It’s late… and I just can’t sleep…

The snow has stopped falling – we have survived the blizzard of 2013!

This was the most snow I’ve seen in a long time. We get snow here regularly in the Winter… but I honestly feel like it’s been years since I’ve seen this much in one storm. I personally love the snow – the crisp clean smell of the air, the chilly breeze, the way everything looks blanketed in white… just beautiful. And as you can see – Rocko enjoyed it too!

I haven’t been writing much lately. I guess it’s because I’ve been so busy with work and school, and busy is good! I’m reading an excellent new book called Poke the Box by Seth Godin. Have you heard of it? Thought I’d share! It was recommended to me by a co-worker. It’s a very easy read, and honestly very inspirational. The book talks about how we all need to stop waiting for others to make things happen. If we want to make a change, or if we want to be successful, we need to take that initiative and stop being afraid. We need to think outside our comfort zone, stop asking for permission, stop waiting for others to do the work, and just do what needs to be done. Without risk there is very little chance of success. It’s up to you to decide if that risk is worth taking. Good read. Check it out!

Kind of wish I read it earlier… maybe I would have changed paths a long time ago if I had read these moving and uplifting words. Stuck day in and day out in a place you are not fond of… not a way to live. However, I didn’t quite know how unhappy I was until I was no longer there – so who knows.

Many other things going on in my life… too many to really type about this late at night, and nothing serious. Maybe next time. Til then – thanks for stopping by!

I’m on my way!

Woah – How did it get to be January 20th so quickly?

Hmm. What have I been up to?
Honestly, not much. Work, school, hanging out, Zumba, Marketing…. you know, the usual. I guess that’s why I haven’t written much. I have been trying to eat healthier, and as a result have lost five pounds. I’m only five pounds from my goal weight now. This has been a long two years trying to reach where I want to be. I remember the day I looked in the mirror and realized I had gained a substantial amount of weight…. in a not so long time. It seemed like I woke up 50 pounds heavier than I remembered being… which of course was not true… but in my head I was still this tiny, size 1 high schooler…. Years of eating whatever I wanted had finally caught up to me. I have always been an active person – swimming, yoga, gym, walking, hiking, etc. But it doesn’t make a difference when your Thyroid is about to shit the bed… That was me. I didn’t know it yet though… I worked out five days a week, ate salads daily, drank so much water, and completely cut out soda. I lost ten pounds. I then plateaued and couldn’t lose more…. it just so happened I was about to hear why.

When I first was diagnosed, it came after some routine blood work. I had never had blood work done for routine labs, I was only 22 and had never been told I should have routine checks now and then. I had blood drawn in the past for my heart problem… mainly because my doctors thought I was on drugs and couldn’t possibly be a 16-year-old with an actual heart problem… who knew. But back to the thyroid – when the results came in, my doctor called and asked if I had been feeling tired, sluggish, drained, having dry skin and hair, and overall lacking any type of motivation. I thought they were reading my mind. I hadn’t mentioned these issues because I thought I was just stressed… I was going through a particularly hard time at work and with my personal life, and just felt rundown. Who doesn’t when they are completely burnt out?

So it turns out I have hypothyroidism. Basically my thyroid was working WAY too hard to create not enough hormone. It was essentially burning itself out. Luckily it was caught early and a low dose medication can bring me back to life. Since then, it’s been up and down. They have increased my prescription twice and so far, my current dose has kept me nice and steady. I lost ten more pounds after I was first diagnosed, but with the ups and downs, I gained back five. That five has been a PAIN to get rid of…

Well I lost it. Lately I’ve been making a conscious effort to pay attention to what I eat. Typically I eat a small, healthy breakfast in the morning (eggs, wheat toast, or a greek yogurt) – I snack mid morning (usually on some pretzels and maybe a wedge of laughing cow cheese YUM) – I eat a healthy lunch (salad, soup, usually something consisting of mostly vegetables) – sometimes I’ll have another snack between then and dinner – I then do my best to make a balanced meal for dinner. I don’t starve myself, I treat myself when I need it, and keep control of my portions when I feel like splurging a bit. My motto is everything in moderation when it comes to food. I enjoy food. I specifically enjoy food that tends to be not so good for you…. mostly involving cheese…. and pasta…. so I find ways to include healthier options in my daily life so when I splurge on the REALLY GOOD STUFF… it’s not so bad. You also need to give yourself a break. Don’t beat yourself up over some chocolate… or a piece of pizza.

Exercise is also a major role in my success, and my happiness. I love yoga. It makes me feel relaxed, rejuvenated, and ready to take on the world. Recently I’ve found another love, ZUMBA! If you have read my other posts you know that I recently became a licensed Zumba instructor! I can’t wait to get to a point where I can teach and share this WONDERFUL thing with the world! It’s fun and healthy and has a way to make Every woman (or man) feel sexy. happy, and healthy. Just stay Active! Take walks, take the stairs, keep moving and drink lots of water! 🙂

So there’s my story of how I lost 20 pounds and am finding my way to self happiness again. I physically see a change and I mentally feel a change. It’s not even about the number – it’s about being happy with yourself. I’m very happy with where I am now and know that when I reach my goal I’ll be content. It’s about living healthy, in all aspects of life. Stress is a killer, and let me tell you – it was killing me. I have enough physical problems between my heart problem (that’s a whole other story), my thyroid, my anxiety, migraines, and scoliosis – I don’t need to additional stress. I’ve learned to let things go and how to just breathe sometimes. Life is too short – I know it’s cliche, but it is! I’m sick of not enjoying today because I’m worried about tomorrow. So that’s my lesson today – Be healthy, Be happy, and just BE!

Oh – and I must say a giant thank you to my wonderful boyfriend. He’s supported me on this journey, and has never said anything but wonderful things about me. When I met him I had no confidence… probably the result of certain things in my childhood and previous boyfriends. He has made me see the wonderful things about me that I always over looked. Luckily, he’s never made me feel anything less than beautiful. And although he has loved the way I look since we met, he’s been a rock for me to lean on and shoulder for me to cry on. He’s helped me become a stronger person and makes me feel better about myself every day, and for that I am eternally thankful.

2012 in a Nutshell

So another year is about to begin and, like most people, I’ve begun the process of reflecting on the past year’s events and what’s to come. Did you have a good year? Did it suck? Was it just ok? Mine overall wasn’t horrible… but there were some serious ups and downs.

Car problems – nothing but problems. I’ve had this car for a little over a year now and feel like I have had more problems than I had the entire 7 years I had my last car. Nothing but bad luck unfortunately. But hopefully all the maintenance this year will mean less issues throughout the time I own the damn thing…

There’s always relationship ups and downs – luckily things stayed happy during the majority of my own issues. He stepped up and supported me when I needed it most. That was a serious up! 🙂

I lost my job… While unexpected, it turned out to be a good thing. I wasn’t very happy there… I never felt my job was appreciated, and frankly I lost my motivation long before I lost the job. And although it turned out great, it was a horrible thing to go through. Not knowing where my next paycheck would come from or how to pay my bills… plus the overall feeling after being fired is not exactly pleasant…

Our puppy got sick… well actually, he ate something. Don’t know what – but all I know is it obviously shouldn’t have been eaten! Four X-rays, an ultrasound, three days in the hospital, blood work, and over $600 later – feed him some special food for a month and he’ll be fine…. ugh… Just glad he is ok – but boy what a pain!

I wanted to start my own business… but realized it wasn’t the right time. Still an all time goal – and one I will obtain one day. But for now, no funds and a lack of a higher degree kind of put a damper on things. One more year until I have my Bachelor’s and then maybe I’ll try again – if the time is right.

I found another job! One in which I feel appreciated, liked, and overall happy. The company is fantastic. The people are fun. The atmosphere is perfect. It’s just great. Plus – they specialize in marketing! No more explaining my importance! It’s part-time for now – hopefully full-time one day. But as long as I can get by on the part-time pay I’m happy! It’s nice to enjoy my work.

I became a licensed Zumba instructor! Wow what a rush! I’ll hopefully be teaching within the next few months. Just need to get some more experience in front of the crowd and putting together my own routines! I can’t wait – I can’t think of a better way to makes some extra cash than exercising and helping others get their dance on!

Had a mostly family-related drama free year. Last year was a bit ridiculous. Unfortunately that happens from time to time. But this year we all seemed to get along for the most part – and communicated better.

Overall… 2012 wasn’t bad. The last few months were rough and full of unexpected obstacles. But I am hopeful for 2013. I have new job opportunities, new classes to take, and new adventures to begin. This year has taught me a lot about what I can handle, what I shouldn’t handle, and what I need to focus on. I’m on my path to success. I’m staying strong and motivated. And above all – I’m staying focused on staying happy and healthy. I wish you all a great 2013! Let’s make it count!

Bring it on 2013! I’m ready!

ZUMBA! And Other Exciting Things

This weekend I took a big step and became a licensed ZUMBA instructor! It took a long day, a lot of movement, and a ton of water – but I did it! 🙂  And I have the photos to prove it!

I started going to Zumba classes earlier this year and completely fell in love with it. These classes allow me to completely let loose, shake off the stress, have fun,  and get in shape at the same time. A few months ago I decided I wanted to learn to teach the class. Not only would this be a great way to make some extra money, it would be a way for me to continue doing what I love and share it with others. As I’ve mentioned before – it’s important to do what you love! Do you have a hobby that you could turn into some extra income? You’d be surprised at how many options are out there – from selling homemade crafts on sites like Etsy to learning to teach your favorite exercise class, you can find just about anything out there for services needed. Like animals? Check out pet sitting options. Are you a scrapbook fanatic? Offer to create them for coworkers and friends. Not everyone is crafty – and if you are, people want what you can do!

I also got some good news this week – my work went from a mere 10 hours a week to closer to 15-20. It’s getting there, maybe full-time someday. In the mean time, I’m enjoying the opportunity to make enough money to get by while still having much more free time. That’s another reason I jumped on the opportunity to attend Zumba training – I have the time to do it so why not take advantage of it now? I’m still always looking for more opportunities to make some extra cash. Why not, right? But for now I’m content with the way things are going – at least they are going in the right direction!

So how about you? What are you doing to change things for the new year? New job opportunity? New relationship? New home? What is your goal for 2013? How do you plan on doing that? You can do anything you put your mind to so don’t give up – EVER! Sometimes life takes us down really bumpy paths… ones that make us question how we may ever get on the right road again. Then suddenly, the sun shines, birds sing, and path gets much more peaceful. Find your peace. If it’s not your job – make it your hobby. Make time for you. That’s my message this week – don’t be afraid to take the next step in growing. Don’t be afraid of change. Stay positive and know that one day you will be where you want to be.

Feeling thankful…

There are many things that I could consider “wrong” in my life right now and yet I’ve been feeling a great sense of calm lately. I find it a coincidence that I’m thinking of these things around Thanksgiving – I am not one of those who only do nice things around the holidays… but that’s exactly what I’ve felt lately – thankful. I have a roof over my head, a career opportunity that will hopefully blossom into something great, a loving boyfriend/bestfriend to come home to every night, a wonderful pup, and enough money in the bank to put food on our table. Most of all I’m thankful to finally be filling my days with what I love to do. I am surrounded each day by marketing, advertising, and innovative ways to get the word out on new and exciting products. If only I could burst into a broadway musical number in the middle of each day – then my life would truly be complete.

This will not be a long post. I’m simply here to stress to you the importance of doing what you love. Did I think losing my job would turn out with me being happier each day? No, not at first. But it did in fact set me free to find my passion again. What’s better than doing what you love each day? This opportunity is only part time but I’m determined to get things rolling and solidifying a future there. So as the holidays arrive, maybe it’s time for us to do some re-evaluating in our lives. If there is a way you can do what you love vs. something you just do… go for it! I know we can’t all just pick up and start somewhere knew, but when the time is right we all deserve the right to enjoy our daily lives. Do some searching online – maybe get a part time job that involves what you are passionate about. Maybe you just take a few hours out of each day to enjoy what you love to do. There is a way to fill your life with the things you love and the things you Want to do. You just need to find a way to make it work while still making ends meet.

My only problem is I have too many things I enjoy and would love to do daily. Marketing is the main one at the moment but there’s acting, singing, helping people and animals in need… oh and ZUMBA. From my first class I knew I wanted to learn more and more about it. Maybe one day I’ll be a Marketer by day, singer by afternoon, and Zumba instructor by night – a girl can dream, right?