Tag: Life

• Goal Getter

  Posted at 5:00 AM by Brittany, on May 7, 2016

  Things around here have been optimistically negative lately, and I’m here to say it’s time to move on. I’ve had a positive spin on all the “more serious” topics that I’ve shared, and it’s quite obvious to all my loyal readers that I’ve found myself in a wobbly life spot. I know that this has been a time of growth for me, and for that I’m thankful.

  Maybe if I just close my eyes everything will turn around on its own.

  

  No such luck. If life worked that way no one would ever appreciate anything. In order to manifest the life I want it’s about time I set some goals. No goals = no direction, no direction = chaos, chaos = sugar binges at 10pm, sugar binges = needing bigger pants, needing bigger pants = spending my traveling fund…and well, you get the idea.

  Or I could just vagabond my way around the world…

  

  If we keep talking about things that we don’t like, the energy from our words will keep us stuck. We must actively choose to speak positively and direct our mind in the direction that we want. This is something I must remind myself of often.

  Here are my current goals for the next few months.

  .

  1. Get my sh*& together with my diet. How I plan to accomplish this: avoiding processed foods/sugar and finding my way back into the kitchen. I feel alive when I’m experimenting with meals.
  

  

  It’s an ugly process trying to break a sugar addiction, and I’ve found myself deeper in the white powder than I’ve ever been before. The only way out is to go cold turkey, and green – lots of green.

  

  2. Get into a solid groove with running, and watch my time improve naturally. How I plan to accomplish this: accept that I’m starting at square one again, fueling well, and being proud of each run. Even the 2 milers.

  

  

  Slow and steady

  3. Finishing strong with school. How I plan to accomplish this: continue doing what I’m doing. I finished my first semester strong and couldn’t be more thrilled. Only one more year.

  

  4. Practice self love. How I plan to accomplish this: STOP TALKING NEGATIVELY. Accept where I am. Move forward. Highlight the positives. Chop off my hair. Run.

  

  5. Grow my own food. How I plan to accomplish this: Self explanatory, but by starting small. I have been growing lettuce in my kitchen window and it’s flourishing!

  

  5. Put my energy into helping others instead of dwelling on stupid things. How I plan to accomplish this: volunteering, staying positive at work, family time, and by finding my inner zen. When we take the focus off ourselves, life becomes much easier.

  

  6. Blog more consistently. How I plan to accomplish this: CONTINUE TO go on EPIC ADVENTURES that are blog worthy. This space is a huge part of my life, and I’ve been somewhat absent lately, but I want to get back into a blog flow.

  

  

  Latest mountain adventure.

  

  These goals are realistic and attainable, which is a great place to start.

  Q: What’s one of your current goals? Eyes on the prize!

  

  | 63 Comments Tagged Blog, Life, Running, School

• Discovering New Identities

  Posted at 7:05 AM by Brittany, on April 15, 2016

  Blogging has always been a fantastic outlet for me to share my self proclaimed creativity through adventures, food, coffee, and whatever else life throws my way. It’s been a huge part of my life for five years now (wow), but I’d be lying if I said it’s been easy lately.

  

  I’ve been sharing my love for vegan food, coffee, and running for most of those five years, and all of these things have given me a solid chunk of personal identity. I’ve been struggling with health issues lately that have caused me to give up coffee, take a vegan vacation, and step back from running – aka 90% of what I blog about/talk about/dream about/live about.

  To say I feel like my identity has been stripped would be an understatement.

  

  I’m still running…sometimes, I still eat predominately plant based…most of the time, and I still tried to drink coffee…until finally accepting that I just can’t. I still don’t know the underlying cause behind my symptoms right now (an ongoing process that’s been going on for years) but I’m determined to figure it out.

  I’m beginning to suspect that stress may be a large part of why I’ve been having issues lately. I’ve never thought much about it, but I do tend to let my mind take me down the rabbit hole if I’m not careful. I hereby declare that I will put my energy into things that calm me, and stop focusing on things that don’t.

  

  I’m not writing this seeking sympathy, but to simply share that I’ve felt like a blogging zombie lately. Although I’ve still had great adventures to share, I feel like I’m in a limbo right now where I’m trying to fit a square block into a hole for a circle block. I’m also a sucker for transparency, and I don’t blog for a job – I blog for connections.

  Plus I feel like getting this off my chest (as it’s been on my mind for a while) will help me feel more authentic with my blogging again. 

  I know this isn’t forever, and I’ll find my way back onto the wagon soon enough, but for now I’m going to use this as an opportunity to add new things to my list of identity characteristics. I’ll still be sharing any runs I go on, plant based foods I eat, but coffee and I are on a solid break until I start feeling better.

  Thankfully my mountain adventures are still going strong.

  

  I’m always talking about how life is fluid and changes whether we are ready or not, and while it feels like my adventure has had constant twists the last couple years, I still have complete control over how I will use these twists to build an epic life full of experience and multiple identities.

  Not to be confused with multiple personalities. 

  Overall life is good, and I’m extremely blessed. I’m off to Portland tomorrow to run this race and I’m excited to get away for the weekend. I’m not stressing about the run despite the fact that I haven’t had my heart rate out of the resting zone much the last couple weeks. I’ve always said running is more mental anyway so I’ll let you know if my theory is true.

  Wish me luck, and pray I don’t pass out on the side of the road. 

  Q: What are your plans for this weekend?

  

  | 100 Comments Tagged Explore, Hike, Life, Plant Based, Portland, Running, Vegan

• Balanced Isolation Leads to Peaceful Understanding

  Posted at 11:00 AM by Brittany, on March 15, 2016

  I want to hug each and every one of you that commented on my last post. It’s sometimes scary opening your heart and soul to a sea of people, but I am thankful that I have never once received a negative comment on my blog. The community we have built here is one I am happy to be apart of, even when I don’t blog as often.

  I adore having this space to share bits of my life.

  

  I want to say thank you for all the kind words shared the last handful of years, and while my blog is just a small speck in a sea of whales I appreciate anyone that stops by. I read and reply to EACH comment, so if you ever ask a question please be sure to check back in for my reply!

  I don’t have the fancy capabilities to have my reply sent to your email, so we just have to put in a little work to engage in conversation in my neck of the woods.

  

  SPEAKING OF woods, I took myself on a solo hike last Tuesday and it was one for the books. A complete spirit, mind, and body renewal.

  I finished my set of classes about a week and a half ago and I tried to get a small bit of exploring in before starting back up again today. My first round went smashingly well, and it was nice to take a non school related book with me into the mountains.

  

  I’m currently reading Amy Poehler’s book “Yes Please” and it’s both entertaining and inspirational all wrapped into one. I was fortunate enough to have this spot of the trail to myself for a while, until a fellow reader came and sat down. It was like our own unannounced book club. Reading different books. Not speaking.

  Just go with it. 

  To balance out this solo adventure I made plans to hangout with a friend a few days later. Like a real life human friend, but first I had to give some love to my main man.

  

  Since I’m trying to push myself out of the isolated bubble human interaction is necessary, but the allure of the silence while walking with animals is one I will never outgrow. There is something special about not being alone, but also not speaking.

  Does that make sense? I’m sounding crazier by the minute.

  

  

  I had quite the adventure once reunited with my friend. At lunch I was served beef after ordering a vegan burger, and then I was blindfolded by a towel while laying on a stingy recliner at a $25 foot massage/full body abuse chamber. The beauty of being balanced is that moments like this are easy to laugh at. I thank my solo hike.

  I also thank my running, even when inconsistent.

  

  Mistakes happen, and why people get worked up when they do is beyond me. I will never be the person to demand a free meal from a mistake, or not leave a tip because my “masseuse” was training for his next cage fight on my arm.

  So what’s today’s takeaway?

  Before letting your own mental distress hurt someone else, put yourself in their shoes. Have you never messed something up before? Have you never upset another person? Have you done something to be given the right to treat people rudely because you feel you’re entitled to? We are all in this world together and should all be treated the same.

  

  In all honesty though I won’t be adventuring to a cheap sketchy massage place again anytime soon, but the memory is one I will laugh at for years.

  Q: Allergy concerns aside, take a moment to think about how you would react if your food order was messed up. Is it really worth it to cause a big scene? My waiter was extremely embarrassed and apologetic, had he been rude perhaps it would have been a different story, but we each treated each other with respect and called it a day. 

  

  | 79 Comments Tagged Adventure, Hiking, Life, Running, Solo Hike, Vegan

• The Time Has Come the Walrus Said

  Posted at 10:30 AM by Brittany, on March 4, 2016

  …to talk of many things.

  The last time I started a post with these words I shared with the world my thoughts, feelings, and emotions after going through a breakup. No, let me rephrase – after going through the breakup. You know, the one that shakes you so hard to the core that your life will never be the same.

  Grab a cup of coffee, this is going to be one of those posts.

  

  Coffee tastings inspire me to be creative.

  I’m thankful for this time in my life, and despite going through the typical hardships that come with a split it was in this time that I discovered how to be on my own. I had a sense of peace about the situation that I will never forget.

  I will also never forget how this relationship robbed me of my ability to be vulnerable. I made it my mission to be stronger alone and never again let someone make me loose all desire to have a mind of my own. It took me three years to realize I had accomplished this mission, but had then continued running with it further than I needed to.

  

  For the last few months I’ve been in an odd place. I have alluded to a void that I have been trying to fill in other posts, but they all come back to the fact that I feel out of balance mentally, physically, and spiritually.

  I’ve been trying to figure out the root cause of a myriad of health issues the last nine months which has put me into a bit of a funk. I don’t believe in a quick fix, and am not interested in drugs, pills, or other cover-ups which has made this process a bit long. I am a big believer that most anything can be fixed through food.

  

  I’ve developed a handful of food intolerance’s the last year that suddenly gave me the desire to try adding animal products back into my diet. Long story short this hasn’t been working and always leaves me mentally distraught. I regret nothing, and don’t feel the need to expand on this anymore. I’m only sharing because I believe in being as transparent as possible.

  I still haven’t figured everything out, but what I have figured out is that after being fearful of what I ate for months, stuffing any emotions that I felt because: “I can do this on my own, no one wants to hear my problems” and eventually spiraling into a: “I don’t care anymore I’m going to eat anything and everything” what I need is quite simple. What I need is other people.

  

  In all honesty it’s been difficult finding other people that enjoy the things I enjoy. I’m an odd bird that enjoys eating plants, running streets, climbing mountains, and exploring new places. You’d think living in the PNW this would be simple, but I’m surrounded by sedentary people. In order for me to find a circle of people I genuinely enjoy being around I will have to step outside of my comfort zone.

  What started as a necessary journey of figuring out how to be on my own, has transitioned me into a deep hole of isolation from other people. I don’t know how to talk to people about my feelings because I’ve never felt validated. I don’t regret taking the time to be alone, but I’m starting to realize that perhaps the void I’m seeking to fill is learning how to be vulnerable again, and knowing that it’s OK to fall down.

  Human beings thrive on companionship and while it’s essential to know how to stand on your own, I now realize it’s just as essential to lean on each other when you’re in need of an ear to listen, an arm to hug, or a partner to run with.

  

  Early morning solo runs require mace.

  I don’t typically enjoy posting things like this, but to bring this topic of leaning on others full circle I want anyone else out there to know that if you’re feeling similar things that you’re not alone. We all go though moments in life that cause us to reflect, and it’s what we do with the thoughts and emotions that matters. You can either sink with the waves or swim to the shore.

  Last week I set out for a bike ride only to discover I had a flat tire. Drat. I knew how to take the wheel off my bike thanks to watching my dad do it many times. The problem didn’t arise until I returned home from REI to discover I couldn’t figure out how to get the wheel back onto the gears. I let the bike sit in my garage for a few days before deciding to take the bike back (stuffing it awkwardly in my car because I didn’t want to have to ask for help) and let them reattach my wheel.

  

  I knew in the back of my mind that I had a neighbor familiar with bikes, but I had never spoken to him. I didn’t want to ask him for help because it made me uncomfortable. Just as I was going to attempt getting my car filthy I got a burst of confidence and decided to ask him for help.

  He put the tire back on my bike in less than a minute.

  It’s in these moments of discomfort that we grow. I’m uncomfortable asking other people for help, but it’s time for me to get over that. It’s OK to need other people. It’s OK to need help, and more importantly it’s OK to be vulnerable. No one is created with bionic emotions, so it’s essential for us to embrace them all. Besides, helping others gives me a great excuse to bake cookies and share coffee as a thank you.

  

  The best part of not knowing my neighbors is that they’d have no idea my cookies were vegan. Classic chocolate chip cookies to highlights the beautiful cocoa notes of the sweet and full bodied Caffe Verona.

  Writing this post feels good, like a small weight has been lifted. Overall things in my world are great – I’m an optimist, and stubborn as hell so I see every experience as an opportunity to grow into a bigger and better you. I’m ready to put this experience into my learning jar and move forward.

  So who wants to come venture into the mountains with me? I suppose not every hike needs to be solo. 😉

  No questions today, just feel free to share thoughts, experiences, and emotions.

  

  | 94 Comments Tagged Biking, Emotions, Friendship, Life, Running

• Trusting the Process

  Posted at 9:05 AM by Brittany, on February 26, 2016

  I find myself bouncing back and forth between blog posts that have some sort of underlying message about life, to blog posts that have no outline or purpose other than to put mind thoughts to paper – or internet pages. This post falls into the latter category.

  

  I turned 27 last week, which is an odd feeling because when I hear 27 all I think about is, “three years from 30” which is terrifying. Not to say there is anything wrong with being 30, in fact I somewhat look forward to turning 30 because I hope by then my life will be together. What’s terrifying is that I feel nothing like an adult, and my lifestyle is still somewhat juvenile.

  

  I wear a Buzz Lightyear bag when I ride my bike.

  I’m thankful that I’ve finally, and I repeat FINALLY buckled down to finish my college degree after eight years of back and forth nonsense. From psychology, to dental hygiene, to dental assisting, to nutrition, to where I am now with ASU. I swore I’d have some kind of medical degree like my dad, but alas I’m better with words.

  Let me be a prime example that it’s never too late to finish something you’ve started.

  Never. 

  

  BS in Human Communications here I come

  The last few years have been spent soul searching. I’ve discovered a sense of who I am, which is a crucial puzzle piece of life when you’re in your 20’s. I know I’m not done yet and lately I’ve started to feel the sense that something is missing, but I’m not quite sure what. I tend to get stuck in my comfort zone which is where I am once again.

  This happens to me when I run, I get comfortable staying between 3-6 miles and my fitness eventually plateaus. This is when I get impulsive and sign up for another half marathon, like I did last month. I sometimes need a push to step outside my mandala of butterflies and rainbows.

  

  Half marathon training is on par, 5 miles is my comfortable spot and now we start getting closer to double digits.

  I am thankful for everything that I have right now – a loving family that supports me in every way, a house over my head, a small but solid friendship circle, and a stable job that allows me to finish school, go on adventures, pick my schedule, and coworkers that love me regardless of my wind blown hair after biking to work.

  

  Despite my blessings, I now need more. These feelings creep up whenever I notice myself getting complacent with my comfort zone. I have all the means to take a giant leap in life, but I find myself needing the push. I’m trusting the process and putting the vibes into the world that I’m ready. For what I don’t know, but I’m ready.

  I don’t often look at the bigger picture because I truly believe life is meant to be enjoyed right now, and too many of us get so stuck on what we want later in life that we miss the beauty that’s right in front of us. Disclaimer: I don’t mean throwing everything into the gutter just to have fun, I mean building a life of balance right NOW instead of later when you have X,Y, and Z accomplished. 

  With that said, I’m heeding my dads advice of “look at what you want later, and do what you have to now to make that happen.”

  

  I want energy, so my weekends are spent at the theater so I can be in bed by 10.

  I want independence (in other ways that I have now), I want stability (not related to money), I want a place of my own (specifically something tiny and on wheels), I want world exposure (without the fear of getting lost), but mostly I want balance.

  I can feel my inner world slightly off-kilter, and despite being semi locked into life right now (to finish school I must stay with Starbucks for at least another 1.5 yrs because they are footing the bill, yeehaw) I’m looking towards the future for once instead of living in the moment. I must trust my current process to propel me somewhere amazing later in life.

  Perhaps that in and of itself is a slight sense of balance.

  

  When all else fails, I can always lean on trees for stability.

  After all that, it turns out this post actually had more purpose that I expected. 🙂 Things are changing in my world, and I’m honoring the flow of life by conforming to the changes.

  Q: Who can relate?

  

  | 90 Comments Tagged Bike, Half Marathon, Life, Running

• I Am…

  Posted at 6:10 AM by Brittany, on February 9, 2016

  “The meaning of life is to find your gift. The purpose of life is to give it away. – Pablo Picasso.”

  The places I find inspiration and motivation are often unexpected. For example this post was completely different before I had the pleasure of watching Kung Fu Panda 3 with my family last Saturday. I was surprised by how good the movie was, but even better was the underlying message between the black and white fur.

  Grab your coffee cup, let’s get some reflections flowing.

  

  If you have’t seen the movie I’ll give you a quick Clif Notes review: it’s about discovering who you are – separate from anyone else, discovering your potential, discovering how to take your talents and turn them into something great.

  Basically it was an hour and a half of positive soul vibes about taking your inner chi, also known as inner peace and making it sparkle.

  

  Naturally this had thinking about who I am, who I want to be, and realizing while some of our tendencies or qualities are set in stone, many are fluid. So who am I?

  Well, let’s see…

  I am…a sister, a daughter, and a mother. A mother to cats, don’t get excited.

  I am…a  runner, but more specifically an athlete. I fell off the workout wagon this winter and was hit hard by the lazy bug. I got back into a gym routine and signed up for another half marathon to help me get my groove back.

  

  My sisters Nike’s may be cooler than mine….

  I am…a student. Finally finishing my degrees through Arizona State University. I’m getting a BS in Human Communication, and it feels right.

  I am…an earthy, plant loving, self proclaimed minimalist and I think a simple life is a happy life.

  

  Because every self proclaimed granola needs a pair of Birkenstocks. On the left is my 10 year old pair of troopers, and on the right are my brand new pair of warriors.

  I am…shy and outgoing all at the same time.

  I am…a sugar addict, but try my damnedest to balance my diet with real food.

  

  I am…a person that likes to help. Give me a task and I’m happy to do it, that includes cleaning the bathroom. Bring it on.

  I am…a leader. At work I’m a supervisor, at home I set examples, and in society I don’t follow the crowd. I’m not jumping off the bridge with you so I hope you can swim. OK I did just say I like to help so if I see you struggling I’d put my 3rd grade swim lessons to good use.

  

  That one time I was voted Partner of the Quarter. 🙂

  I am…someone that worries about making other people happy. This has plagued me my entire life and I’ve only recently let some of this go. We have to march to the beats of our own drums, because at the end of the day we’re the only ones that live our lives. I just really like when people are happy. 🙂

  I am…a foodie. Food is life, and succeeding in making a home cooked meal or baking a cake brings me great joy. #stillasugaraddict

  

  I am…sensitive, and easily hurt, but am learning to accept who I am in each present moment regardless of what other people think or say.

  I am…creative. I don’t give myself enough credit, but it’s time. My creativity shines in the kitchen, in my writing, and sometimes even in my crafting. We all have a niche of creativity somewhere.

  

  Creativity – random food bowls.

  I am…an explorer. The world is a giant cookie and I want to bite off as much as my sugar loving body can handle. Mountains, and valleys, and rivers, OH MY!

  I am…a giver. Why keep everything to yourself, when the world is so much larger than what you see in front of you? “Only by giving are you able to receive more than you already have. – Jim Rahn” 

  

  This is a constantly changing subset of a MUCH larger list, but notice how I don’t define who I am based on what I do for work, but rather how I live my life in the bigger picture. We are often many different things, all of which make up the blue prints of who we are, and it’s up to us to create and define a life we want to live.

  Upon first meeting someone we often ask, “what do you do?” This typically refers to one specific thing such as a career, but what if we changed this question to, “what do you to to come alive?” This would then open the door for many different answers, to go with the many different tendencies and activities that make up who we are.

  My inner chi is built on a foundation of love, adventure, helping others, giving what I have, and leaving a positive footprint everywhere I step. This kind of energy allows me to worry less, accept challenges, and leap with faith knowing that everything will work out the way it’s supposed to.

  

  Take a moment to think about who you are (outside of your career, or in addition to if you LOVE what you do-bonus points for that) and see if you’re truly living a life you’re proud of. You only get one, so make it count.

  Q: Who are you? Give me five bullet point ideas. 

  

  | 97 Comments Tagged Explore, Life, Random, Reflection

• The Simple Joys of Everyday Life

  Posted at 8:00 AM by Brittany, on July 27, 2015

  There’s something to be said about a day with no set plans. A day where you wake up with the sun instead of an alarm. A day where your morning run has no limits and you run based on feel and not time. A day where your morning walk goes a little bit longer than planned because you’re too busy soaking up the scenery.

  

  These mornings are my favorite. They allow me to slow down and savor not only my coffee, but my excitement for adventure. Nothing is off the table.

  I found $1 on one of my runs recently, which left me feeling all kinds of philosophical. I posted the photo below on my Instagram with these words:

  “I find something valuable on every single run I go on. Whether it be a penny, peace of mind, a half eaten candy bar that a kind stranger left behind to share, or a mental snapshot of a new location. What I hadn’t found before was dollar bills, until now. This is either a pat on the back for a successful run, or a sign it’s really time to purchase new shoes. The universe is giving me money for some reason or another.”

  

  I take great pride in knowing that something as simple as finding a dollar on my run brought such great joy to my day. I’ve had some waves of emotions here and there the last few months where I’ve had to really focus on quieting my mind.

  This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, if anything it’s comforting knowing I’m craving new adventures. Life is great, but I want more, and sometimes my impatience rears its ugly head. The ebb and flow of my life has a mind of its own at times.

  

  Running calms my entire soul.

  I’ve also concluded that a lot of my thoughts/feelings/and emotions are tied to the foods I consume. I don’t talk about it much on the blog, but I’ve really been focusing on what I eat the last few months. I started to talk about my tic toc foods here, and have delved even deeper. Thankfully now I know a lot of my trigger foods.

  I’ve been mostly successful in finding alternatives to the foods I adore, and the key to my success is making my meals at home. Certain breads are one of my triggers so I pick my battles when I consume them. The same company that makes the legit cupcakes I can’t get enough of also makes bread, and it has been a godsend.

  

  No gluten, no soy, no rice, no corn, no egg.

  Plus they’re local…my favorite.

  I briefly mentioned a few posts ago that I started seeing a naturopath, and while my initial intentions with him were related to something different, we’ve also discussed my reactions with certain foods. After playing scientist with my own body for months I’ve decided to get a food allergy test to have some confirmations.

  

  Initially I thought cacao was a trigger, but I eat these bars with the ease of a coffee induced BM.

  Despite some of the discouragement I feel when I find certain foods give me trouble, the overall mindset that comes with eating foods my body thrives on outweighs any discouraging thoughts. Eat good, feel good. Spirit, mind, AND body.

  

  So thankful for these.

  Plus, trigger foods make me all kinds of moody and it’s not pretty. Nor is the inflammation or eczema. It also totally affects my running.

  I’ll post more about my naturopath experiences as they come, and also go into more detail about my food testing for those that are interested.

  

  Me if I succumb to the triggers.

  What I know for sure is that I’ve been finding simple joys in my everyday life thanks to a positive mind, a properly fueled body…. and Theo chocolate.

  Q: Is anyone interested in hearing more about my experience with a naturopath/a food allergy test?

  

  | 63 Comments Tagged Chocolate, Cupcake, Garmin, Life, Naturopath, Running, Vegan

• Love Yourself, Love Your Life

  Posted at 8:38 AM by Brittany, on April 30, 2015

  I spend a solid amount of my time alone, simply because I enjoy spending time with myself. When I’m alone there is no one around to dictate what I do, or where I go. I can leisurely wander new locations, and I can eat at places I want to to eat.

  My favorite ways to explore are through food, coffee, wandering, and nature. Not many people think kale is Gods gift to earth, most people drink coffee and it all tastes the same to them, and only a few people I’ve come in contact with think spending an entire day (or days) in the mountains without a shower sounds like fun.

  Being alone means I worry about no one but myself. Go on, be selfish for YOU.
  

  

  I find great joy in the simple pleasures of life like walking along the water with the sun kissing my face, or meandering through antique shops soaking in the history.

  

  

  Discovering what makes you tick is like stumbling upon a $100 bill outside your front door. It’s a gift that you have no choice but to accept.

  

  I love the handful of friends I have, which is really more like a finger full these days, but I’ve become quite comfortable spending time alone. I wasn’t always this way, so I consider this a long awaited blessing. If you rely on other people for your happiness, what would happen if you were forced to be alone?

  

  I’m a simple person, living a simple life. I don’t work a 9-5 stable job, I don’t own a mansion in Italy, and I don’t have a strong mountain climbing husband to rub my feet after a long day. I work a job I enjoy (for now), I follow my heart when it leads me to things that make me happy, and I trust my gut when it tells me life is good.

  I (try to) love what I have instead of dwelling on what I don’t. At the end of the day life goes on whether you have a rolex on your wrist or tattered jeans on your legs.

  

  I don’t know where all this inner tree hugging granola talk comes from, but when it wants to escape I let it. Holding things in almost always results in discomfort. Case in point: the morning after a dinner full of cruciferous vegetables. Let it out..let..it..out.

  

  

  If the idea of being alone scares you, I challenge you to face the fear. Go somewhere alone like a coffee shop or a park. If you’re feeling wild go to a restaurant or a movie. Love yourself enough to be alone, and life becomes a new adventure full of light.

  

  They say you can’t love someone else until you love yourself, and I finally get it.

  Bring on the love. 😉

  

  Q: Do you enjoy spending time alone, or do you rely on others to go do things? I enjoy being alone perhaps a bit too much…. #loner.

  

  | 102 Comments Tagged Coffee, Life, Random, Vegan, Wander

• Humbled

  Posted at 5:58 AM by Brittany, on April 9, 2015

  When I was younger I longed for the chance to cover my eyes with glasses, and bling my mouth with braces. I also had a hair cut that resembled a mop and wore the same outfit daily, so I can’t say this was my strongest decade of life.

  I have 20/20 vision so the glasses were out, but when I was 15 my wish was granted for a face full of metal. My teeth were never “terrible” and I only had to wear the braces for a little over a year, but I loved every minute of them.

  

  2005 – the time when my hair was long and black, and my skin was orange.

  This is when my fascination with teeth was born.

  I wanted to work in the dental field for a while, and although I’ve detoured from that path I still find teeth to be intriguing and I take great pride in my own.

  

  I’m not a very fancy gal. My idea of dressing up is splashing some mascara on my lashes, and throwing on a loose fitting summer dress with Teva sandals. I proudly go days without washing my hair, and the only time I wear it down is when it’s cut so short I have no choice. What can I say, I’m a minimalist.

  The one physical attribute I take pride in, and put all my effort into is my teeth. If you asked me what my best quality was I’d probably say my smile. I may skip washing my hair, but my teeth always get the full treatment morning and night. I wear my retainers diligently, and my idea of pampering is alone time with my Sonicare.

  

  2010 – holding a clay molar. Still orange.

  I’ve never had any “serious” dental work, so you can imagine my dismay when my dentist expressed concern about a twilight zone like black hole that appeared at the base of my tooth on a routine panoramic x-ray taken at my last dental checkup.

  The words “root canal” were thrown around like a flying playground ball in a game of four square. My heart sunk, and my face went white. I was sent to the oral surgeon, who sent me to an endodonist, and he confirmed my fears.

  

  “You need a root canal. Your tooth died slowly and quietly, possibly shortly after you got your braces or wisdom teeth removed.” Oh swell, my price and joy is officially tainted, and I am officially humbled. This was an excellent reminder that not everything is what it seems. I had no external signs of a problem – no pain, no swelling, no extra red gums, nothing. Anything can have faults…

  …including teeth that look normal and are treated better than small children.

  There was no rhyme or reason behind why my tooth decided to go awol on me, it just did. My appointment to have the soul ripped from my body  root taken out of my tooth is today, and I admit I’m somewhat terrified. Once the rool canal is completed my next step is to get a crown. I’ve never even had a cavity, and this is like going from 0 to 60.

  

  Call me a contradiction, but I think my survival of this procedure calls for a cupcake.

  Just don’t tell my dentist. 😉

  Q: Have you ever had a root canal? A cavity? An ego blow?

  

  | 70 Comments Tagged Life, Teeth

• Perseverance

  Posted at 6:20 AM by Brittany, on April 2, 2015

  Last spring I delved into the wide world of hiking. I wrote a post that highlighted some of the random thoughts I had about how hiking can relate to life, and would like to emphasize life lesson number five in this post, including the side note/story.

  

  If you chose not to read the post here’s the CliffsNotes version: I ventured to a mountain, and upon my arrival at the top I proudly stood tall while eating a sandwich. I was nearly knocked on my ass by a ballsy bird that tried to steal my food. STEAL.

  

  I ventured back to this very same mountain last week, and this time I decided I wanted to share my apple with the birds, but only on MY time – not on theirs. I was determined to have one land on my hand, so I ate my apple and I tried to share.

  I tried, and tried, and tried.
  

  

  Failing with the birds, and failing to see.

  Then I tried again.

  

  After standing with my arm extended for a solid 5 minutes, victory was mine.

  

  And then victory was his as he stole my apple and flew away.

  

  Rude.

  This hike was mentally brutal. The amount of snow that fell overnight was a shock. My day hike shoes are not equipped for snow, slush, and deep puddles of mud. Needless to say my feet were soaked, and my hands were numb.

  

  My face was also numb, and as I took this photo I had no idea my nose was leaking.

  I never regret summiting a mountain, but sometimes I wish I had the ability to teleport once I’m done enjoying the view from the top. I’m convinced if it weren’t for some hiking poles I would have been crawling to the top. I had zero foot traction.

  

  My first time using hiking poles, and I now feel like a real hiker. Perhaps I will invest in some poles of my own, and I think it’s time I buy some waterproof boots if I want to ensure future sensation in my toes. 
  

  To piggy back off of my last post, this hike was an example of something I (briefly) wanted to quit simply because it was “hard.” I was uncomfortable, cold, and I had thoughts of hot springs and cinnamon rolls dancing in my head. My safety wasn’t threatened, so quitting was not an option. I persevered through the thoughts, just as I did with getting the bird to land on my apple.

  

  The lessons of life come in many shapes and sizes, and often present themselves when you least expect them to. I find keeping my mind open, my demeanor calm, and my perseverance strong sets me up to succeed with anything I set my mind to.

  Q: What do you find yourself persevering through most in your daily life? Sometimes I have to work really hard in order to persevere through the time between my meals. 

  

  | 75 Comments Tagged Explore, Hike, Life, Mount Si, Snow

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