Tag: New Year

• The Last Post

  Posted at 5:00 AM by Brittany, on December 30, 2016

  …..of 2016

  Another holiday down, with one more to wrap up 2016. I don’t know why, but it really grinds my gears when people complain every.single NYE about how terrible the past year was. Were you alive? Were you breathing? Were you employed? Unless you were literally struggling to survive (in which I will pray for you) then I don’t want to hear it.

  Be thankful, and quit whining about it. #saltyoldwoman

  Christmas in my house was magical, per usual. Calm, quiet, and casual. I went for a nice run, made some pancakes, and added a few more items to my collection of things.

  

  Seen on my run.

  In a previous post I discussed how I don’t really like receiving items for Christmas, but because I’m blessed with gracious family members the items come regardless. So I make things easy and list out what I could use. Let’s see if my list made a difference.

  • #1 REI Gift Card – Success, thanks mom.
  • #2 Mountain Ring – No success. Womp
  • #3 Wood iWatch Band – Success, patiently waiting for its arrival
  • #4 Glamping – SUCCESS
  • #5 Whole Foods Gift Card – No success. I will starve.
  • #6 Subaru Outback – No success. Toyota Camry prevails!
  • #7 New Birkenstocks – No success, I was hopeful for this one.
  • #8 A new iPhone – Success…almost. Working on this one.
  • #9 Mountain Earrings – Success.
  • #10 Trip to Ireland – SUCCESS!!!!

  I was totally blowing smoke into the air when I wrote Ireland as a wish list item, and then decided it was time to stop talking about it and just DO it. So I bought myself a trip to Ireland. Santa ain’t got shit on me. May 2017 my friend and I will embark on a 10 day Irish road trip (pray for us, opposite side of the road driving) starting in Dublin, and driving a makeshift circle throughout the country.

  I can’t contain myself.

  

  Me.

  2016 was the year I discovered life is much too short to settle for what you don’t enjoy. I haven’t been living my “truth” (you know, those times when your gut tells you it doesn’t want to do something and you ignore it and do it anyway)  and the universe has a way of slapping you in the face as many times as possible until you wake up and realize it.

  2017 will be the year where my gut, my head, and my heart all become very close. No more ignoring the inner voice, no more doing what others think is right, and no more waiting for the perfect moment. The perfect moment is now. So do that thing you’ve always wanted to do. Eat the damn cookie already. 

  

  I don’t know what 2017 holds, but that’s the beauty of life. Instead of trying to figure it all out I’ve become comfortable sitting back and letting the universe take me where it wants to. Apparently that means a trip to Ireland, and I’m OK with that. Maybe it means a new job, maybe it means more travel, maybe it means meeting new friends.

  I’m open, and trusting. 

  I need more exploring in 2017 than I had in 2016. More mountains, more cities, more life. The highest peak I’ve hit the last month was a mere 520′ atop the Space Needle. Starbucks gifted me a free trip to the top, but nothing compares to the top of a mountain.

  

  

  I’m ready to say goodbye to 2016, but I don’t dare talk ill of it. Every single moment we are given is an opportunity to learn and to grow. Without the hard times we would have no contrast for all the good times. Without the pain we would not know pleasure. Without the failures we would not have success, and without 2016 we would not have another year of life.

  Each NYE  for the last few years I’ve made it a point to volunteer somewhere. Typically my Arizona family and I help package meals for children in other countries, but I didn’t make it to Arizona this year. Instead I’ll be hanging out with some of my Starbucks family members making meals at a local food bank. It doesn’t matter what you do, big or small, but I find doing something for someone else is a great way to ring in the new year.

  I’m too old for that disco ball drunken dancing nonsense kids do at midnight. 

  See you all in 2017. Go do something nice for someone else.

  Q: What was the best part of your holiday?

  

  | 68 Comments Tagged Christmas, New Year, NYE, Running

• Reflections over Resolutions

  Posted at 9:25 AM by Brittany, on December 31, 2015

  I fully understand the importance of having a full time job, saving for the future, using my resources to my advantage, and “adulting” in a responsible way. I take great pride in watching my IRA and 401K grow each and everyday.

  

  With that said, I also understand the importance of living life to the fullest, whatever that may mean for you. I write these posts once every so many months, and find they are predominently written when I am away from the high paced, somewhat high stress environment that comes with a job like mine.

  

  Don’t get me wrong, I am 100% aware that what I think I become, and what I feel I project. My stress is 100% self made and it’s my choice whether or not I have a smooth day or a tough day. I can manifest my own destiny day in and day out.

  How powerful is that?

  

  These posts flare up when I have time to reflect, to think, to just be. Vacation is a fantastic opportunity to not only reset your body, but reset your mind.

  I often leave my vacations with a better mindset on how I want to live my life, in and out of a 9-5 job scene.

  

  Granted I don’t work a 9-5 job, I have chump change for a daily routine, and some days are a cake walk, but you get the idea.

  

  The feelings I get after a great run are the feelings I want in life. A sense of accomplishment from something only I have control over. I am the one to determine the effort put into each and everything I do, and at the end of the day I am the only one with control over how I view what I’ve done to succeed in life.

  Success comes in many shapes and sizes.

  

  I take comfort knowing that I am setting myself up for a future I want, but I have also made an attempt to fully accept living each day for what it is. The stress of society is not something I want to be too caught up in, and as I reflect on my year, my life, and my being, I am discovering more of what I want in my life and what I view as success.

  I finally believe that when you quiet your mind of negative thoughts, allow your creativity to flow, and accept the present moment, life works the way it’s meant to.

  

  As my last post of 2015, I leave with a compilation of reflections. My only goal for 2016 is to further explore the power of my own thoughts, and how to start listening to them better. I want to take more risks, climb more mountains, eat more food, drink more coffee, and help more people. In sum I want to be fully and 100% alive.

  What good is a life spent in an environment where you don’t actually feel alive? It’s a waste of precious chromosomes if you ask me, and I’m not one to waste.

  

  Arizona, what is this bright thing?

  No questions, just spewing brain sludge today. Cheers to a happy, healthy, and successful 2016 – whatever that means to you!

  

  | 80 Comments Tagged Arizona, New Year, Reflection, Running, Vacation

• 57 Children

  Posted at 8:05 AM by Brittany, on January 1, 2014

  The older I get, the less interested I am in staying out late and partying with my friends. Don’t get me wrong..I love to go out with my friends, but it’s rare for me to want to stay out past 10PM. I like my sleep, and I like waking up feeling refreshed, not dead. Last year on NYE I went to my first hot yoga class, played bingo with some fellow old souls, and was back home by 9:45PM. All I was missing was some prune juice and pants up to my waist.

  I thought that was great, until this year.

  

  This year I went with my dad, and my two younger siblings to help package enough food to feed 57 children for an entire year in the Philippians. As Ron Weasley would say, that’s pretty wicked.

  

  A non-profit organization called Feed My Starving Children has multiple locations, with one location out of Tempe, AZ. I had never done this before, but my copilots had and said it was a lot of fun. For two hours we swapped stations and packaged around 20,000 meals.

  

  How’s my hair?

  I started with the rice and soy station, then moved to the bagging station, then found my way to the packaging station. We were tucked into a warehouse with music blasting and laughter all around. It was quite an experience and I would love to do it again.

  

  This experience challenged me to step outside of myself and think about other people. I’ve never been one for resolutions, and the last two years I only set small goals (2012 was the year I would run my first half marathon, and 2013 I wanted to run four. I ran three in 2013 and I am so pleased with that) that I knew were attainable.

  This year I want to not only continue to better myself in my fitness/nutrition endeavors, but I want to put my focus onto those around me. I started to focus on others throughout December and it was very rewarding..the perfect way to end one year and start another. My goal for 2014 is to adapt a lifestyle where I am more selfless, helping others whenever I can. The range for this is endless, anything from helping a family in need of Christmas dinner, to helping my mom clean the dishes when she feels tired. Anything that helps.

  

  2013 was the year I started to discover who I am, it was a roller-coaster of emotions for me and I was challenged to persevere when I felt like I was falling down a black hole. 2013 opened the door to many new adventures I have yet to discover, and I learned how to find peace withing myself when my mind felt like a stormy sea.

  I have a lot more to learn about myself, but 2013 was the push I needed to start thinking about how I want to live my life. I want to better myself as a person, and to accomplish this I want to take the focus off of me. I don’t mean putting my needs, desires, or goals to the side, but when I feel the internal “me, me, me” monster flaring up at any moment I want to handle myself better and think about those around me too.

  The more I take myself out of the center, the happier I feel. The less I worry, the happier I feel. The more I give, the richer I feel. Cheers to 2014.

  Q: What’s ONE big goal you have for 2014?

  

  | 55 Comments Tagged Adventure, Family, New Year, NYE

• NYE-I’m Getting Old

  Posted at 9:03 AM by Brittany, on January 1, 2013

  I’m not one for New Years Resolutions, however I do think the idea of setting goals can be exciting. 2012 was my year of running. One race per month, with at least one half marathon. New Years Day last year included running and jumping into freezing water. Great way to start off a year of good running. This year my goal is to run four half marathons. No resolutions, no diets, just four half’s. Oh and I also have a goal of keeping my cool at the gym when all the resolutioners hog my spin classes. At least they only come to the gym for about a month.

  Enough about goals and running, you all want to hear about my wild night on the town for NYE!! Before I get to that, I’ll start with the beginning of my day. What better way to spend the end of the year than in a room full of half naked sweaty people?

  
  My first hot yoga class showed me beads of sweat on my skin in places I’ve never seen before. There is something magical about seeing sweat roll off your body, knowing that you are releasing stress and toxins onto your yoga towel. I did get dizzy a few times, and at one point felt a little queasy, but a few deep breaths and a burp cured that and the 90 minutes flew by.

  I was a little disappointed with how clothed everyone was. My yogi master (Manfriend) advised me to go with just shorts and a sports bra, so that’s what I did. There was only one other woman in there without a shirt. Once we started flowing, the heat really brought out my abs.

  

  Don’t be jealous, it takes a lot of cookies and cake to achieve this ab perfection. I had a blast doing this with my aunt, and can’t wait to get home and do it again with boyfriend.

  After a much needed shower and refuel, I did some running around with my cousin to kill time before our big party of the night. On our way out of Walmart, some representatives were giving away free food. It’s always a good day when you get free food.

  

  Four hours later, it was time for the main event.

  

  Once again, please hold back your jealousy for my night of Bingo. You know you’re getting old when you’d rather play 3hours of bingo and be home by 9:45 than go out and party. Unfortunately I didn’t win anything, but I got close. Next time..I’ll win the jackpot.

  Today is a day spent running, enjoying family time, and relaxing. Happy New Year!!

  Q: How was your NYE??

  

  | 48 Comments Tagged Bikram, New Year, Running, Yoga

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