Finishing Up the 40 Day Challenge

I am proud to announce that I accomplished all 7 tasks for last week! At the beginning of the week, I decided to write. I could think of a million others things that I could have been doing, but I decided to treat myself and indulge in my hobby. I don't get much time to just write for pleasure, generally it's for school, so it was nice to do it just for my own benefit.

One night for dinner, I passed up the juicy pork chops anxiously waiting to be eaten and ate some flounder instead. Over the weekend, I went kayaking with my friends and basked in the sun like a reptile. I got to exercise, enjoy the company of beloved friends and I got to experience nature. It was a win, win, win!

Last night, I went on a jog through my school campus. I left my house right around sunset. Pink and orange painted a breath-taking sunset in the sky, the perfect setting for an evening run. I hate running. However, last night I didn't mind it as much as I normally would. Perhaps the Trix Yogurt sunset had something to do with it. It honestly felt good to run. I felt proud of how well I did. After I got home, I sat on my balcony for a moment to calm my heart rate. I turned off my blaring headphones and decided to just listen (task 2). I shut my eyes and listened for anything. I wished for a sign of comfort or just something or someone to tell me that I was doing alright. I opened my eyes and looked up to discover a single luminous star that shined proudly in the vacant sky. That was it. That was the sign. Sometimes just opening your ears can bring so much clarity to your life.

I ensured that I got at least 8 precious hours of sleep most nights of the week. I also remembered to thank myself. It felt nice to be appreciative of all that I do. If no one else shows you appreciation, it's comforting to know that you can show it to yourself. :)

Here are the final prosperous projects for the 40 Day Challenge: 
1. Actually read something substantial like a book. Not Cosmo or Twitter (Though I love both).
2. Walk instead of drive for short distances.
3. Lift some weights.
4. Eat a vegetable that you've never eaten (or at least haven't eaten in awhile).
5. Listen to some good music; let it inspire you! Or maybe just use it to relax while studying.

Well, the 40 day challenge is coming to a close. I only have 4 more days until Easter Sunday. Time for the home stretch. Let's finish up strong! :)

Peace & Prosperity,
Elsie <3

40 Day Challenge: Week 4

(Side note: ^ Aren't these Easter eggs so adorable?? :)

If this challenge has taught me anything, it's that taking a 40 day health challenge is damn difficult!

To be honest, I really did not expect to struggle with this. I thought it would be a great way to take some time to focus on my health. I thought I would complete every task each week. But as you all have read, that has not always been the case. 

I accomplished 5 out of 7 this week which isn't bad, but it's still not completely successful. The first night, I wore my birthday suit to bed. It really was liberating and I slept soundly the whole night. 

The next night, I completed the first task (Make a commitment to not eating fast food), but in a slightly different way than you might imagine. That night I reeeeeally didn't feel like cooking dinner. I just wanted to grab something and go back to studying. However, I knew if I did that, whatever I grabbed would not be a nutritious meal. So I decided to make a commitment to not eating "fast food" and to instead, take the time to cook a wholesome dinner. I ended up making Stuffed Peppers (a recipe I have written about previously)! 

Over the weekend, I celebrated my 21st birthday! Happy Birthday to me :) I was out of town; my older sister, my cousins and I went to visit my younger sister and we all spent a wonderful girls weekend together. Naturally, we went out and danced! So I was able to accomplish that project for the week. And to absorb some Vitamin D, I also spent some time in the sun over the weekend. 

Finally, I did my 25 squats before I showered last night. My leg muscles could tell that I haven't been to the gym for a while. I felt the burn and decided that I needed to make a change. I am going to try to get back into a routine in which I exercise and stay active at least 3-4 days a week! 

The 7 for this week are...
1.  Go to bed early and get the full 8 hours of precious sleep!
2. Listen. Stop talking. Use your ears instead of your mouth. 
3. Try to eat fish instead of red meat or poultry.
4. Experience and enjoy nature. Bask in its glory! (Plant something. Or just go to the beach and listen to the waves)
5. Indulge in your hobby for a while today & don't feel guilty. Even if "you have other things to do!"
6. Go on a run or jog (Even though you may hate it, like I do). Do it just because your body will praise you for it later.
7. Thank yourself for all that you do. Show yourself some appreciation :)

This is our final full week before Easter comes along. We have to kill it this week! Let's embrace Nike's motto and "Just DO it".

Peace & Prosperity,
Elsie <3

40 Day Challenge: Week 3 Success!

Hello, friends!
I am in a wonderful mood. I felt like I truly prospered this week. :)  

I realized that if you make a commitment to yourself and then follow through with that commitment, it can be one of the most glorious rewards. After a not so successful week 2, I needed to find a new focus.

The first task I chose was to moisturize my skin. Since it's been so hot lately, the sun has been drying it out. I even got a tad burnt. I used Aloe Vera to soothe the burn and to moisturize. I have an Aloe plant that I keep on my balcony. It is no trouble at all to take care of because it barely requires any water. It's practically a camel. And when my skin gets scorched, it always has my back :) I also put a bit of coconut oil on my skin to moisturize. I have one jar for cooking purposes and I also keep a separate jar for a moisturizer!

On Thursday, I took only the stairs at school. I also brought an apple for a snack at school to accomplish task number 1. Over the weekend I went to the beach. I actually decided to perform my meditation in the water. I knelt in the water and closed my eyes. I focused all my energy on maintaining balance, physically and mentally. I concentrated on not allowing the water to overpower me and knock me off my center of gravity. I also dedicated my meditation to the idea of a balanced lifestyle. It was enlightening. As I previously stated last week, water always helps me discover my inner peace.

Over the weekend, my roommate made brownies. I had already decided that my task for the day would be to limit my serving of sweets. I experienced a fleeting moment when I almost changed the task so I could savor multiple servings of the delectable brownies. Buuuut, I stayed strong. I only had 2 bite-sized portions during the day. 

I accomplished my last 2 tasks yesterday. I called up my aunt who had recently moved up north. Unfortunately, she did not answer, but I left her a nice voice mail. After dinner last night, I looked up a Youtube video for beginners yoga. Yoga has become a new interest of mine and I would like to explore what it could offer to my health. I really liked the video I found! It was a great way to end my night. I suggest looking up Yoga with Adriene!! She has plenty of videos for different styles and levels of practice. This was a solid way to end my week. 

The 7 prosperous projects for week 4 are...
1.  Make a commitment to not eat any fast food today.
2. DANCE!!!
3. Soak up some vitamin D from the sun!
4. Do 25 squats.
5. Sleep naked! It's healthy because it airs out your skin & it can boost your body image.
6. Apply a facial mask for your skin using only natural ingredients (perhaps honey, oatmeal or avocados).
7. Make a cleaning To Do list. Do your best to remove the clutter from your life. 

Keep on keepin' on! 
Stay golden,
Elsie <3

40 Day Challenge: Week 2 Blues

I am not proud to admit that my progress was less than exemplary last week. I have already hit a lull in the challenge. I'm going to call it the Week 2 Blues. Perhaps I can accredit my laziness with the challenge to the fact that I was on Spring Break. However, that should not be an excuse.

I went on a camping trip over the weekend so I was able to play outside. I also took my 15 minutes to pray and cultivate my spiritual self. I sat by the water of the spring at the state park I visited and just spent some valued time with the Lord. It was incredibly soothing. Being by the water really added to my peaceful state. Every time that I am surrounded by water, perhaps at the beach or by the river, I genuinely feel the graceful presence of God. 

This morning I made sure not to skip out on breakfast. I devoured a bowl of oatmeal and a piece of whole grain toast with peanut butter and honey before I rushed off to class. Today I also did the 30 crunches. I did the positive things exercise and stretched before heading off to sleep. 

Since I neglected to fulfill a task each day last week, I ended up doing 4 today, all last minute. I didn't perform the tasks to the fullest of my ability. I was not concentrated enough on my challenge to ensure that I accomplished each project. I did not disconnect from social media for a day during last week (task #7). But I have decided to not throw the task away, but to do it tomorrow, along with a new task of week 3. It is too easy to let the events of daily life get in the way of your goals.

I don't know how I suddenly lost my motivation. However, I plan to transform my attitude! This is supposed to be a challenge and I have not been rising to the occasion. Week 3 will see a new focus! I truly hope that you all have been doing better than I have. Honestly, I feel ashamed. 

Though, I will not allow myself to already feel defeated. If you are unsatisfied with yourself, decide to make a change and then take the necessary steps. This week I commit to performing all 7 tasks. I will execute them with gumption and with an improved attitude!

I have realized that failure does not always have to be taken negatively. I simply have room for improvement. I'm sure we all have room to better ourselves. So I say, let's do this together! Let's succeed with the next 7!

Week 2's prosperous projects are as follows:

1. Eat fruit for a snack instead of junk food
2. Moisturize your skin! (*Try to use a natural oil like tea tree oil or coconut oil)
3. Call up a loved one you haven't spoken to in a while. 
4. Look up a YouTube video for a fitness class you've always wanted to take! (Perhaps Yoga, Zumba or Pilates)
5. Only allow yourself to eat 1 serving of sweets today (i.e. only 2 cookies instead of 8).
6. Meditate for 20 minutes. Go to your happy place and focus all of your energy on it.
7. Only take the stairs today! No elevators!


Week 3 will see a new me! I am determined! We got this in the bag, guys!

Keep it real.
Elsie <3

40 Day Challenge: 1st Week Down!

Alright last week started out well, but then progressively got harder. I chose to do 20 push-ups the first day. I thought, "Easy peasy lemon squeezy". Push-ups happen to be my strong suit, so I don't mind doing them. In fact, I like doing them! I even used them as motivation to do well on my exam the following day. I used them to pump up, literally and figuratively!

When I do a set of push-ups, I usually come up with a sentence or phrase that I say while doing them. I did two sets of 10. During each push-up, I said one word of my 10-word sentence which was as follows: "We are going to get A's on our tests tomorrow!" I did them with my roommate who is also participating in the challenge. We both happened to have exams the next day! And you know what? The pump up worked! I got a 92 on my exam the next day! :)

It's funny because the things I thought would be easy, proved to be the toughest! Thursday, I chose not to wear makeup to school. Seeing as how it was my last day before Spring Break, I was kind of forced to do it that day.I thought this should be easy. I don't have to wake up as early to get ready. I can sleep in. Though, it didn't end up being so simple. I'm not going to lie; I considered not doing it. Normally, I wouldn't mind going Oh naturaaaal. However, for some reason, my face decided to become break out central that day!! I contemplated about how unethical it would be if I abandoned my own challenge. I deemed it pretty unethical and cowardly. So, I put my big girl panties on and did it! It was a freeing and empowering experience to finally decide not to fret over something as petty as a pimple on my cheek. 

I flossed the next day. Though, I must admit, I only flossed once. So I would say that I was semi successful that day. The following day I killed 3 birds with one stone. (I hate that expression but it's the best way to say it I guess). My dad asked me to pick up a few things at Publix, so my friend and I took the opportunity to go on an enjoyable bike ride instead of driving. That night I also met up with some old friends and relished a lovely "social outing". 

While shopping at Publix, I complimented a woman's tattoo. I didn't do it to fulfill my task; I just really liked her ink. It was stunning. But I thought, "Does that count? Was that a genuine compliment?" I felt like saying "I like your shirt" or something similar was a cop out. Is saying you like someone's clothing or jewelry or tattoo really a compliment? I decided that it wasn't good enough. That night at Waffle House with my friends, I was still thinking about number 7 for the week. (*Also, I know Waffle House doesn't qualify as healthy. But a girl deserves a cheat meal every once in a while!) Our waitress seemed sad. She must have been having a rough night. She kept asking if "we needed anything else". I wanted to ask her the same question. I felt like she was in dire need of a pick-me-up. So I decided that I would tweak the "compliment" a bit. To end the 7th task, I gave her a hefty $5 tip on a $2 bill. I hope that she took it as my compliment. I hope that it provided a small boost for the rest of her night. She flashed me a genuine smile as I walked out the door. :)

Alright folks, enough with my progress. I hope you all are keeping health on your priority list and taking the time to complete your 7! Here are the 7 prosperous projects for this week:

1. Play outside! (*If the weather doesn't allow for it, play a game of some sort at the gym! Racquetball or basketball perhaps?)
2. Spend 15 minutes in prayer or just send out good vibes to the universe. Nurture your spirituality.  
3. Do 30 crunches
4. Write down 10 positive things about yourself or better yet, tell yourself in the mirror!
5. Stretch when you wake up and before you go to sleep
6. Eat a wholesome breakfast! Don't skip it this morning! I suggest a hardy oatmeal or Greek yogurt with berries and granola
7. Disconnect for a whole day. Don't check ANY social media...that includes snap chat!

You can do this! Keep focusing on your health. Accept the challenge & conquer it with flying colors!

Stay whole and keep up the good work my friends.
Elsie <3

40 Day Challenge

As some of you may know, Lent began last week on Wednesday. For those of you who do not know, Lent is the season that represents the story of when Jesus spent 40 days in the desert. It is a time for reflection, sacrifice and spiritual growth. I haven't really touched much on spiritual health, but being a spiritual and faithful person, I find it essential to my overall well-being. My faith keeps me whole. Sometimes just taking 2 minutes to thank God, the universe or whatever you may send your thoughts of gratitude to, makes a huge difference on the quality of your day. 

Generally, to practice the act of sacrifice, people "give up" something for Lent. For example, some people might give up eating chocolate. Or many times someone might try to go above and beyond to do good deeds. Usually I never decide what I'm doing for Lent until halfway through and I feel like I don't get out of it all that I could. 

Today marks exactly 40 days until Easter. So to change my crummy Lent habits, I have decided that this season I shall complete a 40 day challenge that concentrates solely on my overall wellness. And, I've decided to encourage all of you to complete it with me! Even if you do not practice Lent, you can still challenge yourself to focus on your health! 

Here's how it works: each week, there will be a series of 7 tasks, one for each day. You can accomplish them in any order that you see fit! The tasks focus on all parts of being a whole individual: emotional balance, physical fitness, nutritious diet, the cultivation of one's spirit and a sense of mindfulness. 

Each Wednesday (beginning today) I will post the 7 tasks and I will record my progress from the previous week. I will also offer up some uplifting and motivational words to help you carry out the challenge. :) 

Let's start off strong with this week's undertakings! 

1. Do 20 push ups (they don't have to be all in a row, although why not try?!)
2. Go to school or work without makeup. (If you don't wear makeup, don't style your hair). Embrace your natural beauty.
3. Only drink water today! No coffee, no juice, no alcohol! Just good old H2O. 
4. Go on a social outing and enjoy the good company of others.
5. Go on a walk or a bike ride around your community (or if it's too cold, perhaps the bike at the gym will do)!
6. FLOSS! Twice today!!
7. Give a stranger a genuine compliment. Say it out loud to their face. :)

Keep checking back each week for a new set of prosperous projects! Feel free to tell us about your progress with the challenge in the comments below! 

Peace and love to all. Go get 'em, tiger!
Elsie <3

Zen Sunday

Tonight I participated in Yoga In the Park (<like it on Facebook!) in the Curtis Hixon Park in downtown Tampa. Every Sunday from 5 till 6, the people of Tampa gather for a yoga session while the sun slowly dips below the horizon. And the best part, it's completely free! This partnership has been going on for five years now and my only regret is that I did not know about it sooner!

Yoga is not only a physical exercise, but it is also equally a mental and spiritual exercise. Melissa, the instructor gave us constant reminders to concentrate on our breathing patterns. She kept telling us to "breathe out our week." Every time I let out a breath, I exhaled all the stress that accumulated throughout the week. I simply focused on finding inner peace. And you know what? I found it!

At one point, I looked up to the endless sky of crystal blue and a single bird flew over head. The beauty of nature surrounded me. The park is right by the water. The breath-taking architecture of the University of Tampa looms in the distance. When the sun sets, it looks like a scene from Aladdin.  I could hear the joyful screams of children, birds chirping, dogs barking, scooters, but even with all the commotion, I also found quiet. It's like I had created a bubble of tranquility around me and nothing could penetrate it. Honestly, some of my favorite parts of the session were when we just took in deep breaths. I forget how a simple deep breath can be so soothing. A huge gush of oxygen restores your brain. Then all you feel is a sense of lightness. 

Now I have back problems, minor scoliosis to be exact. So I was worried about the difficulty of the poses and the strain it could potentially put on my back. But I really appreciated this session because you could do everything at your own pace. If you began to feel discomfort, stop stretching as far. If your muscles felt tense, relax. There were people of all ages with all different exercise styles. Some people who practice yoga daily and some who this may have been their first class. You know when you sign up for a Zumba class or yoga or just any fitness class and you show up and you're immediately intimidated because it seems like EVERYONE knows what they're doing except you? I hate that! Well, this wasn't like that at all. It was a safe space. I felt completely comfortable. There was no self conscious feeling that could take away from the harmony with myself or with the earth. 

Afterwards, my body and spirit felt thoroughly refreshed! I felt relieved, relaxed, joyful, peaceful. I felt every good feeling possible. At the end, Melissa told us to thank ourselves for coming today. I loved that! Out of all the other things I could have been doing, I was doing yoga in the park. Something healthy for my body and my mind. I did thank myself. And it felt good to do that! We always try to show gratitude towards others but how often do we thank ourselves for our own actions? 

I was thankful that I chose to go today. I was thankful for a wonderful instructor who uplifted me and made me feel ready for a new week. I was thankful to be there with my best friend. I was thankful for the sky. I was thankful for the warmth that the sun provided. I was thankful for the beauty that the earth gives. And finally, I was thankful for a healthy body. Yoga reminded me not to take these things for granted. What an enlightening experience! 

I would highly suggest looking into taking a yoga class! Or stop by downtown Tampa on a Sunday evening for a free session! Or if you don't have enough time for that still, just take 20 minutes to stop and focus. Sit in a comfortable pose, open your heart, your mind and your spirit. And allow all anxiety, fear, doubt to slip away into the universe. Fill your head with the light feeling of oxygen. I promise, it will do wonders for your mental state. 

Here are some pictures from today!!

^^ This is Melissa the instructor!! :)

Be sure to follow Going Om Yoga on Facebook! Or check out one of Melissa's yoga classes!! Follow her on her website here! 

"Wisdom is knowing I am nothing; Love is knowing that I am everything.

And in between the two, my life moves."

-Nisargadatta Maharaj

She said the quote above in the session. Absolutely inspired. :) Remember to treat your body like a temple. Open your heart and mind to compassion. Live life in between wisdom and love. <3

Health is the true wealth my friends. 

Namaste. 

Elsie <3