Leaf Forty-five, Forty-six, & Forty-seven: Cultivating a Healhty Life, Interior Decorating, & Spanglish

My blogging efforts have been slightly delayed for the past several leaves, yet the mission behind the journey is more at heart than ever before. There is not a week that passes that I do not dedicate something specific for my next leaf. Thank you to all my readers out there, for following, supporting, and inspiring me.

 

Leaf Forty-five: Cultivating a Healthy Life

 

Since beginning full-time work in September, one of my main goals has been focused on establishing a healthy lifestyle, physically, mentally, and emotionally. From the moment I entered my field, I knew I had started a unique type of work; one that would challenge my heart on complicated levels. I have become committed to sustaining a strength that reaches my mind and body.  Searching for and cultivating that inner peace has become a glorious, life changing ritual. Initially, fifty-two leaves transformed my perception of the world around me. I began to encounter life really living for the first time. As things have progressed, I have started to notice the transition to a lifestyle that has become embedded in my soul. A new found routine that is completely opposite than the perfectionism routine I lived within for so long. Needless to say, it is pretty damn incredible look back and recognize the growth that has permitted so many beautiful moments.

 

Back in August, I blogged about starting a new exercise routine called The Bar Method. I was raving about it four months ago, and I am still raving about it now. It has transformed my body physically in a way that I never believed to be possible. Mentally, I feel capable to take on situations that used to leave me feeling overwhelmed and drained. Emotionally, it has allowed me to release the negative energy of a long day. I know without a doubt that starting bar before I began working was one of the greatest decisions I have ever made. It has become so much more than an exercise routine and more so a way of life. I look forward to attending class everyday and miss it when I do not go. For a long time I struggled with my body image. There would be days that I stood in the mirror pulling and “fixing” my body into a more appeasing type. I never seemed to be able to lose enough wait or gain muscle. Well, I have not lost any weight, but I have gained a physical, mental, and emotional strength that I would not trade for anything. I feel comfortable in my own skin. I feel capable to overcome a long challenging day. I feel prepared for what lies ahead.

 

I believe that the physical endurance I have achieved has been made possible because of the internal endurance I have been working on for over a year. Although mental health often gets pushed on the back burner in many situations, I know that separating mental and physical health is detrimental mistake to overall well-being. Unfortunately, mental illness has been deeply stigmatized in today's society. I have encountered many who have been fearful to reach out for help because of the stigma. Personally as well as professionally, I have witnessed inspiring amounts of courage from those who are willing to explore their inner life. I think one of the hardest things we will have to overcome are the judgements we maintain about ourselves. It is a lot easier to get consumed with work, friends, school, etc. than get to know and value who we are. If anything ever comes from fifty-two leaves, I hope it encourages more to share their story. To choose to value and love themselves, so they can love others more deeply.

 

A statement that I use quite frequently with my clients is: “We can only love others as much as we love ourselves”. I cannot exactly remember where I encountered that quote, but nonetheless it has stuck with me. I only preach it because I know it personally. As I have come to love myself, I have experienced a deeper, more respectful and genuine love in my relationships with others.

 

 

Leaf Forty-six: Interior Decorating

 

Six months into my new apartment and four months in my new office and I finally added some pizazz to my walls! I have found myself making excuses for not having enough time to make both my room and office my own. As my fifty-two leaf journey enters its final month, I felt inspired to do something out of my routine. To get back to the true reason why this journey ever came about. One of my favorite guideposts in Dr. Brené Brown’s book was on cultivating creativity. She talked about how doing something creative makes us feel more alive. It does not matter how artistic we are, what matters is that we are putting energy into something that depicts us. I like to think of being creative as an expression of my soul. It encourages me to move away from self-criticism and judgment and freely represent myself.  A few small changes in my office shifted the atmosphere to my space rather than my predecessor’s space. Last Friday after school, I kicked off my shoes, cranked up some music and began moving things around. The new energy definitely shifted onto the following week. I could tell that the students felt more comfortable and I felt more at home. The same sort of feeling comes from my room. Walking into a wall of pictures after a long day of work brings a smile to my face. My “interior decorating” is far from perfect, but it is my own. And simply taking a moment to be creative made for a wholehearted start to a new week.

 

Leaf Forty-seven: Spanglish

 

Thanks to my pretty fantastic-thoughtful-amazing boyfriend, I am finally taking the initiative to learn Spanish. One of the greatest things about Dallas (yeah..I know I’ve started a sentence with that a million times) is that he really listens to what I say. I do not even remember how long ago I told him that I wanted to take advantage of my commute to work by learning Spanish, nonetheless, he remembered as he was discovering the free podcasts on available on Itunes. On there, he found some for Spanish lessons, and passed on the information to me. So this week, I have spent my morning drive to work learning Spanish. Obviously I have a long way to go, but I feel myself paying better attention in the car than I ever did in high school. It is pretty comical to listen to myself repeat the words back to the teacher. Lucky for me, my boss and my co-worker speak Spanish fluently. I might have to dedicate a leaf to finding the courage to test my words on them…haha. I will keep you all posted. Thanks again to Dallas for motivating me to do something I have been meaning to start a long time ago. He really does make me a better person, I am a lucky girl :)