Tag Archives: lifestyle

My New Year’s Resolutions

Personal, , , ,

Happy 2019, y’all! We’ve made it through the first chunk of the month and I’m happy to report that I’ve successfully done yoga every day and stuck through the beginning week of the Whole 30 (if you’ve done one you know those first few days are the hardest part!).

As far as shorter-term goals and January resets go, I’d say I’m doing pretty ok. 🙂

But today I’d like to talk about some of my other goals for the year…

Health and Fitness

30 Day Challenges – I’ve talked about fitness challenges a ton on the blog, but here we are again. In 2019 I’d love to find a few new and exciting challenges to participate in. But when not participating, I want to work on listening to my body about the type of workout it needs.

Fitness Tracker – I got a fitness tracker in December and finally set it up the other day! (baby steps lol) I want to experiment with the best ways to use it — maybe identifying a “steps” goal or finding a fun response to the inactivity alerts!

Whole 30 – Actually sticking to a plan after Whole 30 reintegrations. Should I work to completely eliminate dairy? Less gluten? I want to pay close attention to my body when reintegrating foods to see what changes I should make long-term. 

Household

Work Closet – I have a closet in my office that has sort of become a dumping ground. I don’t just want to clean it, I want to figure out a cool organizational system.

Wall Art – We have all sorts of beautiful wall decor that I will put off ever hanging until the day I die because I get so worried about not liking how and where it is hung. I need to divorce myself from the outcome (hi, just because there’s a nail in the wall doesn’t mean it is permanent!) and just do it.

Power Hours – When we moved into our new house in Alabama, I implemented a cleaning practice that I’d love to stick with in 2019. I have a list of cleaning chores that take me about an hour to complete. So, every Thursday at 11am I bang ‘em out. I’d like to create a similar system for deep cleaning something different once a week…so I’ll throw that here, too.

Work

Website – I have a fairly full plate of clients, and in the past garnering new clients has usually been accomplished through word of mouth (ie. client a brings in client b). But this might not always be the case! Perhaps it is time to put together a website dedicated to my freelance work? (I know, I know…it’s ridiculous that I don’t have one already BUT see next goal…)

Time Optimization (Clients vs Self) – I always feel as though my time is better served growing my clients’ brands and businesses. In 2019, I need to find a better balance between working to build my own business and projects and taking on client work.

Offline Strategy – Like my fitness tracker, this is definitely a research phase resolution. But I think long-term success working from home is going to necessitate throwing a few things against the wall in this arena and seeing what sticks.

Marriage

Enneagram – Last year we identified our enneagrams. (I’m a 9, he’s a 1.) To kick off 2019, we’ve decided we’re going to read up on each other’s numbers to learn more about how the other ticks, best communication practices, and better conflict resolution. We have this book and would highly recommend it.

Sharing the Mundane – My husband definitely takes on more of the mundane, administrative tasks and decision making in our household and I’d love to work towards taking more of this off his plate.

Quality Time – More outings together, more adventures together, more travel together!

Self-Care

Quality Time – Like the resolution above but for me, myself, and I! Doing things outside the home that are just for me? Crazy, I know. Errands do not count, lol.

Non-TV Activities – More free-time activities that aren’t TV — walks, reading, pocket letters, decorating, organizing, writing, playing outside, etc, etc…you get the idea. I watch too much tv.

Travel – I have a few shorter trips planned in Quarter 1 of 2019 but I’d love to fill up my calendar with adventures short and long(er)! Since moving out of South Florida, we are within driving distance of so much more. I’m feeling the wanderlust this year already. Where should we go?

Blogging

Batch Writing Posts – I’d love to approach writing posts in a new way this year. I’d like to set aside a few hours every other week to write a bunch of posts all at once. I’ve talked to a bunch of bloggers recently about this and it seems it really helped them all stick to a consistent posting schedule while freeing up time throughout the week for other things. I also think it would be some nice me-time to head to a coffee shop or my local library and spend the afternoon writing without any other distractions.

Book Club – When I first started Finding Delight, I did a series of posts that were basically like a virtual book club. I would spend a month on a book and post 4 times throughout the month with my thoughts, extended reading, links, and fun ideas. I really want to revamp this series and bring it back in 2019. While I didn’t have it together enough to prep this in 2018 for a January 2019 relaunch, I’m thinking I can get it going in February or March. I’m super excited to bring it back!

More Non-Blog Materials – I have so many ideas (and honestly outlines and first drafts) for non-blog materials pertaining to Finding Delight — think: printables, courses, e-books, etc. Maybe this will be the year I see one through?

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Wow, ok. That ended up being way longer than I had anticipated but it felt good to write everything out. Next step – turn all this word vomit into some actionable steps for the year ahead! I’m feeling on fire with possibilities.

What about you? Care to share a few of your resolutions in the comments below? I believe in you and all you will accomplish in 2019! xoxo

P.S. Everyone says you should have one word to focus on for the year that encapsulates your goals and intentions. Reading all this back, I feel like mine should be COMMIT. So, I’m gonna go with that. 2019, I’m comin’ for you and I’m COMMITTING.

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mid-week round-up

Wednesday Links, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

How have you been, guys? We had a fantastic time in Savannah celebrating the wedding of our friends Katie & Marc! It was so much fun getting to spend time with them, along with other friends and my family, and experiencing a bit of such a great Southern city. (I’m thinking of writing a post about some of the restaurants we enjoyed while there, if y’all are interested!) They had a beautiful garden ceremony in historic downtown and the reception was at a restaurant overlooking the river. So, so magical! Now that we’re back to reality, I’m slowly but surely getting unpacked and slogging my way through a very full inbox. Beam me back to champagne toasts and Spanish moss, plz!

Links for you…

A horchata-inspired protein shake perfect for summertime breakfasts.

How water affects people attempting to cross the Mexico – U.S. border.
It’s expected that anyone crossing the border will lose access to clean water. Bonds compares the journey to the Hunger Games — and the audience is everyone who watches, especially during this administration, without doing a thing. “You’re hunted,” she says. “Maybe water falls from the sky if you’re lucky on that day. You’re going to die or almost die trying to get here.”

Related: Border Angels leaves dozens of gallon jugs of water in the desert along high-traffic migrant paths. DONATE HERE.

Hulu’s adaptation of Margaret Atwood’s novel lays bare the horrors of collusion with the patriarchy.

So many cute things in the new Cupcakes and Cashmere online store. (Especially these earrings, this candle, and this pillow.)

An open letter to the creators of S-Town.

Books Through Bars distributes free books and educational materials to prisoners. (I love that they have an Amazon Wishlist so it is super easy to donate!)

Related: I’m near the end of Season One of Prison Break and if those dudes don’t bust out soon I SWEAR TO GOD.

Gorgeous copper flatware would certainly elevate your next dinner party (or weeknight meal).

A day in the life of a food vendor.

What began as an attempt at a simpler life quickly became a lifestyle brand. #vanlife
Scroll through the images tagged #vanlife on Instagram and you’ll see plenty of photos that don’t have much to do with vehicles: starry skies, campfires, women in leggings doing yoga by the ocean. Like the best marketing terms, “vanlife” is both highly specific and expansive. It’s a one-word life-style signifier that has come to evoke a number of contemporary trends: a renewed interest in the American road trip, a culture of hippie-inflected outdoorsiness, and a life free from the tyranny of a nine-to-five office job.

Love the idea behind this craft project subscription box!

Buckets of opportunity in Rural America.

Crime, addiction, and religion meet at the greyhound race track.

P.S. Here are a couple Finding Delight posts you may enjoy — Meal Planning for Beginners in 7 Easy Steps and It’s All an Illusion.

Favorite Things Friday!

Every day life, , , , , , , , , , , , ,

soundofmusicfavoritethingsgraphic

So, here’s a totally random post because it’s Friday and I want to talk about some of my favorite things!

1) Bagel upgrades.

bagel1bagel2

A bagel from Great Bagel. Hit it with any or all of the following: bacon, spinach, turkey, mustard, swiss, muenster, grilled onions, sriracha… I will be a happy girl. I’ve talked about creating food rituals at home before but this is my most tried and true “eating out” ritual. I typically order up one of these bad boys from the Good Foods Co-op every Monday aka Bagel Day.

2) Binge watching newly discovered YouTubers.

I can’t stop watching the YouTube channel ViviannaDoesMakeup and I really have no idea why. Well, maybe I have somewhat of an idea…I LOVE HER ACCENT. She mostly does makeup videos (tutorials, hauls, etc) which I haven’t really been watching. But I’m totally obsessed with her vlog videos and her very adorable British life. Isn’t she the cutest? Most days, I get home from work at approximately twenty to 11 pm (crazy, right?) and I’ve found that I just can’t pay attention to whole TV shows that late at night but I still want to watch SOMETHING to unwind in the midst of checking my sites. Lifestyle YouTube videos have been fitting the bill nicely as of late.

3) Revisiting my youth by way of the library.

harrisburdick

Remember this book??? I picked it up at the library the other day (along with this book of accompanying short stories–more on that later) and it has been so fun to leaf through. Writing stories based on the mysterious pictures was one of my favorite elementary school activities. No wonder so many of us grew up to love conspiracy theories!

4) Putting cranberry sauce on everything.

cranberrysauce

I don’t know where this idea came from but lately I’ve been really into grilling fish (salmon, cod, tilapia) on my Foreman and somehow I got it in my head that cranberry sauce would be a really delish addition. So I picked up a jar of this R.W. Knudsen cranberry sauce from the grocery and gave it a try. OMG, it is the perfect finish for a really simple meal of meat, vegetables and rice…tangy and sweet and you just need one little dollop.

5) My new capsule wardrobe.

capsuleoutfit1

So, if you don’t know, I have a really weird obsession with capsule wardrobes (I talked about my love of minimalism ogling here). In addition to my “one in, one out” rule (which I’ve been really good about! Just the other day I took a whole Trader’s Joe bag full of clothes and accessories to donate when I was initially just looking to get rid of a one skirt and one necklace) I’ve been trying to streamline my wardrobe. I finally solidified a late summer/early fall capsule wardrobe that I’m really happy with. Outfit #1 from the capsule is pictured above! Longer post to follow, I’m sure. ; )

Now, tell me a few of YOUR favorite things? I wanna know what is making you happy and giddy this Friday! Spill!

 

(Top image comprised of a photo from The Sound of Music and an illustration by Tyler Feder)

In the name of transparency…

Brainpower, Personal, , , , , , ,

laddertothemoon

I’m not awesome at cooking and have never cooked my way through an entire cookbook in order to get awesome. I haven’t radically changed my diet to mirror neolithic, paleolithic or WWII times nor am I actively trying to shed pounds. I’m not training for anything. I don’t live in a gorgeous neighborhood in some hipster city or spend all my time going to concerts and flea markets. I’m not sartorially gifted. I haven’t taken any symposiums on HTML or photography.

I live in the real world. I have a full-time job and responsibilities and seasons of Netflix to watch. I don’t have time to do Pinterest projects every day of the week. I’m also kind of lazy and not independently wealthy. I like simplistic, sustainable approaches.

I feel like this “lazy girl” (read: simpler) approach to all of the above (learning, healthy living, cooking, discovering, decorating, dressing, business) is a voice lacking in the blogosphere. We all have busy lives, so why shouldn’t we focus on doing less in order to live more?  So, if you’re cool with this lazy girl’s commitment to life-long learning and search for the good life by way of an easier lifestyle then I think that’s what I can give ya. Some “smart laziness” if you will.

I really like the idea of maintaining a “lifestyle blog” for the breadth of editorial possibilities that can fall under the umbrella of “lifestyle.” But I’d like to highlight ways in which we can make our lives easier and happier. Cheaper and less stressful. I’d like to LEARN how to live a more thankful and productive life by writing about what’s working and what doesn’t instead of telling other people how to be. I’d like to share knowledge and books and adventures.

Basically, I just wanna write about the shit I wanna write about. Because I like to write and would love to get better. Because I want to have a greater purpose behind new tasks and research. Because I’m seeking a mental and creative outlet to supplement my day-to-day. Because sometimes I miss having an audience.

(Andddd….in total and COMPLETE transparency, if you’ve ever had any sort of online blogging presence and I know you even a little, I’ve probably read it because I’m a big internet stalking weirdo. So, I may as well return the favor and let you creep MY life for a change.)

I think that’s quite enough of the introductory, boring stuff. Let’s start the real fun tomorrow. : ) I’d like to devote Wednesdays to a mid-week round-up of links I’ve recently found and would like to share. So, check back tomorrow!

(Painting: Georgia O’Keefe, Ladder to the Moon. 1958.)

The beginning.

Every day life, Personal, , , , ,

I’ll admit it, I’ve been blog obsessed for about as far back as my internet memories go. Maybe not in the same way we conceive of blogs today, in 2014, but going online with the sole goal of taking a peek into someone else’s life has kinda been my jam for a minute. My first internet memory is going online at my Dad’s office, in Vienna, Austria no less, to look up autobiographical snippets written by famous people. In retrospect, I doubt it was ACTUALLY Devon Sawa waxing poetic about his dog and love of pizza but really some poor PR shmuck, whatevs…the sentiment was there. Fast forward a few years and discovering someone’s Livejournal could kill an entire afternoon of teenage boredom. I devoured them like a V.C. Andrew’s novel–hoping for something scandalous, excusing the use of passive voice until I got there. In college and the early days of my working world, blogs blossomed into escapism at it’s finest. Desperately and ridiculously poor, I could spend hours looking at all sorts of beautiful things I couldn’t have and probably didn’t even want. Look at lives I hoped someday I’d get it together enough to live. And if we’re being completely honest, I turned my financial struggles around (for the most part) with the help of a Christian-Mom blogger (weird, I know…but those gals know what’s up when it comes to money for some reason) and networked within the comments of a business blog to land a part-time gig…which offers me the opportunity to read MORE blogs on the clock.

I’ve wanted to launch my own blog for years now. I’ve made a lot of excuses: I don’t have enough time. I don’t have any fancy equipment. I’m not tech savvy–AT ALL. Yet, the more I daydream about blogging, I realize that those excuses run counter to how I really try to live my life. If something makes you happy then do it. Make the most out of what you have. Commit to lifelong learning. So, we’re gonna give it a go.

braidme

My name is Beth. I live in Lexington, KY. I’m in management at a not-for-profit cooperative. I like to read, go on adventures, marathon series of television, craft, play outside, and do yoga on my living room floor. I like to research all sorts of things for fun and then do nothing with that research–so I’m hoping this new platform for writing can offer a solution. I often say, I can see myself doing and pursuing 10,000 things a day…so I end up doing nothing. This is the one thing I am working the hardest on in my life.

I chose the name “Finding delight.” for this site in honor of the mantra I adopted several years ago which has really shaped my approach to life. FIND DELIGHT. I can not stress enough how much actively searching for things you delight in can alter your mood, situation, happiness, and quality of life. And I know “delight” seems like a strange choice of word. Why not “find the positive” or “find happiness” or “find cool shit”? For me, “delight” invokes something simpler, invokes laughter, life’s unexpected pleasures. When trying to pull myself out of a rut a few years ago, I employed this strategy at the smallest level. As I drove to work each day, I looked for things to make myself smile. I was amazed at the things you can see when you really look–dogs acting silly, humans acting like the weirdos we are, and nature blinging in all it’s glory. I found this exercise wildly helpful and still practice it on the daily. I rarely arrive at work not in a positive mood. This simple search can then progress: Find delight in all aspects of your life. What brings you joy to do? Do it.

This is sounding a bit preachy but that’s the story behind the name. I guess my intent, is that this blog will be a way for me to continue to find delight. And perhaps you will find some within these pages too. In the end, we’re all in this rough real-world together. ❤
streetscene

Have you adopted a mantra that has impacted you in a positive way? My other two favorites right now are “Be brave”–for when I’m feeling like a social situation is about to be awksies or I’m gonna face some confrontation (something I desperately try to avoid) and “Don’t compare your beginning to somebody else’s middle”–for things I’m frustrated by because I’m not automatically the best (read: yoga and this blog.)

(Painting by T. Turner)