September 2019 Intentions

Jumping right back in with September intentions, because August was a month of adjustment. With moving and settling in and a crazy tidal wave of projects at work, it was truly hard to focus on anything else in August. So September, here I am, ready to put my best foot forward and getting back in my groove.

HEALTH: Eat a more balanced diet. I've found that, recently, I've been letting fast food slip into my diet more often than I'd like. Not eating breakfast, drinking soda, and not getting enough protein have also been some of the bad habits surrounding my diet. So I'm starting simple with attempting to bring back some balance. Soda is fine – just not every day. Pizza? Sure, but I want to make sure I'm eating my fish, rice, and broccoli too.

MINDSET: The two-day rule. I'm starting to get back into running – for real this time! I bought new shoes to get me motivated, so now I have no excuses. The thing with running (or any form of exercise, really) is that it's dangerous to jump in gung-ho, 6 times a week. I don't want to get injured, and I don't want to burn out. So, I'm following the two-day rule: don't allow yourself to go two days in a row without doing the damn thing.

HABITS: No snoozin'. I live a lot closer to work now, so I've gotten into the habit of hitting that snooze button one to six times. Instead, I want to take advantage of the extra time I have in the mornings by getting ready for the day – doing my makeup at home instead of in the car, making myself a nice cup of coffee to enjoy while I get ready, and maybe even tag along with Reilly and the dog on their walks.

My Anchor Tattoo

I got my first tattoo when I was 18 years old. I knew that I wanted tattoos when I was pretty young, so my mom agreed to pay for my first tattoo as a birthday gift from her, but she had some rules: she needed to agree with the content and location, I needed to be happy with the tattoo idea for six months, and the tattoo had to have a meaning – I was not allowed to get something on my body forever just because I liked how it looked. I was annoyed by her criteria at the time, but I am so thankful for it now.

I initially wanted the same anchor, but with a quote below it, and on my calf. Now that I'm older, leg tattoos are not my thing (but I do have two ankle tats, which I love). I also have grown to learn that generic quotes can lose their meaning to someone over time – the one I wanted has lost meaning to me.

My mom quickly ruled out the location, since I was a runner, and I was outside with my legs exposed every day. She didn't like the idea of a tattoo being so visible on my body at such a young age – she wanted me to get it in a location that was more concealable. She also disliked my initial location because the tattoo is in color. Being in the sun as often as I was, the greens and pinks in the tattoo would fade relatively quickly, so it would be a pretty high-maintenance tattoo in terms of touch-ups.

So, I opted for the back of my neck. My mom was over the moon about the new location, but then told me I couldn't get the quote. Since the tattoo would be much smaller on the back of my neck, the words would likely blur out after a few years. I was annoyed, of course, but I agreed.

Finally, the meaning. This tattoo is only one of two (out of the nine that I have) that actually has meaning to it (sorry mom). I have been through a lot of rough times in my life – more than anyone should ever have to go through. In high school, I was faced with the worst of it, but I always tried to find a silver lining in everything. Simply put, my first tattoo symbolizes the fact that there is always a positive side to a negative situation. The anchor represents the negative, "weighing you down," and the flowers show that you can bloom through anything. My mom loved it. And then, my first tattoo was born.

Also, side note, I got this tattoo done in the backyard of some lady my friend recommended, and I almost passed out because I didn't eat beforehand. Don't be dumb like 18-year-old me. Eat before you get tattooed. And for Pete's sake, go to a professional.

July 2019 Intentions

Happy JULY. Holy cow, this year is going by so quickly!! June was a roller-coaster month for me, so intentions are focused on getting back to the basics. Here they are:

HEALTH: Get back on your daily green juice. I have this green juice powder that I mix with lemonade or dump into a smoothie in the morning. It helps balance my digestion. But, lately, I've been slacking on drinking it consistently, so that's my health focus for this month!

MINDSET: Be patient. There is a whirlwind of things going on in my life. Lots of new changes, and with that comes a lot of emotions. I'm really quick to react, and my anxious brain always needs to have a plan. So, this month, I'm reminding myself to just be patient.

HABITS: Weekly brain dumps and daily journal entries. With everything that's going on, I haven't been on my journaling A-game. I know myself, and times like these are when I need to get in touch with myself the most. My journaling practice really does do wonders for my mind, so I need to get back into the habit this month.

What is your July looking like?