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When I started my journey of losing weight (I started at 208!) I first started by saying to myself “I want to lose weight” as I started however, I found that I got easily frustrated. MAN! It was SOOO hard! In analyzing my frustration just a bit further- it became abundantly clear to me that I was suffering from “burnout”. All I focused on was being “small” and losing TONS of weight. That was the extent of it. When I realized that I was not effectively setting goals I made some changes.

I started by breaking my goals (long-term) down into shorter term goals! Instead of focusing on the long road ahead… keeping my eyes on the short-term goals prevented the burnout I was previously suffering from. What used to be difficult on me became fantastic! I looked forward to setting goals and tracking my progress. With each short-term goal that I knocked out I was one step closer to the long-term goal!

The second thing to keep in mind is that you must set REALISTIC goals for yourself. YES, there are such things as setting goals that your particular body may be incapable of achieving. Instead of being unrealistic in your goal setting try aiming for goals such as “getting your body to the best possible shape it can be in”
Here is a great example- if you do not have round gluteal muscles that set high.. well, you can aim to make your genetic blessing of the gluteal muscle the best IT can be… you see?

The next thing I suggest is creating a vision board or a dream board. This is a great way to have a VISUAL of your goals and what you want to do!
Cut out pictures, quotes and images that relate to you and your goals. Most people creatively put them on a poster board and place it in a place where it can be seen! I am getting ready to do one for 2012 and I will share when I am done!

Friends, the long and the short (get it?) of it is this:
Your goals being well-defined are much like a road map. It will tell you every turn you need to make and if you make a wrong turn you can go to the map and adjust your route.
I look forward to hearing what your goals are for 2012 and how you will reach them!
Please reach out if you need anything I am here for you!

Have a great night friends and BE STRONG!

We all have moments where we arrive at a fork in the road. Do we go right or left? Because we are human beings, our decisions are oftentimes driven by emotion. We are so intricately wired with emotions that our behavior, actions, and choices are, in fact, “emotionally fueled.” Such is the case with FORGIVENESS.

Perhaps today you are faced with a choice of whether to forgive or not to forgive. Let’s have a look at the positive impact of Forgiveness – what would that mean and how would it implicate your life and maybe the lives of others?

Does forgiveness mean that you suddenly have amnesia and have forgotten all of the events and hurts that have been etched into your persona? NO. Many times, Forgiveness is more about YOU healing and being able to move forward than it is about the person being forgiven.

When we allow ourselves to forgive, in a sense we are saying: “I am in charge and you do not control my actions or my self-worth.”

Forgiveness gives you the ability to focus ahead in a positive, constructive direction. Once you have made this empowering decision, chances are you will feel a huge relief, much like a rock being lifted off your chest.

No fork in the road offers easy choices. However, when you have a map, it certainly makes this road easier to travel.

Let’s look at some positive byproducts of Forgiveness. I hope that you will see the benefits and let go of self-destructive behaviors that hold on to negative emotions.

As Mahatma Gandhi so cleverly said, “ The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong.”

Positive Byproducts of Forgiveness
*An increase in self-esteem: When you forgive others, you are freeing up room to focus on YOU and what makes you just so amazing!

*The ability to focus better on daily tasks, as you have now freed up precious room to focus on your strengths and your time.

*An increased sense of well-being and purpose.

*Lowered incidence of disease. YES! Holding on to negative thoughts and emotions can cause your body to break down – FORGIVENESS BUILDS IT UP!

* The ability to put closure on something so that you can focus on building a richly blessed life!

Now that we have discussed the positive byproducts of Forgiveness, let’s look at how to integrate this into our lives.
Everything in life is a process; it takes small steps to move forward, and steps are how we grow. Just as a baby learns to crawl before he can walk, so we too must learn to put one foot gingerly in front of the other to achieve outstanding results!

Real World, Practical Ways to Develop the Ability To Forgive
*Start by journaling your emotions. Sometimes, we have so much within us, that journaling offers a simple release. We can physically view our thoughts, feelings, and emotions, allowing us to make sense of everything. (Oprah.com- Rituals of Forgiveness)

*Allow yourself time. Time to process and learn. Time to heal and relieve yourself of the burdens you have carried. Time to be alone and reflect on your life and the lessons you have learned. Time is a key component to Forgiveness. You do not want to rush into this process, as this decision must be well thought out and genuine.

Strategy: Open your eyes to what anger and resentment are doing to you. Take your power back from those who have hurt you. (Dr. Phil McGraw, from Dr. Phil’s Ten Life Laws, www.drphil.com)

*Write out all the positive goals that you want to achieve in your life, and how you think Forgiveness will help you get there. Remember, Forgiveness is a process. When you can VISUALIZE all of the wonderful byproducts of forgiveness, it makes the decision to forgive that much easier.

Understand and recognize that true Forgiveness does not mean forgetting. You can never forget the things that have shaped you into the amazing person you are. However, you do need to make the positive decision so that these emotions no longer control or define you.
Forgiveness becomes more about YOU than whom you are forgiving. It is the act of maturing through life and realizing that you deserve true happiness and well-being. Letting go of these negative emotions makes more room for POSITIVE EMOTIONS, and ultimately POSITIVE RESULTS.
Forgiving is a key component not just of your relationship with others, but it is also central to your relationship with yourself.

It shows that you are strong enough to acknowledge your hurts and truly use them to your benefit rather than allowing them to control your life. True Forgiveness sets YOU free. Free to be the wonderful person you are!

Here is to a healthy, happy, and abundant life! Free to forgive and free to be YOU!

HAPPY NEW YEAR FRIENDS!
In health,
Ashley

I am a solutions kinda gal. I do not like reflecting on the problem with no resolution. We all know what the problems are. People are working more, getting paid less, trying to balance life, work, kids, commitments and the list goes on. There is a loss of balance in peoples daily lives and more often than not, the person left to pay the price is YOU.

I recently watched an interview with Emeril and he was speaking about his struggles in life, how much he works, and how his health was the first thing to be put on the back burner. In a nutshell, he finally came to the realization that this was the FIRST thing that needed to be made a priority in order for all other things to function optimally.

I have created a simple system to help you with finding that BALANCE again and putting yourself back at the top of the list. This system will allow you to achieve more in less time and feel pleasantly tired at night. Not exhausted and frustrated that another day has passed and you still did not achieve your health goals.

The equation is one that can be easily remembered with this:

Your goals (desires) + 45/60 min per day + journal = SUCCESS!

You must start this process by getting your schedule done for the week – I suggest using 4/5 highlighters.
For example -
Orange- Spiritual time
Blue- work
Pink – YOU time
Yellow – Family Time
Purple – FITNESS TIME

Go through your schedule prioritizing your requirements. The RULE is that you must include time for EACH during EACH DAY! You see — you are holding yourself accountable to allowing time for the five pillars.
If you are missing a color- than you are missing a pillar and therefore can’t be complete.

This simple system will force you to use your time wisely and allocate time for all things important. This may mean that you go to bed earlier, or you may have to rise earlier.
The point is – we ALL get the same hours in the day. What is more valuable to a man than his money?? HIS TIME.
A wise man makes good use of his time.

Now- lets focus on the purple! (FITNESS!!) you must allocate at least 45 min to an hour each day for your fitness. This can be more (you decide how you split your time). You can walk, do cardio, hit the gym, go for a bike ride. Come home and make your delicious smoothie and pack your healthy cooler. This is time that is spent free from laptops, texts, emails and such.

Now – notice that my equation had JOURNALING. What gets measured – gets DONE! You must write down your goals. Visualize where you want to be and what you want to achieve. Journal your first workout! I can surely promise you that you will be pleasantly pleased when you see your improvements over the span of a month!
My journal has room to make notes on how I worked out, slept, the vitamins I took and more! I journal everything!
This is my accountability and I love to analyze my progress.

You must do something each day. You must take the steps necessary for success and this involves planning.
Get EXCITED!! Stop making excuses and start taking action. Like I said, if you want it bad enough… you WILL make it happen!
I hope the AAP System for Success helps you in your weekly planning and incorporating time for FITNESS!

Reach out to me with any questions you may have, I would love to help!
In health,
Ashley

I want to talk about the debilitation in our food supply. Now, I know that with all of the info and research out there that this post could go for days. I am going to provide a simply, easy to follow outline for which to follow. My goal is to inform and educate in a way that is not overwhelming.

What do we need everyday to survive? Water.. yes. Clean air.. yes. FOOD.. ? Of course. Now, with stress levels skyrocketing.. the cost of living going up and the pay is going down. We take our stress out by EATING and in order to feed our growing families we spend money of food that is cheap. Food that is not really food. It is a vicious cycle.

We spend money on foods that are filled with chemicals and food colorings. Research has tied many of the common ingredients in our foods today to diseases and ailments ranging from diabetes to cancer as well as a number of learning disorders and hyperactivity disorders in children.

What are some of these foods?

Just look to the right or left as you checkout of any store. Candy bars, candy and junk. Twinkies, Twix, snickers, chips and soda pop. The list goes on. Now.. food companies KNOW that we are getting wiser. The consumer is starting to speak up so what do they do?

They FOOL us into believing our foods are healthy. “NO TRANS FATS!” “HEALTHY WHOLE GRAINS” etc are splashed on the colorful packaging just begging us to buy. Many of us do purchase not knowing that there are still tremendous amounts of preservatives and junk hidden in the food. These very foods are full of GMO ingredients and so on.

Enough about the problem. We must fight back. Food is the biggest generator of profits for the big gurus sitting at the top who really do not care if it is the very cause of the cancer that could be forming in your body. How do you fight back?

Especially when these foods are becoming highly addictive at alarming rates?

Here is a simple step by step guide to helping you become informed and gain knowledge. Knowledge is power and after all.. we are responsible for what we do KNOW. So when you learn and you UNDERSTAND.. hopefully your purchasing habits will start to change.

1) BECOME AN INFORMED CONSUMER. START TO ENGAGE in a lesson in labels. NOT JUST FOOD LABELS BUT INGREDIENTS. Take an afternoon and pull out some of the top snacks you and your family consume. Write down the ingredients that you are unsure of or unfamiliar with. Research them on. Pay CLOSE attention to food dyes and colorings in food.

2) Familiarize yourself with GMO and what it is. Here is a good link from a popular well-known website … I spend much of my time researching and reading through this site and it is highly recommended by me. http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2011/05/20/most-evil-company-on-planet-soon-allowed-to-police-itself.aspx

3) After you have the knowledge gained above.. call a family meeting. Teach them some of what you have learned and get everyone on board to healthier living. Explain that as the parent it is your responsibility to teach them well and you will no longer be purchasing these health destroying items. Start a family challenge and engage them in the PROCESS. This is important!! Do not do it for them. The more engaged they are- the more they will learn and process this info. Before you know it you will be sitting around the table enjoying healthy meals together. Start the COOLER PROJECT. Everyday have each family member throw in ideas for healthy lunches and snacks and take turns making them.

4) STOP MAKING EXCUSES- do not go backwards using excuses such as time, stress or money. Simply re-evaluate your priorities and spend more money on the things that matter (like the HEALTH of your family) and less time and money on the things that do not matter.

5) Be patient – changes take time. If you mess up.. pick up RIGHT AWAY and keep proceeding in a positive direction. Those who succeed are driven and determined. Those who succeed are those who can mess up and not let it wreck everything. You have much riding on it.

6) The next time your kid asks for the candy bar or you crave that bag of chips, think about this post. Every day and every moment we make choices and those choices either build us up….or destroy us.

Yours in health,

Ashley Poptodorova

Most of my smiles formed from tears,
from life’s experiences over the years.

Most of my joy came from hurt…
Living life and knowing its worth.

Most of my wisdom came from mistakes.
The lessons I learned not knowing the stakes.

Most of my patience grew from impatience too.
Knowing when to slow and acknowledge the blue.

Of sky’s and sunshine and birds you see…
These are Gods creations for you and for me.

When we move to fast and do not slow down.
We miss the beauty that is all around.

These are lessons that took years to obtain,
Amidst the impatience, mistakes and the pain.

I am happy today as can be, I wish happiness for the whole world you see.
Happy comes and happy may go. You must water and nourish plants to grow.
So must you nurture your body and mind.
Take time for the fun things and always be kind.

These things make you happy and when you are happy you will know…
There is only more room to prosper and grow.

So learn from your life the lessons given to thee and attain true happiness to infinity.

Author Ashley Poptodorova

This is a short poem called “Lessons from God”. Read it carefully because I felt like he was holding my hand and writing through me… the words came much too easily. This piece was written in 5 minutes… thank you all!

God Bless and in health,
Ashley Poptodorova

Lessons from God:

Don’t let the words of others bring you down.
Stick true to your beliefs and hold your ground.
Listen when listening is due and above all trust in God and you.

You know your heart, you know your might others will derail at times, be prepared for the fight.

Stay true to what is real and precious you know for life is short, we don’t know when its our time to go.

Every day is a gift you see. Sent from above to you and me.
Moments are precious, time flys by, enjoy each minute for it will be gone in the blink of an eye.

Hold tight to your friends for in the end you will see, your lucky if you can count two or three.
Those that are real. Those that are true. Those that will always be there for you.

Do not let others tell you you “can’t” for you were created to be like a plant.
To grow and to flourish, to blossom you see – God created all perfectly.

Be ready and willing to stand for a cause.
Move forward quickly – take not a pause.

Believe in what it is you do, for in the end – this defines you.

What did you say? Who did you touch?
Did your life matter much?

You want to say YES to the above, all three.
Remember – you are Gods specialty.

So live to the fullest, love with all might…. always stay true and do what is right.

Author: Ashley Poptodorova
Written on October 18th, 2011

I wanted to take a moment out to blog about OBSTACLES! We ALL have em! Obstacles can cause one of two things to happen.
Either they cause us to be more driven and focused on our goals (these individuals who are very strong-minded) OR they can pull us further away from our goals eventually causing failure for those who succumb.

Now, there are several ways to look at this but with me being “the glass is half full” type I choose to look at obstacles in this way:
They are an essential! Yes, I know that most would disagree and wish for an obstacle free world but it is simply not realistic. These crazy little things called Obstacles are actually an opportunity to strengthen our will power, our drive and our dedication to a goal! Without Obstacles – there is nothing to overcome. When you overcome you achieve!
When I started on my weightless journey I was faced with obstacles almost every single day. There were times that I remember feeling so weak and ready to give in yet, I kept my focus on what I so badly wanted and that was to reach my goals.

You see, sometimes giving in to obstacles causes a TEMPORARY pleasure (perhaps you indulge in that piece of dessert that you should not have) yet, when you are done… your left with the feelings of guilt and frustration. You are also one step further from your ultimate desire and that is to ACHIEVE the reaching of your goals!
So there is really only ONE question to ask yourself when you are faced with an “O”. Is it worth it?

Now, I would like to put out some things to be on the look out for. No matter what your particular goal is (it does not just have to be weight loss) you should be aware of these things and on the look out. The more prepared you are – the better you will be able to face the “O” head on!

**Be aware of your weaknesses and practice staying away from these until you have strengthened your will power and ability to overcome.
Example – do you like alcohol?? Perhaps you should consider not keeping it in the house and staying our of bars and night scenes for a while.
If you are faced with these instances, have your ammunition ready! Study your goals intensely and know all of the reasons WHY it is important for you not to give in.

**Be prepared for the “F’s” – that is friends and family! While WELL meaning – they are often the biggest cause of second guessing yourself, obstacle creation and frustration within reaching your goals. Sometimes GUILT is used.
**”Why don’t you want to eat your favorite BLAH BLAH BLAH I always make you? You will hurt my feelings”
**”Why don’t we just skip your diet tonight? Lets go out to eat instead”
**Do note that there are restaurants that you CAN eat out and do so in a healthy fashion BUT if the choice of venue is not good – come prepared (with your own food that is!)
This is something that I speak on frequently as part of the AAP Fitness program.
“You don’t need to do this tonight. Just come drink and eat with us like normal people”
“Why do you have to go to the gym tomorrow? I wanted to hang out with you”

The list of potential RED FLAGS could go on for pages. You get the point. These obstacles become opportunities for you to verbalize WHAT it is you’re doing and WHY it is important. However, just as a child prepares for a test so must you prepare and study WHAT IT IS YOUR DOING AND WHY.

For example I have always been into reading motivational/self-help books and I suppose this prepared me in a unique way for my journey but I was so focused on my goals. I had them written in a journal in detail. I used to visualize how I wanted to look and feel and ACT. I had a dream board. I had a magazine cutout of the physique I was striving for and the list goes on. When someone asked me “WHY” I was fully present and ready to tell them both WHAT and WHY!
The point is – you can’t just begin. You need to have a one to one with yourself on your reasons and your motivations. THESE will be your soldiers against obstacles!!

I hope that this has helped you in some way if you are struggling with the big “O’s” of life. You have the ability to achieve ALL that you desire in this world. It takes being focused, strong and dedicated. Also, surrounding yourself with those who want to build you up and encourage you. Not the opposite.

Here is to you knocking out your goals!! More practical blog postings will be coming soon!
In the meantime – please feel free to post comments or questions, I am always here… ready to help!
In health,
Ash

We live in a world today that is faced with the highest incidence of DISEASE EVER! We live in a world where morbid obesity is socially accepted and people are suffering because they don’t know what to do. It is time that we make a change my friends and the change starts with how we FEED our bodies.
When I was overweight (208!) I used to survive on highly processed foods. Foods that had no nutritional value and left my body tired, hungry and craving more. When your body craves this is a sign that you are not getting the nutrients and enzymes you need. It directly affects your mood, the way you handle situations and the way you sleep.
Most people do not sleep well because they do not EAT well! Your body is so finely in tune it is amazing!
Do you know how many vital processes take place when you sleep? So many! You must feed your body well and sleep well to have a balanced healthy lifestyle. It truly extends FAR beyond just physical exercise (though this is a fantastic start!).

Here are some basics for getting on a healthy path with your nutrition :

**Start each day with a nutritious and balanced breakfast. I always encourage people to eat protein and a great complex carb. Do not rush out of the house relying solely on processed foods or bars.

**Eat every 2.3 – 3 hours. The SMALLER meals you eat – the more you will rev up your metabolism (creating a fat burning furnace!) and the more you will stay satisfied.

**Do not eat carbs alone for a meal. Any time you ingest carbs – you should be eating some source of protein! This is key!

**Eat your colors! Make vibrant salads with lots of colors! My favorite is spinach summer salad which I will include the recipe for in this post!

**Do not eat heavy right before bed. This is a stress on the body and requires your body to work. Remember “Eat light at night” .
I always like to opt for egg whites scrambled or a fresh salad and steamed veggies.

Ok… here are the long-awaited recipes! Thank you for being patient with me but I had to expand on the importance of nutrition. I hope you enjoy some of these as they are my favorites! I will post more each week.

SPINACH SUMMER SALAD
2/3 CUPS OF SPINACH
1/4 CUPS OF PECANS
1 TABLESPOON OF DREWS POPPYSEED DRESSING
4-6 SLICED STRAWBERRIES (DEPENDING ON SIZE)
MINCED GARLIC AND ONION (I CANT HELP IT! I PUT THIS ON EVERYTHING! )
SLICED RED PEPPER
1/2 THINLY SLICED CUCUMBER
**FOR MY PROTEIN I WILL ADD DICED CHICKEN OR TURKEY

MIX INGREDIENTS TOGETHER VERY WELL AND ENJOY! THIS IS QUICK AND EASY!

SWEET POTATO MASH (AND ITS SWEET!)
THIS IS MY FAVORITE FOR BREAKFAST OR LUNCH! IT REALLY HELPS IF YOU HAVE SWEET CRAVINGS!

5 OZ. SWEET POTATO (TAKE THE SKIN OFF)
MASH UNTIL IT IS THE CONSISTENCY OF BABY FOOD
MIX IN ONE SCOOP OF VANILLA PROTEIN POWDER
MIX WELL UNTIL COMPLETELY BLENDED
1/4 CUP RAW PECANS
CINNAMON TO TASTE
**THIS IS DELICIOUS!
(YOU CAN ADD DRIED CRANBERRIES IF THIS IS A CHEAT!)

BREAKFAST OF CHAMPIONS
(THERE ARE TWO WAYS TO MAKE THIS… CHOCOLATE AND VANILLA)

1/2 CUP BOBS MILL ORGANIC WHOLE OATS
(COOK UNTIL YOU REACH YOUR DESIRED THICKNESS)
ADD IN 1 SCOOP OF CHOCOLATE PROTEIN POWDER AND MIX WELL.
ADD 1/4 CUPS OF RAW ALMONDS AND CINNAMON
ADD 1/2 CUP OF DICED PINEAPPLE CHUNKS.
THIS IS YUMMY!

VANILLA VERSION -
ADD VANILLA PROTEIN POWDER
1/4 CUPS OF RAW PECANS
CINNAMON
ADD 1/2 CUP OF STRAWBERRIES OR MIXED BERRIES INSTEAD

CLEAN EATING CHICKEN WRAP
(YOU CAN SUBSTITUTE THIS WILL TURKEY OR EXTRA LEAN BEEF AS WELL)

I LIKE TO USE “FOOD FOR LIFE” BROWN RICE WRAPS
I SMEAR ONE TABLESPOON OF SPICY HUMMUS
1/2 SLICED AVOCADO
SPROUTS
1 TEASPOON OF DREWS POPPYSEED DRESSING
SPRINKLE GARLIC AND ONION – VOILA!
A QUICK CLEAN EATING WRAP.

(IF I MAKE THIS WITH BEEF I LIKE TO ADD SALSA IN PLACE OF THE DREWS DRESSING!)
YOU CAN ALSO SPRINKLE RED PEPPER FOR AN EXTRA KICK!

BETTER N SPAGHETTI!
1 MEDIUM SPAGHETTI SQUASH
(CUT IN HALF.. BE CAREFUL! ITS THICK)
TURN UPSIDE DOWN IN A PAN AND BAKE AT 345 DEGREES FOR 30 – 35 MINUTES
YOU WILL KNOW IT IS DONE WHEN YOU TAKE YOUR OVEN MITT AND TOUCH THE SQUASH .. THE SHELL WILL BE SOFT.
When it is done, take the pan out and let cool. Take a fork and scrape out the squash. It will come out like spaghetti!
Add in your favorite pasta sauce (mine is Monte Bene!) and ground turkey or chicken.

This is a favorite! Also, this is wonderful if you are eating with others who are eating pasta.

These are just a few of my favorites! More recipes to come! ENJOY!!
~AAP

“Did I WIN?”
Before you EVER make the decision to do anything in life worth working for… worth FIGHTING for you must search deep within your soul to ask yourself – what are your REASONS for doing it? What are the reasons that will make it worth the countless hours spent training, dieting, sleep depriving yourself at times? These REASONS are what make you hang on when your tired, your SPENT, your heart is pounding, your sweat is pouring, your stomach growling and you question whether you have one ounce of energy left to expend.

“Did I WIN?”
Before you EVER make the decision to do anything in life worth working for… worth FIGHTING for you must ask yourself…are you READY? Are you ready to stand out? Are you ready to be picked out and singled out at times? Are you ready to try to PUT INTO WORDS what it is you do and WHY? Are you ready to work with ALL of your heart, your soul and your last drop of ENERGY to step out and do something that deep inside matters to YOU for one reason or another?

“Did I WIN?”
Before you EVER make the decision to do anything in life worth DREAMING for… worth STRIVING for you must ask yourself …. WHAT will pull you through the tough times? THE LOW moments? Is it your dream of wanting to be bigger, better and more? Is it your family, friends or the look in your childs eyes when they see you do something that shows DISCIPLINE and STRENGTH? Is it the look in your lovers eyes when they see you shine and glow and walk proudly around? Is it the motivation that you get when you see others reach their PERSONAL BEST and you know that because of YOUR BELIEF in them that they got there?

“Did I win?”
Before you ever ask this question – you must first ASK yourself what winning is….. ??
BEFORE YOU EVER ASK THIS QUESTION YOU MUST ASK YOURSELF WHAT WINNING IS!!
I wrote it twice… for it is so important that you must read it again. Think about it. Reflect on it.

What is WINNING?????
Here is my answer, based on MY LIFE.
Winning to me is overcoming ALL odds. Winning for ME meant coming out of a life that was rocky and tough, a life that at the very same time etched my character yet caused some of my deepest and most hurtful scars.
WINNING for me meant proving to myself that I could live the life of my dreams – that I could rise above the hurt, the betrayals, the deepest most dark moments – to shine and be HAPPY. To walk out and SMILE knowing that on stage whether with a trophy OR NOT, I would smile because inside I truly LOVED me.

Winning is knowing that at one time I weighed 208 pounds… miserable inside and SAD and that I was able to believe in myself – Coach myself to a place where I was this past Saturday – when I walked on stage at 11:00 am to stand on stage and open myself up to be JUDGED.
Winning for ME was not minding that I was being judged because when I stepped off of that stage, I would do so in the CURRENT best shape of my life… into the arms of the MAN who loved and believed in me… surrounded by family and friends who had a meaningful place in my life.

Winning for me meant surrounding myself with my team of AAP Angels and knowing that at one point or another these were ladies that did not fully believe or they doubted themselves in some way and yet, here they stood… PROUD, BEAUTIFUL and GLOWING. That they too overcame ALL odds to be there. They too trained and worked and strived to PROVE TO THEMSELVES that they could live out their DREAM…. women whom I believed in…

I think winning lies within your heart my friends. I think winning is not so much about WHAT you take home be it a prize or a car or cash or trophies but that TRUE winning occurs deep in your heart – when you set your eyes on a prize MUCH MUCH bigger than that …. and you ACHIEVE it.

Ask me again if I won.. and I will tell you YES. I have WON many times over – I have won a life that I never thought possible, I have won friendships and I have one the love of a GOD so amazing he gave me the tools and the MAP necessary to achieve this most amazing of prizes.

I have WON something that truly is priceless and something not often achieved and that is true, deep feelings of achievement and success. Feelings that no matter what I CAN and WILL BE something in life.

When I look back at my life – I want to be known as a confident and happy person – and most off all … I want to be known as a difference maker. I have achieved this.

So… “Did I WIN?”

Yes. I WON.

~Ashley Poptodorova