Endorphins Make You Happy

I know. I know. How cliche of me to write a post about exercise in January. I can practically see the disappointment in your faces already.

But here's the thing, this isn't a post about exercise! 

 I don't know about you, but that word makes me uncomfortable. Thoughts of sweat and itchy PE uniforms come to mind and I sometimes break into hives. Suddenly I'm back in middle school trying to run a ten minute mile for the Presidential Fitness challenge and being dead last. 

That might be a bit exaggerated (only the hives part), but I just really hate the word exercise. I prefer to use the words like movement or play. 

So I've started walking, and I'm thinking about graduating to running in a while. 

I used to go to the Rec Center on campus with the goal of burning at least 600 calories in an hour. (I'm no doctor, but I don't think that's healthy) When I stopped thinking about burning calories and making up for dessert, I actually started to not mind doing other activities besides Netflix-watching in my yoga pants.

I've been walking around campus with one of my friends for about an hour a few times a week, and it feels so good to be active again. I've got no goals besides being healthy, so there's really not a lot of pressure. (Although I'm thinking of doing a 5k soon to make up for the missed one on my 20 Before 20).

I guess the point of this post is to just remind you that you should try to avoid the "calories in, calories out" mantra with the start of your new year's resolution. Yes, being confident in a bikini would be nice for spring break, but killing yourself over trying to get there isn't worth it. Confidence doesn't come from crash diets or crazy work-out regimens, take my word on that.

There's no need to "make-up" for the holidays, and fitting into a smaller size should not be your top priority. Work towards health. Maybe try focusing on getting stronger, instead. That mindset has certainly helped me in the last few months. I hope it helps you, too.

What's your favorite way to play? 

2015

I'm pretty sure it's an unwritten rule if you have a blog, you're required to make a post about your new year's resolutions/goals for the year. 

For the past few years, I've avoided making resolutions. I know, sort of a cop-out. I'm terrible at sticking to anything and failed resolutions only add to the melancholy feelings at the end of the year (that whole New Year's kiss might also be a factor, but that's another topic for another time).

But this year, I've decided to finally jump on the bandwagon, make some goals, and share them with y'all. I might be starting this year off as the queen of unfinished bucket lists, but hey, I'll keep trying and maybe one day I'll check off every single item!

So in no particular order, here's how I'll be attempting to spend my year:

Not too many items, but a nice outline (in my humble opinion). 

Hopefully 2015 will be the year that I learn how to do assignments before their due dates, the year I learn to be adventurous, and the year I stop being so mean to my body. This will be the year I learn to take bigger risks, and hopefully find greater opportunities because of it. I want to travel more, and to be at least a teensy bit closer to choosing a career path by the time 2016 rolls around (goodness, that feels like forever away!).

I know there's nothing about a changing date that can make me a bolder person, but I'm choosing now to stop being so worried and to start making things happen.

Let me know what some of your New Year's Resolutions are! 

P.S. This "resolution-making" change of heart sprouted from this Buzzfeed article. Definitely worth reading. 

Beginning of the End

Woah! Y'all! Tomorrow is New Year's Eve!

Last year, I made this list of things to try: (the things I did are in red)

Be social on the weekends again.* 
Find my way back to the gym occasionally.** 
Teach myself to play guitar. 
Learn French. 
Travel to a place I’ve never been. Play golf again. 
Make a trip to New York City again. 
Go to Disney World.
Read my bible more.
Learn to flirt properly with boys.*
Have a first kiss.
Learn to play the piano.
Get a (part-time) job.
Put a smidge more effort into getting ready in the mornings.
Wake up earlier. **Floss.
Eat more colorfully.
Change my mindset about exercise.**
Stop complaining about everything.
Be happier.
Smile at strangers.
Laugh more often.
Read more books.
Be more organized. Stop biting my nails. 
Find a path that makes me happy. 
Speak up.

*up for debate
**thanks, rowing

I managed to check off quite a few of these (the beauty of a long list is that you can miss a few and still feel good about yourself). Be on the lookout for an new list in the new year! Let me know if you add any of these to your own resolution lists for 2015! 

Rather than post a ton of pictures that y'all have probably already seen, I'll just post this selfie from my twentieth birthday (one of my favorite memories of 2014).