Opportunities Await

I started this blog with 'life is amazing', but then deleted it because I thought it sounded too cheesy...but you know what? Life is AMAZING!

I got to stand on pretty much the top of a mountain yesterday and look at the highway below, but also look far into the distance and see Calgary reduced to 4 or 5 skyscrapers. It was AMAZING! You never realize how small you actually are until you are there and you look around at the beauty of the world.

Another amazing thing was the feeling of unity as a row of people on treadmills all ran and no one looked out of place, we all belonged and we all were strong for being there. It was euphoric to sense that I was part of this group of people who run on treadmills...like I've said before and it's probably going to be my theme this summer...WHO IS THIS GIRL? Being 24 and still learning things about yourself and experiencing new things is amazing.

As a teacher, I believe that we should always be learning, but to physically see it and acknowledge it gives such great power to my life. It's amazing and so am I.

I started this blog to talk about music and review it because it has such a part of my life, but through this personal, non-music related, well kinda, posts, conversations and dialogues have been opened that I don't think ever would.

I love being able to be my honest self and people embrace it and talk about it with me. Heck I love honesty, because honestly, what's the point in faking an interest in something, why waste your days with things that you don't like, but society deems 'cool'. I love zombies(which is becoming popular ;)), I like to host events, I love my music, and I'm a sucker for a good sarcastic comment. That's me, there's no point in trying to be anyone else because people can tell that that's not genuine and it's kinda weird.

Thanks for reading, I love posting and will continue to do so no matter if no one reads this.

It's cathartic for me :)

Love y'all.

-M.

Have You Ever...

Have you ever had one of those moments where you start thinking and planning something that for your whole life you told yourself and others that you couldn’t do?

I had one of those moments today.

I found myself researching and broadcasting my intention to run a 5k race. 

Now my whole life I’ve told people that ‘i’m not a runner’ ‘my chest is too big to run’ and ‘i don’t understand just running to run’.

But you know what?

I CAN BE A RUNNER!

Yes it’ll take time and work to work up to that level, but I can do it!

I have supporters and I have the conviction to want to do it. 

Probably helps that I picked a super fun sounding 5k. 

You run in the dark with a headlamp on and you get beer and a great DJ after!

Um...hello!!!

MUSIC AFTER!! (not a beer fan at all so that part doesn’t really entice me ;))

Just the fact though that I am looking into it and it’s an actual possibility makes me take a step back and look at myself and say ‘who are you?’. 

Who is this girl who goes walking for an hour after work?

Who is this girl that is looking into running bras and heart rate monitor watches?

Who is this girl who eats all of her veggies and protein first and then throws away half a baked potato?

WHO. IS. THIS. GIRL????

This new girl is me. This new girl is what I’ve chosen for myself. I’ve chosen to start living healthy and I think (/hope) that it’s rubbing off on the people around me. 

I love hearing what other people are doing for exercise or how healthy they are eating. 

It’s like this whole new world of health has opened up for me and it’s been there all along, I just had to start looking!!

Gah, gone are the days of craving chips and pop, now I want an orange and water. (not 100% of the time, because hey, I’m human).

I just love that I’m at an age now where it’s ok to eat healthy and workout, it’s not just for super skinny people or models. It’s an every person kind of thing!

I know this because the cutest little old man works out where I do. 

He walks, rows and lifts weights in his plaid long sleeve button up shirt and khaki pants, his slicked back white hair and a towel around his shoulders.

HE IS THE CUTEST THING EVER!! 

I’m actually kind of sad when I don’t see him at the gym!

But anywho...this is getting kind of rambly.

I just wanna end by saying that change takes time, and everyday you are faced with choices that only you decide.

So choose what makes you happy and be ok with that, whatever it may be.

Love y’all.

-M.

Inspiration

Inspiration.

We all need it, whether it comes from within or from an outside source, we need things to keep us going.

Today I’m gonna write about a few things that usually inspire me.

1. The first of the month: why? Because it’s a fresh new month, with many possibilities. I can be honest in saying that I’m much more ‘inspired’ to start taking charge on the 1st than I am on the 8th. Sad, but true. 

2. Music: Given the fact that this is mostly, well kinda, a music blog, music plays a huge role in my life. I make playlists for everything and some of my most confident moments is when music is playing. Last Tuesday I almost danced while I walked the track because the music was just so good!

3. My Instagram feed: I have ‘followed’ so many fitness junkies on there, whenever I go through my feed, there is either a healthy, yummy recipe, or a workout that is amazing, or before and after pics that are just fantastic. A picture says a thousand words and I look at hundreds of pictures a day, and that says a lot ;).

4. My inner self: that little girl inside of me that pushes me to try new things and get out of my comfort zone. Yes it’s hard as hell sometimes to leave my family and try new things, but eventually it’ll be good for me. I know I could take the easy road and stay at home and work and live and survive, but then I wouldn’t grow. It’s hard because somedays I do wanna quit and move back to my old life because it’s familiar and comfortable, but by having this blog and writing how I feel almost every day I get through it. And I am looking to future Marie, who in September or October can look at these old entries and know that the choice I made was for the best. I don’t wanna just float through life comfortably and with no risk, I wanna try new things and break my own trail. 

My Mom always told us ‘you can leave, but know that you can always come back’.

Knowing the amazing family I have to come back to always gives me the strength when I’m away from them. 

Love y’all.

-M.

Another Happy Post ;)

Make your own happy.

Those four words have been my unofficial slogan for the last little while. 

Maybe it’s growing up and maturing (to the ripe old age of 24) that has taught me that I can’t expect to be happy when I’m only looking for validation from others. 

That’s actually one of the last places that I should look. 

I need to be happy with me. 

I need to do things that I wholly approve of and am proud to scream from the rooftops.

Do I make mistakes? 

Well, sure, everybody does.

But do I focus on those and only tell people about them?

Heck no!

I do the opposite.

I overwhelm people with the joys of my day. 

You know why?

Because THAT’S what I’m passionate about, THAT’S what I wanna talk about. 

I don’t wanna go into detail and re-hash my brutal moments. 

I wanna relive when I scored the winning goal in soccer and everyone ‘attacked’ me with hugs afterward...I don’t wanna bring up when I let in a penalty kick. 

It’s funny, whenever I hear the question: Is the glass half full or half empty? I instantly say half full, and I have to consciously try to wrap my head around the concept of it being half empty. It has liquid in it so that’s full.

The same goes for my life, if there is any trace of happiness in it, then I am happy, and there are not a lot of days where there is absolutely no happy to speak of. 

You gotta find your happy. 

Look for it, and even if it’s an eye dropper amount, cherish that happy, even if it’s down pouring sadness. 

YOU choose YOUR happy, no one else gets a say in that. 

You know why?

Because you don’t get a say in their happy. 

We are all individuals. 

We all get to be ourselves.

Cherish anything and everything that makes YOU happy! 

Love y’all. 

-M.

Find Your Happy

The smallest of things can make your day great. 

Seeing one of your best friend’s engagement ring over lunch. 

Buying two different kinds of prunes (yes prunes, I know I’m secretly 85) and then having your own taste test to see which kind is better. 

Booking a party and inviting all of your girlfriends and having a lot of them agree and then realizing how amazing that night will be if it all works out. 

Getting text messages from your parents every night virtually kissing you on the forehead.

My glowing lamp :)

Finally setting up your desktop lamp so you don’t have to get up and turn the main light off. 

Gosh, reflecting on the day gone by is kinda cool and fun. Realizing that I still have to do 80 squats before bed, not as fun, but still a small part of today that makes it mine. 

Choose things in your day that you love and are personalized to you. 

Focus on those things. Not the jerk that cut you off in traffic, but the fact that the light turned green as soon as you touched your brake pedal. 

Look for the good in situations, and find your own happy. 

No two happy’s look the same, find yours and be better for it :)

Night y’all.

-M.