This is 30. Actually tomorrow is officially 30- I will be 30. I wonder how many more times I can say 30 - feel free to keep count. I distinctly remember being at my first internship after college and saying out loud - "I will be wearing all black on my 30th, I can’t even imagine being at that age.” So I say to that little miss - didn’t you think you knew it all?? When in fact I am here to tell you that you did not know anything…..not a thing at all. OK - I knew SOME things….but I can’t tell you how different I feel about this birthday than I would have guessed. 30 is actually really exciting and promising and I am 100% ready. Which is perfect because March’s theme is “my body is 30.”
When you stop to think age - AKA time passing - it is really scary. We can’t stop it and often have no idea how it escaped our grasp. In the same instance though it is truly beautiful and amazing phenomena. Time may be going, life is happening - and how blessed are you to still be apart of it! We can enjoy it- we can relish it - we can indulge in it and that is a true God given gift. So this month I plan to really appreciate the gift of 30 I have been given. My body is turning 30 and still in working condition - in fact has room to be pushed and stretched and enjoyed……and it is just here waiting for me to enjoy!
If you have spent any time here you know my heart’s true desire to be healthy, to feel strong, to be a runner, to love veggies, and to drink my gallons of water every damn day! You also probably figured out it is hard for me. I love to eat crap, my running has met several road blocks, and my days are often busy and gone before I can nearly address everything I want out of them. Join the club? Yea - I know. So when I thought about March I realized I don’t want it to be another 100% cleanse, I don’t want to start my marathon training only to miss another race, and this is not about setting myself up for a regiment I will just miss out on again. March is about purposefully choosing to appreciate the gift of 30 I have been given and cherish the body which has chosen to go on this journey of life with me.
Here are my efforts for March:
1. Fuel My Body: Each and every day I will take my Juice Plus and Gut Microbes, I will drink 8-10 glasses of water and I hope to approach my diet like a bank account. Bank account dieting really is just about eating purposfully. For instance make choices based on your day - if I am having a nice dinner out with Danny and planning on a big bowl of pasta - how about we let that croissant with my coffee go? None of these are extremes, but just some simple steps to take and approaches to eating.
2. It’s the outside too: You know those times when you say to yourself I am going to floss more, or I am finally going to do that hair treatment or I am going to use my Clarisonic cleanser……..yea that time - its now! Fueling my inside and protecting my outside.
3. Work it and sweat a little too: 5 times a week I will have 30-60 minutes of exercise. My primary focus is running, with yoga and stretching as my secondary exercise choice. Life is full and I crave a release, a clear mind, more energy, and to control my anxiety - ALL of these benefits are directly linked to exercise….so I best link to exercise.
Sure I had a list of about 10 things I wanted out of my March month - but these are things that I can continue to purposely fit in, make a habit, and even enjoy. January was not perfect but I found some practices that worked for me, which is motivation to keep up with them. THAT is what I want for March too.
This month I had three books on the docket - but I am also trying to be realistic that I am moving, I am on some major deadlines for work, and I am STILL reading 2 from January. Yea - I need to turn off the TV and my blog stalking behavior and READ.
So here are three I want to read - but in the order of priority:
This book I found about a year ago as I was working to up my running efforts. The first few pages had me laughing yet motivated - but best of all it is about the journey of running, not becoming a disciplined perfect running from day 1. That is exactly what I am looking for so I really want to read this book in March.
First of all let’s be 100%honest - I watch a lot of Cameron’s movies because I just love her “look”. She is always so pretty with awesome skin, a great smile and the most graceful arms. Stalker alert….. but I love that she has acknowledged that having a strong body is about making it a priority. She knows that she needed to be educated about her body and health to make it a priority and I love that - motivation from study.
This book I stumbled across with a similar perspective for Cameron’s but I loved the idea that it was not about looking like her - but about looking YOUR best. We all can feel good about how we look and it is not just about being the perfect weight - but working with what ya got! I LOVE THAT MESSAGE! So I am hoping to indulge in this read too, spread that important message, and most important - I would love to have her hair…..maybe I will learn how to get it! Stay tuned!
Ok - so after those reads of how to look my best, love my body, and get the MOST out of 30…..what about my spiritual health. Truth be told I know for 100% my life would not be where it is at 30 without my faith. I can’t remember a time in my life that religion was not present - even in the moments where it seems like it may have not been a top priority it was ALWAYS THERE. And I may not be the world’s best Catholic, but I am a passionate Catholic who loves her God, loves her church and LOVES her quiet time in prayer. So this month we are doing it!
We are in the heart of the lenten season and I have a lenten prayer book I am working my way through - very slowly and sadly - so this month we plan to PICK IT UP along with my Lenten goals. We have 40 days to be with Jesus on his journey to the cross - won’t you take yours up and join him?
Finally blog goals….well its time readers. My blog has been in existence since July. And although it is not perfect……I am feeling ready to get my voice out there. So this month I will be doing my final launch prep and I hope once we move and are a bit settled I will be going public! Thank you so much for readers who have been supportive so far on this little journey and let me feel like stopping in here is valued experience for them - it means a lot.
My fears of going public are many, but the truth is I am worried about what others will think or of failing. One of the things that is making 30 feel so exciting, so liberating and so “right” is for the first time in my life I am really finding my voice. I am connecting to who I am- and where I want to be for myself, as a wife, as a daughter, sister, friend, Catholic, co-worker. I am finally hearing people’s opinions and not crushing under the weight of their words - but feeling I can present my own thoughts and really hold my ground. As a pleaser, OCD, first born, female, I have found the ability to do that extremely difficult…..but now that I have that strength, I need to put it into practice!
Putting the blog out there and continuing this journey with my family - through the opinions of others - is important for learning to remain confident and comfortable as me. I am ready.
March is here and I am loving it! Yes it is my birthday month, yes these goals are really fun and exciting and YES - Spring is going to join us soon…..but what is really motivating me about March??? I keep thinking of all the things in life that I say to myself “well I will do that when I become an adult”. Sometimes it is about silly things like I will finally really floss when I grow up and sometimes it is about the important things - I will become more active in my faith when I am older. With March here, with 30 on the horizon I can’t hold back the feeling that being an adult - well its here - its time. March…..I am ready for you!
