Weighing in...

During the time I spent daydreaming of moving to Colorado- I had big dreams and expectations. I was certain I would get out here, get healthier, lose weight, gain strength, bag peaks & get lost over & over again the wilderness. And while I may appear to be seemingly active to friends back home, I'm actually quite lazy and have grown a bit lazier since moving to Colorado.  I blame it on the drinking & working from home... It's hard to get up and motivated each day when the only thing you have to do is crawl out of bed in your pj's and walk into the other room and stare zombie-eyed at your laptop screen. I don't even have to make my own coffee... my hard-working boyfriend is up at 5:30am every day for work and makes sure there's hot coffee waiting for me by the time I wake up at 7am. I live the life eh? While this may seem like the life to most people and of course I can not and will not complain, it doesn't do much for my well-being, my state-of-mind or my laziness. 

Since moving to Colorado I have gained 20 lbs (5 of which was lost in the past couple weeks....impending trip to Vegas has helped with that one). I also found out at a recent doctor visit that my blood pressure is too high for my age (pre-hypertension...what?!) and the eye doctor told me my "eye pressure" is high...I didn't even know what that meant and then she said something about Glaucoma. Awesome. 

So not only has my health declined since moving to Colorado, but my motivation has declined along with it. What's up with that? That's not me.... That's not the girl who used to get up before work and go run 3 miles everyday. That's not the girl who would walk/bike everywhere in walking/biking distance. That's not the girl who used to do crew races & a marathon & several other running/obstacle courses. 

I didn't know anyone when I moved here, so instead of doing something healthy like joining a local club or introducing myself to people at a coffee shop or library, I went to bars. And while this helped immensely for my social life- it didn't do much for my gut or my next-day's activities. So as someone recently interested in self-improvement I've decided to try something new this week; to hopefully help my laziness & my health. I've decided to make 3 goals for the week (3 goals which do not cost money). I'm starting off small- I don't want to make big goals that you and I both know I won't carry out. They may seem small or cheesy but my hope is that with little goals being accomplished, I'll naturally set and complete bigger goals down the road. On top of all this, I've decided to write down 3 things a day I'm thankful for just to keep my mind in a positive place. It's also a good exercise that once you get in the habit of doing- you will naturally look for the good things all around you all the time, instead of always seeing/feeling the negative. 

"Thoughts attract things, so pick the good ones."-Mike Dooley

Let's see what I can do & I'll let you know if it helps my mental/physical state throughout the week. Anyone like to join me? :)

Goals: 

1. Go for at least 2 one-hour+ hikes

2. Go get the 2nd Hunger Games book from the library. 

3. Clean out the box full of sh*t I have next to my dresser. 

Thankful for: 

1. Living in a place where everyday I'm in awe at the beauty around me 

2. All the friends I've made so quickly in my new town

3. coffee, coffee, coffee

What are you thankful for? 


wei-wu-wei, 
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There's Something About Hometowns...

I recently went on a trip back home to Levittown, PA. This trip came at just the right time for me. During the last few weeks leading up to this trip I was actually getting a little homesick, or as I like to call it... "peoplesick". It wasn't Levittown or "home" that I missed so much but more the people that come with it. The reason being- I am one of the luckiest people I know. I come from a big, loving, caring, Irish & close (emotionally & geographically) family. I grew up with 2 sisters & 7 cousins all within a 4 block distance of my dad's house. I was born with best friends already in place. And along with the cousins came 4 aunts, 3 uncles, & a very loving & caring grandmom. At any given time- I had 5 houses available to me. 5 houses full of people who loved me. 5 houses within walking distance. 5 doors I could walk in at any time of day without knocking. 5 refrigerators I could raid without a raised eyebrow. 5 different places I could call home. Needless to say, my adventurous spirit aside, these were hard things to leave behind when I decided to move across the country.

Just the 10 of us- Me, 2 sisters & 7 cousins

I've always been adventurous though. I think it comes mainly from having a mother who created a terrible environment at home- so any possible adventure was a welcomed escape. And so I embraced adventures excitedly. The further I could get from home and the longer I'd be away, the better. Mexico, Europe, Africa- all visited by the time I was 18. And that's continued to be my path for the next 11 yrs and I hope it continues to be the path I take for the rest of my life. Aside from escaping my tragic mother, traveling has always opened up my mind, my heart, my senses, and my self-inflicted limitations to new possibilities. 

It's always been known to friends and family alike that I "leave for a living." It's always been known that I wouldn't live in Levittown, PA for the rest of my life, or even in America. (I think the family will agree they are happy I chose Colorado for now, and not some jungle off the radar in Africa, but never say never ;)

With all the traveling I've done, decisions I've made, and new paths I've chosen to take, I still miss everyone back "home". I miss the late nights with cousins & aunts & too many cases of Yuengling Lager. I miss falling asleep and waking up to my dad playing his guitar in the kitchen. I miss the walks to Gram's house with my cousin Tony. I miss the laughter of late nights and the shocking sound of birds chirping at Aunt Janie's. I miss those times when Maria made me laugh so hard that milk came out of my nose on more than one occasion. I miss walking barefoot on warm pavement during summer nights to cross the street to my best friend Jacqueline's house. But I know it's all our love that keeps us together over every distance. And I know that every time I come home, we will pick up right where we left off. And their support and respect for my decisions and mine for theirs is what keeps all our relationships strong. And I know that even at 29 yrs old, I can still walk over to Jacqueline's house, barefoot at midnight and be greeted with a large glass of wine, smiles & great friends (and that's just what I did a couple Friday's ago when I was home). 

Maria, Me, Jacqueline

I guess what I've learned is that home is a special place- a place that will never be replaced by any where else on this earth- no matter how beautiful, how tropical, how seemingly perfect- there is only one place that will always be home. This doesn't mean that I have to stay there, or choose the life that my parents, siblings or cousins might choose. My hope is that I can create a new, beautiful and different life here in Colorado, one that my kids (ha!), when they are traveling to far off exotic places, will be calling home. The place where they grew up, were loved, and had the memories that no other town, house, or street will ever give them. 

My Current Home- Crested Butte, CO- Not a Bad Place to Be...

wei-wu-wei, 

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