In this episode, CJ tells his story of his unexpected journey from a potential draft pick, to being medically disqualified at the NFL combine, to being told that he had a disease in which he could never exercise again, to being picked up as an undrafted free agent by the New York Giants. Talk about a ride!

Oh… did we mention this all happened within the last five months?

We talk about his journey and the lessons he learned along the way.

Tune in to hear the example he sets in the world and how he lives to BE THE CHANGE.

Melissa is a mother, wife, business owner and a woman with a story to tell.

Melissa tells us about the struggles that have brought her closer to God, how she’s dealt with her husband’s mental illness and despite the challenges, evolved into the woman she is today.

We talk about how important it is to understand the difference between expectations people put on you versus the dreams and goals you have for your life and what it means to her to live in the presence of a power greater than us.

If you want more of Melissa, follow her on Facebook at: Only Prettier and Instagram at: @only_prettier_co

Namaste!

Want to join Mackenzie’s email list? Follow this link here → https://mailchi.mp/25962482ef74/mackenzieosborne

013: Habitual Thought Patterns by Mackenzie Osborne

What does it mean to live in the present moment?

When we spend a lot of time worried about the future or concerned with the past, we take ourselves into total overwhelm and our thoughts go wild.

We feel the over-thinker in us taking over and our anxiety raising.

The more that we can learn to bring ourselves to the present moment, the more peace we can find.

Our brains over the years have been programmed for chaos in most people's lives.

Our thoughts are programmed in us just as our physical movements are.

So to reprogram our brains, we have to work HARD.

We basically need to re-learn how to walk again…

It takes practice, patience, and a little perseverance.

But it is possible with the right tools and mind set!

Tune in and listen to how I’ve learned to be more present in my life.

Practicing radical acceptance can be a tough concept to wrap our minds around when we are flooded with thoughts of judgement and comparison. In this episode we break down: What radical acceptance looks like, how to overcome comparison and judgmental thoughts in ourselves, and how to practice radical acceptance to create more space for love and positivity in our lives.

Please tell me that I am not the only zoo tiger that has been released into the jungle? Struggle feels worse when you think you’re the only one walking on your path… But maybe.. Just maybe.. If we all take the time to look around, use our voice… we’ll find that we are surrounded by scared zoo tigers walking through the jungle. And if we reach out to them and ask for help… we will feel a little less alone. Because at the end of the day, that’s all we’re out here looking for.

A little food, water and shelter.

And a whole lot of connection.

I don’t have any tips or tricks to make you handle your jungle-life better…

I’m still trying to figure that out myself…

What I do know for a fact is that this stuff… life… it’s not supposed to be easy.

I think that’s what zoo make us believe.

That life should be easy.

Sure, we shouldn’t be struggling through life like we’re constantly suffocating and battling for air.

That’s different.

But, the best moments in life are normally the ones we fight our asses off for.

Like a true jungle tiger.

So here’s to us finding ways to survive in the jungle.

Sister, you are not alone.

Do you feel a lost sense of purpose in life post athletics?

Were you a college athlete who feels lost in the real world today?

Here's my message to you...

I STRUGGLE WITH IT TOO.

Our whole lives we did two big things that I feel really set us up for struggle in the real world:

1. We wrap our worth up in wins and losses/successes and failures.

2. We are trained to go 100 mph from sun up to sun down.

I think it's so important to look at life in a new light because here's the truth... WE ARE STILL COMPETING.

There just isn't a PHYSICAL game, or race that we're preparing for.

IT'S A GAME CALLED LIFE.

So answer these questions:

1. Who are you? (soon to be wife, daughter, sister, coach, mentor)

2. Who's on my team? (soon to be husband, parents, brothers, athletes)

3. How are you competing to be the best version of yourself for the people on your team? (by taking care of my physical and mental health, being the best coach I can, connecting in conversation)

4. What are the things we need to be doing on a daily basis? (Exercise, sleep, hydrate, eat to fuel my body, mediate, therapy, pitching seminars, connecting/eye contact in conversation, get off social media)

Even though we're not going to practice every day and not physically seeing our teammates, there are still there in our lives! They just don't wear uniforms anymore.

Identify the root of the problem and then fix it from there.

Love you all so much-

I want you to find that sense of purpose as much as I want to find it for myself.

We're learning together!

NONE OF US ARE MEANT TO HAVE ALL THE ANSWERS-

And if that’s the case, we all need to learn how to ask for help when we need it most.

In a world today where we all think we need to be “perfect” it can be really hard to admit that we need help in the most simple of ways.

I am over the moon happy to have the one, the only, Miss Karli Sturgill on the podcast with me today talking about this extremely important topic :)

Asking for help has been the most powerful thing that I have done to overcome rough obstacles in my life.

It is the reason I am the person I am today.

I didn’t know to continue to improve on my hitting, I asked my coach to help.

I was struggling to know how to prepare for my marathon, I asked a friend for help.

I was struggling mentally, I asked a therapist for help.

I didn’t understand what the teacher was going over in class, I asked them to explain it again.

I didn’t know how to make a pot roast- I asked Google.

ALL OF THIS HAPPENED AFTER GIVING MY BEST EFFORT TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO FIX MY PROBLEM ON MY OWN- (very important step)

Scared to ask the question?

Do it anyway.

You will learn.

You will grow.

Since Sunday, I have been ask a million, billion times-

HOW WAS YOUR RACE?

And to be honest, I have been struggling to put “how it was” into words.

Because I am not sure anyone would believe me-

It was miserable and wonderful.

So painful, but so glorious.

The hands down, physically, the HARDEST thing I have ever done-

BUT… it was worth EVERY ounce of effort, sweat and pain.

I mean I had to be sat down in a wheelchair two seconds after I crossed the finishing line because I nearly passed out.

And I have never felt like kind of pain that was in my legs and feet EVER before.

My first words when I saw my family was- I am NOT okay.

But right along with all that pain, was something I hadn’t felt in quite some time…

The feeling of finishing, not giving up-

I saw my “potential” turn into reality.

THE ONLY way I did such a thing was because of the the people in and all around my life that I was competing for.

For my teammates-

Without that mindset.. I WOULD HAVE GIVEN UP.

It’s SO EASY to give up on ourselves but not on others.

I never gave up on my teammates in the past and I refuse to start now.

Through that process I learned…. A LOT.

And not just about running shoes, sports gels, and mile splits-

About so much more-

1. Our bodies are incredible. They can do much more if we can get our minds out of the way long enough to fully understand that.

2. There is SO MUCH good on the other side of the hustle, sweat and struggle. It is not always pretty, but it is ABSOLUTELY worth it, we just have to keep pushing through to find it.

3. We have the luxury of making excuses and that’s why we're all stuck. The less excuses we make, the more we will accomplish.

4. No one is coming to save you and carry you across the “finishing line”, you have to do the work yourself.

5. The only way to make it through the tough things in life is to compete to be the best version of yourself FOR YOUR TEAM. The only way I made it through that finishing line was because of the lives I knew I could touch if I just kept pushing onward.

So how was my race you ask?

It was incredible.

It was miserably painful.

But it was worth it.

Because I competed for my team.

Be a competitor, not a perfectionist.

"Okay here’s my advice to you because I need to hear it too this weekend-

You can be scared/afraid/nervous and still be brave and kick butt at the same time-

It’s in those moments where we have choose between showing up and competing or giving up and going home that mark the true difference between the average and the elite.

All you can do, all anyone can do, is compete and give it your all..

If you do that— you have everything to be proud of and nothing to be discouraged about.

You cannot compete and “fail.”

It’s just not possible.

If you give it your all and come up short, then you know how you need to get better for next time.

And that’s a win in my book.

If the time comes when you feel like giving up bc it feels like that will be easier than giving it your all and “failing”—

Remember that you have a little sister looking up to you to show her what’s possible for her future.

You have to prove to her that there isn’t anything she can’t do-

You don’t want her to have to be afraid when she gets to where you’re at one day.

You want her to be able to stand where you’re at and thrive.

BUT-

She might not get there unless you give it your all and compete first.

There’s no such thing as “failing” as long as your competing your butt off.

The only time you fail is when you give up.

You are incredible and you WILL thrive.

Face your fears.

It’s the only way to keep getting stronger and to prove to others and yourself that ANYTHING is possible with the right effort and intention.

Much love—

Compete