Life Lessons

It’s the Little Things

{Breakfast parties with all the fixings}

A little while ago, I wrote about the idea of being uncomfortable. (Five-second recap: process is product, ritual is reward, journey is goal, sometimes it’ll suck but try to stay calm and push through.) I still love that idea. And I think for the first time, I’m really trying to sit with things – if I feel awful, it gets acknowledged, expressed to a great friend, journaled about or cried out (although my level of crying has decreased dramatically in 2012). Same with happiness, joy, discomfort, sadness, loneliness. I’m giving myself both permission to make mistakes and to celebrate good choices.

{Long walks on overcast days}

And process really is product, for me at least. The most happiness I’ve had lately has been in the quiet moments: in the mid-afternoon winter light, kneading bread, going on my solitary walks, and having friends over, which instantly turns my quiet little apartment into more of a home. I just wanted to share a few of the pictures that celebrate the little things – the love, the food, the friends – that are making 2012 my greatest year yet.

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Food For Thought: Miss Representation

I’ve been wanting to post the link to this film for a while, ever since I saw it online on Documentary Heaven a few weeks ago. Miss Representation is an exploration of the media’s portrayal of gender, and it features interviews with many interesting people who believe this is an important topic. Like my last “food for thought” post, I really wish this movie could be “required watching”. It’s eye-opening, interesting, and really makes you reconsider your perspective. I know that I’ve definitely developed more critical consumption habits when I read magazines or see movies.

You can watch it online here. If you don’t have time to watch it all, I highly recommend you watch the trailer. It’s interesting in and of itself.

On a related note, an article was recently published by one of my school’s papers, and I think that it, too, is extremely important. We tend to think that we’ve come so far, we’ve moved past most of the “feminist issues”, achieved a lot in terms of equality. Oftentimes, it might be hard to put your finger on exactly what still remains to be fixed in terms of gender issues. Well, I think this article is a pretty accurate depiction of the kinds of sexism we unfortunately still face. I encourage you to give it a read, and see if it opens your eyes to any inequality you see going on around you in your life – it might be closer than you think.

And on that note – hope this gives you some food for thought! Stay safe this weekend and have a great time. xo.

Being Uncomfortable

I remember once, my cross-country coach told me:

Quit trying to make it easy. Running is always going to be uncomfortable.

Now, I’m not sure if real runners would agree with that statement (Patty? Can you shed some light?) but regardless, I’ve always remembered that sentence. Because something changes once you accept the idea that it doesn’t have to feel perfect. That you’re not striving for what you thought you were striving for.

You start to realize that the journey is the destination, the process is the product, and the ritual is the reward. 

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Today, Be Gentle

When in doubt, take action. I’m not entirely sure if that’s a phrase, but since I’ve started this post four times, in a fit of indecision, I’ve just coined it, in case it’s not. Because I know I need to write something today, get something done, so I can feel better. This is me, trying to give myself what I need. Indulge me.

Today’s not a very decisive day. I’m not feeling very productive. I’m self-doubting. Regular old hump day, don’t you think? How is your Wednesday treating you?

The past few days have whizzed by in a storm of productivity. Books were bought, courses were registered for, exercise + healthy eating happened – generally speaking, I was on top of things. But today, my muscles are sore. It’s -21 outside, if you count the windchill (and I always count it). It’s overcast, as it tends to be for the bulk of winter. It feels almost as if today is a day to pause, and process. To take stock of everything I’ve been accomplishing lately for myself, and tug in the reins a little before I hit burn-out.

I’ve been eating healthy, cooking all my meals. I’ve exercised for at least 30 minutes, every day for about a week. I’ve done my readings, gone to my classes, taken my notes. I’ve gone to the gym! I’ve spent time with friends. I’ve made cupcakes with pink roses on them. I’ve spent a lot of time alone. I’ve worked things out in my journal. I’ve made wall art.

So today, even though I feel unproductive, even though my first exercise plan was thwarted (I made it two blocks before turning back, it was that unpleasant), even though I don’t yet have a beautiful picture for project 365, I’m still going to be proud of myself. One of my 2012 intentions is to be gentler, with myself and others. And that means taking the time to listen to my body, figure out how I feel, and no matter what, being proud of the little things. Not taking anything for granted. Being proud of what I’ve managed to accomplish.

And I’m proud of you too, all of you! Good for you, for going back to school with a bang. I’m glad you sat down in your chair and did the work. I’m excited that you started a new health resolution and have been sticking to it so far. It’s amazing that you’re making positive changes for yourself. It makes me happy that you’re making a list of things that bother you and tackling them one by one. I’m happy you’re doing the right thing for you! Just remember to go easy on yourself, don’t push too hard. You’re doing a great job. 

So today, be gentle. You’re doing your best. Don’t berate yourself for not doing enough, for needing a nap, for sleeping in a bit too late, for not hitting your most important goal-of-the-day right off the bat, for eating too much or too little, for not exercising enough or too little, for not being perfect today. Be gentle. Take a minute to take stock of the positive things you’ve been doing lately. Make the voice inside your head that of your mom, or your best friend, telling you that you’re doing such a good job. There’s no rule saying that you have to bust your butt until Friday, and then have downtime. Maybe Wednesday is the low, stagnant point in your week – that’s fine too. So take it easy today. Be quiet, be still. Be gentle.

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