In My Head

A New Season

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Yesterday marks the first day of spring (the spring equinox). We have now entered the season of new life, and with that I thought it was a good time to check back in with my goals.

We started off this year with a diet challenge that really changed the way that both Chuck and I view food. It has made lasting changes in our diet and daily habits that I believe will stick with us for the long haul.

In conjunction with this change I have been able to change some of my workout habits for the better. Realizing that I was no longer capable of simple physical tasks (pull ups, pushups, lifting boxes, etc.) really gave me the slap in the face that I needed to get back into it. I know it’s early in the year but so far I have been working out consistently and can definitely feel the changes in my body (seriously wishing I had before and afters of my tush for you right now, because it’s looking tight!!). Right now my focus is on strengthening my arms and core. I think since I’ve always had strong legs I tended to focus on them more and subsequently have a very weak upper half. I’d like to even this out, and be strong all around. Unfortunately I haven’t gotten in as much hiking as I had hoped by now. Honestly winter hiking has never been my jam, so as things thaw out I’m hoping to get out there more, before the sweltering summer heat takes over.

We have gotten a number of small house projects done in the New Year like fixing the heat, light switches and garden chores. We have finally started to seriously talk about the kitchen renovation, which I couldn’t be more excited for. It’s going to be a big job so planning is key. While we are in the planning stages I am looking forward to putting together the fire pit, designing the deck, painting the living room, and updating some furniture. There’s a lot to be done in this little space.

Financially I had a few goals that I did not mention previously. One of those was to pay down the house enough to get rid of PMI. I didnt mention it before because I wasn’t sure if it was even a realistic goal until Chuck and I made some time to really go over our finances. Though this is just one of our financial goals for this year it’s a pretty major one. I also made a little extra cash in the New Year by selling some of our old stuff, amongst other things. I’m going to post more on this later but let’s just say I was pleasantly surprised by how much I was able to pull together without trying too hard. It makes me wonder how much “easy” money or money savings we are all missing out on each year.

In conjunction with finances I wanted to really put some effort into pairing down our lifestyle. I read the Life Changing Magic of Tidying last year and was really drawn to some of the core concepts. I have gotten rid of a large quantity of stuff, but I always feel like there is more to do. I’m hoping that with the nicer weather I will be able to open some windows and clean out some spaces in the house. Recently I have also been interested by the idea of reducing waste whether it be food, garbage or recycling it’s become increasingly important to me to have a lower impact on the environment. I switched to a moon cup, composted more (and starting thinking more about closed loop cooking), put more effort into buying in bulk and finding reusable products. Even Chuck has noticed a large reduction in our waste production.

With the intent to fortify some of my friendships I have spent more time than ever putting an effort into simply staying in contact, whether it be by text, phone, email or in person with the ones that mean the most to me. It’s never been easy for me but I want my friends to know how much they mean to me and to be there when they need me.

So far I think 2016 is off to a good start. I’m not sure I’m living up to the whole idea of being brave yet, but I’m making small steps and taking chances every day.

How is 2016 going for you so far? What are your goals? And how have you worked toward them?

Things I’ve Learned Since College

By Jessica

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This post was influenced by Chrystinas post a couple weeks ago. I loved the idea of it and wanted to do one myself. At this point I have been out of college for over 4 years as well, and a lot has been learned in that time.

Partying get’s old. Yes I said it. I loved my college lifestyle, and even lived it a bit afterward, but the honest truth is creative hobbies, and life pursuits are so much more fulfilling, which leads me to the next thing….

Experiences are worth more than things. I’m by no means saying that you have to spend all your money on a trip to Europe (though that’s really awesome), but my favorite memories are rope swinging into the river in Chucks Hometown, getting stuck in the mud in a back field with friends, adopting Brody, walking on the Cliffs of Moher in Ireland, lingering over dinner with Chuck, music and talking over campfires with friends, New year’s mishaps and potlucks, motor bike rides, hiking in the high peaks, teaching friends to cook, etc. I think you get the idea.

There is no comparison. This is something that I am still struggling with, it’s a constant struggle. I see friends with big houses and all of the gadgets and I’m over here with my broken phone, and hand me down clothes, still pinching pennies for that someday house. I will get there in my own time and in my own way. I don’t know their entire story, maybe they have tons of debt, maybe they are just lucky, but how do I know that they are happy? I am happy. I have something to work for that keeps me going and an amazing support system and really that’s all I need.

A good bath and hot tea solve everything. Ok maybe not everything, but taking some time away to think it through and make a plan really do make a difference.

Hangry is a thing, and one should honor it.

Just because it looks good on paper doesn’t mean that it is
the best option. This is another tough one for me. I am very much an analytical thinker and I like facts to support all decisions, but sometimes you just need the feels. I’ve made some pretty bad decisions on paper, like taking a new job at a pay cut, moving to a more expensive community to avoid a longer drive, and plenty of others. The thing is that these decisions are the ones that make me happy they reduce stress and to me that’s worth its weight in gold.

Being loud doesn’t always get you what you want. In fact most of the time killing them with kindness gets it done faster and better.

Good food and exercise make all the difference. I will be the first to admit that comfort food is where it’s at, however I have also learned that all the rich, carb loaded bad for you food needs to be balanced out with good wholesome healthy food. Otherwise my body is prone to get sick more, ache more, and I feel bloated and grumpy way more often. Same thing goes with exercise, I definitely don’t need to work out as hardcore as I did in college, but lack of exercise for me means lack of sleep, and eventual
soreness. My body needs at least a weekly workout to be happy.

Retirement must be planned for. Seriously do the math to figure out how much you will need it’s terrifying.

I am not an extrovert, but I need social interaction. After and
when Chuck and I first moved in together I went through a time where I didnt see many people aside from my immediate family, and after a while I started to get grumpy and anxious. Weird right? Chuck is an introvert and is perfectly happy to not see other people that often. In the last few years I have made it a point to have holiday gatherings with friends, game nights, and dinner date nights. I swear these little things make all the difference.

I will never be good at any one thing and that’s just fine. I have so many friends that have amazing talents, whether it be art, music, management, math, or whatever. I will never have anyone thing that I am good at. For starters I don’t stick with anything long enough to ever get really good at it, as a result I am kind of good at a number of things. It took me a while to own this about myself but now I think it’s kind of cool.

How about you anything stand out in your mind as something that you learned since college?

Quarter Year Thoughts

By Jessica

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We are a little over a quarter of the way through the year, and I can finally see some green popping up, and smell sap boiling, which means that the change of the seasons are upon us. I can’t tell you how excited I am for spring, and the rejuvenation that comes with it. I am in a place where I really need to make some serious changes and spring is always a good time for that. Needless to say I haven’t been doing well with my one little word lately.

I spoke a bit before on how last year was what I consider to be a middle year. While nothing exceptional happened, nothing terrible happened either. In the summer and fall of last year got lazy on my fitness and the craziness that has been this New Year has only made that worse. This causes a bigger problem than just being out of shape. I have always been someone who remained physically active my entire life, and I have found in the last 6 or so months that I haven’t been that my entire life seems to be slowly falling apart. I know I’m dramatic, but hear me out.

My body is in a constant state of aches. Really how is that possible? My shoulders are tense, which causes ridiculous headaches, my calves are always sore, and my knee has started to bother me if I sit too long. Let’s not even talk about my lower back, or my feet. Oh! And the zits, dear god the zits, they are taking over! All this I’m sure contributes to the poor mood I have been in for the last couple months, but I really think the lack of actual activity is causing
that more so. I need to feel some endorphin’s man.

I also need a salad. We do eat salad all year round, because grocery stores supply that, but man what I wouldn’t give for a nice vine ripe tomato and fresh crisp veggies! I love that we have so many veggies in our freezer but I really want to start eating fresh home grown food again. Aside from the veggies I need outdoor time. This summer we weren’t able to go camping or hiking as much as we usually do, and this winter was so incredibly cold that it stopped us from doing much of anything. I feel like I’m going crazy and I can’t wait to get out to the woods!

I guess what I’m trying to say with all this is I haven’t been happy for a while. I need to check back in with my one little word and get back on track. I’m excited that spring is here, and I’m finding the motivation I need again. Besides I have a wedding dress to fit into!

How are you doing with the your goals this year? Are you excited for spring?

I’m Turning 27

By Jessica

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It’s kind of a big deal, at least to me. Turning 25 and 26 didn’t seem like that big a deal to me, I’m still a young 20 something you know, I’ve got all kinds of time. Now all of a sudden 27 feels old. When you put it in perspective it’s really not, but it feels that way.

I’m finding it really hard not to fall into the comparison trap. So and so has accomplished this, that and the other thing by the time they were my age. What about those young hot shots, writing bestselling books by the time they are 24? Yeah I feel like a turtle just floating on the waves, letting life pass me by.

I have to keep reminding myself that this is not the case. I’m 27 and I have a great job, a good degree, I’m getting married, looking at houses and planning another trip to Europe. These are great things that I’ve done/am doing. For whatever reason I can’t pull my mind away from the rest of those 46 peaks that I haven’t yet climbed, the book I haven’t finished yet, the places I haven’t traveled yet, the fact that I still haven’t learned to surf, and so much more.

I have thought about making a list of things to do before I’m 30, a lot of people have them, but I just don’t think it’s a good idea. Staring down a list of things that put “value” on the life that I have lived up until 30 seems absurd.

Maybe I haven’t made the time to go up 46 high peaks, but I did do a few, and I have hiked all over New England. No, I didn’t run a half
marathon but I can run 8 miles for fun and not be overwhelmed by a training schedule. I may not have learned to surf, but I learned to snowboard, kind of. I haven’t backpacked through Europe, I have spent time with my family, and in the woods I call home instead. I have paid off all of my debt. I haven’t moved up the corporate ladder, because I chose to work for a small company that makes me feel at home. I haven’t published a book yet, but I wrote the draft for one, so
could always become famous after death like Emily Dickenson. I have found love. I adopted a puppy.

I have done a lot. I don’t need a list to tell me that.

I don’t need a list to tell me what I have accomplished when I am still in the middle of building the life I want. I will accomplish things when I accomplish them, if I really do want to accomplish them. If I don’t I’m sure there is a greater accomplishment than something that fits into a line on a sheet next to a check
box in it’s place.

This Year’s One Little Word

By Jessica

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This year I am doing something a little different in reference to my goals and plans this year. I have heard of this concept before and never really felt like it was something that could work for me until now. I am choosing one word to focus on for the year.

This is a big year for me, a huge year, I’m getting married, I’m starting the year off in a new position at work, discussions of house buying are finally becoming real, our next European vacation is in the works. On top of all that I put a lot of work into myself in the last year and I finally feel like I have a line to follow, I finally feel comfortable and have an idea of who I want to be (I won’t say that I know because as life moves forward our dreams and goals change).

2014 was what I call a middle year. Nothing to exceptional happened but nothing too terrible happened either. I think that I was able to grow a lot and learn a lot, which is always a great thing. And honestly I feel like we (Chuck, Brody and I) needed this year. We were able to save so much for
the wedding, the house, and the truck that Chuck just got. We took the time to work on ourselves, Chuck spent a lot of time in the woods, while I worked on the numerous artistic projects that I love. We both made huge strides with our careers. I’m happy with how this year came about, but am looking very forward to next year.

This year I want to build.

We are building a family here; a life and a lifestyle. After spending a year figuring out what we want, now it’s time to get there. To do that we need to build ourselves, our savings, our home, our marriage, our life. This year we are going to do this together.

I feels kind of big. Not big in a daunting, kind of scary way but big in an exciting, wonderful, hopeful way.

There are a few things from the last year that I want to carry into this year. I want to continue to build relationships with friends that are far away. I want to keep building our savings (this house that I want so bad, is so close!). I want to build on everything I learned about myself in the last year. I fell flat on my face with anything that has to do with fitness last year so this year it will be a big focus for me to build my fitness (that dress man, I have to get in shape).

This year I want to build my knowledge base. I have a lot of experiments in the works, especially in the garden, and kitchen. Both Chuck and I want to learn how to do a few more things around the house. Obviously with the wedding in the works we are going to build our family.

This is another year focused on ourselves and I’m excited for it. It’s going to take a lot of work, probably some heartache, and definitely some frustration, but I’m ready for it. I think we are ready for it.

In My Head

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