Believe in Your Goals

I feel so inspired after reading everyone's March goals yesterday. 

I saw some incredible things floating around blog-world that were more than the usual Monday weekend recap and round-up. 

I saw ladies focused on fitness. I saw ladies focused on reading. I saw ladies focused on organizing their homes, offices and lives. I read about women who wanted to save, to be more present, to live more, to drink more water, to drink ALL of the water until there's none left.  Most importantly these beautiful, honest and vulnerable words were centered around you ladies loving yourselves more. 

And what I loved most from what I read? These ladies believed it. 

You reading, you believed it too. 

You wrote it and you read it and you said "yes!" the same way I did. 

You shared in comments how you felt the same way as the blogger you were visiting and how you wanted to do these same goals, be partners in crime, encourage each other to reach, leap and bound beyond your wildest dreams. 

That's pretty dang cool. 

The amount of support we get from our internet world should be the same support we expect in our real life world. It's the same support we should ask for of our friends and families. It's the support and love we should give to others. It's the same kind of confidence, support, cheerleading and motivation we should be giving ourselves. 

Giving ourselves this love every day, not just the first Monday of March. 

Every day. Not just January 1st and not just when we feel like "spring cleaning". 

We have the opportunity every single day to make these goals and to check in with ourselves. To check in with each other. To love and share and constructively craft the lives and the habits that we crave. To be the people we've always wanted to be but have found ways to put up barriers that ultimately separate us from our current state and our craziest dreams. 

If this post felt like a brain dump, it was. It was a fly-by no-edit rough draft of honest feels about the wonderful I witnessed yesterday and the kind of wonderful that fills my heart. The kind of good I seek daily and the kind of good I expect of myself. 

Thanks for reading. Thanks for writing. Thanks for sharing. 

Being Your Best You: Total Package

Hello and Happy Thursday! 

For the whole month of July there's been a fun Thursday link-up over on my fitness blog along with the wonderful Chelsea and Rebecca. 

The theme? Being your BEST you!

While this series has been over on Not the Average Bear, I figured my JumpingJE readers/lovers would want in on a little bit of the fun! 

If you haven't already been able to check it out, here's the archives:

Be Your Best You: Balance

Be Your Best You: Energy

Be Your Best You: Strength

For the final day of the month (and of the link-up!) we're going to wrap it all up with what Chelsea calls the "Total Package".  Simply put - what's the best thing you do for yourself to be your BEST?

My secret weapons?

Water and clean eating. Boom.

Ever since I made the wise decision to clean up my eating act (by following 90% paleo) and to give my body the respect it deserves, I've reaped the rewards. 

I function better.

My skin is clearer.

I have more energy.

I have a healthier relationship with food (and the occasional indulgence).

I'm genuinely a happier and better person to be around.

I'm becoming my best version of me (so far!)

Try it, I swear you'll see the same thing. Tell me all about it!

Plus, if you know me... the sweaty selfies also get me through the day :)

June Accountability Check

When we started this month I was high on life. We had just ended a successful 4th quarter, I met Dan's family and I was looking forward to getting after a lot of exciting work when life was supposed to slow down during the first quarter of our fiscal year.

Very quickly, I found out that the world doesn't always work the way you hope it will and that being open to change is an incredible asset to have.

That being said, June's Eight Great Goals are due for an accountability check...

via

1. I've used up 4 of my 5 early work mornings (6am) and have done a great job at sticking to it even though work has required me to have a lot of tasks complete in just a short amount of time. 

2. My attempt at lifting weights hasn't gone any further than holding hand weights during some longer runs. Starting today (no, really - today!) I'm going to hit the gym and get in front of some iron. Then I'll pick it up, and I'll set it down. My muscles feel good coming off from Tough Mudder and I want them to continue to feel the burn.

3. I've hardly called any friends and really have only talked to family on the phone for Father's Day wishes. Work in progress.

4. No meal schedule for Dan and I - but I've been consistent with packing good lunches as always.

5. No, I'm such a snack fiend - more on that in tomorrow's post.

6. Only daily doubles I've completed this month were on weekends, but with a run completed this morning and weights (as mentioned in #2) this afternoon I'll be on a better schedule.

7. No time off has been scheduled and I don't know if I'll be able to make time this month.

8. I've been pretty good about eating lunch away from my desk, I just need to get better now about actually getting away from the office (conference rooms, etc) so that I can really clear my head.

Expectations lowered? Good!

I'm tracking to my running goals and I'm getting a lot of good sleep (from exhaustion, not relaxation!).

That counts, right?

Accountability Check

Well how did that happen?

We are 10 days into April and I can't help but notice that I've been slacking above and beyond with my Eight Great Goals.

One of the main reasons I love blogging is that I have the opportunity to share and speak my mind - and also that I have an outlet to get my goals, thoughts and passions down on paper out in the open via the world wide web. Since those thoughts and goals are out, how's about a little Accountability check?

Let's begin with the fitness goals:

• There's only six more NTC classes I could make it to and my goal is to be at six. There's some serious pressure on me now to go when I'm able to go rather than try to fit a square peg into a round hole. Wish me luck.


• This week was the time where I was supposed to knock out many of my morning runs, and have opted to go in early to work instead. While my mind feels great about the work I can accomplish in the dark morning hours before the morning rush comes in, I still crave those morning workouts and the way they leave me feeling afterward.


• Dan and I have not gone for a walk after dinner yet - not even once. Weather isn't an excuse either because we both have wonderful jackets that support the pesky Portland rain.


• I'm only at 23 miles for my 100 miles/month running goal - but that was achieved from only three days of running. I've got the energy and I've got the time!

On Food goals:

• I've written down maybe three full days of what I've eaten, and not always immediately or thoughtfully for the purpose of learning. This changes today.


• I'm at 3 (of 7) latte's consumed, once was free, one was with Dan in the morning and one was an evening surprise from Dan.

Feels like Spring goals:

• I've been okay at having flowers in the home and at my desk. There's plenty out in the garden and apparently I'm supposed to expect a "surprise" delivery on Thursday! 


• Landscaping at home will take place the first weekend day it's not 70% + chance of rain.

Dan goals:

• After the Masters tournament this weekend I can bet you that Dan and I will be heading to the driving range to get my goal of hitting a ball 50 yards in the air out of the way. I'm going to shock him and accomplish it on my first try.


• Still working out what I can get and do for my Daniel to make his golden birthday memorable. I want to make his day special!

Phew - that feels so much better to own up to my dirt and non-progress toward these goals. Us bloggers aren't perfect.

Thanks for listening - try this honest cleansing for yourself!