I’m sort of obsessed with the Jillian Michaels podcast. Most of it doesn’t even talk about fitness — a lot of it is about Jillian’s life experience and her dealings with people and the lessons she’s learned emotionally. My life and your life are very different from this celebrity trainer, but she’s still really real and vulnerable, and it’s like free therapy in my ear that makes my therapist’s vacation seem a lot shorter.
Yesterday on my run*, I listened to a recent episode called “Jill Finds the Zen.” My BFF Jill talked about how despite a lot of drama she’s experienced this year, she’s learned to let a lot of it go and accept it and find the zen. She talked about a man who said his perfect day — one day — would involve a few hours of work, an hour at the gym, plenty of sexy time with his wife and hanging out with his son. “Why wait?” Jillian challenged. The man left work early one day to spend some extra time with his son, and the son said it was the best day of his life.
We can wait until we’re on vacation or we retire to have a perfect day, or we can bring elements of that perfect day into our everyday for those moments that matter.
This morning, I was working from home. I love my coworkers and sometimes get lonely working all day alone in my apartment, so working from home isn’t always exciting to me. But today, I decided I’d make it feel like a luxury.
I chose to save my workout for lunchtime since I didn’t have to waste time showering before work and lounged around for a bit and made a ginormous mug of coffee before diving into the day.
I put on a cozy pair of snowflake jammies, lit a candle and decided to enjoy the rare moment I got to work in the quiet of my own apartment during the day with my little dog by my side, rocking out to some music.
My life is far from perfect, and there were definitely other things I was preoccupied about, but for part of today, I put that aside and made this the best damn work from home day I could.
What are the moments that matter to you? How do you celebrate the small things?
*I started training for the RNR DC Half yesterday! I’m so excited to be back on a training plan and will be sharing more about my running soon! as my training progresses!
Yep yep yep. I try not to obsess about weight (and am generally successful) but those 5 extra Christmas pounds are still hanging out and today I started the campaign to lose them! I even managed to turn down ice-cream. It’s been fun, Christmas Food, but we’re through for the year.
I have no idea how this year will…unravel and I PRAYHOPESTRIVE to live a bit differently than I did in 2014
I think you will 🙂
I ran the DC full last year! I loved the half course, except for the hill at mile 6-7. Cant wait to hear about your training. Also, this is a great reminder to leave everyday to stop and smell the coffee. Treat yourself!
Yeah that hill is a bitch. But it’s where my last half PR is from in 2013 so I’m hoping for good things going back 🙂
…and you say you loved the half course, not the full course. How’d you like the second half? I’ve heard it kind of sucks, ha.
I ran the DC RnR full in 2013 and once the half runners split off, it was like crickets. Soul-crushing crickets. Ok it wasn’t THAT awful, but the company got very sparse (I’ll admit I was definitely closer to the back of the pack), the crowds got sparser, and at one point, it was actually unclear where the course was- I’m pretty sure I followed some other runners over a median strip at one point. By the time I finished, the RnR crew had all but gone home :(. I think it’s just geared for the half runners.
Yeah, that’s definitely what I’ve heard. Also, does it still run through Anacostia in the second half?
Yup, right through the park (a bit of a weird back and forth from what I remember) and then through the neighborhood and back across the river. It was mentally tough for me to not have any crowd support out there, and there were definitely no bands, but some people love the quiet :).
@Theodora Blanchfield:
Yeah it definitely isn’t the best. They take you over into MD for the last 6 miles and it is kinda deserted – not the best area.
Good luck on the PR!
so important! this is one of my goals for 2015, especially with my little one.
I’ve wanted to do RnR DC but its always NYC Half weekend! What training plan are you following?
I enjoy the small moments by really realizing how far I’ve come along (i.e. I’m in awe sometimes being in NYC and living here for a few years now and at one point this was just a dream).
I did the RNR DC 2011, 2012 and 2013 when the NYC Half started getting expensive and hard to get into. There was actually one year they weren’t the same weekend, and I did both, and it was awesome. The past two years I applied for the NYC Half lottery and didn’t get in 🙁
oh! And for training: Jess is coaching me.
i totally agree with you on making time for the important things. for me, what matters most is my girlfriends, my family, my writing, my running, and my faith. some get more priority than others, and i want to find a good balance in 2015. oh and cut out sugar. 🙂 right.
Good for you for making the most of the day! Happy last day of 2014!
A great post : ) It makes one think about putting things into prospective.