End of January....

JOB WELL DONE! 

So, that was January. Lots of snow, ice, wind and rain. 

I'd thought I'd report with how the goals for this month went:

1) Keep a 1-line journal: Check! (for confirmation, see below)

{Journal fantastique}

2) Don't go 2 days w/o exercising: Check! (although I did go 3 days during the snow storm... power was out all over the area! (the gym included)

3) Meet w/a personal trainer: Check! (and ouch!)

4) Take Vitamins: Pretty much, although forgot some days.

5) Make dinner 2x a week: Living with the parents it's become more like 1x a week (last week was tomato basil parmesan soup... yum!) I'm so excited for those farmer's markets to start up again!

January was a success!!

I *heart* Yoga

Practice makes perfect!! 

Five Things

What made me happy this last week:

1) Spending so much time (and yoga) with Mrs. Susan Bloom. I <3 you.
2) Hemming all of my jeans and dress pants. Every time I put on a pair, I'm like, "ahhh."
3) Snow.
4) Getting mail (and a book auf deutsch!) from my dear friend Susanne in Switzerland.
5) Reading Mindy Kaling's "Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? And Other Concerns."

"Alternate Title: The Girl With No Tattoo" 

ps. While I imagined meeting with a personal trainer would make me happy, it in fact did not. No, it actually made me very, very sore and gave me low self-esteem for a few days (do we really need to know our body fat percentages?!) but despite all that, I'm proud I went. If I were "financially secure" I'd definitely meet with him more often, but for now I'm happy lifting weights all on my lonesome.

Goal Attained!

This month I wanted to meet with a personal trainer... and today I've got the sore muscles to prove that I did!!! I met with Kevin at my gym, got weighed/body fatted, and gave my legs one hell of a workout. Hot damn. :o) 

January Goal Update (#1)

Keep on, Keepin' on!

January = so far so good!

Vitamins? Check. 

Working out? Yup. Also: trainer appointment made – SNAP!

Journal? You betcha. 

Cooking? Not so much, but mama's keeping me well fed ;o)

Here's a song that ALWAYS puts a smile on my face:

Florence and the Machine: The Dog Days Are Over

Blog share: 20 Resolutions for 20-somethings

I found this list of 20 resolutions for 20-somethings on the Thought Catalog page. Some of them are really priceless! I thought I'd share.... I highlighted the resolutions I thought were really worthwhile :o)  

But don't listen to the advice on #13: brussels sprouts are delicious. 

1. Before you status update, Tweet, Tumble or Instagram, pause and say to yourself, “is it entirely necessary that I share this morsel of thought with my entire social network?”and if the answer is not, “yes, I absolutely must,” then step away from the Internet.
2. Know which candidate you’re going to vote for in the upcoming presidential election, and know why.
3. Enough with the 14-day juice cleanses. If you want to lose a little weight quickly, eat less and exercise like crazy. If you want to lose a lot of weight slowly, do whatever Jennifer Hudson did.
4. If you really like the person you’re hooking up with and would like them to be your boyfriend/ girlfriend, find a way to tell them, and hope for the best. If you don’t and wouldn’t, stop.
5. Find a way to save approximately 300 dollars and spend it on a flight to see a friend or family member who lives far away.
6. Please stop liking the Kardashians, all of them. It’s not helping anyone, least of all the Kardashians.
7. Spend less than or equal to the money you earn each month.
8. Wear clothes that fit you, especially to work.
9. Call someone on the phone at least once a week, and speak to him or her for at least ten minutes.
10. Start preparing now to get over the fact that Facebook is probably going to change again in six months. You’re not going to deactivate your account. You don’t know how.
11. Wait 30 seconds before you look up a fact you can’t remember on your phone, and try to remember it using your brain. This is what the olden days were like.
12. Replace one terrible reality show you’re currently watching with one wonderful scripted show currently available on television.  Swap suggestion: Real Housewives of Anywhere for HBO’s Enlightened.
13. Try that food you think you don’t like but have never actually tried, unless it’s brussels sprouts. They really don’t need any more attention.
14. Cut one person out of your life who you truly do not like and add one person who you truly do. Note: not on Facebook, on Earth.
15. If you’re still blacking out regularly, you should stop.
16. Volunteer once over the next 90 days.  You’ll feel really good about it, and probably end up volunteering again over the next 275.
17.  Tell someone who you love that you love them on a more regular basis. To their face, not in a text.
18. Back up your entire online life onto an external hard drive, especially your photos.
19. Crap or get off the pot. This applies to whatever thing you’re not doing that you should just sack up and do already.
20.  And in the eternal words of Tom Haverford, “TREAT YO SELF!”

NEW YEARS DAY!

So thus begins my year-long project on happiness. While shopping in Seattle after the 5K Jingle Bell Run this year, I happened upon Gretchen Rubin's book "The Happiness Project". In her book, she details how although she was married, employed, a mother and not unhappy with her life, she wasn't exactly happy either. So she set small goals for herself to achieve each month (with a specific theme) with the end goal being to do them all and become an overall more happy person. Fantastico!

"Among other things, she found that novelty and challenge are powerful sources of happiness... that outer order contributes to inner order and that the very smallest of changes can make the biggest difference" - The Happiness Project 

As I'm operating with a clean slate* and it's New Years, I thought to myself, what a perfect time to do the same! So, each month brings me new goals and new ways to challenge myself. I'm going to write out Gretchen's monthly goals as well as my own.

I plan to check in once a week to update on the progress of my project and my dedication (or lack thereof!) to the goals I set. (Also one of my best friends, Miss Suzie, is doing the Happiness Project as well and will keep me accountable!)

JANUARY GOALS:

HEALTH AND FITNESS

1) Keep a one-line journal for a year. 

             This is an idea I got from Ms. Rubin - the one-line-a-day journal. I had to keep a detailed journal for my english class for 5 weeks this Fall. We were required to write for at least 10 minutes a day and although I enjoyed it, it was difficult to fit in. One line a day should be easier! (and maybe I can later work up to longer entries). 

"I never travel without my diary. One should always have something sensational to read in the train" 

- Oscar Wilde

2) Never go two days without exercising. 

            In October, when I had to move back home, I also joined a gym. I had belonged to a gym in Vancouver, but with working two jobs and 6 days a week and all the other things I had going on, I could only make it once a week to yoga class and the occasional swim and a bike ride to work. At my new gym (now that I'm equipped with more time and motivation!) I've been going 5-6 days a week: running and the elliptical machine, but my favorites are the classes: zumba, yoga and spin. :o) Never fails to put a smile on my face. 

"You're only one workout away from a good mood!" 

3) Make an appointment with a personal trainer. 

            Another gym goal. I've been doing so well with my cardio that it's about time to work up some strength training. I'm intimidated by the weights at the gym and as there's the option of meeting with a trainer once for free, so I'm going to act on that this month and learn how to master those meaty machines. 

"Adios arm flab!"

4) Take my vitamins daily.  

            I've always had vitamins on hand... but didn't always taken them. I know, lame sauce. Just couldn't remember. My mom said I should take Vitamin D and Calcium, so I've been doing my best to keep on track. Yum, open up! 

"Sunshine in a bottle."

5) Make dinner from scratch 2x a week. 

            There was a time when I did this 4-5 times a week, but living with your parents (picky parents, at that) makes it tougher. Either my mom cooks or they want to go out, or I eat leftovers. Now I'd like to make sure to cook AT LEAST 2x a week and from new recipes, if possible!

“Try new recipes, learn from your mistakes, be fearless, and above all have fun!” 

- Julia Child

Well, let's give that a go, shall we? Five new goals for the lovely little month of January. How exciting! Next week we'll check in and see how it's going. :o) Ringing in the new year with fresh beginnings! 

Gretchen's January Goals: Boost Energy 

1) Go to sleep earlier. 

2) Exercise better. 

3) Toss, restore, organize.

4) Tackle a nagging task. 

5) Act more energetic. 

* Thus some long-term goals are: 

            1) Get a job. 

            2) Start school in June. 

            3) Get an apartment in Seattle.

            4) Start dating – online?