Category Archives: Daily Grind
Fitness Fridays
Today concludes fifteen consecutive days of healthy eating and working out at least once (but mostly twice) a day. I’m not looking to be rail-thin, model-esque, or Olympian-strong. I’m looking to be fit. Plain and simple.
I thought I’d post a “day in the life” of… well, me. I work 8+ hours every weekday and sometimes take work home on the weekends, but I’ve still managed to prioritize my time so that my health and fitness come first. When you’re healthy, it’s a lot easier to be happy and I’ve noticed how much better I’m performing at work, within my social life, and my mood overall. Within this 2 weeks, I’m 5.6lbs down. To me though, it’s not the number that matters. It’s how I feel when I put on my clothes and realize that they’re no longer snug. It’s how I feel when my muscles are sore each and every day and the realization that they’re growing, only to improve my strength in the long run. It’s how I feel when I shed my clothes before a nice, long shower – that girl in the mirror is fit and toned. It’s who I’ve always wanted to be.
Now that I have it, I won’t let it go. That I can promise you.
A Day in the Life of Kristen Leigh
Work-Out Plan
4:30AM
20 minutes on the elliptical
20 minutes of weights (3 reps of 15 on each machine in the photo below)
100 sit-ups
1-2 minutes plank
6:00PM
45-60 minutes on the elliptical
30 minutes weights (3 reps of 15 on each machine in the photo below)
200 sit-ups
1-2 minutes plank
3 sets of 15 lunges with 5lb weight in each hand
It’s important to alternate between legs and arms each day in order to allow your muscles to rest and grow, but cardio should be done everyday! If the weights feel too light, boost ‘em and lift heavier amounts. Give yourself at least one day off each week, but don’t slack off by eating a bunch of fried junk food. Don’t get me wrong, you can definitely treat yourself. But I’ve come to learn it’s all about moderation. I’ve been able to tone up and lose those pounds the past two weeks while treating myself to a cupcake, a cheeseburger and fries, and a big bowl of popcorn. The key is to have just enough and not too much. Again, moderation. The sooner you learn that, the easier this will be.
Meal Plan
Breakfast
Prepackaged Jamba Smoothie and a sliced apple
OR Silk’s Fruit Protein drink (8oz) and a sliced apple
(I’m not a big breakfast person)
Lunch
I normally eat a grilled chicken salad, either house or Greek. I avoid croutons and fatty dressings. I try to stick to balsamic vinaigrette or low fat organic Italian.
OR I’ll have a grilled chicken breast that I cooked the night before with sautéed onions, red peppers, and other veggies.
Dinner
I will either grill a chicken breast, shrimp or fish. I love broccoli so I steam a large bowl of that as well as asparagus, onions, and red peppers. I’ll also have a cup of brown rice with low sodium soy sauce drizzled on top.
Snacks
Throughout the day, I’ll have about 3-5 snacks. I always have an apple and a banana, as well as flavored Greek yogurt. Sometimes I’ll bring carrot slices with nonfat ranch, almonds, and sliced celery with nonfat peanut butter.
I’m always looking for new healthy recipes because a meal plan like this can be a little bland from time to time. My recipe book has grown over the past two weeks and I must say, it’s nice craving fruits & veggies instead of sweets and treats. To keep track of everything, I use the Lose It! App. You can track your daily food intake, as well as your workouts. If your goal is to lose weight, you can set up a caloric limit and work towards that goal through diet and exercise.
The hardest part is starting. Really, it is.
The first 3-4 days will be tough. Super tough. But in a week in a half, you’ll start to notice those tiny changes that will begin to make all the difference, like your clothes hanging looser or the feeling of having more energy. Those tiny changes start to turn into noticeably larger ones, and that, my friends, is what will keep you going. At least that’s what does it… for me.
Good luck! Get fit! 
(To follow my journey, feel free to follow me on Twitter and Instagram. Usernames for both are kristen_leighh)
Five Tips for Standing Out in Your First Job
Adapted from Monster, Alexandra Levit hits some key points. I couldn’t have said it better myself.
Hopefully, this isn’t news to recent college graduates, but the workplace is more competitive than ever. If you have a job already, congratulations — you’ve made it over the first hurdle. Now it’s time to make sure you can stay put through this economic crisis and beyond.
Here are five essential tips gleaned from working with HR staff, managers and twenty-something employees in hundreds of organizations.
1. Be the One Everyone Wants to Work With
Members of Generation Y, or those born roughly between 1978 and 1993, unfortunately, have a reputation of showing up to work with a sense of entitlement. Combat this perception by showing that you’re willing to pay your dues and learn from any assignment, owning your career progression and being a “can-do” person. If you encounter roadblocks, marshal your resources to get around them rather than letting a project languish.
2. Surpass Your Boss’s Expectations
Find out what the boss wants from you first, and then brainstorm ways to go above and beyond the call of duty. You can also establish a good rapport by making your new boss feel needed. Show that you are ready and willing to be guided, and bond over the fact that he has some years on you. Understand the value of self-sufficiency, and approach your boss with a problem or complaint only if you’ve explored all options for resolving it yourself.
3. Carve a Niche for Yourself Through Innovation
Ask yourself what your company or department needs, and think about how you can use your unique set of skills and talents to provide it. So what if you’re hardly a Renaissance man or woman? You’re still new blood. Can you offer a fresh perspective on a vexing problem that has been plaguing your managers for months? Can you find a way to do something faster and more efficiently?
4. Take the Extra Step to Help Someone
Beach-ball management, or bouncing a request over to a colleague because it’s not your responsibility to handle it, is all too common in the professional world. If someone asks you a question and you don’t know the answer, make it your business to find it. By doing whatever you can to ensure your department or organization is perceived in a positive light, you will add value and stand out as a team player.
5. Subtly Promote Your Achievements
If you want people to take notice of you, you must make your accomplishments visible. How do you share your contributions without being perceived as arrogant or boastful? The key is enthusiasm. If you emphasize your passion when describing an achievement, people will think you’re just excited about it. An excited person appears earnest, and it’s hard to be critical of someone who’s earnest.
Of course, these suggestions aren’t limited to new college grads. If you’ve been out of school two years or 20, the tips might well be worthwhile in hanging onto your job through the downturn.
{Alexandra Levit, a nationally recognized business and workplace expert, is the author of the They Don’t Teach Corporate in College: A Twenty-Something’s Guide to the Business World.}
The Invisible Invasion on Your Desk
Is your workspace really clean? Office workers are becoming hip to the fact that their workspaces are breeding grounds for germs and bacteria, but depending on what city you live in and what kind of office you work in, the level of contamination can vary widely.
In the past five years Dr. Charles Gerba, a professor of microbiology at the University of Arizona, has done four Clorox-sponsored studies over five years that looked at office environments, and found that the germiest desks were in the Big Apple.
Regional Differences
“There were a lot more bacteria in offices in New York,” Gerba said, suggesting that bigger cities with larger, multistory office buildings and colder climates kept people at their desks for lunch and breaks, which meant more chances for people to spread germs.
In comparison cities with lower densities, warmer climates and more opportunity for workers to leave their offices during the day had fewer microbes, Gerba said.
“Cities like Tucson, San Francisco and Los Angeles had much cleaner offices,” he said.
Handle With Care
Shared workspaces, like media newsrooms with staffs on different shifts, are also likely to be much more bacteria-laden than other offices.
To cut back on bacteria, office workers should focus on three areas to keep clean: their desktops, phones and computers. Besides washing their hands frequently, workers should invest in disinfectant wipes and hand sanitizers, since custodial staff rarely clean desktops or office equipment.
Gender Inequality
“Most people don’t usually clean their desk until they start sticking to it,” he explained, adding that men and women tend to contaminate different things.
Gerba found that men, for example, are more likely to have personal digital assistants, like BlackBerrys, that are highly contaminated.
When it comes to invisible microbes on the desktop, many women’s desks have a higher incidence of contamination. The research showed that women often have more perishable food at their desks, while men tend to go with candy bars or other packaged foods for their in-cubicle snack. Apples, oranges and bananas can leave mold behind. Another item women had at their desks that can be a breeding ground for bacteria are makeup kits, according to Gerba’s studies.
Cleaning Your Equipment
Shaking the crumbs out of a keyboard or employing a canister of compressed air to get rid of dust may help extend the life of office equipment, but to really clean use products that kill germs. Taking a dry paper towel to your desk is not only ineffective, but it may also make things worse, Gerba said.
“It moves germs all around instead of disinfecting,” he said.
Most office equipment should not be sprayed with cleaners, but wetting a tissue or paper towel with a gentle disinfectant can allow for adequate cleanup.
Take the Stairs?
While many office clean freaks will go to great lengths to avoid touching the knob on the bathroom door, Gerba’s studies found that knobs and light switches were “pretty clean.”
But one of the dirtiest spots in office buildings was a fairly innocuous site — the elevator’s first floor button.
“I always knuckle that one,” Gerba said.
{Source}
Job Search Blues? Keep Those Spirits Up
If you’re having a difficult time finding a job, and it seems like it’s taking forever, don’t despair. We’ve all been there. The uncertainty of what lies ahead. The fear of never finding a job or plopping into the wrong one. The anxiety and stress from interviews-gone-wrong. Take a breath. Relax. You have something the rest of us don’t – spare time. So smile!
Here are some suggestions for keeping your spirit positive.
Think Up
The mind is a powerful vessel. How we think and what we think can control our spirits. We literally can think ourselves up or down. To keep out the negative thoughts and self-doubt:
- Wake up thinking or saying positive statements.
- Avoid negative media, news, emails, and downer movies and television.
- End the day thinking or saying positive statements.
- Think about the positives a new job brings: new skills, new relationships, and a new chance to show your skills and talents.
Positive Reminders
Surround yourself with quotes or statements of hope and encouragement. Write your favorites on sticky notes on the refrigerator or computer — somewhere you can easily see them. Two favorites from Winston Churchill:
- “The pessimist sees problems in every opportunity…whereas the optimist sees opportunity in every problem.”
- “Never ever, ever, ever, ever, ever give up. Never give up. Never give up. Never give up…”
Take Steps
Literally. Move. Being a couch potato shows. Leave the house at least once a day. Exercise, jogging or walking will:
- Re-energize you.
- Help to clear the mental cobwebs.
- Prepare you to look your best for interviews.
Pamper Yourself with Kind Acts
How you treat yourself can impact your spirit.
- Play your favorite music softly in the background while you “work.”
- Eat healthy without hugging the refrigerator. Now is not the time to bulk up.
- Sing — regardless of quality. Singing happy songs will actually will help to stretch and relax your vocal chords while refreshing your spirit.
- Avoid being sloppy. Dress and groom yourself with respect — for you.
- Treat yourself with affordable goodies such as a favorite food or beverage, an afternoon movie with popcorn, doing something touristy, or a mindless novel.
See Spirited People
Make sure you spend some time, preferably in person, with positive and supportive people every day.
- Surround yourself with yea-sayers and avoid the naysayers.
- Work your network.
- Call people rather than email or texting them — it’s more personal and supportive.
- If you’re single and live alone, go to the library or a coffee shop to be around others.
- Help others in need. Get out of yourself from time to time.
- Spend quality time with your family and friends.
Keep at the Top of Your Game
Keeping your spirit up has a lot to do with how you feel about yourself. Don’t let your skill set and knowledge slide.
- Keep up on industry news.
- Read trade journals and business magazines and newspapers.
- If possible, practice to improve your career skill set.
Now’s the Time
Enjoy the positives of your job search, like having spare time. Remember all those times you said, “If I only had time, I’d…”
- Read those books.
- Clean that closet.
- Take that class.
- Get in better shape.
Do Your Best Work to Find Work
Knowing you’re taking all the right steps to find a job will help improve your spirits.
- Write a perfect resume and cover letter for each job.
- Send X amount of resumes out each workday without fail.
- Keep up-to-date records of results.
- Keep accurate contact information on companies, executives and hiring agents.
- Have your interview clothes clean and ready to wear.
- Work at finding work every day.
Article by Pat Mayfield via Monster
15 Ways 20-Somethings Ruin Their Twenties
Thought Catalog has too many wonderful articles lately. I have a hard time choosing which ones to share! This one made me laugh.
1. Letting themselves get out of shape. If you’ve ever watched The Biggest Loser and questioned the contestants desire, based on their struggles — you’ve never been out of shape. You’ll find that the rumors are true, and your metabolism moves slower than a snail at the DMV as you get older. If you continue washing down brownies with Mountain Dew and discounting the value of working out, you will pay. I assure you that once you’ve officially gotten out of shape, it’s so much harder to get fit. The mere sight of a treadmill will make you want to run anywhere but on it.
2. Spending substantial amounts of money on farfetched concepts. Buying several lottery tickets, playing the slot machines and joining pyramid schemes are all poor decisions, with slim chances of making profit. (Heads Up: 99% of well-dressed individuals who approach you with a business proposal/job opportunity just want you to help them build an unprofitable pyramid.)
3. Staying involved in destructive relationships. In middle school and high school, everyone dated everyone — but your 20s should see stricter standards and principles enforced. There’s no sense in being with someone whom you can’t picture yourself happily with in the foreseeable future. Don’t get me wrong, fixing damaged relationships is great; but trying to glue back a thousand broken pieces while getting cut in the process is unhealthy.
4. Cohabitating with a lover whom you’re not married to. Often couples convince themselves that moving in together is a splendid idea, when that’s not always the case. Sure, some live happily together, but it’s not for everyone. Be certain that you’re not rushing into things. It’s not as simple as sharing a shower, owning his and hers robes, and having sex frequently. Many characteristics are revealed, and obnoxious habits are exposed. Living with a significant other too early can be detrimental to the entire relationship.
5. Accepting and embracing drama. When you graduate high school, the cattiness and immaturity proceed to follow some. We have to refuse to be a part of any high school level shenanigans. Hearsay, gossip, he-said-she-said — all those bastards got a diploma and followed some miserable souls well into their 20s. It’s a matter of rejecting the slightest hint of drama, and wisely refusing to speak, act, or feel anything based off of it.
6. Settling for a subpar job that makes you miserable. Hard work and dedication, no matter who the employer, are admirable traits. If you find yourself performing unhappily at a place, be certain that you’re just doing so as a means to get by until you can pursue your personal goals. Every opportunity to take a shot at your dream career should be greeted passionately by you. Too often people forget that the 20s are an ideal decade for trial and error. Test things out, then fail or succeed.
7. Putting excessive amounts of value in attention received on social networks. Gauging your popularity and significance by the amount of likes your Facebook statuses got. Feeling physically unappealing because your Instagram photo — which you spent an absurd amount of time selecting an effect for — didn’t get a satisfying amount of compliments and responses.
8. Being a pushover. Little things like accepting the wrong drink at Starbucks, or pretending not to notice someone cutting you in line aren’t crucial. The issue is the snowball effect that follows. People see that you’ll give an inch, so they’ll greedily take a mile. In today’s world, it’s hard to be nice without somebody trying to take advantage of your kindness. Establish firm limitations that people know better than to cross. It might take temporary sternness, but in the long run it’ll pay off.
9. Taking pride in being widely considered a b-tch or a d-ck. Why being loathed (for good reason) has become a fad is beyond me, but it’s definitely a thing. It’s fantastic to be who you are, but to consciously treat people sh-tty and then brag about having “haters” is just dumb. Nobody is invincible — so continuously pouring gasoline, lighting matches and burning bridges will come back to haunt anyone eventually.
10. Being self-destructive. Continuing personally damaging conduct, with no intentions of stopping can have a lasting effect on your 20s. Getting arrested, pissing off friends, being irresponsible with finances — these are just a few of the seemingly infinite ways to ruin one’s self.
11. Passing on spontaneous adventures and the opportunity to experience new things. If friends are taking an impromptu trip to a nearby city, pack a small bag and roll with. These little things are what make the decade. Beyond the inside jokes and perspective on classic stories that you’ll miss out on, you’ll lack good times. If serious responsibility isn’t withholding your presence, then nothing else should be. Attend gatherings, give unfamiliarity a chance and build a résumé of awesome memories.
12. Remaining bitter. If you’re still angry with the ex from over five years ago, or badmouthing the company that didn’t hire you — do yourself and those around you a favor by stopping. The anger is unhealthy to hold on to, plus it makes you a misery to be around. Bitter passes are typically handed out to the freshly dumped, or recently rejected — but in time you must forgive or forget. Whichever you choose; be firm on it.
13. Making yourself difficult to love. By being shutdown and over-complicated, you create a seemingly impenetrable shirt, doused in cupid repellant. We all struggle in our own unique, disastrous ways — the key is to fix them. Making yourself available, approachable and open/honest will work wonders for your love life.
14. Being a pessimistic, opinionated hater. Yeah, that’s something we all want to be around in our spare time. Every movie out isn’t terrible, every song isn’t garbage. This personality type is in for a reality check when eventually nobody wants anything to do with ‘em.
15. Spending large chunks of time dreaming about a utopic, perfect world in which everything is just peachy. Having high hopes and aspirations for the future is a great thing, it’s just important to draw the line of frequency somewhere. Picturing a fantasy land in which you own nice things, are surrounded by beautiful people and have Uncle Scrooge sized piles of money isn’t going to bring those things to fruition. The dreaming is the easy part, it’s the living that requires some heavy lifting and effort.
via restartmyheart
Handbook for Life
So simple, yet so true. It’s easy to forget…
HEALTH:
1. Drink plenty of water.
2. Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like beggar.
3. Eat more foods that grow on trees and plants and eat less food that is
manufactured in plants.
4. Live with the 3 E’s — Energy, Enthusiasm and Empathy.
5. Make time to meditate.
6. (Breathe)
7. Read more books than you did in 2009.
8. Sit in silence for at least 10 minutes each day.
9. Sleep for 7 hours.
10. Take a 10-30 minute walk daily. And while you walk, smile.
PERSONALITY:
11. Comparing our lives to others is fruitless. We have no idea what their journey is about.
12. Replace negative thoughts with positive ones especially about things out of our control. Invest energy in the positive present moment.
13. Try not to over do. Understand limits.
14. Why take ourselves so seriously. No one else does.
15. Gossip drains precious energy.
16. Dream more while we are awake.
17. Envy is a waste of time. We already have all we need.
18. Forget issues of the past. Let go of our partners mistakes of the past. Focus on our present/future happiness.
19. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.
20. Make peace with our past so it won’t spoil the present.
21. No one is in charge of our happiness except us.
22. Realize that life is a school and we are here to learn. Problems are simply part of the curriculum that appear and fade away like algebra class but the lessons we learn will last a lifetime.
23. Smile and laugh more.
24. We don’t have to win arguments. It’s ok to agree to disagree.
SOCIETY:
25. Call your family often.
26. Each day give something good to others.
27. Forgive everyone for everything.
28. Spend time with people over the age of 70 and under the age of 6.
29. Try to make at least three people smile each day.
30. What other people think of you is insignificant compared to what you think of yourself.
31. Your job won’t take care of you when you are sick. Your friends & family will. Stay in touch.
LIFE:
32. Do the right thing!
33. Get rid of anything that isn’t useful, beautiful or joyful.
34. (Higher powers) heal everything.
35. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.
36. No matter how we feel, get up, dress up, and show up.
37. The best is yet to come.
38. When we awake alive in the morning, be thankful.
39. Our Inner most is always happy. Release your “Inner Happy” on the world every day!
Source: www.prana.com/blog/2010/01/02/handbook-for-life-2010/
Seriously, just let it go
Lately, I’ve been trying to find ways to live life better. For about a month, I was in a not-so-pleasant place. I was pretty unhappy and felt like I needed a huge change (yet again). It was then that I sat down and really started to delve into why I was feeling this way.
I had a huge change in my life a year ago – getting a “big-girl” job and moving to Houston. This was all fun and exciting for the first 6 months, but then it started to wear on me. I became homesick, lost, and confused. I didn’t know what I wanted to do and had so many aspirations, but felt as though time was running out. I constantly race the clock because I don’t know how not to. I have always been this way. There is so much I want to do and I feel like there will never be enough time to do it all.
Whoa. Deep breath. As #20 below says, “let go of the ticking clock.” The perception of time is my biggest source of stress and I know it. I am slowly learning how to focus less on time and more on the activity. All we have is time – so why not make the most of it and focus on what’s really important instead of how long it takes us to get there?
Time to Reboot Your Life and let go of these 20 mental barriers. Trust me, I’m seeing things much more clearly now.
1. Let go of attachments: According to Buddhist Philosophy, attachment is one of the roots of all suffering. I can’t agree more. We attach ourselves to all sorts of things even the most self-slapping stupid notions in the universe. Are you attached to something? How much are you attached? Is it keeping you back from something? Is it making you suffer? Look at it straight through – break the illusion. Know that every attachment can be detached.
2. Let go of guilt: Guilt has absolutely no function whatsoever. Think about it – what could guilt possibly resolve? It just holds you imprisoned to self-mortification and sorrow.
3. Let go of Negative thinking: Pessimistic thoughts and negative attitudes keep you locked in a dark aura that permeates in everything you do. It’s a dangerous line to follow. Know that thoughts influence the world around us. Enough said.
4. Let go of self-criticism: Many times, we are our biggest pain in the neck. We criticize ourselves with the best of intentions but then go over the acceptable limit. Criticism then turns to disempowering messages. Let go of it and be kind and gentle to yourself.
5. Let go of prejudice: Prejudice keeps you bitter and resentful. It restricts your opportunities to connect meaningfully with others.
6. Let go of compulsive thinking: Do you keep on doing something just because you feel you have to do it without any apparent reason? It’s time to honestly reflect on its usefulness and its side-effects.
7. Let go of the need for others’ approval: We tend to seek approval from others. This is an attention-seeking behavior and one which threatens our self-confidence and authenticity.
8. Let go of limiting beliefs: Most of our limits are self-imposed. Life doesn’t have defined limits. Our beliefs do. Learn to identify those beliefs which narrow down your possibilities for action and let go of them.
9. Let go of grudges: Let me put it this way – grudges are bad for your heart. Keep them long enough or numerous enough and your health will eventually suffer. Research is showing the relationship between heart disease and emotions such as anger and grudges.
10. Let go of the “I’ll do it tomorrow” attitude: This is a delaying tactic of your subconscious saboteur trying to keep you from accomplishing important tasks. Try to be aware of it when you think it and consciously push yourself to do at least the first part of it. Naturally you will then continue the whole task because the hard part is only the beginning.
11. Let go of anxious thoughts: These are born out of our fear of the unknown and uncertainty about the future. The thought that something unpleasant may happen is only an unreal thought we have created ourselves. Ask yourself: “Is this thought based on real evidence?”
12. Let go of past heartbreaks: A heartbreak can take quite a long time to heal. Your heart is locked as your mind keeps on hovering over the same thought. The thing to realize is that in heartbreaks it is not the loss that make you suffer but the idea you create in your heads about that loss.
13. Let go of bad memories: Sometimes we remember unpleasant things that stir up some sad feelings in us. Bad memories make you relive those sad moments in the present. Keep them where they are – in the past.
14. Let go of useless things: We also attach ourselves to things of all sort. Sometimes we clutter our life with useless objects. Let go of them and simplify your working and living environment.
15. Let go of bad company: If there are people around you that are insincere, harbour envy, are highly pessimistic or disempowering, keep away from them.
16. Let go of the idea that you are a product of your past: One very common mistake we fall into is the belief that we are determined by our past experiences. This limits our view on future possibilities since we are stuck in believing that the future can only be more of the same as our past.
17. Let go of identifying yourself with your job/role: This is one of the risks of modern day life. Since roles are always becoming more specialized we think that we are part of our roles. This makes us lose perspective of our true nature.
18. Let go of counterproductive habits: These are the repetitive patterns of behavior that obstruct or distract you from constructive and productive behavior. They can be anything from watching too much TV and overeating to self-destructive behavior such as drug abuse.
19. Let go of taking things too personally: Very often we are disturbed emotionally because we interpret people’s words and actions from a very subjective perspective. When we take things personally we get irritated, hurt and disappointed. When you look at life from a more detached and objective point of view, we stay emotionally balanced and focused on our priorities.
20. Let go of the ticking clock: Time is one of our biggest sources of stress. Well, not time really but our perception of it. Sometimes we are enslaved by the concept of time even in our moments of leisure. This has devoured a lot of our genuine freedom and space. Learning to spend moments without the constant awareness of time can be liberating and finally productive.
via restart my heart
Work it out, girl
I swear. Working out is probably the only (and best) way to get rid of anger. After getting my endorphins flowing and a surprisingly short six miles later, I feel a hundred times better than I did a couple of hours ago.
Yeah, tough days bring you down.
Yeah, tough days suck.
But tough is just tough luck.
I really do try to find the good in every situation possible. I pick apart every teensy little crevice, just waiting for that minuscule piece of good to shout out, “I’m here!”. It’s not always easy to find, but when you finally do… damn, does it feel good.
For those that also experienced a not so pleasant day, I truly hope it gets better. Or that at least tomorrow brings something new and fresh.
I promise sometime this week I’ll actually post something worthy of learning. But right now, I’m just trying to find the time to enjoy the little things.
Patience
Today I got to thinking about patience… and how I have absolutely the lowest tolerance for idiocy and anything SLOW. While many people share these same feelings, I think I may take it a bit overboard.
We had a seminar at work today and it really revved up my mind when she started discussing patience. Although this is a quality that some people naturally have more tolerance with, it is definitely something that can be learned. (Me being one who needs to learn it.)
I guess the way I look at things is, “Why wait if I can get it done now?” Why be slow when I can go fast?” “Why climb along when I can leap?” Well, my friends, I think a large part of this is due to the fact that we are Y’ers, or part of generation Y.
We grew up with technology (the internet, palm pilots, cell phones, text messaging, email, GPS, etc, etc) and therefore, feel that we can get everything and anything we want or need with the snap of our fingers. And while that may be true, it’s nice to take a second, sit back and say, “It can wait.”
Our presenter gave us one tidbit when it comes to patience. If you want to learn patience (which I so desperately do), practice patient behaviors. She lent out ideas, such as staying in one lane 80% of the way while driving home, no matter how slow it is. Or standing in the longest line at the grocery store, and when another line opens up, walk slowly over- if someone beats you to it, let them go first. Now, I know what you’re thinking. When she mentioned these, I laughed to myself and said “YEAH RIGHT. Why would I stand in lines that are longer than the rest, it’s such a waste of time.”
Of course, everyone’s time is valuable. Your time is valuable. My time is valuable. But what will end up happening is that all this impatience will lead to stress, stress will lead to health, heart, and probably mental problems, and you’ll end up with less time anyways. At least that’s my theory.
With that said, I’ve set a goal: to practice one patient behavior per week for a month. For instance, today, instead of powerwalking to my car and running to make the crosswalk lights, I meandered slowly. I noticed how nice and cool the weather was, that the air smelled like leaves (yes, even in downtown Houston), and that the sun was shining bright with only a few clouds in the sky. I was actually able to have a peaceful moment instead of thinking “what next”.
I never would have noticed these things had I been running to get to my car or thinking about that “next thing”. It may seem small, but it actually made my day a tiny ounce more enjoyable. I encourage you to take a little time and practice patience. I’m hoping you’ll find in the end that all you really do have is time.
Routine.
Routine. We all have one.
I hastily turn off my alarm clock at 5am, hit the gym, hop in the shower, and start my daily mantra before work, “Today will be a good day.”
I grab a shake from the refrigerator, turn on a single light for Lacy, and lock the door, triple checking to make sure it is indeed locked. OCD much?
I believe I have a routine for every activity I engage in. I also believe I’m not the only one. As comforting as routines make our lives, how do we know when we need a change? Do routines limit us from trying new things and exploring our adventurous side?
I can understand both answers “yes” and “no” when it comes to this question. On the one hand, routines may seem limiting. We get so caught up in our day-to-day doings that we sometimes forget how much more is out there. It is entirely possible to lose that sense of being adventurous and carefree.
On the other hand, routines have the ability to open up new possibilities. Maybe an activity in your normal routine can lead to what may seem like an insignificant moment, when really it is one to get your mind revved up and your carefree spirit rolling. For instance, if you enjoy running (as I so do) and the weather is beautiful, you may decide to run outside. This small change allows your routine to continue uninterrupted, just with an adventurous kick.
So the next time you feel bored or like you’ve fallen into a rut, pick yourself up and try something new. The least you can do for yourself is explore what life has to offer. In the end, what do you really have to lose?
