I'm Baaaaaaaaack....and, I Missed Christmas

A bit of medical advice to start your year off:  Don't get the flu. 

If there is anything more depressing than sitting home alone on Christmas, it would be sitting home alone on Christmas, WITH THE FLU.  #worstthingever

Hello and Happy New Year!

Let me back up a bit here....I was feeling pretty sick the Monday and Tuesday before Christmas but figured I just picked up another cold from one of my kids.  In fact, I worked both of those days and was wondering why I was being such a baby about this "cold", when in fact I worked an 11 hour and 9 hour day WITH THE FLU!!!!!!! 

I was supposed to leave for home Wednesday (Christmas Eve) but was feeling pretty terrible so I decided to stay in Baltimore and go to urgent care.  After a long wait and 2 giant wooden swabs up my nose (super uncomfortable), I was diagnosed with Influenza and sent home with some cough syrup with codeine.  Score!  It was too late for Tamiflu because I had already passed the 48 hr mark.  So I spent the holidays paralyzed on my couch with nary a festive sight or other human being around.  Side note:  If you've never had codeine you are missing out because it is a real trip.  After not being able to sleep for nights, I took this stuff and not only slept like a baby but had the most lucid dreams ever.  I kind of want more.  Kidding!!

So I finally made it home the Saturday after Christmas.  I missed all the good Christmas stuff.  Midnight Mass on Christmas Eve.  Christmas Day with all my relatives.  All the FOOD.  I didn't have an appetite for over a week and subsisted solely on Campbell's chicken noodle soup and Gatorade.  My appetite and strength really didn't return until the middle of last week. 

Alright, enough about the flu.  Just don't get it.  Although I hear the flu shot isn't really effective this year, so your best bet is to either become a hermit for the next 3 months or don a bubble anytime you are out in public.

I'm late to the party and by this time, you've read about a million Christmas and New Year's recaps so instead of overloading you with yet another, I'm going to give you a rundown with mostly photos of what I did with my week of vacation post-flu, post-Christmas :)

Spent some time visiting with friends and family:

My sister and her family from ATL were not in town this year, so my parents house felt pretty empty without the addition of 5 more people!

The food I wait all year to eat:  (Struffoli/Pinulata - Italian fried dough balls covered in honey and sprinkles)

Once I finally felt semi-well, I couldn't wait to go for a run.  It was what made me feel human again.  I got a few good ones in last week:

Last run of 2014!

Snow run!

(Editor's note:  I kept trying to get that horse to come over to me so I could pet him but he was super hesitant. I thought it was just because I didn't have any treats to offer him, however, I accidently put my arm down on the ELECTRIC FENCE and found out why he was keeping his distance.  I totally got shocked and that horse surely thought I was an idiot.)

 

Drifting in and out of consciousness during my run with influenza, I wasn't really thinking about gifts (I didn't even know what day it was half the time), but when I finally got home and got to exchange gifts with my friends and family, it was such a nice surprise.  I got lots of wonderful new running accessories.  My sister got me a bunch of stuff for running safely in the dark including two flashers you can attach to your clothes/shoes plus a reflective vest! I also got several new long-sleeved running shirts.  And look what my sister in ATL sent to me:

 

I am going to buy every single vegan treat in sight

 



In other news, I was supposed to go on a blind date while I was home (set up by sister) but I had to cancel due to the aforementioned viral infection.  We finally rescheduled for a week later, and he then texted me that afternoon that he got the flu!! HAHAHA  Sounds made up, but I assure you this is my real life. 

 

This week was the first time all year that I had time off and had no plans whatsoever and it was really needed.  I did a lot of thinking about the previous year and what I want 2015 to bring.  I decided I'm not going to set any real goals because I did that last year and probably didn't even meet half of them!  I mean, I didn't even make spaghetti squash.  So instead of setting myself up for failure, I've decided on a couple of mantras that I want to guide me in 2015.

 

First, and most importantly, I want to be open to change and NEW possibilities.  I want to be more receptive to things I may not have considered in the past, because I am anxious for even bigger changes this year.  I want to be more open-minded about the future, and where it may lead.

 

And secondly, I want to continue to be TRUE to myself.  This is something that has led my actions over the past 2 years and I want to ensure I am continuing to be authentic and listening to my intuition as I choose new paths this year.

 

That's it.  Be OPEN and AUTHENTIC.  Boom!  Those are some solid guiding mantras for the year right there.

 

There are many other things I'd love to do this year, but I just don't know if life will provide the means for those things so that's why I'm just going to stay open and be more accepting of what does come my way.  Life is like a box of chocolates you know? 

 

I have good good feelings about this year anyway.  Plus, I just love how 2015 sounds compared to 2014.  I feel like the Universe is on my side.

 

You know how I know this?  Because look at the sky on my drive back down to Baltimore last night.  This crappy iPhone photo doesn't even begin to do it justice.  I couldn't stop staring (while of course keeping my eyes super focused on the road ahead).

 

 

Layers upon layers of pink and gold that went on for miles.  Sounds super corny, but I felt like I was driving straight into Heaven.  Now I wouldn't exactly classify Baltimore as "Heaven", but I felt it was a prelude to the year to come.  Everything feels full of promise and I hope it does for all of you as well!  Here's to the new year; a 2015 full of possibilities.

 

 

Please catch me up on your lives!

 

What are you looking forward to in 2015?

Virtual Vision Board

Yes I do!

 

 

Here it is, the 2014 Goals post.  Hunker down because this may be a long and winding road. 

 

So I mentioned in my last post I don't make behavioral resolutions for the New Year (ie. I will drink 12 glasses of water every day for the next 365 days. Nope, not gonna happen.), but I do like to have some goals and ideas about things I would like to accomplish in the coming months.  I have never created a physical Vision Board (but that is on the to-do list this year), but I love the idea and purpose behind it.  Today's post is going to be a virtual vision board of sorts. 

 

So without further ado, I present to you some of my 2014 goals (a girl's gotta keep some things private!) listed in ascending order according to degree of difficulty (by my own calculations):

 

1.  Create an (actual) vision board.  Crucial first step here :)

 

2.  Prepare and eat spaghetti squash.  Ok, I could've gone all out here and simply written Learn to Cook but let's be real and start small.  Learning to cook is going to be a HUGE endeavor so I'm starting small.  I have been wanting to cook/eat spaghetti squash for months now, so this year it will happen.  This one small victory may be all I need to discover I am actually a culinary genius.  HAHA

 

3.  Go to the movies alone.  I realized over the holidays there were so many good movies out that I wanted to see, but that upon returning to Baltimore I would not have as many people around to go see them with.  Enter Goal #3.  Just because I don't have a significant other, or an availability of single friends, does not mean I should miss out on catching the luscious Leo in all his glory on the big screen.

 

4.  Running goals.  Run 2 more Half Marathons this year, as well as enter more short distance races.  I did a few 5Ks last year and am starting to like them a little more than I thought I would.  I would also like to do a 10K this year because that is a distance I've never raced before. I have other (more distant) running-related goals on the horizon, but I'm not sure they are a 2014 type goal yet (ie. Full Marathon calling my name at some point; Trying a Triathlon - sprint distance at first).

 

5.  Blog work.  I'd like to get more serious about my blog but not sure what that means.  I would actually like to learn more about blog basics (search analytics, etc) and decide what direction I want to take this little number in.  Do I want my blog to have its own Facebook account? Do I want to try to generate revenue?  Do I want to be self hosted?  All things to consider as I am still a blogger newbie.

 

6.  Get my PT Certification.  This is one I have been poring over for some time now.  I have loved working out ever since I knew 'working out' was a thing - so probably since high school.  I love pretty much any type of exercise, not just running, and I love sharing that with others.  I get asked often by friends and family for exercise advice and many people (jokingly, I dk?!) have asked me to be their personal trainers.  Sooo, this is something I have wanted to pursue for a long time and I hope to make it a reality this year.  For those of you that are Certified Personal Trainers, I'd love to know which organization you recommend.  Thanks!

 

7.  Volunteer.  I have done volunteer work sporadically in the past but the last time I volunteered on a regular basis was about 10 years ago when I was a hospital volunteer in the maternity ward (LOVED it by the way!).  So this year, I would like to find ways to donate my time and services to causes I believe in - children, animal rights, etc.

 

8.  Meditate.  Perhaps this should be further down the list because I've said I was going to attempt meditation many times in the past and I have not, but I want to learn how to do this and give it a real try this year.  If anyone out there has a meditation practice and can give me some tips on how to get started I would truly appreciate it!  I've heard there are even iPhone apps for this?  Who knew.

 

9.  Yoga.  Along the same lines as the above.  I've been saying for years I would like to get into yoga, both for it's physical and spiritual benefits.  Here's hoping this is the year I get all bendy and zen :)

 

10.  Take a solo trip.  This one is currently wearing many hats, and I'm not sure where I want to go with it.  I'm turning 35 this year (wait, WHAT?!) and thought about taking a solo trip to celebrate my birthday.  I have also been looking into attending a blogging conference like FitBloggin or the SweatPink/Ideafit Blogger conference.  And I am also dying to make a West Coast trip a reality because it's been on my mind forever and I want to see if I could really see myself relocating/living out there one day.  So yeah, this solo trip could be a birthday trip/destination race/blogger conference/relocation scouting mission all rolled into one!

 

11.  Health Coach certification.  This is another one that has been on my radar for a few years.  I have been following the Institute for Integrative Nutrition for a couple of years and even attended a few Meetups last year with current students of IIN but I've never taken the plunge and registered for classes.  I'm not sure what I want out of becoming a Health Coach right now, but it just feels like the right direction for me to move in, just like getting my PT certification.  However, this and the trip have been put at the end of the list because they are heavily finance-dependent and we'll just have to see where I am in that realm as the year goes on!

 

Ok so there you have it.  If anyone had the patience to read through that entire list you are truly a saint.  It seems long and somewhat convoluted, yes, and it's not even all inclusive of the big dreams I have going on in my head!  As I said before, goals can change with time, and I want to be flexible this year and most of all do what FEELS right to me.  I did a lot of that last year along with soul searching and I feel like I am moving in the right direction in many areas of my life.  I just need to remember to listen to my own inner voice and try to tune everything else out.

 

 

Have you set any goals for the coming year?

 

Do you have any advice for me on any of my goals?

 

Can you cook spaghetti squash, meditate or bend your knees behind your head??! If so, teach me your ways!

 

 

 

 

I'm Baaaaaaaaack!

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Contrary to popular belief, I am alive!  If anyone reads this blog regularly, I apologize for my 2 week MIA status.  I actually did not intend to take such a long blogging break, it just kind of happened.  Every year around the holidays, my whole family gathers back in Pennsylvania to celebrate, with most of us being fortunate enough to get a week or two off from work to spend time together.  So I packed up some essential belongings (read: 2 cats who vehemently oppose car rides) and headed back home for two weeks.  My sister and her family were in from Georgia for an extended stay as well.

I had all intentions of blogging over the holidays and even had a few post ideas lined up but life just happened.  The holiday season felt very rushed to me this year, in the few weeks leading up to it as well as the holidays themselves.  And with so much family in town, we literally had things scheduled to do every day during the week of Christmas.  The bigger our family gets, the crazier things seem to get (but in a good way!).  I was somewhat off the grid and unplugged the past two weeks, although I was still posting on Instagram and Twitter, and it felt pretty nice.  But I am pretty anxious to get back into my normal routine, and to get writing again.  I have lots of overdue posts ideas so get ready - you just may get sick of me :)

I'm not going to overload you on a Christmas/New Year's recap because I know you've probably read more than your fair share of those lately, but below are a few pics of what I was up to over the break:


1.  Christmas Eve with kids

Two things to note here:  1. This is only half the presents (they opened the other half Christmas morning).  2. The tree is only decorated on the top half.  Not a new trend, but babies are apparently drawn to tree balls like runners are to race swag.

 

Waiting for Santa!  Instagram

 

 

2.  Christmas Day with the fam

 

Instagram

 

 

 

 

3.  Running!!  I was actually considering joining a gym back home for 2 weeks so that I could get some strength and conditioning workouts in, because I wasn't sure how the weather would fare for running.  Truth be told most of my runs were pretty darn cold! But my running felt really really good, and really really strong.  I'm thinking maybe because I just came off that month of boot camp conditioning?  My mileage the past month or two has been pretty low but out of nowhere I pulled a 10 miler while I was home! What?!  My other runs were anywhere from 4-6 miles. I'm already excited for a spring Half (more to come on that in another post!).

 

Snow running!  Instagram

 

 

Jillyruns on Instagram

 

 

4.  A Night Out at the casino.  Yes there is a casino in Bethlehem and no I don't gamble.  I just take pictures.  And drink.  And eat mussels.  And maybe flirt with a 26 year old bartender (oy).  Hahaha

 

Instagram

 

 

Is it illegal to take pictures of people at the BlackJack table? I dk??

 

These mussels were heaven.  So much garlic.  Those cheese fries in the background (not mine) are taunting me with certain death.  So much LACTOSE

 

 

5.  Learning to cook.  A doomed endeavor?? My sister is a GREAT cook/baker.  She and my nephew were teaching me how to make vegan fudge.  My baking skills leave a lot to be desired but this fudge is the bomb.com.  If you are interested I will find the recipe for you. It's from a vegan cookbook my sister has.

 

I'm wearing an apron so you know I mean business.  I told my sister I don't even own one of these mixers so can I just mix stuff with a spoon at home?! This must be her reaction face.

 

 

The finished product.  Sweet vegan heaven.

 

 

6.  New Years 2014.  I am not a huge New Year's person.  The changing of the year on the calendar is not usually a huge marker in my life.  Granted it is somewhat exciting and I do admit to getting caught up in the wonder of 'what will the new year bring', but I tend to think of 'new years' in terms of years of my life, so usually my birthday signifies a new year for me.  I also don't make New Year's resolutions because I tend to make changes and set goals throughout the year.  Also I don't think NY resolutions work!  I think changes are made one day at a time, in small steps, and I don't think its realistic to say you will stick to something for an entire year that you haven't even tried out in real life yet.  I do believe in setting goals, but I think they need to be flexible and will often change throughout time. 

 

So NYE this year I went to the movies with my sister and brother-in-law.  (We saw Anchorman 2 - it was ok.)  And then my family always hosts a NY Day party.

 

New Year's Day 2014 with my sisters.  Instagram

 

 

 

Now I'm back in Baltimore and ready to get back into the swing of things.  I've got lots on my agenda in the next few weeks and already have some plans and goals for early this year.  But that will be for another post.  Even though I wasn't writing, I was reading lots of blogs over the past two weeks and it looks like many of you had great holidays and even some big changes during that time!  2013 was a year of some (major) changes for me and the year I started blogging so it will be very memorable for me.  I have a few ideas about what I want 2014 to be, but as the great Gump says, life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you're gonna get!  Onward and upward my friends :)

 





 

 



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



 

 

 

 

 

 



 

 

 



 

 

25 Questions to Ask Yourself Before 2014: Part Three

 

Today I answer the last of the 25 Questions.  If you're just joining, I'm linking up with Chelsea at Life is a Sunset this week and taking part in a year-end inventory.  You can get more information about this exercise and also check out Chelsea's and other bloggers' take on the questions via her blog here.  I answered the first and second sets of questions here and here.  Without further ado, I tackle perhaps the hardest set...

21. Who do I need to forgive?  Forgiveness really is a hard art to master isn't it?  Human beings are not perfect.  We make mistakes often.  We say things without thinking, we find it hard to put ourselves in someone else's shoes and we often hurt those who are closest to us.  There are people who have hurt me in the past and I couldn't make sense of it.  It took me awhile to realize the reasons why other people do things is really not my concern.  Once I accepted that perhaps it really wasn't about me, but about them, it became easier to let them go.  In addition to being hurt by others, I know I have also been the antagonist.  I think the most difficult person of all to forgive is yourself.  This is something I struggle with and am working on.  I am trying to be as compassionate to myself as I am to others.

22. Where is it time to let go?  I have let go of a lot this year.  Finally letting go of a career direction that just wasn't working was the biggest one.  I've also let go of some personal limiting beliefs, but there is still some work to be done there.  I've let go of the need to know the outcome, or for certainty before taking action, because I know there is no such thing.  There is definitely more discomfort in taking steps without knowing where they'll lead but letting go is so much better than hanging on to something that is no longer serving you, just because you are afraid to take the leap. 

23. What old habits would I like to release?  I want to become better at being present.  I would say my thoughts for most of my life were focused on either rehashing/reliving the past, or were fueled by anxiety about what might happen in the future.  It's only recently that I've been reading about mindfulness and I've really tried to just "be" in the here and now.  Tomorrow is not promised, so why worry and why put your life off for a day that may never come?  I spend a lot of time around kids, and you know what?  They have mastered this skill without even trying.  When you are a child, you don't worry about tomorrow.  They live and play in the here and now.  Their concept of time is much different than ours.  I am looking to reclaim some of that gusto and wonder for the present moment, trusting that things will work out for the best along the way.

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24. What new habits would I like to cultivate?  I think the biggest one would be taking action.  As I mentioned before, I am historically a staller.  I take forever to make decisions but recently, I've become better at taking action even when I have no idea what the outcome will be.  This has proven to be a successful tactic! I want to keep the momentum going and not revert back to my old ways, because there are so many more things I want to accomplish in 2014. 

25. How can I be kind to myself?  By forgiving myself for past 'mistakes' and knowing they brought me to where I am now.  By staying positive, open, optimistic and peaceful with where I am and not comparing myself to others (this is hard!). 

Well, wow.  I thought yesterday's questions were tough but these take the cake.  There is probably so much more I could have written for each one, but I need to limit this post to a respectable word count :) 

As I reflect back on 2013, it was a year of big change for me and I've learned so much, but in many ways, it was just the start of many new things to come.  I hope that I continue to carry the lessons and momentum I've gained into the new year because there is a lot more I want to do.  2013 was also probably one of the fastest years of my life.  I still can't believe that we are days away from Christmas.  Sometimes my old life seems like it was just yesterday, but then other times it feels miles away.  Is this a sign that I'm getting old?!  Don't answer that. 

I hope you benefited from answering these questions if you decided to dig in and answer them.  If you have any end-of-year exercises that you participate in, I'd love to hear about them.  This is the first time I've ever sat down and put my thoughts about the past year to paper and I think it's something I will continue to do in some form or another going forward.  Thanks to Chelsea for hosting this link up!

25 Questions to Ask Yourself Before 2014: Part One

This week I am linking up with Chelsea from Life is a Sunset for her Three Part Series:  25 Questions to Ask Yourself Before 2014.  I have been following Chelsea for some time and really admire the person she is, her courage and positive outlook and the incredible things she has done with her life despite some very difficult obstacles.  I just think she is an all around awesome human being!

I was trying to come up with a way to recap my year, and was struggling with how to put everything down on paper, and when I saw her post last week about asking yourself these end-of-year questions, it struck me as the perfect way weave the past into the future.  There is some good stuff in these questions, which I will be answering in three parts.  So today, I am going to work on Questions 1-10.  I'll be back tomorrow and Wednesday with Parts Two and Three.

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1. What am I most proud of this year?  Surviving, and thriving, through a major life change!  This year I was laid off from a corporate job I had held for 9 years.  Although the first few months were admittedly rough, and I went into panic mode, I eventually calmed down enough to do the inner work that was needed to make some positive decisions and actions towards building a different future for myself.  I am so happy I didn't make any rash or rushed decisions in those first few months because I can't tell you how excited and centered I feel about the coming year now.  One of those actions was starting this blog, so I'd say that's one of my proudest accomplishments as well :)

2. How can I become a better _________?  I'm going to fill in the blank here with the word "human" instead of focusing on a career/job title.  I think becoming the best person you can be during your short time here on earth is the biggest task of all, bigger than any job.  I have been working on myself all year in many ways - reading spiritual and self-help books, blogging out my thoughts, 'attempting' meditation, trying to see the positive in every day and situation, practicing gratitude, adding more variety to my workout routine, eating cleaner, and approaching life in a whole new way - but there is so much more I want to do, and this journey will surely take a lifetime!

3. Where am I feeling stuck?  If you would have asked me this question a year ago I would have said my job, but that is no longer the case.  Actually, I am feeling quite free and open in most areas of my life lately, and am excited for all that is to come.  That being said, there are certain limiting thoughts that stick around in my head, mostly concerning my romantic past/future, and I am trying to let them go.

4. Where do I need to allow myself grace?  I am becoming better with this.  As a child I was definitely a perfectionist, and those tendencies had some destructive consequences, but lately, I am seeing that letting go of being perfect and just taking action, any action, is so much better.  I have accomplished so much more by adopting this attitude when I realize that nothing, and no one, is perfect.

5. Am I passionate about my career?  Yes!  I will be sharing with you soon my plans for 2014 in this area, but I am finally following my heart, and letting my natural talents lead the way.  I believe there are certain things each person was 'born to do' and I'm so excited I finally decided to pursue those things, instead of what I thought I 'should' be doing.

6. What lessons have I learned?  Oh boy, I would need pages upon pages for this one! I've actually mentioned some of the lessons I've learned by answering some of the above questions, but I have learned SO much this year.  It's wonderful what can happen when your world is turned upside down.   Here are a few of the most important lessons I've learned:  The most important voice to listen to is your own.  Positivity breeds positivity; gratitude breeds abundance.  Everything has a way of working out.  There is a lesson in every situation.

7. What did my finances look like?  It was a bit scary this year, not knowing how I would make ends meet, but once again, lessons were learned.  I was finally forced into making a budget and became much more aware of what I was spending.  In addition, my attitude about money is beginning to change dramatically. Working in finance really led me to have a negative view of money, but I no longer feel that way.  I now believe that if you are using your innate gifts for the good of other people, then money, which is just a form of energy, will flow to you to increase your positive influence on the world.  I look forward to 2014 being an abundant year.

8. How did I spend my free time?  Working on myself and helping others, and spending time with friends and family.

9. How well did I take care of my mind, body and soul?  Probably the best I ever have!  Even when I was unhappy with my job or other elements of my life in years past, I was pretty good at taking care of my body, but I tended to steer clear of taking care of my mind and soul.  Those were harder for me to tend to.  I didn't want to do the hard work of confronting what my inner voice was trying to tell me.  It knew all along the sources of my discomfort but so often I would push that voice aside.  Now I am tackling things head on and feeling so much more inner peace.

10. How have I been open minded?  I've come to see this year that life is not a linear path and cannot be viewed in black and white.  Those are two huge changes in my previous thought processes. I've become open to surrendering the outcome and following my heart, and most of all living in the moment. 

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I invite you to link up with Chelsea or just answer some of these questions on your own.  I think it's a nice way to do some introspection on the past year and center your focus for the coming year.