Category: Fitnesslicious

Fitnesslicious

Near Life Experience

by maryhelenc, posted in Crazy Talk, Fitnesslicious, My New Life As Me

I don’t want to be one of those people who acts like some kind of expert on mental illness because I went to a doctor. Those people make me want to punch things…like them.

But, I’ve seen what’s working for me & slowly understanding some of how I ended up so miserable. Two of the things that triggered how I felt we’re my piss poor diet (of nothing) & my lack of exercise. I went from working out 6x/week to yoga @ home 6x/week to…nothing. Sure, I walked everywhere, but I also started eating the snack foods that I had cut out. I wouldn’t eat all day, drank way too much caffeine & barely slept. All of these things can trigger depression like symptoms. Your blood sugar fluctuating causes mood swings & sleep deprivation increases anxiety. I never realized how something as simple as 3 healthy meals & 2 light snacks can make a huge change in one’s attitude. I’m doing yoga again & couch to 5k. It’s already done wonders. I’ve even cut out a big chunk of my caffeine intake.

I always think about what everyone else needs, that I never think about me, what I need, that my feelings are valid too. I make dinner & pick so I know there’s enough if the girls want seconds. I buy them enough clothes to outfit Kenya, but I rarely buy myself anything. I’m not one to get angry about cancelled plans or things like that, but I also never assert myself. By resuming my workout regime, I’m finally doing something for me that makes me happy & only me. I think it’s time I start focusing on myself & what will make me happy & healthy, starting with the body.

I’m still no expert on depression or anything like that. I’m barely qualified to give advice to a goldfish. But I know I’m emerging as MHC again. I’ll look good & feel good while setting a better an example for my girls.

Say Anything

by maryhelenc, posted in ASH General, Fitnesslicious, Seriously WTF?, WWE Wrasslin'

I hate writer’s block.

The research paper is half written and really annoying me. The subject is something I chose and it’s not that I’m lacking for ideas, it’s just not coming together. Instead of APA style, I keep writing in CP style and that won’t do.

It’s no secret that I miss having a regular magazine job, with deadlines and word count and publicity contacts and story meetings. I know that right now, it’s not a plausible option for me right now, but I just keep getting the itch to write something new and have the instant gratification of seeing my byline, etc.

I look to my professional idol, Trish Stratus and how she said she has never gotten the itch to return to wrestling, save for a feud with former WWE mean girls Michelle McCool and Layla El. Otherwise she’s satisfied with her body of work and is happy with her brand, Stratusphere Yoga, which is helping me accomplish my fitness goals. I often wonder why I am never professionally satisfied, why I’m always looking to do more and why I can’t seem to be satisfied with my body of work and settle into something else. Maybe it’s because the opportunities are limitless. There are always things I want to do, people I want to interview, other facets of journalism I want to branch out into.

tweetmedia

This is why instead of writing the research paper, I’m thinking about how cool it would be to interview Ms. Stratus, or any of the judges on the Voice, what angle I could use for these articles, etc.

I think one of the major things that hold me back in life is that everything in my life has a very specific goal at the end. I struggle to settle into my new career path because journalism is my passion, my one true love. My personal life struggles because I have had one outcome, one life in mind and that life, much like my professional life isn’t plausible (nothing is impossible, but right now, everything is implausible). Very few things hold my attention once something has caught it and it’s nearly impossible to divert me. I guess it’s part of that “stop trying to control the universe and let things happen the way they’re meant to, not the way I think they should,” because if that’s how they should, then they will and not much will prevent it from happening in the end. I know I need to do something so I feel fufilled professionally, but it’s not worth investing more time and energy into something that’s just going to be…well, it’s not journalism so meh. I will have to find another day job and another magazine, perhaps in another branch of journalism. Perhaps as I evolve as a stronger person, much more in control of my emotions and much more open about who I am as a person, the specific things I want for my life will all just fall into place the way they’re supposed to. I won’t control the universe, nor will I let it control me. I’ll just let everything unfold as it plays out in front of me and handle things as they come and hope that it all turns out okay.

…and I’ll finally finish this damn research paper.

The 2013 30 Day Blog Challenge: Day 19

by maryhelenc, posted in ASH Blog Projects, Fitnesslicious, Mommydom, My New Life As Me, WWE Wrasslin'

Day 19: If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be and why?

I don’t have a city I’d like to live in.

Vaughan wouldn’t be so bad so I could go to the Stratusphere yoga studio instead of just doing the DVD, but I have no “dream city.”

The only place I would want to live is in a home that I own. Someplace where I plant my own garden and paint the walls any colour I want. Someplace where I mow the lawn and pay property taxes and have my last name on the mailbox. Someplace the girls know is ours, no landlord to collect rent. It would be a dream come true to me to live in my own house that belongs to me, something that nags at me since I work in a real estate law firm.

…maybe someday.

The 2013 30 Day Blog Challenge: Day 12

by maryhelenc, posted in ASH Blog Projects, Dorkdom, Fitnesslicious, Mommydom, My New Life As Me

Day 12: Describe a typical day in your current life.

There is nothing typical about my life.

I’m a single mom of three, a full time student w/ a co-op placement who is also twice employed (thrice if you count placement as a job). There is nothing typical about the hours I keep, and no two days are the same.

There are certain things that must be done every single day: housework, homework, meditation, and hopefully yoga. Despite the chaotic nature of things, my life is very serene. My daughters are good kids and don’t get in fights @ school, have behavioural issues, etc. I know what I need to do to keep things together and I do it. It used to be really hectic and damn near insane, but over the summer I took a lot of steps to reclaim control over my life and it’s been successful. I’m really proud of the life I lead right now; it’s almost exactly the way I want it.

So, a typical day involves classes, time w/ the girls, bedtime, homework, journalism, housework, yoga, meditation, sleep (sometimes, I have been known to suffer bouts of insomnia). Sometimes I have a glass of wine with friends or play Wii U (I still haven’t opened Halo 4. My inner dork is sad). It may not be the “ideal” 9-5 life, but it works for the girls & I and that’s all that matters.

The 2013 30 Day Blog Challenge: Day 8

by maryhelenc, posted in ASH Blog Projects, Fitnesslicious, Mommydom, MusicIsLifeIsMusicIsLife, My New Life As Me

Day 8: List 5 passions that you have.

1. Writing. Writing. Writing. Writing. It’s all I really know how to do except write. I write all my feelings in letters that I never send. I write in cards instead of canned sentiment. I write for a living. I write this blog. This is all I know how to do & sometimes I even do it well. Sometimes. But writing is my true passion in life.

2. Faith/spirituality. I am very passionate about learning to be a better person, discovering God’s plans for me and my family and where all of it will take me. I’ve taken some flack from readers because of my strong pro-LGBT stance and my Christianity, however, I like to point out that I choose to focus on Jesus’s words on the subject, which are none. I enjoy my church, the community, and the messages I’m getting from the sermons. I try to apply to my daily life, try to be nicer, kinder, better.

3. Music. I love music. It makes me feel better, I listen to what affects my mood, etc. I love everything about music. Just for kicks, here’s what I’m listening to right now:

playlist

4. Self-improvement. I’m not a person who enjoys remaining stagnant. I want to grow, evolve and change. Whether it’s tearing apart my house and repainting the whole thing to make it happier, to yoga to improve my body, meditation to improve my mind, I will always continue to try and expand my horizons and grow as a person. It’s very important to me to continue to learn and grow as I wander through life. These things are important to me. I don’t want to become complacent and end up screwing up everything in my life because I didn’t follow through, etc.

5. Corporate Law. Surprisingly enough, I actually enjoy the work I do at placement…not so much in class. There’s something about actually doing it and watching the mergers and such take place that is really fascinating! I enjoy my firm, the people I work with and how it all comes together.

30 Days of Truth: Day Five

by maryhelenc, posted in ASH Blog Projects, Fitnesslicious, Just Fun, MH vs Dating, Mommydom, My New Life As Me, Relationships

Day Five: Something you hope to do in your life.

I’ve actually blogged about this before, so I’ll link up that post Here.

I figure I’ll revisit that list & see if I’ve crossed anything off it yet.

There’s always things I want to do professionally. There’s always someone I want to interview, something fascinating I want to write about. It’s why I love my job so much; it’s ever changing.

Personally, it’s just that list & maybe graduate for a second time & actually become a law clerk & travel to two places: New Orleans & Ireland. But otherwise, it’s those six things & I fully intend to accomplish them all.