Inspiration Monday: Productivity

Let's face it, my productivity levels have bottomed out. If there was an actual chart showing my productivity levels within the past year, these past few weeks probably would be in the "below zero" category. It's not to say that I've been lazy, because I think for the first time in well, forever, I've been very NOT lazy. Waking up early, working a 9 to 5 job and kind of sort of still running this blog qualifies as not lazy in my book. The problem is I know that I can certainly be doing more. I know that I have been slacking. I know that I haven't been able to accomplish anything that I've wanted to by this time, even the short-term goals I had set for myself. I haven't been productive, especially when it comes to this blog, and that is not okay with me!

So as I racked my brain for what to focus on for my Inspiration Monday this week, I decided that productivity would be a great way to not only inspire others to be more productive in their lives but also kind of give myself a kick in the right direction. Everyone has their own ways of getting to a more productive level in their life (or you're still trying to figure that out, like me). I already have a blog post in my drafts on ways to be more productive in the morning. I'm a firm believer that how you start off your day can very much effect how the rest of your day goes. But I'm also a firm believer in the fact that life throws you curveballs 24/7, so you need to stay sharp and focused pretty much the entire day. Of course, waking up on the right side of the bed in the morning can help with that.

There's also a fine line between "being productive" and being so busy that your brain hurts. It's super important to find a balance here. What I though was a "productive" phase for me a few weeks ago, actually ended up being one of those "crash and burn" kind of moments in my life. There's only SO much you can do and nothing good will come from doing too much all at once. My goal isn't just to be more productive, but to find that balance so I don't run myself dry and end up back to zero productivity because I've juiced out my brain. As with most things in life, balance is key.

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I'd love to hear from you! What is your best productivity tip? What do you struggle with most when it comes to being more productive?

Inspiration Monday: One month left to make 2014 count!

Can you believe it is already December 1st? This year seems to have gone by so fast for me. I had a lot of new experiences (definitely some life-altering ones) and many lessons learned along the way. Usually as the year comes to a close, I like to reflect on the past months and the changes I have gone through. Many times in the past I would be bitter that things did not go my way or that life didn't necessarily "change" in any way, sort of leaving me in the same place I was the year before. As I've grown older, however, I've realized that this is never the case. You may feel like nothing's changed, but if you really take time to look back and reflect, you'll realize just how much HAS changed, especially you.

Whether 2014 was great or awful, boring or exciting, mediocre or mind-blowing—it's still another year you get to add to your list, so don't take that for granted. This month is all about love. Love for your family, your friends, your significant others, your community, your surroundings, even the strangers you pass by on the street. Be grateful and spread joy and love as much as you can this month. Even if you had a crappy year, this month is the perfect time to try and put that behind you.

Make goals for yourself this month. Lots of people start off the new year with resolutions or goals for the year, but why not start doing that now, before the year is over? What would be a better way to welcome in a new year with goals already accomplished? I know I already have several goals I'd like to accomplish by year's end and I'm hoping it will put me in the right mind set by the time 2014 is over.

Things don't always go our way and sometimes we're left disappointed or discouraged, but that doesn't mean there's nothing you can do about it! I know this story all too well, especially these past several months. I know how hard it is to pick yourself up again, but I also know how important it is to keep trying and trying and trying. That's why I'm hoping you will join me in making this month a good one, a memorable one. We may not have control over everything, but we do have control over our actions and attitudes.

This is the perfect time of the year to do extraordinary things. Spread the joy. Volunteer. Smile at strangers. Help those in need. Help yourself. Do something you've been meaning to do but haven't gotten around to. Take a day trip somewhere fun with loved ones. Take lots of pictures to make those memories last. Set goals for yourself, even if they're small, and accomplish them. Prove to yourself that you're worth all the happiness in the world. And most importantly, don't forget to laugh at least once a day!

(Be as happy as this baby elephant)

Inspiration Monday: Keep on keepin' on

I woke up this morning (okay, more like afternoon because I stayed up all night catching up on the Vampire Diaries...perks of unemployment?) and for a SPLIT second I pitied myself. Then, I snapped the f* out of it and told myself I had plenty of things to do and to get to it. Just because I don't have a "job" doesn't mean I'm rendered useless and incapable of actually being productive today. It's so easy to find yourself void of motivation during times like these, but I can't stress enough how important it is for you (and your sanity) to keep yourself going. Keep believing, keep hoping, just keep doing something. Don't let yourself fall trap to the blues and negativity. Yes, it is extremely difficult under certain circumstances and it gets harder as time goes on and all seems to be a lost cause, but no matter—keep on keepin' on.

Before I start doing any of the millions of things on my to-do list today, I scrolled through my Pinterest inspiration board (comes in handy quite a lot) and I wanted to share some of my favorites with you, in hopes that it inspires you as well.

What the hell do you do when you can't get out of your "blah" mood?

If I had to choose a word to describe this week it would most certainly be "blah." It's just been so blah. So, so, so blah. And I don't know why. I can't figure out why I've felt so "blah" this week, because I have so much to be grateful for and happy about—and lots to look forward to. And yet, I'm blah. I am so blah. I want to just shake this blah right the hell off me, right now.

Now, as usual, I can keep on blaming the weather. The weather around here has been dreadfully dreary. I'm one of those people whose mood relies on the weather about 75% of the time. It sucks, but what can ya do. I could also blame this blah mood on my weird sleep schedule lately (or more so lack of a sleep schedule.) How well-rested you are obviously affects how the rest of your day plays out. So of course I'm going to be Bitchy McWhiney if I'm running on four hours of sleep. But that's still not excuse enough.

Part of being in a blah mood usually also indicates that you will have Z E R O motivation to do anything, especially things that can help you get out of that blah mood. Such as exercise. I thought about going for a run yesterday after work, because I knew it would help me, but the second I got home and saw my bed that idea went out the window. I've also given up on yoga for the time being. It has taken me days to do the whole laundry process. One day to actually haul my giant load down to the basement. Another day to actually put the clothes in and out of the washer and dryer. One more day to bring it back upstairs in the hamper. And I'm still waiting for that moment I will finally fold and put all the clothes away. I am seriously sucking at life right now.

I tried taking a step back from the internet, blogging and just social media in general. I made some progress on the book I'm reading, because usually when I immerse myself in a book it's like I'm in a whole new world and once I'm finished I'm a whole new woman. But even that has been a struggle. For heaven's sake, I can't even read a book for more than 5 minutes without looking up at the wall and sighing.

So WHAT is this beef I have lately with life?! I don't know. I couldn't tell you. I've tried figuring it out so I can fix it, because I want to be Positive Polly at all times. I do have my moments of sudden energy, excitement or perkiness, but soon enough the blah clouds come in and start raining on my parade. I really just want to blame it on the weather.

My point of this whole rant (besides it being another attempt to get out of this rut I'm in) is that sometimes we just have those blah moments in life. They can carry on for an entire week. Or maybe even a month (oh my god please no.) But, that's just how it goes. Sometimes you can pin point why you're feeling that way, and sometimes you just can't. Sometimes it's one specific thing, and sometimes it's literally everything. You can try your very hardest to get yourself out of that stinky awful mood, but sometimes all you can really do is just ride it out. The one thing you absolutely must do, however, is keep telling yourself that it is only temporary. These blah moments don't last forever. As long as you keep working on making things better and looking on the bright side as often as possible, you will find yourself in a better place.

If you're currently facing the blah monsters such as myself, let's just ride them out together while simultaneously punching them in the face.

Hope everyone has a FABULOUS blah-less weekend!

Inspiration Monday: It's the little things

Today is going to be a long day for me and just thinking about it starts to make me tired. I usually stay up late doing blog work/writing and then wake up mid-morning to have some time before my afternoon/early evening job. Today I'm working the more typical 9-5 hours and we all know that's hard to do even when you're already used to it (which I am not.) So this morning when I woke up and laid in bed for awhile, I thought to myself "what can I do to make this day, even this week, be more positive and keep myself in a good mood?" That's when I realized that sometimes life is just about the little things. Those small moments in your day that make you smile or laugh or just grateful to be alive. Sometimes it's the little things that really affect us the most. Here are the five "little things" that I came up with this morning while laying in bed, trying to prep myself for the week ahead:

1. Having a pet that sleeps with you every night and then every morning when you wake up, she gets up too and comes over to you to snuggle and purr for awhile before you have to start your day.
2. Having to google some pop reference that you have no idea what it stands for and realizing you are starting to get "old" because you are not up to date with these teeny lingoes (but having a laugh about it!)
3. Waking up and hearing the birds chirping. Hearing the hoot of an owl because it's early enough that they're still out. Looking out your window and see the sun is shining.
4. Starting your day off with a loved one, getting ready simultaneously, complaining about "what a long day it's gonna be" and "Monday's suck ugh omg bye" but knowing you're not alone in your "struggle" - everybody's tired.
5. You are alive. You woke up to a new day. It can hold just about anything. Endless opportunities await you. Maybe it'll be just an ordinary day, maybe it will be an awful exhausting day, but maybe it will be a day that changes your life forever (in a good way.) You really never know.

Have a wonderful day and a great week!

♥

Guest Post: An Inspiring Transformation Story

Editor's Note: This guest post is written by one of my closest friends, Jenna, whose story I hope inspires you to make any changes in your life in which you are unhappy with, whether they are about weight or whatever else. All it takes is the courage to take the first step and the motivation to keep going, even when the road gets tough.

Jenna, a 22 year old post-grad working full time in Kansas City

I hadn't noticed, but once I did, I hated myself for letting it happen. Finally, I started to see it. I saw it in the mirror, in photographs, in the look on people's faces, in the size of the fabric stretched tight around me. It took a year, but I finally saw the extra 50 pounds I had packed onto my already overweight body. It seemed the problem was that my confidence was so high and I was so comfortable in my own skin that I didn’t notice the tearing and the stretching around my waistline.

The time came in my life where I moved to a new town. I graduated college and got a full time job with a large moving stipend—every recently graduated college student’s dream. I had it. I packed my small bedroom in my mother’s house in New Jersey and let the moving company take everything I owned to Kansas City, Missouri. It was a huge change. Yes, I was scared. Yes, I was nervous. I cried the whole four hour plane ride. I was forced to leave behind my friends, my family, and those I love the absolute most in the world. In my mind I thought I had made a mistake.

I started my job and met another drama nerd who seemed to understand me a little more than the others. We got together one night for drinks and I started to vent about my feelings of leaving home and how fat I had let myself get. He got quiet, raised an eyebrow, and said, “so fucking do something about it." He was probably one of the first people who didn’t cover it up with something like “but you’re so pretty” or “everyone loves you."

That was the moment I decided to take the plunge.

I started by myself. I cut my calorie intake to 1200 calories a day and would do small 25 minute workouts in the hotel gym I was staying at. A few days in, I knew I was going to be taking this seriously so I gave in and I stepped onto the scale. Tears welled up in my eyes as I read the number. 214.8 pounds. Why did I let this happen to me? I wanted to beat myself up. I wanted to just give up, but I didn’t. I was in a new city: I had left the old behind, it was time to start a new life and build a new me.

I moved into my apartment. I joined a gym. I hired a personal trainer. I started buying all healthy alternatives to foods I had previously indulged. My cabinets and my refrigerator only had healthy options. It was easier to pack my own healthy food and feel good about myself rather than go out to eat with groups of people, only to beat myself up for the 2000 calories I had just consumed.

I took Zumba, MMA classes, yoga classes, weight lifting classes; basically anything the gym had to offer. It didn’t take long and I soon became that girl. That girl everyone in the gym knew. The one everyone was so proud of for losing so much weight and for being so motivated. I knew almost everyone by name by the third month. I lived at the gym. I started to love it. I loved the lifestyle. I loved the results I was getting. I loved putting on my old clothes and watching them fall to the floor.

I quit smoking cigarettes, drinking became a treat, stairs were my friend for the first time in my entire life. Losing the weight has been the best decision I have ever made. I feel comfortable in my own skin. My relationship with the outdoors has grown so greatly. I can outrun, out climb, and out hike my boyfriend, who I had previously held back. I feel good every single day. I’m healthy. I’m happy. I’m ready to live the rest of my life in this mindset. My spunky personality now matches the body that comes along with it.

I’m proud of myself.

I’m still in the process of changing. I now weigh 162 pounds. I started at a size 16 pants and now fit into size 6 jeans. I plan on losing more, but I understand the process will slow as my body becomes used to the amount of exercise I give it. I’m not giving up, though. I’m excited for the future.

Note from the Editor:

I've known Jenna for over ten years now and I've never been more proud of her. She was never a girl who let her weight be an issue and her personality was enough to outshine anyone else in the room. She's loyal, hard working, super friendly and most importantly—one tough bitch. I've watched her change these past few months and although she's always had that "spunky" personality as she says, I now see an extra something in her. I can tell she is happier and that makes me happy for her. She's an inspiration to anyone else who is currently on the path to losing weight, or even changing something about themselves that they are not satisfied with. What I'm most proud of, though, is that she did it the old-fashion way. She worked her ass off at the gym, ate healthy but didn't starve herself and most importantly, she realized this is a lifestyle change, not just a temporary fix.

I've seen many girls become obsessed with their bodies and their self-image, to the point that it becomes unhealthy and they make bad choices. Your weight should never be a factor for why someone likes or doesn't like you. We unfortunately live in a society that makes it so, but you should not let yourself fall into this mindset. If you want to lose weight, do it for health reasons. Do it for you. Not for anybody else. Do it to make yourself happier, but for the right reasons. And don't beat yourself up if you don't get the results you want right away. It's a long and difficult process, but it's one that is worth it. It will make you stronger, not only physically, but mentally, too.

Jenna was a beautiful woman even before the weight loss. You know what made her so special? The type of person she was on the inside. That's what truly counts. Don't ever forget that.