Fitness Thoughts

I hate working out. I hate the way I feel during and after, but I've also always liked the way I look. It's not that I'm so spectacular looking and free of any problem areas (not at all!) but just that I'm comfortable in my own skin. Working out has been for maintaining health rather than physical appearance, which is probably why it was so easy to make excuses not to do it!

I used to work out all the time. When I was training for the Navy I would work out 4-5 days per week and I felt great. There was a point during that time that I almost liked it - liked that I could do those extra 10 push-ups and run more than a mile without wanting to die. I liked that I felt good and was physically more fit. And the results showed in my body.

Last week, when I posted the pictures of my eShakti dress, I noticed something. I no longer like the way I look. Specifically, areas that I'd always touted as my best features (toned legs and arms) are no longer prominent. After looking back at those pictures for a few days, I decided to do something about it. 

I pinned a few arm and leg workouts and I signed up for a spin class at the gym on post. I will continue to do yoga (as I have been for weeks now) and incorporate other exercise (like dog-walking and coaching.) This new routine should tighten up those spots and get me back to the body I'm used to.

Of course, sticking to a workout routine is hard. No, it's really hard. 

But I quit smoking this year and I managed to pass 4 licensing exams in the course of 9 months - so I should be able to do this too! Right?

Wordless Wednesday: Avocado Egg Salad aka. My New Favorite Lunch

 {recipe here}

Book Review: "Basic Black" by Cathie Black

In February, I read Basic Black: The Essential Guide for Getting Ahead at Work (and in Life) by Cathie Black. Cathie Black is the current president of Hearst Magazines (the publisher of Cosmopolitan, Good Housekeeping, Harper's Bazaar, etc...) Prior to her time at Hearst she held high-profile positions at New York Magazine and USA Today. The book acts primarily as a guideline for business, from both the perspective of a job-seeker and the executive. Cathie is authentic, witty, and interesting and doesn't hesitate to incorporate her personal experiences into her advice. Her advice is realistic and not self-serving and while she is often blunt in her delivery, she clearly comes from a place of mentorship and care. 

(Amazon)

On the downside, it takes a while to chew through this book. As with many non-fiction books, it contains more information than compelling imagery. She does manage to intersperse personal stories and descriptive language, but that can only do so much when discussing resumes, business decisions, and the like. I did find certain sections dry and menial, but was able to garner enough information to make it worth the read. 

Two sections in particular that I enjoyed/found helpful: 

Chapter Four (entitled "Fear") discusses overcoming ones fear and turning it into healthy, motivating stress. She also talks about using fear as a leader, in both good and bad ways, to motivate your staff. My favorite part of this chapter was the section on using "Fairy Dust" to turn a bad (or scary) situation into a good one - or at least a productive one. She talks about not taking anything personally (even when it is personal,) but rather using "fairy dust" in the form of humor or kindness to mollify the situation and move on.

Also in chapter four, she talks about how to handle criticism. Specifically, she presents a two-part analysis for deciding whether the criticism is honest - and therefore worth consideration - or whether it is simply negative commentary. I found this information to be extremely insightful. So often I (and I'm sure many others) get caught up in others' opinions and often that opinion comes from a place that has nothing to do with our own behaviors. Using Cathie Black's analysis, you can determine if that person is providing constructive criticism or not.

Overall, I found the book chock-full of great information, inspiring stories, and necessary tools for building a business or starting a career. Cathie Black is able to take an often-boring topic and provide an insightful and candid discussion of how to make your own path in business. 

{**I was not compensated for this review. I purchased and read the book on my own volition and decided to review it simply to pass along my experience to you!}

New Army Wives season starts tonight!

I have watched the show from the beginning and I've loved it. So long as I approached it from an entertainment standpoint and never expected "reality." Of course, it is drawn from reality and there are many relatable characters and realistic story-lines. And there is the Lifetime-network magic that gives the show a little "oophm" when needed.

The new season - number seven - starts tonight and I have mixed emotions. I have said (probably for the last three seasons) that the show could have had a finale and been wonderfully complete. Last season that was especially true. The standard characters (and my most beloved) are almost all gone. The show did a great job of using the story line (PCS, deployment, death) to remove the characters from the show, but since most of the actors are on to different projects and they've released a huge line-up of new characters, the show is going to look drastically different.

{Side note: two of the new characters are pop singers: Asanthi & Jesse McCartney. I'm not sure about McCartney, but Asanthi is a singer/performer first and an actresses...probably fifth. Another new addition is Brooke Shields who is a great actress, but I simply can't stand her. I can't pinpoint why, but I never have. Perhaps these new additions is the biggest road block in my mindset for the new season.}

Frankly, it looks like a completely new show. Which could be wonderful, or totally awful.

I am going to watch with an open mind and report back with my thoughts next week. In the meantime, head over to the show's page and watch the preview. And tell me in the comments if you're a fan and what you think of the new season!

Saturday Share: Beat the Winter Blahs

There are many aspects of winter that I love. I am from Minnesota, after all. I love warm, winter days where you throw on boots and clomp around in the snow then come inside for hot cocoa and your favorite flick. I love having a white Christmas. I love love love hockey season!

Usually, though, once the holidays come and go, winter feels like such a burden. That period between NYE and Spring Break is such a drag and often brings feelings of lethargy or even sadness. You've heard the term cabin fever? Well, that's the type of antsy I feel when winter doesn't end quite as quickly as I'd like. 

This week, father winter was especially cruel. After a gorgeous, warm weekend (high 50's and sunny!) we were hit with a storm that dumped just enough sleet and snow to cause frozen roadways on Monday. The rest of the week was spent thawing out and hoping it never returns again.

If you're feeling as blah as I am about winter at this point, here are some great ways to get through the funk. Spring is just around the corner and these few tips should help you hang in there until then!

Healthy (food) Tips for Beating the Winter Blahs - Life Your Way
Other Mood-Boosting or Energy Yielding Foods - The Daily Muse

Use your indoor time to Boost your Creativity - via WiseBread
and to tackle a small project around the house. Here are some ideas from Our Fifth House.

Get organized! Complete a project around the house to reduce clutter. Check out my Pinterest board on Organization for some great ideas!

This is also a great time to organize your closet, pull out spring and summer clothes, get them washed and pressed, and pack away the winter layers you no longer need. Here is a resource to help with that. 

Have a great weekend and don't let winter get you too down! 

Two Ways: Shawl Collar Poplin Shirtdress from eShakti {and a discount code!}

I have a special treat for Fashion Friday this week. I was contacted by eShakti to try out one of their items. If you're not familiar, eShakti is an online shopping site that allows you to customize their items to your preference. If they show a dress with sleeves, you can remove them. You can change the length to hit more or less conservatively and you can even change the specific measurements if you, like me, are smaller on bottom than you are on top. 

I chose the Shawl Collar Poplin Dress in the gorgeous spring green. I have been searching for a great green dress that I can wear with a blazer, or throw on flats for a casual brunch. This dress is perfect! And I wanted to show you how it transitioned from daytime to weekend-wear.

Here are a few shots of the dress un-styled. 

{Pockets! Love them!}

Look 1: Office Wear

This would be most appropriate for a casual Friday or a work setting with a more casual dress code, but it still looks appropriate and pulled-together. I paired it with a striped cardigan on top to cover up the curviness of the dress and add a layer to the arms. I then threw on a pair of work-appropriate heels and my trench coat for a work ready look.

Look 2: Weekend Wear

 I'm sorry I am mean-mugging y'all in this photo. 
I couldn't get the dog to stop running in and out of my shots! :)

The weekend look is great for brunch or even a get-together. Once spring is here to stay, the sleeveless look would work. Until then, I would put a light cardigan or a jean jacket on top. 

For an extra-special treat, eShakti has offered a discount code to all my lovely readers. Simply head over to their site and choose your favorite item. Upon checkout enter code: MELSMNYHTS and you will receive 20% off your order! They have extremely reasonable prices to begin with and with the extra 20% off, you can score an amazingly tailored item at a great price! Do not forget to customize your pick before you complete check-out so you can have exactly what you want! The code is only available through 3/20, so head over and use it now!

Wordless Wednesday: Sneak Peek

Don't lose your mojo when facing a setback

I'm not perfect. I am smart and dedicated. I work hard and I have accomplished many great things. I treat people well and love my husband with everything I've got.

But I still fall short sometimes. We all fall short sometimes.

Recently, I failed one of my license exams. It was tough materials, with a lot of numbers and difficult computations. I regrouped and studied again and passed the second time around. Then, last week, I failed another one. This time, the material was law based and even though there were some difficult concepts, I thought I had it all down. 

I was floored and I spent the next couple hours beating myself up mentally over my mistakes.

On the first test, it was easy to forgive myself because the concepts were so foreign to me. I knew absolutely nothing about mutual funds and stock pricing and how to calculate yields. On the second test, however, I didn't have that excuse. The subjects were analytical, legal and business oriented. These are things I know. Things I went to school. Things I've already proven my knowledge of when I passed the bar exam.

After I had a few hours to get sad, then mad, embarrassed, and finally calm, I pulled out the test results. I realized that I actually knocked the law section out of the park. The topics that I did not excel at were the topics revisited from the first exam. It makes a lot more sense that the concepts I struggled with the first time would give me additional difficulty on the second exam.

Finally, I was able to regroup and decide a new course of action. I sat down and developed a study plan for the next month, biting off small sections of information each day and incorporating an array of learning techniques. I created a plan similar to the bar exam by giving time to each subject individually and readdressing them at the end of each week. 

I also used that time to touch base with my energy and my passion - to hang on to my mojo. I needed to remember why I started this business and what I love about my job. It was (and still is) important to learn from my mistakes when it comes to studying and the material itself but also learn how to control my stress level and change my attitude so I can head off a similar mistake in the future.

I'm not perfect. I'm not going to win every time and I'm certainly not going to be the best at everything. We all make mistakes, in our personal lives and our professional ones.

Here is the best part: making mistakes is actually a good thing. It is life's way of teaching us valuable lessons and setting us back on a track for success. That is, when we forgive ourselves for those mistakes, keep our mojo, and learn how to do better the next time!

More resources: 

Don't Lose Your Mojo - LifeHealth Pro

3 Steps to Turn Setback into Success - The Daily Muse

2013 Goals Review

In know February is a short month, but I am still shocked by how quickly it flew by! Now that March has begun it is time to look back at my goals and how I achieved them during February.

Expand Mind

1. Did I read at least 1 book? Yes. I read "Basic Black" by Cathie Black (review to come!)

2. Did I develop any skills? I have done a lot of shadowing new classes at the gym so I can be more versatile. I also became certified as an AFTB instructor so I can lead classes on post. (Details here.)

3. Did I teach/tutor at least 1 child? I did not tutor this month, but I took on another new class at the gym to coach.

Increase Wealth

1. Did I payoff any debt? Yes! We paid off our smallest debt this month!

2. Did I increase ER savings? No. This actually took a big hit this month. I had to pay quite a few registrations/fees for my licenses and a few expenses for my upcoming trip. We have a plan to counteract that now that we paid off some debt.

3. Did I increase additional savings? Yes. I increased the amount by about $30 this month.

Advance Career

1. Did I attend at least 1 event? Yes. I attended 2 different meetings/events.

2. Did I write at least 1 article? Not personally, but I participated in an interview with Kaye at Successful Military Wife. (Details here.) 

3. Did I make steps toward finding a mentor? I am currently working on an application for a mentor through the Young Professionals division of the chamber.

Enhance Home

1. Did we make progress on the guest bath/bedroom? We finished the guest bath and started clearing out the guest bedroom.

2. Did we make progress on clearing the Radon? No progress per se, but we did price out the process so when we're ready to move we can do so.

3. Did we make progress on the outdoor projects? Small steps. We drew up plans and priced all the materials. We have started a garden indoors that will be moved outside when the ground de-freezes. We are also researching the best ways to revive our grass.

Saturday Share: Coffee

It is no surprise that I like coffee. I like coffee a lot. 

So, inspired by my favorite drink addiction, here are some great links all centered around delicious java. Pour yourself a latte and enjoy these coffee-related links for your Saturday!

The Science Behind Coffee and How it Might Actually be Good for You - via Lifehacker

Mocha Cappuccino Cookies - Sweet Chick

Best Friends Mugs - via Beautiful Mess
**Note: From the many pins I've read on these, the only way to get them to truly be permanent is to use a food-grade, ceramic-based paint pen. You can get them at Michael's and supposedly they are the only permanent solution. However, I have not tested that myself.

"But first, coffee" tank from Skreened
{I seriously need this tank!}

This big database of coffee recipes, many of which can be made using a Keurig or Nespresso machine (or other in home brewers) - www.javaqueen.com

Happy Saturday!