Internal List Update

So don't we all seem to always have a million things going on?  Well last year around this time I gave a little update (click HERE) as to what was swirling around in my mad brain of mine so I thought there is no time like the present to do this again...perhaps it will get me back on track of some things I have let slip (ahem blogging...lol).

1) Writing ~ With great strides come great pauses...I guess.  I feel like writing has totally tanked for me lately. But instead of focusing on the pause...I'll tell you about the strides.  So first, I now have 134 followers!  I still can't believe I hit 100!  I thank all of you that read and comment.  It truly means a lot to me.  Also, I have written one article and it was published online.  I was pick of the day over on Bloggers.com and I've gained about the same amount of followers over there.  Also, with my blog, I feel like I have made great friendships!

2) Exercise More ~ Imagine there was a little box to put a check mark in.  I have been working out like mad and I still want to work out more...lol.  I really want to start running on the treadmill either before work or after.   No more excuses...I gotta do this!!

3) Work less ~ I think before when I said work less ~ I think I really meant stress less about work.  Mind you I still have moments when I want to fly off the handle and scream at everyone around me...but I now just approach these situations differently.  It's pretty crazy how zen I have gotten.  I just keep reminding myself that people do not change therefore situations with said people will not change so I just need to change how I react to said people and said situations.  It's definitely made life a lot better!

4) Weekend woes ~ Well now that I am trying to stay active and exercise...I spend a lot of time doing active stuff on the weekends.  Especially hanging out with all my munchkins (nieces) they definitely keep me moving.  I've really cut back on my tv time.  Weekends and week nights.  I now try to practice my sleeping rules (click HERE).

5) Get a hobby ~ seriously folks this is something that will plague me for life.  I have never been one to say that I have a "hobby".  I mean I am sure tons of what I do on a daily basis can be called a hobby but anytime someone asks...what is your hobby...I got NOTHING!

6) Save more money ~ Like I said on my last post about this...I don't spend much ... I save save SAVE but there is always room for improvement.  One thing that I think has drastically improve my savings is...not eating out for lunch.  I have been packing my lunch for awhile now and I've worked it into my mornings so there is no more...not enough time excuses or I forgot.

7) Count calories ~ again imagine there was a little box to put a check mark in and put a big CHECK!  I have been counting points (I am doing Weight Watchers) for about a month and a half.  It has been great.  Don't get me wrong I thought about not posting anything for Saturday because I went to my parents' house and felt like I ate WAY too much but I told myself...post it and get over it.  Turns out it wasn't even as bad as I thought.  I look at it like this....how can I make any difference if I don't keep track of what I am doing.

8) Cut coupons ~ okay this is one that is just NEVER going to happen for me.  Most of the items that have coupons ... I don't use ... then keeping track of the coupons, etc...OYE...just too much for me!  Props to all of you that do...I just don't think I ever will.

9) Drink more water ~ remember that little box...so this is definitely something I have improved upon...am I 100% ~ no I have had 2 Diet Rootbeers today...lol.  I have an app called Waterlogged it really helps keep me focused on drinking water but come on...sometimes you need something BESIDES water.  I really try to at least drink all my water for that day THEN drink a diet soda (or two...lol).

10) Stop going to Starbucks ~ well since they closed the one right across the street from where I work it has decreased drastically!  I do occasionally stop in the morning for some tea and free WIFI to answer emails before I get to work...lol.  I have cut out my coffee from there though...too many points...but occasionally I will get a Tall.  I use to make fun of people that got Talls...I mean if you are gonna do it...do it VENTI...but sigh alas I am a Tall.

11)  Okay so now I am eating breakfast but I am not eating enough points for breakfast so a little more work needs to be done.

12) Hair ~ sounds crazy but I used to be so obsessed with my hair growing.  I just had to get like 3 inches cut off because it was SOOOO LONG!!!  My new hair obsession though is...the color...last time I got a glaze done (it basically is a semi-permanent color with some shine booster) they used one with a little more red...my hair was this amazing dark auburn.  Now I want to actually dye my hair that color.

New things on the agenda....

13) Blog more...I really need to get back to a rhythm since I took away valuable blog time with exercise.

14) Put my journal on my ipod touch...I have been not carrying it and feeling naked.  This is another reason why blogging magic doesn't happen...no ideas when I need them.

15) Honeymoon & my blog...how is this going to work...another montage?  

16) Wedding Dress shopping ~ it's happening next month people...like 3/18 to be exact!

17) oooh I want one of those super cute signatures for the end of my blog...any ideas on how I can make that happen!

Well I hope you don't have this many things swirling around in your head....what's on your internal to do list?

It's Okay Thursday #8

So it's Thursday again...time to join up with

Amber and Neely and tell us all what you think

is okay today.....so for me....

It's okay...

to take two days off from drinking nothing but water...OMG sometimes you just want something with flavor!!  Back on the wagon today though...it's pretty bad when your water logged app is screaming at you because you haven't entered any water!

to stay up until 3:00 am on Tuesday night finishing Sophie Kinsella's new book...I've Got Your Number....what can I say it was soooo good I couldn't put it down!  Also, since I got it from the library and it's new I only had 7 days to read it...so I felt pressure...so I read it in two...lol.

to then go to bed last night at 9:00 pm...hello I was tired from staying up until 3:00 am!

to still hit the snooze even when I went to bed early.  It's just part of who I am...I am a snooze button pusher!

that I am super excited Paul is working late tonight so I can watch all my "crap" tv on DVR!  Hello I still haven't seen LAST week's Jersey Shore!!

that Jacksonville has been looking a lot like Seattle out the window.  I guess it is just preparing me for my honeymoon!

that yesterday I didn't get to walk the bridges nor did I make it to the gym...hello I was tired (3:00 am remember)...sometimes exercise just can't happen in a day.  

it's okay to see that a new magazine is up at the newsstand then immediately start thinking your mailman is stealing them...then remember you haven't checked your mailbox in like 2 weeks.

to risk being a minute late to work to check said mailbox and TADA .... magazines!

to love that yesterday when you tried to trick your niece on the phone (by talking in a british accent) she still knew it was you (she said...I know it's you Circle [that is what she calls me])

to be BFFs with a 5 year old!  It just makes me so happy when my niece tells me that we are BFFs.  I did mention to her that one day when she is older she won't want to hang out with me anymore and her reply was...why?  cuz you'll be old and dead?  um no.  why?  cuz you'll be mean?  I give up...we will just be BFFs forever!

to play what if we were the same age with your 5 yr old niece...we would apparently have the same shoes, the same bookbag, the same teacher, sit in the same seat on opposite rows so we would sit by each other, the same bike, the same lunchbox, the same....it went on forever!

to get a little sad that she is turning 6!  She has grown up soooo fast!

to miss Kaelyn (2 yr old niece) ... I haven't seen her in two weeks...feels like forever...she is the sweetest lil munchkin.

to think Leah (1 yr old niece) looks exactly like my sister did when she was little.  It's kinda funny how it has turned out with my nieces...I have no kids and NEVER will so my sister Nicole has two...Marissa who is 5 looks a lot like me (cuz she looks like my mom and I look like my mom) and she has Leah who is 1 and looks exactly like her.  My sister Debra has one ... Kaelyn who is 2 and looks exactly like her.  It's funny too because their ages are a lot like our ages. My mom has even said that once when they were all running around her house she felt like it was like us girls running around again.

to give your friend pep talks about starting her own blog.  She's having stage fright over her first post...I just looked back at my first posts...my first post was about Mondays...see it doesn't have to be masterpiece straight away!

to love looking back at posts.  I can literally get caught up in hitting "you might also enjoy" on my blog...I'll think...DANG I have written some great stuff!

to go to a luncheon yesterday and try your best on not blowing all your points then get back to your desk and find out that even your best intentions were bad.  Sometimes you just have to live and learn.  SEE THIS IS WHY I DON'T GO TO LUNCHEONS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

to be a little sad at the luncheon...you see...my boss passed away December 2010 from brain cancer...and yesterday I saw a bunch of people that we used to work with a lot and it made me miss Ray.  He was such a great boss!

to realize that there are certain people in your life that no matter what you will always remember and treasure those times you spent with them.

Well before I start tearing up and have to put...to cry at work as one of my entries I am going to sign off.

Don't forget to link up with Amber and Neely and do a post about what you think is okay!!

OMG OMG OMG OMG

My blog was picked as Editor's Pick of the Day

on Bloggers.com (a blog directory)!!!!

How awesome is that??

Happy President's Day!

Well today is one of those special days when the whole country is off for the day...yet I am sitting at work.  Good times right!

Well I guess the silver lining is ... I won't have to fight traffic on my way home tonight!

I am sooooo sleepy today...hopefully this coffee kicks in soon!

Well to all of you at work (which is probably just me)

and to all of you off today....

You can't make this stuff up!

Okay so I just went to do my daily bridge walk and it was sprinkling when I got outside of the building so for fear that it would start to downpour I decided to do the stairs in the building.  I work on the 19th floor so I went up to 19 and back down.  I am not going to lie...there was a moment when I had to stop because I thought I was going to throw up.

The best part is…apparently they never wipe down the banisters so my hand was covered with black dirt and I guess I must have wiped my face because when I got back upstairs I had a hitler mustache….

How about that irony!! Also, please know that I rode the elevator back up and two chicks on the elevator kept looking at me! So I will forever be known as the girl in the elevator with the hitler stache!

It's okay Thursday #7

It's okay...

1) to be HAPPY it is Thursday so you can post an "It's okay Thursday" post!

2) regift your Valentine's Day candy to your 5 yr old niece ~ she won't care...candy is candy to a 5 yr old!

3) to take a break from drinking nothing but water and have like 3 diet rootbeers in a row!  I mean they're diet!!

4) to wear the same thing every Saturday morning to weigh in!  It's called the control in the experiment!!

5) to hang out with your sisters so you can use their kids for exercise.

6) to embrace the idea of getting married...post coming soon. (Teaser...remember when Carrie (Sex and the City) freaked out in the dress shop trying on that crazy wedding dress and she realized she was missing the bride gene....well...stay tuned).

7) to have bought like every accessory available on ebay for my new ipod touch.

8) to be excited that I got 25 days off work for my wedding/honeymoon!  25 DAYS PEOPLE!!!

9) to download a countdown app on my ipod for our wedding...any idea how I can get one on here??

10) to have wedding on the brain...hello it will be here before I know it!  

11) to appreciate that for once Paul's need for an itinerary for every vacation is working to my advantage...he is helping with all the arrangements for the wedding...he just presents like 5 things and I get to pick...how great is this for wedding planning!

12) to feel bad for not posting as much lately and commenting on your blogs.  I am really sorry that I have been so MIA but hopefully soon I will get into a new routine.

Don't forget to link up with Amber and Neely!!

Lunch Hour Workout

So I have been walking at lunch instead of blogging

hence the absence of random brilliance on here.

So I thought I would share some pics of my walk...

One day last week I took a different route...

started off over the blue bridge....

Saw this on my walk....

Getting further away...

Here's the Stadium...if anyone cares about the Jaguars.

My friend Tana and I are walking the Gate River Run

in March so we are doing the bridges to train for this beast.

Oh how tame it looks from this far away but it makes that

first monster look like child's play!!

On the way back the bridge was up but

nothing went under...weird!

Funny pic...

 A pay phone...Taylor & I used to run on this dock

and I never saw this....it would have been a little reassuring

that I could have called 911 to come and get me if I died from running!

Okay I just realized I didn't check for a dial tone...it might not even work!

Okay so there is still a payphone and "we"

still do this??  REALLY??

So this is what I have abandoned my lunch break blog sessions for.

Hopefully soon, I will get on a new blog schedule and get back on track!

FINGERS CROSSED!!!!

Happy Monday

Despite it being Monday (and 40 degrees in Florida

where it has been like 70 all winter) and having to take

my BRAND NEW car to the dealership

AGAIN...I am happy cuz look at my

Starbucks cup!!  Super cute right!

The only thing that could ruin my 

mood is looking up how many points are in this

cup ~ I am thinking 7...it's 6!  YAY!  

{Still kinda bad but hey not 7!!}

So I know I have been MIA...I am working on 

it...I promise and to make it up to all of you

I will be having my FIRST GIVEAWAY soon!

I even made my own button for it...you heard

that right folks...I MADE A BUTTON!!

Stay tuned for the Giveaway!!!

Self Image

Self image is how you see yourself.

Self image includes:

• how you perceive your appearance - which can be different that how others view your appearance.
• how you perceive your personality 
• how you perceive what kind of person you are
• how you perceive others like you
• how you perceive your status

Is self image and self esteem the same thing?  No.  Self esteem is how you feel about yourself.  Self image is how you see yourself and how you believe others see you.  They are closely related but not the same thing.  If you have a poor self image it can also make your self esteem low.

Self image is all about your perception. 

How you perceive yourself is important because it affects

behavior, thinking and relationships.

Your perception of yourself may differ from how others actually

see you.  Your perception of you is influenced by inner thoughts 

and beliefs.  You can have a distorted view of your image based

on your self esteem.  You may have a negative view about 

yourself and usually if this is the case you are highly critical of yourself.

We all have moments when we feel bad about ourselves.

The key is to make changes, here are some ways to 

improve your self image....

• Make a list ~ write down all the things you love about yourself ~ include personality, talents, skills and appearance.
• All the negative thoughts that can cloud your judgment need to be extinguished.  Focus on the positive and eliminate all the negatives.  Which can mean forgetting all the negative things that have happened to you.  These negative memories can pop up as an excuse.  Well just like before, ________.  Start fresh with positive thoughts and make new positive memories by overcoming the negative memories.  
• Let go of childhood labels.
• Receive a compliment?  Write it down and keep it handy!  If you haven't received one recently, give yourself a compliment!  So when you fall victim to the negative thoughts or memories you can see something positive.
• Have you received criticism?  Don't beat yourself up...use it to promote a better action.
• Received a hurtful comment?  Sometimes mean comments can appear to be criticism.  However learn to tell the difference.  If someone is just saying something to you to be mean and hateful perhaps it is time to confront them on how they are making you feel and/or eliminate interaction with this person.
• Question yourself.  Is your self image true?  Why do you perceive yourself like you do?
• Make some changes ~ a better self image isn't going to just happen overnight.  There is some work involved.  Find what will work for you (ex. new clothes, haircut, new behaviors, new friends, etc.)
• Make some goals ~ it can be anything (just make sure they are realistic and measurable).  The sense of accomplishment can boost your self image.
• Stop comparing yourself to others!  Haven't you heard that saying...the grass isn't always greener.
• Remember that you are you and that is the greatest thing you can be!  We are all unique!
• Laugh and smile! Relax and don't take everything so serious!  You'll be surprised about how well others respond to you when you are happier.
• Exercise ~ a little goes a long way and exercising releases endorphins that make you feel happier!!
• Acceptance!  Embrace the things about yourself that are true and start thinking about them in a positive way.  However, make sure that what you are defining as true is actually true.  No one needs to define themselves as ugly.  This is not a truth.  Everyone is beautiful...find a way to embrace it and believe it about yourself.  Saying to yourself "I am fat"...again not a truth...weight loss is always an option...it just takes work.  
• Remember how far you have came...the journey is always part of the process.

Remember self image is not permanent.

The greatest thing about life is that it is always changing

so your self image is also constantly changing.

The definition of a healthy self image is learning to accept

and love yourself and it also means being accepted

and loved by others.  I have always said...you can't

be loved by someone until you love yourself.

How can you have a positive self image with low self esteem?

You can't.  You need to work on it as well.  Low self esteem is

basically deadly for your self image.  Low self esteem can

affect your relationships, your health, your job, everything.  Making

changes an go hand in hand with developing a positive self image.

Here are some steps to feel better about yourself

and therefore boosting your self esteem.

• Identify things that trigger low self esteem - like a presentation at work or school, a crisis at work or home, a challenge with a spouse, loved one, co-worker or friend and life changing situations like losing your job, moving, etc.
• Once you identify the triggers, pay attention to your thoughts.  This includes your self-talk - what are you telling yourself in these situations?  Are these thoughts rational (based on fact and reason) or irrational (based on false ideas).
• Your initial thoughts on a situation are probably not the thoughts you need to follow.  You need to teach yourself to not jump to the negative so when you are put in the same situation you can be a cheerleader for yourself rather than Debbie Downer. 
• Get rid of the all or nothing thinking.  Nothing is all good or all bad.  Stop saying "I never", "I can't", "I've always", etc.
• Stop only seeing the negative and dwelling on it, it causes a distortion of your view of a person or a situation.  Ex. I made a mistake on that ________ and now everyone will know that I can't _______.
• Stop turning positives into negatives.  Which means stop rejecting your achievements and other positive situations by insisting they don't count or matter.  Ex. I only did well because it was easy.
• Stop assuming negative conclusions.  Which means you reach a negative conclusion when no evidence supports it.  Ex. My friend hasn't replied to my email, I must have done something to make her mad at me.
• Stop mistaking feelings for facts.  Which means often we can confuse feelings/beliefs with facts. Ex. I feel like a failure, so I must be a failure.
• Stop putting yourself down.  Which means stop insulting yourself, using self-deprecating humor and undervaluing yourself.  Do not call yourself ANY names!  It is not funny to call yourself names.  Ex. I am such a fat cow...I am so stupid...I am pathetic...etc.  STOP!
• Treat yourself with kindness ~ think of how you treat your friends.  You would never do anything to intentionally hurt them ~ so now do that for yourself.  Be your own best friend.
• Learn to forgive yourself.  Often we are too hard on ourselves.  When you are down...pick yourself up.  You would for a friend so start doing it for you.  
• Stop saying should and must.  Removing these words from your thoughts will lead to more realistic expectations for yourself.
• Think about the good things in your life.  Give yourself praise for the good things you've done recently.  
• Still having the occasional negative thought?  Don't fight negative thoughts with negative thoughts.  They are bound to creep in...don't beat yourself up.  Look for positive thoughts to counteract the negative.  Ex. What can I do to not feel like this again?
• Encourage yourself ~ just like needing to be our own best friend we need to be our own cheerleader! Give yourself credit for making positive changes in your life.  

I am someone who has pretty good self esteem.  I have accepted certain things about myself and own it.  I am smart, creative and independent.  However, even someone with "good" self esteem can have moments.  When I feel down on myself, I try to find solutions to what is bothering me.  I really try to think of what I would say to a friend if she was telling me all the things swirling around in my head.  I would definitively try to make her feel better so I do it for myself.  

Sometimes you need more than just you cheering you on.  I am lucky that my mom is my cheerleader as well.  No matter what my mom builds me up.  She knows how to make me feel better.  If you don't have a cheerleader, reach out to your mom or your friends because chances are they just don't know that you need them to be that cheerleader.

What I love about blogging is being able to help people with posts.  I hate to think that people are hurting and think that if I blog something and they find it when they are in their moment of need than I have really helped.  We all read and follow each others blogs and it's nice to know that we are connected because of blogging and always there for each other.

Here is my compliment to you...

I hope I have inspired you to love yourself and be you!

Because you are great!

*For more information on Self Image click (HERE)

Sleeping Beauty

We all know that it is called beauty rest....

but do we really get enough of it?

Here are a few tips I read recently and have tried to implement for better sleep...

1) UNPLUG! ~ Apparently, electronics such as laptops, ipads and smartphones emit a blue hue that mimics daylight which stops your body from producing the sleep hormone melatonin.  So for healthy z's unplug an hour before you go to sleep.  

2) Less caffeine ~ sounds like a no brainer ... right?   Did you know that caffeine can stay in your system for 12 hours...so when you have it at 3pm it interferes with sleep.  Who knew it lasted that long?

3) Make your bed ~ a messy room and bed can make you feel stressed and restless.

4) Get up on weekends ~ Sleeping in on the weekends can throw off your sleep cycle and cause insomnia.  If you want to sleep in ... aim for just one hour past your weekday wake up time.

5) Scents ~ the smell of lavender can improve your quality of sleep.

Sounds all fine and good right?  Well what if we still can't sleep?

~ Try to stay awake ~ dim the lights and crawl into bed with a magazine or book and tell yourself to stay awake for 30 mins ~ chances are you'll be asleep within 10.

~ Get out of bed ~ tossing and turning for hours will only stress you out further.  Get up and do some deep breathing exercises and do something (just no tv or laptop) once you feel tried go lay back down and you should fall asleep more easily.  

~ Too many things swirling around in your mind ~ get up and make a to do list.  Write down everything that you are thinking and go back to bed.  It's amazing how much it clears up once you have it all on paper.

I have been really trying to make all these changes for better sleep and I think it is actually working.  I rarely drink caffeine now, I don't lay in bed with my laptop, I bought a lavender plugin, I make our bed in the morning, I've been getting up early on the weekends and even been doing a little reading before turning out the lights.

How are you sleeping?  Do you need to make some changes?  Have you made some changes?

J'Adore

Maybe I am officially old...but I thought Madonna

rocked the Super Bowl Halftime Show.

Come on ... that stage and graphics were INSANE!!

At one point, Paul asked why she was moving around so slow...

I said did you see those heels...I bet that stage is slippery!

I will admit when she came out with Vogue...I was my 7 year

old self again dancing around to her music.

I went to her 1989 Who's that Girl World Tour and even

my dad (who took me) said...Madonna knows how to put

on a show and all these years later she is still doing it!!

I'll admit..I got a lil teary at Like a Prayer...lol.

Instyle Look of the Day

Madonna

WHAT SHE WOREMadonna appeared on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno in a formfitting LBD and peep-toe stilettos.

WHY WE LOVE ITThe Material Girl showed off her ageless physique in a sexy ensemble that has us anticipating her Super Bowl halftime show!

Birthday Cupcakes

So as I mentioned before I am trying to slim down for my wedding so I have been working out and watching what I eat and of course my first road block seemed to be my (then) upcoming birthday UNTIL...Danielle at Little Spindle contacted me on gchat and ended up giving me a fab way of making cupcakes that are Weight Watcher friendly...you use cake mix and diet soda!!  (1 point for regular size cupcakes ... my pan is bigger so mine were 2 points)

So I bought Strawberry cake mix and Diet Rite Raspberry

Soda and Cool Whip for a fab (0 POINT) Frosting!!

You mix the equivalent to 1 can of soda which is 12 oz or 1 1/2 cup.

At first when you start mixing it gets a little frothy from

the carbonation but just keep mixing like normal and in the end

you see ... looks (AND TASTES) like normal cake mix!!

Bake at the temp requested on box and the time amount stated.

Here's how they turn out!

I also put a strawberry on top!

These seriously were AWESOME!  The cake turns out so moist and has

a ton of flavor!  The possibilities are endless.  If you make Chocolate Cake

use a Diet Coke equivalent...check out Danielle's blog at Little Spindle

she just recently tried chocolate and Cherry Coke Zero!  For a lighter cake

use Diet Sprite or Diet 7UP.  If you make some let me know what

combination you used and how they turned out.

I told Danielle that she seriously made my birthday...

with this I was able to have my cake and eat it too...lol!!

Thanks again!!

Dreams

So once in awhile I have a dream where in the dream a tooth falls out or is loose and then falls out.  I panic in the dream...look in a mirror...and there's no gap...so I tell myself (in the dream) that everything is okay.  

So I thought I would do a little investigating to see what some say this dream "means".  The most common reason for the dream I found was basically stressing out about something at work (feeling like it is out of your control).  TADA!  Friday night I had this dream and Friday I was stressing (and still are) about work not giving me all the time off I want for my wedding and honeymoon.  

Seriously, there is a whole website devoted to dreaming about your teeth falling out.  They came basically that it can have to do with practically EVERYTHING you can think of...sound familiar??  Horoscopish??

So what kind of crazy dreams do you have?  Have you had one lately?  Have you ever looked up the meaning?