2017 Lessons

2017

What did 2017 teach me? 2017 taught me to learn to listen more. This all started with my inner voice telling me I needed to get out of my job, and make some serious life choices to be where I want to be by the time I turn 25. I also needed to follow through on that half marathon I signed up for without knowing how many miles it was and my life seemed to sort of fall into place.

Orangetheory Fitness

I first heard of OTF at a movie premiere with my boyfriend in October 2016. It was casually brought up in conversation because one had been opened across the street from my house and the person I was talking to was a member. So, “New Year, New Me” kicked in and in the beginning of January I took my first class. The next day I cancelled my gym membership and signed up for the 8 class program. At the time, I was training for my first half marathon so I was doing a lot of running out doors and training that way with different “how to train for your first half marathon when you don’t consider yourself a runner” type of articles. A few months in, I increased my membership to unlimited, ran my half marathon, and started going to OTF five times a week.

I’ve increased my running times, can lift stronger, and feel overall more in shape. This year, my goal is to maintain and slim down. Last year was a whole bunch of experimenting and now that I have found something that works, I want to solidify my commitment to my strength and health and fitness journey because last year was just the beginning.

Run Away?

December 2015 I get a text from my best friend saying “sign up for this with me” followed by a link. I click the link respond “what is this why is it $200?” and proceed to continue the signup process. She responds “it’s in May, we have time! I signed up with my coworkers and the pre-sale price is ending soon” so I exit the text, and proceed the checkout, pull out my credit card while in my car, stopped in my driveway, and click process.

That was it. I signed up. I was doing it. I go to work and walk in and say my good mornings, followed by, “you’ll never guess what I did this morning!” Crickets. “I signed up for a half marathon!” I hear giggles, I heard audible shock, I hear “good for you, I don’t think I could run 13.1 miles!” The number thirteen went more like thhhhhhhhirrrrrteeeeeeen. I look up “what?! Neither could I!” I turn on my computer, and google search *half marathon* and see that the distance is 13.1 miles. I text my friend, “you know it’s 13 miles?!” Everyone in my office continues to correct me with 13.1, you’re forgetting the .1.

Luckily, my coworker and friend is a runner and knew what to do. She sent me training plans, running schedules, shoe options, food choices, and send check-ins to make sure I was running after work like I said I would. 

Flash forward to May 2017, I go to Disneyland and carbo-load the day before, run the 13.1 the next morning on Mother’s Day at the crack of dawn, I can’t feel my feet after, go back to the hotel and nap, and wake up and can’t feel my legs. I limp to the car, I go home, ice everything, wake up 5 hours later, and limp to Mother’s Day dinner.

Don’t think you’re a runner. Think again.

Support

I love love and I’ve never experienced it more than I have in 2017. Without getting too sappy, it is truly incredible to find a person and surrounding people who care about you but more importantly, support you.
I celebrated an anniversary and officially the longest relationship I've ever had with a person who understands me and loves me for all that I am and so much more.
This year taught me to focus on the relationships that mean the most to me, and say no to relationships, people, activities, and environments that sucked energy out of me and left me feeling awful about myself, my progress, and just negative in general. I learned the difference between leaving a social situation feeling tired but full of positive energy, and leaving feeling drained. I've noticed a huge trend with "saying no" and I am all about that. Embrace your inner grandma. Your sleep habits, body, and future will thank you for saying no to a few nights out and yes to a night in with a face mask, Netflix, glass (or bottle) of wine, or whatever suits your fancy. 

Adventure

2017 was full of adventures. We adventured to Hogwarts, Seattle, Vegas (never enough times), photo-op pop-up museums, Paso Robles, Laguna Beach, Outside Lands, New York, Philadelphia, new job, new foods, shows, more than I can even remember to list. Here’s to more adventures in 2018. Whether they include leaving my city, leaving the state, or just leaving my house.