Blogging can change your life.
Ok, maybe that’s dramatic… but it can change your state of mind!
I was feeling pretty down about having to postpone my next competition. All of your comments lifted me up yesterday. Thank you, thank you, thank you. It’s funny how “strangers” can make you feel warm and fuzzy supported and put you in a more positive place.
Not that I really think of you as strangers… we Tweet, email, Instagram, Facebook… some of my best friends are people I’ve never met in person!
Speaking of strange… it’s Kat’s day to post! We haven’t gotten to hang as much lately, yet she’s still managed to write a post that hit home for me. And included a green smoothie, which you know I love. ♥
Here’s Kat…
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LIFE is hitting me right now. I think I just realized that I’m going to be an attorney later this year! (Editor’s note: YAYYYYYY Kat!)
I’ll be studying for the bar this summer. I can’t imagine the focus that will take! I’m used to doing 100 things (I currently hold 3 jobs and go to school) and keeping up with yoga and running and all the other fun workouts and friend time I fit in! OH BOY!
Wanna know a secret? I’m scared. I’m afraid of whatever job I end up with, I’m afraid of failing, and I’m afraid I won’t come up on top. I’m afraid of fitting in, and I’m afraid of standing out. Let’s face it – I’m weird… if you hadn’t noticed. (Editor’s note: I think that’s why we get along so well. 🙂 )
My strategy? Continue to be myself and just keep breathing! I just need to keep being myself, embracing my life, and things will fall into place. (Read: I will conquer the world.)
I’m working on my business plan actively and figuring out how I will be a successful attorney even if I don’t land a job at a firm – I am capable of business generation. However, I’m also considering the big firm world, something I never thought I would do! Cheers to trying new things! *Raises Glass!*
However, I’m also considering the Big Firm world, something I never thought I would do!
Cheers to trying new things! *Raises Glass!* And I will pretend like I fit in. 🙂 Who knows – I might?????
It’s okay to be WEIRD (like I always say), so I’m going to share a couple of other WEIRD secrets today. Something many of you will be surprised to hear… you may not even believe me. (Editor’s note: I’m ashamed to admit that this made me think of Honey Boo Boo… “Nothing wrong with being gay. Everybody’s a little gay!”)
Whoever has been reading my blog posts knows by now that my metaphor for life is what will make you happy in the long run… and a lot of little things add up to a lot of happiness! Why not do a couple of little things that will just ease stress and help you live a happier, longer, healthier life?
Here goes nothing… the secret…. You should know: I hate the grocery store. (I know, shocking –but it’s true). It is my least favorite chore on the face of the planet, and for a while there, I refused to go! That’s right, refused. Rule number 1. Stop doing things you don’t want to do.
How did I get food in my house, you ask? Great question. I paid a grocery shopper!! That’s right, she went grocery shopping for me, paid, and brought them back to my house, and I would write her a check, which included her fee.
Now, before you judge me, this is an excellent strategy. Think about it – you are prohibited from randomly getting something NOT on your list that seems tempting while at the store (thus, saving money). It saves you time because you don’t have to mull over decisions like… “Which salsa – the Publix Organic or Newman’s? One is on sale, but I think I like the other one better…” You save precious time and gas (which makes the money worth it!).
Dove told me to share this tip with you!
I think this is the greatest tip of all time. And then you get to tell foodie friends like Laura about your secret and they give you a seriously hard time – which is just funny! (Editor’s note: True… I LOVE grocery shopping… but I will pay to have someone clean my condo!)
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The trying new things part of this is that I started doing my own grocery shopping at the beginning of the New Year!! Look at some of the fun things you remember to get when you shop!
Green Amazing Smoothie
- 2 Tbsp Chia
- Some Banana-Based Green Juice (Some might be ¼ cup)
- Some water (maybe 4 tbsp or so)
- One scoop of Protein Powder
- One scoop of Green Vibrance
- ¼ – ½ Cup pumpkin (canned OR fresh if you’re not lazy like me!)
- Cinnamon, Salt, and Maple to taste
Mix it up and refrigerate for a few hours.
BOOM! ENJOY THAT SHIT!
The best part – you can’t go wrong on any measurement. The other best part – you are FULL forever. Yes, forever. (I’m lying) One more best part – people will look at you weird when you get a green mustache, or when they see the concoction.
The other new but not-so-new part of this – it’s fun to eat weird, dark, dark green pudding-ish food at the office to freak out your co-workers! 😉
Know what else freaks your co-workers out? Telling them how crazy you are. I think they all have mini heart attacks when they hear I’m about to run the Georgia Death Race – 60 miles is definitely nuts, but totally me. Check out the award we get at the end:
Old railroad bed nails!!!
One more secret. I never learned how to cook for one person. NEVER. That’s right. But I recently have been attempting this. See my beautiful salmon with brussels, onions, and mushrooms? BAM dinner for one. And it was delicious and perfectly cooked. GO ME!
This trying new things thing is going pretty well for me this year!
Don’t you guys see why I love this girl? I wish I could bottler her energy sand sell it.
What new things have you tried this year to get outside your safety box?
What weird things do you eat at work that turn your co-workers heads, and make them say, “uhhhhh – what IS that??” Everything. It’s allll Strange But Good.
At work, I’m always getting strange looks while I eat my daily garbage salad. Sometimes, they’ll ask . . . what is that on top? Are you going to eat that whole thing? I can’t believe you have time to make that for yourself every day!?! (I don’t–I just prep ahead–and then it’s not too bad). Cracks me up!!
So glad your Blends could support you and bring a smile to your face. Yay!!
Garbage salad sounds amazing! What DO you put on top?
Yes, I want to know too!
I know we’re all technically strangers, but I seriously love so many bloggers. If I ever meet them/you I will hug them right away! Is that weird? I just want to be friends with everyone!! LOL! Also, I always get weird looks with my food… especially when I have smelly food like turkey muffins or brussels sprouts hahaha!!!
Lol! I’m with you!!! I would totally love to hug all the random bloggers whose blogs I love. I would gladly accept any random hugs – from strangers. They don’t even have to be bloggers. 🙂 Hopefully we will hug sometime soon!
Awwww… group hug!
Andrea – are you going to Blend?
lately my whole life has been outside the box.
MAY I GIT IN NOW??? 🙂
Haha I know that feeling to – don’t get in the box! Do not do it! 🙂
Step away from the box! (That’s what she said.)
Hey I’m Kat! Lol I’ve a thusly made co workers feel guilty … Oops…but now they show off their healthy meals and tell me all about their workouts!
Haha you’re so right! They DO start doing that.
Ps- love the name 😉
My friends do the same thing! They now text me after workouts and healthy creations. Love it!!
That top picture made me laugh so hard! I’m glad you got so much support and are feeling better about your decision!!
Thank you, Danielle! 🙂
Ok, I LOVE this post! My whole existence is about stepping outside of my comfort zone these days. Becoming a trainer has been a lifelong dream of mine. I was so nervous to start out, but now that I jumped into it, I am on cloud 9. I love that list above! That is exactly how I’m trying to live my life right now. Adulthood is definitely scarier that I thought it would be, but really finding out who I am and being that girl, has really given me a freedom feeling that I never had before. Kat, you’ll do great at whatever you decide to do!
I’m so glad you loved the post, because I loved your comment!!! 🙂 Thanks so much for the encouragement!
This comment just made me grin. I am SO happy for you. Cheers to being “that girl!” 😉
Blogging really has changed me in so many ways as well. The community, the friendships, the support are all overwhelming (in a good way). And I love this post reminder – I have finally stepped out of a big comfort zone for myself and am changing something this year too.
Congratulations on your change, Heather! 🙂 Whatever that might be, it’s nice to feel like I’m not alone! 🙂
I think the rhino is cuter than the unicorn he wants to be. And stepping outside of your comfort zone is always a good thing, even if it doesn’t feel like it at the time.
Thanks Lee! 🙂 Hope you are having a good week!
Now that is a GREEEN Smoothie!
I vlogged…I’ve never done that before. I got out of my box…finally 🙂
I would be SO nervous to do that! That’s amazing! Happy Thursday!
SO proud of you! You looked like a pro. 🙂
(I’m scared to VLOG too.)
I do love when Kat posts! Thanks, girl!
My coworkers ALWAYS give me a strange look… Usually it is when I bring cottage cheese and cinnamon. I forget that people, outside of the blogging world, don’t do that! However, a couple have come back to me and said they tried it and LOVE it 😉 Us foodies are fab!
Oh your comment made my morning!!! 🙂 I’m so glad you love it when I post. I have GOT to try cottage cheese with cinnamon – sounds amazing!!
Hope you have a great day!
I love when Kat Posts too! 🙂
People think cottage cheese and cinnamon is weird?! I put cinnamon on basically everything… 😉
I hope I’m one of those best friends you’re talking about honey 😀 Always here to support you <3
You know you are!!! And a big inspiration. 😉
Love this post! Your attitude about life is awesome, Kat!
I brought a sweet potato to work the other day. When it was done cooking, I mixed it with PB. I love this combo, but I definitely got some strange looks from my co-workers!
I’m still shocked at what people think is weird. That would be totally normal to me! 😉
You have inspired me! PB on my sweet potato today! yum!
Love this. This whole year is going to be about stepping outside of my comfort zone for me. Right now I’m learning how to promote my book. I feel really weird and uncomfortable asking people to buy it, but I need to get over that really quick if I want this to be my career. It’s funny, I left a career in marketing to chase after my real passions, only to find myself in the position of marketing my own work!
It is SO much harder to market yourself! You must let me know when you do a book signing. I’ll be there with my air horn. 😉
I would think the whole baby-thing would be a step outside oyur comfort zone too…
You will be great! I know what you mean – thinking about my practice and having to ask for money is *probably the worst part of self-employment. I’m confident that we can do it and I hope your book (and baby hood) is a smashing success!
both my parents are lawyers so I know how tough the process is, good luck with all of this.
I bet that was fun as a teenager… 😉
Thanks Alex! 🙂
you do not even know how much I needed to read this today. I am in the middle of a struggle with the care of my dad – it is me and me alone, and I cannot do it every hour of every day – physically and mentally I cannot continue. he was admitted to the hospital again last night, and I am gearing up to be assertive, make my voice heard this time, when I say he is not ready to come home. I do not even know what this looks like, but I am saying NO to what it looks like now. I am thankful to be able to be there for my dad, but I need help (this must be a difficult thing for me to ask for as well…)
so many things jumble in my mind right now, and while I may be completely off base here, the “trust your instincts” list really spoke to me. *whew*
thank you.
Kristina, you are in my thoughts daily. I know just how rough this is…. don’t forget that taking good care of yourself better situates you to take care of others. xo
Thank you for the thoughtful comment! Knowing that I could even remotely touch on something that speaks to you made my day. You can totally do it – say no! I’m super proud of you!
LOL My coworkers use to freak out when they saw my green smoothies but now they’re either use to them or just opt not to say anything anymore.
Nutritional yeast gets them every time. I’m not sure why others find it weird, but I always get “What is THAT?! WHY would you sprinkle THAT on your food?” It’s as if I am adding cyanide to my lunch.
I think LIFE in general is outside of my ‘comfort zone’ right now. That probably doesn’t make any sense to anyone but me though.
I too am that person that calculates how much sleep I will get before I go to bed too. When I set my alarm clock on my HTC, it even calculates how much time I have before my alarm goes off, right down to the minute. Some nights I think, “Yay, I have over 8 hours!” others its “$h!#, I only get 6 hr and 30 min”.
LOL! People are always asking me if it’s fish food. Sometimes I say yes. 😉
I used to LOVE my HTC for that very reason. I was bummed when I got the iPhone and realized it did not do that!
People think my nutritional yeast smells like feet.
Great post Kat. Your attitude is amazing, and I love your list above. While I adore grocery shopping (to each his own, right) I hate running pretty much every other errand, even going to Target. Hiring somebody to do those mundane things or clean my house would be awesome and allow me to focus on the things I do enjoy.
Good luck studying for the bar and deciding what comes next. That has to be scary and exhilarating all at the same time. Also, I am not a lawyer, but I do work for a Firm and I was raised by them, so if you ever want to pick my brain, feel free to shoot me an email. Happy Friday.
Meghan, you are so sweet. I also hate other errands. I actually thought about going to Nordstrom’s and gettig the personal shopper to pick out my clothes.
Thanks for the offer!!! What firm/what kind of firm do you work for?
A small to mid size law firm in downtown Cleveland. Handles a little bit of everything but a lot of Med Mal & Product Liability and Mass Tort work.
Everything I eat at school qualifies me as a weirdo in my co-workers eyes. Just yesterday I was stirring up some peanut flour goop in the teachers’ lounge, which sparked fabulous conversation. Of course, the day when one of the teams served celery and salsa as part of their faculty meeting snacks, I felt like I had found kindred strange spirits.
But enough about weird food. (I have never had a green smoothie…)
Can you please put me in touch with this grocery shopper so I can become one too? Seriously, going to the grocery store and making all of those decisions is my favorite thing to do.
Everything you eat qualifies you as a hero in my eyes. 😉
But how have you never had a green smoothie? I demand you put spinach in a blend this weekend. De-mand. xoxo
Sarah – the grocery shopper I used pitches herself as a pet-walker and pet-sitter but under her lists of services she listed “I will also pick up your groceries,” so I emailed her as a special request. I’m not sure how you would become an exclusive grocery shopper, but I would say – GO to the local grocery stores with a flyer and talk to managers and pitch them your idea! I bet people would flock to the idea. They could advertise your services on their website and who knows how i could take off! 🙂