Ah, what an amazing week it’s been. Spring is in the air, fun things are happening, and I’ve just been all sorts of thankful lately.
I’ve also been doing quite a lot of…oh, how do you say, pondering about life. But who am I kidding? I’m always doing that 😛 Lately, that has looked a bit like…
1) Did you know that awe is awesome for your health? Sometimes I find myself in awe of the dumbest, most insignificant things (I can’t even imagine how I’ll react when I finally start to travel more, ha). But I really want to make it a point to be even more observant of the world around me. Not just nature/sights, but conversations. “Average” moments. Even the tiniest of miracles and surprises.
2) I want/need to start acknowledging my story more. I always discredit it because it’s nothing special - what I’ve “been through” is the same as most other people. Fear. Insecurity. Anxiety. Heartbreak. The same old, same old.
But last week I got a message from a reader that left me nearly in tears because I could so deeply relate. It brought back so many old emotions, and I realized how thankful I was for certain experiences (no matter how difficult they were) because I could empathize with her and maybe shed at least an ounce of hope on her situation.
I’m rambling. But I guess what I’m saying is that even though my experiences/story is similar to so many others, I’m the only one who can tell mine. That transparency, though, it ain’t so easy…
3) Being an adult rocks. Yeah yeah, technically I’ve been an adult for 10 years. But over the past year I really feel like an adult, and it’s awesome. It’s not so much feeling old - it’s feeling comfortable in my own skin, more in control of my destiny, and much easier to let go of the things that don’t actually matter.
4) Flexible dieting is where it is AT. I can’t believe I let myself think that bread, cheese, and even quinoa were “bad” for me at one point. Seriously, that’s not cool.
(left - avocado toast. right - a bowl of awesomeness from Roast Kitchen)
5) I need a personal mission statement. I may or may not be working on it already 😉 The other day I read an article about creating your own mission statement, and I actually got sort of pissed at myself that I didn’t think to do it before. Basically it’s a compilation of your core values, goals, etc. Now that I think about it, I should do a separate post about this - yes?
6) You’re (I’m) never ever EVER too old or too far along to break a bad habit. Same goes for starting a new (good) one.
7) I have a feeling that by this time next year, my life is going to look drastically different. Do you ever feel that way…?
8) I’m a sucker for a good inside joke. The more we have, the more I probably like you.
9) Always ALWAYS sleep on your decisions (when possible). Give a few weeks for the bigger ones. Personal example - if I did not do this, I would own the adorable-but-not-good-decision of a bunny rabbit right about now.
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What’s a lesson you’ve learned lately? With me on any of these?
loved this post! i think spring brings about a sense of rebirth in our souls and i couldn’t be any more grateful for it! glad to hear good things are happening in your life and you are enjoying plenty of soul-searching/ reflection. xx
Sometimes I feel like we’re twins with the amount of pondering I do….
I also love this post, especially the quote about your story being the key to unlocking someone’s prison. It is so true and definitely does apply to many situations,
I agree with sleeping on big decisions except when they involve adorable bunnies. Always get the ridiculously cute bunny, Gracie : )
hehehe, I’m already reconsidering!
That bunny!!!! Too adorable!
Love this! I would love to hear about the mission statement! I need to do this! xo
I’ll say it. Not getting the bunny was a mistake! 😉
hehehe i secretly still want one so bad
I started flexible dieting last year as a way to loosen my grip around “food rules” and it was SO TRANSFORMATIVE! Granted, I went a little too far left and my diet consisted primarily of lucky charms and oreos - but now I’ve really begun to appreciate and find so much joy in high-quality foods. Cheese, butter, chocolate have all become regular pantry staples and the craziest part is — I’ve never been happier with my body. I finally feel “in control” of my diet because I don’t care that much about being “in control” at all.
That makes sense, promise.
It does make sense! I actually ate the way I’m eating now for so many years, but somewhere along the line like a year or two ago (I guess when Paleo got big) I became convinced that I was doing it all wrong. But I’m back to balance/normalcy, and loving it 😉
Personally, I think the Paleo diet is great. I am seeing and feeling the benefits of the diet for a long time now. Not only have I lost weight, but I feel much more energised, and much better in myself. I think the reason is that whilst the paleo diet may be a diet, I do actually eat much much varied food than I did previously. All I’ve done is taken out the stodge that my body finds hard to digest, and added more types of fruit, veg, and indeed meat.
I’ve now actually taken an interest in cooking paleo meals, which I can guarentee is 100% better than throwing some ready meals in the oven like I used to.
I’m a real foodie, and would not survive on any other diet, but Paleo has been very good for me. I’ve written about one of my favourite cookbooks: http://cookbook-reviews.net/review-the-paleo-grubs-book/
Almost impulsively bought a bunny too! They’re so cute, but there’s not much you can do with them haha.
exactly hahah
Yes to all of the above! If you ever want to chat about flexible dieting - we should make it happen! I think it will (hopefully) be the answer for me and my body. I love your statement about being a drastically different person in the next year…I love that kind of thinking. I am certain that each day we become a better and stronger person, so imagine what an entire year can do. I have big dreams, and I hope they start to unfold in the next year. =) And yes — more on the mission statement writing! I love that idea!
Yes, def! Are we friends on FB? if not friend me
Gracie Gordon! xo