Is social media ruining my life? Probably.
Am I going to stop using it? Probably not.
You may ask why it's ruining my life? Well let me tell you.
I think we should establish why it's making me so unhappy. Because Social Media has made me greedy and jealous. It has consumed every part of my day. If I'm not on it, I'm thinking of the next time I can scroll through and see what people are up to, or the next picture of food that I can't eat, or what article is going to change my life. And then there's Pinterest. It has become my obsession. I'm always finding myself going back to the page to see what items and outfits and snacks and clothes others have that I don't.
In steps the jealousy. I get jealous of what other people are doing. Like, why can't I have this life or that life? Why can't I be rich and buy new things? Why can't I pull off an outfit like that or go to a party like that? Etc. You should be catching my point. Jealousy makes me very unhappy, almost to the point of being vicious. Like, I could probably be so passive aggressive that I exploded. I'm sure it's possible. And I'll be the one to prove it.
Then, the greed. I want, I need, I wish, I buy. Do I really need this or that? Probably not. Especially all the foodie things. I wish for lots of glutenous foods. Like lava cake, pecan pie, cheesy lasagna, etc. I bet you're drooling too. I know I am. Not having those things that I think I want make me unhappy. And so then I feel like I can't be pleased and I feel worthless, like I've got nothing.
So you may be thinking, why don't you just get rid of it all? Well let me tell you.
It's not the Social Media, it's me. The way the world is going, Social Media is a big part of the industry I'm in and it's a big part of today's society. Asking me to take Social Media out of my life, would be like you asking me to stop drinking water. Maybe not that extreme, but it is a very vital part of what I do and how I communicate with loved ones in my life.
So, my plan is now to not let it rule my life. To use it as I need. I don't have to scroll through and wish I was still in school cause those were the best days of my life, or wish I was on vacation, or wish that I had a chocolate fountain on my desk at work. I can learn to control my intake of Social Media and on top of that, learn to control my desires.
I have so much going for me. Maybe not the same things that you have. But I've got stuff. And instead of focusing on what I don't have and being unhappy, I need to focus on what I do have and start cheering up.
I'm not going to say it's going to be easy, but it's a step. A step that will change my perspective on a lot of things, I hope.
T
Wednesday, January 29, 2014
Wednesday, January 15, 2014
30 Day Detox/Clean Eating
Much like everyone else, my New Year embarked on a 30 day cleansing of my body.
This 30 Day Detox/Clean eating may seem a bit extreme, because I consider myself a fairly healthy person. I eat balanced meals, I exercise when I'm not on Netflix and I drink milk. So, I didn't think it would be that bad.
Wrong. I just came off a two week vacation with nothing but eating out and sipping on highly caloric beverages. My body needed a little jumpstart. I'm not really doing it to lose weight and I'm not doing it because it's the New Year. (I did a pseudo-detox in July when I was training for my 5k. People, clean eating works!!) I'm doing it because it needs done.
So I'm halfway done and I've learned tonnnns! Articles and articles and articles talk about super foods and gluten and acid and foods to eat more of. That's so overwhelming. Like, one article says eat whole wheat bread (or gluten free) and then another article said that it's actually not that good for you. (Welcome to the internet.) I think I've got a good grasp on it, though. And after this detox, I'm just going to have to remember to eat everything in moderation. A sandwich isn't going to hurt me, however chicken noodles, mashed potatoes and a roll are, if I eat them all the time. So, lesson #1 - moderation on everything.
The hardest part, I've discovered, is the cravings that I've been getting. I can't even explain what I'm craving. Just...everything. Cheese, mostly. Because I eat cheese on everything. But, the difference between what I'm doing this month and what I've done in the past is that I'm staying strong. I haven't really cheated. I've passed up weekly BDubs wings, bought gluten free bread, stayed away from white potatoes. I'm rocking this detox. But, because I used to put so much sugar and crap in my body, all that rocking doesn't discount the fact I look at mac and cheese and lust. So, my goal in February is to watch the intake of unnecessary sugar. So, lesson #2 - that Big Mac isn't necessary.
My first week on the detox seemed a bit harder because I wasn't only depriving myself the things I craved, but I was cutting back on HOW much I ate. The point is to eat smaller portions during the day, but eat more often. That's hard for me to wrap my head around. I'm the girl that doesn't need to feel full to stop eating, I need to feel stuffed. Like pop a button stuffed. This clean eating has been interesting because I can still have meat and food and basically anything I want. I mean, it's not a depriving detox at all. But, it took me a while to figure that out. For lunch I was thinking all I could eat was a sweet potato and my fizz stick. False. I need all of the components to make this work. So I'm adding veggies to each meal, I'm making sure that I'm getting a variety of flavors and nutrients each time I plan a meal. That's something I need to get better at. So, lesson #3 - stop overstuffing your belly with crap, overstuff your plate with good.
Finally, I was scared this detox wouldn't be satisfying. I don't need to lose weight. So I really didn't know what my goal was going to be, except to rid my body of toxins. And, surprise, that's all I really needed. I had been putting so much crap into my body that it just started craving and craving things that didn't matter (Late night McD's with a diet, please?) and I definitely didn't need. However, this detox has given me the strength to know that I can do it and I can overcome this vicious cycle that sometimes takes hold of me and doesn't let me go. So, lesson #4 - encourage myself.
Now I have some goals for February. This is going to become a lifestyle (I'll rid myself of white potatoes if I can have my white bread back - it's only fair.) and I'm going to feel better about myself. I hope this second half brings a better attitude and now that I have the eating part down, I can detox my life of things that aren't vital to my survival. Don't worry, McD's, you'll still be a favorite, but you won't be my drive-home-from-work-I-couldn't-care-less-about-life favorite.
I encourage you to try a clean eating lifestyle and I can hook you up with some amazing products and aids that can direct you on the right path. I know I wouldn't be here if someone wouldn't taken hold of me and encouraged me to do this.
T
This 30 Day Detox/Clean eating may seem a bit extreme, because I consider myself a fairly healthy person. I eat balanced meals, I exercise when I'm not on Netflix and I drink milk. So, I didn't think it would be that bad.
Wrong. I just came off a two week vacation with nothing but eating out and sipping on highly caloric beverages. My body needed a little jumpstart. I'm not really doing it to lose weight and I'm not doing it because it's the New Year. (I did a pseudo-detox in July when I was training for my 5k. People, clean eating works!!) I'm doing it because it needs done.
So I'm halfway done and I've learned tonnnns! Articles and articles and articles talk about super foods and gluten and acid and foods to eat more of. That's so overwhelming. Like, one article says eat whole wheat bread (or gluten free) and then another article said that it's actually not that good for you. (Welcome to the internet.) I think I've got a good grasp on it, though. And after this detox, I'm just going to have to remember to eat everything in moderation. A sandwich isn't going to hurt me, however chicken noodles, mashed potatoes and a roll are, if I eat them all the time. So, lesson #1 - moderation on everything.
The hardest part, I've discovered, is the cravings that I've been getting. I can't even explain what I'm craving. Just...everything. Cheese, mostly. Because I eat cheese on everything. But, the difference between what I'm doing this month and what I've done in the past is that I'm staying strong. I haven't really cheated. I've passed up weekly BDubs wings, bought gluten free bread, stayed away from white potatoes. I'm rocking this detox. But, because I used to put so much sugar and crap in my body, all that rocking doesn't discount the fact I look at mac and cheese and lust. So, my goal in February is to watch the intake of unnecessary sugar. So, lesson #2 - that Big Mac isn't necessary.
My first week on the detox seemed a bit harder because I wasn't only depriving myself the things I craved, but I was cutting back on HOW much I ate. The point is to eat smaller portions during the day, but eat more often. That's hard for me to wrap my head around. I'm the girl that doesn't need to feel full to stop eating, I need to feel stuffed. Like pop a button stuffed. This clean eating has been interesting because I can still have meat and food and basically anything I want. I mean, it's not a depriving detox at all. But, it took me a while to figure that out. For lunch I was thinking all I could eat was a sweet potato and my fizz stick. False. I need all of the components to make this work. So I'm adding veggies to each meal, I'm making sure that I'm getting a variety of flavors and nutrients each time I plan a meal. That's something I need to get better at. So, lesson #3 - stop overstuffing your belly with crap, overstuff your plate with good.
Finally, I was scared this detox wouldn't be satisfying. I don't need to lose weight. So I really didn't know what my goal was going to be, except to rid my body of toxins. And, surprise, that's all I really needed. I had been putting so much crap into my body that it just started craving and craving things that didn't matter (Late night McD's with a diet, please?) and I definitely didn't need. However, this detox has given me the strength to know that I can do it and I can overcome this vicious cycle that sometimes takes hold of me and doesn't let me go. So, lesson #4 - encourage myself.
Now I have some goals for February. This is going to become a lifestyle (I'll rid myself of white potatoes if I can have my white bread back - it's only fair.) and I'm going to feel better about myself. I hope this second half brings a better attitude and now that I have the eating part down, I can detox my life of things that aren't vital to my survival. Don't worry, McD's, you'll still be a favorite, but you won't be my drive-home-from-work-I-couldn't-care-less-about-life favorite.
I encourage you to try a clean eating lifestyle and I can hook you up with some amazing products and aids that can direct you on the right path. I know I wouldn't be here if someone wouldn't taken hold of me and encouraged me to do this.
T
Friday, January 3, 2014
2013/2014
It's really hard to decompress what just happened in the last two weeks.
I visited all my family, my best friends and drove through six midwest states in 10 days.
Taking a vacation like that is a catch twenty-two: You're so busy that you don't have time for everyone, but you've talked so much and thought so much that you are exhausted.
I think I did a great job. Here are 5 reasons:
1. I started by driving 10 hours right into a house full of family. I went from perfect piece and independence to chaos and zero privacy.
2. I drove over 2000 miles to visit family and friends. And whole-heartedly believe every mile was worth it. (For those of you who don't know me, even 2 years ago I wouldn't have said or done that).
3. I ate the shit out of this trip. I had Mexican food, Japanese food, home made pizza, hour d'oeuvres and cocktails, McDonalds, and Panera and everything in between. And I didn't explode.
4. I have never been a gifter, but I feel like this year I was able to give love and joy (as well as a few gifts) to those I love.
5. I gathered ideas and plans to make 2014 a kick ass year.
I don't know where all this is going to lead me. And a year from now, where I'll be or who I'll be. But, I know that going back to my roots and reminding myself that I am a strong, independent, driven woman was really what made this transition to the new year that much better.
I visited all my family, my best friends and drove through six midwest states in 10 days.
Taking a vacation like that is a catch twenty-two: You're so busy that you don't have time for everyone, but you've talked so much and thought so much that you are exhausted.
I think I did a great job. Here are 5 reasons:
1. I started by driving 10 hours right into a house full of family. I went from perfect piece and independence to chaos and zero privacy.
2. I drove over 2000 miles to visit family and friends. And whole-heartedly believe every mile was worth it. (For those of you who don't know me, even 2 years ago I wouldn't have said or done that).
3. I ate the shit out of this trip. I had Mexican food, Japanese food, home made pizza, hour d'oeuvres and cocktails, McDonalds, and Panera and everything in between. And I didn't explode.
4. I have never been a gifter, but I feel like this year I was able to give love and joy (as well as a few gifts) to those I love.
5. I gathered ideas and plans to make 2014 a kick ass year.
I don't know where all this is going to lead me. And a year from now, where I'll be or who I'll be. But, I know that going back to my roots and reminding myself that I am a strong, independent, driven woman was really what made this transition to the new year that much better.
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