It’s been decades since I’ve posted on a Thursday I think (exaggeration of course) but it’s one of those days when I legitimately feel like “thinking out loud” so I decided to join the party that Amanda hosts week after week.
The Practice
Yesterday I devoted 50 minutes of my day to a personal yoga practice. Just me, my mat, and a YouTube video. I can’t even begin to say how hard it is for me to slow down and choose yoga when I have an hour for exercise – I’d much rather be pounding the pavement or lifting. But, as expected, I finished up and felt amazing. Not only physically, but I felt proud of myself for doing something that I know I needed, not something I wanted to do. Yoga can be so challenging to complete by yourself, so for me this was a great start to (hopefully) a weekly routine.
Gone Girl
Anyone else read this? I’ve been reading more (another miracle) and I’m officially hooked on the book!! For those of you that have read it, I just made it to Part 2, so you can understand why I can’t put it down now! It’s SO good that instead of checking Instagram on my break yesterday I read. That’s when you know it’s serious.
If you were a food, what would you be?
Last night Zain and I got into an interesting conversation. Interesting isn’t even a good word for it…I guess “random” is better. I asked him, “If you had to label me as any food, what would it be?” He immediately thought this was a trap, I’m sure. Women, always trying to make mountains out of food metaphors. Jk it wasn’t a trap it legitimately popped into my head. He asked what I thought he was (smart man, figuring out the amount of detail that was required to satisfy the question). I responded with “Bacon cheeseburger with pickles, extra buttery bun.” His response about me. “A salad.” I laughed out loud and couldn’t believe that was his final answer. “Well I was going to think of the most complicated, intricate thing I could think of, but I couldn’t come up with anything.” That’s more like it. I will not be a salad, damnit.
Bravo or Brav-No?
I didn’t think it was possible but Bravo has gotten tackier and more classeless than when I was in college. And I think I was drunk 60% of the time I was watching those shows so that’s really saying something. Those Housewives in Atlanta need to get their act together (Kenya – are you a real person?) and I got about three minutes into “Below Deck” before I started losing faith in humanity. What’s even more strange is my choice of TV is usually CNN, Food Network, E or Bravo, so I dare someone to pinpoint my personality. I don’t even know.
“Eat Mor Chikin”
I can’t believe I went over a year without eating chicken. WTF was wrong with me?? I’ve always been a red meat vegetarian, but chicken and fish were always in the picture. Then, for some reason senior year of college, I just couldn’t bite into a piece of chicken. I hate that my mind and my stomach are so interconnected sometimes, because nothing in particular happened that made me stop eating it or start again (which I did about six months ago). So there’s always the chance it’s going to happen again. I reallllllly hope not, though, because so much of my diet lately has consisted of the bird. It’s also helped me to stop depending so much on soy protein products, which are delicious but not too great for you. Not to mention those Chik Fil A commercials get me every time – so, so funny.
Personal Intentions
At Flywheel this morning the instructor asked us all to create and reflect on our own personal intentions for the day. That is, what we want out of the day, what we are looking for in our lives currently. Ever since I started at lululemon I get this question asked of me a lot…what is my intention? It seems so “lala land” but it’s actually a VERY smart question to ponder every day.
My intention as of late has been to quantify the good parts of my life in the same way that I do the bad parts. I’m one of those people who let’s one bad thing label an entire situation. I can notice a million little beautiful things about a person, place or thing but then the second something bad shows its face, those good qualities are forgotten. If a teenage girl bumps me on the sidewalk because she’s too busy texting to scoot the F over (happens all. the. time.) that shouldn’t be what I talk about at the end of the day. Complaints become my narrative too often. I should come home and remember the good things – “I saw a man on the bus give up his seat to an elderly woman.” THAT should be how I reflect on the day. I’m the most guilty of this with Zain. He could do a million little things right but the second I say something and he doesn’t hear it because he’s on his phone, I blow it way out of proportion. It’s become an addiction…something bad happens, someone has to hear about it otherwise I can’t forget it. But can you imagine what would happen if instead of acknowledging the negative energy we just let it disappear instead of passing it around? This is so much easier said than done but it’s been my personal intention for almost a week now and I actually notice little improvements.
Pugs
Still want one. Still need one. One day will have one.
Questions:
- What are your personal intentions?
- Are you a “phase” eater, where you can’t eat something for long periods of time?
- Who has read Gone Girl? Don’t spoil it for me!
i had a big lunch 
Love your intentions! I always feel so good after an amazing yoga session like that too. Enjoy the rest of your day and Happy Friday Eve!
haha Friday Eve I love that!!
I CANNOT GO A DAY or TWO WITHOUT MY CHICKEN! I don’t cook it, the grocery store or restaurant has to cook it though…. I am a chicken KILLER in the kitchen! LOL!!!!! Actually, to be honest, I have never really cooked chicken because I am scared I am going to ruin it. So when I have a craving, I B LINE it to the grocery store salad bar and STOCK UP!
I’m so bad at cooking it too! That’s why it’s my go-to at restaurants. They know what they’re doing!
Pugs are the most adorable things. You definitely need one 😉 And Gone Girl was -super- good. Did you hear they’re making it into a movie? I wonder how well it’s going to transfer to the big screen…
I know I can’t wait to see it! Now that I know Ben affleck is playing nick I keep reading the book envisioning him lol it’s weird
Confession- My sister gave me the RHWOBH. It’s pretty addictive. Is Atlanta any good? She tried NYC and New Jersey and wasn’t a big fan. How could you discriminate the poor chickens? DON’T OMIT AGAIN.
I actually like the ones set in California!! The other ones are awful. The ones in Cali are at least more ridiculous than they are awful.
OMG that pug!!! I know my life will be complete when I have a pug! ❤
I over think things so much so if I got put on the spot and asked for my intentions for the day/life I would probably get so stressed about trying to sound good or say something really intelligent rather than what truly was in my heart. Bad trait of mine – I always feel like I have to impress.
But I feel like I can be truly honest with you, so intention for the day – celebrate my 5th wedding anniversary to the max with my husband – and concentrate on having fun. Intention for life – always follow my dreams and never be afraid of change. 🙂
What an honest confession! The need to impress is a big one. And exhausting…have such a great time celebrating your wedding anniversary!
I went as a Chickfila cow for a Throwdown For your Hometown date function for my sorority. That should tell you how I feel about it.
I don’t mind being a salad. A salad can be anything you want it to be–healthy, fattening, loaded up, or simple as possible but it is always fun, and you can mix and match flavors to get exactly what you want.
Don’t hate on being a salad 😀
Oh but when a guy calls you a salad it pretty much means he’s calling you lettuce hahaha
Not if he’s my husband. He knows better haha
One of my most favorite parts of yoga class is setting our intentions at the beginning. One of my unspoken resolutions that I made for myself a long time ago was to try and start every day off that way when I wake up and see how it affects my day. Most of the time I forget. Thank you for this excellent reminder. 🙂
I am so jealous of that job. It sounds amazing.
Just a little introspective time at the beginning of the day probably does wonders. It’s definitely a worthwhile thing, and it really takes no time at all.
I finished that book in literally 24 hours I could. not. put. it. down. Crazy; movie comes out in October!!! What would my food be if I was one??? Probably cheese. 😉
I completely agree about the negativity controlling us. I remember Senior year of college, a professor told me that it takes 21 days to break a habit. I actually remember speaking to you about this once. He said, try to take complaining out of your life. It is like the nastiest, most contagious thing. He challenged us to not complain for 21 days, then the habit would be gone. I made it like 30 hours. We do it so easily and so regularly, it’s so sad. Instead of focusing on the good, like you said, we obsess about what went wrong. That, my friend, is no way to live.
Also, I have the same pug as my desktop background at work. LAST DAY OF WORK!!!! I will try to keep up with your blog even though I never go on my computer at home 😦 lol my manager knows about your blog and how important it is to me. Anyways, see you next week? ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤
I just finished the book literally a minute ago. AH! And I do remember talking about it. It’s probably the biggest problem in my life – I HAVE to stop complaining. But it’s so hardddddd! Happy last day of work! You better not stop reading! 🙂
You’re bookmarked on my laptop now, too!!!!
Back in my CorePower days we always had to set intentions at the beginning of our practice, and I thought that was such a great, ahem, practice. Haha. But really though. I inevitably forgot my intention once we got going, but the teachers were usually good about reminding you to come back to it, which helped a lot. I also LOVE your intention about being more positive! I think it’s so easy to talk about and focus on the bad things, but, after living with someone who always complains about EVERYTHING–honestly, really exclusively complains about things…I don’t know if she ever talks about good things that happen–I’ve seen both how negativity affects the person who’s being negative and, even more so, affects everyone around them. No good. Positivity for the win!
What helps me is thinking about negativity as an actual literal thing that once you put it out there it’s just floating around not doing anyone, including yourself, any good. Easier said than done though
I also once went years and years without eating chicken… out of no where… I just decided I didn’t like it anymore. Then I had chicken at this BBQ place almost two years ago and I’ve been hooked since.
BBQ is where it’s at! I almost ate red meat at a BBQ place because it smelled so good!
You definitely have to read Reconstructing Amelia. It is SO GOOD!
Happy Friday!
Thanks! I need a new book now!
I seriously love this post!! Hehe, okay, so I love the food question. Okay, I asked my husband what I’d be and he said a garden salad…oh boy…:) 🙂 I don’t think that’s very good. Tehehe!! JK!! You’re amazing!! Have a great week!!
Lol men 🙂