Posts Tagged ‘Whrrl Stories’
This is Life. Jump In. Make it Count.
Last week I went to a fantastic “Belly, Body & Balance” workshop. With cocktails in hand, we split into groups and traveled around to three stations – Belly (how to make fresh guacamole and more with Chef’n tools), Body (an ab workout with Sassy Fit) and Balance (a workshop from Stratejoy on how to “trust your gut”).
If there’s one thing I’m always trying to be mindful of in my life, it’s balance - how much time I spend with my friends or my family, how much I’m giving myself to work, or working out, or reading, or volunteering. Making sure I take time to calm down, take a break, have a drink or three, breath slowly… 1…2…3.
Balance is top of mind since I’ve left college and entered the busy, stressful world of “my career.”And while sometimes I feel like I know all the answers, there are moments when I’m reminded that I can always learn something new.
Molly from Stratejoy gave me the most poignant damn 20 minutes of learning that I’ve had in a longtime.
Not only did she teach me that balance isn’t about spending an hour a day on the six pieces of the pie in life (relational, personal, professional, financial, spiritual or physical), it’s about making sure that when you’re going to bed, and when you wake up in the morning, that you’re happy. And calm. And stress and anxiety free.
That should be the definition of balance.
I’ve always had the list thing all figured out – balancing and planning my week. Making sure I’m on top of my calendar for the weeks and months to come. But Molly told us, – our little group of spandexed women sitting cross-legged – to take a step back from our calendar and not decide what you need to do (because it will all get done) but how do you want to feel.
She recommended sitting down on Sundays, while preparing for the week, and deciding…
How do you want to feel this week?
And once you’ve decided how you want to feel… what have you committed to? Will these commitments help you experience your desired feeling? Or do you need to cancel or add things that will.
So this is officially my new Sunday evening routine.
How do I want to feel, universe? Is it playful, sassy, flirty, fashionable, strong, positive or frugal?
This week, it’s healthy. Next week… who knows.
That’s the interesting thing about balance – it’s a constant ebb and flow. An up and a down. And it’s a wonder it took me this long to realize it’s going to take me listening to my thoughts, feelings and needs on a weekly basis to ever really feel like I’ve conquered it all.
You can see my pics and notes from the event in my Whrrl story here.
Currently Feeling: Smiley after a great day with my family.
Currently Anticipating: Sharing my new herb garden with you (tomorrow); I’m so excited to watch things grow!
Currently Loving: Strawberry shortcake. I can’t get enough of it lately!
Get me out of this damn castle now, Mario
I was talking last night to one of my girl friends about how sometimes Halloweens are more trouble than they’re worth – it takes you forever to pick out a costume, and there doesn’t seem to be a single Halloween party worth going to (or one that you’re invited to at least).
But not this year – this year I had my costume picked out well in advance, and the Halloween parties were lined up left and right. It seems everyone was in the Halloween spirit this year, and my weekend was a tiring, awesomely fun two days filled with keg cups, beer-filled Mario mustaches, pizza, bathroom lines, an itchy wig, wine, dancing, lots and lots of laughter, great costumes and most importantly, great company in my old friends, new friends and lover.
Once again, my dear madre came to my costume rescue, with only a week’s notice this time. The Thursday before Halloween, I spent six hours in my mom’s company, getting fitted and sewn up into the wee hours of the night. (She even cooked me my absolute favorite homemade dish of all time, Hamburger Gravy). Now if that isn’t true motherly love, I don’t know what is… so here I am, Princess Peach with my Mario, finally rescued from the castle.
You can catch full photos and details on my Halloween in my Whrrl story here.
Currently Feeling: A little back ache coming on – what is with desk chairs? I’m switching to a ball.
Currently Anticipating: A week with virtually ZERO events! I need to catch up.
Currently Loving: Catching up with a high school girl friend last night. It was a three hour chat that we desperately needed!
PROST!
Another October, another fall, another Oktoberfest, HOLLA! For those of you who’ve been a long-time reader, you know I’m a HUGE fan of Oktoberfest. We’re lucky enough here in Washington to have TWO of the top 10 celebrations in the nation. One of them in Fremont each year, which is where I ran my first 5K race, and the other one in Leavenworth, which I attended last weekend with the BF and some college friends. I’ve written about my past Oktoberfest’s in Leavenworth here and here, but I thought I’d share it in a new way this year – through WHRRL! You know you love it.
Currently Feeling: A little under the weather, but thankfully I’m kicking this cold rather quickly. I have an immune system of steal!
Currently Anticipating: My little sister’s 21st birthday this weekend! Oh my gosh! I seriously can’t believe she’s going to be 21.
Currently Reading: Rattled, a memoir by Christine Coppa. Freaks the shiz out of me, I tell yah.
Spam (the edible kind), charity and mini celebrations
It’s been a little quiet here for the last week – September has been a busy, busy month. So much for slowing down after summer… I have a fall that’s looking like it might be just, if not twice, as busy as summer. I can only imagine how exhausting it is for the BF to date me. Poor guy thought he was going to catch his breath after our summer of a million camp trips and plans.
But, I digress.
After tomorrow, I will have attended four networking/industry related events in five days. I’m signing up for everything to network my little butt off. If you don’t network professionally (in person), I’m telling you – GO. Do it now. You’ll reap huge benefits from it. In fact, every time you go to a networking event, an angel gets it’s wings, clouds turn into marshmallows, and rainbows, kitties and unicorns rain down on you from the sky. True story.
Thursday I went to a fun scavenger hunt/networking event around Seattle, put on by a local, fancy hotel, a theatre and a mobile food truck where I tried SPAM for the first time. That’s right, I said SPAM. I’m slightly embarrassed that it was actually super good, and I went back for seconds on my Spam slider. I guess I won’t be able to tease the Bestie anymore when she goes to pick up Spam for her dad’s Christmas stocking. Who would have known ham in a can would be so tasty? I guess that’s just a testament to my love for all things pig. I know what I’m getting my dad for Christmas!
Friday I went to a charity meet-up put on by Q-13 Fox for the Washington Burn Foundation, and why yes, the firefighter calendar models were there. I try to rarely miss events where male calendar models are in attendance charity is involved.
And finally, Saturday night was the accumulation of an event I helped plan for the last couple months – Twestival Seattle – a “social media for the social good” event put on through Twitter to raise money for a local charity. We chose YouthCare, a Seattle nonprofit that supports homeless youth, and we raised more than $6,000 for them. How exciting is that! Twestivals are happening in cities all across the globe this month, so if you can, find out when and where one is in your city and go support your local cause!
I’m also in full swing with my digital photography class that started two weeks ago. It is SO awesome. Words cannot describe how excited I am to get to know my Nikon P90 (on loan from the Nikon COOLPIX Circle) a little bit better and learn about all sorts of things like lighting and composition. AND I’m doing an awesome job slacking on my training for the first 5K I have schedule to run NEXT WEEKEND. Yikes!
Anyway, it feels pretty great to be creative, focused on knocking off some of my goals for 2009 and involved in such awesome events around my community. Lately I’ve CHOSEN my time, my path and where to spend my energy, and I’ve become happier than I’ve been in a long time.
In other news – remember that bottle of wine I was saving since last Memorial Day when the BF and I picked it up on our first camping trip of the summer? We were able to pop that open in celebration this past week. After six months of LOTS of hard work, the BF finished the guest bathroom that he had gutted, re-tiled, painted, installed fixtures in, etc. It was something he had to finish before he could get a roommate, and it was hard for him to find time between working, The Mini and the million plans I always had for us on the calendar. It strained our relationship at times – the lack of time spent together, the stress, the length of time it took to finish. And now he has a roommate in, so the first thing we did was crack the bottle and salute to all the hard work being over!
I don’t know if it was because we’d been saving it for four plus months, or because it was actually an expensive, quality bottle of wine over $10 – but it was the tastiest wine I’ve had in a long time, and turned out to be the best way for us to celebrate.
Huh, maybe there’s something to this whole “late 20-something” stuff, after all.
Currently Feeling: Happy to have a family dinner with my sister tonight while she’s home from college. Barbecue ribs… mmm.
Currently Anticipating: This week! More super exciting stuff going on in Je-ville!
Currently Loving: All the great fall TV that has started – Project Runway, Top Chef, America’s Next Top Model – I’m in TV heaven!
Whrrling my way at the Seahawks game
Ever heard of Whrrl? It’s a pretty sweet app/Web site that allows you to create “stories” to share with your friends on Twitter, Facebook, blogs, etc. I went to my very first Seattle Seahawks game last night, so I thought I’d make a mini story for YOU. Check it out!
Currently Anticipating: One last summer fun, swimming and floating weekend!
Currently Reading: Such a Pretty Fat by Jen Lancaster. So freakin’ funny!!
