend in – don’t sing so loud, don’t wear that purple dress, don’t pipe up in the middle of that never-ending meeting.

But people-pleasing your way into a job you hate? Or settling for a mediocre match that’s made in hell? Or emotionally eating your way to 50 extra pounds doesn’t seem very “safe,” does it? Being anyone other than yourself is unkind and unsafe. Dare I say, violent to your self. Also: really, really boring.

Here’s how to fly your freak flag with joy, honesty and love:

Get honest with yourself.
Tell someone you can trust – even if it’s just your journal. But get it out. What do you really want? It’s okay if your dreams seem out of reach, over the top or just plain weird. Be honest, girl.

Make a pact with yourself that you’ll start small, but that you’ll start now.
Tiny tweaks. Baby steps. So you want to perform a number at a local jazz club? Start listening to some Billie Holiday. Google voice teachers. Troll Amazon.com for elbow length gloves.

Seek out a crew of like-minded people who will help you raise your freak flag.
Harry Potter had Ron and Hermione. Jesus had his apostles. Start assembling your tribe.

Decide that you matter.
Your happiness is not a matter of convenience. It needs to be front and center. You and your fantastic, freaky dreams are a priority.

Expand your thoughts and vision of what’s possible with each passing week.
Write your own End Game and Manifesto. What is that big, juicy, freaky dream going to look like when you get there? How is it going to feel you when belt out those notes for a crowd, cross that finish line, cash your first self-employed paycheck?

What does your freak flag look like? Are you being true to yourself?

It’s almost time…

Posted on 19. Dec, 2011 by Susan in Blog, Weight Loss

… to end the struggle.

Visit www.theweightschool.com on January 16th for the unveiling of something awesome…

This Ain’t Yo Mama’s Christmas!

Posted on 09. Dec, 2011 by Susan in Blog

It’s official: the holiday season is in full swing.

Eggnog. Mile-long lines at the mall. Gingerbread houses. Holiday parties and family reunions galore (over and river and through the woods to your mother-in-law’s house you go!).

Wuh-oh.

It’s a fact: the holidays can get tough- really tough- on your wallet, your self-esteem, and your waistline if you are not intentionally creating what you want. But not THIS year. THIS year will be different.

This year, you can make a change. What makes me say that? Honey, I wrote the book on holiday survival… literally.

Presenting (drumroll please) my ideal holiday workbook and coaching videos:

‘This Ain’t Yo Mama’s Christmas’.

This baby’s got it all. It’s chock full of detailed how-to’s, from planning your holiday budget to deepening family communication and ramping up those god-awful traditions. It’s a playbook for your most peaceful, joyful season yet.

And, It’s yours FREE. Totally free. Just enter your name and email address in the space below, and dive in!

Curious how This Ain’t Yo Mama’s Christmas can improve your holiday?

Here are some sneak preview tips that’ll get you on the road to calm + bright… right away.

1. Bag it, Baby!

What is it you dread the most about the holidays? Running all over town buying things and feeling empty? Agreeing, once again, to host the holiday bake-a-thon in your kitchen? Attending three different holiday dinners because your extended family expect you to?

Make a list, and check it twice. Congratulations- you’ve just pinpointed exactly what you won’t be doing this holiday season.

2. Create one new holiday tradition that is all about connecting with the people you love.

Bag the bake-a-thon, add the “technology free night.”

3. Donate or give to someone needy.

While you give thanks for your family and your blessings, it’s always important to give to those who need it. Here are a few of my favorite charities to donate to over the holidays:

Salvation Army Red Kettle Christmas charity.
The Angel Giving Tree
(This charity helps Christmas wishes come true for children in need. It’s simple- pick an angel and buy one of the suggested gifts. You’ll light up a kid’s whole holiday.)
Write Girl
Operation Once in a Lifetime
(A charity for servicemen and their families)
Toys for Tots
Trees for Troops

4. Let your loved ones off of the hook.

You heard me.
Stop bugging your Great Uncle John about his diabetes. Don’t lay into your 19 year old niece for getting another piercing. Let Grandma sleep in that chair for as long as she likes. Don’t try to force-feed your father gluten-free Christmas cookies if he doesn’t want them. And the fourth time your cousin asks you what the heck it is you do again… smile, and give him your best cocktail pitch. You may just land yourself a new client!
What was that little ditty everyone taught you in kindergarten? ‘Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.’ Yeah, that one. You better believe that applies to the holidays

5. Be still. Connect with yourself.

Be sure to set aside time for yourself. If you do yoga regularly, make sure you don’t slack, no matter how busy you get. The time to breathe, be still and centered is now, more than ever.

Some people look shocked when I remind them to keep their fitness and health routines up during the holidays. They’re absolutely floored I would encourage them to seek refuge from the holiday squabbles and calorie overloads in a little workout.

Local 7's Stefanie Martinez sits down with life coach Susan Hyatt to talk about dysfunctional family bingo, which may help getting through the stressful holidays

It’s not just a good idea- one of the most important things you’ll do for yourself.

I hope these ideas make the holidays a little easier on you.

Post your own holiday survival tips and ideas for spankin’ new holiday traditions in the comments below.

Wishing you all the joys of the season, with all the love in my heart.

Xo,

Susan

You Still Have 3 Minutes….

Posted on 05. Dec, 2011 by Susan in Blog, Inspiration

Gather round, team. We’re about to learn a lesson via football analogy and a 13-year-old honey badger.

My son Ryan is struggling with seventh grade algebra. He has a D. Now, he has this grade not because he’s bad at math. He has this grade, because for the first time in his school career, he has to actually study to get a good grade. Imagine! Studying to get the grades you want!

And, the grade isn’t what’s winding me up. It’s not so much about him getting the A as it is about him trying and learning.

With three weeks left in the grading period, my little man has announced that he’ll just “start over” next quarter. Clearly, in his mind, it’s too late to do anything about it now. I was doing my best not to go all “southern mama meets Bon Qui Qui” on him, but the boy is a .5 away from a C!

When I heard this, I knew it was time to pull out the big guns – which, when you’re dealing with this particular teenage boy – are football analogies. Ryan is a fierce middle line backer, so I asked him if he’d walk off the field during a game, if there were three minutes left.

No way! Absolutely not. Kah-ray-zee cray cray talk.

Why? Because a lot can happen in three minutes in a football game.

Right? Right.

It’s December. With all the parties and the cookies and a million obligations, a lot of us will walk off of the field during the holidays.

Don’t.

There are three minutes left in the game and you deserve to play hard until the clock runs out. Leave it all on the field.

Your Excuses Blow

Posted on 01. Dec, 2011 by Susan in Blog

Here are some valid reasons for an unhealthy, inactive lifestyle:
1) Zombies have taken over the world, you’re trapped in a 7-11 and can only consume Pringles and Mountain Dew
2) After a reality TV marathon, your butt has actually fused to the sofa and you’re incapable of eating anything outside of arm’s reach
3) Like the classic “Would you rather?” question, you have buckets instead of feet.

Reasons that are not valid:
1) I’m too busy
2) I’m tired
3) The weather’s bad
4) My yoga pants make my butt look flat and wide
5) The newest episode of The Office is on and I need to catch up on Dwight and Jim’s shenanigans

and the big one:

6) I don’t have enough time

Come on now. That’s not a good reason! It’s not even creative. More importantly: it’s a big, fat lie and excuse.

I’ve coached women who have five kids, work full time and still make time to move their bodies and shop for healthy food. And, yes, they still find time to sleep. (No, they aren’t taking any recreational drugs either.)

Time is a mindset and a choice. When you are aligned and committed, you can create time.

Here’s how:

Develop a morning ritual
It’s incredibly easy to roll out of bed, stuff your maw with some delicious processed carbohydrates (cheese danish, I’m looking at you) and guzzle coffee while you sit in traffic, cursing the other drivers. But what if you got up 30 minutes earlier and spent that time meditating? Or doing a bit of yoga while the sun rises? Or cooking up an egg white omelet while you listen to holiday music? Doesn’t that sound nice? And don’t you think things would run a bit more smoothly (and healthily) if you started off your day on the right foot?

I think so. That’s why I created the Dial It Up worksheet. Download it, use it, change your days.

Create a ‘Stop Doing’ List
The things that you don’t do are often just as (if not more) important than the things you do. If a certain behavior/activity/choice is eating into your time, choose to stop doing it. It’s not always easy, but few things worth doing are.

Possible items for the ‘Stop Doing’ list: checking or responding to work emails outside of work hours, watching TV shows you don’t totally love, committing to things that don’t light your fire, baking 15 different types of Christmas cookies, saying ‘yes’ when you want to say ‘no.’ You’d be amazed how much time you have once you stop filling up your schedule with junk mail, junk obligations, junk situations, and yes, junk food.

Delegate
We all love to believe we’re the only ones who know how to Do Things Correctly. Obviously, the world will cease to spin if someone else makes Thanksgiving dinner, picks up the kids from soccer practice or organizes the sock drawer. Everyone else is simply incapable of doing these things.

Nope. Sorry. This is not actually true. Shockingly, there are other people in your life who can do these things. They might not do them in exactly the same way (because nobody can beat your pumpkin pie) but they can do them. And when they’re doing them, you’ll have the time you need to build the healthy, active life you want. So don’t be afraid to ask you spouse, kids or co-worker to pull their weight. They might just welcome the opportunity!

Realize that for things to be different, you have to change your thinking and you have to do something different.
It’s honestly no joke that your mornings shape your day. Understand that you need to stop doing things that eat up your spare time and don’t excite you. Know that you are not responsible every.last.detail in your husband’s/children’s/friends’ lives.

There are 24 hours in a day. We all get the same amount (ain’t that fair?) What are you going to do with yours? I’d love to hear your very own tips on how to combat the nasty excuses in your head. Share please!

Stuck Sucks: How to dump a job or business that’s zapping your mojo

Posted on 17. Nov, 2011 by Susan in Blog

Worried about paying your mortgage… but hate your gig simultaneously?  My inbox, Facebook, and Twitter are full to bursting with your coaching questions.

Loads of you are scared about your jobs.

I get it. You took the job to make the money, and while you’re grateful for the paycheck and the blessings it provides… you’re exhausted. You’re miserable. You don’t want to get out of bed. Why?

Because your career or business is sucking you dry.

Your mind is churning mind crack….
• What if I’m fired?
• What if this is all there is?
• What if I can’t make it work?
• What if someone finds out that I want to blow this popsicle stand?
• What if I’m not cut out for anything better?

Don’t believe your fear. Trust your possibilities.

by lemasney

You know what I’ve learned? Work doesn’t have to be a prison. And the truth is, if you spend time obsessing about the negative “what ifs,” you’re stealing away from your real life.

It really is possible to wake up so pumped about work that you can’t imagine not rocking your gig!  It can be your reality to walk into your workplace every day and feel breathlessly excited to be there… while still being able to take vacations and buy braces for your kids. Work can be fun. It can be fulfilling.

Truth is, I’d rather live in a tent (ok, maybe it’d look more like “glamping”) than force myself into a professional life that goes against my strengths and interests. Because I’ve reinvented myself professionally three times…. from Marketing and Promotions Director, to stay at home mom, to residential realtor, to Author/Life Coach/Speaker/Luck Creator…and lived to write the tale, I can report that it’s not only possible, it’s profitable.

And you know what? I’ve discovered something: when you follow your true interests, your world opens up with more possibilities than you can imagine.

I can hear your mind crack… “What’s the sense of taking a risk in times like these? What if I fail? How will I survive?”

Look, I’m not telling you to quit your job tomorrow, or even the next day. Taking risks is an essential part of life.  Yet, it’s important to look before you leap…so that you don’t land in job rebound poo. Here are a few action steps to take before you get cracking on your career shift.

3 steps to pursuing your dreams without winding up homeless:

1. Establish a transition plan.

Discuss it with your partner, if you have one, or a trusted friend. Get their feedback. Be real and honest with yourself.

Bank some coin.

Set a date. Crafting an exit creates a shift. A deadline. Peace.

2. Create a business plan.

Turn toward your money. Budget your savings. Know what’s coming in and what’s going to go out.

3. Good fear, or lies?

Know the difference between fear that is valid, and the lies you’re telling yourself.  Something that is wrong for you, will not just feel scary, but sickening, like poison. That’s very different from something that your soul craves, but is just worried about the “how.”  And, often, something that terrifies you, is exactly where your soul wants to go.

The cure for fear?  Approach your future like an explorer, with curiosity.

• What if you finally show up for yourself?
• What if you allow yourself to look crazy for five minutes, and create something amazing?
• What if you decide that you will not spend another minute longer bound by golden (or not so golden) handcuffs?
• What if you remembered that what you think is more important than what everyone else thinks?

Well? You don’t want to end up like Bon Qui Qui at King Burger do you? Security!

Think about it.  And then, post on the blog your own top tips for overcoming fear and stuckness.

The Lucky 7 Manifesto

Posted on 09. Nov, 2011 by Susan in Blog

Smaller brains + bigger butts: the problem with your ‘practicality’

Posted on 28. Oct, 2011 by Susan in Blog, Inspiration, Weight Loss

The difference between letting yourself be and letting yourself go

The line between self-acceptance and self abuse

The line between loving yourself and losing yourself

Is it self acceptance… or self abuse?

Are you happy with your body? Or just ignoring it?

STOP hiding and ignoring your body!

The BIG mistake no-nonsense women make

–

No-nonsense women, I’m calling you out.

You know who you are.

You’re ‘too smart’ to fret about your weight. You’re ‘too busy’ to worry about the food you’re eating. You have too much ‘real work’ to do to concern yourself with health nut nonsense. Green smoothies and jogging are for “pool moms” with too much free time.

Well I have news for you, hon: you’re not doing yourself any favors.

You may think you’re liberated because you’ve put aside the skinny jean fixation plaguing so many women nowadays.

But there’s a difference between weight loss and weight love, body image and body love.

By all means: embrace your body. Love yourself no matter what the scale says. But don’t let those ideals become an excuse for neglecting your health.

Ignoring energizing foods, not moving your body, eating more than you need to and continuing unhealthy habits are what’s keeping those extra pounds in place.

Refusing to change is self-abuse, not self-acceptance.

I know, being a working chic is tough. But when you ignore your body and its signals, you’re keeping yourself from your best performance. Too many cups of coffee and sugary snacks leads to crashes later in the day. ‘Grazing’ out of boredom or procrastination is shrinking your brain capacity and expanding your waistline.

Americans spend an average of $33 billion dollars a year on weight loss products and services… yet 40% of the population says they never engage in physical activity in their leisure time. *

See the disconnect?

If you’re carrying around extra weight, don’t just defend it because you disagree with society’s starving-skinny obsession.

Instead, turn within. Put your body in charge. Quiet your mind, listen, notice its signals.

By paying close attention to what your body truly needs, you can make the loving, lasting changes that’ll keep you healthy.

These changes won’t just bring your weight down. Healthy eating and body awareness goes beyond improving your appearance. When your body is properly nourished, your focus improves. You have more energy and you can connect more deeply with your loved ones, your work and yourself.

I discussed some easy tips for healthier living with the lovely Stefanie Martinez on Local 7 News! Go ahead, take a look:

Your body knows what it needs. Listen. It won’t lead you astray.

*(Source: http://www.ideafit.com/fitness-library/fast-factsobesity-amp-overweight-statisticsmdashthe-supersizing-epidemic-of-america)

How you eat is how you work

Posted on 21. Sep, 2011 by Susan in Blog, Entrepreneurs, Weight Loss

From Pam Slim’s blog “Escape from Cubicle Nation”

I talked her into coaching me around health and wellness, because I felt like I was missing a key ingredient in being a well-rounded entrepreneur.

Or more accurately, I had become a well-rounded entrepreneur, especially in the segment of my body that sits on a chair in front of the computer.

And while vanity was a small driver, really, truly, I wanted to figure out why it was so hard for me to get back to what used to be an extremely physically active lifestyle. I adore working out, and feel better physically, mentally and spiritually when I do so. But for the last six years or so (the correlation with the age of my oldest son Josh is not a coincidence), I have not been able to get in a strong, consistent pattern of healthy eating and exercise.

The beginning of the journey: awareness

When you hear “weight loss coach,” you may think of someone who scolds you for failing to exercise, or who gently ‘tsk tsk tsks” you for sneaking in a Snicker bar at 10 o’clock at night.

Susan is not that kind of coach.

Our entire first conversation centered around work — what I was doing, what I was feeling, and how it was working for me.

I quickly realized that while I was extremely fulfilled in what I was doing, I felt overwhelmed. And that no matter how much I accomplished in one day, I always had a nagging feeling that I was neglecting something or someone important when I shut off my computer and closed my office door.

Susan asked:

“What are you afraid of?”

I said:

“Saying no.”

She said:

“Why?”

I said:

“Because I will be disappointing someone, or leaving them behind.”

Whew, here I thought I was going to be talking about eating more broccoli and fewer donuts, when the real issue was my inability to act with backbone.

The business lesson that came from that insight: I need to do fewer things, with more impact. Saying no to some requests means saying yes to bigger things, and taking care of me.

The f’ing food journal

My first homework assignment was to track what I ate in a food journal. As I experienced tremendous resistance filling it out, I lovingly titled it “The f’ing food journal” in my emails to Susan.

In the food journal, Susan uses a tool called the Hunger Scale (originally created by Brooke Castillo in her book If I Am So Smart, Why Can’t I Lose Weight?).

Imagine a scale from -10 to +10.

When you feel -10 on the Hunger Scale, you could eat a herd of donkeys, or would crush a can of refried beans with your bare hands if it meant eating them 10 seconds sooner than getting a can opener.

When you feel +10 on the Hunger Scale, you have just had your fourth helping of Thanksgiving Dinner, after having changed into a Moo-Moo so you can fit in one more piece of pumpkin pie before bursting a button on your jeans.

The trick is to eat when you feel a -2, and stop when you feel a +2.

So in your food journal, you note what you eat, when you eat it, what number you are on the hunger scale when you start, and what number you are when you stop.

Samples from mine look like this:

Friday, July 22

5:30am – coffee and non-fat milk (1/2 and 1/2)

6:00am – 7:00am – 2 refills

7:00am – half of an Oat and Honey granola bar (Rosie’s leftovers)

9:00am – nonfat latte from Starbucks

1:00pm – salad, turkey, small bit of mac and cheese, green beans (was luncheon after my speaking engagement)

5:30pm – spinach and tofu/white rice/pad thai and chicken (-3 to +3 – stopped earlier than usual, and I never eat spinach and tofu, so that was interesting!)

Saturday

5:30am – coffee and non-fat milk (1/2 and 1/2) (-1 to 0)

6:00am – 7:00am – 2 refills

7:00am – cereal (-3 to +2)

12:00 – granola bar (-3 to +1)

1:00 – salad, 2 chicken wings, carrots/broccoli/sweat peas and ranch/cold cuts and chips (-1 to +5 – was at party)

6:00 – leftover spinach/tofu and white rice (-3 to +3)

Sunday

5:30am – coffee and non-fat milk (1/2 and 1/2) (-1 to 0)

6:00am – 7:00am – 2 refills

7:00am – granola bar (-3 to +1)

12:00 – potato chips and iced tea (-4 to +1)

3:00 4 small Bits -o-honey candy (-2 to +1)

5:00 – grilled steak, corn on the cob and salad with ranch, ice cream + hot fudge (-3 to +6 – was eating while cooking, felt stuffed)

As you can see, paying attention to what you eat, and how you feel before and after eating it can be extremely illuminating.

My penchant for multiple cups of coffee in the morning definitely leads to afternoon crashes, which are fueled by sugar. Weekends, with unstructured time can lead to mindless grazing.

After some childish resistance to filling out the food journals, Susan helped me see that they were not one more damned thing to do in the day, but rather insight into what my body needed to feel alert and strong and powerful.

The path to making good choices about what I eat is actually the path to my power.

So I renamed it “The Power Journal.”

I still go through long periods of time without filling it out, but I have started to think very differently about how and why I am eating.

This is how business awareness develops as well.

You may have started your business with a frenetic pace, or with a less than secure sense of direction. This may have created patterns of overwork, underpricing, and lack of strategic focus.

Before you can change your behavior, it is useful to pay attention to what you are doing, and why you are doing it.

Notice things like exactly where your money goes each month, or look at your calendar with a strategic eye to see if the way you are spending your time lines up with what you want to accomplish.

When you know better, you do better.

What’s next?

Susan and I are going to talk about fuel foods and planning, so that it is easier for me to make good choices about food.

We are also going to talk about ways to build on the regular exercise I am getting in my two nights a week mixed martial arts classes, and once a week yoga classes.

Not surprisingly, the more I focus on my overall health, the better business decisions I am making. I am getting more work done. I am getting much more focused and feel an underlying sense of serene power.

Guilt and shame are terrible ways to get healthy for the long-term. They don’t work in business either.

I look forward to updating you with progress, and welcome insight and ideas that you have developed over the years about how to live, work and move in a way that feels good to you.

Have a great weekend!