A Thursday Thank You
Hope everyones Thursdays are off to a good start!
Even though this week has been a bit nutty, it has brought some really good and exciting news my way (will finally be able to share with you guys soon, I promise!) and I've been feeling particularly grateful this week.
Ever since returning to the city after the holidays and getting amped up for what this new year will bring, I've been emphasizing giving thanks in my daily life. I'm taking my own gratitude challenge, and I've been making a concerted effort to pay attention and appreciate all the things I'm grateful for, day to day, moment by moment.
I'm slowing down from my usual road-runner speed, and staying present. It's been freezing in New York, but the snow makes me feel like such a happy little kid and I get to capture moments like these:
Today, I wanted to share 5 things I've been feeling particularly grateful for this week:
1. You Guys.
I don't think any of you realize just exactly how dorky and giddy I get whenever I hear your guys' feedback on the website, my writing, my recipes, my Instagram, and my photography.
It truly touches me so much whenever someone messages me to say that something I wrote resonated with them and encouraged them.
It makes me thrilled whenever someone tells me they're tackling the gym (and lifting weights!) with a different mindset because of something I shared.
It makes me smile like the Cheshire Cat (but less creepy... sort of) when I see photos of your guys' creations using my recipes. A sorority sister of mine made this beautiful loaf below of using my Peanut Butter Banana Chia Bread recipe, and then an IG friend all the way from Switzerland made my Matcha Chia Pudding with her own creative spin of coconut milk on top. Makes me oh so very happy!
When I hit a thousand followers on Instagram, even though that's a microscopic number in the grand scheme of social media, I totally had a Sally Field moment because I am that big of a dork.
But seriously, thank you so much for following along on this journey. Inspiring and encouraging is the ultimate reason why I started this whole thing to begin with.
2. My Body
I did 100 Kettlebell swings with 18kg on Monday evening after already working a 15-hour day.
And my hip didn't hurt.
When I finished my workout, my mind just flashed back to when I couldn't even bend over to tie my shoe because my hip was practically screaming at me that I needed surgery. And the time after my surgery when I was sobbing like a baby because I couldn't even stand up from the bed on my own to get myself a glass of water or go to the bathroom without my mom helping me with my crutches.
While I am still far from where I plan to be and where I used to be, athleticism-wise, I am that much more grateful for my body today, in the here and now.
3. My Job
Of course there are many days where my job can feel frustrating, emotionally draining, physically exhausting, and blah blah blah.
But there are those magically rewarding moments that make my heart glow and make me feel like such a proud mama bear. This is why I'm thankful to be able to have found something I am so passionate about, and that I have earned the ability to be able to help people change on the outside, but even better, the inside.
My client, who I affectionately called "my baby giraffe on roller-skates" when we first started working together, originally couldn't even get through one kneeling pushup properly. Yesterday, she banged out 3 sets of 10 perfect pushups in a row. I think I started annoying her with the amount of high-fives I made her give me.
Hearing my client who lost 20 pounds tell me she threw out all her old work dresses because none of them fit anymore. And more importantly, how different she felt on the inside and the shift in mindset she's experienced.
Watching my client (who is a former dancer and grew up in a sport so similar to my own where "feeling strong and healthy" was passed over in favor of "being small as possible") discover the amazing feeling of loving lifting weights and feeling like a strong bada** in the gym. Yesterday, she tossed around some kettlebells like she's been doing it for years, and then hearing her say how different and amazing this new strength in her body feels, and how it's become an enjoyable part of her lifestyle rather than "having to go to the gym"... this is why I do what I do.
4. My Support System
Family, old friends, new friends. All my loved ones.
I am so lucky to have people in my life who support me unconditionally and still love me even when I turn into a frenzied, manic workaholic, when I am the most frustrating person to go out to eat with because of all my recent health issues/mandatory dietary changes, or when I am just plain cranky. Having people who care about you, who talk through decisions with you, and who make you laugh is quite a gift to have.
So. Thank you for loving and appreciating me for me.
5. New Opportunities
I know, I know, I'm being a pain in the butt by not being able to share the details of this yet, but I am so excited for these upcoming opportunities. I know I'll be able to learn more about myself, grow as a person, and take plenty of silly stumbles along the way.
The next few months will be absolutely insane with the evolution of this path I'm on, but I can't wait to see what this year brings!
