I overheard some women talking the other day about me, not knowing I was in the same room.  All positive thankfully – as I slinked down behind my tabloid magazine in the nail salon.  One was preaching about how stressed and overwhelmed the other was and the other replied, “I’m not that bad! Have you read that article about Brooke Burke’s life? Manic is a better word for it.”  I quietly laughed inside, as I did a quick check in to see if my norm is a bit overboard.  It must have been the play-by-play in my recent Redbook editorial…the writer documented an average day in my life. 

It’s not easy being a Hundred Percenter- in my life, that means great achievement, not wipe out.  My four kids demand a lot and I am so used to being mommy, chauffeur, concierge, chef, doctor, referee, and so on. To run in over-drive seems normal for me, and I’ve learned to function pretty well there. In my business life, there are too many complainers, cheaters and pessimists.  I know that focus and hard work pays off, not the mention the fact that being NICE goes a long way!  On my recent fitness shoot, I was blessed to work with a crew that was giving 100% and firing on all cylinders.  It saved me many hours of shoot time and validated my appreciation for efficiency.  I love to work with people who are focused and passionate about what they do, and it makes me want to give even more back.  Often that is wishful thinking, but I believe that what goes round, comes around.

If I could ‘fess up: it’s been a really tough week, but what keeps me going is getting my head in the right place and embracing challenge rather than dreading it.  It’s just like the “burn” in fitness. It’s those moment that make the difference.  Hard work pays off and I believe that is when change happens.  Now I am starting to sound like Tony Robbins (who I love), but it’s true.  When I am asked how I keep going after endless hours, and still stay sane, I think to myself, “what else should I do?” Ask me that before my morning coffee and you may see a different woman, but for the most part it’s mind over matter. I know that life’s toughest moments require more strength, love and good people to pull you through.

So as I sit here in my trailer (which feels like a Friday), icing my neck, away from my family, sore as hell from the past 6 days of grueling training…I think what an amazing product we will produce and how excited I am to share it with all of you – that’s what gives me strength to push through the final hours before we wrap.  Here’s a screen shot from my shoot today.