Believing And Achieving

Today I wanted to write a quick note on hoarding... well, that's where I'm launching from anyways...

I'm a bit of a hoarder.  Not in terms of "stuff and things" but in terms of bins full of my old stuff.  It's gotten to the point that this stuff is a burden and a constant weight on my shoulders.  I have trouble going through it and trying to get rid of old momento's, most of which are paper and notes etc, but I finally feel like I'm in a place where I can deal with it, step by step.

Letting go of this baggage is one of the things on my list of how I want to live in 2014.  A couple of weeks ago I got up the courage to go through an old truck full of "stuff", and I have to say it was a great feeling of accomplishment to organize it into keep, recycle, chuck; and guess what...  I barely kept anything!  The extra bonus being that now we can use this great trunk for something useful, we've decided to fill it with all of our winter gear!!  I still have a lot more stuff to go through, but this was a great first try.

Just a portion of the trunk contents:  yearbooks, diaries, notebooks, school books, jewelry, newspaper clippings, etc.

Something that quickly became quite clear to me while going through all of those old notes and diaries is that I've always been a dreamer and had a lot of thoughts.  The whole "if you believe, you will achieve" proves to be quite accurate, because as I looked through my old musings my life has checked off a lot of those boxes that I noted down at some point during my youth.  Ok, I'm not a professional mountain biker, but I digress....

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As I chuckled and sighed through my old thoughts and dreams, I realized that as of late, I've stopped doing this kind of thing.  Could it be that the fear of failing is holding me back from dreaming?  Am I just tired?  Oh, I still have thoughts of wanting to be this or do that, but I haven't set a goal and forged through to attain it since planning our wedding, which went just great!  So, I'm jumping back in the game.

I've started a separate tab at the top of this page called "Believe & Achieve" and will be documenting the things that I set out to do, both small and large.  Check it out here.

What are you working towards right now?

XO - Michelle

Marvelous in my Monday {1}

As if it's Monday already!!  Weekends always seem so fly by so fast, I'm relieved to have Tuesdays off now as it breaks my work week up so nicely!!

I heard about a blog link-up called Marvelous in my Monday and decided to participate!!  Check out The Healthy Diva for more MIMM posts :)

Some marvelous things that happened this weekend that are brightening up my Monday:

• Dinner at my fave restaurant, Pedal and Tap, for a Friday night date night with Cody. YUMMMM.  Check out what I wrote about P&T on my Kootenay Love & Local Reviews page.
• A beautiful, but windy, Saturday morning neighborhood walk; and a nicer, warmer one on Sunday.
• Watching my cousin's hockey game and getting to visit with my Aunt and other cousin while we watched.  My uncle was coaching which was also pretty fun to witness!
• Late lunch at The Heid Out Restaurant and Brewhouse with my wonderful mom and dad, & Cody too!
• Grocery shopping.  I LOVE having a freshly stocked fridge and pantry.  So. Many. Options.  It seemed like everything on my list was on sale, how great is that!?
• I purchased my first bottle of essential oils (Lemon) that I plan to start using in home made cleaning and bath products.
• Completing my list of how I want to live in 2014, check it out here.

As I mentioned on Friday, there are a few ideas that I've come up with to hopefully keep me from being distracted from my health and fitness goals.  This is what I've done so far:

• I went through my closet and pulled out all of the clothes that don't fit properly at the moment.  I piled them all in a clear bin and labelled it "Goal Clothing".  As the clothing starts to fit again I can add items back into my closet.  I prefer to judge where my body is at by clothing fit rather than weight so this method resonates well with me.
• I put a picture on my fridge of an outfit I would like to wear to California (May/June).  The idea is that every time I open the fridge I see myself in the outfit and make a healthy food choice. 

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• Prep cooking!  I have been working on baking big batches of gluten free dairy free "treats" so when a craving strikes I have a better option available to me.  
• Setting up my basement work out area.  I want to organize all of my workout equipment so it's streamlined and easy to use.  I'm mostly done, but need to figure out where to set up my Rip:60 and resistance bands...  I also decorated with some inspirational posters, quotes, and pictures.

I hope you check out the Marvelous in my Monday link up and find some inspiration to light up the beginning of your week!

XO - Michelle

Outdoor Excitement

Happy 2014 & Happy Friday!!

How exciting that a fresh new year is finally upon us!  I am so thrilled at the prospect of 2014, a chance to rediscover what makes me happy and reaffirm my healthy lifestyle love.

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I have been lucky enough to spend the end of of Dec and beginning of Jan doing just that.  I had the opportunity to spend time cross country skiing, downhill skiing, and snowshoeing!  Enjoying the great outdoors was just what I needed and I think it's safe to say I have re-caught my childhood ski bug.

I went cross country skiing with my family and while I'm quite honestly a terrible cross country skier and fell about 6 times during our outing, there is no denying the beauty in getting outside and enjoying the fresh air and scenery... even if it is with gritted teeth and a snowy butt.

My downhill ski experience was much more positive and I easily fell back into the swooping turns that gave me such a thrill as a kid.  No literal falls for that day, what a relief!  I had so much fun with my friend Heather and was really happy to find out we are at a similar skill level which always makes for a more carefree day.  Riding the chairlift is always a fun time and we got to chat with some fellow skiers throughout the day, you never know who you'll end up meeting but I always find people so friendly and chatty and really enjoy talking with them.  Chairlifts = Love.  Kimberley Alpine Resort is a hop, skip, and a jump from my house and I plan to take advantage of that this season.

My friend Danielle and I got out for a snowshoe in the South Star Trails courtesy of our trail guide Dag (Danielle's mom).  Danielle and Dag happen to be in epic shape and I got my sweat on big time but was so proud that I didn't have to stop to catch my breath, what a change I'm seeing from previous years!  Danielle and I both got blisters so thankfully we turned around before going too far in, but my Wahoo GPS says we did over 5 km on our outing!  We lucked out with a gorgeously warm bluebird day and paired with the awesome workout my endorphins were sky-high!

I got back to the ski hill again yesterday for a night ski with Cody and some friends.  It was the perfect temp for night skiing and I think I got 5 runs in!  Cody hasn't snowboarded in 6 years so he did 2 runs and called it quits, but it meant so much to me that he came up and gave it another try.  I think if we get out a few more times together he will start enjoying it more.  Last time I skied my dad lent me his rad Atomic Blogs.  Last night I was back on an old pair of Rossignol's (I think Saphir) that I bought used in Grade 12... I have to say, upgrading my skis has just gone up on my wishlist.  No matter the gear, it was a great night and I'm already excited to get back on the hill!!

With all of this awesome outdoor excitement going on I have had the chance to think up a ton of positive ideas and get myself stoked on making this the year that I get my health and body to where I want to be; but while right now it seems SUPER attainable I also have so many fears about following through.  As someone who previously gained a lot of weight, then lost it, and am now gaining it back - see My Weight Loss Story - I'm quite frankly terrified!  When will the temptation stop and the full on healthy living begin again?! The fact that my personal choices are the answer to that question is both inspiring and intimidating.

I've come up with a few ideas on how to help keep my goals in the forefront and will be turning my plans into actions this weekend.  Stay tuned!

XO - Michelle

Not With A Fizzle, But With A Bang

Not with a fizzle, but with a bang.  This line from one of my fave movies, Easy A, is exactly how I want to both finish off 2013 and start 2014.

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I have had the idea of being a blogger for quite some time now.  I've tried it out a few times, didn't like my tone, didn't like my attitude, and stopped.  I can be driven, but I can also be a quitter.  This time is different (I hope).  I've thought it through, figured out my goals, and feel the need compile my thoughts and experiences blog style.  I've realized the value of connecting with other bloggers, having the support of not only my actual friends and family, but also virtual friends all over the world, and have come to understand that these people with different experiences and same mindsets are huge motivators to continue down a healthy path.

2013 was a great year.  Some, but certainly not all, of my favorite moments:

2014 is going to be all about living on the up - thus the name of my blog.  That powerful feeling of being on the upswing of a mood is something that I want to harness and stay at.  Staying on an upswing and not fading back down is truly a challenge, but from what I've learned this year it means fueling my body with wholesome, quality food and prioritizing outdoor and physical activity with a healthy mix of being cozied up inside.  It also means taking the time to appreciate life, family, friends, and experiences.

At the moment I'm en route to the West Kootenay's for a New Year's celebration with Cody and some (but not all) of my dearest friends.  Every year we make a point of getting together to ring in the new year, and I wouldn't have it any other way.  Tomorrow is a fresh start, a blank slate, and 2014!!  I've dubbed 2014 "The Year of Awesome" and I plan on living life this way as much as I possibly can. 

As I have, try giving yourself a second to reflect on 2013, the joys and successes as well as the trials and tribulations.  Love the memories, learn from the "oops" moments, and get excited for the next chapter.  I hope that wherever you are, you too plan to celebrate safely and in the company of loved ones.

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HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

XO - Michelle