6 Tips for Staying on Track When It's Absolutely Miserable Outside

I've already spoken to the fact that I basically made myself sick over the holidays from a combination of foods that were all really good, and all really terrible for me. I have no regrets (that's probably a lie, I definitely don't regret the lobster), but once the new year hit, I knew I had to get myself back on track and feeling better, stronger, faster. After two months of straight-up work and eating some serious feelings, I hadn't visited the gym in ages and I could easily tell I'd lost some strength. It was all a good kick in the ass to get moving again. I'm really proud of what I've accomplished over the past few months. Not only do I feel as though I've repaired my relationship with my body and stuck to a pretty solid gym routine, but in doing so I've somehow managed to avoid the crushing S.A.D. that has affected me in seasons past.

Today I thought I'd share a few tips for staying motivated during these last few days of winter. Because spring is almost here, and soon we'll be able to get outside and feel the sun on our faces, and that is going to be awesome. But spring's not here just yet...

Make it about the way you feel - This year, I stopped weighing myself and started treating my body with kindness, and I feel so much better. While I know the 'no scale' approach isn't for everyone, after realizing that my weight could actually fluctuate drastically week to week, I stopped seeing the point of checking. All it did was stress me out and make me panicky, which is dumb and not worth the brain space. Instead, I focus on how I feel physically and emotionally, and when I'm tempted to insult myself in the mirror, I repeat this to myself. Because it's true. No one likes an asshole, so this year I stopped being an asshole to my body. I work out to feel strong mentally and physically, and to clear the cobwebs from my head. And to sleep like a baby. Because sleep is awesome.

Set a schedule & take advantage of weekends - My workweek can get pretty crazy, and crazy exhausting, so I try to take advantage of weekends to either get outside and run (if the temperature is above 30), or get to the gym. This guarantees that I've knocked two days off my three to four day weekly workout schedule so all I have to do is get there once or twice during the week. It doesn't always happen, but it helps.

Add variety - If you have a gym membership, try a new class. If you don't, try a new DVD. I started taking advantage of the spin and yoga classes offered at my gym and ended up loving them both. They were the perfect addition to my usual cardio/weight/running routine. I'm only able to run once or twice a week without my knees blowing up like water balloons, so that variety helps to keep things interesting when I can't be outdoors.

Try an app or two - I just signed up for Runkeeper and love it. It tracks my mileage, maps my routes, and updates me on my progress. Definitely a keeper, and one I enjoy using. On the flipside, I tried MyFitnessPal and hated it. It felt like it was tailored more towards easily scannable processed foods and focused way too much on calories and cardio. I know a couple of people who have had success losing weight with it, but that wasn't my goal, and seeing my estimated calories mapped out like that started to bring up some old feelings of negativity. Also, because I make the majority of what I eat from scratch and don't measure my portions, it was pretty much useless. Deleted. But I'm glad I tried it.

Get changed at work - My motivational dead zone? Between my car and my apartment. It sucks getting out of a warm car and walking in ten degree weather into a warm apartment. An apartment with a cat who practically climbs into your arms and gives you the look that no one can resist. To avoid this emotional roller coaster, I change into my workout clothes at work, and just pick up Chris on my way to the gym. It's hard to talk yourself out of it when you're already dressed and it saves so much time.

Reward yourself - When I'm feeling particularly proud of myself, I'll sometimes purchase a new workout-specific item or something small I've wanted from the health and beauty aisle at the natural foods store (I'm a sucker for incense, ayurvedic candles, and...patchouli...now you know my secret). I like rewarding myself with something that will either make me feel great and be functional while at the gym, or something nice for my body. I never reward myself with food beyond a recovery snack though (usually a fresh date with almond butter between the gym and dinner), because while I don't weigh myself and still enjoy a treat now and then, I do stick to a pretty specific diet - one that has kept my skin clear and my gut feeling good - and rewarding myself with junk isn't worth it. Also, for workout clothes, I love TjMaxx (the majority of my fitness stuff is from there) and Aeropostale.

Non-Cheesy Valentine's Date Ideas

 

Whether you like it or not, Friday is Valentine's Day. Personally, I'm a fan, I'll pretty much take anything to brighten up February, which for me is a bummer month. An excuse to eat chocolate and make goofy cards for the people I love? Perfect. What to actually do on the day itself, well, that's slightly more challenging. I'm not a huge fan of the expected roses, dinner-and-a-movie, cookie-cutter V-day date. This year, I wanted to surprise Chris with something super awesome, and because that surprise has been blown (he brought up maybe seeing HR from Bad Brains, a decision had to be made), I thought I'd share what I have planned, along with a few more ideas that break the Valentine's mold. Whether you're planning a date, heading out with a group of friends, or rocking it solo, why not do something awesome?

So, what's our big, hot, Valentine's Day date? We're going to Monster Jam! If you've been reading for awhile, you may already be aware of my secret love for monster trucks, so when a coworker suggested a bunch of us go, I jumped on board. I'm really excited to be doing something a little different. Plus, I mean, monster trucks. After the show, we'll grab some late night drinks (and hopefully food) at Harvard & Highland, and enjoy the view of East Liberty.

Know what else you could do?

See a drag or burlesque show. This was my second choice, though I'm not sure if the Blue Moon Bar in Pittsburgh has anything planned for the 14th. If you're in a city, the chances are high that these options are available to you, and they're great options if you want to see beautiful/fabulous people lip-synching and dancing in their underwear (who doesn't?). psst...PGH'ers, there's a burlesque show at Cattiva on the 24th!

Go make something. I think dates where you actually do something are the most interesting. Have a local artist collective or artisan gallery nearby? Check out their event's pages for upcoming workshops and demos. PGH Glass Center has a couple of cool programs planned.

Get sweaty. It's winter and it's cold, but that doesn't mean you can't get sweaty doing something fun outdoors. Go skiing or snowboarding. Or snowshoeing. If you really want to punish yourself, go cross-country skiing. As a bonus, ski resorts usually have hotels on the mountain. Hotels usually have pools. Pools are easy to sneak into (at least they used to be when I was in high school). Just saying.

Go explore. Last Valentine's Day Chris and I jumped in the car and headed over to Akron, OH. Mandi was kind enough to send over some recommendations for things to do in the area, and while some could see Akron as not exactly a destination, it was an awesome day. We checked out some antique stores, went thrift shopping, and gorged ourselves on grilled cheese and tater tots. Going somewhere new, especially somewhere you might not normally think to go, guarantees an interesting afternoon.

Everyone's definition "cheesy" is different, Valentine's doesn't have to be the same old thing. I'd love to know what you have planned!

5 Tips for Breaking Out of a Blogging Rut

Something happened after the holidays this year, once the new year hit, the blogging world seemed to utter a collective sigh of relief. Vice grips were released from laptops and DSLRs, bloggers who had once been six-post-a-week-ers cut down to three or four, and there was an overall air of relaxation. Maybe it was all in my head, or I was projecting my own feeling of relief once the holiday madness was finally over, but whatever it was, the sudden air of relaxation felt refreshing. Blogging felt exciting again, and it was clear that many others had been feeling the same way I had.

Whether you've been blogging for merely a month, or for five years, there comes a time when you might feel as if you're in a rut. I've felt it before, but never so acutely as I did from October through the end of December of 2013. I waffled weekly, toying with the idea of throwing in the towel. I was tired, feeling creatively uninspired, and feeling old. And then I took an unintentional break -- A completely tech-free home over the holidays will have that effect -- which gave me time to reassess and let go of some of the sky-high expectations I had set for myself years ago, when my plate was not nearly as full as it is now. While I'm still very much in the process of figuring out what works for me, I thought I would share a few tips for working through your own blogging rut:
 
Take a break - The obvious place to start. But taking a break from blogging sounds so easy, when in reality, the mere thought of stepping away can kind of screw with your head a little bit. I've been writing Orchid Grey for five years, and, aside from taking a few days off around my wedding and to move to Pennsylvania, I had never taken any real time off before. Stepping away allowed me to clear the fog from my head, and really think about what it was that I wanted from my blog. When I did feel ready to blog again, I felt as if I had a brand new sense of focus, and part of that was the decision to devote more time to fewer posts. Not worrying about getting a post up every single day not only allowed me to put some of that energy back in to actually writing something, but I could also funnel some of that energy into other areas of my life I felt I had been neglecting.

Tune out - It can be super difficult to step away from the computer, phone, internet, what-have-you on the weekends. But I truly feel it's necessary and will do you so much good. During the week, I'm online from 10am to 6pm at work, and then usually for a couple of hours at night. That's actually sort of sickening to me. On the weekends I've made it my intention to only log on if I need to in the mornings when I'm the only one awake. Unless I'm working on a project, I try to keep my distance from technology for those two days a week. It at least makes me feel slightly better about how the remainder of the week is spent, and that time away is usually some of the most inspiring. Getting out from behind the screen allows you to experience things that will in turn inspire your writing. When I feel like I have nothing to say, it's usually because I've been too sedentary. Working out is also a great way to get your mind moving, it's sometimes the only way I'm able to clear my head and sort through problems.

Try something new - So, you've taken a break and thought long and hard about where you want to take your blog. You're tuning out on the weekends too, to allow time for inspiration. Now maybe it's time to try out a style of post, or perhaps you finally tackle that one project you've been putting off. Danielle of Sometimes Sweet recently wrote up a huge list of blog post ideas for the stumped blogger, take one and run with it! It may end up being a one-off, or it could lead to an entire series.

Get back to basics - I used to take all of my own outfit shots, with the occasional pic from a friend or maybe Chris. Once we moved to Pennsylvania, however, I lost my camera remote and started to rely more on Chris for my photos. Without a remote and a secluded parking lot (where I used to take most of my shots in Mass), it was suddenly awkward to take my pictures out in the open. Well, I recently cleaned out my car and guess what I found? My remote. I took it as a sign, and started taking some of my own shots again, and it felt great to be in complete creative control again! Moral of the story, maybe there's something you used to do on your blog that fell by the wayside. Try picking it up again and see what happens.

Keep an editorial calendar - Before starting my job, I had never had any exposure to an editorial calendar before, but they're awesome. Basically, it's just a calendar where you keep track of your blogging schedule. It can be as simple or elaborate as you'd like, but keeping one will allow you to stay on track and keep you accountable for big publish dates. It can also be a way to experiment with your own schedule to see what works best.

If you're feeling bummed on blogging, sometimes it's just a matter of changing your perspective. The most effective way to do that - in my opinion - is to step back and assess, even if that stepping back is purely circumstantial (like a house in Maine that only has a land line and two T.V. channels).