October?!

Karma. Something I experienced [in full] this weekend. 

I was driving, trying to make it to a destination in a small amount of time. Haha, i'm so good!

Well I entered a zone where there were cop cars upon cop cars pulling people over, I looked down, yes! Going the speed limit...possibly under!

Little did I know there was an airplane in the sky tracking my speed miles back. And well...I sure did some damage. Insert pout face. 

So, yes, mom, I got my 2nd speeding ticket. I should throw that out there before she sees the check go through my account. Unlike last time, when I thought I was being sneaky and forgot the bank scans who my checks are to. DUH! 

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The night before Race For the Cure 2012. A toast to kicking cancer's tush! [My mom, myself, and sister] 

How about we refocus this post to something a little more upbeat? I could probably start in on my October goals since today is the last day of September. Where did this month go?! Goodness.

October, if you didn't know, is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. My reliable source, Wikipedia, states it as: an annual international health campaign organized by major breast cancer charities every October to increase awareness of the disease and to raise funds for research into its cause, prevention, diagnosis, treatment and cure. The campaign also offers information and support to those affected by breast cancer.

Every year, my mom [Carla], aunt [Cindy], cousin [Jenn], sister [Andrea], and I take a trip to the Susan G. Komen Race in Des Moines at the end of October. We began this tradition in remembrance of our family members affected by this disease. Some day during October I will dedicate a post to the entire story. I am so glad we get together to do this. This disease is very near and dear to my family. 

So...with that, every night that I teach a fitness class this month you will find me sporting the color pink. Goal 1.

Goal 2: up my lean body mass. I'm constantly striving for this goal. It'll be tough, especially with another trip out of state in there. But it's totally doable!

Goal 3: Start my Christmas shopping. Insert sigh.

Goal 4: Visit my friend, Alyssa. I never get to see her, and we both have [crazy] busy schedules. She gets married next summer and we have a lot of planning to do!

Goal 5: Increase my flexibility. In other words, attend yoga more often. I'm already [decently] flexible. But nowhere near what I was my senior year of high school. My goal is to get to that level or higher. :)

Lately. And A Realization.

What the heck have I been up to lately? 

Many different things of course...I seem to say yes to anything that is set in front of me. 

Here is a recent freelance project I did for a co-workers daughters birthday. 

How cute! She put the print inside of a folded piece of decorated paper as the envelop and sealed it with pink ribbon, and, of course, a princess wand. :)

 Happy (belated) Birthday, Finley!

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On another note...I'd like to think that my self-confidence has made a lot of progress since May. So here's a shout out to that!

I had a recent encounter this last weekend that would have definitely sent my anger or emotions through the roof...before this awesome confidence came along. Let's just say I crossed paths with someone that I would not go out of my way to see anymore. Referring from a previous post, they were one of those "toxic" things in my life that I got rid of.

Before this person and I had our "falling out" they made it very clear that they thought my goals I wanted to reach, and hard work I was doing to get there was simply a joke.

Pfft.

It's funny, a person's reaction to when someone tells us we can't do something. We either get really discouraged or get a "watch me" mentality. I fall under the bring it on and watch me category. There was a time in my life where I did get discouraged and upset about others' doubt. That doesn't matter now.

I've come to realize that when people have doubt in you, they are either 1. trying to spark something in you so you do do what you say (jeez with the "you's and do's"!) or 2. they are jealous and unhappy with themselves or their lives. (More commonly one than the other...I'll let you decide which.) And not that they really don't believe that you can do something.

So think before you react next time...What's their reasoning for doubting you?

I Dislike Celery.

I can't decide if I want to call this a vent session or not...obviously I don't. But consider yourself warned—this post could possibly offend some people.

But perhaps something I haven't really come across or had to face yet.

I logged onto my Facebook account this morning...and the very first post that I read "happened" to be this...

"Health conscious people bug me.. life's too short to try to live forever."

This was followed by many comments of agreement. 

Insert scowl and hard swallow.

Do I really let myself read this crap?

Yeah. 

Followed by a certain comment some way down was this...

*WARNING: I left the exact words in these comments...there's profanity for anyone that really cares.*

"THANK YOU! Over seeing the "clean eating" bullshit and the "cheat day" fuckery. No one is really that happy eating celery."

Insert laugh.

I dislike celery. A lot. For one.

For two...this person obviously doesn't know clean eating...GRUMPY PANTS!

Read some more. Turning into entertainment.

Then there was this statement...

"Life's also to short to be fat, diabetic, have heart disease, and wheelchair-bound..."

I'm sure these people posted this to get a rise out of a select group of people. I almost let it get me...then I read the last comment that was made. That person is so right...while I'm alive, why would I want to live uncomfortably? I won't lie...I cringe when I see people who don't and didn't take care of themselves and struggle with the consequences. 

I was well on that path, once upon a time. I'm thankful I got a full grasp on myself mentally and physically, before it was too late. 

I guess on a different note, I can't believe there are people out there that look forward to dying. (Somewhere in the posts, someone talked about eating terribly and smoking...ect. ect.) I am not one of them. I exercise, eat healthy, and take care of myself to, potentially, beat the suffering that I could go through should I not. For me, it's a habit, a lifestyle, and sure does put me in a heck of a better mood from day to day. 

Don't get me wrong...I'll eat a candy bar or pizza and drink a beer (or 6...haha) every once in a while. Nothing to stress about! I chose this lifestyle and I'm confident in it. If one feels like they need to point out and put down a healthy lifestyle, then they've got another thing coming. And to them I simply say, "Have fun with that!" 

Need A Good Laugh?

I'm feeling super "giggly" today...are you surprised? You shouldn't be.

If you need a good laugh today, you're in the right place!

Hopefully you laugh at them as much as I did...or more.

(Imagine that—almost all of them are of cats..............................)   :)

How cats see themselves...Beebs especially!

This one made me laugh the most!

I have no words...

A little inappropriate...but it's funny!

Motivational Monday

I remember blogging some time ago about how hectic my life (schedule) was...that I would get a break after all of those weddings I had at the beginning of summer.


False.

My life still seems to be crazy busy. Unfortunate at times, but I believe that if it were any different I would complain of boredom!

*Insert "Ain't nobody got time fo that!"*

It's usually the weekends that I am most busy, makes sense since I work during the week. So by Sunday night, I'm pretty tired and ready for bed! From time to time it makes it hard to wake up and get going with some motivation on Monday morning.

Today, folks, that was the case...until about 11am when I found this little gem.

Or click this link to watch on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2minXF6G5z4

So...today...I challenge you to get the "losers" out of your life if you want to live your dream. 

This video explains my life to a T from the last 7 months. I'm thankful for the people I have in my life now...and thankful I woke up and realized the toxic things in my life...and got rid of them.

The other quote I love from this video is this part...

"Someone's opinion of you does not have to become your reality. You don't have to go through life being a victim. Even though you face disappointments, you have to know within yourself—that I can do this even if no one else sees it from me...I"m going to see it for myself." 

So from now on...it's my goal to never speak negatively about a Monday. I'm sorry Office Space, but I will no longer be quoting your "bad case of the Monday's" from here on out!

Watch this video. Watch it again. And again. I get a little more from it every time. It's legit. It's epic. The music certainly dramatizes it (holla!) and there's plenty "throw down the challenge" moments.

Have a good week!

Appreciation

Well HELLOOOOO! Happy Wednesday! What a quick week, huh?

I came across this quote...and posted it on my Instagram...

How true, huh? 

I know people, including myself, really cringe at feeling the bad/negative contrasts. But without those, how would we learn to recognize and appreciate the good things? 

Appreciation is something, I believe, the average person overlooks too often. How many times do you say please, thank you, or acknowledge when someone does something for you or does something good in general (not necessarily for you)? 

Also...I think I need a blown up version of this above my bed. Perhaps on my ceiling so I read it every day when I wake up.

^ Simple enough, yeah?