You Say Fatty Liver, I Say Eff That.
So guys. We’ve talked about getting older. We’ve raved about the benefits and boo-hooed about the bummers along the way. We have also discussed how we get tripped up in so many ways when it comes to preventing bad health because every doctor we go to just wants to treat it with Advil or Pepto Bismol or Tylenol instead. (Well not mine, because she’s awesome…get yourself a direct care physician, they cut out the middleman and provide one-on-one care by taking time to understand your full needs instead of shooing you in and out of an office). If you’re in the Pittsburgh area, check them out!) But anyway, I’m seriously tired of waiting around for an answer to my issues. I want to be able to do every single thing I can to start PREVENTING further complications when I’m 40, 50, or 60. So, who’s with me in learning all about our beings and making sure we can kick butt when we’re wrinkly. Leggoooo. Why Looking Healthy on the Outside Doesn’t Always Mean You Feel Good Inside Listen, I’m no expert in the medical field so please don’t go all cray cray on me in the comments. I’m just a regular (kind of) oldish lady feeling the waters of the aging process. It’s annoying to say the least. But we’re not here to say the least, are we? I’ve been in and out of doctor appointments for going on 2 years now regarding a pain in my side that has not gone away. At first I thought it was a pulled muscle, turns out it may actually be that (just a really, really deep one!), but alas, the nagging pain is still present, especially when I participate in the sports I love most. (Strength training, running, and BJJ). Anytime I hit the mats on that side, it feels like I land on a whole ass stress ball. It’s not super severe, but I obviously avoid it as much as possible, (therefore hindering my game, which is UNCOOL). It’s something I thought would have gone away by now, but it persists nonetheless. So I’ve gone through a handful of tests including blood draws, MRIs and ultrasounds. All of which to tell me that I’m *basically* completely normal and that I need not worry about my health since, on the surface, I’m a healthy, active, young woman. AHEM. Let me just bring back the old saying we all know and love. “Don’t judge a book by its cover.” Meaning simply, just because on the outside we look healthy and completely normal, does NOT mean internally we are doing “just fine.” And guess what? This goes for not only your internal organs and such, but also for anxiety, stress, depression, you name it. What you see is not always what you get. Some people just come out of the womb 100% present and confident in themselves and fully authentic from the start. And others, like myself, and maybe you too, come out scrambling trying to realize their own story and put piece by piece together of what brings them the most joy. I’m not saying it’s harder for us to find what makes us happy in life, but a lot of times, it really is that simple. So, don’t overthink it. But when it comes to my health, my internals that make me alive and beating, I want to ensure I’m doing EVERYTHING I can to make full use of all my years and not be bummed out at 50 because I can’t move as well as I used to. I need to feel better than that. I need to keep running, keep playing, keep competing every single day to feel alive and healthy in my current skin. A Safe and Confident Woman? We talked before about fatty livers, and how much more common they are than not. We talked about cysts forming from birth control and how it’s deemed “normal” among women in their 20s/30s in their “child-bearing years.” Like, wtf? No, sir or ma’am, that is not NORMAL. That is not cool, and not okay with me, and I’m sure to my fellow lady friends out there, probably not with you, either. I don’t believe that ingesting a pill for years on end that creates permanent damage to another organ is okay. I thought by taking that, I was being a “safe and confident woman.” And here, all along, I was just adding another problem in my life in the form of never-ending cysts that continue to grow. Whether or not that is the sole reason is unbeknownst to me at this time. However, I do know that it is chalked up to one of the “maybes” of why they are present right now on my liver. And it does not make me super pumped. Not only that, but whatever the issue persisting is, it’s growing. My instructions when I asked what I could do to help reverse the fatty liver or decrease the size of the cyst were simply, “continue doing what you’re doing,” or “there’s nothing you can do for it, we’ll check back in a year.” …To say I had fumes coming out of my ears was an understatement. I Won’t Stand Idly By I know there are likely medical professionals out there that know better, and by all means, I’d be more than happy to have one weigh in to drop some doc knowledge in the comments. But until then, I shall simply provide my two cents about why these statements cause me so much unrest. Why can’t I “do anything?” Why do I have no other options than to “continue doing what I’m doing,” and why the hell do I need to wait a full year to make sure it hasn’t grown more in size?! Like, no thanks, I’d rather stop it where it’s at now, mmkay. I try to stay a realist and understand that the medical field
Focusing On Letting Go Of My Past Self And Trusting The Process Of The Present (Including The Launch Of My First Book)
Years ago I thought I was ready for children. I was going to have 4, maybe 5 and it was going to be freaking GREAT. I “knew” I’d be an awesome mom because well, everyone around me was so sure of it, of course! Funny that most of those people are no longer in my life…it’s as if they really didn’t know me that well after all. Have you experienced this sense of imposter syndrome? Were you ever afraid of what becoming a parent took or knowing that you were “ready?” I’d like to talk about this topic more in depth today and show you that feeling weird about preparing for parenthood is scary shit, and that shouldn’t be frowned upon. Where I am on the Journey to Parenthood I mean, listen. Becoming a mother is something I’m over the moon about. I know it’s going to be awesome and epic and I’m going to enjoy more of it than I think I will. It’s not all about wiping butts after all, there’s a lot of other amazing things along the way that I’ll have the opportunity to experience. But parental anxiety is a REAL thing. And it’s more common than we’d like to believe. Unfortunately the impact it creates for our decision making, the new financial burden hanging over our heads, and the stress that comes with worrying about whether the pregnancy will be alright, let alone the REST OF ITS LIFE. I get where these fears come from, they’re real, and things go unplanned every single day. Shit happens, but shit, that’s why it’s scary to become a parent! It’s hard enough to try and get through the speed bumps of your own life, let alone raise a tiny human. Creating a life is hard enough and keeping that little nugget in check is going to be even harder. However, I’m learning day by day to let go of my past self and embrace my future being. I’m finding new ways to focus on what matters most in my life and let go of the things that cause my stress and unease. It’s time we start looking for ways to enjoy the beauty of life instead of just getting through each hour by staring at the clock. Related: Reigniting The Feeling: Visiting Your Previous Self & Understanding What’s Changed I challenge you. I challenge you to pull into your driveway after work, (or walk to your front door if you take a bus or walk to work!), and just stand there. Holding your lunchbox, your purse, briefcase or backpack. Simply stand there and listen. Listen to the birds chirping, the wind blowing, listen to nature. Forget about the cars speeding by, or the people talking loudly, let it all fade away into the sounds of the surroundings that exist when you’re not there. Then, close your eyes and focus on your own breathing. (Stop thinking about what people passing are going to think of you, they’d be jealous if they knew how relaxed you’ll be once you’re done with this weird assignment). Enjoy just being present in that moment. No more work for the day to be done, no more people to answer to on the interweb. Just you, the birds, and the nature around you. Hear the silence among the bustle. Breathe it in peeps, because this is what really matters to provide peace in your life. If you’re anything like me at this stage in life, you’ll know that I’m doing my best to make efforts to grow in both mindset and spirituality. I’m constantly working on what I can do to have less decision fatigue, drive better moods each day, and be more present in my relationship with my spouse. We focus on traveling more, experiencing more, and doing less things that cause stress. Things like saying yes to things we would really rather say no to, things like avoiding additional triggers such as alcohol, too much caffeine or regularly eating unhealthy foods. And do you know what? By implementing these things into our daily lives together, we’ve been able to cross new boundaries that I truly don’t believe would have been possible before. Because with each new challenge accepted, and each new problem to solve, we continue to work better together to solve or overcome it. That’s why it’s clear to me now that my overthinking has done nothing but simply cloud my thoughts about signing up for parenthood. Preparing for What Comes Next Which leads me to speaking directly on the subject of what comes next. What steps are you taking in your life to stay on course? Or hell, maybe you want to go off course instead! There’s nothing wrong with enjoying the journey you’re on. I’ve mentioned on the blog how I’m so freaking excited to hike to Havasupai Falls this April. (Don’t forget to come back shortly after to hear all about some juicy tips and tricks to backpacking there!) But when we return, we’ll be using my fancy-dancy Oura Ring to take advantage of those ovulation days, instead of avoiding the red days. No longer will I be tracking my cycle to look for green days, but actively trying to conceive instead. That’s correct, we are venturing ourselves into the long road of preparing for parenthood, and I’ve been trying like hell to not worry about every single little thing that comes with it. I’ve had many sleepless nights since deciding this, but I’ve also had a plethora of epiphanies as well. You see, parenthood and/or motherhood doesn’t have to be as scary as we make it out to be. It can be simple, relaxed, and adventurous. It can be beautiful, amazing, and perfect in its own way. It’s up to us to decide how we want to raise our children and how to maintain practicing self-care along the way. But don’t worry, cause I still got you boo. Breaking
Time To Start Thriving In Life Instead Of Simply Surviving: Kauai, Part 2
Someone asked me about my recent trip today. I think they were more excited than I was to talk about it. People keep telling me they’re trying to live vicariously through my travel adventures. And all I can keep thinking of is like, then why not just go yourself? There’s something to think about with all of this. I want to encourage you to stop surviving and start thriving. Don’t just live, start LIVING. Let’s talk about Part 2 of our Kauai adventures today and stop setting limits on ourselves to enjoy more of this beautiful life we’re all a tiny but significant part of. Our last sunrise in Kauai at our hotel before catching our flight home. What Does Surviving Look Like? Guys, we only have this life, so why are we sitting around on our phones just wasting it? Doom scrolling for days in a revolving door not ever pushing forward into the next challenge or adventure. We make mundane tasks last hours just to get through our career. We pretend to like everyone around us just to save face. We don’t even enjoy what we’re doing but we do it anyway for LIFE because we feel as though we’re doing the best we can. Are we?? I sit here today, as one of you. As a human who feels there is more to get out of life than a bi-weekly paycheck. I’m looking to create more ways every damn day. Looking for ways to create more flexibility in my life, more ways to live freely without risk of being without a job by wanting to travel more, and more ways to find supportive avenues to raise a family than just the daily grind of the rat race. What are your thoughts about these things? Drop a comment if you’d care to share. <3 What Stops Us From Thriving? Just 2 weeks ago, I was on a returning flight from The Garden Island of Hawaii. It was a long flight yes, but enthralling nonetheless. I’m the kind of person that loves airplanes and airports, despite the annoyances that they come along with. Once I step foot out of my home, in my mind, I’m technically “on vacation.” So I soaked up every minute of that 9+ hour flight back, just to be able to mindlessly watch free movies (which you can on the Southwest app!), receive text pics of my furballs from the dog sitter, (also free!), and not think about work while napping next to strangers who breathed loudly and elbowed me off my armrest. (or is it theirs? I never know). And now, that I’m officially back at it with my full-time gig, immersed in my somewhat cluttered home, I’m already counting down the days until we have the opportunity to hike into Havasupai Falls. (We were scheduled for last fall, but unfortunately the flooding forced us to reschedule for spring. Stay tuned for a post all about it after we visit this coming April!) What is it about vacationing that haunts us when we’re back home? Why can’t we feel that bliss every day of our lives instead of just on blue moons? (Which if you’re wondering and are a space nerd like myself, is only every 2-3 YEARS.) Which from my experience, is about how often people actually schedule decent vacations for. That’s not enough. We have to do better. We have to make time and space to create more breaks and save for rainy days so that we can have the chance to embrace the feeling more often instead of less. Are you with me in figuring out new ways to do so? Read Part 1 of my trip to Kauai The Na Pali Coast in Kauai We trekked up and down the Na Pali coast in Kauai. We spoke to each other more intentionally without phones buzzing in our back pockets and we enjoyed each other’s company more vividly over JetBoiled coffee and dehydrated meals in the mud. We hiked through slippery trails and leaf-covered jungle to get to one of the most beautiful beaches in the world. We shared our trail with mountain goats, centipedes, feral pigs, and so many amazing birds. We sat through rainstorms and enjoyed the mist on sweaty days to cool us down, and smiled from ear to ear even when we put on wet quilts at night and wet clothes in the morning. We crossed creeks and mountaintops and developed new memories that only we get to share with one another. I want more of this. In fact, I crave it. One of the many creek crossings throughout our journey on the Kalalau Trail. Trust me, no one really notices or cares if you take 3 vacations a decade or 3 vacations a year. Which by the way, is our new minimum. One vacation (of some sort) every 4 months. We do our best to include some kind of adventure at the start of the trip, and some chill mode at the end of it. We shoot for at least 3-4 days (depending on the location of said adventure), at minimum, and up to 9-12 days as our current maximum. We also like to do our best to camp out of our car or backpack at least once each month, no matter the weather. Although we are currently considering a cabin for our February plans… Breaks are healthy, refreshing and necessary. We are not meant to work our lives away. Rainbows are basically in Kauai all day, every day. What an amazing thing to see so often here. This was one of our faves right over the Kalalau Beach. Here are some of our favorite stops in Kauai (and why, of course!): Anini Beach Park Check this link out to see the Kauai County Parks & Rec site! This was one of our favorite campgrounds. We decided
Figuring Out How To Put Pain First: Looking Through A Different Lens
Who said pain was ever a bad thing? I look at it differently these days. This may sound controversial but I use it as motivation to do better, get stronger, and keep pushing my momentum into the great unknown. It has a bad rep but if you sit back and look at the bigger picture, it can move mountains. Distractions Stir Past Pains As I sat thinking how to intro this post today, I started dozing off as I overthought every tidbit that came into my mind. I decided to take a nap, which then landed in some serious distraction (which is what happens EVERY time). Ugh. Sometimes that distraction though is monumental in my efforts to engage in self-reflection. It leads me into a weird world of even deeper thoughts that envelop my current state of consciousness, therefore unfolding a ridiculously giant black hole of new information and ideas. I have no idea how this works. But it works. For some reason my thoughts turned to my grandmother. She passed a while ago and I actually haven’t thought of her too much recently. When she popped into my head, I decided to listen to some old voicemails I had of her. The tears started shortly after. It’s funny, you think you get over some things and then they just rush back in like nothing ever changed. The tears didn’t come until her last message to me…it was almost as if she wasn’t just saying goodbye in the message. It felt real, like she really knew this was going to be the last message I’d listen to over and over when I was feeling in need of her voice and guidance. Some call that a guardian angel, I just called her Gram. She was amazing and creative and beautiful and I still love her so much. After I finished her voicemail, I thought about the pain I felt in those tears of her being gone, and then how alive I feel in times when pain is at its most prevalent in my life. Allow me to explain… Pain is everywhere. We as humans just choose to ignore it most of the time. We push it down deep with pain pills or drugs or alcohol or other ways to mask its existence. I’m telling you to try embracing it. When I hike on cliff sides and my body aches from the miles of torture I’ve put it through, I feel alive. When I roll on a sweat-filled mat with a complete stranger smashing my insides in a BJJ gym, I feel alive. When I embrace the pain and face any fear that I have in my mind or body, I feel alive. So I ask you, why is it that pain scares us? What is it that makes us fearful of succeeding at something we know we can accomplish? Why is it so damn hard to accept that pain actually pushes us forward at times when we need it most? Related: How Self Reflection Helps You Grow as a Person The Pain and Growth Challenge I don’t understand life, and I’m sure you don’t either. But I do my best to relay these weird and circulating thoughts in my brain so that maybe one of you out there in the world can feel you’re not crazy like I used to think I was. It’s a strange world we live in, especially when we think of things like hiding what we really feel in fear of the way the world perceives us. Does it actually matter what most people care about? Do you actually care about what they feel? Probably not. When I lost the loved ones in my life, which there have been too many to count, I thought it was the end of so much. I thought that with my family members, my friends, even my pets. But the thing is, is that it has given me so much opportunity to form new growth. My branches have expanded past what I previously thought was possible because they continue to enhance and breathe stronger into growing new leaves. I’ve paid attention more, focused on studying less, embraced truths and felt more heartaches than I prefer to acknowledge. But the best part? They’ve created pain. And that pain created newfound strengths I didn’t know were underneath it all, all along. What gives you reason to reconsider the pain in your life? Do you have something you believe in that is being squashed by your lack of confidence? Can you do better by embracing what you have learned and applying it toward your future endeavors? I dare you to speak up more often, to challenge new approaches that you don’t agree with and feel the uncomfortable pain that comes along with unacceptance. Be brave, become more bold and start standing for what you believe in. And if that creates some pain in any sense of the word, use it. PS. If you’re still reading, here’s some motivation in the form of an old song. Some of you may know and love it, some of you may realize that Bob Marley was the OG of the first statement. It proves that you don’t need to follow the crowd to get ahead, you don’t need to say yes to everything. Trust the process and trust your gut. And if you hate it, try it anyway. Get uncomfy, friend. Disclaimer: This post is not condoning unnecessary pain. It does not look to endorse pain in a negative manner. It is meant solely for entertainment purposes only, from one person’s perspective, and is meant to show the positive outlook on embracing pain in a positive manner when possible through a shift of one’s mindset to create exponential growth. Related: Breaking Through The Pressure Of Society’s Expectations Have you enjoyed reading about Pain and Growth and how to embrace it all? We truly appreciate you reading today’s post on pain and growth through a new lens. If you enjoyed it, follow Habitual
Escape Vs. Experience: The Journey To Becoming Self-Aware: Kauai, Part 1
Did you ever just melt into your bed after even a short day of work? Well, that’s exactly what happened to me today. On my first day back to the daily grind waiting tables, I was lucky enough to get off early…only to find time to work on a new project (which I’ll be introducing to you guys very soon!), and then order an entire pizza just for me, myself and I. It’s only after pounding away on the keyboard for hours (and maybe one or two too many slices), that my eyes finally hit “go the eff to sleep” mode. So, into the bedroom I came to get some shuteye, only to then find my brain in overdrive getting what it finally needed most…time to think. Waimea Canyon State Park (rainy and cloudy) some haze is from the previous volcano eruption on the Big Island just 3 days earlier! Vacationing in Nature Adventures You see, that’s what I love most of all about getting away. About vacationing in nature and getting a full dose of sunshine, rain, mud, and adventure each and every day. It’s the time when I can finally shut off “work” brain and focus on what I love most, creation. As the clouds roll away from my mind, the time approaches when I can finally jot down things that come to me that I have had no time previously to do so. This (and the middle of the night) are when my best ideas come through from the other side. Why don’t we schedule more time to be unscheduled? What is it that makes us so involved in the daily routine that we forget to immerse ourselves in being human? Kokee State Park, Kauai. Campground #2 of our trip! One of my all-time favorites in the country thus far. DEFINITELY going back. So I write to you today not from my laptop, but from my phone, in the dark, on my bed. You know, away from the big light. Neurodivergents where you attttt. “The big light” is a term used by neurodivergent individuals to describe overly bright or harsh lighting, which can often cause significant discomfort, anxiety, and sensory overload due to heightened sensitivity to light that many neurodivergent people experience; essentially, it refers to a major trigger related to lighting that can negatively impact their daily lives. -Thanks for explaining, AI Overview of the big light on Google I don’t know why my brain works in this way, but it just does. I live for these moments, I thrive in being outdoors and breathing earth’s beauty, it’s when I think my best and most clearly. Where do those feelings come for you? Do you have a special place or setting or room that comes to mind? Go ahead. Close your eyes and envision that feeling you get when you’re there. Beautiful, isn’t it? Related: How Traveling and Adventure Changed My Attitude Toward Life Backpacking down the trail into the Kalalau beach campground on the Na Pali Coast of Kauai. <3 Haze and mist still present on Day 2 of our trek. Our Escape to Kauai As you may have noticed, I took a teeny tiny sabbatical from writing the last two weeks. And I freaking missed you guys. That’s because we were blessed to be able to have not only spent some time with the family away from our jobs for a few days, but also to have gotten to spend 9 days (including a whole lot of travel time) in the most amazing island of Hawaii. I’m talking about “The Garden Island,” Kauai. If you haven’t heard of it or you’re too busy talking about going to the more popular islands such as O’ahu and Maui, I promise you, Kauai takes the cake. It’s one of the prettiest places I’ve ever been, including one of the most inspiring, and epic adventures I’ve ever been on. Yes we did do the whole resort thing for a handful of days at the tail end of our trip, but we spent many more nights before that camping along the coast on beaches and in its badass rainforest. If you’ve never camped in a jungle with pigs behind your tent…guys, go get yourself some gear. (Check out places like REI or Public Lands for some perfect first time gear sets! We even hit up Dick’s Sporting Goods for last minute athletic wear on sale). And if you decided to not fly with a ton of extra weight from dehydrated meals, I recommend checking out Pitch-A-Tent for a local online reservation backpacking and camping equipment rental service. It’s amazing! No, seriously. Not only were we able to quickly choose what we needed on their website, but got the items shortly after in their pickup box labeled with our name. We just needed some one-time use dehydrated food packets, but they have a plethora of other products to choose from if you want to pack less and rent more! Trust me, cleaning backpacks is NOT fun…just ask my mom. 🙂 Below is the instructions straight from Osprey themselves on how to properly clean your backpack. Thank me later when you see all the gunk washed off! Hawaii or Costa Rica Not able to decide on Costa Rica or Hawaii 4 months ago, we pondered which would be the best bet. As we were in Hawaii many years ago, we were leaning on Costa Rica…that is until we learned about backpacking the Na Pali Coast. Clearly, that won. And I’m so glad it did. Because it was life changing. You may have heard me say that about a hike previously, but I challenge you to go on any of the ones mentioned in this blog and not feel the same. Each forces you to take a new outlook on life, to embrace your being in a whole new light. It makes you uncomfortable in ways you never thought possible and realize that you CAN do the hard things your
Personal Growth: The Ultimate Long Game
You think you know yourself and then life goes ahead and slaps you in the face again. WHY? Because well, it can. And it does, repeatedly. It’s times like these that make me step back and realize that even though you thought there was a road there one day, doesn’t mean there can’t be a cliff there another. Long term personal growth is hard and… …maybe it’s time to take that leap you’ve been avoiding, eh? Embracing the Struggle for Long Term Personal Growth (PS – Stay tuned, because next month I’ll be taking my own leap. Check back in January…or subscribe!…to find out what it is!) Let me talk to you today about being stuck. About feeling so stuck that you feel like your skin is crawling. Not in a bad way, but a creative way. As in, you know there is something that is calling to you, you just can’t figure out what it is yet. Maybe it’s because we’re out here searching high and low for it instead of letting the universe drop it in our laps when the time is right. It’s hard when those around you support your successes but also may make you feel unworthy of things as well. Sometimes this can be close friends, co-workers, or even family. Are they jealous? That’s what the default setting is, right? No. I think it’s doubt. I think it’s doubt that who you’ve been or what you’ve done for so long has just sunken into their psyche and now to think that you’ll do something different, something more, is just so out of your reach that it’s now laughable to them. Let them laugh. Keep focusing on your own journey, your own growth. Keep realizing your own potential at your own pace because NO ONE ELSE can do it for you. Each time I encounter these people in my life, it only pushes me further. Let them inspire you. Let their doubt be the reason you succeed. When we condition ourselves to live in this bubble of frustration and stress and angst and upset, it pulls us down. It ruins our good moods and the moods of those around us, so you know what? I’m starting to go against the grain and embrace it. I’ve learned little by little not to care about certain comments and to know when it’s okay to stay quiet. For me, this is when I learn, when I process, when I internalize my feelings and thoughts and get what I call “a squeezy headache.” Maybe that sounds stupid to you, but we all have it in some way, shape or form. It’s that feeling of needing to get shit done. It’s that feeling of release. Whether that looks like a strong workout to you, or running a half marathon, or signing a deal. To me, it is writing. It is releasing my feelings to the world to show others that it’s okay to be yourself. You don’t have to feel bad for it. The Effort Behind Long Term Personal Growth Sometimes I look at these people and get envious of their success. I relish in the idea that they have it all figured out and if I didn’t have these feelings, I may think that I wasn’t fully human. Because that’s what they are. Human freaking feelings. I sit and wonder why it’s so hard for me to focus on what I want in life. Why it’s so difficult to just DO the things that need to be done. And then I remember that what I learned growing into my adulthood is different than what they did. My growth is different than what theirs is. And my path is forged in a different direction than those around me. And maybe that is for the best. Because when I sit back and actually consider what their lives are like, what they’ve gone through (that I know of) and what I’ve gone through, I realize quite frequently that I wouldn’t have it any other way. We all have our own shit storms to deal with. We all have our own traumas to navigate as adults and that’s okay. The way you are handling your own life is okay. Just keep doing your best and continue to be your authentic self. Long term personal growth does not happen overnight. Hell, it may not even be done by the time you’re checking out. But as far as I see it, as long as we’re doing our best to make what we want out of life happen, then we’re on the right path. Of course, growth takes effort. You can’t just sit back and watch the clouds roll by expecting change to show up at your doorstep. (Cloud watching is something I highly recommend though, as I’m sure you probably haven’t “had time” to do that since you were a kid). Go ahead, just do it for 5 minutes…without your phone in your hand. *Need a reason to sit the eff down? Here’s a good one. Check out the Insight Timer app and let your mind rest for a few minutes while you listen to soothing music or a quick guided meditation. It’ll be the best minutes of your day, pinky promise. Navigating Challenges and Change When you look at the bigger map of life, you start to realize that these little problems don’t mean as much. You start to embrace those daily habits changing little by little, because even though it feels like forever at the time, I bet when you’re 80 it’s going to seem like seconds. I’m no longer for the “grind” kind of life. It’s not all it’s cracked up to be. And just when you think you’re doing everything right, it knocks you back down to size. If you’ve been following HB for a while now, you’ll know that this blog was born out of one of those core moments in my life. Oddly enough, just as I thought I’d
Have You Embraced The Secluded & Serene Beauty Of Seneca Rocks, West Virginia?
Recently, I went on a long weekend trip with my spouse of now 10 years. We traveled to a beautiful place in the mountains of West Virginia called Seneca Rocks. If you’ve heard of it before, or have even had the opportunity to visit there in the past, you’ll understand that it has some seriously awesome hikes and scenery. Let’s talk about those. Introduction to Seneca Rocks and Its Hiking Trail So often we would plan these big trips for our anniversary. Other times, we would just let it roll on by if it was in the middle of the week or say “it wasn’t a big deal” to celebrate. But this year, we finally threw in the towel of “not caring,” and decided that since we were lucky enough to have it fall on a Saturday, we’d do our best to spend the weekend by ourselves even though we just went somewhere shortly beforehand. It was one of the best experiences of my relationship thus far. I had high expectations that I tried to squash, (which typically happens if I start getting in my head too much). Seriously, this can be detrimental so I highly recommend going with the flow instead! “A campground” was something I wasn’t too sure of, since we’d been backpacking more recently and got to experience the feeling of being totally alone. I liked that. I also was not super keen about being a hundred yards next to a pack of yelling coyotes 4 times in one dark and quiet night. (We’ll keep that for another post!) *PS! If you’re getting into camping more remote, or just don’t want as many peeps around you, I highly recommend checking out the app, Hipcamp! It’s been super helpful in finding us some next level spots (even for same day booking!) Sign up to get $10 off your first night under the stars! And if you’ve ever thought about hosting on your own property, check it! You can start listing your land on Hipcamp as soon as today. Very cool. Get to the Seneca Rocks Campground Early…Real Early So anyway, I was cool with a campground and let the hubs do the choosing. Seneca Rocks was something he’d brought up in the past. Something I recalled him talking about but alas, a place we never really decided on. When he found the campground, we knew that it would work and planned that we would just get there early to choose a spot. …Don’t do that. For reals, if you’re thinking about going to a campground around this beautiful place, consider Seneca Rocks Shadows. It’s epic. BUT, DO book a site ahead of time!! Or make sure you arrive super early to choose your perfect spot. I have no complaints about ours, but we arrived (for what we thought was early) around 2/3pm, and were lucky enough to snag THE LAST SPOT. Phew! Please note that if you do decide to choose this awesome campground (which you totally should), that you’ll need a 2 night minimum weekend booking if you decide to book online ahead of time (which you also totally should). You can even stay up to 14 nights if you choose to!! Which is really great to have as a backup option if you would decide to do some nearby backpacking and want to use this as a base camp. We definitely plan to do this in the future, since Dolly Sods Wilderness is known for great backpacking trails! So, let’s talk car camping at Seneca Rocks. What is it? And how is it different than backpacking? We Backpacked Rim-River-Rim Of The Grand Canyon In 2 Days: Here’s A Few Things We Learned Car camping is much different than backpacking. 1. It’s so nice because you have so much more stuff to use when you need it! 2. It’s so annoying because you have so much more stuff when you don’t need it! Yes, each statement is true! If you’ve done either of these kinds of camping, you may understand what I mean. I think if I had to choose one or the other, it would be backpacking all the way. Sure, you have to carry things on your back for miles on end and hope to the heavens that there’s some kind of water source along the way (or just research where your water sources are), but over car camping? Sign me up. Why? Because I’m a minimalist in a hoarders body. Because I loathe the idea of possibly forgetting something and I swear that the more space and time I have to fill with extra stuff, the more stuff that makes its way along with us. (Which is why I ALWAYS procrastinate on packing for anything). And guess what? Even with a rented Bronco full of groceries and items we thought we’d need for the weekend long trip, we STILL had to stop at the little store to grab some last minute forgotten items. With backpacking, I KNOW for a fact that I will have everything I need. For several days in the Grand Canyon, I survived on water sources and dehydrated meals. No bars, no extra fluff, just chilling with my weightless packable gear and a tiny packet of hot chocolate. (Because why not). BONUS – Path To Productivity: My Struggle With Planning And The Perfect Hot Cocoa Recipe But I did not have the chance to overthink my items to pack, I did not need to look at my piles and wonder if I had remembered everything, because with backpacking, everything I need for days or weeks even is packed nicely into one solid pack I can carry anywhere. (There’s even a system to packing it correctly, so I literally cannot mess it up.) No boxes of food, no bags for a ton of garbage, no pots and pans and extra camping gear or firewood. Just us, the packs, and the trail. It’s awesome. 5 Must Have Items for Trips to Seneca
Healthy Hacks, Delicious Smoothies, and the Secret to Eating More to Weigh Less!
Hey guys! Now, we have been chatting for some time together about a healthier lifestyle both mentally and physically. Anddd I promised to share with you all some of my tried and true favorite things! In today’s post, I’m going to share with you my best smoothie recipe yet, including some other tips on how I’m boosting my metabolism by actually ADDING calories to my day. Mind-blowing, I know. (Stay tuned for a future post revealing some of my go-to camping recipes!) Oh! And don’t miss the really cool interactive spreadsheet for free at the end! How I Made My Change If you’re new here, I’ll give you a little context to my current situation. I’m an active 33 year old female with a healthy lifestyle and a fatty liver. Contradictory, isn’t it? Check out a few of my recent posts to see how I figured this out and what I’ve been trying to do to reverse it. Turning Things Around At 33: Why It’s Never Too Late To Start Embracing Change With Growth When Push Comes To Shove, Remember To Not Compare Overcoming Negativity On The Scale: How I’m Learning To Be Okay With My Body So, last year when I had two trainers that specified in completely different ways of training, I thought I had it all figured out. (This was before that discovery, of course…and before I quit birth control completely!) One day after all of this new info surfaced, I realized that I’d been heavily relying on everyone else to tell me what to do and what was best for my body. Of course, trainers do know most of the time what is best for our bodies. That’s why they’re trainers, after all. But what I realized was that I needed to do some deep dives on how I wanted to approach the next several years of my life, and if I really wanted to be motivating myself through external sources. I didn’t. So, I quit them both, and proceeded to stop going to the gym for a month or more. I didn’t do much of anything, really. I was a lazy blob figuring out life. But then it happened. One day, I decided that I was going to go because I felt like it. Because I made the decision to. Because I knew that it was what my mind and body needed. I also knew that even though I kept telling myself I was eating right, I knew deep down that I could be doing better. It’s amazing what we tell ourselves on repeat just to turn our cheek to what is actually the right decision. Wanting to gain that self-motivation, I kept up with it this time. I continued to let myself ebb and flow and move with the cycles of life throughout this journey I’ve been on. I was easy with myself on days that didn’t feel right to go, and went all out on days that I felt like being in beast mode. After a while, I stopped craving crappy food, too. I began looking for new ways to slowly incorporate more healthy options into my life and less junk food to fill space or time. And that is where my favorite smoothie recipe was born! My Metabolism Boosting Smoothie Recipe It’s not all that and a bag of chips. Well, it doesn’t actually include chips at all…but it’s delicious…and not chunky…and that is something that has been hard to perfect. I also found a few ingredients that I didn’t know about before, and realized that hello, duh, I could be using greek yogurt instead of WATER to add more fuel to its power. It’s the perfect blend of smoothness, deliciousness, and balance (in my opinion) of ingredients. Check it out: 1 handful or cup of frozen blueberries 1 handful of spinach 1 scoop of your favorite protein powder 1 room temp banana 1 spoonful of NuttZo 7 nut & seed butter A serving size of your favorite vanilla bean or unflavored greek yogurt That’s all folks. 6 simple ingredients. I’ve noticed whatever flavor of protein powder I pick doesn’t make too much of a difference, but I prefer unflavored if it’s available. The peanut butter can be whatever kind you like best as well, but I opt for this brand as it packs a little more protein and a few more things than just your plain old Jif. I really like the unflavored greek yogurt as it has less sugar content than flavored, but what I usually have on hand is vanilla bean. I also like to spend 15 minutes or so per week just bagging up some of these ingredients. (I freeze sandwich bags of blueberries, spinach, and the banana. I’m sure you could add the others as well if you wanted). Doing this makes it super easy to grab and throw in my Ninja in the morning before work to make sure I can get in a hefty dose of protein and healthy options first thing. (I even got a cute glass container to travel with it in to inspire me to drink it on the way to work). Losing Weight By Adding Calories Soooo, did you know that you can actually lose weight by ADDING calories?! Because your girl had no freaking clue. It sounds like such a backwards concept that I’m sure a lot of us out there had never even heard of such a thing. It’s also super hard to do if you’ve ever tried it, especially since most of us are used to attempting to be calorie restrictive. Ugh. Since I’ve been struggling to lose weight even though I feel like I’m doing basically everything I can, I talked to my trainer again about this. He explained that since my activity level is so high, my calorie restricting is actually hurting my body because it’s not letting it repair itself properly. Basically, my body has just been on go-mode, and only offering up
Turning Things Around At 33: Why It’s Never Too Late To Start Embracing Change With Growth
Hey friends. A lot has happened since we started this journey together. Pushing through adversity has been one of the hardest things to overcome in my journey to a more present self. Let’s talk today about how that’s going and how you can learn to get through tougher times to enjoy yourself more on a daily basis. Your Worst Enemy Sometimes adversity can hit home. It can come through the loss of a loved one, a job misfortune or just a plain old bad day. It can get you down and wear you out, but I’m here to let you know that working through times like these can only make you a stronger individual. Why are we always so hard on ourselves? Why do we let comparison steal our happiness and truth of who we are inside? If you want nice things, you don’t have to feel guilty. If you enjoy the simple life, you don’t need to feel like you’re missing out on nice things. The “simple life” can be looked at in several different ways, it is simply what makes you feel happy and alive. This past week I had a change in my outlook on life. Something personal came up that made me feel envious of others lives and created regret that maybe I hadn’t been living my life to its fullest, or rather, to what I “thought” I should be living it like. After several days of pouting and upset, I finally realized that I am in fact living my best life. I am, in fact living my life to its fullest. I have no reason to make complaints, remarks of others I may be envious of, because in the end, we’re just all humans doing our best to live our lives the way we feel that we should. I want to let you know that you can be anything you want in this world. If you find toxicity in any parts of your life, you can change them. You can create the lifestyle you want, the career you desire, and the relationship that looks perfect to you. You alone have the control to make these things your reality, and all you have to do is begin. Begin the changes to encourage your new life, begin accepting that you are on the right path in this universe and let go of the control over what you think you need to do to get there. Things will always happen whether planned or not, and adversity will always strike when you least expect it to. This personal conflict in my life made me at first feel like it would have such an impact. I thought that it was going to cause such problems and uncertainty that I got worked up for days about it. But after some time to just sit and think, (without a screen nearby), I had time to self-reflect on what my actual problem with the situation was. I then realized that it came at a perfect time. A time where I am now confident and comfortable in my own skin to take on this new challenge. Not a time where I was weak-minded and fragile like I was not so long ago. Sometimes challenges present themselves in weird ways. They come out of nowhere when everything is going well and try to break you down mentally. I challenge you to push back and stand up for yourself. You’ve come this far, all you have to do is keep forging ahead. Related: When Push Comes To Shove, Remember To Not Compare 5 Tips to Start Becoming More Confident in Yourself What are some things you can do to start becoming more confident in yourself? What are some aspects you can adjust about your life so that you are comfortable with the path you are on? Let’s talk about a few suggestions. Find things that make you happy. Do them more often. This is easier said than done, trust me. Remind yourself that you are enough. You are okay. You are on the right path. Say it in the mirror if you feel comfortable doing so. Talk to a friend about your situation. Try to be completely open and receive their feedback without criticism. They probably know you better than you know yourself. Give yourself little reminders of how amazing you are. Write down your favorite book excerpts or lyrics and put post-it notes where you get ready in the morning. Speaking of getting ready, GET READY! Stop being lazy and start encouraging yourself to get out of bed and fix your hair, do your makeup or nails, take a bath or read some. Make time for yourself, even before a workday. You’ll feel better and more confident going into the grind. Why have you been holding back on the things that bring you joy? Who has been holding you back? Has it been yourself? A loved one? A friend? It’s time to stop putting off the hobbies and interests that you collect happiness from. It’s important to spend time with these things especially after a long day at work or when you’re feeling overstimulated. Related: Working Through Self Expectations & Limitations Don’t Let Expectations Hold Back Your Joy This bump in my road has brought so much more clarity than I could have asked for. I’ve found that not only am I enjoying who I am, but I’m also making an effort to dip my toes into things that I’ve been dreaming of doing but haven’t yet accomplished. Having big goals before turning 30, I became a little upset when these still were not embarked upon recently when turning 33. But I’m making progress…and so can you. These changes don’t have to be giant, they just have to exist. Start prioritizing a little more time on fun and you’ll begin growing in ways that you didn’t think were possible anymore. It’s almost like we hit the pause button at
We Backpacked Rim-River-Rim Of The Grand Canyon In 2 Days: Here’s A Few Things We Learned
Hey friends! If you’ve been following along for a while, you’ll know that more and more travel tips will be coming your way as we move forward on this blog. Although there are many trips I’d like to share with you, I think starting with one of the hardest feels like the best way to begin. In this post you’ll hear about what permits we needed to acquire, what our level of preparation was, and a few things we plan to do differently in the future at the iconic Grand Canyon. So, let’s get started, shall we?! (P.S., I’ll be adding our very own shots from the trips in these kinds of posts. So, if you have any questions about the places in the photos drop a comment!) Prepping for Rim to River to Rim Adding more travel into our lives has been huge lately. The hubs and I kept saying we would do this, but you know how that goes. Work pressures you to do more, family obligations arise at inconvenient times, and well, travel can be quite expensive, so there’s that whole monster on its own. Fortunately, we remembered to apply for permits last year and were lucky enough to snag some for May to hike the Grand Canyon in Arizona. We had a few months to plan, shop for essentials, and train for the heavy hike we were about to embark upon. If you’re looking to grab a permit yourself, check out this site to apply. We started out thinking that we would be okay with most of our gear, only to realize that a lot of shopping would still need to be done. As the trip got closer and closer, we recognized the need for more packable, ultra lightweight items to ensure we’d be able to carry everything we needed on our backs. As this was going to be a quick in-and-out, we wanted to make sure we packed light as well to make the whole travel process more manageable. We reserved a little hotel room on the South Rim for the night before, and then scheduled a nice hotel in Phoenix for the day after. We ended up with 1 large suitcase for camping and hiking supplies, 2 small carry-ons for each of our things, and 2 Osprey backpacks. (This is our favorite brand of backpacks. We’re even thinking about upgrading to their luggage for our upcoming trip this December!) It was an interesting first backpacking experience. We were not sure what to expect with the trail, with the Bright Angel Campground being shut down for construction, we anticipated it to be less busy. There were loads of people however, with smaller daypacks and a few with larger ones, but most of our fellow hikers carried nothing but a bottle of water. *Before you go into a hike like this, be sure to know your (and your companions) limits! Hiking to the bottom of the Grand Canyon and back can be deadly if you are not properly prepared to handle its conditions. Like, seriously. How Traveling and Adventure Changed My Attitude Toward Life Research Your Hike Ahead of Time Which is exactly why it is pertinent to research your specific hike and plan for a time of year that you won’t get too baked by the hot Arizona sun. Make sure you have layers as the temperature can vary GREATLY depending on where you are at in the canyon. Here is what we recommend bringing (at the bare minimum) for a short 2 day backpacking trip to the bottom and back up. An ultralight tent (we have 2 people in our party but opted for the 3 person so we could allow room for our essentials along the inside. A sleeping bag that is also ultralight, making sure to find one that suits your need for whatever time of year you go. (We chose ones that would keep us warm down to 30 degrees fahrenheit.) Electrolytes. This is no joke. We brought 1 tube of NUUN tablets thinking it would be more than enough, we used them all and ran out just before the top. (Remember, we were only in the canyon for TWO days!) I would bring 1 tube, per day, per person moving forward to be on the safe side. They help recovery and soreness immensely. I was actually never a fan of them until that day. I’ve been using them everyday ever since. Water bladders and filters. This was really helpful to have as a backup for when water was just okay looking or potable water was nonexistent. We prefer the Sawyer brand but it’s truly up to your preference. Dehydrated food or homemade meals to heat up. I really like to opt for the ones that are high in calories, carbs and protein. These kept us fully fed and satisfied for several days without having anything else to eat or snack on. (Check out your local outdoor store or hit up REI online for seasonal deals! Not to mention if you become a member, you’ll rack up some points that you can use the year to come!) Here is a list of items that we brought for personal comfort or luxury items that are not deemed 100% necessary: Ultralight camping chairs (these were a small fortune but kept us super comfy when we got to the campsite.) The campground actually provided picnic tables but these were a much more enjoyable option. Books to read when we stopped for breaks or before bed for winding down. A few extra plastic REI water bottles for mixing electrolytes or filtering water easier. Hot chocolate, because of course. Flip Flops, our feet were totally thankful. Guys, this is the Grand Canyon. The one and only massive hole in the ground that will *and I repeat,* WILL kick your butt if you don’t set yourself up for success. Make sure to make ample lists ahead of time of what you need to bring, and definitely