It’s like a spontaneous affirmation of goodness and warmth.

I think about the friends and family that unconditionally support me, the business opportunities that continuously find me, and the love that is wholly given to me.

I’m grateful.

It was just such a wonderful reminder to continue practicing gratitude and journaling the things that I appreciate and have in my life so that I can continue to receive more of what I want.

I found this image that I posted on Facebook back in 2015, and it’s a beautiful reminder to find the good in the mundane aspects of our lives.

It is only with gratitude that life becomes rich.

— Dietrich Bonhoeffer

XOXO

The post Finding Gratitude appeared first on Stephanie Ann Fit.

When I first got certified as a practitioner in 2017, I loved what I was learning so much that I decided to invest more money to get my certification as a master practitioner in 2018, and then in 2019, I was asked to come back to be in a mentorship role to help with new students getting their practitioner certification.

Funny… I assumed going back to help was just going to be a great refresher for me, but I found that I picked up more learnings and went through my own breakthroughts while watching others learn and answering their questions for them.

Here are some of my biggest takeaways from NLP:

Your level of communication becomes significantly more effective.

It becomes more effective because you are completely aware that if the other person does not understand what you are saying, it’s not their fault—it’s actually yours.

You learn to take ownership of everything and therefore, you feel more in control of your life. If you are aware that the other person just doesn’t seem to be understanding what you are telling them, then you now have the opportunity to take a step back and think of a different way to get your message across to them.

There’s a popular saying: “It’s not what you said, it’s what was heard.”

When you learn to take responsibility for how you perceive the world, it suddenly works in your favor.

So, instead of getting irritated that the other person didn’t fully comprehend what you were explaining to them, you just take a moment to think, “how else can I put this so that it makes more sense to them?” When you do this, not only is your energy compassionate and helpful, you also make the other person feel comfortable around you.

When people feel comfortable around you, they want to hear what you have to say and make the effort to fully understand.

Our brain is amazing.

Because of our brain, we get to make the choice to understand that it is always doing its job—which is to protect us. So, sometimes the brain can unintentionally work against what we consciously want, which is to be successful, to have wealth, and to live in joy.

Yet as we are growing up, we live through experiences that may have taught us dumb a%$ things like:

• Making money is hard
• Relationships are difficult
• Eating healthy sucks
• Happiness is rare

And why would our brain want us to experience hardship and difficulty? It doesn’t! So in order to protect us, it will make sure we find the easiest way out of everything:

• We don’t make money easily because we learned that it was hard
• We don’t fully give our all in relationships because they’re just too difficult
• We’ll be unhealthy because its easier
• Happiness is rare so I’ll just never expect it

REJECT THAT SH*T.

We have the beautiful ability to shift our mindset and leverage language to make sure that our brain is woking in alignment with what we truly want. As we begin to use new language, the brain then creates new neurons and neuro pathways to think differently.

• Making money is fun and easy
• Relationships are fufilling
• Eating healthy gives me energy
• Happiness is everywhere

And this is the reason why I love NLP so much!

I get to teach this stuff to my little cousins, to my friends, and to new people I meet.

I get to use this language that works for me and hopefully subconsciously slip the lanuage into the people surrounding me so that they, too, can experience a shift and begin making more money, having happier relationship, and feeling better physically and emotionally.

Let me know if you’ve heard of NLP and what you love about it?

XOXO,

The post What I Learned From Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) appeared first on Stephanie Ann Fit.

During the past three years, I studied a ton about how the unconscious mind works side-by-side with the conscious mind, and it finally hit me (while I was at a three-day event) how it works.

And of course, how meditation comes into play.

Essentially, we have our:

• Conscious mind – the part of the brain that makes conscious decisions such as going to the gym or what to eat for lunch.
• Subconscious mind – the part of our consciousness that takes in information behind the scenes (whether it’s heard, seen, felt, or remembered). We may not be actively aware of the information at the moment. Yet, it still can influence us.
• Unconscious mind – as quoted from Diffen, a part of the brain that cannot be known by the conscious mind and includes socially unacceptable ideas, wishes, and desires.

Now that we understand how the different parts of our mind work, we might start to wonder how we would access what our unconscious mind thinks.

When we take the time to meditate more often than not, I genuinely believe that it allows us to quiet our ongoing, over-analytical thoughts so that we can be open to hearing what our unconscious mind wants to tell us about how to live our best lives.

The subtle hints from our unconscious mind to remind us of our deepest wishes and desires that we’re so afraid of showing the world. The challenge is that we tend to suppress these unconscious desires so profoundly that it feels impossible for us to understand and realize what we genuinely want to make us happy. We go along with what is socially acceptable in terms of what to want, have, and need, then we begin to believe that it’s the only way to live our lives. Ultimately, it makes so many people unhappy, and they can’t seem to figure out why when they’ve reached all the levels of success that they’ve set for themselves.

Subtle hints from our unconscious mind to remind us of our deepest wishes and desires

Of course, we’ve all heard that meditation can be challenging to do when we first start. We get distracted by noises and the continually running thoughts. However, after practice and progressively making our meditations longer, we can only get better and better, which is then where, I believe, the magic happens.

It’s the times where we get out of our head and into our hearts (a.k.a stop overthinking and listen to your deepest wishes and desires), where we find the most joy. So I invite you to start meditating for 1 minute a day, then progress to 3 minutes, then 5, then 10. See if you can allow your unconscious mind to speak to you and give you the answers you’ve been searching for. 

The post Meditation And The Unconscious Mind appeared first on Stephanie Ann Fit.

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Some updates while I was gone:

1. I started a jewelry brand—Crowned. The concept of the brand is to empower women to feel their best on days where they may feel like they could use a bit of extra encouragement.
2. I have a dog! His name is Lucky and he is a corgi/jack terrier mix. He’s 7 years old, so he’s considered a “senior” dog but he still looks like a puppy! He’s so freakin’ cute.
3. I strongly believe that we can make this world a better place if we continue to do kind things for one another. So please throw kindness around like confetti!

That’s all I have for now, stay tuned for vlogs and more updates.

XOXO,

Steph

The post I’m Back | Updates On My Life 2019 appeared first on Stephanie Ann Fit.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups sliced fresh mushrooms
• 2 cups fresh green beans
• ¼ cup olive oil
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground sea salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 400.
2. Wash and slice mushrooms and green beans.
3. Combine oil, garlic, salt and pepper in a separate bowl.
4. Pour over the mushrooms and green beans and gently stir until vegetables are thoroughly coated.
5. Place on baking sheet and bake for 20-25 minutes. Serve warm.

I got this awesome recipe from Kate Moving Forward, feel free to check out their site for more great recipes!

The post Recipe: Garlic Roasted Green Beans & Mushrooms appeared first on Stephanie Ann Fit.

Chia Seed Pudding Recipe

Serves 2 | Prep Time: 2 Minutes | Refrigeration Time: 2 Hours | Cook Time: 0 Mins

Ingredients:
1/4 cup chia seeds
8 oz almond milk
1/4 cup blueberries
1 tablespoon organic agave nectar
dehydrated strawberries for topping

Method:

Pour 8 ounces of almond milk into a mason jar then add the chia seeds. Place the lid on the mason jar and shake the jar so that the seeds mix into the milk. Check back in 10 mins to reshake the jar so that the seeds don’t make a huge clump in the jar.

After 2 hours, or overnight, take the jar out of the fridge, shake it again to even out the chia seeds. Add the agave nectar, blueberries, and dehydrated strawberries on top of the chia seed pudding and enjoy!

The post Recipe: Chia Seed Pudding appeared first on Stephanie Ann Fit.

For those of you who do not know me personally, I recently became an entrepreneur a little over 2 months ago. I work with small businesses and entrepreneurs to get their social media marketing up and running so that they get more brand exposure and leads from Facebook Ads. It’s been one hell of a rollercoaster for me and through my good days and bad days, I continually tell myself that there is no way that I am going to give up this freedom and lifestyle. I refuse to allow a company to determine my title, tell me when I am “worthy” enough to get promoted and to determine how much money I make. As long as I am my own boss, I decide what my value is, and my amount of effort will determine how much money I make.

The biggest takeaway I’ve gotten from living this lifestyle is that no matter what obstacles have been put in front of me, I’ve learned to take immediate action the moment I make a decision. I’ve realized that as long as I continually take action, I will continue to open new doors of opportunities for myself. Keep in mind, with each action I take, I never give a damn about what others might think of me because my happiness is all that matters. Yes, I’ll consult with my close friends who are driven entrepreneurs with the same mindset to get an outside perspective to help me make my own decision, yet my decision will still be my own choice. Not everyone will agree with me, and that’s okay. Two years ago, I would not have been able to accept the thought of not caring about what others thought—I was too much of a people pleaser. I cared so much about making sure everyone liked me and the image I portrayed, but deep down inside, I wasn’t truly happy. I felt like I put up this perfect image of myself acting like my life was just amazing in every which way when really… I was insecure, over-analytical and indecisive as hell with what I wanted to do with my life.

It wasn’t until after attending a few Core Strength Experience events was when I learned that I was extremely hard on myself (being the perfectionist that I am) and that what I needed more of was self-love. In fact, a lot of us could benefit from more self-love. I’m not talking about selfishness or being self-centered, I’m talking about finding time to give to yourself more often than not, taking the time to reflect on yourself and appreciate how far you’ve made it in life no matter what your circumstance.

As I pursued this fitness lifestyle (basically to try to win back an ex-boyfriend), I started noticing a trend among people who wanted to pursue working out. It always seemed that the main reason why people wanted to begin working out was because they were not happy with themselves, they hate the way their body looked and they felt insecure so they wanted to change that. First, that is the bomb dot com that you totally have the courage to want change, most people are afraid of that. Second, you’re using pain to push you towards your goal which typically never lasts; as human beings, we are born with the pleasure principle where we ultimately seek gratification (just ask the homie, Sigmund Freud). So, that’s why I continually promote working out and taking care of yourself physically as a source of self-love rather than self-hate. Love yourself enough to know that you deserve a healthy body, happy mindset and a longer life.

I’m so glad that I created Stephanie Ann Fit and looked past my fear of judgement from random strangers on the internet, because now I get to use the brand as a source of sending out my message. Go out there and get anything you put your mind to, step out of your comfort zone and stop caring about what others think about you. Because ultimately, other people don’t really care that much about you, they care more about themselves. They may judge you for a short period of time but eventually, they’ll resort back to focusing on themselves and their problems, it’s the way the human brain works. Lastly, I get to authentically be myself and show you all how much I’ve improved and grown as a person. I genuinely appreciate and love myself, and it’s my personal goal to inspire you to feel the same about yourself—I’ve got to practice what I preach right? I mean, I didn’t get ‘integrity’ tattooed on my back for no reason.

That’s my rant for the week. I’ll leave you with this quote.

XOXO,

The post How Sexy Are You? appeared first on Stephanie Ann Fit.

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs. chicken breasts (about 5-6 pieces)
• salt and pepper
• 3 Tbsp. olive oil
• 2-3 cloves minced garlic
• 1 cup low sodium-chicken broth
• ½ cup balsamic vinegar
• 3 Tbsp. Truvia Brown Sugar Blend (or about 6 Tbsp. brown sugar)
• sliced tomato
• sliced mozzarella
• fresh basil

Method:

1. In between two pieces of plastic wrap, pound chicken breasts to ½” thick. Salt and pepper both sides.
2. Heat oil in saucepan on medium-high. Brown chicken on both sides. Reduce heat to medium-low and add garlic.
3. Cook until garlic is tender, being careful not to burn it. Add broth, balsamic and Truvia. Turn heat up to medium-high and simmer for 10-12 minutes, covered until chicken is cooked through.
4. Preheat broiler. Line baking sheet with parchment. Place each chicken piece on baking sheet. Place a sprig of basil on top of each breast then cover with a slice of mozzarella.
5. Broil until cheese is slightly melted. Add tomato slice on top. Heat again until tomato is warm and cheese is melted. Serve as is or with a little extra sauce from the pan drizzled on top. Enjoy!

I got this awesome recipe from Yummy Healthy Easy, feel free to check out their site for more great recipes!

The post Recipe: Caprese Balsamic Chicken appeared first on Stephanie Ann Fit.

Ingredients:

• 1 and 1/2 cups cooked quinoa
• 2 Tablespoons olive oil
• 1 pound skinless boneless chicken breast, chopped into 1-inch pieces
• 2 cloves garlic or roasted garlic, finely chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 large oranges, peeled and segmented
• 1 ripe avocado, peeled and cubed

Dressing

• 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
• 1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro (packed)
• 1 Tablespoon fresh orange juice
• 1 Tablespoon olive oil
• 1 Tablespoon honey

Method:

1. Cook quinoa according to package directions.
2. Transfer cooked quinoa to a large bowl and let cool.
3. Pour olive oil into a large skillet over medium heat.
4. Add chicken and roasted garlic, stirring it all around to coat with oil.
5. Sprinkle with smoked paprika and salt. Stir and cook until chicken is done, about 8 minutes.
6. Add cooked chicken, oranges, and avocado to the quinoa. Stir to combine. Set aside.
7. For the dressing: whisk all of the dressing ingredients together. Pour over salad and toss to coat everything evenly. Serve immediately. Leftovers keep well in the refrigerator for 4-5 days.
8. Make ahead tip: This is a perfect recipe to make ahead of time because the flavors taste amazing by day 2. Simply prepare through step 3, cover tightly, and refrigerate overnight.

I got this awesome recipe from Sally’s Baking Addition, feel free to check out their site for more great recipes!

The post Recipe: Citrus Chicken Quinoa Salad appeared first on Stephanie Ann Fit.

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime or lemon juice
• 6 garlic cloves, grated or minced
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 pound large shrimp, shelled (except for tails) and deveined

Method:

1. In a bowl, whisk together olive oil, juice, garlic, cumin, red pepper flakes, salt and black pepper. Add shrimp and toss to coat. Set aside and marinate for 20 minutes.*
2. Preheat oven broiler on high.
3. Spread shrimp along with marinade in single layer in an oven-proof skillet or baking pan.
4. Place in center of oven and broil for 3 minutes, until pink.

I got this awesome recipe from She Wears Many Hats, feel free to check out their site for more great recipes!

The post Recipe: Garlic Shrimp appeared first on Stephanie Ann Fit.