Tag: Starbucks

• Early Morning Confessions

  Posted at 5:00 AM by Brittany, on May 1, 2018

  1. I finished. I’m done. I have a (debt free) bachelors of science in communication. I’m no longer a super, super, super, super senior!! The last two years have been dedicated to (finally) finishing college, but it hasn’t fully sunk in yet. #thanksstarbucks.

  

  2. My final week of college didn’t come without its trials. My laptop died the week I had a huge project due, and my final. Like 100% dead. It wouldn’t have been a big deal, but I needed multiple programs that were downloaded on that laptop. I ugly cried multiple times for the first time since I was in a relationship. #thisiswhyimsingle. 

  3. Everything happens for a reason, and since my laptop died before I was finished with college, I was able to use my college fund to buy a new laptop. A MacBook Pro to be exact. She is sexy as hell, but gave me mad anxiety when purchasing. Even though it was not my money being spent, I’m as frugal as they come and I got stress sweats from spending $2k on a laptop. #thanksmomanddad.

  

  4. This is my last week working for Starbucks. #allthefeels. 

  5. I went for three hikes last week. The third hike hurt and I felt like I was in the earthly version of hell. I think three was too much for my body, but the views were all stellar. #outofshape.

  

  Hike one I found my squad goals. All these men are ages 60-70.

  

  Hike two I found snowcapped mountains.

  

  Hike three I found my ego.

  6. I cried on the third hike for a solid two seconds before I told myself to get over it. Sometimes my mind (my ego) wants to do things my body can’t do. On that day my body could barely put one foot in front of the other. #humbled. 

  7. I tiptoed through the tulips for the second year in a row. Except this year the tulip fields were drowned by excessive rain and mud, so we drove around and found our own tulips to view from afar. #fofree

  

  

  8. I’ve been in a reaaalllyy good place with my physical health the last little while. I’ve been eating extremely high fat and low carb, including quality grass fed meats and my body is HUMMMINNGG with clarity. Basically meats, vegetables, and fats are what I’ve been eating. When you listen to your body, it rewards you. #everyBODYisdifferent.

  9. It was Hades hot in Washington last week. Most of us up north do not have AC, myself included, so when it’s above 75 I FEEEEEL it. I would have sold my first born child for a dip in Lake Crescent. #ioverheatQUICK

  

  Another photo from hike three.

  10. I’m happy to report I only had to return one pair of shoes to REI before finding the right ones. Against my better judgement I tried out a pair of hiking shoes that were ankle high. I took them on hike one last week, and it was immediate regret. So I took them back and got the same shoe….low top. #stickwithwhatyouknow.

  Q: What’s your confession?

  

  | 46 Comments Tagged Arizona State University, College, Early Morning Confessions, Hiking, PNW, Starbucks

• Onward

  Posted at 5:00 AM by Brittany, on March 8, 2018

  I’ve noticed a pattern with my blogging. When I’m deep in the throes of school, I’m mostly MIA on this space. My brain becomes so convoluted with information I don’t ever plan to use that any and all creative juices are sucked up through a straw with a hole the size of Alaska. That makes for quick loss of creative juice.

  

  The good news is, I am down to my last class. Like…the last one…ever. I really never wanted to go to college, and to be honest with you I don’t know if I’ll ever want a job that requires a college degree, but I finally settled on a BS in human communication. We all have to communicate, regardless of what we do for work.

  Plus, Starbucks is footing the bill and I couldn’t really turn down a free bachelors degree. If you have an end goal I think college is great, but if you don’t, I think it can be a death trap for years of financial burden. 

  I’m a big believer that college isn’t for everyone, but I’m glad it’s finally almost over. I’ll never have that “I wonder if” problem about finishing, but the only reason I started was because I felt like my parents wanted me to. I have to admit this was the worst possible time for me to finish college and the amount of stress I felt from my classes as well as from managing my health literally had me on the floor in a ball more times than not.

  

  Thankfully I’m a stubborn individual, and I refuse to take “this is your life now” for an answer. This is mostly the case for my autoimmune issues, which I don’t talk about much on the blog, but the thoughts of my body take up a large majority of my brain space. The sad reality is that most people think once they’re labeled as having an autoimmune disease, or any disease for that matter, they assume that’s it.

  They assume this is life now, bring on the cocktail of drugs to manage this new life.

  I don’t believe that, not for one second, no matter how many doctors seem to believe this. I believe autoimmune diseases are caused by excess inflammation in the body, for such extended periods of time that the immune system can no longer keep up in trying to put out the inflammatory flames. The goal is to find the source of this inflammation, whether it’s food, stress, toxins, parasites, or a combination of multiple things, and remove the triggers.

  

  I’m thankful for my stubborn mind because it will allow me to gain my health back in full one day, of this I’m certain. It’s not an easy road, but it’s a road that will be worth the effort (just like these snowy hike photos from my birthday last month.) I used to be notorious for quitting when things got hard, which is why it’s taken me 11 years since I graduated high school to finally graduate college, but this time I didn’t quit. I wanted to quit many times, because I don’t handle my stress well. I switched my major four times, and regret nothing.

  I’m certain stress was one of my main triggers for pushing my body over the edge, but patience is my best friend in calming the inflammatory fires.

  I refuse to quit the path of naturally healing my body through lifestyle changes, and it’s powerful knowing I have control over my outcome. I can taste the freedom that accompanies no longer having to read another textbook on a topic I have no interest in. I have a good sense of when to quit something because it’s no longer serving me, and when to quit something because I’m letting stress take over. It’s important for me to know the difference.

  

  I can also taste the freedom that comes from no longer handcrafting espresso beverages at Starbucks. I have two months left with Starbucks before I move onto my next adventure, and it’s a bittersweet goodbye. Five years ago I started slaving for the siren with no goal other than to busy my days and busy my mind after a painfully ugly breakup. Starbucks quite literally saved me when I needed saving, and because of that I will always have a soft spot for this chapter in my life.

  Plus, the solid 401K and free bachelors degree they’ve given me aren’t so bad either.

  From retail, to corporate, and back to retail I can confidently say my time with Starbucks has come to an end. I’ve become both comfortable and stagnant with where I’m at in life which means it’s time for a change. The stress that accompanies a job like mine is stress I can no longer afford to tax my body with. Although I’m sad to say goodbye I’m also ready to spread my wings and fly.

  

  One of the few classes I enjoyed taking during my time with ASU was an elective class (aren’t those the only ones most of us enjoy?) called Wilderness and Parks in America. I learned a great deal about the history of our national parks, and developed a desire to see as many as possible, including the first ever national park – Yellowstone.

  SO, I snagged a summer job at Yellowstone this May-October.

  I’ve never been to Yellowstone, nor any of the states that Yellowstone resides in (the majority of the part resides in Wyoming, but 3% of the park is in Montana and 1% is in Idaho.) After my recent trip to Alaska I fell in love with the idea of seasonal work in locations that allowed me to live a lifestyle I enjoy, and to be outdoors exploring as often as possible.

  

  I’m both excited and apprehensive about this adventure. My safety zone (my kitchen) will not be available to me, and I will have to learn how to navigate eating foods outside of my small circle of what is and is not helpful to my body. I’m confident that being in a new environment with new friends, and new hiking trails will continue to project me forward.

  I’m already daydreaming about all the people I will meet, both coworkers and visitors of the park. 

  It’s no secret I’m a bit of a nomad, being in one place makes me feel stuck and weighed down, so this concept of seasonal work is something I’m chasing after right now. I don’t know what’s next after Yellowstone, and yet ironically this upcoming adventure has brought me more peace than I ever felt working a steady job the last five years.

  

  Not everyone is made for the 9-5 lifestyle and that’s OK. What’s not OK is waking up each morning and dreading the day ahead of you. This life is a gift and we only get one, so we might as well live it doing things we enjoy. Thankfully I’m a simple girl, with a simple lifestyle, and I can afford to run off to different states living the life I manifest for myself.

  Our bodies talk to us in many ways, and mine has been telling me it’s time for a change for a while now. The next two months I will continue to seek out my triggers for inflammation, continue to work through my stress, and finish college strong. Two weeks after I graduate I head to Yellowstone, and one week after Yellowstone I head to Scotland.

  Only we can create a life worth living for ourselves. It’s going to be a good year. Onward.

  

  Q: Tell me about your educational path, and what you do for work.

  

  | 62 Comments Tagged Alfred, ASU, Autoimmune Disease, Life, Starbucks

• Isolation

  Posted at 12:30 PM by Brittany, on August 4, 2017

  When I was a wee little lass, I never liked to be alone. I know, I know…those that know me would tell you otherwise. I thrive on solo adventures, I prefer being alone, and I’ve become an expert on isolation.

  Younger Brittany felt anxious being in public without a friend by her side. Heaven forbid someone see’s her alone, and thinks she has no friends. Heaven forbid someone tries to talk to her without the buffer of another human being to act as a deterrent. Younger Brittany wouldn’t dare to go on adventures by her self.

  If others couldn’t go, neither would she. 

  

  Solo bike ride.

  Then one day, a little over four years ago this all changed. Gone was the girl that needed a friend to go to the movies, gone was the girl that needed a guy to feel complete, gone was the girl that did anything and everything “with someone else.” Most importantly – gone was the girl that put her life desires on hold because no one else wanted to do the same things she did.

  Taking time to learn how to do things alone is one of the greatest gifts you can give yourself, until that gift has the opposite affect and you get uncomfortable being around other people. Human beings are social, and we were meant to be with others.

  As with anything in life having a healthy balance of isolation and connections is key. 

  

  Solo hike.

  It occurred to me a few weeks ago while I was on the above photographed solo hike, that I no longer thrive off of hiking alone all the time. I no longer prefer going on every adventure alone, and I am craving human connections like never before. I am constantly in awe of the human body, and when one aspect of our constantly working internal makeup is out of whack, the rest crumbles with it.

  

  Solo ferry ride. 05:20. Who can spot the moon?

  I’m also in awe of the fact that when we do not follow our hearts true desires, life starts to get difficult. Two years ago I made a transition with my job that I felt was “the right thing to do.” I hated what I was doing and almost instantly my health started to crumble. A year later I made another transition that I felt I should do, but didn’t really want to do and my health not only didn’t get better, it worsened.

  It was in these moments that I started isolating more, and more, and more. 

  

  Last week I left my job in corporate America and transitioned back to working in a cafe for Starbucks. I took two steps backwards while most people strive to take one step forward in any job transition. I knew in my heart this job was not right for me, nor was any other position within those walls. So I stuffed the voices from society, and went back to stage one.

  The key factor in this transition is that making coffee and connecting with people makes me happy. I won’t be a barista forever, but while I finish my last 9 months of school this is the right fit. More importantly this is what my heart was telling me to do.

  This is what my heart was telling me to do for two years, but I ignored it. 

  

  Book reading cats always listen to their hearts.

  So here I am, 28 years old, still in college, and working as a barista at Starbucks. And you know what? It feels right. I feel calm, and I feel happy. My lifestyle needs a job with flexibility, my lifestyle needs a job that allows for last minute travel, my lifestyle needs a job that has me moving non stop.

  Life is not a template created by society that has a one size fits all tag, so why is it that so many of us care about how we are perceived if we are doing things we’ve labeled as not good enough? I isolated myself because I felt like I wasn’t good enough, and cared too much what others thought for far too long. I’m here to tell you that shit is exhausting, and in the end the only person you’re going to effect is yourself.

  

  NON solo hike

  

  I’m actively spending time with others again, but in all honesty it was hard to surround myself with people when physically I never felt well. It’s also hard to find quality friends as you get older, but no excuses. With a stronger grasp on dietary tweaks, and relief of job related stress I’m confident I’m on the right path.

  I still very much enjoy being alone, but I’m finding the balance between solo time and time with others. Working in a cafe is not about making money for me right now (plus, I get paid more as a caregiver through WA state) it’s about making connections, meeting people, and allowing myself to thrive as a human being.

  

  LAST DAY AT CORPORATE. So happy.

  

  Blog BFF’s

  The point of all this is to challenge and inspire those that read this to take an inward look at your life. Are you happy? I mean truly happy. Is there something that you could be doing that would make you happier, but you feel like you shouldn’t do it because you fear what others would think? Are you also experiencing health problems?

  The mind body connection is strong my friends, and when your mind is toxic with fear and unhappiness your body will suffer the consequences. Stop living your life for other people, be selfish. You only get one, might as well enjoy the ride!

  Oh, and we only get one planet so throw away your damn trash! 

  

  One of TWO trash hauls within a 15 minute walk. Shame.

  Q: Did you know that those with a strong circle of healthy relationships live longer than those who don’t? Are you living an authentic life?

  

   

  | 51 Comments Tagged Life, Starbucks

• Early Morning Confessions

  Posted at 4:00 AM by Brittany, on March 13, 2017

  1. I’m going to Ireland in just over two months, and I’m anxious about driving. I am committed to learning how to properly read a map, but please have mercy on my soul if you see me on the wrong side of the road. #forgivemeimamerican

  2. I recently changed my work schedule so that I only have to go into the city two days a week. That gives me five days to do other things like wander the supermarket and read with second graders. Oh and school, lot’s of school.

  3. Twice a week I give my cat subcutaneous fluids for kidney disease. I’d rather work an extra 15 hour day (these are how long my work days are) than do this. Ever. I hate it every time.

  4. I haven’t washed my hair in over three weeks. This is the longest I’ve ever gone without slathering toxic chemicals into my palms and rubbing them all over my scalp. I love having short hair, I’m on a quest to see how long I can go. The longer I go without shampoo the better it holds/looks. 

  5. I also don’t wear deodorant. Haven’t for a while. In lieu of the smell covering spread I used baking soda. I stick my fingers in the crack like powder and then pat the pits. Works like a charm. Usually. My cats don’t seem to notice. #singlelife

  6. Since I’m on a roll here with natural care talk I also skip out on toothpaste. Instead I use a drop of peppermint or wintergreen essential oil. My teeth never feel this clean with toothpaste. Currently using wintergreen.

  

  7. I experimented with a new way of washing my shirts. I let them soak in cold water for a couple days. That’s it. I’ve not yet tested this for workout clothes because those contain an entirely different beast in their fibers (no deodorant remember?), but everyday items are refreshed with just a soak!

  8. This stuff is like crack for my skin.

  

  9. I’ve come to terms with the fact I may never love running, but what I do love is the way it makes me feel. This helps me do it more often even if just for 20 minutes. The sweat sesh and serotonin boost is much needed.

  10. I’ve decided it’s time for me to take a break from blogging. I don’t know for how long, I just know it feels right to step away for a bit. I presume when the sun comes out full time and I find myself in the mountains this summer I’ll be excited to share my adventures.

  Until then, you can find me here.  ❤

  

  Pure summer bliss.

  Q: What’s your confession?

  

  | 72 Comments Tagged Early Morning Confessions, Hiking, Hippies, Ireland, Running, Starbucks

• Early Morning Confessions

  Posted at 5:00 AM by Brittany, on November 28, 2016

  1. I ran my first 5K race since 2012. I run the 5K distance all the time, but I once told myself it was a waste of money to pay for one as a race. Fast forward to Thanksgiving 2016 – I ate those words because just the thought of a 10K winded me.

  

  I still managed a 9:42 pace though. I’ll take it.

  2. My pre race meal consisted of an entire package of tofu. I don’t recommend that, the GI struggle was so real.

  3. Thanksgiving was all kinds of marvelous. My angelic mother and I made a raw pumpkin pie that is so decadent I’m still nursing it five days later. Who lets pie last five days!?

  

  4. Christmas music has been playing in my car since before Thanksgiving. I have no shame.

  5. I’m on a solid whole foods kick and loving it. I’ve been trying to ditch terrible eating habits for months now.

  

  

  

  6. I’ve been tearing though cruciferous vegetables and jars of peanut butter. That combo is enough to do some damage to the ozone layer due to all the methane I’ve produced.

  7. I worked on black Friday, which is fine by me. I don’t partake in the shopping madness and already had three days in a row off. It was bizarre being in such a large building with so few people. The 8th floor cafe was closed and I had the entire lobby to myself.

  

  8. I’ve dipped my toes back in to the rivers of coffee. I limit my intake to no more than 10 oz, and water it down significantly, but I’m thrilled to be slowly drinking it again after months away.

  9. I continue to be charmed by the holiday vibes of the workplace. Thanks for being awesome Starbucks.

  

  10. I’ve been indulging in “self care” lately. By that I mean I’ve been getting massages twice a month because it makes me happy. I even went as far as getting a pedicure with a girlfriend last weekend. I don’t get pedicures…but I wear sandals year round and my feet were looking pretty rough.

  The last time I got a pedicure was April of 2012. You can read my experience here. I don’t dare get a mani/pedi combo EVER again.

  Q: What’s your confession?

  

  | 64 Comments Tagged Confessions, Plant Based, Race, Running, Starbucks, Thanksgiving, Vegan

• Between a Rock and a Hard Place

  Posted at 5:55 PM by Brittany, on October 1, 2016

  I rounded out my Seattle house sitting adventures with one more adventure to the mountains, and two more adventures to local eateries. I’m settled back into my small town dwelling and it feels good to be home.

  

  It’s been a while since I got sappy on here, and because I typically blog what I know I’m feeling like an emotion purge right about now. When I started working in Seattle a couple months ago it was a nice shift in my life to distract me from the funk I was in.

  Fast forward to today and I’m feeling myself sliding back into that slump, and realizing it wasn’t just my job that was causing these feelings. It was a myriad of things, and they are all becoming more clear as time goes on.

  They say hindsight is 20/20, but I think hindsight is more like “perspective on steroids.” Your don’t need a perfect picture of it all, just a strong view into how you’ve evolved. 

  

  Food issues were at the top of that list, and I’ve been working closely with specialists to diagnose my health concerns, some of which are finally being solved. I think. I’m staying both positive and optimistic because I know everything works out eventually, and everything happens for a reason.

  School/stress was another issue and I’ve realized that I am an emotional eater. Like WHOA. Give me stress for one hand and you’d better have a dozen cookies for the other.

  

  School has been wicked stressful for me this semester, and I’ve wanted to quit 49385 times, but quitting is not an option. I’m only two semesters shy of finally graduating and you’d better believe when that moment comes I’ll be ugly crying tears of relief.

  Realizing stress is a huge trigger for me to emotionally eat has been a huge eye opener, and helpful for me to avoid binge episodes. For the most part. Constant work in progress. 🙂 Caffeine and coffee are another trigger for me, and I mentioned a while back that I was giving it up, and it was an odd time for me given that coffee was a large part of my platform and my passion.

  I’ve only recently come to a place where I no longer desire a cup. 

  

  It’s only slightly odd working in a building with over 30 kitchens filled with French presses, espresso machines, drip brewers etc and not partaking, but it’s becoming my new normal. That’s the thing with change – it takes time to get used to and in the beginning it can be hard. Really hard.

  It’s also been hard to find things to blog about lately. I get the desire to blog, to connect, and to write, but then when I think about what to talk about it all seems jumbled and chaotic. This used to be so cathartic for me and was such a large part of my life, but the last year has been full of posts like this rather than posts with baked goods and running.

   I am still sharing random cat shenanigans though. Some things never change.

  

  Was time for a new blog photo too. Featuring my main man.

  Long story short I think it’s completely normal when you know something is missing in your life, and things are confusing whether it be health related, job related, or personal, for everything else to feel slightly out of whack. Life is full of up’s and down’s, but we were born with ligaments for a reason. We can flex with these changes and adapt to each new situation to make them into something better.

  We do what we know, and change what we know we need to. Accepting the change, accepting the struggle, knowing it’s not forever, and doing it all with a smile. If you find yourself between a rock and a hard place use your inner Gumby to bend your way out of the middle.

  On that note it is officially October, and October is my happy place. I’m already swooning over the leaves changing and the rain.

  Q: Do you live in an area that showcases seasons? Washington is gorgeous in the fall! 

  

  | 66 Comments Tagged Cats, Coffee, Life, Starbucks

• Since You’ve Been Gone

  Posted at 5:00 AM by Brittany, on August 24, 2016

  *Two weeks later*

  I didn’t plan to disappear from this space for so long, but whenever I had a free moment the last thing I wanted to do was bust out my computer. I now know what it’s like to want nothing to do with technology at the end of the day.

  

  I go from work, where I stare at a computer all day (I do have a standing desk though, so that’s a big fat sugary win) to my house where I then stare at the computer for school work. Needless to say when I have some free time I am outside starting at trees.

  

  Work, work, work, work, work.

  So what have I been up to the last two weeks?

  —I got to meet Annie, her sweet partner Kel, and her adorable pup Ike. We had lunch, and walked around a lovely Seattle lake. We chatted like old friends and she gifted me the most adorable painted photo of Ike. What really sold the deal was when she suggested the photo below. She’s good people…and those curls are too legit.

  

  —I made an executive decision to do 90% of my shopping at thrift stores in an attempt to further expand my minimalistic mind. I was able to find some solid wins. The other 10% is usually at REI, they always suck me in.

  —My camping compadre Jessica and I escaped to Mount Zion yesterday. She’s the kind of girl that keeps you grounded, the kind that you just need in your life. Always a fun adventure with that one. This trip didn’t involve stripping and spooning, so it was much more casual than our last adventure.

  

  

  —I bought and returned two new Garmin watches. I just couldn’t let go of my original true love. I now have the mindset of “earning back” $440 so I will probably spend that on camping gear.

  —I had two awesome solo hikes where I found myself mesmerized by a lake at the end of each of them. I looked like Mowgli when he first met Kaa, only the lake wasn’t singing to me. I went to Annette Lake and Snow Lake. Snow lake always steals the show though.

  

  

  

  This is the kind of view that has you questioning why there are people in the world that dislike being outdoors. I found a dime on this hike which makes for the second time I’ve found money while hiking.

  

  Annette lake it great too, but not nearly as photogenic. I did however encounter an extinct inter-species love affair. Only in the woods…

  

  — I didn’t run a single time, and loved every moment of it.

  — I ate a non vegan cinnamon roll and loved every moment of that too.

  

  — I finished and started two semesters for school in a matter of a few days. Can’t stop, won’t stop.

  — I spend 10 days with Gizmo the cow dog and was like a 12 yr old child when reunited with my cat. #catladyforlife.

  

  —Went against everything I said in my opening paragraph and watched at least six hours of Netflix. Mindless computer time doesn’t count.

  Q: What’s your current Netflix binge?

  

  | 82 Comments Tagged Adventure, Annette Lake, Explore, Garmin, Gizmo, Hiking, Mount Zion, Snow Lake, Starbucks

• Living for the Weekend

  Posted at 5:00 AM by Brittany, on August 8, 2016

  I cannot remember the last time I had a schedule that gave me real weekends. You know, the ones where you have those two days in the week that start with “S” free to do whatever you choose. I used to have sassy mental thoughts towards those that would ask me, “what are your plans this weekend?” To which I would often reply: “I’m working.”

  

  Savoring this morning commute before winter comes.

  Now I can finally say I look forward to my weekends, and I already have a mini routine set up for the time away from work. I do use some time for homework, but I also make time for play. Monday through Thursday I try to get home and be in bed by 8:30, but once Friday comes I’m more apt to do crazy things.

  Like drinking nitro cold brew coffee at 5pm

  

  I loose my morals with this stuff, it’s that good.

  Saturdays I try to sleep in, which for me is waking up around 6am. This allows me to have a calm morning before jumping into errands. Summer months are the perfect time to utilize shopping local, so Saturday mornings I go to the farmers market for my week of produce.

  And for these VGF muffins that are divine. 

  

  Sometimes I run, sometimes I don’t. It all depends on my mood and plans for the following day. Sundays I enjoy going to church, but sometimes I take off for a trip to the mountains. Last weekend I headed north for a lovely 8.5 mile solo hike to Melakwa Lake.

  

  

  

  This hike gave me all the feels as I sat and savored the scenes around me. I was a bit chilly one I got to the lake, but I still sat in silence for about 30 minutes, which is longer than I typically stay at the destination of my hikes.

  This weekend was the same, Saturday I hit up the market and finished all my school work. Sunday I set out for a hike, but the universe had another plan for me. I typically drive 2 hours to get to a good hike, and an hour into my drive my tire pressure light came on.

  

  I filled my tires with air, but the light didn’t go off. It then started to pour down rain. I somehow got the feeling I wasn’t meant to go on a hike, and instead went to Costco to have a professional check out my tires. I got the green light that they were fine, headed out for a 4 mile run, and refueled at Whole Foods with vegan lasagna, roasted veggies, and a brownie.

  It’s a great feeling when your mind is at peace. You start to care less about eating two muffins in one day (I had to make up for lost time, I missed the muffin man two weekends ago at the farmers market), you start to appreciate little things around you, you start to do things you didn’t used to do, you start to make friends with people you typically wouldn’t talk to, and you let things like missed hiking adventures roll off your back.

  

  On that note, happy Monday.

  Q: Do you have a weekend routine?

  

  | 76 Comments Tagged Hike, Lake, Melakwa Lake, PNW, Starbucks, Vegan, Weekend

• The Birth of a New B

  Posted at 5:00 AM by Brittany, on August 4, 2016

  I apologize in advance if this post is over the top, but per usual I need a place to puke my thoughts. To quickly summarize the point of this post all I can say is life.feels.good. That may sound pretty simple, but when you’ve been in a limbo state of life for over a year it’s a bit more complex.

  Hippie dippie vibes need a triangle of Bikenstocks. 

  

  I’m starting to feel like my old self again. The self that was excited to go on adventures, the self that was excited to go for a run, the self that had no desire to fill her body with processed sugar (lol), the self that enjoyed going to work in the morning, the self that felt creative in the kitchen, the self that felt a desire to connect, the true self.

  OK, and a little bit of processed sugar.

  

  I have learned so much about myself the last year, and despite my own personal “struggles” (I hesitate to say struggles because perspective is everything – I had a roof, I had food, I had opportunities, etc..) I know this time of my life was essential for my own personal growth. Settling for less than what we are meant to do in this world can be a slow killer, side effects similar to smoking cigarettes.

  

  Morning commute

  Bottom line – I wasn’t happy, I wasn’t growing, I wasn’t challenged, and I wasn’t living to my potential in any area of my life. I couldn’t decide what to study in school, I felt it was time for a change at work, and I was in need of more social interactions. So I waited, and then eventually I had to say goodbye to my comfort zone.

  I often advocate the idea of “up and quitting” a job that no longer serves you, challenges you, or allows you to grow to search for what really makes you tick, even when society deems this as irresponsible. Perhaps for you the change needed is following your true passion regardless of the fear you’ve built around the ideas.

  Ever notice how the people that are most happy with what they do in this life are those that don’t build walls around the ideas they create in their minds? They think it, believe it, and DO IT.

  

  Be like this bird, break free from the cage. Also – wallpaper goals.

  For me, I knew the time had come where I needed to embrace a huge change and take the leap. I’m not saying what I do now at work is my “passion,” but it’s surly bringing me closer to new and exciting opportunities. It’s challenging my mind in ways I’ve not experienced before.

  In the short three weeks I’ve worked in Seattle I feel like a completely new person. I isolated myself a lot the last year for reasons I really don’t know, but I’ve completely blossomed into a chatty Kathy again. I’m talking to any and everyone that I come in contact with, and it feels natural. I finally WANT to be around people again. I fully attribute this to taking a risk, and jumping into a completely new world.

  

  Evening commute

  I tend to think I’m not “good enough” for some of the things I want in life. This mindset is toxic, it’s sludge that needs to be purged from the walls of my brain. If you think you’re not good enough, then you will manifest a life less than what you’re truly meant to live.

  Truth is anyone is “good enough” for anything they want. Some things take extra work to obtain (I couldn’t just walk into a hospital tomorrow and perform heart surgery no matter how detailed the dream I had about it was), but if it’s truly what you want you’ll make it happen.

  Wash away the toxic thoughts like a river washing away bird poop.

  

  If you feel stuck in life, it’s because it’s time for a change. This is black and white to me now, point blank, very simple if you allow it to be. When a street is blocked off during construction it’s for the safety of other people, this “safety zone” is a temporary thing until the new and improved street is completed. Safety zones are not meant for long term living.

  My safety zone is gone, I’m on a new adventure, and I’m exploring avenues I once thought were out of my spectrum. I’m excited to see what opportunities come my way now that I’ve finally opened the door to shake things up in my world. Take it from me, the longer you stay in a place of unhappiness the longer you’ll be unhappy. You are not a tree, you are meant to move. 

  Q: What are your weekend plans?! I enjoy this question because I finally have “real weekends.”

  

   

  | 60 Comments Tagged Hike, Life, Random, Seattle, Starbucks

• When the “Other Plan” Comes to Fruition

  Posted at 5:00 AM by Brittany, on July 18, 2016

  You know when things don’t go the way you might have initially hoped and you tell yourself (and others): “it’s OK, life must have another plan for me!” I’m big on this mindset, and truly believe that life works itself out the way it’s supposed to. The hard part is listening to the inner pulls that try to guide us.

  

  I also find that when you really, and I mean “deep in your soul really” let go of whatever kind of control you’re trying to take on life that isn’t working, things start to unfold like a blooming flower.

  

  For example: my meals lately have been very whole foods based. It should come as no surprise that “real food” works best, but once I stopped trying so hard to figure out what foods were bothering my system and really listened to my body, things slowly got better.

  Once I stopped listening to outside opinions and advice from doctors that didn’t align with my beliefs I started to feel better.

  

  Fun Fact: Did you know that if you leave the pit in the avocado, it stays green?

  

  

  I have an insatiable sweet tooth, so I like to make my own desserts.

  I was dealing with food intolerances for the last year, and it wasn’t until I simply let go of the control and the obsession (and stress) of “figuring it all out” that my mind, body, and spirit all started to work together.

  I’m over the moon about all that food stuff, but this post is more about something else. Some of you may remember this post, which was then followed up by this post.

  

  The CliffsNotes version of those two posts are this: I knew in my heart it was time for me to pursue something more with Starbucks. I felt that my current position had expired its purpose, and because this company is paying for my bachelors degree I couldn’t yet pursue outside options. With that said, I started looking into jobs at the corporate office.

  I had one fish bite my line back in April, but it wasn’t the right fit. Instead of sulking about it I stayed positive and knew life had another plan, and it did. Fish number two bit my line about a month ago and today I start my new role in Seattle. Oh, and this role is 10x better than the first bite and I am so thankful that didn’t work.

  

  Every aspect of our life has a purpose. Some things are only meant to last a short while before catalyzing us to our next adventure. I’m notorious for staying in my comfort zone, and while I’m thankful for everything that has come in my time working retail for Starbucks, I’m long overdue for my next chapter.

  I started with this company 3.2 years ago at a time in my life when I needed a place to heal after a tumultuous break up and an unclear life path. The store saved me in so many ways, and leaving there yesterday had me in tears.

  Like, ugly cry tears. 

  

  Yesterdays post work 3.2 miles to commemorate my time at the store. Oh and I got a new Garmin. Mad love – more on that later.

  I think staying in my comfort zone too long, and not accepting that this time of my life was meant to end sparked some of my health problems. I’m a believer of that “woo woo hippie dippie” mind/body/soul connection stuff and when one thing is out of whack the whole bus slows down.

  So what’s the moral to my story? If you quit on life, life will quit on you. When you feel like nothing is going your way, and that life is kicking you while your down, you MUST trust that your other plan will come. Sometimes it takes a month, sometimes it takes two years, sometimes it takes a decade. -OR- perhaps it’s time to take that leap without knowing quite where you will fall. 

  In my case I had to leap, I wouldn’t have made it the last year without some hard core faith. 

  

  This transition is going to be very bittersweet because the first part of my journey with Starbucks came at a time in my life when I felt very lost, and it gave me a purpose for a chunk of time. The store, my coworkers, and a handful of my customers became my family, and I have nothing but positive experiences there which is rare to find.

  It also sprouted a passion for coffee in my soul that I will never outgrown. I’ll no longer be making lattes the way I did, but I plan to bring my passion with me into my next adventure and see where it takes me. Look for me as the annoying corporate worker that forces coffee tastings on her coworkers.

  

  Corporate on the outside, 12yr old on the inside

  My new job requires me to be at a desk, which I don’t love, but my desk will be standing. I will be helping other Starbucks employees from the US and Canada with any inquiries they may have in regards to human resource policies and practices, benefits and pay information, manager questions, etc…another stepping stone onto something more.

  I have no idea what’s ahead with this new journey, but what I do know is that I am more in tune with myself now than I ever have been before. I’m sad to leave this chapter, but ready for a new one. We are wired with sensors that communicate effortlessly, and it’s only when we actively choose to ignore them that we max out our effort meter. Try listening to the signals next time, it’s a whole lot easier

  I promise. 

   No questions today 

  

  | 90 Comments Tagged Coffee, Life, Plant Based, Starbucks, Vegan, Whole Foods

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• BRITTANY- Self proclaimed minimalist "granola" striving to maintain a balanced, healthy life with good food, long hikes, strong relationships, exploration, lots of broccoli, and laughing like it's my J.O.B. Currently living and working in Germany, join me on my adventures abroad!
• Contact: blissfulbritt@yahoo.com

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