by Joey | Jan 22, 2015 | Throwback
++ The weather on Tuesday and Wednesday was just so freaking gorgeous I couldn’t stop being outside. It was like a taste of spring in January which was just so welcomed. I like winter and winter weather (because let’s face it, I live in North Carolina and how winter does our winter get, really?), but the unstoppable sunshine and a little bit of warmth was just what the doctor ordered!
++ Monday’s episode of The Bachelor might have been the most boring in the history of the show, and that’s including all of Des’s season, which was just a yawnfest in general. I hate that I wasted my time. It might be trashy TV but it’s usually chalk full of pointless drama that is just perfect for “shutting my mind off.” Instead, it put me to sleep. Also, can anyone tell me why Crazy Ashley is 1) still there and 2) in this episode we didn’t hear a peep about her craziness? Hiiiiii producers.
++ I’m 27.9 running miles into January. That’s…a hell of a lot of miles for someone who isn’t really a runner. I’ve been able to keep up with my brother and sister (if only just barely) on our Nike+ challenge! I’m usually last place, but at least I’m keeping up.
++ I had a blogger date with Kristina & Meghan at Aviator last night. It just did my heart good to see them and catch up! I had the wings, which were freaking awesome. But I also ordered a rack of ribs for J which came with the tastiest looking fries ever so of course I had to order a side of fries. But because the ribs were a “dine in” special only, I ordered them regular and then got a box at the end. So for a while it looked like I was one happy fat chick with ALL OF THE FOOD! I think we broke all the blogging rules though because we forgot to grab a pic.
++ I’ve finally flipped back into my “early to bed, early to rise” schedule. I just love being crazy productive before the rest of the world wakes up. Yesterday, I met my chapter deadline, commented on a buttload of blogs, answered some emails and ran 3 miles all before 10:45. That’s what starting work at 6AM will do for you! I just find I have a much easier time focusing when the world is still asleep! Although I will say I had a major crash around 1:30. I laid down to read for a little bit and ended up falling asleep for about 45 minutes. And then another cup of coffee was necessary to function once I woke back up. But whatever!
Now it’s your turn!
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by Joey | Jan 21, 2015 | Throwback
I had another post in mind for today, but as the week has gone on I just thought it might be a good time to talk about
why I quit facebook.
I love the internet. I love that it connects me to people I would otherwise never know. I love that there’s a way to keep tabs on people I knew in a past life. I love that it gives me a place to express myself while simultaneously archiving all my memories to stumble upon later in life.
I am, by no means, against social media. In fact, I love it. I’ve always been the kind of person who likes sharing stories, hearing about other peoples’ lives (even if it’s stuff they think might be boring). People fascinate me. And let’s face it…I’m nosey. Just like a good bit of the rest of the world!
But here’s my problem with Facebook.
It has somehow become a place where people feel the need to air things that shouldn’t be aired. It’s become the breeding ground for complaints and it fosters an environment that allows people to comment on such things in a public fashion.
Facebook, at its inception, was the greatest thing ever. It was the birth of social media as it exists today (sorry, Myspace, you tried). I remember sitting in my dorm room hoping and praying that WCU would be the next university admitted to the wonder of the internet. And boom! When we finally had access, I’m pretty sure my entire composition class spent the hour creating our profiles.
But after a while it felt more like an addiction. A habit. I no longer enjoyed it. In fact, it got to the point that whenever I’d check in, it put me in a bad mood. It also opened its doors to the world which changed the entire nature of the beast for me. What was once a place to connect with my peers became a place where everyone and their mother (literally) felt they could express their opinions on my world. And some might be okay with that, but I just wasn’t.
It didn’t make me happy anymore.
In fact, it did the opposite.
So I quit.
I know a lot of arguments could be made that the same goes for any social media. And I guess to some degree you are correct. But facebook is its own breed. I don’t know how this happened, but people use facebook differently than they use any other social media outlet.
My life is online. And it probably always will be. But I will never get back on facebook.
But if you like me and want to hang out
which, unlike facebook,
I love.
It’s simple but liberating to realize you have the freedom to choose what you do. And if something is causing you pain that once brought you joy, you have the right to walk away.
by Joey | Jan 20, 2015 | Throwback
Change starts with your mindset.
In order to make any kind of change, you first need to work on your mind.
You need to shift the way you:
- think about yourself
- think about things
- how you perceive things
- feel about being uncomfortable
1. You need to know you are enough.
You are allowed to want thing things you want. You are smart enough, determined enough, worthy enough, and capable enough to accomplish anything you want.
Until you can look inside yourself and find the confidence you need, nothing will get done. Failure lives inside of insecurity and fear. Don’t confuse uncomfortable for insecure. Be secure in yourself in whatever situation you find yourself in. Know yourself. Value yourself.
Just like it’s important to fuel your body, it’s important to fuel your mind with positive thoughts. Negativity is like poison to the soul and productivity. If you think you are enough, you’ll find you are enough.
2. Set Goals
Decide what it is you want to accomplish. If you don’t have a road map, you’ll find yourself wandering aimlessly without really ever getting anywhere.
Rick Warren said it best:
Goals give your life focus
Goals are what keep us moving forward. Small goals keep us inching closer to The Bigger Goals. So it’s important to have both. Dream big. Have faith in yourself but also have faith in God that He will help you accomplish what you set out to.
3. Commit.
Commitment is all mental. Drive comes from commitment which is fueled by your mind. Don’t allow yourself to make any excuses. You are capable of committing. Don’t let laziness get involved. In order for things to change, you have to be committed and put in the work it takes.
*****
What all of this boils down to is making the decision to keep moving forward constantly. I think we all get a little comfortable and complacent in our lives. What we have isn’t great…but it’s good enough. But that’s not what we’re meant for. We are not meant to simply exist. I don’t know about for you, but I think growing and changing constantly is a little more fun. It’s hard and terrifying and a lot of work, but it’s so incredibly worth it. The journey you take when you commit to changing something is unlike anything else. You learn a lot about yourself. You start to care more about yourself. They say the best way to gain confidence is to do exactly what you’re afraid to do.
So do it.
Stay tuned for the next installment in this series next week!
What are some things you want to work on changing? What’s holding you back?
“Be stubborn about your goals and flexible about your methods.”
–unknown
by Joey | Jan 16, 2015 | Throwback
The weather here has been so freaking gloomy lately. Usually, I’m totally down for a good rainy day or two, but lately it’s just been wrecking havoc on my mood and mindset. Is it me, or is January just such a hard month?
I’ve basically been surviving off that Giant Cookie I made the other night. I probably shouldn’t admit that but you know what? It is what it is. And sometimes you just need a giant cookie in your life.
Anyway, to brighten things up I went with a super bright pink! I think we all do that at some point in January, don’t we? A good punch of color is good sometimes in the dead of winter, huh?
Sinful Colors 24/7
This might be my favorite pink. It’s bright enough to make me happy, but in some lighting it looks almost muted. Just so pretty! And the formula is awesome. Can’t beat the $1.99 pricetag.
by Joey | Jan 15, 2015 | Throwback
+ J and I watched Mommy’s Night Out the other day sort of on a whim. It was the dumbest thing ever but absolutely hilarious. I’m not sure if it was just the mood we were in or what but it was funny!
+ The temperature here was supposed to drop drastically overnight on Tuesday night and we were supposed to wake up to ice and snow on Wednesday. Now, when I was in school, I remember waking up, getting ready for school then sitting in front of the TV while I waited to go out for the bus hoping and praying they’d cancel school. And snow on the ground or not, they rarely did. The county I live in canceled school on Tuesday night at 5PM before a single flake had fallen. Imagine my surprise when I woke up on Wednesday to nothing. I don’t get it.
+ This guy knows how to relax. I could learn a thing or two from him. (And yes that’s Bailey wearing her xmas sweater. She has hardly any fur and it’s been cold)!
+ I’ve been listening to the Rick Warren Daily Hope podcast the last few days. I started waaaaaaaay back at the beginning. It’s been really good, and if you’re struggling in any way, I highly recommend it. It’s been bringing me peace daily and I hope it can do the same for you. If you’re unfamiliar with Rick Warren, he wrote a book several years ago that you might have heard of: The Purpose Driven Life. I recommend the book, too.
+ I made this at 8PM last night because I felt like it. Being an adult sucks, but it has its perks.
Now it’s YOUR turn!
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