Beach Body: My Fitness Journey has officially begun!

Sunday night was the official first day starting my Beach Body workout program. I borrowed the Insanity program from my cousin, as my budget is really tight right now, but I haven't gotten the chance to use it because my cousin, my boyfriend's sister, and I have all started the Insanity Max 30 program. And boy is it intense! The workouts are high impact, which I was expecting, but I know for sure that I underestimated the program altogether. What I love about the program is that the moves are simple enough for the most part (push ups are going to be my biggest challenge), which makes it non-intimidating for even me as a true fitness beginner.
What I have noticed since starting the workout, is that not only does working out have physical benefits but it has mental ones as well. There are a few things that I am focusing on: staying hydrated, learning how to stay in proper form while doing the workout, and building endurance. I am determined to really push myself, it's really easy to slack off while doing an at-home workout program, because unless you are working with a group like I happen to be doing at the moment, you are most likely at home by yourself and no one is there to challenge you and hold you accountable but yourself. However, I can say from experience that there is nothing like being able to self motivate yourself, not needing that reassurance from outside sources but being able to pump yourself up feels so much more empowering.
Speaking of self-motivation and empowerment, I have a victory I would like to share: I got a better job! I have been searching for a few weeks now, and I interviewed Tuesday and got the call a few hours afterwards. I really thought I blew the interview, since I was still recovering from a cough and cold, which left me struggling to answer questions or to talk at all, but thankfully everything worked out. This is the first time in my career that I have sought out "professional" jobs, I will admit that before, I had been intimidated by the requirements and qualifications and I would doubt my own skills but after having support from my boyfriend and family, as well as self  confidence on my part, I went after it. Of course, I still plan to own my business, whatever it may be, who knows, but for now I'm glad I found something that has long term potential, especially having plans to settle down and start a family in the near future, there's no time like the present to start building a better future!

The Necessity of Self-Reflection

"I am not afraid of storms, for I am learning how to sail my ship." (Louisa May Alcott)

Being the only girl out of five children, most of my childhood was spent inside of my bedroom, where I read, daydreamed, played with dolls, or whatever. I was not anti-social; I thoroughly enjoyed the company of my family and friends, but I also enjoyed having time alone, having space. I can remember filling up notebooks with business ideas (something I still do to this day), or going through countless baby name books and making name lists for the seven children I planned to have (a phase I have definitely grown out of!!).

Regardless of the activity, I believe that I have always been a very self-aware individual, and after reading this article on how self-reflection is critical for self-improvement, I am thankful to already be in the habit. However, as the article points out, it can go both ways, and for me it has. Up until recently, I had been reflecting on my flaws and my current circumstances which may not be the way I would like it, mainly financial, and instead of being aware and focusing on how to improve myself and my situations, I dwelt on the negativity and went through periods of feeling overwhelmed because the path of overcoming seemed daunting.

Thankfully, whenever I was down, it didn't take long before I realized where I was and I snapped myself out of it, over and over again. However, that emotional roller coaster was not only bearing down and impacting me but also those around me, so I knew that something had to change. Finally, very recently in fact, I realized that the secret of self-improvement is to take it one day at a time. Yes, having a plan for the future is critical (write everything down!), but most importantly, I needed to break it down and to connect all of the steps together. I was feeling overwhelmed because I was striving for overnight perfection. As Ralph Waldo Emerson said, "Life is a journey, not a destination". I have made is this far, I am hopeful as I look towards the future and the lessons that I will learn along the way.

The Seven Branches of Wellness

My family and friends are already aware of my fascination with trees...I am the tree hugging ballerina(insider). I do find myself using tree analogies very often, especially when it comes to things having to do with knowledge. So here is how I look at it: I am a tree, full of life. I have seven major areas, or branches, that in my quest for ultimate wellness, I believe weave together to make me the individual that I am. 

• Physical
• Emotional
• Social
• Intellectual
• Spiritual
• Environmental
• Occupational

If you search the Internet for the elements of wellness, most of the time you will find that some will use environmental, others will use occupational, making a total of six elements. However, I believe that both elements are equally important to my journey, so I chose an image that lists seven elements. 

Those who know me personally know that over the past year, I have been adamant about gaining financial freedom. Having recently graduated from Hofstra University in 2012, it has been somewhat of a struggle trying to find my place in the occupational world, while also trying not to become overwhelmed with the student loan and credit card debt that I accumulated over the course of those four years. However, after a lot of self reflection, I discovered that I was so adamant about my financial wellness that I neglected myself in all of the other areas. So now I start my quest for knowledge, balancing all of these elements, growing into the well rounded, strong woman that I know I can be. 

My Journey to Ultimate Wellness: Introduction

Sometimes, life can hit you all at once, from what seems like every angle possible. Maybe it is because it is the beginning of a new year and I am reflecting on where I was in 2014 and where I would like to be at the end of this year. Or perhaps it is because I realize that this is the year I turn 25 years old, and that life really is short and I do not have an endless time bank to fulfill my dreams. Whatever the reason, I have resolved that there is no better time than the present for me to get my life together, to live for me, to become serious about my personal development. I realize, now more than ever, that there is more than life to just money or status, that I am more than my credit score, that every day is another chance for me to grow stronger than I was the day before and to inspire others along the way.