i'm back
I’m back. Okay, I was never really gone (hi, insta followers), but my blogging has been lacking...
I spent time, energy, and money to get my website revamped and beautiful but then I guess I needed a break...I found myself in this cycle of - I should blog - I feel guilty for not blogging - It's embarrassing to have such a nice website with no new content - etc. The longer I waited, the harder it was to start. I even put it on my to-do list "start blogging," but it seemed the writing mood only struck me at inconvenient times like when I was in the car, at work, or in the shower. While I love the social channels (insta, twitter, FB) those just represent one snapshot in time - one quote, one quick tip – those aren’t the ways I can share a bigger message - I reminded myself of this daily...
There was/is this part of me that just feels plain scared. Scared of putting in the time and not making big enough of an impact. Scared of what people might think about changes going on with me or my business. Whether it's having a hard conversation, answering an involved email, or doing something radical with my business - I tend to procrastinate. When I was told that procrastination often comes from fear (s/o to Haley and Monica) it was like a light bulb went on. I was like THAT IS ME, that is so me. Awareness was a big step, but not the cure. I know I need to push myself constantly, and I am not always good at that - especially when other areas of life get in the way.
So after six months, I decided today is the day. I am back, and excited to start sharing again. Some updates on me below and lots of different content coming in the future. I am going to branch out of strictly food and nutrition talk because, Real Food Court is NOT about just eating whole foods all of the time. It represents doing what is REAL for you. That means eating food that feels good in the moment, that is realistically available to you, and that helps you live a life where you are real and in touch with yourself. It is new, and exciting and I am looking forward to sharing more with you.
a job
I made a very difficult decision to leave a job that was not serving me. While my new position (as with any job) comes with it's share of challenges, I can tell my energy has shifted. I finally said, "no more," to a job that was a source of stress, pressure, negativity, and personal frustration. Of course I was scared, and worried, and sad (I miss my friends there so much) but it was empowering to look at my life from the outside and ask "What is the life I want? What is the thing holding me back? How can I change it?"
What is that “thing” holding you back? Maybe it’s a relationship, maybe its an unsustainable diet or workout regimen, maybe it's a task you don’t want to delegate. Whatever it is. Do it. Change it.
beliefs
I am exploring new nutrition topics and ideas (more on that soon) as well as topics about owning my strengths as a woman. I am questioning my ideas on exercise and my identity as a “fit chick” (more on that soon, too). From a personal standpoint I am actively working to stop stress and overwhelm from running my life. I don't have an excuse anymore. I tend to get overwhelmed when I am doing a fun activity on a not "fun" day (example a weekday), have a to-do list I am avoiding (that fear/procrastination relationship creeping in), or have obligations or events that take away from my typical "productive" time (such as being away for a weekend).
Here's my approach: My first step is to recognize I am feeling this way (HARDEST part). Then I consider how it is making me act towards others, for instance being cranky, short, or frustrated. Then I question myself: Why do I feel this way? Does this matter? Am I having fun? This evaluation helps me decide what to do next. If I am not having fun, or I am forcing myself to do something then maybe that activity is causing too much stress today and I need to take myself home and refocus. But, if an experience is adding positivity to my life or I am spending time with friends I need to let my "to-do's" go because they will be waiting for me tomorrow. For other sources of negativity I try positive self-talk - have you tried this yet? Anytime there is a negative phrase in my head (towards myself or regarding something happening in life) I try to replace it with a positive thought. It can help to identify a mantra that you will use as your go-to positive phrase. For example, if I catch myself having negative thoughts about my body I reply back to myself "I don't care" and move away from the mirror, etc - it doesn't need to be complicated! My hope is that by actively trying to make these mental changes, overtime they will become habits and eventually it will just be my state of being and I will be able to enjoy moments and prioritize my time simply, without overanalyzing or making a big deal over nothing.
opportunity
The most shocking thing about making major change is the ripple effect it can have. After deciding to leave my job I found out I was losing my business's office space (quite a week I had). But I am confident that it means new doors will open. Business goals and career dreams were a bit part of my decision to change jobs, but I was still surprised to find that it actually made a difference so quickly. My highlights: I found out my recipe was chosen for the first ever siggi's cookbook (EEEEE!!!!), I did a super fun media appearance in partnership with a local produce brand on a Baltimore television station talking about my favorite meal - salads! It's only been a month!
The more I work towards putting out goodness/ happiness and not letting stress run my life the more the universe will pass it back. [PS my BF will still tell you I am crazy 80% of the time, but no one changes overnight, am I right?]
up next
Thanks for stopping by and seeing what’s new. I have another post coming your way about my latest fitness thoughts (nervous to share this one) so stay tuned. It is important to me to let my audience know where I am in my journey right now and more importantly how I get you because I am living this life too. In the meantime, feel free to check out some of my latest contributions to WellSeek - here - and here.
Don't forget to share your thoughts below!!
