Michael

She Designed A Life She Loved

August 8, 2017 by Lindsay Teague Moreno 1 Comment

Sometimes I wake up and I am so grateful that I don’t have to feel like hiding from my day. Sometimes I take it for granted and forget what that felt like.

Have you ever had a job like that? Where you just dreaded getting up in the morning and going to work? Me too.

For three years I have loved the life that Michael Moreno and I designed. One where we never get that gut-wrenching Sunday night feeling. One where the weekend often comes too quick. I mean, I love Mondays you guys. Love them and look forward to them.

What is your heart calling you to do? You should design a life around that. Find a way to make your passions, skills and gifts your life’s work. Find a way to let those things pay your bills. You can do it. You might be like me, where you look back and realize it is also the hardest you have ever worked but you’ll love every hard part. I promise you will.

What’s your best talent, skill or gifting? What is something you can confidently tell me you do well?

Be bold. I want to hear it. Mine is saying the thing most people won’t. Now the key is working that “thing” into your business and sharing it with the world.

Go. Do.

XO,

Our Weekend in Black & White

August 1, 2016 by Lindsay Teague Moreno 16 Comments

I used to be awesome.

I used to take my trusty Canon 5D MarkIII out with me all over the place and capture my girls being who they are. The great thing about that is that they got so used to me taking pictures, they stopped posing. They just went about their business and pretty soon, I was just a fly on the wall. It has made for some great photographic moments. Like this one…

Look at her tiny little crying face so mad because she couldn’t have something. She doesn’t really do this anymore because she’s older. She’s 7 and not 2. She doesn’t make the same sounds. She doesn’t have the same cheeks. She doesn’t hang on my leg like she used to. And this one…

There’s still chubby in her hands. She was wearing my scarf on her head because she wanted long straight hair like me. Oh my gosh I miss these days. I can remember them because I took these pictures. It almost makes me lose my breath because, moms, how is it possible to miss it when all we wanted was for it to be gone? Is that not the most unfair and confusing feeling? To look back and miss what you only wanted to make it through alive? How? It’s a question I have for God because I cannot make sense of it.

In 2013, I stopped carrying my camera everywhere and started working everywhere. Isn’t it a cruel thing to do something for your kids at the expense of time with them? It’s turned out to be the right thing but as I was sifting through my old hard drives trying to organize them, I realize how much my creative eye has missed. I haven’t watched them though my lens and I see them the best though that tiny eye-piece. I see them as a beautiful piece of art, as a moment gone forever and not as a kid who’s whining and won’t be getting her way anytime soon. I see them as subjects and not my kids who must be “mommed.” I’m better with my face smashed into the back of my camera.

As I did more sorting, I decided now is the time to get back into it. To see them though my lens again and not just through the snap of my iPhone shutter button. It’s not the same, for me at least. God gave me the love of photography for a reason and I think it was to be able to give my kids the gift of their story before they were old enough to tell it.

So this weekend, I decided to do what I used to do and capture it. I used to call it “Our Weekend in Black and White” and that’s what it shall continue to be called. So here it is…

I challenge you to see your kids though your lens this weekend coming up. Just observe them and take pictures of what they do at this age. I’ll give you my black and white conversion tips this week so you’re fully prepared. It’s easy as pie. You’ll appreciate it in a couple of years when they’re 2 years older and 2 years closer to not being around to document.

Here’s to the hardest job I’ve ever had, Moms! This is just one step we can take in the name of doing the best we can.

What Happens When You Meet Yoda?

August 17, 2015 by Lindsay Teague Moreno 4 Comments

Sometimes you meet a person who has a “name” and you’re super disappointed that they’re not what you’ve expected (not that your expectations are fair) or you’re all bummed that they weren’t quite how they portray themselves online. I am sure more than one person has felt that way about me in the past and I get that. It’s hard to know exactly who a person is from a few blog posts or instagram photos; you build a person up to be someone that they’re not. Michael always tells a story about how horrible it was to meet one of his childhood heroes, Ken Griffey, Jr., when he was a kid. Apparently he was a real jerk and it cut Michael deep. Working with people online for 12 years, I’ve had my share of crushing disappointment.

In May, I got the chance to meet a dude that I highly respect as a writer and a hustler. I read one of his books, felt like he understood where I was in my business and my life, laughed the whole way through (which, if you know me, you know is super important), highlighted pretty much the whole thing, finished it, opened it back up to page 1 and started again. That book was the catalyst to some major life decisions that Michael and I made for both our family and our businesses. I probably recommend that book to every person I encounter that asks what book they should read. I also posted an Instagram photo on my 2nd time though the book that said this:

I am reading this book slowly and soaking up every. single. word. I’ve highlighted something on every page (not an exaggeration). I’m pretty sure @jonacuff and i are best friends in my mind. He doesn’t know it yet but he’s going to be speaking to my #lemondropper peeps as soon as I can afford him. #hecanreadmymind #thisbookissogoodithurts #smallbusinesssuperpowers

A photo posted by Lindsay T M (@lindsayteague) on Jun 20, 2014 at 12:49am PDT

I wanted Jon Acuff to be the dude I had built up in my head as I read his books. I wanted him to be hilarious and smart and full of Yoda-like wisdom that comes with somehow having conversations with hundreds of brilliant people around the country. I was willing to pay pretty much anything he asked me to for the people that I work with to experience what I did when reading not one but three of his books. So we booked him for an event we put on in Utah called Hustle Under the Stars and they LOVED him. He stood outside for hours signing books and taking pictures with us Lemon Droppers.

You guys, he’s so much better than just a HilariousBusinessYodaGuy. He also cares about people. He’s a doer. He is willing to be vulnerable when he needs to be to teach a lesson. He spent his valuable time with us when we asked him to. He answered the questions we peppered at him at dinner one night. I’m baffled by his “someone told me once…” stories. I have so much to learn. Just 2 meetings with him and I know I have so much to learn. Basically, he let 2 strangers connect to him and where he’s going and what’s on his heart. Jon Acuff does not disappoint.

So all of that leads me to this: Michael and I are in this place right now where we are really reaching out to connect with our higher purpose. We have been able to give away more this month than we have in all the years we have been married combined. It feels really good and for the first time I think we can actually change lives on a massive scale. Since we lived in Reno, Michael especially has been moved to do work with women who find themselves addicts, involved in prostitution and human trafficking. When Jon mentioned an organization he is working with that connects to that same purpose, we knew it could be a great way for us to get involved.

This week, Michael flew out to Nashville to be a part of Jon’s campaign to give back to Thistle Farms. Michael decided to take one of our daughters, Teagan, with him to experience a service project for the first time (sidetone, HOW can they be old enough for this now?). They boxed and labeled 1,000 candles to help raise money and create jobs for the women of Thistle Farms. You can read more about what they do on their website but it is freaking cool what they’re doing for women in Tennessee. Jon has set a goal to sell 5,000 candles in the coming months to help buy much-needed supplies and hire more employees that need these jobs to survive. Quite literally, their lives depend on them. You can learn about his BHAG (big hairy audacious goal) HERE. Mad respect for such a big goal.

Michael and I struggled with saying “yes” to this event because when it comes to something as important as helping people in need, we want to make sure it’s done for the right reason and it’s not seen as “publicity.” So, we told about 3 people what he was doing and he went to see for himself what it was all about. A few of you spotted Michael and Teagan in the photos posted on social media from the event, which is hilarious.

Knowing Michael would likely meet Jon’s wife, Jenny, at the event, I sent him with instructions to talk to her. You gotta know the person behind the person. There’s always a brilliant wife behind a husband that writes honest and hilarious things. There has to be, right? As I suspected, Michael told me that the Acuff family is legit awesome.

They’re sweet, real, funny, big hearted people…of course they are. Michael tells me Jenny has the best questions ever and is just as brilliant as I told him she would be. Teagan loved her. She told me she gave her brownies and Sprite – what’s not to love about that for a 6-year-old? They spent time with Michael and Teagan. They put themselves out there and used their voice to help other people even in the middle of the hustle and I can get on board with that. I can tell you from experience, putting your name on the line to raise money for people that need it is super scary and intimidating. I say “no” to almost everything people ask me to promote for this reason. The internal tape goes like this: “Am I enough to ask this of people? Do people really trust me? What if nobody shows up? What if it’s a flop? That’s on me. I would be disappointing people who need me.” It’s really hard. The Acuffs did it though and I have got a ton of respect for that. I’m proud to have had a small part of our family there to support that action because we need more of that.

You want form your own opinion?
1. Follow his blog because hilarious and awesome. www.acuff.me
2. Read his book Do Over because hilarious and awesome.
3. Tonight at 7:30pm (central), Jon is gathering the Lemon Droppers to do a webinar for us. He’s giving selflessly of his time for FREE to help us in our businesses. Who does that? If you want to be a part of it, you’re welcome to sign up and hear what he has to say. If you work or know someone that does, I know it will apply to you. No matter what, you will at the very least be entertained. You gotta sign up.

www.acuff.me/lemondropper

Bottom line, I’m blessed to have connected with Jon in my business and I have even more respect for his hustle now that I’ve gotten to know him even a little bit. I’ve never been more NOT disappointed in meeting someone I wanted to be awesome. Thanks Acuffs.

FUEL Life on Fire Tour 2015

August 14, 2015 by Lindsay Teague Moreno 1 Comment

As I settle into my few weeks of not traveling, I’m setting my intentions and thoughts on FUEL. Fuel is a 2-day event that I started putting on last summer and has continued into this year. I love FUEL. It is the thing I want for my team. I didn’t know anyone doing anything like it and decided, if I wanted it, I needed to build it…and build it I did. We started with 1 day and now we’re at 2 because there is so much information to give.

We’re getting down to the wire on tickets for Orlando’s date. Both Scottsdale and Chi-town sold out already.

What is FUEL?

The FUEL experience is a 2-day business retreat for you and your team where we focus one whole day on business development and the next day on personal development. We know that unless you’re truly connected to why you’re working, it won’t amount to much. At FUEL our job is to help you find your spark that creates a forest fire in your life and your business. This is NOT business as usual. If you’re ready to think outside the box and create something totally different in your business and you’re ready to take a hard look at the dark corners of your life, you’re ready for the FUEL experience.

Who is it open to?

I usually reserve my time working for my team (the Lemon Droppers) because they have trusted me enough to sign up under me and since there are a lot of us, my time away is limited. FUEL is the exception. Anyone and everyone can come to FUEL and be a part of this experience and I encourage everyone to come. We have had lots of other teams be a part of our past events and they left just as on fire about the content as the Lemon Droppers. I love my Lemon Droppers and I remain devoted to their success but that doesn’t mean that what we do other teams can’t use to grow as well.

How do we get tickets?

https://thefuelexperience-orlando.eventbrite.com/

Who is behind FUEL?

I am. I had the idea to create an space where people could break down the barriers to what is holding them back and unleash a massive hustle into their business. I wanted to get in front of people and look them in the eyes so they KNOW I believe they can do everything I have ever done and more. I don’t believe I’m special. I don’t believe I faced any less roadblocks than you. I don’t believe I came pre-wired for this kind of success. I think I found my spark and lit a fire to everything in my path. I think I found a way to do things differently. Knowing it was going to take more than just work ethic to create a life on fire, I enlisted the help of my friend and respected marriage and family therapist, Kimberly Mahr, to help me dig into our values, how they affect our actions and how our actions affect our lives. Understanding that this is likely going to be a group effort, I enlisted my husband, partner and former College President, Michael Moreno, to help you understand gaining buy in from your spouse, overcoming roadblocks, and working as a team. At FUEL, my business is an open book. If you want to know exactly what I did and how I achieved huge goals in a short time in my business, be prepared to write some notes. I’ll give you the kindling, you just have to light the match.

Where is FUEL?

Last year we did 2 FUEL experience dates (San Diego and Chicago), both sold out and both were massively successful and great learning tools for us as we prepare to go even bigger this year. We learned there is just too much content to pack into one day, so we’re going 2 days now. This year, we’re doing 3 tour stops in the fall. Orlando, Scottsdale and Chicago. We still have seats available for the Orlando Tour Date (September 11 & 12).What do we know about the location and cost?
Hotel: Sheraton Lake Buena Vista Resort 12205 S. Apopka Vineland Rd Orlando, FL
Website: http://www.sheratonlakebuenavistaresort.com/
Amenities: Free Shuttle Service to and from all Disney Parks (Walt Disney World Good Neighbor® hotel), Huge pool with daily activities for the whole family.
FUEL Experience Hotel Rate: $99.00 a night. Rooms must be booked by August 27th to receive the room discount.
Airport to Fly into: Orlando International Airport

Guess who’s coming to Orlando?

GLENNON DOYLE MELTON!!! Yea, as in Momastery.com, Glennon!!! Tell me that doesn’t sweeten the pot!

Reasons to come to this FUEL:

DISNEY!!!!! This FUEL is a Friday/Saturday event. How fun to let the kids and the hubs go to the park during the day and you get your learn on with your team. Spend an extra day on Sunday as a family in the park before heading back. We are taking this hotel over. WOOHOO! Disney is also putting on a HUGE concert for Christian music fans in the evening during this event. You should check it out: NIGHT OF JOY
Cost is $325 for 2 full days

Bottom line?

If you are serious about getting your business moving, you need to be serious about getting your life moving. We’re not just about happy rainbows, unicorns, and feeling good (though, who doesn’t love unicorns, amiright?). Sometimes (okay, most times) growth is hard but it’s also necessary. Get your teams there. You won’t regret it.

Want to see what FUEL is all about?

Here you go…

I hope to see you and your teams there. It’s a no-holds-barred look into my business and what I believe it takes to create a true legacy.

I Was Just Me…

August 11, 2015 by Lindsay Teague Moreno 25 Comments

Michael and I just ran a marathon over the last 5 months.

We started traveling in mid-march and I kid you not, tomorrow will be the first week I will not have to leave my house since. You think you love traveling until you find yourself scared to death to fly and someone throws in 2 unexpected moves in the middle of your jam-packed schedule. NOT. MY. BEST. MOMENTS.

Dallas bound. 1 Bloody Mary in. Talked to my therapist for an hour yesterday about this “problem” I’m having. Haven’t cancelled a flight yet but I’m close. #afraidtofly #doingitanyway #liquidcourage

A photo posted by Lindsay T M (@lindsayteague) on May 13, 2015 at 7:16am PDT

Let me just reiterate the most important part of this whole thing. I just traveled for 5 months straight and I am terrified to fly. Not just like, I’m scared. Like, I cry like I am facing certain death. Sweaty palms, my heart beating so loud you can hear it all the way in the tiny, tiny toilet stall, tears uncontrollably streaming down my face, shaking. I am awesome on a plane. Imagine how excited Mr. Moreno is to jump on a flight with me. Poor dude. 36 flights. I’m doing it anyway. Working seriously hard to get through it. In the last 5 months Mr. Moreno and I have seriously hustled our butts off. Flying all over the world. Not a ton of working on the computer; a bunch of working with people.

Had a few people out last night to a class in the 602. It was fun to see so many faces from growing up and my time here in Arizona. I am so humbled and grateful for your time if you made it out. It is my pleasure to serve you all however I can. Thank you for your love and support, #LemonDroppers. A photo posted by Lindsay T M (@lindsayteague) on May 20, 2015 at 6:21am PDT

I have seen thousands of the people I work with online since March. It’s been totally worth it. I let the blog take the back seat, I let a lot of work stuff take a back seat, I even let time with my kids take a back seat. I learned about how big this business is getting; how many people it is touching. I learned how to spread out the work. I learned how to work though some hard stuff with my husband as we hit a rough few weeks though the stress and constant business.

If you don’t know my background, a little over 2 years ago, I founded a team of Young Living members called The Lemon Droppers. It has grown fast and furious and I’ve spent most of my time sitting in front of a computer creating and teaching and typing. You wanna know a secret? I have no idea what I’m doing. I’m learning absolutely everything about my job as I go. I have experience but not to this extent. I just have to trust my instincts and do what I think is best for my peeps. I’m making plenty of mistakes and I’m doing something right, it seems. This last 6 months my focus was people. Seeing people. Hugging people. Connecting with people. Being who I genuinely am and letting people see that. The good and the bad. I’m not covering up the blemishes; people learn from that. They connect to me by relating to the rough stuff. They’ve been there too.

I don’t know what it is that you do but with this lesson, I don’t think it matters. It’s applicable to absolutely every interaction you have with another human. Are you being truly vulnerable? Are you showing people who you are? Are you being genuinely you? Are you too afraid to let people see the chinks in your armor? Are you pretending? I’m so tired of trying to build relationships with people that are pretending. I’m so tired of this idea that to lead someone you have to be practically perfect; you have to know it all. It’s false. This past 5 months, I was just me and I brought to the table only what I have and it was amazing. As someone who prefers small groups of close friends, I have grown so much through it.

Being with my people has been amazing. I’m ready for some time with my family at home before we go into the fall and hit up 3 cities for the FUEL Life on Fire tour. I’m ready to be back to blogging and creating and thinking into the future. It’s time to get back to my regularly scheduled programming.

Normal is Bliss

March 23, 2015 by Lindsay Teague Moreno 9 Comments

You know, sometimes your life just goes off the rails. You move into something you’re passionate about, you find your spark, you are forced to really buckle down on something for a bit and you lose the person you were before, for a short while. I have noticed this kind of thing play out a few times in my life:
-During a breakup with an ex-boyfriend
-During my master’s program
-After my mom died
-When I took a big corporate gig
-When I was pregnant with my twins

I found myself in a “twist” in the plot of my life; a nice little curve ball that I wasn’t expecting. We become a chameleon for a bit, adapting to our situation and, I believe, just trying to survive until we can get back to who we are, what we love to do, the relationships we let slip on the priorities list.

Have you been here?

Welcome to my life since March 25, 2013. I let absolutely everything go for the last 2 years to create something out of a business that I believe God opened a one-way door into. I was at the point where my only choice was yes. When I say I let everything go, I mean it. Friends, family, health (outside of my oils, thank God), faith, my hobbies, the things I love to do, my obligations, even my kids…it was a life fire sale. “Everything must go!” I spent all hours on work. Building, striving, struggling, winning, losing, growing, learning, teaching, creating, thinking, dreaming…

All of those things were the opportunity cost of my work hours. I gave it all up willingly for a short term to earn the freedom to have all the time I want for those things in the future and you know what? I LOVED it. I found my passion wasn’t just in creating, it was in teaching women leadership. I wouldn’t have ever learned that without the work. Two years and I just knew this whole thing would work. I don’t know how, I just did. It was supernatural. There was a peace in me about saying to Michael, “just give me two years.” I knew it would be a 2-year process. Supernatural. I knew we were going to see massive success. Supernatural. I knew it would set our family up for a completely different normal when we came out of the other end. Supernatural. I am keeping good on my promise. God is keeping good on his promise. I like to think we’re high-fiving on this one.

This is the first time I’m consciously making the effort to take a giant step back from something that is going so right. You guys, it is going so right. Sometimes I just stare at Michael in disbelief at how right it is. At the same time, if I want all to be right in the world again, it’s time to scale back on work and focus on the things I made a complete mess of in the process of building a business…or four. The biggest mess? Me. I made a complete cluster out of myself. It’s time to fix me.

This weekend I posted this instagram and it sparked this post.

This is the week. Transitioning back into a normal life from a complete work addict. Two years on the 25th. I can’t believe it and yet it feels like 20 years ago somehow. I have aged a lot; high pressure, high delivery, high expectation will do that to a girl. Ready to fix the things I damaged over the past couple of years by way of neglect. Mostly myself. #daringgreatly #March25thIsComing #normalisbliss

A photo posted by Lindsay Teague Moreno (@lindsayteague) on Mar 22, 2015 at 12:13pm PDT

I figured many of you can relate to those seasons in life where things just change for a little bit and you have to get back to that person that you are in your core. It’s a season, and you know what? I think seasons are awesome. We always come out changed. We have learned something new. We have new wisdom. We’re better for them. Even the really shitty stuff. The stuff that you think is going to break you. You’re better for it. You have to be thankful for it. By far the hardest thing I’ve learned through a season is being thankful through grief, but I am because I’m better for it. The broken parts of my heart heal but they leave a permanent mark. You know, it’s the scars that remind me of the bliss; the normal, average, everyday bliss. It’s time to snuggle up into that bliss of completely normal. It’s time to have a Saturday where I’m bored. It’s time to get back to me.

Tell me about the seasons in your life in the comments.

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