This has been a new school year of first for me--my first new job in 10 years, new students, finding the "me time" that I've been needing, and getting back to my old self. I have loved starting a new professional journey, meeting new people and students, and challenging myself to make a change. I have also been working on losing weight to feel like my old self. I've done some new, fun things for myself, and have taken some more time for me lately. I even started eating as a vegan. So many things have happened these past few months!
Overall, I'd say these past few months have been successful. Here are a few of my favorite happy moments:
1. Eating (mostly) Vegan
This new journey of mine has been a fun one. I am completely enjoying eating (mostly) vegan. Most of the time, I am eating plant-based, whole foods. I feel AMAZING! I have not eaten meat since the beginning of October. I have had some cheese (hence the mostly vegan); I ate pizza once or twice. I also ate honey sometimes.
In the last month, however, I have been not using honey and have been eating mostly vegan cheese. I have decided that I will still enjoy the occasional seafood or fish dish if Bjorn and I got out to dinner. I have also decided that I DO NOT want to eat meat. I just can't do it. I don't want to do it. I haven't craved it at all. And I think, right now, it's a good decision for me. I have always been a person who questioned eating meat and was never a huge meat lover. I am very set in my decision not to eat animals for their meat, and I feel really good about it.
I've been loving fresh veggies, beans, and fruit. I crave them when I am hungry and they are what really satisfy me. And that's me and my (mostly) vegan, sometimes vegetarian, sometimes pescetarian diet.
Strawberry Nice-Cream
Eggs with Zucchini and Onion
2. Taking Time for Me
It's been a long time since I have been able to come home, relax, and do something that I want to do. A lot of things just piled on top of each other needing to be finished (and never got done), which only perpetuated the problem.
This fall has been a time that I focused on reducing my own stress and taking more time to find the things I love again--and do them! I have thoroughly enjoyed reading a lot of books, watching movies with Bjorn, playing with my pups, and taking a nap if I feel like it. And it has been wonderful.
I even took my first dance class in a long time, and it felt amazing! It's such a great mental and physical workout. It keeps my heart healthy and my anxiety in check. I've felt brave going to new classes on my own and just being. It's been one of the my favorite things I've done in the past few months.
My current read
3. Spending Time with my Family
If one of my sisters, my sister-in-laws, or my mom calls and asks to do something, I have loved just having more time to just say "yes" on a whim and do something. Last Saturday, my sisters, my niece, and I spent an impromptu day at Target, Max and Erma's, and Old Navy. It was so much fun!
Hanging out with Rach on my birthday
Girls Day with my sisters and my niece!
4. My Niece and Nephew
Look at these faces...
Need I say more? <3
5. Learning New Things
I have the longest list of things I want to learn more about or learn to do. I want to learn Japanese, learn more about aromatherapy, to tile my bathroom, refinish my cabinets, and the list could go on.
This fall I taught myself how to arm knit. I made my sister-in-laws and mother-in-law scarves for Christmas and am currently making boot cuffs! It has been such a long time since I've learned something new!
Arm knitting scarves!
Making mugs for gifts and a giveaway in the bookshop
6. My Health
Over the past year and a half, I found my way through depression. My anxiety is currently is check. I'm working on the migraines (as always), and I decided it was time to seriously do something about the weight I gained over the past year and a half. I don't feel like myself, and I want to again. I've had fun going to Zumba, dance class, and recently, barre. I feel motivated, and I'm excited about getting back to my old self.
7. Planning Fun, New Adventures
I recently found out that I can get a professional discount on some local classes offered, so I have decided to take Japanese this spring! Yay! I'm so excited! I also plan on learning more about photography--need to figure out a plan for that one. And I also want to continue writing. And I'm finally going to have Bjorn teach me how to play ukulele.
8. Helping Myself Naturally
I have been using essential oils for the last 14 months and loving every minute. I especially love finding new, natural ways to use them in my life. I recently made myself some homemade dryer balls. This way I don't have to use dryer sheets with yucky chemicals in my laundry anymore! I'm going to add a few drops of one of my favorite blends, Purification, before I add them to the dryer. Purification is a fresh, clean scent. It will make my clothes smell awesome!
9. Being Myself
As a new person in a new place, it's hard for me to open up and be myself. I am a truly shy person by nature. My anxiety also keeps me from feeling comfortable around new people and in social situations. I am starting to feel comfortable being myself and starting to find my place in my new job. I've made some new friends at work. I also am getting to know my students and really care for them and their families. My students, as always, show me that it's okay to start anew and create new relationships.
Paperweight on of my students made me out of clay :)
10. Love
I have so much love in my life: my husband, my family, my friends, and my puppies. The last few years, it has been hard to love myself being in a depression and having so many changes happen to my body. I don't look like my old self and that has been extremely hard for me. I've never had trouble with my weight, but I just can't seem to shed the extra pounds this time. I am continuously working on it and working on loving myself for the me I am at this moment in time.
Loving my hair blow dried. I usually wake up to late to blow dry it! Ha!
I may be a few sizes bigger. My stomach may not be as flat,
but I am embracing who I am at this moment.
To read my last "10 Things That Make Me Happy" Post, click here.
To read my 32 Things That Make Me Happy Link Up, click here.
What has been making you happy lately?
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