Countdown to the big 50…

October 25, 2018 / Kim MacGregor - Live Your Most Amazing Life / 2 Comments

Hello there!

Wow it has been a long while since I have written here.

I have attempted to make a comeback a few times over and can’t make any excuses for what happened other than a clear lack of “Consistency.” Man oh man have I done a lot of living, learning and growing over the past several years….well now I am BACK with more to share than ever before!

Maybe it’s age and the wisdom that comes with that…I am 18 days away-and counting- from turning 50 and I have a new perspective on life and what it means to me to grow older.

Picture by the amazing Helen Tansey

Maybe it’s the ongoing journey of self-actualization that I am on…and how getting to know yourself and challenge yourself to BE YOUR BEST NO EXCUSES really is like cracking a code on the other things we long for.

Maybe it’s my focus on what matters most, in my heart and in my soul…. my marriage that I have worked hard on, through many storms, to create bliss…my children and the recognition that in order to leave my next generation stronger and more equipped for life – I have to work on myself so I can model it for them and walk my talk.

Maybe it’s the success of my digital business…a success that came as a result of hard work and years of dedication but that is far greater than anything in my career, corporate or entrepreneurial, that I have ever experienced before.

Maybe it’s my passion to empower others, especially women, to see how they can truly HAVE IT ALL, but that it WILL look totally different than you thought, than you studied for, or even than society told you it would be.

Weekly, I will be sharing bits and pieces of my journey from trials and challenges to profound joy and “success” measured in a variety of ways, not just the typical ones but all the markers that make for a truly GOOD LIFE.

So stay tuned…get ready to learn and go on the adventure of a LIFETIME together as I continue to grow, expand and share the joy of life through…relationships, parenthood, healthy living and entrepreneurship amongst ohhh so many other things.

Let’s do this!!!

Always remember one person can make a difference…that one person is you.

With much love always,

Kim xo

Join me on my FB page: Kim MacGregor – Live Your Most Amazing Life

And on Instagram: @kimmac KM0006 gregor1

How to make 2018 Different…LEAP!

January 30, 2018January 30, 2018 / Kim MacGregor - Live Your Most Amazing Life / Leave a comment

As I write this blog post, it’s almost 1:00am, I am finishing up editing a short video for a 30-day healthy reboot/detox program I’m running, and I should be in bed (to get my 8 hours beauty sleep LOL).

But here I am writing a blog post that I have to get out!!!

We are almost finished the first month of a new year and I am filled with determination, reflection and excitement for all that this new year has to offer. Crazy isn’t it, that we are the only creatures on Earth that treat days, months and years with so much significance, while all the other animals just go about their habitual behaviour with little regard for whether it’s Monday, Friday or January for that matter? But isn’t that (one of) the most AWESOME parts of being HUMAN – our capacity for reflection, growth and change.

And what better time to create change than the beginning of a new year!!!

I am ramping up to create the very BEST year of my life (so far). I’ve had some really really really rough years (who hasn’t), and I’ve had some really really really awesome years. I am in full swing towards making this year ALL that I desire. Accomplishing this involves not only raising my game to be BETTER, but also recognizing what I have accomplished in the past, because that serves as a reminder that I truly CAN do anything I set my mind to…and so can YOU…so can ANYONE in fact!!!

What I’ve learned from a combination of; writing and publishing 3 books securing an endorsement from Celine Dion; creating a grassroots movement with a YouTube video that went viral and has garnered almost 4MILLION views; writing 4 songs (and recording ONE professionally); creating a soulful amazing marriage; raising 3 AWESOME, confident, strong teenager girls; AND starting a health and wellness business in the network marketing industry part-time, alongside my full-time job that allowed me to replace a full-time income in under three years…is that (drum roll please) you’ve got to LEAP!!!

What exactly do I mean by that. Let’s break it down…L-E-A-P:

LEARN

You’ve got to learn from what you HAVE accomplished as well as from the goals you missed. Each misstep has just as much to teach you as each WIN does. You have to be honest on both ends so that you can quickly figure out where the gap is between where you are and where you want to be – between what IS working and what is NOT.

This “learning” piece isn’t going to last for JUST the month of January, or ONLY the first quarter of the year. Heck it won’t even end when you finally achieve all your goals. LEARNING is an ongoing component of getting to where you want to be in life. Because your goals will constantly be growing and changing, your learning will have to keep up. Think of it like bathing – you don’t do it ONCE and call yourself clean for the rest of your life, it’s a daily practice (I paraphrase from the motivational speaker Zig Ziglar).

ENVISION

I love this word because I love the power of it’s meaning to create MASSIVE change in your life. Here is the dictionary definition:

verb (used with object)

1. to picture mentally, especially some future event or events:

to envision a bright future.

And that is exactly what you have to do to get yourself to an entirely NEW place in life – you must SEE IT as IF you already have it. You must see yourself living the way you dream of, FEELING the way you will feel when you achieve that goal. Take a moment, every day, to ENVISION your dreams ACCOMPLISHED with FEELING and gratitude and joy and excitement. The more you can attach positive feelings and good VIBRATIONS to the realization of your dreams the better chance you have to accomplish them.

Successful athletes, including the most decorated Olympian in history with 22 medals, swimmer Michael Phelps, stays ahead of the competition by using visualization and mental preparation techniques that allowed him to see the outcome he wanted – over and over again – before it actually happened.

Using positive affirmations, paired with envisioning is a powerful tool in achieving what you want.

ACTION

It’s not enough just to learn and fill your mind with information, or just to visualize and say positive affirmations WITHOUT the crucial step of getting into ACTION!

Action = Motion!!!

Without motion – nothing moves – nothing happens. Many people miss this crucial step and it is THE single greatest tool to get you going and turn your GOALS and DREAMS into reality.

Figure out your ACTION – what it is you need to do (if you’re writing a book – you need to WRITE, making a product – you need to MAKE IT, building a team – you need to connect with people) and take steps EVERY SINGLE DAY that will get you closer to your desired outcome. Which leads to the next point which is…

PLAN

In order to take the necessary ACTION, you must make a plan and then FOLLOW the PLAN. The best way to do this is to determine WHAT you need to do, HOW much time you need to do it, and WHEN you want to get it all done by. Then break that down into your day by scheduling time in your calendar daily as a NON-NEGOTIABLE, to take at least 3 steps each day towards pushing your goals ahead!

I’m sure you’ve heard the famous saying, “If you fail to plan, you plan to fail.” Doing all the steps above and leaving out the planning part, will inhibit you from actually achieving your goals. We are easily distracted, we procrastinate and can even lose sight of our vision if we don’t have a plan and we haven’t actually scheduled TIME to make it happen. When we sit down to work on our goals, without a plan, we can be AIMLESS and just spin our wheel sin circles, without making progress.

Be aware too, that in setting your plan, with limited time, you WILL need to give up certain things that are not going to help you get to where you want to be. For example, if you work full time, have a young family, and you are attempting to write a book, you will need to have at least 2-3 hours a day scheduled into you calendar that is non-negotiable time to DO the work that needs to be done (in this case writing). You may need to get up earlier than usual and repurpose what used to be downtime (give up TV time – this will buy you HOURS each week)?

I write out my schedule and my “What I AM ACCOMPLISHING TODAY” list (I like the INTENTION of this wording better than a “To DO” list) – THE NIGHT BEFORE, so that when I wake up in the morning, I know exactly what needs to be done and I can check it off as I accomplish it!

This four part strategy LEAP is simple and has been the key to achieving so many things already, and so many more things to come.

Borrow this strategy for YOUR own goals this year and keep me updated as to how it goes!

You’ve GOT THIS BABY!!! THIS IS YOUR YEAR!!!

GO make a difference and create the most amazing life of your dreams!!!

Always remember ONE person can make a difference, that one person is YOU!

With love,

Kim xo

Join me on my FB page: Kim MacGregor – Live Your Most Amazing Life

And on Instagram: @kimmacgregor1

Missing mom…8 Lessons learned from losing a loved one

December 20, 2017December 20, 2017 / Kim MacGregor - Live Your Most Amazing Life / Leave a comment

Twenty years ago my beautiful mother, Faith Suzanne Bonnell Bourne – Bonnie as everyone knew her, passed away from colon cancer.

My beautiful mom just weeks before she passed away

She was 53.

I was 29.

I was married only 4 years at the time and we hadn’t yet started to have children.

Losing anyone you love is difficult. Losing them so young feels unimaginably overwhelming. Before she passed away, I feared that I would go right after her from pure heartbreak.

She was my best friend. She was my mom for goodness sake, the person who carried me for 9 months and brought me into this world. The person who loved me UNCONDITIONALLY and BELIEVED I could do ANYTHING!

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In the past two decades so much has happened in my life, both good and bad. I have struggled through some very dark, sad days when I missed her more than ever, to be able to talk to and hear her sound advice. And I have experienced overwhelming moments of pure joy and gratitude for all that I have in my life today, despite the loss and hardship. Today, we are raising three of the most amazing young ladies who my mother would have adored, and who would have loved her right back. I ache for my children who never got the chance to meet her, spend time with her and be loved by her.

My mom was crazy, inspiring, childlike, feisty, spirited, loving, lovable and so much more. She was that unforgettable presence that lit up the room when she walked in. The one everyone asked after and told funny stories about.

Having her pass away just days before Christmas put a real wrench into the JOY of this holiday for many many years after her death. Despite the fact that I had children shortly after she died, Christmas was just not fun for me for about 8 years (8 L-O-N-G years I might add). I suppose I needed that time to grieve, but I missed out on a lot of fun with my own girls by allowing myself to be stuck in the “loss” for so long.

Even if you have lost a loved one in any other month than December, Christmas is a time for family being together and it can be a real trigger for sadness when that loved one is so obviously missing from the festivities.

With age, comes growth and wisdom and the understanding of what life is all about. I have learned many things over the years and decided to share some of what I have learned to help ease the journey for anyone mourning the loss of a loved one at this challenging time of year

Give yourself permission to cry

I say this to everyone. I held in my tears, the best I could, for so long, to appear strong. In the end I think it weakened me inside. Crying is a beautiful, therapeutic way to release emotion. Let it flow. I have discovered that the recovery time is much faster when I give myself permission to cry, and it is incredibly healing.

2. Speak about them

When someone passes away, people around us tend to stop talking about our loved one out of fear it will trigger us to “think” about them, which could make us feel upset (or God forbid CRY). The best thing you could do is to speak about them, reminisce about what they did that was funny, tell stories, share pictures or videos of them with friends and loved ones. Doing this eases the pain for the survivors and allows us to celebrate their life – something we do not do enough of. This helps keep their spirit alive and honour their life!

3. Create NEW traditions

No you don’t have to entirely abandon the traditions you had established when they were still alive, but being open to morphing and changing your traditions, layering in new things, is an important step in healing. Feel the gratitude of all the joy they brought when they were alive AND acknowledge how much they would have loved certain things (NEW or OLD).

4. Take time to LOOK at what you DO HAVE

We can get so bogged down in the feeling of sadness and loss that we actually MISS what is right in front of us. Our families, significant others, spouses, children are here with us TODAY, creating NEW memories and looking to us to bring meaning to our celebrations and our time together. Take the time to look into the eyes of the people you LOVE who are standing right next to you and HONOUR their presence and LIFE. There is no greater tribute you can give to those with you now, to yourself and to those you have lost. Life truly does pass by so fast for us all, and time is the one thing we cannot get back, so make the most of the time you have today because one day, this season, this year, will also be a distant memory.

5. Believe that time WILL heal the pain

I remember people saying the phrase to me, “Time heals all wounds.” I can tell you when my mother’s death was fresh and raw, that was the last thing I wanted to hear. It actually felt dishonourable to think that one day the pain of losing her would fade away as if she didn’t matter. Well, over time, I have discovered that that couldn’t be further from the truth. There will forever and ever be many many spaces in your heart reserved only for your loved one, filled with memories and love, that will, for all eternity be a part of your soul. They have helped shape the very fabric of WHO YOU have become and those can never be taken away. It is a beautiful thing to LOVE someone so deeply and come to realize that that love NEVER goes away and that by YOU continuing to live your life, shine your light, share your tales and stories of the person you have lost, with your friends and loved ones, for generations, you have created immortality for them. The pain WILL lessen as time passes. You WILL still cry. They WILL live on in you every single day and that is a pretty magical, underrated quality of living and loving.

6. Know that it IS better to have LOVED and lost than never to have loved at all

Another phrase that used to scare me. The fear of “losing” someone I love and surviving with any quality of life seemed pretty remote. I believe that the very BEST part of being HUMAN is our capacity to LOVE, in a myriad of different ways. We are at our BEST when we are loved, and when we LOVE in return. Although I miss my mother like crazy every single day, I would not be who I am without HER, without my love for her and her love for me and in the end that is all we have and all that we keep with us.

7. Find GRATITUDE in TODAY

Gratitude is a feeling of “appreciation and thanks” for all that we DO HAVE! Gratitude is the single best way to shift our energy from sadness to feeling better. We can find gratitude in so many different things – big and small. We can find gratitude for the fact that we are HERE today with the chance to make life better for ourselves and those around us, gratitude for the life we are living, gratitude for all that we have learned not only through the loss of our loved one, but also through their life and their impact in our own life, gratitude for the opportunity to love more and share more and give more, gratitude for the ability to live amazing MOMENTS today that will last a lifetime in the hearts and souls of those around us long after we are gone. You will not be grateful for their “death” it is sad and heartbreaking, but we can be grateful for their LIFE and how much richer in spirit we are for having had them in our life for the time that we did. Gratitude for today is healing.

8. A commitment to LIVE your BEST life

Death is a reminder that life is precious. It is a reminder of WHY it is important to TRULY LIVE with passion, courage, truth, abundance, forgiveness, openness to new challenges and always leading with LOVE!! As I celebrate my mother’s life, I have also over the years taken time to reflect on the things she shared with me that she wished she had done, the regrets she had. I am reminded that life is fleeting and it is our duty to LIVE our very BEST life imaginable, to leave the world better than we found it, to forgive and to LOVE with passion so that there are no regrets. So that we can leave behind a legacy of love that will forever remain tucked away in the little corners of peoples’ hearts whose lives WE have touched while we are here.

I hope you gain some peace from what I have shared from my own experience of loss and that even one nugget will help you navigate your way with grace, through the holidays. I wish you nothing but LOVE and beautiful moments celebrating LIFE at this wonderful time of year.

Always remember one person can make a difference…that one person is you.

With much love always,

Kim xo

Join me on my FB page: Kim MacGregor – Live Your Most Amazing Life

And on Instagram: @kimmacgregor1

Speechless

December 5, 2017December 5, 2017 / Kim MacGregor - Live Your Most Amazing Life / 1 Comment

The other day after I dropped my daughter off for a class downtown, I parked my car in a lot near a Starbucks, packed up my bag with my computer and headed down the street dressed with my heels and fashionable black winter coat. Visions of steamy almond milk chai lattes and getting caught up on some work while I waited for Madison to finish her class, danced in my head as I braved the cold evening air. FullSizeRender-29 copy

But half way between my car and the Starbucks, an older man dressed in a raggedy thin winter coat, wearing baggy pants and tattered shoes appeared as if out of nowhere, walking towards me. His hand was held out in front of him, a few shiny sliver coins in his palm.

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While I was moving at a fast pace – he was slowly shuffling directly in my path.

In seconds I looked this man from head to toe and realized his situation. I slowed down as I approached him and as we made eye contact I could see such a beautiful, kind sparkle in his blue eyes. He was older, and his soft voice had a faint Scottish accent. I instantly thought of my husband’s grandfather, a soft spoken but fiercely proud man and I wondered how this man had gotten to this point? Did he have a wife? Children? Family anywhere who loved him and wanted to protect him? A million thoughts ran through my mind as I automatically began to dig in my coat pocket for change. Not one to carry much cash around, I pulled out one nickel from my pocket and dropped it in his hand. As it clanged with the other few coins, I apologized for only having 5cents – but still he was so grateful and his eyes lit up with such a beautiful smile.

I suddenly remembered my daughter had paid me back with a $10.00 bill for something I had picked up for her the other day and I had shoved it in my back pocket for my latte as I bolted out the door from home.

As the older gentleman began to shuffle down the street, I called out, wait I think I have more money for you sir. I reached into my back pocket and found the $10.00. I was SO HAPPY I had an instant of feeling of hitting the jackpot. I reached out and put the money in his hand as he turned back towards me. I said, “Please get yourself something to eat,” and I turned to walk away.

He gently closed his hand around mine and pulled me in to hug me, kissing me on each cheek. “God bless you, God bless you. Thank you so much, thank you so very much!” He said looking straight in my eyes. It all happened so fast, but it felt like everything was slowed down. As I locked in on his gaze, I could see his eyes were glossy and tears quietly trickled down the sides of his face.

I walked away, speechless.

A mix of emotions and feelings flooded my heart and mind and I felt grateful for the encounter. For the reminder that the simplest of connections can have a great impact and leave you feeling changed, renewed, appreciative.

If you have a car, a warm coat (or two), money in your bank, a job, a bed, a home, people who love you – be grateful. You have a LOT! If you have a little bit EXTRA, food or money, give it to someone you pass by who is living on the streets. No judgement, just love. It will benefit YOU as much as it does THEM!

In the hustle and bustle of life, we sometimes forget how very fortunate we are. Every person is, at the core, the same, regardless of circumstances. Take a moment to acknowledge one another with love in your heart. These connections are gifts from the universe. THIS moment, this man’s sweet face and the feelings of love and appreciation that he had for what I gave him and the feelings of love and appreciation I had for what he gave me, will stay with me forever.

Always remember ONE person can make a difference, that ONE person is YOU!

Big love,

Kimxo

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The little things really are the big things!

November 22, 2017 / Kim MacGregor - Live Your Most Amazing Life / 1 Comment

Every night after dinner, my hubby and I take the dog out for a walk. Sometimes one or all three of our girls join us. I must confess, this ritual is new for me, at least on a steady basis. Up until even a couple of months ago, my hubby would walk the dog alone, or my daughter would go with him, occasionally I would join. Most often however, I would be caught up in helping the kids with homework, working on my own things or cleaning up the kitchen.

But I have had this great epiphany lately that the little things really are the big things. Oh sure, I have used this phrase countless times, I even thought I fully understood it. In many areas of life I have honoured this phrase, especially when it came to my children and being there for them. But for some reason, I neglected this often with my husband. I took “us” for granted more times than I care to admit in the past.

I can’t recall exactly what it was that made me stop and reflect on this, but over the years we have built a solid home, a passionate love and a more beautiful friendship than ever (even through a lot of very trying years), and I have come to realize that yes, even in this 26 year old relationship of ours, the little things continue to be the big things. I really enjoy his company, our conversations, sharing what we are working on, the challenges we have had throughout the day or just talking about our dreams and the things we are most grateful for. I love holding his hand, skipping up the hill (yes I still skip) and watching him throw the stick for our dog. I look forward to these nightly walks, almost as much as our dog Hershey (and anyone who has a dog knows how much dogs LOVE their walks).

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With all the hustle and bustle of life, all the demands and the goals and the business of it, this quiet time to just BE together, this seemingly “little” thing is one of the best and biggest highlights of my day, because he matters…”we” matter and our love and connection matters.

Wherever you are at in your life, in your relationships, with your significant other or your children, create a daily ritual of time to enjoy the “little” things together, and you will create a beautiful “BIG” life.

Always remember one person can make a difference…that ONE person is YOU!

Lots of love,

Kimxo

Dedicated to helping you live your most AMAZING LIFE

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Day 30 of 30 days of gratitude…LOVE!

July 27, 2017July 27, 2017 / Kim MacGregor - Live Your Most Amazing Life / 1 Comment

Well here we are! The final day of 30 days of gratitude, but of course, it isn’t really the end. Everyday there is so much to be grateful for, this is just a tiny fragment of the beauty of my life over the past 30 days!

On top of these posts, there were the regular trials and tribulations of life, including hot flashes (wickedly awesome change of life – AYE AYE AYE), a tragic young death in our family, a celebration of a beautiful friend’s birthday who died far too young, challenging times and everything in between. Because, after all, that IS LIFE!

I KNOW first-hand the power gratitude has to transform us. To change our circumstances, our fortune, our love life, our relationships with everyone who matters…I’ve lived it over and over again in every aspect of my life….and still, at times, I had to sit and THINK about what I have to be grateful for in each new day.

I started this 30-day blog-challenge to get me writing again, writing on one of my favourite topics no less. Writing has always been one of my passions, so this forced me into the daily consistency of it! For that I am grateful to be back on track. As much as it was work to write daily, now that I am on the last day – day 30 – I am struck by how much more I want to write about…how much more I AM so very grateful for – my family, my husband, my career. But in the end I choose to write about what I am grateful for every single day and that is LOVE.

MacGrgeor Family Kim MacGregor Madison MacGregor

Love in all it’s forms. The way it shows up and pulls us through. Love for choice and change, for people and passions, for moving forward and for standing still to catch your breathe. I am grateful for the way love fills my heart and makes it feel electric and alive. Sometimes that happens when I hear my girls laughter through the day, beside me. Sometimes I feel it when I am laying in bed at the end of a day and I feel my husband wrap me in his arms, sometimes it is the grand realization of all the freedom and choice I have worked so hard to create in my business and the overwhelming sense of gratitude and LOVE I feel for all of it.

Gratitude, which is really another word for love, is something I take the time DAILY to look for, to think of. Because if I don’t, it is easy to get caught up in the speed of the day, the demands around us, the tasks that have to be done and forget to see the beauty and LOVE around us that we have to be so grateful for. Gratitude…LOVE…is a daily MUST.

So today, as I wrap up this 30 days of gratitude challenge, I commit to continually live in a state of gratitude because it FEELS so good! Because it creates such magical change. Because it is GROUNDING and LIFTING all at the same time, to the soul, to the heart and to all that matters. It’s not always about what we GET, it’s about HOW WE FEEL and gratitude and LOVE just feel so darn good!

If you don’t have a regular gratitude ritual that you do daily, I highly recommend it. It will change everything about your life. I’ll be writing on that more in an upcoming blog!!!

Thanks for following this – there are MORE great revelations to come.

Never stop believing one person can make a difference…that one person is YOU!

Decide that you are going to live your most amazing life by design.

With love and gratitude,

Kim xo

ps – please check out my NEW business page with all things inspirational, tips on how to CREATE and LIVE your most amazing life “By Design” in all areas. Including interviews with awesome people, product tips, marriage tips, changing careers and earning more money, raising good children and so much more. PLUS weekly FB LIVE videos. Follow me over on FB at Kim MacGregor – Live Your Most Amazing Life By Design

pps – please share this blog with someone you think needs to hear this message xo

Day 29 of 30 days of gratitude…beautiful memories!

July 26, 2017July 26, 2017 / Kim MacGregor - Live Your Most Amazing Life / Leave a comment

I just got 6 – 8MM high definition video cartridges back after being converted to DVD’s. These 6 videos are from 17-18+ years ago when our first born, Maddie, was a baby and just learning to talk and walk.

EMOTIONAL? You bet!

I cried from these beautiful memories that make me realize that time goes by waaaayyy to fast! A reminder to savour the moments and spend as much time with our loved ones as we can, and of how precious my baby girls have always been to me!

Maddie cried-feeling a sense of gratitude for the love she has always been surrounded by. Seeing herself as a baby and toddler and watching what were the beginnings of a wicked sense of humour, a fiery determination in everything she does, a beautiful free-spirit full of imagination and creativity all made her feel a deep sense of gratitude as well.

Gratitude is just one of this magical things that grounds you to your core and reminds you of what is truly important!

Today, I am ever so grateful for beautiful memories (and old home videos)!!

Never stop believing one person can make a difference…that one person is YOU!

Decide that you are going to live your most amazing life by design.

With love and gratitude,

Kim xo

pps – please share this blog with someone you think needs to hear this message xo