March Fireball Bonus: Get a Free 30 Minute Stress Busting Workshop with Diana Antholis!

Amanda Abella — Mon, 04 Mar 2013 14:00:38 +0000

Phew! Can you all believe it's March already?!? Time flies when you're having fun, right?

I am so excited to share with you all March's Fireball bonus! My awesome blogger buddy and go-to fitness guru Diana Antholis has been amazing enough to create a bonus just for GMW Fireballs! If you haven't been following this blog for very long then you can check out the incredible interview Diana and I did when she launched her unique fitness program - Unleash Your Sexy! We recorded this interview about a year ago and since then her business has helped countless individuals find their center, get balanced and get healthy!

Just recently Diana launched her first ebook Unleashed: Live the Balanced, Centered and Sexy Life You Deserve and it quickly became a best seller on Amazon! Some of you have already picked this up, but in case you haven't here's why you should:

1. It's less money than a couple of lattes from Starbucks.

2. This isn't necessarily about dieting or losing weight (though it can definitely help!) - it's about living an overall healthy lifestyle including mind and body.

3. It's a handy guide to keep around for when you fall off the health wagon or need some quick stress busters

4. She gives you effective tools to deal with stress, fear and anxiety! Tools that actually work!

5. She's loving and gentle. This book in no way makes you feel inadequate or suggests you should strive for perfection. The point is to live a better life, not your stress yourself out with trying to create it.

6. She's got an exclusive bonus just for Fireballs - a free 30 Minute "Find Your Center" one-on-one stress busting workshop!

Here are the deets:

Stress sucks. And it's very unsexy.

Your "Find Your Center" 30-minute session is designed to help you figure out what the heck is stressing you out, how to get over it, and move on sooner rather than never.

During your 30 minutes together, you and Diana will:

- Identify what is giving you a headache or elevating your stress levels (read: making you feel like a crazy person) this week.

- Find out how your thoughts are fueling your stress and how to put out the fire.

- Discover the ways you can immediately feel better, breathe easier, and center yourself to conquer your stress and tackle your day.

That's right - for the price of a day at Starbucks you get an awesome guide AND a free half hour coaching session with Diana!

How do you get in on this?

This month's Fireball Bonus is ONLY for email subscribers - current and those who subscribe during the month of March. You will receive instructions all month long on how you can snag this awesome offer!

1. Sign up for the Fireball Newsletter! You can use the form below, on the side bar, below the header or the Pop Up.

2. Check your email for instructions all month long!

3. Current subscribers: Check the sidebar of the weekly blasts for instructions.

I hope you guys get as much fulfillment, joy and happiness out of Diana's work as I have! Here's a to a healthy March!

I am a big advocate of meditation. It's made a tremendous difference in my life and that of many others. Most of you already know the benefits of meditation, but just in case you didn't here's a rundown from Mayo Clinic:

The emotional benefits of meditation include:

Gaining a new perspective on stressful situations
Building skills to manage your stress
Increasing self-awareness
Focusing on the present
Reducing negative emotions

With that in mind, some research suggests that meditation may help such conditions as:

Allergies
Anxiety disorders
Asthma
Binge eating
Cancer
Depression
Fatigue
Heart disease
High blood pressure
Pain
Sleep problems
Substance abuse

Okay, now why wouldn't anyone take five minutes a day to try this? It's quick, it's easy, it's natural and it's FREE!

Below you'll find some of my favorite tools and resources for keeping my meditation practice alive. Feel free to use any of these or share your own resources in the comments.

Yoga

I've learned some pretty awesome meditations thanks to my yoga practice. Whether you're going to studio classes or streaming yoga online, there are a ton of different resources you can use to learn different tools, techniques and breathing exercises.

I personally go to Prana Yoga Miami for studio classes and use MyYogaOnline or Gaiam for online video.

Gabrielle Bernstein

She's got free meditations on her podcasts, groovy youtube videos, a myriad of empowering lectures and three amazing books that help make meditation easy, practical and attainable. Seriously, this chick is a one stop shop for spirituality.

(P.S. You can still win an autographed copy of her latest book, May Cause Miracles! Click here to enter.)

Meditation Oasis

Meditation Oasis is a 100% free resource for guided meditations. I've been using these meditations since 2010! They also have a stellar blog that answers all of your meditation questions.

Terri Cole

Terri Cole is a psychotherapist and meditation advocate. Her album, Meditation Transformation, has a variety of meditations to get you through your day.I particularly love Manifest to Sleep. I'm out cold as soon as it's done.

BONUS! Inner Health Studio

While working on my coaching model I came across an awesome resource for visualization, relaxation techniques and meditations. Inner Health Studio has MP3s, scripts and a podcast to help you deal with just about anything - from writing a report to nightmares.

Happy Meditating everyone!

Spread the Love with a Tweetable:

Wanna start meditating? Check out these awesome tools! @gabbybernstein @terri_cole @MeditationOasis via @amandaabella Buffertweetable text

Young Americans for Affordable Healthcare by the non-profit SHOUTAmerica. At that point I took it as a major sign from the Universe that I needed to talk about this on the blog.

We all know that healthcare has become a huge issue in the U.S. and I’m right there with you in wondering why a first world country can’t get their shit together in the healthcare department. Sure, we just had the Affordable Care Act go through, which increased coverage for millions of Americans (myself included), but we really don’t know what this is going to end up costing us. The fact of the matter is that healthcare in America is a complicated hot mess, and we’re going to have to learn how to maneuver it.

First things’s first: Practice Preventative Healthcare

Preventative healthcare can save you a lot of money in the long run. What do I mean by this? Eating right, exercising, meditation, stress management - all of this can make a huge difference in how much you shell out for healthcare.

(If you're not sure where to start my dear friend, personal trainer and blogger buddy Diana Antholis just launched an eBook to help you out! Make sure to check out Unleashed: Live the Centered, Balance, and Sexy Life You Deserve)

But what about the health stuff I can’t control? What’s that going to cost me?

Now, obviously we’re all big on preventative healthcare like eating right and exercising, but as one of you so eloquently put it via Facebook, “We all try to live healthy but sometimes the flu, a cavity, or genetically poor eyesight gets in the way.” (Shout out to MaryBeth Tellez in Long Island for that one!)

And if life’s medical mishaps aren’t enough to get you to start wondering about healthcare costs check out some of these statistics:

Health insurance costs for younger Americans in the individual market could rise by 42% or more (The Hill)
Single adults between the ages of 20-29 can expect to see higher premiums (Contingencies, Jan-Feb 2013)
For a 27 year old making $33,500/year premiums are expected to jump from $2,400 to $3,183 (Contingencies, Jan-Feb 2013)

You can also find numbers about how healthcare has become a huge financial burden for young adults all over the place including Forbes, The Washington Post and The Huffington Post. (If I’m being frank, my head hurts from reading all the information out there. It’s endless!)

I’m not telling you guys this to scare you. I just want you to be aware of what’s going on before I delve into how we can manage this. In fact, this may turn into an ongoing series on the blog, but for now we can start with these steps:

Step 1: Set up an emergency fund.

Before you start looking into individual healthcare plans or what your employer offers you need to head on over to the bank and open up an emergency fund. Why? Because even with insurance many times you will have to pay for something out of pocket.

Take it from personal experience, even though I have insurance (and one that is considered to be quite good) I have still had to pay for a lot of stuff. As a result my emergency fund has become my lifeline when I need to go to the eye doctor or get a wisdom tooth surgically removed (which is still costing me upwards of $300 despite the fact that I have insurance).

Besides, it’s just smart finances to have an emergency fund.

Step 2: Learn some lingo.

You can do all the research in the world but if you don’t know what the hell they are talking about it’s useless. I have oftentimes found myself reading about insurance and saying “What the hell is a PPO? HMO? WTF? Aaaah!” Since I am sure I’m not the only one here is a basic rundown of the different kinds of plans:

HMO: You choose a primary physician within a network who then will give you a referral for a specialist if you need to see one. Prices for visits are fixed for primary physicians (usually $25-$30) with specialists being higher at ~$45.

When treated under a HMO you are usually only responsible for copayment which has its own copayment (~$150).

Prescriptions have a copayment as well which falls under different categories for different price ranges depending on what medication is being prescribed. You can talk about brand name and generic meds here.

PPO: When treated under a PPO you also designate doctors from within a network but also have the option to see a doctor from outside the network.

Pro: you have a wider selection of drs to see both locally or when traveling.

Con: in addition to paying the copayment you are responsible to a certain percentage of the service rendered price (usually 15-25% depending on your plan).

Prescriptions: same Information for prescriptions as HMO prescriptions.
Hospitals: In addition to the copayment you are responsible for a certain percent of the hospital bill (15-25% depending on the plan you have)

PPOs have what are called "out of pocket expenses." depending on your plan within one year an amount is designated by the insurance company. Once you reach that amount you are only responsible for copayments when visiting a doctor or hospital. Usually this amount is not met unless you get really sick and have to be admitted into the hospital for an extended period or for a major surgery.

PPOs have FSA (flexible spending accounts) which is money deducted from your paycheck that can be used for copayments at doctor offices, hospitals or for prescriptions. Might or might not be offered by your employer depending on the plan.

FSA amounts can be personally chosen based on how many times you feel you will need to go to the doctor or how many prescriptions you will be purchasing in a year. (I.e. max for blue cross blue shield is $1200).

POS: Combination of HMO and PPO. It's combination is aimed at for those who need a more limited insurance. More limited coverage for lower costs.

You choose your primary physician from within a network but are able to see a specialist physician from outside the network if needed.

Pro: Lower costs for those who don't have major health issues or for those who do not need to see a specialist periodically.

Cons: More independent. Patient does paperwork themselves. Payments are sent in by patient by mail. Patient must keep track of all payments made and receipts for payments made. Patient is able to see a doctor outside the network but insurance company will only make minimum compensation to patient.

Prescriptions/co-payments info is same as HMO.

Primary physician monitors the patients major health care plan.

(Kudos to my bestie Mel who is not only studying to be a doctor, but is also a whiz at figuring out how healthcare works. This entire section would not have happened without her!)

Step 3: Research, research, research.

The thing about health insurance is that a lot of determining factors are in play: where you live, what is offered in that area, what companies are in your area, what your employer offers, etc.

This is the part where you need to take matters into your own hands and do some major research. If you’re married and your spouse’s job offers insurance, check out the benefits and see if they suit your needs at an affordable price. If you’re self-employed or don’t get insurance through your job, research the individual plans of different companies. If you have a family check out family plans.

You can even check to see if the local public hospital offers some sort of health insurance plan. Local cities also sometimes offer low cost insurance options by partnering up with companies.

Different things work for different people. Your job is to figure out what you need, figure out who offers it in your area, and compare.

Then, of course, you need to fit it into your budget. But first, figure out what it’s going to cost you and then worry about budgeting.

Was this helpful? Did you guys learn from this? What else do you all need to know? I am all ears!

Last week I had the absolute pleasure of going to see one of my sheroes speak live and in person. On Thursday night I went to The Standard on Miami Beach for Gabrielle Bernstein’s May Cause Miracles Book Launch Event.

If you’ve been following the blog for a while then you know I am a huge fan of Gabrielle Bernstein and her work. I have been following her for a little over a year and can testify that what she teaches about spirituality, positive psychology and meditation actually works!

I use her tools, techniques and teachings on a daily basis and have truly seen miracles occur - from managing my day job and having abundance to this blog becoming a major vessel for an empowering message. And, if you saw my Kick Ass Books for an Awesome 2013 video then you know that her teachings helped me have the easiest breakup recovery ever.

It is her work that helped me not only witness, but stop playing crappy records in my head. I now notice when I have thoughts like “My job blows”, “I’ll never make enough money”, “My ex is an asshole”, “I suck” etc. etc. Now instead of getting caught up in them I disengage and choose to see love instead. This kind of perception has literally created a better outward experience and has certainly helped me better deal with life’s occasional obstacles.

Gabrielle Bernstein has taught me and countless others how to live in an empowered love filled way. Following her work has literally changed my life for the better and I am constantly sharing these tools with you all because I whole heartedly believe in their power. (By constantly I really do mean constantly. You can read about my journey following Gabby here, here and here.)

So as you can imagine I was pretty excited to see one of her lectures live instead of on Vimeo. And I was certainly completely ECSTATIC when I got to meet her!

I met Gabby Bernstein! Squeal!

Autographed copy of May Cause Miracles and a pass to enjoy The Standard Hotel & Spa. Miracles indeed!

Seriously, dream come true! It's moments like this that make me realize how grateful for everything. If it wasn't for writing this blog that constantly forces me to look inward, take care of my side of the street and most importantly serve others, I may have never stumbled upon this incredible teacher. And I certainly wouldn't have had the balls to hand her a business card (Yes, I did do that. Make that two best selling authors I've slipped my business card to!)

You know what else makes me feel grateful? This beautiful setting on the water. I am so blessed to live in such an incredible city!

Getting ready for Gabby on the Bay!

I know a lot of you already follow Gabrielle Bernstein, but for those of you who don't here is a rundown of some of my favorite lessons:

Forgiveness is the bedrock of a happy life.

Relationships are assignments.

Gratitude is the only attitude.

Focus on the content instead of the frame.

Treat your romantic relationships as more brotherly and treat your friendships as more romantic (Good one!)

The Universe has your back.

Win an Autographed Copy of May Cause Miracles!

Since I purchased a VIP ticket for the event I got an EXTRA copy of Gabby's latest book, May Cause Miracles. And guess what? I got her to autograph it for you! Just use the Rafflecopter widget below (you may need to click refresh) to enter! I can't wait to share this amazing guidebook with one of you lucky readers!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Photo via Wildtofu.info

Are there days when I fall off the wagon? Of course! Like when my family makes the annual batch of oatmeal chocolate chip Christmas cookies. Or when I'm out with friends. And I don't think I can ever give up coffee for too long (Maybe because I'm Cuban? Heh heh). Oh and I'm such a sucker for pasta! But the point is that I am slowly incorporating healthier foods into my diet.

One of the easiest ways to ensure that you're getting plenty of green & raw goodies is through juicing. It's become such a fad that you've probably seen it mentioned just about everywhere. As such you're probably rolling your eyes as you envision me hugging a tree and enduring whatever new cleanse happens to be popular.

But I assure you this is much more than a fad. Below you'll find some of the benefits of juicing:

The ability to consume a wide variety of produce. Seriously, it takes a ton of fruits and veggies to make a juice. Just this morning I used an entire pack of spinach, and entire pack of blueberries, carrots and celery. I couldn't chew all of that even if I wanted to. Juicing makes it easy to consume and digest.

You get the nutrients faster. A lot of times nutrients get stuck in the fibers of veggies and fruits. Juicing is able to extract all the nutrients from the raw components for you so you can gulp it right on down. Granted, we need fiber every once in a while so don't totally forgo the whole food either.

Promotes alkalinity. Any of you Kris Carr fans know all about alkalinity. Here's the Cliff Notes version: in order to keep our bodies healthy and balanced they need to be slightly alkaline. Here's the problem: the typical American diet is extremely acidic and practically devoid of any good things like enzymes. So what happens? Inflammation, allergies, arthritis, skin problems, mood disorders, depression, constipation, bowel issues, stress (physical & mental) and in my case IBS. And those are just the minor ailments. Let's not forget to mention obesity, heart disease, cancer and diabetes.

If you'd like to learn more about alkalinity I recommend clicking here, here and here.

Allows for efficient elimination. We need to get rid of the bad stuff. Period. Point blank.

Encourages weight loss/control. So many people go on diets to lose weight only to gain all the weight back in no time. Diets aren't the solution, sustainable lifestyle changes are. Green juices are a great way to start making those changes and control your weight.

Youthful appearance/smoother skin. Okay, so I know we're all mostly in our twenties, but I can't tell you how many young people I interview who look so much OLDER than they actually are. Seriously, some of you look like crap. The goodies in green juices give you a youthful glow.

So where do you start learning about green juices? Where do you find recipes? How do you even pick a juicer?

Ladies and Gentlemen allow me to share my personal collection of green juice resources. I've used these resources to grow my own knowledge in health, wellness and you guessed it - green juices and smoothies!

Crazy Sexy Diet: Eat Your Veggies, Ignite Your Spark and Live Like You Mean It! by Kris Carr (This will give you a good run down of everything you need to know for your body!)

Crazy Sexy Juices and Succulent Smoothies by Kris Carr

KrisCarr.com

Tina Pruitt.com

Raw Foods on a Budget

Karen Knowler - The Raw Food Coach

A Beginner's Guide to Juicing by Sharon Daniels

The Juicing Bible by Pat Crocker

Juicing for Life: A Guide to the Benefits of Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Juicing by Cherie Calbom

The Juice Lady's Guide to Juicing for Health: Unleashing the Healing Power of Whole Fruits and Vegetables by Cherie Calbom

Green for Life by Victoria Boutenko - You can also check out an interview she did on Gaiam Inspirations.

Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead - A documentary that outlines the benefits of juicing as one man undergoes his own journey in getting healthy while helping others do the same. PURE AWESOMENESS!

One of my faves - Morning Glorious Juice by Kris Carr

Follow me on Instagram, Facebook or Twitter to keep up with my Green Juice Challenge, share recipes or get support for your own healthy resolutions!

One of the core principles of Grad Meets World is that good health is the foundation of a happy life. We all know the benefits of regular exercise, yet we come up with every excuse in the book not to get off our behinds and move. Excuses are as follows:

I'm on vacation and don't feel like getting up. (Guilty)

I have no time.

I have work/school/family/something else.

Working out is for fit people. (Really? How do you think they got there?)

I travel a lot for work and can't fit it in.

I hate fitness.

It's too expensive.

Well ladies and gents, I have found a solution for us all. Over my vacation when I didn't feel like moving a muscle in my body I compiled a YouTube playlist for my lazy days. Below you'll find a list of some of my favorite YouTube fitness stars (along with one of my favorite videos) that help me get in shape on days when I don't feel like doing anything.

Blogilates / The Original Pop Pilates

Sarah Fit

Tone it Up

Bex Life

Find more of my favorite quick workouts by checking out the No Excuses Workout Playlist on YouTube. For more video update be sure to subscribe to Grad Meets World on YouTube.

Spread the Love with a Tweetable:

Check out the No Excuses Workout Playlist feat. @blogilates @BexLife @dietSarah @ToneItUp via @amandaabella Buffertweetable text

Photo via HA! Designs - Artbyheather @ Flickr

At first I must have looked at him like he was nuts, but he continued anyway, "When you went through your break-up a few months back your girlfriends took care of you. They got you out of the house, they supported you when you were down. Plus, you had all these women empowerment groups to go to which helped you focus on something else other than your break-up. Women who read your blog sent you encouraging emails from all over the country. You even knew what books to read! Us guys...yeah we don't have that. We're told to suck shit up and deal with it on our own."

He was right. I was floored.

This inspired me to do a little research for all the amazing dudes who read this blog (my friend being one of them). After all, I've always got sweet stuff for the ladies (being that I am a woman it's just easier) but I've never put anything together for my male readers.

Some of you may be rolling your eyes, but I know for a fact you deal with a lot of the same crap us ladies do. Why? Because we're all human and we're all in it together. Besides, you read this blog so clearly you have some sort of interest in your own well being.

Granted, the difference lies in how you deal with stuff. Am I going to tell you to get in lotus position and share your feelings? Not exactly. Unless that works for you, of course.So bear with me as I dish on why men should get on the self-help bandwagon.

How many times have you felt like you had no outlet for how you feel?

Probably quite a few. That's because entire generations of men have been told to conceal their feelings and "man up." They've been told to pick themselves up by their boot straps and dust themselves off. Don't get me wrong I love a strong confident dude as much as the next girl & I certainly don't want the guy I'm dating to be more into chick flicks than I am, but that doesn't mean you have to shut down and suppress how you actually feel.

As humans we need to deal with life. That means we get curve balls thrown at us, go through heartbreak and encounter disappointments. Emotions come up regardless of what genitalia you happen to don and for that reason alone you must learn how to deal with them. Take WWII vets for instance, they were expected to just forget about the war and move on with their lives. Consequently, many vets did just that and ended up with PTSD instead.

Moral of the story: deal with your emotions.

Does this mean get in a pow wow, take up Pilates and share your feelings with every person you encounter? Absolutely not. It just means find something that works for YOU. For instance, does working out help you get clear? Maybe you can take up mixed martial arts or some sort of sport. I have one male coaching client who boxes and has started a daily routine of plugging in his headphones and jamming out to some tunes. Those two things alone help him deal with whatever is coming up for him.

How many times have you felt alone? Like you're the only one feeling a certain way?

Again, probably quite a few times. Old habits die hard, and even today men are much less likely to seek help from others or therapy than women are. In my own experience with dating, the only thing that really ensues is a distant man who pushes away for the sake of "being strong." With the more severe cases they only end up projecting whatever emotions haven't been dealt with and hurting people in the process. Women have, of course, been taught to do the exact opposite and what usually ensues is an argument we see mimicked on sitcoms all the time.

Now if all if you dudes are doing this it's no wonder you feel like you can't read that book, call a friend or find a therapist. Hell, you may feel like you can't even talk to another dude! Notice how absurd it is that a man feels like he can't talk to another man about problems they both share! Given that you are all hard wired differently than women are, wouldn't it make sense to talk to a person who can see eye to eye with you?

We, as a society, need to change the conversation. It's not just women who deal with emotions, men most certainly have them too and there is no reason they should be less encouraged to deal with them in whichever healthy way they see fit.

Did you know your health could be at stake?

According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, men turn to drugs and alcohol at twice the rate of women. Men are also more likely to experience anxiety disorders like PTSD. Some research suggests that women suffer from more cases of depression, however experts are starting to think that the numbers are skewed simply because women are more likely than men to recognize their depression and seek help.

Men are also more likely to deal with their emotions in unhealthy ways. This usually results in self-medicating with substances, anger, frustration, irritability or even violent outbursts. Men are also more likely to die by their own hands than women are. Why? Because although women are more likely to attempt suicide they prefer pills while men tend to go straight for the hand gun.

Clearly, whatever it is men are doing (or in most cases not doing) in the interest of their own mental health isn't working out.

Where can men go for some self-help?

Lucky for you I've become somewhat of a self-help aficionado thanks to this blog. Below you'll find a list of resources for all you gnarly dudes.

TokiiLab - They have games, fun articles and yes, self-help resources for men! In fact, you can thank these guys for shedding light on a lot of the astonishing statistics found in this blog post.

The Daily Love - This breakout blog which was recently featured on Oprah's Super Soul Sunday was started by a guy! It also features a ton of other male health experts, coaches and thinkers so you can live your best life.

Tony Robbins - You can't have a blog post like this without mentioning Tony Robbins. You just can't. YouTube the guy and prepare to have your mind blown.

Kute Blackson - Check this guy out for some awesome videos that are all focused on liberation. He's also go great relationship advice.

Deepak Chopra - An incredible speaker, teacher and doctor who has a nifty way of mixing spiritual principles and practices with science. Whatever you're dealing with, he's got a meditation and a million books.

Ekhart Tolle - A powerhouse whose books will change your life.

The Art of Manliness - This blog is just effin' awesome. A blog full of substance and smart content to counteract all the crap in men's magazines. Also a nice power of example that argues against the recent theory that millenial men are louts.

Perhaps this list isn't as a long as it would have been if it were written toward women, but it's definitely a start! Do any of you men know of any great websites or books for your fellow dudes? If not, how about you start one? There's clearly a need for it.

Crazy Sexy Diet by Kris Carr

Spirituality/Positive Psychology:

May Cause Miracles: A 40-Day Guidebook of Subtle Shifts for Radical Change and Unlimited Happiness by Gabrielle Bernstein

(Bonus: I'm totally digging Doreen Virtue as of late. If you're feeling open minded or your spirit needs a boost I highly recommend this.)

Money:

The Mint Manual by Tim Murphy (Check out a full length review here.)

The Law of Divine Compensation: On Work, Money and Miracles by Marianne Williamson

Kicking Ass:

Audacity Rules by Coach Jennie (Check out our one-on-one interview here.)

Amazon Store

For more of my favorite personal development books visit my store on Amazon.

Tweetable:

Check out these amazing books for rocking 2013! #health #money #geny #career via @amandaabella Buffertweetable text

fill out this survey so I can better serve you in 2013.

Photo by Amanda Soler Photography

In a nutshell.

I tried things differently this year. It was a year when my post-grad anxiety started to subside, I succeeded in starting to put my health first, reconnected with Miami and even started dating again. Despite the hardships that sometimes ensued, like upsets at work or serious heartbreak, it's the best year I've had in a long time. It's also the most calm I have felt in what seems like years. No regrets.

I also made tremendous progress financially, within my career and in my personal relationships. A lot of it is thanks to this blog and it's readers. You guys not only inspire me, you also help keep me accountable and for that I am forever grateful.

2013 will be dedicated to planning workshops (already have two in the works!), partnerships and creating a space where millenials can share, grow and learn from each other as we create our careers, our health, our personal experiences and our lives. I want this to be a space where you guys can come for positive reinforcement, resources and connections.

With that being said, please make sure to fill out this survey so I can better serve you in 2013.

Thank you all for another incredible year!

The Ultimate 2012 Round Up

What a year for Grad Meets World! Apparently some of the topics discussed got some serious attention! With that being said here are the top posts from the year:

10 Top Notch Gen Y Blogs of 2011

Why It's Okay to Be a Boomerang Kid (This little number sparked quite a controversy and even got my blog featured on The Consumerist! You guys had some awesome things to say in what turned into a healthy debate.)

4 Signs That You May Be an Entrepreneur at Heart

10 Odd Things You Should Never Do at a Job Interview

Some of my personal favorites...

Love and Relationships

How Do You Deal With a Breakup? 7 Steps for Getting Over a Breakup

The Love Manifesto: 23 Principles to Help You Thrive in Your Romantic Relationships

Side Hustling

How I'm Making Over 1K from My Blog This Month

10 Lessons Learned from 2 Years of Freelancing

3 Ways Your Blog Can Make You Money Without Being Sleazy

Career

Just for the Ladies - Resources to Help You Kick Ass in Your Career

20 Lessons Learned from Conducting 200+ Interviews

5 Ways to Get Your Life Back from Your Job

How to Network Like a Pro (The Non-Sleazy Way)

Money

10 Biggest Obstacles to Financial Success in Your 20s

Calling Yourself Out on Emotional Sp ending

Health

Learning to Love Your Body

How Do You Practice Self-Love?

How Poor Health Can Cost You A Lot of Money

Favorite Things I've Written for Other Websites

6 Things That Keep 20-something Women from Financial Success - Forbes

How LocalLEVO Is Helping Me Through a Breakup - The Levo League

Interview Tips from Hiring Recruiters: How Not to Be an Idiot in a Job Interview - The Levo League

New Grads: Are You Being Unrealistic in Your Job Search? - SALT

Top Free Networking Tools and Events for Post-Grad Millenials - SALT

Can You Come in for an Interview - Tomorrow? - The Daily Muse

4 Ways to Deal With Big Life Changes - Lifehack

3 Ways Freelancing Can Land You a Full-Time Job - Simply Hired

How I Plan on Getting My Savings Back After Spending $6,000 - Careful Cents

20 Lessons Learned From 2 Years of Blogging

Grad Meets World turned 2 years old this year! 2012 truly represents a year of tremendous growth for this blog and myself as a person. With that being said, here are some of the most important lessons I've learned.

1. It's okay to be vulnerable for your readers. In fact, it makes for true connections.

2. Building a practice of any kind - saving money, exercise, meditation - is like strengthening a muscle. It takes time, work and dedication, but the rewards are sweet.

3. You can use your own hardships to reach out to others and help them.

4. At the end of the day we're all human. We have the same victories and we have the same hurts.

5. It's more than okay to take a break and recharge.

6. I'd rather have fewer clients who pay well then a bunch of projects that pay shit.

7. My life coach training constantly pushes me out of my comfort zone.

8. The only certainty in life is uncertainty - it's what you make it mean that matters.

9. You have to think of the bigger picture in terms of your career - not just what your paycheck is. That is to say, what's going to benefit you in the long run? What extra stuff can you do? How can you go big?

10. Learning how to manage your boss is probably more important than actually managing your job.

11. Forgiveness is the bedrock of a happier life.

12. It's okay if you have a different path than what others want for you.

13. Make your friendships more romantic and your romantic relationships more brotherly. (Favorite lesson from Gabrielle Bernstein & A Course in Miracles. Really came in handy this year.)

14. I'm not going to die if I don't pay off my credit card in full one month. I just have to make sure not to make it a habit.

15. Sometimes it's okay to take a risk with your money. And it's certainly more than okay to invest in yourself.

16. Your relationship with yourself is the most important one you will ever have.

17. Your family cares for you and they want what's best, but sometimes you have to tune them out in order to become who you are meant to be.

18. Having compassion for someone who hurt you is not rolling over and playing dead. In fact, if you can see the humanizing factor in every undesirable situation you're going to heal much faster (and more gracefully) than you ever imagined.

19. You can be open and honest in every aspect of a romantic relationship and it'll work for however long its supposed to. If it ends it's not because of being so open, it just wasn't meant to be. Simple as that.

20. Networking and getting involved in your local community is one of the coolest things you can do for your career - and for yourself.

Personal 2012 Milestones

Partnerships: I teamed up with American Student Assistance as one of the writers for their SALT blog. It's been an incredible experience as I share my career experiences with others who are just starting out. They are also some of the coolest people I have ever had the pleasure of working with. Keep a look out in 2013 for a Career webinar by yours truly and SALT!

Writing: This year was HUGE for me as I got published on one of my favorite business publications - Forbes! This was all thanks to the incredible team over on Glass Heel. Make sure to check these ladies out for anything you can possibly need to go from cubicle to board room! I also started writing for The Daily Muse, Lifehack and continued writing for my favorite career ladies over at The Levo League.

Community: I went on a networking marathon during the latter half of 2012. I am proud to be a part of The Levo League's LocalLEVO Miami chapter and have connected with such incredible ladies as a result! I also got to meet The Levo League co-founder Amanda Pouchot, Community Manager Maxie McCoy and The New Professional's/The Daily Muse's Angeline Evans! Furthermore, I got together with local Spirit Junkies and Gabrielle Bernstein enthusiasts to start a group of women who are there to support each other, help each other and be like spiritual running buddies. It's truly been an incredible opportunity to meet so many like minded ladies living in my own community! Here's to helping each other elevate not only our careers, but our lives as well.

Life Coaching: In April 2012 I officially started my life coaching certification course. The entire process has been a huge eye opener and I see myself using the skills I've learned in my writing, in my personal relationships and at my job. I've also taken on a couple of clients (both long time readers of the blog) to help me create a program and test out exercises (thanks to the both of you for being so patient with me!). In 2013 I will be putting things to the test with workshops and webinars. Make sure to sign up for the email list to stay updated!

Fitness: December 26, 2012 marks one year since I decided to practice yoga on a regular basis. Regardless of what is going on in my life I always find myself back on the mat. I've had the absolute pleasure of getting to know incredible teachers at Prana Yoga Miami and take tools I learn on the mat into my daily life. Yoga is truly a gift and I am thankful to have incorporated it into my life. In September 2012 I also picked up mixed martial arts/boxing and have been steadily going ever since. I can feel (and see) the changes in my body and it feels great! If you're ever in Miami make sure to check out Arena Combat Sports for a hell of a workout and some pretty cool people.

On a personal level: I have made some incredible connections this year as I maneuver my way through the crazy city of Miami. There's always something going on in this vibrant town and for that I am so grateful! I also opened up on a much more personal level through a romantic relationship, released some fears that had been holding me back and got a huge lesson in compassion and forgiveness. I've really opened up this year - both in my personal life and on this blog - and the process has been a beautiful one.

What's next in 2013?

1. Live workshops and webinars!

I've teamed up with some incredible people, both locally and online, to bring one of my blog dreams to reality - workshops and webinars! I've got a fitness goals workshop in the works with an awesome Miami personal trainer & I'm teaming up with a couple of great websites to create career development workshops in the Spring. Keep an eye out for more info!

2. Newsletter

One of my goals for 2013 is to write up monthly email blasts for my loyal subscribers. You guys are the lifeblood of this blog and if it weren't for you this blog wouldn't be what it is today. I plan on cracking myself open and going deep in these posts so make sure to sign up for insights you'll only get via email.

3. How can Grad Meets World improve?

My goals is to help you guys in your post-grad lives. I get a lot of material from my own life as I learn to maneuver finances, my career and personal relationships but I want to make sure these things are helpful for you. Please feel free to use this contact form to send me any insights or suggestions. Or, please make sure to fill out this survey.

Thank you again for another incredible year for Grad Meets World! May all your goals, wishes and dreams come into fruition as we enter a New Year!

awesome and unique workouts to stay in shape. In fact, one might say it’s become somewhat of an addiction, and thanks to groups like LocalLEVO I’ve had the amazing opportunity to discover fabulous workouts in my local community.

This time we had the absolute pleasure of checking out Pure Barre Miami with a class led by co-owner Jessica Alier.

(Sorry boys, but I’ve got another awesome post for the lady readers!)

The Levo Ladies had met Jessica before at our Influencer Dinner in October, and we thought Pure Barre would be perfect for one of Levo’s signature #netWORKOUT events. Their mission of bettering the lives of women everywhere is totally in line with The Levo League, so it was pretty much a match made in heaven.

And so, on Friday December 7th, Local Levo Miami held it's second #netWORKOUT event at Pure Barre Miami. We had such a great time that I just had to share it with you guys! After all, I know many of you are aspiring wellness gurus who are also looking for great ways to stay in shape.

Top Right: Co-owner Jessica Alier leading the class! Bottom Right: Levo Ladies rockin' it at Pure Barre Miami!

What is it?

Pure Barre is a total body workout that uses a ballet barre to perform small isometric movements set to fantastic music. And when I say total body workout, I really mean total body workout! Abs, arms, legs, glutes and all!

What’s really cool about Pure Barre is that it’s easy on your joints because it doesn’t involve any bouncing or jumping. They also have stretches in between strength sections to create lean, long muscle without bulk (awesome for people like me who get real tight, real fast.)

Best of all, Pure Barre is great for all kinds of body types and ages. It’s also safe enough for people with injuries and get this - they even have modifications for each trimester of pregnancy! Simply put, Pure Barre has really done it’s homework to make sure that any woman can do the whole workout no matter what they have going on!

You can check out the video below for a cool break down of the entire technique (plus exercises you can do at home!):

Quick History

Pure Barre is over a decade old and was launched by Carrie Rezabek Dorr in Detroit back in 2001. Since it became such a hit they started franchising in 2009. They are now 100+ strong and growing! Pure Barre Miami, for instance, just opened up a few months ago while others are popping up all over the U.S.

What kinds of promos are there?

Pure Barre has awesome promos for new students, new moms, brides and their bridal parties, and college students. They also have other events and promos throughout the year - including retreats!

Aside from providing stellar fitness classes, Pure Barre is a full blown lifestyle company dedicated to improving the lives of women. They have skin care products, DVDs, at-home barres, nutrition bars and more. Above all, Pure Barre strives to create a sense of community among women - something we could all definitely use as we hit the different stages of our lives!

Click on the image below to learn more about Pure Barre:

Connect with Pure Barre & Spread the Love!