Closet challenge

I love Sabrina's challenge to herself! We are inspiring each other to be better people!!! What are good friends for? Now, before I get to mushy challenges to better me I'm still continuing to work on my closet.  Below are outfits from week 2.  I've ran into maybe 3 outfits that I will donate.  It is challenging to wear everything but has also been a lot of fun to see the versatility and creativity I can use in my wardrobe.  I hope you are all enjoying and stay tuned for week 3!!' 

Forgiveness February

I had a plan, like a really good plan. For February I was going to focus on fitness. Have a minimum mileage I was going to run, focus on a goal around lifting, go to a fitness class, practice yoga, do all the workouts I obnoxiously pinned on Pinterest.- the whole shebang. And then it happened, I turned 30 and pulled my back walking down the stairs after bowling two days before.

So between the plethora of drugs I was diagnosed to ease the unrelenting pain (Norco, Vicodin, 600 mg of ibuprofen, and other muscle relaxers) and an order from the doctor to take 2 weeks off, I realized that was not possible.  So 9 days into February what could I possibly do?  Well, mix a couple of those meds with a couple glasses of wine and a friend from kindergarten and you begin to think of all the things you should have done--when you were 15.

My friend Laura was my first friend ever. Like true kindergarten love, I cut shoe laces for this girl and we grew up down the street from each other and hung out every day. Through high school our friendship got tested through mean girls, boyfriends, secrets, and other things as do most. However, we fought through the BS and eventually she introduced me to my husband (this story is too long to tell so I will save this for another day)

That bae on my left is her.


So we grew up together, and after a couple glasses of wine we started talking about high school.  I think I have been harboring some resentment.

Have you ever asked yourself, "If I went back to high school what would I do differently?"

I wasn't nice. I was "popular" for the wrong reasons -because I tried. I hurt people. I cheated on my high school boyfriend and I was mean to people my friends weren't friends with. The sad thing is, growing up isn't much different. There is a girl at work I honestly just don't like. I would say hate, but on a blog and without a back story- that just sound harsh. She is rude, she calls me out in front of my peers and she has no experience or tact. It's hard to work with her but for some reason I find myself wanting her to like me.

This month, I am letting it go.  There are so many other experiences I can think of and eventually some I will tell. But since I am a little higher then usual (this is prescribed by doctors-thank you very much) and I feel as a result I am pretty insightful, I'm moving on.   I am not the person I was 12 years ago, and I don't need to hate that girl two cubicles down. I am going to work on forgiving the person I was and focus on the person I am, and the person I can be. I don't need to be jealous of other people and I need to focus on my self. So this month- I am moving on. I am forgiving myself for being where I thought I would be at 30, I am appropriately confronting issues that are bothering me, and I am believing that I can not control the actions of others.

What have you had to let go of without an apology or conversation. Have you moved on from hurting someone or being hurt? How do you go about forgiving others?

-SA

Closet Challenge Week 1

Week 1 of the closet challenge was fun! I wore some old pieces mixed with some new ones.  I also knew I had to go for the items that have a shelf life of a couple months in the winter.  I got back into some pattern on pattern and played with my lip color.  Can't wait to see what my closet has in store for me next week! 

Closet Challenge

Closet Challenge Accepted!!!

We've based this Blog on commitment and follow through.  So far my efforts have obviously been lacking.  But I do know one area where my commitment and follow through is quite spectacular, some might even say I am an over achiever.  That area would be shopping and collecting clothing.  I have a constant flow of clothing that builds in my closet and when going through it this past week to see what was dated I decided that my commitment to my closet is too good.  There are pieces that are still cute that I haven't worn in forever.  This got me thinking..there is no way I wear all of what I have in my closet yet I keep buying more?!  This has got to STOP.

I challenge myself to wear each piece in my closet once consecutively until I have worn each item at least once! Now there are a few rules and exceptions.

 Rule 1:  Can not wear same item twice.
Rule 2:  Can not buy anything new until challenge complete (this is going to be the hardest especially with the new spring collection coming in)
Rule 3: If i wear something twice I have to give that outfit away.
Rule 4:  If the outfit is voted a disaster I get to donate it (votes can be from friends and coworkers)

Exceptions:  Layering pieces can be worn more than once but HAVE to be worn at least once.  Bottoms are not included. just what is physically hanging in my closet.

Let the fashion begin!!!

#JoyfulJanuary

Webster's definition of Resolution "the act of finding an answer or solution to a conflict, problem, etc : the act of resolving something."

My definition of Resolution "something I commit to in order to better myself that becomes a pain in my ass and I no longer have the patience to do it after a month"

Past resolutions:
Run a half marathon
Eat healthy
Become a vegetarian (again, for the 100th time)
Stop drinking soda
Stop swearing
Call my family and friends more
Stop using my phone in front of company
Stop texting while driving (you honestly don't have to tell me how horrible this is...I know.)
Be nicer and stop gossiping

I obviously still swear, the longest I've ran is 10 miles, I juiced for a day, nothing tastes better with a Chipotle chicken burrito than a Coca-Cola (there goes two in one sitting), being sarcastic is in my blood and I would stop breathing without Instagram and my phone. So, the short story is I have NEVER kept a resolution- sad.

This year I am doing something different.  A few years ago I read The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin.  The best thing about this book was that none of her resolutions lasted more then a month goals were created in a time obtainable way by exploring one change she wanted to focus on for the month.  That sounds like something my noncommittal brain can focus on and I have my BFF Shan to help me out. January is a month of new, we are literally on day 1 of a new year, a blank page, a new book. So then I had to brainstorm what is best way to start a new year?

Well, I do want to take my physical health more seriously (back the gym I go), I would like to learn how to cook, maybe follow through with a detox. I would like to stop swearing, learn how to knit, appreciate my friends and family more, be more generous, pay off debts, focus on my mental health, work harder, drink less.... etc.  But in all honesty, I'm a grumpy bitch. Every day pisses me off. It's too cold, it's too hot, the sun isn't out, it got dark early, I'm tired, I have headache, I'm hungry, my stomach hurts, everyone is better than me, everyone is dumb... Oscar the Grouch is my spirit animal. I complain on my way out the door to go to work and complain about my day as soon as I get home. I've lost before I even started. This is a behavior that is as habitual as blinking, I don't even notice I do it. With this attitude I can literally talk myself out of anything (it's actually more like the worlds shittiest talent). So this needs to change before I can be successful at any of the other things I listed. This month is JOYFUL JANUARY.  I live a pretty bomb life and I know this, so I am going to focus on these things. Is it cold as hell outside, heck yeah it is. But it is also sunny, I have the day off, I spent last night with seven amazing friends ringing in the new year. How lucky am I?

What resolutions do you have?  How do you plan on following through with them? And let's hold each other accountable as we start this brand new year off with a bang!