Gotta Drink More H2O...

I've already shared some of my 2013 resolutions. I'm working on making them into more specific goals. One of my goals for this year is to drink more water. I know there are days when I definitely don't drink enough and I know I need to. I don't need to ramble on about the benefits of drinking lots of H2O since I'm sure you know! I also have a history of kidney stones in my family and I definitely do not want to get those - I hear staying super hydrated helps ward them off.

So I finally bought this awesome water bottle I've been eyeing for months - HydraCoach! It tracks your water intake based on how much you should drink per day. They base this on your weight. On my first day of using it, it definitely reiterated how much I need more water! At 4:30 pm, I only drank 26% of what I was supposed to be drinking! I'm guessing it should be closer to 50%. So here's to more hydration and I hope this handy water bottle helps...

Another resolution I didn't write much on is expanding this crazy little blog right here. I love blogging, writing and sharing thoughts with other bloggers! I am hoping to reach more people, connect with more bloggers, write more, use more of my own photos instead of googled ones, etc. If I could make some money from it, that'd be the icing on the cake!

Keep posted for more specific goals in 2013... I plan to track my goal of training and running a 5K, eating healthier, finding my passions, etc.

What are your goals/resolutions? Tell me about it! Let's chat on Twitter too!

P.S. Thanks Melissa Rose Design for the awesome new signature for my blog!

My 2013 Resolutions

1. Work out 5-6 days a week! Some weeks my goal is to exercise every day and other weeks I need more rest, so I think 5 days is pretty realistic. I have lots of choices: Zumba, running (probably more on a treadmill than outside in the winter), recumbent bike, elliptical, kettle bells, Just Dance, etc.

2. More specifically to my fitness goal: run a 5K. I'm thinking in the spring... Color Run? Any other suggestions?

2. This is my main goal: eat healthier! I'm thinking of only allowing myself to have sweets one day a week or something like that to cut back on unhealthy treats. I'll keep you posted on this.

3. Make more money and make work more enjoyable. I love working from home but not all of my jobs are ideal. I'm hoping to get raises this year (I recently realized that most consultants or freelancers charge much more than I do and I haven't had any raises in the two years I've been doing this...)

4. Find my passion. While number 3 is a more short-term resolution, I also hope to find my passion in a career. I know that I love working from home with flexible hours, I love writing/social media/marketing, health and fitness, etc. I'd love to figure out a career to connect all three.

5. Grow my blog!

6. Finish my online classes. I was plugging along pretty well and enjoying it, but in the past few months I've gotten busy and/or lazy and haven't worked on them.

What are your goals or resolutions for 2013?

My First Booty Shake With Zumba

One of my goals for this year was to try new ways to stay fit and have fun. I’ve always been interested in trying Zumba after hearing so many good things about it. I’ve been reluctant because I’m not that greatest dancer or the most coordinated person in the world. Yet I still wanted to try it and see what it was like. A lady I knew from my church taught Zumba classes there but it is always at times I can’t attend. So when I found out about a Heart2Heart party she was hosting that featured Zumba, yoga, meditation and self-massage, I knew I had to go! I enlisted a friend and we signed up, ready to shake our booties.

Much like yoga, Zumba is all about enjoying your own practice and doing what you are able to do, but with a twist. The music was blaring heart pumping songs and new moves kept coming. I was nervous I wouldn’t be able to catch up or I would do the moves totally wrong, but I quickly realized that it didn’t really matter, as long as you were moving! No one was doing the moves perfectly or “completely correct”. Zumba is all about getting your heart beating and your feet moving towards a healthier body. I had a blast! I didn’t care what I looked like (it was probably very amusing to watch), but it was so much fun to dance around to happy music, clapping my hands and shaking my booty! I definitely hope to start taking Zumba classes because it was such a fun workout!

Next came yoga with a different instructor. It was a shorter session than I am used to, but very relaxing and rewarding nonetheless. Then a massage therapist taught us some self-massage techniques and reminded us to drink, drink, drink water for our health! I learned that the center of our immune system is in the area right between our chest and it helps amp it up to rub it a little bit with small circles. Small circles seemed to be the key – rub your head, face, neck, etc. with your fingers using small circles to ease tension and stress. Also remember, we hunch so much during the day while we walk, type, text and much more, so arch back and open up your chest for a nice stretch. We ended the night with meditation, door prizes and snacks. Proceeds for the event went to help National Heart Month (check your ticker!).

All in all, I’m so glad I went! Not only did I get to spend time with a great friend, I tried something new and loved it. I definitely hope to start taking Zumba classes along with my yoga routine.
Have you ever tried Zumba or gone to an event like this? Tell me about it!


See the original article on ASKinyourface.com. 


Please visit Michelle Haight’s Zumba website.

Update: I Just Wanna Buy Those Boots!

It has been about a week of my no shopping challenge. I have been trying to keep busy so I don't have the urge to shop, but that doesn't always solve the problem.

I've realized the things I most desire to buy are makeup and beauty products. Probably because I love magazines and there are so many beauty ads in magazines and on TV with constant new products! I love trying new beauty products.

Another thing I've been lusting over is new boots. Right around the holidays, I found the perfect boots. I am pretty picky about shoes so these seemed to be everything I wanted. I don't really have great shoes for going out on the weekends for the winter months. Unfortunately they didn't have my size at a local DSW, so lately I've been dying to go see if they have them yet and see how they fit. Then I realize I am not supposed to buy them.

This week all I've spent money on is food a few times, gas for my car and supplies for my cake decorating class. Today I'll be spending some money at the chiropractor but I think that will be it, hopefully for the weekend!

What advice do you have for me?

Happy 2012: My Goals

First of all, Happy New Years Eve! I hope everyone has an absolute blast tonight and remember to be safe! I hope 2012 is a great year filled with happy, healthy and fun memories for everyone.

Now on to my goals of the new year...

I'm definitely one of those people that loves making new goals and resolutions. Unfortunately, I am also one of those people that has a hard time keeping them. Looking back on my blog, I ran across some of my old goals. Here's a list I made in 2009 and I did accomplish some of them (I crossed out the things I've done in the past two years):

My Goals started in 2009:

1. Do not go on the Internet for one week. (These Internet goals are kind of impossible now due to the work I do...)

2. Use the Internet only an hour a day for one month. 

3. Graduate and receive my Bachelor's Degree from OU.

4. Write and publish a novel.

5. Collect 100 DVDs. (I now own 77, including TV series on DVD)

6. Get a famous writer or someone from a writing job to read/like my blog.

7. Get an apartment with Krissy.

8. Have 5 people recommend me a book and read them, no matter what they are. (Don't really remember if I have done this...)

9. Go on a weekend camping/hiking trip.

10. Go to Disney Land in Florida. (Will do in March!)

11. Visit Europe. (Spain, England, and France are my top places I want to go to.)

12. Do not buy anything for myself for one month besides needs (Try longer afterwards?).

13. Learn to tune a guitar.

14. Learn to play at least 3 songs on guitar.

15. Take a yoga class for at least a month.

16. Give up sweets for one month.

17. Really organize my clothes and sell the ones I rarely wear or don't need. (Could do this again though...)

18. Run in a marathon. 

19. Participate in a walk, bike ride, or run towards a cause. (Possibly diabetes).

20. Write a song and have someone write music for it.

21. Climb a rock wall. 

22. Donate and plant a tree somewhere.

23. Sew a blanket for someone.

24. Visit Chicago and New York City.

25. See one of my favorite comedians live.

26. Mail a secret to PostSecret.

27. Put together and publish a book of 100 blogs I've written.

28. Swim with dolphins. 

29. Meet Will Ferrell. 

30. Work on the "Life List" of goals with Kevin... some are included in this list.

31. Identify 100 things that make me happy and post them where I will see them frequently.

32. Take a photography class.

33. Throw a summer BBQ party.

34. Have my palm read.

Since then I've added some newer goals. For 2012 here are some additional things I'd like to do...

1. I'd really love to have a really healthy diet and get my parents on board with it too. Having so many sweets around my house is way too tempting sometimes.

2. I am taking a cake decorating class in January and that is something I've always wanted to do!

3. Take a Zumba class.

4. Regularly exercise: keep doing yoga at least once a week and work out at home (my parents have a treadmill, elliptical, and recumbent bike and some other work out gear which makes it very convenient!).
5. Save and earn enough money in 2012 to move into an apartment and be more independent.

Please tell me: what are your goals or resolutions for 2012?

Also, what would you like to see from my blog in 2012?

My New Goals For A Better Me

I am always looking for ways to improve myself. I make "promises" to myself about working out more or eating healthier and always seem to break them. This time, I am making specific goals and putting them up next to my mirror behind my laptop, a place I see very often.


1. Take at least an hour a day to be away from technology. I think like most people, I am often on my laptop, cell phone, iPod, and have the TV on almost simultaneously. My Blackberry is with me at all times and I depend on my laptop for work projects every day. While technology is amazing and I love it a lot...at times it is a little much. When my iPod, Blackberry and laptop all buzz at the same time from an email - it can make me frazzled! I want to take an hour per day to step away from my laptop, TV, iPod, and put my phone on silent. This will allow me to work out, step out of the house to run errands, pay more attention to a friend, read, etc.

2. Do yoga once a week. A long time ago when I started to get into yoga, I purchased a bunch of classes at a local yoga studio with a student discount. The last time I went, I realized I had many prepaid classes ready for me that I get too busy to use. I am going to find a class at a good time for me and go once a week until my prepaid classes are used up and then decide if I want to continue practicing further.

3. Save, save, save!!! I am pretty terrible at saving money. I love to shop and try new products. I'm saving up to buy a used car in the spring, so I have to start being more careful with my money. This will be tough but I know I can save lots if I put my mind to it!

I am sure I will come up with more goals, but here is what I have so far! Tell me about your goals!

I Want to be Fit For my Future!

I always talk about goals I want to make to be healthier but never seem to get around to them. I always marvel at blogs of healthy and fit girls that just seem to glow with happiness. I start to eat healthier or work out more for a few days then always end up getting too busy, getting too lazy, or whatever excuses we all use to opt into watching TV and mindless snacking instead.

If you feel the same as me or are interested in being accountable for your health, comment here! I want to get some other wonderful blog friends to keep me going on my quest for healthier living. :)

Here are my goals:

1. I want to eat healthier. While I did learn I have a faster than normal metabolism and can eat whatever and not really gain weight as of right now, I know mindless snacking and unhealthy treats all the time aren't good for me. I know eating healthier would make me feel better.

-I want to eat at least one fruit and one vegetable a day, hopefully more
-I want to eat yogurt every day (I don't really like other dairy and yogurt helps digestion)
-Keep the intake of salty and sweet snacks down (I tend to crave a lot of sweets and salty snacks, not all bad but I eat way too much of it when I am not even hungry)
-In general, I am not looking to be super strict with what I eat and count calories or anything, but I would like to be more mindful of what I am eating and go for healthier options instead of junk food

2. Do some kind of exercise every day. Often I opt for watching TV when I am bored when I could be doing something more active. I use the excuse that I don't want to shower and get ready again, or I just ate, or I am too lazy but there are plenty of things to do that aren't that strenuous.

My favorite ways to exercise (Do something each day!):
-Play tennis
-Bike ride
-Run
-Walk
-Play Wii (Just Dance, Cardio Boxing, Wii Sports, etc.)
-Yoga

Trying to think of more...

3. Stretch! I have back problems that aren't helped by the amount of time I need to spend on my computer because of work. I know doing stretches will help, along with exercise. I am hoping to stretch each morning.

Now I would like to hear from YOU! Would you be interested in hearing a recap of my day as far as my goals go in addition to my regular posts? Or would that be too much posting from me? I would love to hear your opinions and if anyone would like to join me in my quest for better health! :)

My 2011 Goals

I'm finally getting around to doing this. Writing my goals for 2011. I keep reading many, many blog posts with goals and resolutions and people saying they have a great feeling about 2011. 2011 hasn't started that great for me and I am working on changing my attitude about it. I just certainly hope everyone else is right and 2011 becomes a great year!

My Work Goals:
1. Ask more questions! I don't know about any of you, but in the moment I often blank out when I am nervous. I forget to ask questions and then mess up because I couldn't think of what I wanted to say. So I want to work on communicating much more effectively.

2. Learn as much as I possibly can! This is a given. This is my first job after graduation and I know it has been sent to me for a reason. There's so much to learn and I am just trying to get better each and every day.

3. Be positive! This goes for everything in my life. Be positive in every situation because that is really all you can do to stay happy. I tend to be a perfectionist and get really hard on myself when I don't do things right. I need to just focus on learning experiences and trying to be better in everything I do and not beat myself up for it.

My Personal Life Goals:
1. Spend more times with my pets! As I am writing this, Buddy is crawling around on my lap. I want to get him out and playing more often and spend more time with Hannah too.

2. Move my booty more! I was thinking of joining a gym, but I'm not sure I want to spend the money. I just bought a Wii, so that helps! So for now, there are plenty of things I can be doing to work out or simply get moving a little and I plan to do that.

3. Eat better! Having a new job where I have to bring a lunch a few times a week definitely helps. By packing my lunch the night before, I can make sure I have mostly healthy options. I have a big sweet tooth so I want to work on being healthier. I know it will help me feel better.

4. Spend more time doing things! When I have days off or nothing to do, I tend to latch on to three things: my laptop, my TV, and my cell phone. All are great things, but all make me a zombie to an electronic screen. My goal is to read more, spend more time with friends, and simply just do other things that may be more beneficial to me.

So tell me, what are your goals for 2011?

Day Eight...

Day eight features short term goals for this month...

1. Work out a few times a week. I am pretty out of shape but this month I am starting to work out with a friend once a week and I got some new fitness games I am hoping to keep doing during the week also.

2. Keep up with school work. I am pretty good with this but it is always a goal when school is on.

3. Read more at night before I go to sleep instead of watch TV.

4. Work on my final portfolio for my journalism major. I need to turn in one before graduation in December.

New Years Goals

I'll admit. I'm not too good with goals so I tend to avoid writing them. Sure, I'm great at to-do lists and short-term goals, but long-term "for myself" types. Those often fall by the wayside. So this year I am really going to try!

1. Finish my novel by the time I graduate college. This gives me about a year! So far I've got about 25 pages done and an outline for the whole thing. I just have to actually sit down and write, write, write.

2. Start up yoga again. I've discovered no one will go with me, which sucks, but I have to just stop being lazy and nervous about going alone and just do it. Not only is it some much needed exercise (I look fit, but I never work out...another bad habit of mine!) but definitely a good way to relax and ease my anxiety.

3. Be a better saver. I need to stop buying things frivolously, especially when I am working less this semester due to school and an unpaid internship. This is so hard for me because I love shopping (hello retail therapy!) but I need to save and save is what I shall do!

4. Find a new place to live. Our lease is up at the end of April and my roommate and I want to find somewhere else to live. Our upstairs neighbors are constantly annoying and now people who just moved in who share our carport keep leaving us notes saying we are parking too close to them. Ugh, can't people just relax about minuscule things? But regardless, I definitely want to find somewhere else.

That is about all I have for now. I'd love any ideas you guys have to stick with my goals and I want to hear yours! Also, be sure to enter my first contest ever!

A New Goal Begins

Upon hearing that I didn't get the internship I applied for for the summer a few thoughts immediately rushed into my head.

Wow, a really generic rejection e-mail? Really?

My aunt works there... what a smack.

I was banking on making all that money for the summer to save up for the fall! What am I going to do now?

Thank God those feelings passed quickly. I am definitely glad to be feeling upbeat for the most part on this whole situation and I guess that tells me I didn't want it badly enough in the first place. I began thinking of more time spent with friends, summer classes to be taken, and just in general not working my butt off all summer. I am definitely not into working at Organize-It much longer (Sorry guys!) so I am going to start applying at places and this leads me to this entry.

I am officially starting my goal of only shopping for things I need and not buying things frivolously and managing my money better. It starts at a good time as my credit union is changing and I have to activate a new debit card tomorrow. New card, fresh start. 

To keep track, I'm gonna write on here all the things I spend. Having to write it all down for people to read will definitely help me. I still have to buy food and I definitely don't want to give up going to the movies with friends and what not... I still will have to buy certain things (shampoo, vitamins... you get the idea) but I will definitely try not to just go out and buy that new purse I am eyeing or anything like that.

Wish me luck! (And don't invite me to go shopping ;)

101 Goals in 1001 Days.

I came across this idea on a website and I thought it was really cool and worthwhile. Making a list of 101 goals to be completed over 1001 days (About 2 years and 9 months). 

*From this blog and also seems to be inspired by this day zero website.

The Mission:

Complete 101 preset tasks in a period of 1001 days.

The Criteria:
Tasks must be specific (ie. no ambiguity in the wording) with a result that is either measurable or clearly defined. Tasks must also be realistic and stretching (ie. represent some amount of work on my part).

Why 1001 Days?
Many people have created lists in the past - frequently simple goals such as new year’s resolutions. The key to beating procrastination is to set a deadline that is realistic. 1001 Days (about 2.75 years) is a better period of time than a year, because it allows you several seasons to complete the tasks, which is better for organising and timing some tasks such as overseas trips or outdoor activities.

Some common goal setting tips:
1. Be decisive. Know exactly what you want, why you want it, and how you plan to achieve it.

2. Stay Focussed. Any goal requires sustained focus from beginning to end. Constantly evaluate your progress.

3. Welcome Failure. Frequently, very little is learned from a venture that did not experience failure in some form. Failure presents the opportunity to learn and makes the success more worthy.

4. Write down your goals. It clarifies your thinking and reinforces your commitment.

5. Keep your goals in sight. Review them frequently, and ensure that they are always at the forefront of your thinking.

Here is what I have so far. I will keep adding as I think of new things.

My Goals:

1. Do not go on the Internet for one week.

2. Use the Internet only an hour a day for one month. 

3. Graduate and receive my Bachelor's Degree from OU.

4. Write and publish a novel.

5. Collect 100 DVDs. (I now own 77, including TV series on DVD)

6. Get a famous writer or someone from a writing job to read/like my blog.

7. Get an apartment with Krissy.

8. Have 5 people recommend me a book and read them, no matter what they are. (0/5)

9. Go on a weekend camping/hiking trip.

10. Go to Disney Land in Florida. 

11. Visit Europe. (Spain, England, and France are my top places I want to go to.)

12. Do not buy anything for myself for one month besides needs (Try longer afterwards?).

13. Learn to tune a guitar.

14. Learn to play at least 3 songs on guitar.

15. Take a yoga class for at least a month.

16. Give up sweets for one month.

17. Really organize my clothes and sell the ones I rarely wear or don't need.

18. Run in a marathon. 

19. Participate in a walk, bike ride, or ride towards a cause. (Possible diabetes).

20. Write a song and have someone write music for it.

21. Climb a rock wall. 

22. Donate and plant a tree somewhere.

23. Sew a blanket for someone.

24. Visit Chicago and New York City.

25. See one of my favorite comedians live.

26. Mail a secret to PostSecret.

27. Put together and publish a book of 100 blogs I've written.

28. Swim with dolphins. 

29. Meet Will Ferrell. 

30. Work on the "Life List" of goals with Kevin... some are included in this list.

31. Identify 100 things that make me happy and post them where I will see them frequently.

32. Take a photography class.

33. Throw a summer BBQ party.

34. Have my palm read.