life update

I have to say, things have been pretty amazing lately! In the past couple weeks I became the number one sales rep in my company, received the biggest paycheck of my life, earned a promotion and a raise, and finally found out that we could stay in our current apartment through December (a big concern there for a minute- phew!).

I have to admit, though, April didn’t really have the best start. While I loved the first few days – going to Denver with my best friend turned coworker for a work/play trip, celebrating Hailey’s birthday out with friends, going to Cinderella with my mom and a cooking class with Andrew – it shortly took a turn for the dark and scary. The night after our cooking class, I had a complete and utter meltdown. I acted entirely psychotic towards Andrew and lost my shit, over something so stupid I can’t even bring myself to put it in writing. It was a huge eye-opener for me to come to terms with just how unstable and unhinged I can be at times. Curing my mental state is an ongoing project for me currently, as that night was just one example out of 10 handfuls of my debilitating insecurities. Fast forward a week later, Andrew is out in Scottsdale for a bachelor party with a bunch of people I’ve never met. Naturally I became a worried mess and did what any crazy girlfriend would do: I went through his text messages on his Mac. I saw that he got a girl’s number and texted her, the sight of which sent me into full-blown demonic mental episode and caused me to tell Andrew what I had seen while not-so-subtly ripping his motherfucking head off. I was a wreck. Later we talked about it, he apologized and assured me he only got her number/texted her in order to introduce her to the single guys on the trip.  He agreed it was inappropriate and promised it would never happen again. I swore to never invade his privacy again, as it’s clearly wrong and extremely disrespectful to him. We’ve completely made up and moved forward now. But I’d be lying if I said that incident combined with the one from the Sunday prior didn’t drive a wedge between us for a little bit. Every couple has their ups and downs I suppose, but we could certainly work on keeping things more even-keel between us.

Anyways…it’s pretty clear to me that I need to go back to therapy, but I haven’t quite bit the bullet yet on seeking someone out. In due time; adding it to my extensive honey-do list as we speak! I also think I’d like to have a man therapist this time around. The one therapy experience I have somewhat fond memories from was a man when I was 16 and supposedly had an eating disorder. He helped me a lot; I felt I could tell him anything and never felt judged.  That’s the problem with women, you never know how they might use the information you share with them against you. Men don’t really care and therefore usually don’t remember the things you tell them…lol. Which I sort of love. I even have a male gynecologist! Why I haven’t I thought of this sooner?!

Back to the good stuff though, things are most definitely looking up now. Financially, professionally, relation-ally…I’m really happy with my current situation and truly have no real complaints. Yesterday, I was riding a Lyft scooter back to work, yoga mat strapped to my back, ready to conquer my last call of the day and take a yoga class with work friends. It was a beautiful day, I parked right outside Whole Foods by the office and walked in to get some sushi, then took a breath of fresh air and realized just how lucky I am. “Is this really my life?” I thought, “What an exciting time to be alive.”

Life has it’s ups and downs, that’s for sure. The only thing you can control is your attitude, and how you choose to respond to situations. I can admit with zero hesitation that I haven’t always been the best at maintaining a sunny disposition during tough times, but it’s sometime I want to work on for sure. Like I said – I’m a work in progress, baby!

More to come later.

Never, ever stop growing.

XOXO,
HP

Life moves pretty fast…

Ferris Bueller said it best:

Image result for life moves pretty fast

I’ve been feeling this way a lot lately. Like time is slipping right past me the way sand drips through your hands, impossible to grasp onto. I genuinely understand the meaning of “not enough hours in the day” now. Sometimes it truly feels like I’m living in fast forward. Do I sound like cynical old lady? Maybe that’s what happens when you turn 27.

Yep, that’s right. I am officially 27! As of last Saturday; now one week and one day into my newfound age. We celebrated in the best way, surrounded by all my best friends and family at a surprise dinner put together by my better half, sweet Andrew. I of course did what I always do and built up the event in my head, then felt heartbroken when it seemed nothing was happening. Maybe this girl will never change! I was disappointed and throwing a pity party for myself, which ultimately made the surprise that much sweeter, shocking, and exciting. It was truly a wonderful evening; I felt so happy and so loved. Needless to say, I’m very glad we decided against going to Savannah for the weekend. I can’t imagine anything topping the celebration we had here 🙂

Now it’s Sunday evening (my favorite day to write, apparently) on March 24th, and I’m finally taking a moment to reflect on things. Writing is probably one of the best ways to make life slow down for a bit, and to recognize that the fleeting frenzy we’ve been living in has actually been filled with lots of beautiful experiences.

In my true nature, always contradictory, I’ve also been struggling with feeling like I haven’t been doing enough recently. It’s this constant back and forth between life whipping past me without a moment to spare, and yearning to be doing more, seeing more, experiencing more. And honestly, I attribute the latter to the pitfalls of social media. I have a lot of thoughts about social media and the internet in general; so much so that I should probably write a separate blog post on it. Sometimes I genuinely hope that we’ll all just wake up one day to find that the internet has been wiped out for good. Ironic, I know, since I’m currently writing this ON the internet…but you know what I mean. Social media makes it almost impossible not to compare yourself to others. I’m constantly having my friend’s and stranger’s (aka “influencers”) experiences shoved in my face, and it makes me yearn for MORE. I find myself saying, “ugh, I want to do that”, and it makes me forget about all the amazing things I’ve done and only focus on what else there is out there for me to experience. Don’t get me wrong, social media can be great at times to connect with your friends and gain new ideas, but I believe it can also be detrimental. I want and need to learn how to appreciate more what I already have, rather than constantly dreaming about what I have yet to experience.

 

 

Pisces Season

You heard it here first…it’s Pisces season, people! We’ve now entered March aka my birthday month aka the Astrology period where all of history’s most creative, moody, emotional artists were born. Emphasis on the moody.

The past couple months have been rather tame. Dry January, lots of yoga and an internet cleanse kicked off 2019 in a rarely refreshing way. Then spent most of February making up for lost time drinking, busting my ass at work, and learning how to ski for the first time ever. Our trip to Colorado was definitely the highlight of my year so far, because it was the true test of if we really wanted to move there or not. And it passed 🙂

We of course celebrated Valentine’s Day in the best way possible, at home together with a home-cooked meal by Andrew. Flowers delivered to the office and everything. Then we celebrated Andrew’s birthday, in Denver and at home and with a surprise visit from his parents for dinner this past Saturday. It was a total success and he was so happy/surprised. That’s the best gift, to see him smile.

Now here comes my 27th birthday…slowly approaching. In less than 2 weeks we’ll be heading down to Savannah for the St. Patty’s day parade and to celebrate another trip around the sun. I’ve always been such a big birthday person (well, holidays and any reason to party in general), but I tend to over-hype it in my head then allow myself to get disappointed. Every year I do it, every year it fails to meet my expectations. Might just be part of my personality. This year I’m really gonna try to remain realistic, remove the pressure and just have a good freaking time! Life’s too short.

Anyways, things are good right now. On this day, March 4th at approximately 10:40pm, I feel happy. Floyd is laying on my lap and Andrew and I had a great night making home-made pizzas and watching Game of Thrones. I have no complaints. I would like it to be this way all the time… 🙂

Time to swiffer the floors (gotta keep that to-do list and stick to it) and go to bed. Love myself! Self care! self love!

Xoxo,

HP

 

Working in Sales

It’s almost 10 PM on a Monday night. I’m sitting on the couch, drinking wine and watching Game of Thrones with my boo. But wait a sec, what’s that little thing lingering in the back of my mind? That feeling that never seems to escape me these days? Oh yeah, that’s right….it’s work.

Now not to sound ungrateful or negative, I really do like my job and know that I have it pretty good comparatively. I’m a drama queen by nature so I had to jazz it up a little bit to lure you all in. I imagine that’s something I would’ve learned in that creative writing class I never got around to signing up for: hook them from the beginning!

Oh, great. Have I lost you now? Should’ve known I’d release my line too early; I always manage to talk my way out of things!  ANYWAYS. I’m writing this to talk about my career in sales. The job that never sleeps. I have certainly found my ups and downs in the challenging role I accepted, but I know that it’s perfectly suited to my talents and my professional interests. I’m thankful to have found something that I enjoy and still feel challenged in everyday!

The thing I like about sales is that it’s independent and self-reliant. It’s completely up to me to create my own wins, and I only have myself to blame when I do experience losses. I suppose this goes back to my tennis days, as I always preferred to play singles over doubles. Although I wasn’t extraordinarily better at singles, I liked the ownership of it. I enjoyed knowing that it was all up to me and I had the whole (half) court to myself to determine my destiny. Does this mean I’m a control freak? Why yes, it probably does.

There are definitely some pros and cons to this self-reliant aspect of sales. Pros: I could totally spend a whole day doing nothing if I wanted to and no one would say anything to me (most likely). My manager rarely asks anything of me, unless it’s end of month, and I feel like I can breathe since no one is staring over my shoulder. Cons: I am easily replaceable (lol), if I don’t do well I won’t make as much money, I’m fully responsible for motivating myself (usually not that difficult, thankfully). Pros: the harder I wanna work, the more money I can make…and it’s uncapped. Cons: my schedule is not my own anymore; I’m totally at the mercy of my prospects. Pros: wait what are the pros again?

Just kidding 🙂

I really do like my job. It’s challenging, it’s rewarding, it’s flexible, and it’s fun. I love the people I work with, I laugh everyday, I can come and go as I please without feeling guilty (within reason). What else could a girl in her late 20’s ask for? 🙂

OH, and they’re gonna allow me to move to Denver this year. So I’d say that’s a plus!

Xoxo,

HP

 

Lately…

Oh, how I love Sunday afternoons. Finally have some time to relax, clean the house,  partake in self care, and blog a little bit. Some of my favorite things to do!

I love checking items off my to-do list during a productive weekend. There’s nothing better than that feeling of accomplishment after you’ve ran all your errands, cared for yourself with a face mask and hot bath, tended to your house via vacuuming and laundry, and gathered the ingredients for a nice Sunday evening dinner. I feel clean, hydrated, relaxed, and ready to take on the upcoming week ahead.  Let’s do this!

But first, time to enjoy a quiet moment to myself with my thoughts so I can put them down here in words. The past few weeks have been really fun and productive. After making it through Dry January I felt more clear-headed and way less puffy, but really ready for a drink. It was nice to have weekends sans hangovers so I could get a lot done, though. And the money I saved by not spending $13 a piece on glasses of wine at dinner went towards shopping so I could equip my wardrobe with new clothes. I’ve also been doing yoga a lot more consistently, at least twice a week, so my mind and body feel more in sync than ever. I was certainly glad to be sober towards the end of the month too when work got challenging; I was able to get to 93% of my quota in the 11th hour on the last day of the month, so I was pretty happy about that.

Once February finally decided to turn up after roughly 73 weeks, a night of drinking with coworkers seemed like the best way to kick it off. The first day of this new month happened to land on a Friday, so the sales team decided to gather together for a night of celebration avec Korean BBQ and Karaoke. 6 sake bombs, 4 beers, 2 vodka sodas and a handful of tequila shots later I was down on my hands and knees shaking a tambourine and singing Like a Prayer with more passion than Madonna herself. It was an incredible night and so much fun…just what I needed! The next day was warm and sunny in ATL (rare for February) so of course our debauchery continued, then carried right into Super Bowl Sunday (also in ATL). Needless to say, I made up for lost drinking time real quick!

I think Dry January made me appreciate drinking more, in a way. There have been times in my life where I would dread going out or look at drinking as a chore. But a month of abstaining made me really look forward to a night where I could have a glass of wine at dinner or decide to go out and take shots with a  friend. Which I ended up doing 2 nights ago, when I had dinner with Sara Beth at Bar Mercado in Krog Street. We had a lot of catching up to do which made dinner just seem like not enough, so we decided to keep the night going with after-dinner drinks at Superica followed by Fireball and rowdy dancing at The Warren. It felt like we were back to our old college selves, taking on Athens by storm and leaving a trail of mess behind everywhere we went. I loved every single minute of it! Getting home that night I was a mess and sweet Andrew took care of me into the next morning when I needed lots of carbs and kisses. What would I do without this amazing man?!

Now it’s Sunday night. A weekend full of friends, family, and baby birthday fiestas behind us. I’m sitting on the couch with my man while I blog and he works on his resume. Face mask on, candles going, oils diffusing, and Pretty Woman on in the background. It’s a beautiful life I live. We had spaghetti casserole for dinner (made with love by yours truly), knocked out some laundry, and made a checklist for the week ahead. It’s important to check in with yourself on Sunday evenings so you can level set before taking on a new week. Check in on your mind, body, soul and surroundings to make sure things are chugging along in the right direction as they should. It’s the same as maintaining the gas, oil, and tire pressure in your car. If you forget or ignore these responsibilities, you’ll end up on the side of the road in tears.

Anyways, here’s a short list of a few of my favorite things:

  1. A really good book
  2. Snuggly blankets
  3. Candles. All the candles.
  4. Laughing until it hurts
  5. Perfectly timed music
  6. Wine
  7. Bingeable shows
  8. Discovering old movies that I love for the first time (ex: Father of the Bride most recently)
  9. Colored chapstick and lip gloss (actually addicted)
  10. Day drinking on a sunny day with friends
  11. The beach
  12. A good night’s sleep
  13. Lazy mornings with coffee and nowhere to be
  14. Comfy clothes
  15. Forehead kisses or surprise displays of affection (actually, any displays of affection)
  16. Long hot showers (+ baths)

Time to go to bed. Because I Said So just came on and it’s time for my face mask to come off. Plus it’s 11:35 and I have work tomorrow so I guess I should get to bed. It’s been great catching up…until next time!

Xoxo,

HP

 

 

 

Finding Inspiration

Happy new year, friends 🙂

It’s officially (almost) one month into 2018…and for many people, that means new year’s resolutions are already out the window. I don’t mean to start this post on a negative note, just an honest one. I’d be lying if I said I hadn’t also cheated on my goals thus far, but I’ve really been trying to be more conscious of it (the resolutions and slip-ups) this year. What can I say…I’m a work in progress!

new-year-resolution

One broad goal I have is to put more effort towards working on myself – in every possible way. Creatively, physically, professionally, emotionally, intellectually, etc. This urge originated when I had a recent realization that as an adult, we don’t stumble upon many new learning opportunities. It might sound odd at first, but if you think about how much various material we used to learn in school versus now you’ll probably notice a large gap. Or I did, at least. It seems after we graduate, we pick a career in a certain field and spend eternity learning and growing only in that profession. If you’re lucky, you’ve found work in a passion of yours that you love and enjoy doing, so this growth is welcomed. Though if you’re like the majority of people, you have a job that you don’t really mind but also know that if it weren’t for the money, it likely wouldn’t be part of your daily routine. If you identify with the latter, chances are your growth and advancement in this field alone might leave you feeling slightly…unfulfilled. This is why I feel that it’s important (at least for me) to expand the mind outside of my work. If I could spend 8+ hours a day learning different subjects in school, I can certainly work in a few more tricks and trades nowadays. Right?

While I keep relating my goal back to school, this personal growth certainly does not have to be limited to reading books or “traditional learning”. The type of growth I’m referring to is much more flexible and subjective than that. For example, I’d really like to challenge myself to write more often. I feel writing helps me to navigate through life with greater awareness of my thoughts. A lot of people might not classify writing as “learning” or “growing” in the traditional sense, but I’d have to politely disagree. Writing helps me to learn more about myself; to comprehend in my own words where I am in life, where I want to be, and what I need to do to get there. The satisfaction of understanding myself and recognizing my personal development is one I feel almost instantly when I’m writing. Sometimes I’ll start a post or an entry without even knowing what I’m going to write about, just because it feels good and I know something will come to me eventually. The act of putting my thoughts down and seeing them form on paper is liberating and refreshing, so it’s something I want to spend more time doing.

writing

In order to write more often, I discovered I need to figure out where my inspiration comes from. I titled this post “Finding Inspiration” so that I can come back to it whenever I feel writer’s block coming on. To find that inspiration, I realized that I needed to spend more time working and focusing on myself. Hence why personal development has been the topic of discussion in this post. You see, it dawned on me that my inspiration wasn’t going to be found by sitting around or going blindly about my daily routine. I’m going to have to get more creative than that. This is going to take more reading, exercising, picking up new hobbies, traveling to new places, trying new things, maybe learning a new language, etc. Perhaps a cleanse of the body and mind wouldn’t hurt either. These are the things that make people who they are, that give people their edge and make them interesting and unique. In my opinion, those who become their work are missing out. Sure, they might be extremely successful, but that doesn’t always translate to happiness. The people who take time to exercise their passions and feed their brain new, interesting material are going to have a more well-balanced life. And that is objective 🙂

books

List of goals:

  1. Read 1 (non-work related) book per month
  2. Buy a new canvas each month to encourage painting
  3. Do yoga at least once a week
  4. Grow spiritually…via church or other
  5. See something new at least once a month (i.e. hikes around GA, Blood Mountain anyone?)
  6. Learn how to play the guitar
  7. Learn how to play the piano
  8. Go one month eating clean (Whole 30, maybe?)
  9. Keep in better touch with friends + family, especially the ones that don’t live nearby
  10. Cook at home at least 2x per week. I love cooking!
  11. Learn how to play chess

List of (little things) That Inspire Me:

  1. Smell of bacon in the morning

Inspiration can also come from past experiences. After all, you are what you do.

List of 2017 Experiences:

  1. SKYDIVING

To My Soul Mate…

In April of 2017, I met my soulmate. Not long after that, I began to understand what true love really is, and I’ve continued to learn and grow in that understanding everyday since.

♦ ♦ ♦

“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.”

♦ ♦ ♦

You see, I used to have a distorted view on love and relationships. My Stockholm Syndrome with my previous partner of 5 years was strong, and the anger, fighting, jealousy, and confusion I experienced during that time left me with some heavy baggage. Chaos was all I knew, and the bad habits I gained then still effect me today. But once I decided to break free, it felt like I could finally breathe again. I knew I needed to find my independence and wipe my hands clean of the adversity. I vowed that I would never put myself through a relationship of that nature again. But before I could think about future love endeavors, I knew I had to find myself…

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My journey of finding myself collided with my finding of Andrew almost 2 years ago. Right from the beginning, it was completely different with him. He drew me in like a bug to a light, and I even felt the sparks. I knew there was a connection between us from the moment we locked eyes, and soon thereafter I fell completely in love with him; with his mind, his interests, his ambition, his genuine kindness and view on the world. There was something about his demeanor, humble confidence, and elusive nature that was so intoxicating to me…and made me want more. Each time he’s opened up to me and shown me his true colors, I’ve grown deeper in my admiration for him. I respect, adore, and appreciate him for for everything he is. All I’ve ever wanted is to be there for him, continue to peel back his layers, uncover his raw potential, and help him reach his goals. Being with Andrew, I have always been proud to stand next to him and marvel in his brilliance.

As our relationship progressed, Andrew started to teach me about true love – simply through the way that he loved and cared for me. Here’s some of what I’ve learned:

True love is a partnership. True love is selfless. True love is admiration; being so in awe and so proud of your partner that you take the utmost pride in their accomplishments. True love is protection; being the first one to stand up for your partner and wipe their tears away when they’re sad. True love is encouraging; building your partner up to the point where they understand how amazing they are so they can take on the world with extreme confidence. True love means not being scared to leap because you know you have a safe place to land. True love knows no bounds.

To Mars and Back.

 

Andrew once told me, “you don’t have to go through this alone anymore” when I opened up to him about my past, and it nearly broke something inside of me (in the best way possible). He’s the very first person in my life to take interest in my childhood trauma and encourage me to find peace. He’s the only one that’s ever made me feel truly understood, cared for, and like he truly had my best interest at heart. I can’t even begin to describe what those words meant to me or how grateful I am for his support everyday. I’ve made so much personal progress just by having him there by my side, cheering me on every step of the way. My own personal cheerleader 🙂

Andrew not only makes me feel loved unconditionally by him, he also encourages me to feel more loved by myself. I’ve learned through our relationship and through my own personal development that I need to be whole on my own first, without depending on anyone else to give me what I need, before I can fully commit myself to someone else. He builds me up and fills me with so much love, confidence, support and strength, that it becomes extremely hard to doubt myself. I feel understood, and free to be my true self with him. I’m so grateful for that. Andrew James Davidson…you brought me back to life.

♦♦♦

“A soul mate is not someone who completes you. No, a soul mate is someone who inspires you to complete yourself.”

♦♦♦

(what I love about you…)

Andrew is exactly what I want and what I need, by just being himself. I don’t have to ask him to be who I need him to be, he just is; it’s completely natural. He understands me. He knows what I need and he knows me better than anyone. Better than I know myself.

Andrew is loyal and honest. He is of the highest moral character. Probably from all those years of becoming an Eagle Scout, enduring football, and receiving tough love from his parents (similar to mine). I love his family and hearing stories of his upbringing. I love that he knows how to do pretty much everything, from starting a fire to mounting a TV and even sewing a button on. I love that he loves to watch football, create art, and plan our future travels.  I love that he lives to learn and currently, is totally consumed by his interests in spreadsheets, data, reporting, systems, analytics. I love how much he loves it. It lights a fire in me to see him pursue his passions. He makes me so incredibly proud.

Andrew, in his kind and gentle nature, encourages me to pursue my dreams. He inspires me to do more, reach higher, keep going. I’ve never felt so excited about the future in my life than I do with him by my side. He’s allowed me to see that our capabilities (and possibilities) are limitless. Through his love and his vision, I feel rejuvenated.

I love that Andrew takes care of so much in our lives without me ever having to ask. He cooks and cleans, hangs our pictures and organizes our…everything. He makes the bed every morning. He does laundry and takes out the trash. Anytime I come home after a long day to see that he’s lit candles and started dinner, already taken out Floyd and put away the dishes…I want to break down and cry tears of happiness. The best part is, is that he does it completely on his own. Not because he’s trying to impress me or earn brownie points, but because he genuinely wants to pitch in around the house. He’s just a good man and he loves our little family, and that thought alone makes my chest tight and warm with emotion.

Most of all, I love that Andrew is committed to reaching for higher heights everyday and I love that he told me “I’ll grow with you, babe”. We are growing individually and together, and although sometimes the roads are rocky and certainly not always easy, we are committed to finding our way and making it through. I know that no matter where we go or what we want to achieve in life, we can lean on each other and lift one another up until we reach our goals. That is the most exhilarating and simultaneously comforting feeling I could ever imagine. I love knowing he’ll always be there.

Andrew is everything I’ve ever wanted and all the things I never knew I needed. I absolutely love our life together. He is the best partner, best teammate, biggest supporter, greatest caretaker, sweetest puppy daddy, and the calmest spirit I’ve ever met. I never want anyone else by my side. And now that I know you’re reading: thank you for everything, baby. You warm my heart. I love you harder every single day.

My sun and my stars. I love you to Mars and Back.

Yours, forever and always,

HP

2019 New Year’s Resolutions

Ah, new year’s resolutions. A friend to some, a foe to many more. I have always been a huge fan and proponent of resolutions; I love the idea of starting fresh in the new year with strongly defined goals and growth plans. I actually can’t remember a single year of my life where I didn’t set new year’s resolutions. Except for maybe when I was a tiny baby and couldn’t write or form thoughts. But if I could have, I probably would have made some pretty sweet goals – like learning how to talk and walk.

Image result for new year's resolution

Anyways, I wrote these down on paper a couple weeks ago and decided to transfer it to the interwebs. Consolidation is a goal of mine and I like the idea of keeping everything in one place on this blog. Although I have tried to get away from this blog and start new several times, I always find myself coming back to Diary of a Daydreamer (5 years strong now)! If you’re interested, read through my resolutions below. You might notice that I’ve tried to identify a defined number or timeline for many of these so I can actually measure my progress (i.e. “exercise 3-4x per week” vs. “workout more”). Hopefully this will help me when I look back mid-year to try and determine how far I’ve come or how well I’ve stuck to my goals.

Here goes…

  1. Dry January – (halfway there!)
  2. Find dog walker for Floyd – √ (thanks Wag!)
  3. Yoga 1-2x per week
  4. Exercise 3-4x per week (includes Yoga and long walks with Floyd)
  5. Aim to lead with trust and assume goodwill in all situations
  6. Live below my means
  7. Find a charity to give back to (with time, not money) by February 2019
  8. Write at least 1x per week
  9. Put $100 per paycheck into savings
  10. Get a promotion by March/April 2019
  11. Practice Keyboard 1x per week
  12. Social media less (monitor screen time on iPhone, reduce 5% weekly)
  13. Read 10 new books
  14. Paint, draw, create 1x per week
  15. Listen to music and download new songs monthly
  16. Refresh iPad and put to use more consistently by February 2019
  17. Sell or recycle unused technology by Feb 2019 (i.e. Amazon Fire)
  18. Get a personal laptop by March 2019 √ (chromebook, heyyyyy!)
  19. Learn to practice patience
  20. Move to DENVER!

I like to think of these resolutions as “fluid”. Not that I’m necessarily going to remove any, because I don’t plan to, but perhaps I’ll edit, tweak, or add to them as the year goes on. I hope I will continue to revisit this list throughout the year rather than let it become a new year “fad” (which I think gets back to the root of why many people dislike resolutions). I’m shooting for more of a consistent 12-month growth plan…ya feel?

So here’s to 2019. May we never stop growing.

Xoxo,

HP

Reasons I Love Yoga

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One of my (many) 2019 new year’s resolutions is to start practicing yoga more consistently. I’ve been going to classes intermittently for the past several years and have always been attracted to the idea of yoga, but this year I decided it was finally time to get more regular in my practice. Thanks to Christmas, I received a beautiful new yoga mat from my sister and new Lululemon leggings from my mom. Needless to say, with my flashy new accessories and unrelenting eagerness to start the new year off right, I was ready to conquer the studio! Andrew and I  went to a class at CorePower down the street on a rainy Sunday morning and that day I purchased a membership, pretty much sealing the deal and guaranteeing that my butt would be back in class.

Although it’s only January 14th, I have managed to attend 5 classes now in the past 2 weeks – so I’m off to a pretty good start! They say it takes 21 days to form a habit, and I’m pretty darn close. Gotta keep it up for the remaining 50 weeks of the year though, that’ll be the true test! One thing that has always helped me stick with my commitments is to go back to the root and remember why I started. So the other day I began to think about all the reasons I really love yoga, and I made a list below that I can come back to throughout the year when I (inevitably) start slacking off.

  1. It’s rejuvenating – I have never once left a class feeling worse than I did when I came in. Always better, every time.
  2. It promotes self-love and self-confidence – “I am strong, I am powerful, I have everything I need”
  3. It encourages you to connect deeper with the world and people around you.
  4. It discusses spirituality and connection with God, without specifying or singling out any particular religion or belief over another.
  5. It allows you to get to know yourself and your body – through introspection, deliberate focus on your breath, and slow, deep movements you really begin to formulate the connection between your inner and outer self, while understanding and challenging your physical limitations.
  6. You get to make love to your body.
  7. It gives you one hour to be self-centered and let the rest of the world melt away. That’s right, be selfish sometimes! Focus on you, your inner self, your breathing. Set an intention for yourself, manifest it through your practice, and bring it out into the world.
  8. There is no yelling. (Thank the Lord)
  9. It recognizes that everyone is different – there are variations and modifications for every level of yogi as to not discriminate or make anyone feel inferior in class.
  10. It embraces imperfection – everyone falls down sometimes and that’s okay. The important thing is that you get back up and meet yourself where you left off.
  11. The music is fantastic.
  12. It values the little things. You literally feel proud of yourself for simply coming to your mat, even if you stay in child’s pose the entire time. I mean there’s actually a pose where you lay on your back with your eyes closed (Shavasana)…kinda like sleeping…but it’s yoga so it’s different, duh.
  13. It inspires progression throughout the flow by challenging yourself to take each pose a little deeper, every time.
  14. It encourages happiness! Good vibes only on the mat, people.
  15. The clothes are super cute. (not sorry, it’s true…I mean have you seen Spiritual Gangster? )
  16. It promotes the ideas of enlightenmentrebirth and balance in all parts of life. If you can bring the teachings of yoga beyond your mat into your everyday routine, I believe you’ll see a huge difference in perspective and how you react in situations.

Yoga can teach you much more than just poses. Yoga can teach you about life. Yoga can give you the wisdom to positively change your outlook, and the world. I strongly believe that yoga could teach our nation’s leaders how to settle their differences in a more effective manner, and maybe even turn the government back on, if they’d be willing to practice. Though I know that’s a stretch – literally. But I figure if I can personally commit myself to regular yoga, then I’ll at least be doing my part. So like my Yogi tea says, I have to emulate strong character and commitment in order to build a steady routine.

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I don’t know if it’s the yoga, the reduced time on social media, or the 14 sober days of “dry January” that I’ve completed so far, but I’m feeling pretty good right now. Positive energy seems to be abundant in 2019 and something tells me it’s only going to get better from here. I’m ready to own it. Who’s with me?

(If you’re interested in learning my other resolutions for 2019, click here)

Xoxo & Namaste,

HP

 

 

 

The Year of Growth (2018)

If 2017 was my year of change, then 2018 was my year of growth. Here are some things I’ve learned during this most recent trip around the sun:

– It’s extremely important to put effort towards staying in touch with your family and friends; simply “liking” their posts on social media doesn’t count, but is encouraged 😉

– It’s very easy and almost second nature to be critical of yourself, but much more rewarding to recognize your strengths and build yourself up

– Listening is an extremely special art that very, very few people have mastered; if you can learn how to listen – truly listen – you can rule the world

– Traveling is an invigorating experience and possibly the best way to gain new perspective, but there really is no place like home

– Home doesn’t necessarily have to be a place, it can be a person, a feeling, or a state of mind

– Reading, writing, drawing, and creating are some of the most important and constructive things a person can do for personal development and happiness

– Happiness is an accomplishment

– You should be your own best friend – don’t depend on others to give you what you need

– Social media is largely fake and often harmful to our self esteem; real people are much more beautiful

– Don’t take anything personally; other people’s behavior is almost always a reflection of their internal struggles and has nothing to do with you

– The outdoors are magnificent; camping, hiking, or simply getting some fresh air can help you unwind and recharge

– Laughter is the best medicine, and time heals all wounds

– Being nice isn’t always easy but is almost always the better choice

– If you make a commitment, stick to it

– When in doubt, just say yes! Experiences are what make up your life (but also never feel bad for choosing to stay at home in your PJ’s every now and then)

– Figure out who you are and be that, then never apologize

– If you don’t exercise, bad things will happen

– You can’t put a price tag on health and wellness; your body is your temple and it’s the only one you get – take care of it!

– Less is more

– Your appearance is important but it is not the end all be all. Be mindful of how you present yourself (especially in a professional setting) but remember that it’s what’s on the inside that really matters

– It’s okay to disagree with people; everyone is entitled to their own opinion and just because someone’s beliefs differ from yours does not (necessarily) mean they’re wrong

– Education is so important; never, ever, stop learning

– It takes a lot more energy to stay angry than to laugh something off

– Take time to reconnect with yourself as often as you can

– Instead of thinking about all the things you don’t like about yourself, make a list of the things you LOVE about yourself (feels uncomfortable at first but is very rewarding)

– Cooking is an art and a fun way to express your creativity in the kitchen. Cooking rice, however, is an extreme sport that I have yet to master. (any tips are welcome)

Overall, 2018 was a good year and I feel happier and more like myself than ever before. I’m ready to accept anything and everything that 2019 has to offer. Bring it on!