Lazy Sunday Routine

Hello beautiful readers! I hope this post is finding you at the end of a wonderful week.

Sunday has always been one of my favorite days because I like to take time off for myself to relax and rejuvenate, in preparation for the coming week. I have decided to write out some steps to help you have the best Sunday ever! The ultimate goal is to focus on yourself for a day, in order to truly recharge.

1.       Get in a good breakfast. My favorite way to start off my Sundays is by treating myself to brunch, or making a hearty breakfast. Nothing beats eggs, potatoes, pancakes, and a strong cup of coffee on a weekend morning. If you have seen Portlandia, chances are you appreciate the importance of brunch in a true Portlander’s diet. If not, I'll just say that it is an essential part of life in this city, and I'm beginning to understand why. Who doesn't like catching up with friends over good food?

2.       Do something productive. I suggest strolling through that part of town with the cute shops and cafes you have always driven by, but have never stopped to check out. Or if you are just feeling a home day (I'm a homebody, I won't judge), clean up, tidy up, or organize something. This will allow you to continue onto the next steps 100% guilt free.

3.       Pick an activity that will best help you unwind. My recent Sundays have included catching up with the Friends gang on Netflix, starting to doodle a little again, and reading. Do anything that will help you get to your “happy place.” If that involves something like a hike or run, it’s not exactly lazy, but I don't see a problem with getting some fresh air and a little endorphin boost.

4.       Make yourself a drink. I have come to look forward to making a nice drink every evening. For me personally, this means a cup of hot tea, or a glass of wine depending what kind of day it's been (on the average Sunday I would probably opt for the wine, tomorrow is Monday after all).

5.       End the day by pampering yourself. Apply your favorite face mask, buy a new nail polish color and paint your nails, or do a relaxing evening yoga sequence before bed. Use this time to focus on the extra little details you don’t have time for after work. Now let these positive feelings carry you into Monday and through the rest of your week.

New Year Resolutions 2015

January 1st is always the start of a magical time, isn't it? It's a time to refocus on what is most important and to make new goals for the coming year. It's a clean slate. My life changed in 2014 and I've spent a lot of time recently reflecting on the past year. At this time last year I was preparing to move to a new city, and both scared out of my mind and excitedly awaiting the future. There were difficult moments, no doubt about that, but I'm proud of myself for taking a risk. Now I have memories in this amazing city I wouldn't trade for anything. I have learned so much about being independent and I have a better understanding of what I want and who I am. I can only hope 2015 will be as exhilarating and fulfilling as the last, and just as packed with new experiences and healthy challenges. Here are the resolutions I'm making this January, to ensure this 2015 lives up to the hype. They are greatly inspired by a post on setting positive intentions that can be found on Free People's blog here. 

• I will be inspired by knowledge, and continue to pursue my interests (art, blogging, web design, knitting) and to learn as much as I can about each.
• I will strengthen my body through exercise and yoga at least three times a week.
• I will be content in my own skin and not judge others, but instead focus on my own self improvement.
• I will search for a more satisfying career, one that will allow me to be financially independent.
• I will connect with and be open to new people, while nourishing my current friendships.

Cheers dear reader, here's to wishing you a beautiful year full of laughter, happiness, and love. Let me know your new year resolutions in the comments below.

Workout Motivation

Hello beautiful readers! Today I want to talk to you about my workout motivation. My personal fitness journey has been… I’ll go with inconsistent. Yet I've always been interested in running, and in the year after I graduated from college I began a regular exercise routine for the first time in my life. It consisted of a combination of running on the treadmill and aerobic YouTube videos. Nothing too extreme, but I was pleasantly surprised to find benefits to working out that I wasn’t expecting. 

Unfortunately, after moving to Portland I was swept up in a whole new world of “adult” life and responsibilities. Working out no longer seemed as important. I found it more difficult to fit into my daily routine, and I also learned that once that routine is broken it is really hard to get back. However, recently I’ve found my motivation again! I’ve purchased a gym membership which has helped me continue running, and I am also pursuing a new interest: yoga. Here, I want to share my top 5 reasons for working out, the things I remind myself of when I’m deciding between going to the gym and watching a Mad Men marathon.

1) Mood Boost

Working out regularly lifts my overall mood, and energizes me. I've been going to the gym directly after work and I walk in feeling sluggish from a long day sitting in front of the computer, and walk out feeling motivated to be productive with my evening. Honestly, sometimes just moving and stretching after sitting all day fells AMAZING and clears my head.

2) Stress Relief

It also is the absolute best way I have found to relieve stress. I can use my workout to channel my frustration into a productive activity, or forget about it for an hour. I have also had strangely relevant and helpful epiphanies while running. It somehow puts things into perspective and makes solutions more clear.

3) Feeling Proud of my Body

Here I'm not only talking about appearance (although let's be honest, toning up is a definite perk). I'm talking about knowing that my body is capable of accomplishing difficult challenges. It means I can go on a strenuous hike with my friends with the confidence that I can finish it out. It means I can challenge my body because I have worked to strengthen it, and that strength gives me pride in myself and my accomplishments. 

4) Confidence Boost

One of my favorite things about working out is setting and meeting fitness goals. For example, when I started working out I had a hard time running for five minutes (sad I know). But after a lot of work I can now run for 20 minutes, which considering my humble beginnings, is a little mind blowing for me. When I began working up to 20 minutes it seemed nearly impossible but I proved to myself that I could do it, and once I finally did I felt like I could do anything. That confidence motivates me to continue working out, and that attitude helps me conquer goals outside of the gym.

5) Skill Building

At this point in my fitness journey I have come to view working out as a hobby of sorts, one that just happens to improve my body, mind, and overall health. As I practice this "hobby" I begin learning about my body, and through that knowledge I begin building physical skills. I have especially noticed this aspect of working out when I started focusing on yoga. In yoga I have been building my flexibility and balance which I view as skills to hone and strengthen, just as I would any other. Feeling myself becoming more flexible, or being able to run faster and longer motivate me to push on.

I hope you now feel more motivated to get to the gym and benefit from everything working out can offer! I believe making the decision to be fit truly is the best decision you can make for yourself. What motivates you to stay in shape?

Chin Up, Beautiful

Last week I was in a bit of a funk. My best guess was that it was due to a combination of boredom and homesickness.  Thankfully things have gotten much better since then, but I wanted to write about a few things I do when nothing seems to be going my way.

My some of my favorite pick-me-up products. Clockwise from left: Maybelline Color Whisper Lipstick, H&M Earrings (on sale for $3!), L'Oreal nail polish, iSound Twist speakers, and Skullcandy Uprock headphones

The first is to do your best to stay POSITIVE. If you make a conscious effort to change your attitude, things suddenly look a little brighter. I know it's hard, especially when it feels like the hits just keep coming. But I believe the happiness in your life can be determined by how you view the world around you. Sometimes a shift in attitude can be as easy as adding a little extra glam to your makeup routine (for example, I wore red lipstick around the house today), painting your nails a cheery color, or adding some killer accessories for a little confidence boost. Some days all I need is to look awesome to feel awesome. 

I also really love listening to some happy tunes to improve my mood (who doesn't?). Here are a couple of songs that always cheer me up!

Anna Sun by Walk the Moon - reminds me of summer

Paradise by Ana Serrano van der Laan

And finally, I think it is important to take initiative to move toward a life you want, and out of the "funk." Learn something new or start a new hobby, find a new workout routine (my next goal is to get back into running), hang out at a you're favorite coffee shop, or find a new favorite restaurant. Focus on self improvement and productivity, and good things will come. 

What cheers you up?