A Small Shift

There comes a moment when something shifts ever so slightly, but you feel as if a much bigger change has taken place. This week, I feel like I've been surrounded by those moments, and it's caused me to breathe a little easier and feel a little more connected to the world around me. 

I've been trying to do a little bit of yoga every day, even if  it's just 5 minutes of light stretching. I've been loving the Do You Yoga 30-Day Challenge, which I completed this fall and have been revisiting my favorite videos this month. The other day, I realized that it was just a little easier to get through the various poses, my muscles had gotten just a little stronger and I was able to enjoy the practice instead of counting down the moments until the "hard part" was over. 

With the time change, I now get to drive home with the sun still shining and there is a little sliver still peeking into my apartment at night when I arrive home. Though I get home at exactly the same time, that extra few minutes of light energizes me and makes me feel as if the evening stretches on a little longer. 

Things have also been extremely busy at work recently. When priorities shift and looming deadlines approach (especially for a tightly wound person such as myself), it's easy to feel that you'll never catch up. Yesterday, I finished two large projects and was actually able to feel a little space in my schedule to get reorganized and knock out those nagging tasks that have been lingering on my to-do list. 

Even though these were all small shifts in my daily life, they had a ripple effect that made me feel a little lighter as I continued with my week – I'm a little stronger, things are a little sunnier, and I'm breathing a little easier. And, although the weather out there today is decidedly wintery, I'm looking forward to the positive changes that the new season will bring. 

{Image via Pinterest} 

The Joy of Giving

Today is my mom's birthday. To set the scene, this woman loves birthdays. When I was growing up, she even made me a "half cake" for my half birthday, and even now that I'm in my 30s, she never fails to buy me multiple presents and call me on the morning of my birthday to sing to me. Even the year that my grandma (her mother) passed away 3 days before my 30th birthday, she selflessly put aside her own grieving to make the day special for me.

Couple that with the fact that she lives 350 miles away, I wanted to do something this year to make her feel extra special. I started with my normal routine, picking out a lipstick shade I knew she'd love from Sephora and choosing the best card Target had to offer. But then, something propelled me to take it a step further. I was thinking about sending flowers to her office, but then an even better idea struck me: cupcakes! 

My mom loves cupcakes, especially the extra pretty and delicious ones from Georgetown cupcake. Every time she visits here, we swing by for a sweet treat (I definitely got my sweet tooth from my mother), and many visits home, a pink box sits snuggly on my backseat as I make the 6 hour drive. I learned that I could ship a dozen cupcakes to her, overnight at a pretty reasonable price. I had fun choosing which flavors she would enjoy, and set it up to be delivered to her work. 

Waiting a week for her birthday to arrive was like waiting for Christmas as a kid! I had really been downplaying my gift to her via text & the phone, so she hopefully would be completely surprised. Though I'm notoriously not a morning person, I woke up this morning and literally couldn't wait to hear from her. I was obsessively checking the UPS tracking number, and had my cell phone prominently placed so I wouldn't miss a peep.

Around 1pm, she called, and I knew immediately from her tear-filled voice that she was very happy. And, my own heart swelled. Doing something like this for her made me even happier than if I'd received the cupcakes myself. And, it really made me think about the little things I can do for others in my day to day life – offering to go get coffee for a coworker, calling my grandparents, doing the dishes after dinner without the "who's turn is it?" conversation, and being kind to the people I interact with on a daily basis. Oftentimes, when we are feeling overwhelmed, anxious, or sad, connecting with the outside world makes the biggest impact. 

And now, I think I might need to go get myself a cupcake. 

Facing Fears

Those who are closest to me know that I really struggle with change and being outside of my comfort zone. I love tradition and things that I'm familiar with. I'm not exactly the most flexible person you'll ever meet. I won't be the gal to go white water rafting with you, and while I love to read about goal setting, I can be adverse to anything that rocks the balance I've created in my world. 

Earlier this year, I shared that I'm using Lara Casey's Powersheets to chart out my goals this year, and the first step of the process was identifying your fears, as well as your highlights/achievements from the previous year. I thought this was a very insightful process, as it caused me to reflect upon the things I was proudest of, as well as giving thought to what may be holding me back from moving forward in life. 

It was easy to identify change as one of my largest fears, but what was very surprising to me is that nearly all of the highlights from my year involved times that I did bravely step out of my comfort zone and into the unknown. The obvious takeaway is that pushing myself to confront that fear brought the happiest and most gratifying moments, which really does make perfect sense. 

I moved out of the apartment I'd lived in for over 6 years, and in with my beau. Though this was clearly something I was very happy to do, I would be challenged to feel at home somewhere new, as well as opening my heart to sharing a home with a significant other for the first time. It was honestly one of the easiest things I've ever done, and even in those first few days, I didn't miss my old apartment at all. 

This fall, my college alma mater invited me to participate in a musical theater showcase. While I was initially very excited to participate (seeing old friends! singing on stage again!), I grew extremely nervous because I hadn't actually performed onstage since I took my final bow in Fiddler on the Roof senior year of college 10 years prior. But, I decided to embrace the opportunity and had an absolutely terrific time. 

I have struggled with anxiety for as long as I can remember, and have fought finding a way to make it better because, quite frankly, I was scared. I was used to feeling that way, and what if I didn't like feeling different? What if it got worse? You get the picture. But, this year, I took a few brave steps toward finding a solution, and I feel better than ever. 

The lesson? I'm much stronger and more adaptable than I think I am, and stepping outside of my comfort zone and facing those fears have accounted for some of the absolute best moments in the past year. As we continue to move into 2014, I am trying to find more of these moments, and I hope that you do the same. 

{Image via Pinterest}

Favorite Podcasts

About 7 months ago, my commute to work changed from 25 minutes to between 45 minutes and 90 minutes (thank you, DC traffic!). To keep my mind sane on those long drives every day and help feel that I wasn't "wasting" it while sitting on the Beltway, I started listening to podcasts and audio books. I'd always enjoyed the occasional podcast, but I hadn't started listening with any regularity or devotion until I was sitting in my car for a potential of 3 hours per day. Don't get me wrong, sometimes a Spotify sing-along does happen on a particularly grueling day, but these fabulous podcasts have certainly become a bright spot in my week. 

The Sarah R. Bagley Podcast - I'm lucky enough to have Sarah as a blog-friend-turned-real-life-friend, and I'm so happy that she started this podcast venture this year. The premise behind her podcast (and lovely blog) is "a recovering perfectionist's guide to a B+ life", and I find it incredibly inspiring. Plus, she's been interviewing other favorite bloggers of mine, and it's been so fun to hear the actual voices of those blogs I have been reading for years. 

Ask Me Another - I'm late to the party on this one, but it is just such fun! It's a quiz style game show with hilarious banter and Jonathan Coulton as the house musician. I literally laugh out loud, smile, and occasionally applaud when I listen to this one. And, when I occasionally know the answers, I feel like such a smarty pants. 

Joy the Baker - Joy and her best friend Tracy are just delightful. They talk about "totally important unimportant things", as well as answering listener questions. Listening to these two is like spending time with your best girlfriends, and I laugh and feel inspired in equal parts. 

After the Jump - This podcast by Grace Bonney of Design*Sponge is such a treat to listen to each week. Grace is very well spoken and inspiring, and she spends the half hour show either interviewing a designer, chef, or artists, or talking by herself about the tools that help her life and business. Recently, she's been doing a series on things that make things easier, from apps to social media to lessons she wished she'd known when she started her business. 

Pop Culture Happy Hour - This hour-long show features a spirited group of people discussing movies, TV, music, books, and nostalgia. It's always entertaining and informative, whether they are discussing my current favorite TV show or something I'm not familiar with. 

I'm always in the market for new podcasts, so please share your favorites with me! 

Disconnect & Connect

On Saturday, the weather in DC was decidedly spring like -- sunny & 60s. After the coldest and snowiest winter in recent history, it was an instant mood boost to have a day like that. My beau and I decided to celebrate the weather by taking a long walk around our neighborhood in Arlington, and it was the best decision I've made in recent memory. 

Our neighborhood was filled with people enjoying the day -- people walking their dogs, dads shooting hoops with their kids, a little boy playing around with a hose in his driveway, and girls arriving for a birthday party with brightly colored balloons. As we walked and walked, we connected with these people with a friendly nod or smile. Everyone was happy, everyone was enjoying life. 

It felt wonderful to be connected to those around us. In the busy metropolitan area that we live in, it's easy to feel a distinct lack of connection to strangers. We are constantly surrounded by people -- sometimes, it feels, too many people -- as we commute to work and wait in line at the grocery store. But as I stopped to pet a dog and chat with the owner about how nice the day was, I realized that everyone is looking for that bond with others. 

Also, it was so nice to stroll hand in hand with my beau and be able to connect with him. We talked about anything and everything that came up, and it was so refreshing to have that time with him where the only distractions were the bright sunshine and cool breeze. Of course, we talk all the time (probably a little too much if you ask him), but our world was free from to-do lists, iPhone screens, and dirty dishes, if only for a moment, and we could focus on each other. 

My mind was also blissfully clear, remembering walks I'd taken with my grandparents as a child on days exactly like that, and allowing a little room to daydream instead of just slogging through the next thing to accomplish. What an easy thing to do, yet often put to the back burner because of "more important" tasks. 

As we move fully into the spring season over the coming weeks, I am going to challenge myself to find more of these moments - moments to equally disconnect (with those things that tend to take up too much of our attention) and connect (with those things that truly matter). 

{Image via Pinterest}

Weekly Favorites

I feel like the internet has been chock-full of inspiration lately, and I wanted to share some of my favorite things that have been posted this week. I love reading blogs, because they have connected me with so many like-minded people around the country that I otherwise would never have met. Reading their posts is like a breath of fresh air. I hope you enjoy them as much as I have.

+ Ashlee of Where My Heart Resides wrote a beautiful post about not keeping score in our friendships. What if instead of keeping score we simply poured into each other as best we could and helped each other with whole, generous hearts?

+ Analiese of The Necessary Wild shares her winter care essentials. Sometimes the most utterly simple shifts in a self-care routine can make all the difference in one's state of mind.

+ Nina of Wee Mountains tells her secret for a happy marriage. ...it’s about growing, and changing, and compromising, and saying “I’m sorry.” and “You’re right.” and “Thank you for loving me at my most unlovable moments.”

+ Emma of A Beautiful Mess wrote an extremely heartfelt post about achieving your dreams, and how they might change along the way. Life is absolutely full of opportunities. Don't let them pass you by simply because they aren't the opportunities you thought you wanted. We don't always know what direction our life will go.

+ Ashley of That Is All shares her favorite radiant orchid makeup products, which is just the boost I needed during this endless winter. Purple is known to be a universally flattering color, and I think Radiant Orchid with it's pink undertone is especially pretty.

{Image via Pinterest}

Ducks in a Row

I am by no means an expert at organization, but my Type-A personality means that I've tried many different ways of tracking my to-do lists, appointments, and tasks. To me, keeping things like this well-organized means that my brain is free to actually do these things, instead of wondering what comes next. And, because I'm a person who can become overwhelmed easily, having all of my ducks in a row keeps that feeling at bay. I may be a tad Monica Gellar, but it works really well for me. 

My Organizational Tools 

Erin Condren Life Planner
I've long been a paper planner gal. While I do incorporate digital elements, nothing works better or is more satisfying for me than writing things down in a paper planner. I love to see the week at a glance, as well as schedule tasks & to-dos for particular days. I also use this planner as a journal of sorts, as I jot down random activities, meals, etc. I've used other planners in the past, but so far, this one is my favorite. It's a bit of an investment, but for something that I use daily for 12 months, it's worth it. It has a monthly spread and a weekly spread with each day broken down into morning, day, and evening, as well as a goals/notes section and room for other to-do lists or notes at the bottom. I may switch it up next year and try Emily Ley's Simplified Life Planner (swoon!), but for now, this is working really well. 

Evernote
Finally, a place for ALL of my notes and lists to coexist together! I'm a recent adopter of Evernote, but have been using it on my work & personal computers, iPhone, and iPad consistently for a few months. Admittedly I don't use these to the fullest, but it's a great place to keep track of important lists & documents that you'd like to access from anywhere. I keep my grocery list/meal ideas there, my 2014 goals, a master to-do list for work (including major deadlines), Christmas gift list, bucket list, blog post ideas, etc. It has a great virtual "check box" feature, and I love that it syncs up and is available everywhere. 

iCal or Google Calendar 
I use this to keep track of appointments and firm deadlines. Like many other users, I have several different calendars (work, personal, etc) so they can be color coded. I also have a shared calendar with my beau, as well as access to his personal calendar, so it's easy to see at a glance what events are upcoming. It's also great how this is available from various devices and you can set alerts & reminders. 

Schedule Time to Plan & Prioritize 

Every Sunday night (or another time during the weekend if needed), I open up all of the things mentioned above and chart out my week in my planner. I make sure all of the appointments and deadlines are there, as well as making my personal & work to-do lists for the week and assigning them to days of the week if possible. The nature of my job is that often tasks will spring up at the last minute, but this really helps me to have an idea of what a week is shaping up to be. 

Because I'm an introvert and require a certain about of downtime to function at my best, planning my week in advance allows me to make sure that unscheduled time is, well, scheduled. If I know I have long days or social plans Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday, you can bet that Tuesday night is going to be blocked off for DVR catch-up and an easy dinner. Also, I can see what weekend days are free and be sure I can make plans with friends early in the week. 

Another thing that I try to do regularly is for the final 15 minutes of every workday, I prioritize my tasks for the next day. Some things may not have gotten done, and there may also be new tasks that have been added to my list. Making sure I know where to start assures me that I'll begin my day focused and not scrambling to figure out what should have my attention. I also try to spend the last 30 minutes of Friday's workday making my to-do list for next week (again, moving over any unfinished tasks as well as adding those I know about), which makes Sunday night's planning session a breeze. 

Leave Room for Spontaneity

And, above all, don't plan every single moment of your life -- make sure to leave a little room to wing it & be spontaneous. Clearly, it's good to make sure the things you need are a part of your week, but sometimes you've got to abandon your original plan and be a little flexible. What if you were planning to stay late at the office to get ahead on a project, but got invited to get a pedicure with a coworker? What if you have a well-stocked fridge and your dinners all planned out, but you feel like celebrating a regular old Tuesday with dinner out? Plan, of course, but leave room for fun that you don't even know exists yet.