"You Cannot Steal My Joy" Weekly Wisdom

 

Tell me in this moment, what is bringing you joy?

A lot has happened over the past couple weeks. Many of us are feeling certain ways and I respect all of those feelings. I also respect my own and choose to focus the most on my feelings versus the feelings of others. Each day, even with others around us, we are always with ourselves 100% of the time. We cannot escape ourselves. 

There will always be things happening in the world, our friends and families worlds and our own worlds. How we make our own world - that should be our focus. Create a space for yourself to host your feelings and thoughts, learn, grow, cry, laugh, be angry and be happy. 

Create a world where you always find joy in each day, regardless of the outside noise. 

No one, can ever steal my daily joy. 

Do not let anyone try and steal yours. 

#realization | #EmbraceTheHellYeah

~AE

"Best Days Ahead" Weekly Wisdom

 

How are you feeling about the present?

Tell me. How is everything going for you as of late?  What are you experiencing in this season of your life?  Isn't it wild how time flies when you are having fun but time slows down when you may be in the thick of some not-so-fun times. Wouldn't it be great if we could just see what the future looks like so we know we would have confidence of getting through shitty moments?

Time to channel a little perspective:  our best moments have not even happened yet. 

We have to go through the shitty moments so the best moments can happen. The shitty moments give us perspective and resilience. They help us learn to feel deeply and to give us the strength to keep moving forward. When you feel like you are standing still just know the best is yet to come for you. And remember, the best does not have to be grand moments. It can be tiny moments of lovely things adding up to days, weeks, months and years. 

Always be in the present and always be aware there are beautiful things ahead. 

#realization | #EmbraceTheHellYeah

AE

"Don't Be Sad" Weekly Wisdom

 

What is one thing that makes less sad?

I am not sure if it's the shift if the weather during this time of year but I have felt the shift in my mood. Maybe a little more moments of being blue or a little sad have crept into life lately and I try my hardest everyday to kick it to the curb. I cannot pinpoint what it is but I know I need to make a conscience effort to try and understand what it is. 

To understand, I must reflect on what is happening around me and within me.  Reflection is hard because I cannot find time to do it. The "power in the pause" is the real deal - there is no excuse to finding the time to tap into emotions and how we feel. Insert habit stacking. This past weekend, I realized what little things help shift my mood and help me pause. I really enjoy getting a coffee at a local coffee shop for myself. Don't get me wrong, I love grabbing it WITH friends - but there is something about the solo coffee trip and then coming home and being in the quiet by just sitting at my dining table. Just that small act changes my whole mood and mindset. I was 40 something years old when I learned this about myself. 

It can be anything in your life you do for yourself to help you find the time to reflect. Reflect on your life, your needs, your happiness, your sadness - whatever you need to focus on. And believe me, there is plenty of things you need to focus on involving you and ONLY YOU. 

#realization | #EmbraceTheHellYeah

AE

"Hit of Happiness" Weekly Wisdom

 

What is YOUR hit of happiness?

I was having brunch with friends a couple weeks ago and on the menu was "million dollar bacon."  This was not the first time I have seen this on a menu. Last year in Florida, we went to a restaurant with "million dollar bacon" and we ordered it because HELLO, you must try million dollar bacon. It was good and it was even better on vanilla ice cream with chocolate sauce. I did not order it at brunch because I felt like once you have had it, you really do not need to have it again. It made me think how wild it is that we live in a world with million dollar bacon as a menu option. 

Which led me down an even deeper spiral of my dietitian brain of the many other options we are exposed to similar to million dollar bacon. It's a thrill when we see it, try it, eat it and relive it the next time we see it on a menu. Maybe its the triple dip, hot chocolate sundae with 3 kinds of chocolate chips and a side of extra chocolate sauce. Maybe it's the tomahawk ribeye. Maybe it's the morning Bloody Mary with the beer back, maybe its the extra spicy romance novel that you can't put down. Maybe it's the 6 season Netflix show that you lose sleep over because you can't stop watching it. Maybe it's the 5th trip to Target this week and the bag of "stuff" you just needed to have. Maybe it is a yoga session or a long walk. Maybe it's journaling or praying. Maybe it's therapy or coffee with a friend. Maybe it's just a bandaid holding your life together?

I believe we live in a world where we are all looking for a little less chaos with a little more calm and joy in our lives. We run ourselves into the ground working long hours, doing activities, trying to have relationships and social lives, trying to manage our homes with cooking and cleaning, trying to get adequate sleep, trying to nurture our inner peace and balance. We have a hard time saying no and find other ways to find the joy we are missing. If you are burning the candle at both ends and finding yourself searching for those daily hits to help you cope, I challenge you to ask yourself if it's productive or just a bandaid?  

We all have our own "hits of happiness." 

Do more of the ones that bring you closer to the life you want. 

#realization | #EmbraceTheHellYeah

AE

"Do Your Best" Weekly Wisdom

 

What do you "do?"

You know the drill. When you meet someone new, the small talk begins and right after you share your name and a little small talk about the day or weather - the infamous question arises:  What do you do?

Our default is always our job. We are so much more than our job and we should never limit our answer to just what we do for work. Why not share more about what you do? Share with others your other passions, hobbies, activities/sports, parenting humans or pets, or in my case - I do my best. 

Defining yourself never needs to be limited. All the things you do make you the stunning person you are. Careers are important and in my younger years, I thought it was the only thing that made me, me. Now, it is the last thing that makes me, me. 

I challenge you in a next new meeting, before you talk about your job, talk about what lights you up. That's what you "do."

#realization | #EmbraceTheHellYeah

~AE

"There Is More To Life" Weekly Wisdom

What Olympic sport do you wished you knew about and would play?

My list:   badminton (I did play this as a kid and loved it, but who knew?), skeet shooting, rugby, table tennis, handball and fencing. None of these were ever discussed or were available for me to play as a more serious sport when I was a kid and that makes me sad. Granted I grew up in a small town and I am sure, resources were very limited. I still think it would have been great to learn about the options or even talk more about the sports of the Olympics. 

I am not sure what it is like in other countries, but I sure would like some insight outside of the American sport culture. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy football, basketball, volleyball, softball, and an occasional baseball game but watching the Olympics every year reminds me there are so many more options. When I was younger, soccer was barely on the radar so I am glad that is making bigger waves in America but I feel we could do better. 

I know there is a cultural component to these other sports. Maybe parents or family members have experience or have done the sport and you were raised doing that sport. I love the lineage of passing along these skills to kids, I wish I had this experience.  I just think it wouldn't hurt for kids like me to learn a little more about other sports outside the American norm. We don't all wear the same clothes or eat the same foods, we shouldn't have to feel we have to play the same sports our country sensationalizes. 

I know it is never too late to try something new and watching the Olympics inspires that for me. I did hear the USA Handball team is in need of members...

#realization | #EmbraceTheHellYeah

~AE

 

"When Things Get Tight" Weekly Wisdom

 

Who wants to join me? 

It has been very lovely and cooler part of summer and I thought today, ooo I am going to slap on a pair of jeans and check my status. Status:  put on hold until October. 

I am aware that in all aspects of life, things are going to get tight - tight jeans are just a small part of the puzzle and I can't let it affect me in a negative way. I have learned the power is how I get out of the tight and sticky situations. 

If you are someone like me who actually puts herself into situations that are not enjoyable, you can easily take yourself out of them. You instantly know when something doesn't feel right and it is ok to politely removed yourself. Don't stay in something or do something that doesn't feel right or brings you joy. 

And that includes jeans. Just take them off or give yourself grace to buy a different pair. 

Be brave. 

#realization | #EmbraceTheHellYeah

~AE

"Unsubscribe" Weekly Wisdom

What are you gifting yourself freedom from?

It was one of those nights I couldn't sleep. I got out of bed and grabbed my phone (which I know, not a great choice but here we are) and I started my "opening my phone ritual" of checking emails, social media and reading articles I have saved in my notes section. For some reason at that exact moment, I had enough. I was on information overload all the time and honestly, it was probably contributing to not being able to sleep. 

So I started to hit unsubscribe. To emails, to newsletters, to reminders and notifications on my phone - all of it. I need less stimulation and need less extra in my life. 

The next day, I also decided I was going to unsubscribe to more in my life. Here are a few: 

- Negative talk - to myself and especially about other people or things. 

- Saying yes to things I do not want to do. I am done doing or being anywhere that I dread. 

- Following people on social media out of respect, even if I don't align with their platform. 

- Trash on television - I am going to stop watching shows putting me in a shitty mood. 

Wow, did I feel better, lighter, free. I have realized, a lot of the angst and irritation in my life comes from things I do to myself. Time to gift myself a little freedom from all the bullshit I entertain. I hope you can do this for yourself too. 

#realization | #EmbracetheHellYeah

~AE

"Take the Photo" Weekly Wisdom

 

How many photos on your phone HAVEN'T made it to social media?

A "taking photos" conversation came up in my world recently with some sweet ladies. Some of the highlights:  

• We talked about why would anyone take photos if you're not going to share them on social media because isn't this the only reason people take photos?  
• If I don't take a photo they I don't have any way to show off to my friends.
• Photos of what I did is proof I do cool things. I have to have photos of cool things I do so I have something to talk about with my friends.  
• I feel like a loser if I don't have awesome things to share on my instagram. 

This made me sad because I truly believe this is what social media has done to our world. The "comparison game" is strong and so is the unrealistic views into peoples lives. Everything can look amazing from a few carefully crafted photos on social media but could be crumbling in the real world. If you have followed along, you know my distain for perfectly poised photos of recipes and food. It is very unrealistic for any of us to live up to the photos we see, we cannot photoshop our real lives in search of perfection. 

Around 99% of the photos on my phone never make it to social media. I use those photos to remind me of the private joys I have, the moments of happiness, the moments of grief, moments I have failed and want to remember so I do better next time, screen shots of conversations with humans I never want to forget and random memories of things with meaning for me. Don't get me wrong, I will share a few glimpses into my world, but the 99% that doesn't make it, that's my reality. 

#realization | #EmbraceTheHellYeah

~AE

"Save Yourself" Weekly Wisdom

Are you waiting for someone or something to save you?

My friend Ryan was at yoga a few weeks ago and his instructor shared this thought with him. When we were having lunch, he brought this up as we were talking about our lives, things we are going through right now and throwing down this great perspective was just what we needed. It brought us back to the reality that we are the only one in our lives who will make our life what we want it to be. 

No one is coming to save me. No one is coming to save you. 

If you want something, go get it. If you want to get rid of something, eliminate it. If you want things to change, you got to make those moves. If you are looking at your future, you will need to set those goals. The power you have to make a decision will change your life. The power you have to NOT make a decision will keep you stationary - just hoping someone comes along to make the decision for you. I will always choose the former, even thought it is the hardest -  it is always the best way to live for me. 

At the end of the day, all we ever need to do is just save ourselves. 

#realization | #EmbraceTheHellYeah

~AE

 

"Less Regrets" Weekly Wisdom

\

What is one of your biggest regrets?

You are going to laugh, but when I was a teen, rugby shirts were the coolest. I remember wanting this specific one so bad.  The jewel toned blue, red and green blocked stripes, a white collar that could be popped appropriately with 3 white buttons perfectly placed and to top it all off, Coca Cola was written across the front. I distinctly remember laying in bed every night that following week feeling deep regret for not purchasing this beautiful piece of fashion. 

And then I aged a few minutes and the feeling of regret passed. 

I am sharing this story all in good fun to remind you to not live a life of regrets. There will be little (rugby shirt little), medium and big sized regrets. It is what you learn from them that helps you to have less of them. Regrets do not feel good and the bigger they are, the worse they feel and linger in your life. I have regrets lingering in my life. Some of them make me cry so hard I give myself a headache. I wish so badly I could change all the series of events leading to those regrets but I cannot. Did I learn from them?  Absolutely yes. Will I do better, hell yes. 

To regret less, I keep this little quote above at the forefront of my mind to do what I need to do to make the right choices for me. To take the leap, to say I love you, to hug someone, to speak more kindly, to take the trip, to smell the flowers, to make the call, to buy the weird shirt that will go out of style but will make me happy. 

Less regrets, more baguettes. 

#realization | #EmbraceTheHellYeah

~AE

 

"Always Cheer People On" Weekly Wisdom

Do you always cheer people on?

I will always be a cheerleader at heart and be the loudest one clapping in the room for people who do anything that makes their heart happy. I am in awe of people who are passionate about anything that they want to share it with the world and with me. 

It is easy when we are kids. We are in tons of activities, trying out all the things but as we get older - wow, does it fad. We do not do as many activities or things that bring us joy. We are constrained by the allotment of time we have and then most of that time is spent cheering on our kids doing those activities we loved in the past and miss doing. 

Sometimes when I see others doing things, I sometimes have a little envy - only because I could be doing it or more or finding that spark again in my life. I let that quickly dissolve and let them motivate me to get back on track with "doing" things that light me up. 

Cheering people on is contagious, it makes you proud to know someone who is doing what they love and it also motivates us to keep searching for the same thing in our own lives. For those struggling to "do" right just be the one clapping the loudest for your heartbeats until you are ready. 

#realization | #EmbraceTheHellYeah

~AE

 

Health = Habits Weekly Wisdom

 Are you creating habits toward your health?

 Up until 4 years ago, I really was not aware of the concept of habits. I was doing a few here and there but nothing consistent. I had read a couple books and listened to a few podcasts and "creating habits and habit stacking" was an underlying theme. As I learned more, it started to just make sense. 

I have this mantra of "setting yourself up for success" with habits. Things you can doing daily to ensure you are living your most healthy life. What do I mean by healthy?  Sleep, nutrition, emotional/mental, physical activity, connection, and financial health. Taking into consideration all these bullet items and doing things daily to make sure I am taking care of my areas of health. 

Sleep:  creating a sleep routine (bedtime, wakeup time)

Nutrition:  meal planning/prep, packing my lunch, getting breakfast ready for the morning

Emotional/Mental Health:  breath work, journaling, prayer

Physical activity:  scheduling daily walks and a strength training routine

Connection:  scheduling time with family and friends, writing letters, phone calls

Financial:  saving for my future, limiting wasteful spending, less stuff/more life

Small little daily habits can lead to big things when it comes to your health. Just by me packing my lunch and prepping my breakfast the night before has forever changed my morning from hectic to happy. Once that stuck, it just helped me create more habit stacking to bring that much more joy to my life.

I challenge you to make a choice to start one habit for your health today and let the building begin. 

#EmbraceTheHellYeah | #realization

~AE

 

"Everyday is Extraordinary" Weekly Wisdom

 

Does each day sometimes feel like Groundhog's Day?

I cannot tell you how many times I turn off my alarm and ask myself, "didn't I just do this?"  I have experienced the dread - when it feels like the same shit, different day. 

It is all perspective and how you choose to view what experience you are going to have on this day. Each day can start out very "ordinary" but there is no telling what the day will bring. The morning shower might feel a little more luxurious and the morning cup of coffee might be a little more cozy. The afternoon hug from your loved one might be extra tight and comforting or maybe receiving a letter from a friend in the mailbox - there is no telling when the extraordinary will overwhelm you. 

You have the power to make every day extraordinary - it starts in your mind and trickles down through your body and beyond. It not only affects you, but everyone you encounter. You even have the power to make someone else's day extraordinary. 

The next time you experience Groundhog Day vibes, take 2-3 deep breaths, focus on the place you are in that very moment and let the extraordinary in to experience a lovely day ahead. 

#realization | #EmbraceTheHellYeah

~AE

"More Inside, Less Outside" Weekly Wisdom

Is your inside matching your outside?

I admire people who always look so put together. They appear to be very organized and have a great flow with their day to day. I picture them laying out their clothes the night before after a fantastic dinner they had time to prepare and then fall to sleep flawlessly preparing them generously for their amazing next day. But then I wonder, do they really have their shit together or does it just look that way? Are they really experiencing all the intricate layers of life?

I know I talk a lot about passion and I will be honest, I am not sure where my passion is right now in this very moment. I go through this different layers in my life and that's when my focus shifts. I tend to emphasize the outside polish and I do not give attention to what my insides need. I am not nurturing my passion right now in my life - and I know this is not good. 

Polish and passion can co-exist but if you are more focused on how you appear to everyone around you, it will never make you feel complete inside. You can buy new clothes, get facials and massages, a fresh hair do, whatever it is - it is only temporary and you will still feel like something is missing. You will tell people you are fine, life is good but deep down, you already know none of this is true. 

If the outside is looking great and you're still feeling empty, it's time to polish up the inside and find out what your passion is in this layer of your life. 

#realization | #EmbraceTheHellYeah

~AE

 

"Hold Your Space" Weekly Wisdom

 

Do you observe the space you are in?

Where are you today?  What space are you standing or sitting in right now when you are reading this?  What does it look like around you?  How are you feeling in this space?

I think we take the space we are in for granted - the physical space and our mental space. We do not think about it enough. When I woke up the other morning, I had a thought, instead of jumping out of bed and getting the day rolling, I am going to just hold in my space and think about where I am. 

I thought about how I physically felt and how this was going to affect my day: how was my sleep, how my body was feeling for my workout this morning, energy to carry out my professional tasks, what fuel do I need today to make it all happen. 

I thought about how I emotionally felt and how this was going to affect my day:  do I need a little mediation, do I need prayer, do I need breath work, do I need to journal and work on my morning mindspace to set the tone for the day. 

When you hold your physical and emotional space, just for a few moments everyday, you get the opportunity to just be and to know you a little better. Where you are in your mind and body, is a powerful way to glide you through your day with purpose that no one can disrupt. 

Tomorrow and everyday, wake up, check in, and hold your space. 

#realization | #embracethehellyeah

~AE

"Toast to a New Year" Weekly Wisdom

 

What did you toast this New Year?

Welcome you lovely, shiny, bright and fresh new year. I get so excited when the ball drops, the calendar turns over and a clean slate is upon me. I have no agenda or intentions, I just embrace the feel of the start of something new. 

The feel lends to the thoughts grazing my mind of what I want out of the year ahead. I think about where I am at in my life and enjoy this place. I think about the things I want to do - not just goals and not just things I want to accomplish but actually do in the sense of getting it done. I think about my mini mantra of how I am going to keep myself centered and focused. 

My friend Brooke posted some wonderful thoughts toward the end of 2023 that really resonated with me about thoughts around life. There is a lot of information and feedback out there we soak in everyday. It puts our minds and our hearts on overload. It can overwhelm our understanding and can confuse us. It can create second guessing and insecurity within ourselves. It is much more than imposter syndrome, it is "feeling inadequate" syndrome. There is always going to be someone appearing to be doing better, being better, having more intelligence, having more money, having it all.  The reality of it all is this is not going to stop coming at us by means of many different mediums on the daily. 

Realization. 

Realization that you and I have the power to change the narrative of our own lives. Realization that no one is going to save you from whatever ails you. Realization that no one is going to hand you a million dollars. Realization that no one is going to miraculously make you successful and smart. Realization that everyone you see looking glossy on the outside is going through a storm on the inside. Realization that we are all like a bottle of champagne once shaken and popped, we can share all the chaos and utter delight our presence brings to this world. 

I know I have said this a million times before, but for those in the back, we have this one life to live - who gives a shit about what anyone thinks of you and live it how YOU want to live it. Realize you do have the power to make it happen. 

#realization | #EmbraceTheHellYeah

AE

"The Beginning" Weekly Wisdom

 

Do you see the champagne glass half empty or half full?

Winding down 2023, can you believe it?  Another year, another 365 days to review what happened, didn't happen, might happen in the last few minutes (you never know!). Maybe you are ready, maybe not. 

I always see the end of the year to be exciting because it's not an ending, it's a beginning. Whenever something ends, it leaves room for the growth of something new and to me, there is nothing better than those possibilities. I wish when the clock strikes midnight we could see the magic of what is to come but we can only create the beginning ourselves. 

Choose the champagne glass to be half full this year. Choose to create the beginning of all the greatness just waiting for you. Be grateful for the end and embrace all the possibilities the 365 days ahead hold for you.  I will be waiting and ready to pop the top to celebrate!

#quality | #embracethehellyeah

AE

"Best Version of You" Weekly Wisdom

Do you show up in everything you do?

How many times do we do things we really DO NOT WANT TO DO?  Maybe we over commit, maybe we are obligated because of work or family, maybe we just don't understand our limits. Regardless of why, we will always be in a situation where we may be doing something we really do not want to do. 

In that case, we still need to show up and do it. We also need to do it as the best version of ourselves. This is not easy. I am that person who reacts badly when I have to do something I do not want to do. Negative self talks overtakes my brain and my disposition which can only result in the worst version of myself. It feels horrible and the whole experience is horrible. 

When I change the tone, show up with my positive pants on, smile and find the tiniest bit of joy in the situation - the whole experience is better.  It is easier to scrub the bathroom tile, rake up 20 bags of leaves or whatever task/event/commitment you are dreading (obviously you know mine now). It is mentally and physically happier to show up as the best version of you - for yourself or for others, it doesn't matter. 

Show up, be great. 

#quality | #embracethehellyeah

~AE

 

"Where You End" Weekly Wisdom

 

What were you doing 10 years ago?

Maybe 20 years ago, 5 years ago, 1 year ago?  I bet there are very few things that are the same and there are many difference in your life. 

We get so caught up on where we are right now and what we need to change - too hyper-focused. The change happens gradually in most circumstances. It happens with heartache, learning, education, personal growth, economic status, social status, who you meet, who you let go...

Be in the now with your evolution, don't force it but do things that organically place you where you want to be. Put a note in your calendar for a year from now to remind yourself to look back at all the changes that happened from this moment on - guarantee those changes are putting to closer where you want to be. 

#quality | #embracethehellyeah

~AE