Eat Paint Sweat...Repeat!

More Love Monday!

2011-03-29T16:49:00.000-04:00

Yes today is Tuesday.

Better late than never right? :)

Yesterday I spread more love by-

Not freaking out on the groomer who hurt my little Sophia's ears.
Not freaking out on the vet who told me that she couldn't prove her ear issues were caused by the groomer even though I am certain they are.
Smiling and saying thank you to the girl who rang me up even though I was a little annoyed that my little girl was hurt, I had no one to blame, and I really didn't plan on spending $150.

Every little bit helps!

These three things might sound kinda silly but it was tough for me to remain calm cool and collected when my baby was hurting! I think I did a good job on MLM!

xoxoxo

How do other bloggers do it?

2011-03-27T15:12:00.000-04:00

I am really baffled by the posting abilities other bloggers have. I literally have trouble posting twice a week sometimes!

I missed my T4T this week but here is a quick synopsis of what I was thankful for this week-

The the meeting I had with my accountant on Wednesday. She took her time with me and taught me a TON about owning your own business and what that means from a tax perspective. I have never worked for myself before so I had no clue what I was paying out I HAVE to know and it feels really good to have some control in that area of my life.
Getting a few compliments on my work/work ethic from people I respect and admire. Makes me smile!
I sold two paintings!! This is bitter sweet b/c it is hard to see them go but feels so good knowing that someone loves them and that they will be hanging somewhere where they will get to be seen.
I met a new friend! We hung out on Saturday for the first time and had a great time. So happy to know there are great people out there!

Okay gotta go back to work! I will keep on blogging no matter how hard it is to fit it into my schedule. It's important to me so I will just have to make sure I find a way to make it fit!

happy day!!

xoxoxo

More Love Monday!!! Help Me Spread Some Love Today!!!

2011-03-21T21:35:00.004-04:00

This is my first More Love Monday (MLM)!!

My ice from spraining my ankle! love!! It turned into a heart!! :)

From now on I will be posting a few of the ways that I tried to spread some love today.

Here we go:

This MLM I spread love in the following ways-

If you didn't know... this is a treadmill!

I took the time to clean EVERY part of the treadmill I used at the gym. This includes- the railings on the side of the belt, the front hood part that covers the motor, all the handles, all the button pushing areas, and the cup holder. I used to have to clean equipment at previous jobs and if every one did that I would have been sooo grateful!! This gesture literally only took me about 2 mins to do. I am going to do this from now on and when people look at me like I am crazy I am just going to believe that I am planting a little seed in their head so that they might do the same one day.

This is not my dog but isn't this such a cute shot?!!

I stopped to let the little kids in my neighborhood pet my dogs even though I really just wanted to go inside!! Sometimes I feel like I am in such a RUSH that every little thing that stands between me and my job/task/paintings/errands/fun takes FOREVER. The truth is that is only takes a few minutes. Today I was able to prove this when I let the children play with my dogs after they got off the school bus. In the past I have run inside the second I see them because I don't want to be "held up" but today I realized that it is worth it for me to share my time with those little people. They are sweet and maybe I can be a positive influence in their lives (sometimes it only takes a smile to make a difference in someones life- Especially with children.)

This is NOT my security guard and he actually looks nothing like this.

3. I smiled and waved at the security guard who partrols my complex twice and the last time I saw him I said "Thank you for doing such a great job." I really believe that deep down all of us want praise now and then. When we recieve praise, it fills up our "gas tanks" so that we are able to give 110% again. I hope that you will give some one praise today it will really return itself to you 10 fold! After I said thank you the guard smiled really big and said "Thank you Mame." and it warmed my heart!

How did you spread some L.O.V.E. today??

xoxoxo

Yet Another T4T brought to you by: Friday! :)

2011-03-18T20:29:00.002-04:00

Better late than never huh? :)

Yesterday was one of those days that just seemed SPECIAL- the sun was shining, birds were chirping, my heart felt full, and everything was just good.

This T4T I was thankful for:

1. My new found freedom from the oppression I was feeling from those who did not wish me well and from an environment that was toxic (not like Britney Spears toxic either... bad, ugly, yucky toxic!!) Thank you universe for bringing me clarity and bravery to get the hell out of that situation and into one that is SO MUCH BETTER!!! Thank you thank you thank you thank you!!

2. That I have so many people in my life who love me and think that I am good, happy, strong, useful, smart, girl. I feel so much love from them and love them so much for being the "them" that they are. Love love love love love you all.

3. That I have the abilities that I do, that I have the blessings that I do and that I no longer focus on the negative parts of me. We all have them but we all have so many positives too.

4. That I have a roof over my head, food in my belly, dogs that think I am the best thing in the whole world, and friends who are understanding, sweet, fun, and have kind hearts.

Sooooo much to be thankful for!! Too many to write here.

What are you thankful for today?

xoxo

My "Sick" Workout of the Day

2011-03-15T17:42:00.007-04:00

I wish I looked like this while I was sick! ha!

Yeah, this sick workout is more sick like- cough, cough, sneeze, sneeze than sick like- this kicked butt!

Although it did actually kick my butt.

That brings me to the point of my "sick" story.

Question-

Is it pointless to workout when you can't do as much as you normally do (run at 5MPH rather than 6MPH or do 20 minutes of cardio rather than 45minutes) if it FEELS hard ( like you were doing the same as you always do or more!)?

Answer-

Not really. How hard something feels can vary from from day to day. The most important thing to keep in mind when you are working out is how it FEELS not how many or how much you are doing. It should feel hard- not super hard like you are going to puke, rip, pop or tear something but not so easy that you could do it 10 more times. Basically, your body only knows "Wow this is hard! I better get bigger, stronger, faster, and leaner so it's not so hard next time!" not "Oh no! I only did 10 reps today when I usually do 15! I'm not even going to bother getting fitter now!" Our bodies only know the FEELING of hard not the DEFINITION of hard (although our brain can certainly make us FEEL like the DEFINITION is the most important thing! We just have to remember that physiologically it's not, no matter how much it seems like it is psychologically!)

Here was my "sick" workout of the day (from yesterday-first workout in over a week!)

about 30 mins on the treadmill but I only completed 2 miles. My lungs were not ready for full running! Think I mostly went 5-5.5 MPH with the occasional burst of 5.6-5.8 MPH.
(Normally I'd run intervals as fast as possible or try to run 2-3 miles as fast as I can. Yesterday this WAS as fast as I could! No worries!)
Into the weight room for:
1 set of bicep curls
1 set of tricep kickbacks
1 set of external rotation (for rotator cuff)
1 set of crunches
(I would normally do at least one more set of each or more exercises but for "sick" purposes this was just fine! Also, believe it or not I am sore today!!)
Stretched for about 10 minutes

The moral of the story-

Don't beat yourself up if you can't (or shouldn't) do as much as you'd like to in the gym. Instead Congratulate yourself for getting your butt off the couch and into the gym at all!! So many people don't even make it that far! Also, if it feels hard that means it is hard no matter what your brain may try to make you believe.

xoxoxox

Healthiest Fast Food Meals!

2011-03-13T14:19:00.001-04:00

Yes! you can eat healthfully at these places!

A few weeks ago I blogged about The Healthiest Fast food Breakfasts, but what are people on the go supposed to eat the rest of the day? While fast food isn't my idea of the best food option- some choices are better than others. I did a little research (imagine that! me doing research!- swoon!) on what the best choices are when it comes to fast food eating. You might be surprised that you really can eat pretty healthfully at many popular fast food places. Here are just two resources I found on this subject:

Fitness Magazine posted this list of 24 Surprisingly Healthy Fast Foods.

Parade magazine provides This List to it's readers which includes a few of the best choices from 5 popular fast food joints.

So the main take away here is that being a "perfect" eater is not possible but you should try to make smarter choices whenever possible. Eating at a fast food joint every now and then isn't going to kill you or make you gain 100 pounds but if eating take out is something you do on a regular basis, making smarter choices could be the difference between gaining 10lbs and losing 10lbs. ( I don't know about you but gaining 10lbs doesn't sound very good!)

Enjoy your life just be smart about it!

xoxox

This T4T brought to you by: Friday! :)

2011-03-11T12:48:00.005-05:00

This T4T might be a little late but I did compile all my "thankful for's" while laying on the couch hoping I would wake up feeling better. I am feeling a bit better (thank you zinc and vitamin C!). Think I just need one more day to recuperate before I am able to hit the gym again.

Today I am thankful for:

1. My vision board! I made this with two of my good friends last Wednesday night and I have been looking at it everyday since. I love looking at all the little details (my friend Jackie has the most amazing assortment of stickers and scrapbooking "what-not" she even had little tiny replicas of the British pound! love!)

Tiny British lb to the left of South America- swoon!

2. That my vision board has another side for me to complete!

Plenty of blank spaces just waiting to bill filled!

3. That my pups give me a reason to have to get out of my house 4-5 times per day. Now that I work from home they make me get out of my house, get movement, get dressed, and see the sun when I might otherwise stay in my PJ's and sit in front of my laptop all day.

Dirty laundry= nap time :)

4. My green thumb! I think I inherited it from my mom. She has plants at her house right now that I can remember her having when I was a kid! I love taking care of my plants and enjoy watching them bloom and grow.

Grown from one of my mama's Jade plants.

So much to be thankful for!

What are you thankful for today?

xoxo

Glute Camp Workout!

2011-03-08T10:36:00.003-05:00

Glute Camp!!!

Hello World- long time no blog :)

Women's Health has this whole series of 20 minute workouts on their website (sorry boys!! I promise you can do it too!). Each workout targets a different area of the body and is complete with pictures and video of each exercise! Brilliant!

Here is the glute camp workout. I must admit.. I have not done this workout myself but I plan to! It definitely looks like a killer workout (killer in a good way) as do all the other workouts in the series.

Let me know if any of you end up doing one of these 20 minute wonders and I will do the same.

love love love love!!

Thankful for Thursday- T4T

2011-03-03T19:35:00.004-05:00

This T4T I am thankful for:

1. My little pups being healthy and happy. Took them both to the vet this morning and they were good to go :)

2. The new journal my good friend gave me yesterday. Excited to use it tonight :)

3. Making a new art friend who is just as nice as she is talented :)

4. Staying home to do laundry, cuddle with my pups, relax, and most importantly go to bed early for once!

Lots and lots and lots and lots to be thankful for today!

Lots to be thankful for everyday :)

What are you thankful for today?

xoxoxo

100 Best Prepackaged Health Foods! Now You're Speaking My Language!

2011-02-26T18:42:00.000-05:00

We should all stand up and give a hand to Women's Health Magazine for compiling a list of the top 100 healthiest prepackaged health foods (I know that sounds redundant but unfortunately there are a plethora of unhealthy "health foods" so specificity is a necessity in this case). Since you are already clapping you might as well give me a hand for providing you with a link to the top 100 list.

Thank you, Thank you. You really shouldn't have. :)

Click here to see the list.

PS- Although this list says that it is "for women" really it isn't and if you are a man or plan to buy these foods for a man there is no reason why they shouldn't enjoy them just as much as a woman. This is an equal opportunity food list :)

Done and Done!

Enjoy the rest of your Saturday!

xoxoxo

Workout of the Day (the day before yesterday)

2011-02-25T12:43:00.002-05:00

Because I took the day off yesterday here is my "workout of the day for the day before yesterday." :)

Workout of the Day

Warm up on the treadmill for 3-5 minutes

Ran **recovery based sprint intervals for 2 miles

**recovery based sprint intervals is just fancy terminology for: I ran as fast as I could for at least 30 seconds but no longer than a minute (timing all depended on how fast I was going and how long I recovered before). I would recover at the highest speed I could sometimes that was a jog sometimes it was a walk.

cooled down for about 5 minutes

Free Weights

10-12 regular biceps curls

10-12 standing reverse flies (Click here to see the seated version. It is the 2nd ex down)

10-12 tricep kickbacks (Click here for "how to")

10-12 "knee" pushups

10-12 "knee" triceps pushups (Click here to see the version I did- but on my knees instead of toes)

Stretched all major muscle groups for 10 mins

Verdict-

Great workout! I was too sore to want to workout yesterday but will be back in there today. Hopefully I'll have a chance to post my work out today... today!

Happy Friday!!!

xoxo

Thankful for Thursday. 1st T4T

2011-02-25T00:40:00.002-05:00

Today is my first Thankful for Thursday (AKA- T4T)!

This T4T I am thankful for....

1. the beautiful sky you see above.

2. That I got to paint pottery with two of my favorite ladies.

3. That our friend Bob stopped in to say hello.

4. That we all sang "take me on" by Ah-ha and especially the high pitched parts which we sang at the top of our lungs. :) good times.

Lots to be thankful for today and always.
xoxo

Yesterday's Workout of the Day

2011-02-23T11:28:00.003-05:00

So I am not your typical health, nutrition, wellness blogger exercise physiologist.

Why you ask?

I don't really like to cook. This might stem from the fact that I really, really, really hate washing dishes and being a bachelorette like myself I have no one to ~~force~~ share that duty with.
I eat convenience foods often (see #1) my one saving grace is that I consider fruits and vegetables to be the best convenience foods out there.
I don't get out of bed thinking- "YES!! I can't wait to get to the gym this morning!" There I said it! I don't love working out. What I do love is what working out does for my mind body and spirit.

If you keep #3 in mind it shouldn't be too hard to guess that I prefer to get the most bang for my buck in the gym. I don't believe in getting on the elliptical going 1MPH with zero resistance for 2 hours. I believe in hitting it hard for 30-50 minutes and then getting the heck out of there so I can go do something fun while feeling fantastic!!

Here was yesterday's Workout of the Day-

3-4 minute warm up on the treadmill

1.5 miles as fast as I could finish it

cool down for about 1-2 minutes

Got on a mat right next to my treadmill and did-

12 regular crunches

12 lateral crunches (for obliques)

12 reverse crunches

10 superman/woman

plank for 30 seconds

Hopped back on the treadmill

ran 1.5 miles as fast as I could again

got off and repeated the same ab and low back circuit again

stretched for 10 minutes

Came home to PAINT!!

Verdict?-

It was a killer workout. I was sweating my butt off. My abs are super sore today.
you should definitely try it!

xoxoxo

Healthiest fast food breakfasts!

2011-02-20T01:06:00.004-05:00

CNN created a break down of the top 10 Healthiest fast food breakfasts. Check out the line up HERE!
If you travel a lot, are a bachelor/bachelorette, or a busy mom/dad this this list is a perfect resource for you.
Enjoy!

Soy Free Veggie Burgers? Oh my!

2011-02-17T18:22:00.002-05:00

Sadly... I am allergic to soy protein (gasp!) and these are the first veggie burgers that I have EVER found with no soy protein! Are they good? We shall see! :)

Verdict-

They are just okay and I am sure that other veggie burgers are way better, however, since I am allergic to soy (blah!!) I will most likely buy them again just to have on hand for days I don't want to cook (everyday-oops! did I say that out loud?) Furthermore, I have a theory that cheddar cheese and ketchup can make anything taste good. Needless to say I ate my burger with a slice of melted cheddar cheese on it and dipped every bite in ketchup. I only did that for the extra calcium and protein in the cheese and the antioxidants in the ketchup though. (wink.wink)

New York's Attempt to Fight the Obesity Epidemic... Ummm? Good Effort?

2011-02-17T15:28:00.007-05:00

Good Idea NYC, if only it worked!

So in an effort to fight the obesity epidemic NYC passed a law that requires chain restaurants to post the nutritional facts for their menus. Basically NYC thought, "Well.. the obesity rate is rising at an alarming rate and Americans are eating out more than ever before. Hmmmm. I'm sure if patrons knew the fat and calorie content of the food they'd surely make better food choices."

Good idea right?

Not so much.

A group of researchers decided to go out into the field to figure out if this new law did indeed have an affect on the ordering habits of patrons. After choosing the 4 most popular fast food establishments in NYC they camped out at each restaurant. They did a total of 45 "observations" at the busiest time of day for each restaurant. In all they were able to observe the decision making patters of 4,311 people.

The Results-

The researchers were able to determine that 0.1% (that's about 6 people) of the 4,311 patrons actually looked at the nutrition facts before they ordered! 0.1%! This is unfortunate because it is widely accepted that the majority of restaurant patrons grossly under-estimate the total calorie and fat count of the meals they order.

Unfortunately this tactic doesn't seem to be working. Sigh.
Very good try NY but sadly... no cigar.

xoxo

The little Blog that Could One Year Later

2011-02-16T18:12:00.003-05:00

I had a realization today while I was running on the treadmill (yes I still sweat!)

This is the little blog that could

I began this blog one year ago with the intention of spreading love, cheer, and most importantly science based fitness, nutrition, and wellness information. I think it is fair to say that a few months into it I most definitely lost my focus. I think it is also fair to say that this has been one hell of a year for me!

To everything- turn, turn, turn

There is a season- turn, turn, turn

My season has begun again.

Fresh as a daisy and light as a feather.

I have so much to give and give is what I plan to do.

My little blog may have strayed off course and I nearly deleted the last 100 posts but in the end I think it is important for others to see how my little blog became what it is today, a little blog who never gave up. Just like it's mama :)

So to all the 3 or 4 people who read this window into my soul. Bring on the fitness, nutrition, and wellness questions, comments, and concerns. I am here, I have my exercise physiologist & artist! cap and nerd specs back on and I am ready to blow the health and wellness lid off this blogosphere!(spelling??)

See!! (scary huh?haha!)

Join me won't you?

Wishing you love love love and even more LOVE!!

xoxo

Seasonal Affective Disorder is SAD :(

2011-02-16T00:50:00.009-05:00

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is no joke!
(I can't figure out why this is so small! Sorry about that. Hope it doesn't happen again.)
When I lived in NYC I was pretty much depressed about 6-8 months (depending on the duration of the gloomy, gray, blistery cold weather) per year. For me, depressed meant, having low energy levels, not wanting to workout, wanting to sleep all day, and wanting to curl up on the couch and eat "comfort" foods rather than go to a Broadway show or one of the amazing museums that NYC is known for (makes perfect sense for an artist huh?). Multiply 6-8 months by 4 years and you get- a whole lot of waisted time! The funny thing is, I didn't know I was SAD at the time. It wasn't until I moved back to sunny FL that I realized "Holy crap! I feel like I am awake for the first time in years!" It was on that day 10+ years ago that I realized that SAD is no joke and that individuals who spend extended periods of time indoors (office workers) or in geographical locations with low sunlight (the majority of the world) should consider taking steps to fight that SAD feeling that they might not even know they are feeling.

Below are a few snippets I pulled from an article on Medscape Today. Medscape is a free site that provided science based information. The best part about the site is that they summarize studies and put them into easy (some might just be easier) to understand and way shorter articles. If you want more information on SAD please check out the full article here: http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/736715

Seasonal Affective Disorder vs Depression
Many see seasonal affective disorder (SAD) as synonymous with winter depression. However, depression is only half of the problem; spring and summer mania tend to be ignored. Beginning with winter depression, core symptoms resemble hibernation. People sleep more, eat more, and are less interested in usual activities. They are not sad in mood, typically, and may be unaware that their slowed down, uninterested behavior reflects a kind of depression.

A number of misconceptions are harbored about winter depression. The most frequent, perhaps, is that it has to do with coldness of temperature. Winter depression is not about shivering and freezing. These do not cause depression; decreased light does. It doesn't matter whether it's 70°F or 20°F outside; if there are 10 hours of light in a day rather than 14, then seasonal depression will follow. When I worked in Atlanta, Georgia, many people who used to live in Florida came to me with SAD. Georgia had notably less light than Florida, even though temperatures were only slightly colder.

Moreover, light itself is not the only cause of depression. Light interacts with a person's own sensitivity to depression. Some people, especially those with bipolar disorder or recurrent unipolar depression, are sensitive to changes in light, and will develop winter depression even in areas with reasonable light levels, such as Georgia or Italy. Others are insensitive to light, and will not develop SAD even in areas with low light levels, such as New England or Scandinavia.

Light and Mood

What does light do to cause changes in mood? Light entrains our circadian rhythms; it is what keeps us on regular sleep-wake cycles. When sleep is impaired and reduced, an antidepressant effect occurs, and, in sensitive persons, mania materializes. This is what takes place in the spring and summer when light greatly increases. Longer duration of sleep leads to depression in sensitive persons. Circadian cycles appear to be biologically abnormal in people with bipolar disorder and recurrent depression, hence their sensitivity to light. One of the effects of lithium, for instance, is to lengthen circadian cycles, which appear to be abnormally shortened in animal models of mania. A specific gene, called the CLOCK (Circadian Locomotor Output Cycles Kaput) gene, appears to be related to abnormal circadian rhythms. Changes in light availability are an external way in which our circadian rhythms are lengthened or shortened. In most of us, these changes do not affect our moods; in others, they do.

Warding Off Seasonal Depression

Besides light box treatment (which we'll discuss) for seasonal depression, I've developed my own recommendations for both winter depression and summer mania, which one could call "light precautions." They are as follows, briefly.

In winter. Increase your exposure to light as much as possible. Go out for a walk at noon for up to an hour without any sunglasses on; sleep with all the blinds up.

In summer. Reduce your exposure to light as much as possible: Always wear sunglasses; get room-darkening shades; and sleep in as much darkness as possible. (It is key to adjust one's exposure to natural morning sunlight. It is amazing how many people who oversleep never think of pulling up their window shades, and how many people who don't sleep enough don't think about getting room-darkening window shades.)

Happy to be back with you all!!

Great things to come

for you

for me

and all the good people in between.

xoxox

SPAIN!! figuratively not literally!

2011-01-21T11:12:00.003-05:00

SPAIN!!!

This is one of the paintings I have on display at the library in downtown Orlando.

In the top left hand corner you can see a poem I wrote about Spain.

Spain = bliss

Spain = happiness

Spain = freedom

Spain = love
Spain = congratulating

Spain = head held high

Spain = belief in yourself
Spain = belief in others
Spain = doing the right thing
Spain = following your heart
Spain = giving back
Spain = being grateful

Ahhhhhhh Spain!!

Spain

Acrylic on canvas

16x16

So take it from me:

Don't worry love

SMILE

at the rain

Soon it will

STOP

and you'll be

left with

SPAIN

love love love and more love!

Song of the freaking day!!!

2011-01-19T23:11:00.003-05:00

Uprising: Muse

Paranoia is in bloom

The PR transmissions will resume
They’ll try to push drugs to keep us all dumbed down
And hope that we will never see the truth around

So come on!

Another promise, another scene
Another packaged lie to keep us trapped in greed
With all the green belts wrapped around our minds
And endless red tape to keep the truth confined

So come on!

They will not force us
They will stop degrading us
They will not control us
We will be victorious!

Interchanging mind control
Come let the revolution take its toll
If you could flick a switch and open your third eye
You’d see that we should never be afraid to die

So come on!

Rise up and take the power back
It’s time The Fat Cats had a heart attack
You know that their time is coming to an end
We have to unify and watch our flag ascend

They will not force us
They will stop degrading us
They will not control us
We will be victorious

Hey .. hey … hey .. hey!

They will not force us
They will stop degrading us
They will not control us
We will be victorious

Hey .. hey … hey .. hey!

Such a great song!!

xoxo

I Am Almost Back!

2011-01-04T23:53:00.000-05:00

Hello Friends, Family, and... well.. everyone else!

I am almost back

I am almost free

I am almost ready to be me

I am almost to a destination unknown

I am almost feeling at home

I am almost ready to start the attack

I am almost back

I am almost BACK!

It feels so good!!

Wishing you love love love love love love!!

Me in the window

Berkeley, California

Wass up Haters???

Really though... What is up haters? Do tell :)

Steph

Me and the MUSES!

2010-12-27T23:03:00.003-05:00

this is me and the muses. i found these crazy statues when i was on a walk in London. i walked and walked and walked. i ended up getting lost. i found so many beautiful things. i had so many beautiful moments. those moments help me make it through my days. i am in love w these moments and can't wait for more and more and more and more.

Bright and Sunny Florida Day (but Sooooo Cold!!)

2010-12-27T15:54:00.000-05:00

It is a freezing day here in Sunny Florida!
I am doggie sitting little Dante, and his sisters Remy and Jazzy

Only Dante is here with me at my house. I will brave the cold to feed and take out his siblings later on tonight.

Question: How the heck is there not a starbucks every five feet around where I work?
I heart starbucks. I can't help it. You always know what you are going to get!
I love consistency.
Coffee
Yummy Coffee
Where for art thou Coffee?
Get in my belly!

I am going to try to do a bit more blogging now.
I miss ya'll :)

wishing you much love :)

It's Almost New Year's Day.... What??

2010-12-22T15:59:00.000-05:00

It is so crazy that 2010 is almost over.
I feel like I just started dating things correctly and now I have to start the process all over again!

Here is a thought about New Year's Resolutions:
Generally I believe that NYR's are, in a nutshell, pretty dumb. Why change tomorrow what you can change today? Why get healthy on Jan 1st when you can get healthy NOW?

While I believe this is true, there is an undeniable sense of renewal that starts to float around in the air at the end of the year.
A new year does give you the sense that you can also be a new you (whatever that means to you) as well.

I don't think vowing to completely over haul one's life from one day to the next is ever a good idea but I do believe that if you feel inspired to make a change you should do it. I have been a little judgmental about NYR's in the past but I think I am beginning to change my mind.... a little.

Make the changes you want to make when you feel the inspiration to do so. If it just so happens to coincide with new years eve... so be it.

Questions to ask yourself:

Is this "resolution" realistic?
Is it maintainable
Is it strategic
Will accomplishing my resolution bring me more of what matters most to me or will it push those people and things further away from me?
What is the reason behind this change? Is it for me or for someone else?

If you have positive answers to all of the questions above... then go for it!

The sky's the limit.

"Be the change you want to see in the world"- Ghandi

I want a change, a redirection of energy, a renewal of my passion and strength, a re-dedication to my health and well being.

Not only do I think this is doable...

I think I deserve it!!

and...

you do too.

xoxoxo

a poem?

2010-11-23T22:53:00.001-05:00

I am a girl who know one truly knows
from the top of my head
to the tips of my toes
I am much more
than what they chose to see
I have fought for Spain
I fought for the key
sometimes I get nervous
and sing out of tune
in these moments I take a breath close my eyes
and remember the moon