You are a Badbum

WOW. I am completely caught up with life on this little blog of mine. I like using this space mainly for documentation purposes, but when I get the chance, I do like to write out my thoughts / goals / ideas / etc. So.... that's what I'm doing.

I am by no means a reader. I'm pretty sure the last time I read a book for pleasure was in elementary school, but I randomly decided to buy and start reading the book You are a Bada** by Jen Sincero. It's one of those self-help, get inspired, you're the bees knees, just go for it kind of books. I'm only about half way through, but so far I love it. It's done a darn good job at getting this gal moving and motivated. If you can look past the occasional curse word, I'd recommend you read it.

Since starting this book, I've become so determined to get things done. Every little nap Emmett gives me is my go time. Just this this past week I've been able to organize & deep clean parts of the house, knock out blog posts that otherwise wouldn't have been written, apply for an at home work position, get a gym membership to whip my post-baby body back into shape, and I've managed to spend quality time with my baby, my husband, my family, my bestie Hailey, and myself. Baby-free me time and the occasional friend time is honestly so important! It keeps this mama from going a little crazy. Hailey and I have decided to meet up once a week to workout together, and Jase gives me an hour or two a day to go to the gym while he watches Emmett. It's refreshing. It's been a happy, successful, fulfilling week for me. And the best part is that I can choose to have this attitude every day.

Here are some tips / advice / goals / good ideas {idk what to call them} that I've gathered and refined for myself. Read on if you feel that a little self-help could do you good.

Meditate. It may sound dumb, but I've come to enjoy this! Give yourself a couple minutes a day to think about nothing and stress about nothing. Zone yourself out.

Read. An actual book. Not status updates, tweets, or instagram captions. I suggest reading something that is motivating, inspiring, or uplifting.

Hydrate. Drink water, drink water, drink water. Your body with thank you in more ways than one.

Move. Move your body like you love your body! It does so much for you, return the favor.

Be present. Be here, now. Don't fret about the past, don't stress about the future. Choose to be happy and aware of the moment you're in.

Comparison. DON'T DO IT. It's known to be the thief of joy.

Pray. Pray because you want to, not because you have to. Talk about new things, small things, happy things, sad things, anything! Be excited to talk to your Creator!!!

Smile. It's true that happy people are the prettiest people.

Love yourself. THIS IS SO IMPORTANT. And it's also so hard. Learn to love yourself and embrace the things you cannot change. For me, that's my birth marks and my stretch marks.

I love that each chapter of this book ends with that reminder. 

Love yourself. That's the ultimate goal.

Start Somewhere

Since I have a couple weeks until I start my new job, I figured why not stay up-to-date on here? This past week Jason and I decided to buckle down and start living a more healthy lifestyle. The rumors about gaining weight after marriage are seriously so true! We've had our phases of trying to eat healthy and going to the gym together everyday, but that usually only lasts a week or two. This time we've decided we are all in. We've set goals for ourselves, started tracking calories/carbs/macros/etc, and we've promised one another that we are going to encourage and push each other to accomplish this. I've realized that my drive for something spikes when I have someone there to cheer me on. Plus, what a great way to spend some quality time with my hubs!

Pinterest killin' it with the motivational quotes!

I highly recommend downloading the MyFitnessPal app. By far the simplest way to track your daily food intake and keep sight of your goals. However, I do want to mention that I am all about being healthy in moderation. I'm occasionally going to eat a cheeseburger here and there {cause cheeseburgers are the most delicious and life is short} BUT I can already feel a huge change in my energy, happiness, and overall well-being in the short time we've decided to live a healthier lifestyle. I've been on the lookout for good workout routines and yummy healthy meals, so feel free to share if you have some favorites! As we progress, I will try to post updates on new recipes/workouts that work for us.

TO BE CONTINUED