Happy start again Monday

It's been dark over here for awhile, and for good reason. I wasn't in a great place in the early part of the year, and it took some semi-major changes to start feeling like a person again. I won't go into details quite yet, so I'll just say that I'm feeling 500x better than I have in about a year.

Part of what brings me happiness (and happy hormones) is working out. I'm not in any kind of killer shape at the moment, and when I do work out, I haven't been pushing myself as hard as I know I should. I tend to perform the best when my training is planned to the minute, vs. just hopping on a treadmill and hoping for the best. So today I tried this:

via fitsugar

I was able to eek out an extra half mile in the same amount of time compared to last week when I was freestyling my run. The time also seemed to go by waaaaay faster because I was focused on reaching the next interval only a minute or two away, instead of thinking "29 minutes left... 28 minutes left.." and so on.

I wrapped up with some light upper body strength training, again courtesy of a 10 minute video vs. a Morgan freestyle. A healthy breakfast and coffee later (AND back to the blog!!) and I feel like I'm off to a good start for the week.

Goal tonight: do another mini-sweat session, and then mediate. More on that later ;)

Happy to spring forward Monday

A summer walk in the PNW

I love, love, love that time of year when the clocks jump ahead, and all of a sudden my days get a whole lot brighter. It's been tough adjusting to the schedule at my new(ish) job, especially during the winter. I'm usually in the office until at least 6 PM every day, which usually means spending nearly the whole week without daylight. 

The last couple weeks have been STRESSFUL (hence my absence!), but I have to say, walking out after a long, hard day to sunshine is amazing. What's even better is the walk around the neighborhood my husband and I had a chance to take with our dogs who are just as wound up as we are. 

It's only March, so we have a long way to go before the good stuff (HEAT!!) comes in the summer, but the timing of this daylight savings time business was just about perfect to keep me moving.

Choose to be happy Monday

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I'm happy today because I'm one day closer to all of the great things I'm looking forward to and working towards. Today may not amount to much by itself, but what I accomplish day and tomorrow and the day after that and the day after that means that my progress bars are moving.

Have a good day, and think big picture, kids.

Choose to be Happy Monday.. err, Tuesday

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I know, I know, I'm late. But I've been too busy having a happy Friday, weekend, Monday, and Tuesday.

Not a whole lot has physically changed from my "having a meltdown" days, other than just remembering that the things that frustrate me are little in the long run, and shouldn't be overshadowed by the good in my life. 

These are my latest favorite ways to flip on my happy light:

• Email my husband at work, just to say hello and to tell him something that will brighten his day (and mine)
• Go for a run. My mood following a workout is at least twice as happy 100% of the time. 
• Listen to Stuff You Should Know podcasts during my long commute
• Play World of Warcraft with my husband. Or by myself. Because I'm getting really into it again. I know you guys. I know. But something about running around a cartoony world killing bad guys and completing quests is satisfying and relaxing right now. Plus, it's cheap and something that hubs and I can do together.
• Blog. Can't say enough how much writing things down and taking an active role in being a happy person has made a difference in my daily and long-term outlook. I feel less like I'm in a bubble. So thanks readers. All one or two of you..
  

Choose to be Happy Monday

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When did Monday become a four letter word? The last place I worked had me in constant contact with quite a few "Happy Monday!!" people, and my response was always "uugghhghhhh..."

Now I want to be one of them.

I had a pretty good Monday actually. Got up nice and early, went for a six-mile run and thought about how just maybe I'll survive that marathon in June, ate mostly clean, checked things off my list at work and spent some quality time with the husband in my cozy house. 

I'm still counting down the days until the Saturday, as usual, but at the very least, Monday still gives me one more day to work towards my goals. After today, I'm that much more trained for my race, I have another day of money-making and money-saving, and I'm one day closer to my next adventure. 

And next Monday I'll be EVEN closer!

I'm not sure exactly what I'm counting down to yet, but every day that I'm here and working and sticking the plan means that I'm moving forward. 

Choose to be happy Monday

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My husband always says that you are the sum of the three people you spend the most time with.

For better or for worse.

Fortunately he's one of them. He might even be two-thirds of them, which isn't a bad thing.

This does remind me to spend more time with a couple of girlfriends - I could use a little more of their strengths in my life.

Happy Monday

I have an obsession.

The happiest place on earth.

About a week ago, a version of this bad boy opened up next door to my work. Not only that, it's a combination of a fro-yo bar AND cookie shop. As soon as they started construction, the thought crossed my mind that now is probably the time when I throw in the towel on being a healthy, fit person.

Maybe it's that I haven't given up on my New Years resolutions yet, or that the teeny tiny fit person that lives inside me is still kicking, but I've managed to end up at the shop three times in one week and consume less than half the amount of fro-yo that old me would down in one visit. 

For the record, the reason I ended up at the shop three times in one week was due to very, very, very strong peer pressure from a co-worker. 

During today's visit #3, I accompanied my friend as she filled up her cup with frozen deliciousness and candy toppings. And for the first time ever, I walked out of the place with nothing. 

I don't think you understand how much I LOVE these places. Love. 

So being able to resist my favorite unhealthy thing in favor of a healthy cup of tea was an awesome feeling. And once I was out of there, I didn't regret not getting any. I know it's not going anywhere.

Learn to say no to the things that are bad for you. You know what they are.

Make room in your life to say yes to the things that are good.

After work, I made my way next door - this time to sign up for a gym membership. Go me.

Happy Monday! Make good choices!

Happy Monday Memory

I'm having a bit of writer's block tonight. That and I decided to shirk my to-do's in favor of a movie night with my husband. No, I didn't work out today. Or clean. But that's ok. I'll just get right back to it tomorrow.

But I do want to want to squeeze my Monday post in. It was a good Monday. For real this time. 

That picture above was from this past May. Travel makes me happy in a serious way, and looking back at pictures brings me to my happy place. 

Sometimes that's all I need to turn a day around.

And maybe this too :)

Choo choo choose to be happy Monday

Husband efforts to make me smile. It's ok that's only January.

I wasn't feeling particularly happy today. Some days, I just wake up with anxiety, and can't seem to shake it. Though I'm normally good at keeping things on the inside (not that that's a good thing), my off day was visible, and two different people asked me why I was sad. It's a tough question to answer when the only thing I can say is "I don't know, I'm just not happy at the moment, but check back later."

What really helps on these off days is having a partner who doesn't let me wallow in self-pity. I am often the girl with the nail in her head in this video, and my husband is always quick to point out solutions and the bright side.  Occasionally I find this annoying, and wish he'd indulge me, but whenever I snap out of my funk, I'm always glad that he didn't. I'm trying to learn to do this myself - to recognize that I'm just having a bad day and that I can easily turn it around.

So, though today started as a blah Monday, I chose to make it a happy one. Or at least a pretty good one. For a Monday.

I'm getting there.

Choose to be happy Monday

I'm grateful to have a friend who helps take the fear out of pursuing my own happiness. She is the reason why, despite a thousand obstacles, I haven't given up on my biggest dream. 

Happy Monday!

I am not a happy Monday person, but I'd like to be. So in the spirit of things, I'll start with this..

I'm happy today because Monday was my Friday and that means I'm officially on winter break for the next nine days.

Wheeeeeee happy Monday y'all!

I think it's working.

-M