philosophy

11 Positive Things About Moving

/ christinaparisi / 2 Comments

Craigslist scams, application fees, anxiety…

My husband and I were given sixty days to vacate our apartment because our new property management company wants to remodel the building. We have lived here for over two years and like it but with no choice, we’ve had to get looking.

As the negative aspects of moving started to sprout, I realized I had to nip those before they grew. So instead, I decided to focus on the positive things. Positivity begets positivity and I believe in making it swirl all around me. (FYI – it worked, we found a place that is absolutely amazing!)

11 Positive Things About Moving 

1. It’s a time to purge oneself of unnecessary material things.

2. Rediscovery of lost items. (so that’s what happened to that ring…)

3. New beginnings.

4. Fresh paint and new carpet.

5. Making $$ from a garage sale.

6. Makes it easier to make other changes with a new beginning…

7. New restaurants to discover within walking distance.

8. A change in routine. That’s good for the soul.

9. Housewarming parties!

10. Opportunity to find a place that corrects what was wrong with your current place.

11. A clean slate with new neighbors ;)

 

 

Make Healthy A Habit – Three Months Later

/ christinaparisi / 2 Comments

It’s been three months since I decided to change things and make healthy a habit.

I wish I could write about how great it’s all been and how healthy has become so much a habit for me that I don’t have to focus on it…. but I’m not going to lie. It hasn’t been easy. And focus is exactly what keeps me going with it.

Allow me to explain…

My goal for making these changes to begin with is so I can live a healthier life and make the best decisions I can for my mind and body. Sounds smart, right?

But has it been easy? No. Not in the slightest.

I’ve had days where I threw caution out the window and reverted to the unhealthy habits I’m trying to get rid of. More than I care to admit actually. Things like deciding to go for the easy drive-thru meal rather than making a healthier one. Or opting for a third glass of wine, for the second day in a row.

No one is perfect and I’m fully aware of that. I’m far from it and I have no plans to live in a bubble. There are times for celebration and a little debauchery (granted it hurts no one other than yourself) but those should be the rarity, not the norm.

So, yes, I’ve had some struggles with reverting back to bad habits as time goes on and life kicks back in and the plans I made for the New Year just aren’t as shiny as they once were, now that the practicality of them has settled in while the romance has vanished.

But, and this is a big BUT, things have changed.

When I was pondering why I still made choices that are unhealthy for me, I realized something – they’re happening much less then before I made healthy a habit.

I’m much more conscious of living healthier now and even though my bad habits try to rope me back in, I’m able to resist them more by reminding myself of why I don’t want to make those choices any longer.

And the more I resist them, the easier it gets.

Here’s what I’ve found:

Three weeks may not make a habit, but it does change your focus.

And isn’t that the beginning for any real change? After all, how can you change something within if your focus on it hasn’t changed?

So while I may still have bad days, they are fewer then before. And changing my focus to be healthier these past three months has absolutely led to many wonderful things – regular weekly yoga, less processed food, healthier snacking and much more.

Personally, I think the key to changing one’s habits is being conscious about the ones you want to break and the new ones you want to make and then taking action, over and over again, to do so.

And know, it is not easy.  But then, what of value is?

Make healthy a habit. #makehealthyahabit

 

 

This Is Marriage.

/ christinaparisi / 1 Comment

I’ve been having this reoccurring dream. Nightmare actually.

The dream is me finding out my husband is not going to marry me. Well, in the dream we are still dating and I learn he’s changed his mind and I am utterly and totally devastated. I wake up with a feeling that I never want to experience in real life. It’s scary.

I’ve been married six months now and it’s by far the best thing that’s ever happened to me. I thank the universe that I found the love of my life. Sure, it took me thirty-five years but then, there’s no age limit to finding love. Yeah, I guess there are consequences (perhaps no children, maybe lots of loneliness) but once The One is found, the wait proves to be well worth it. But I digress…

In that six months, I’ve had this dream about three or four times.

I should confess that I don’t handle lack of control well. And opening up myself to someone else, trusting them, loving them, is very scary. Maybe not for you, but it is for me.

I had this dream a few nights ago. And I woke up from it feeling that devastation yet again.

But as I came out of this hurtful slumber, I heard a voice say, “Morning baby.”

So I opened my eyes and said, “I just had the worst dream ever. I dreamt you didn’t want to marry me.”

My husband then turned to me and replied, “That’s funny because I was actually lying here, wanting to hug you so bad but worried I was going to wake you.”

And a smile spread across my face.

That is marriage.

Making your partner feel stronger just by being you.

#holdoutfortheone

 

 

11 Things I believed at 28 that I no longer believe at 38

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2006. Apple stores had only been around for five years. You Tube was relatively new and smart phones had yet to come out… And I was 28 years old.

It’s always fascinating for me to reflect on the past and see how I’ve evolved and changed over the years.

A few nights ago, I was thinking about how much I used to hate having a regular schedule. Sure, I would work my regular three shifts at a local restaurant, but everything else was constantly in flux and I loved it. Now though, I’m feeling a little different. I’m finding I like having a regular set schedule to work on writing, filming and reading rather than the constantly changing day-to-day life I once thrived on.

Well, I started thinking about other things I had believed a decade ago that I no longer do and decided to write a blog post on them. So without further ado…

11 Things I believed at 28 that I no longer believe at 38

1. Politics are boring.

2. Healthy food is “low fat” products and vegetables.

3. Success is defined by my job.

4. I will always be thin without effort.

5. “Garden State” is a great film.

6. Myspace is cool.

7. Fifty is old.

8. Television sucks. (FYI – it was still the heyday of reality television.)

9. Music is best blasting loudly.

10. I’ll miss smoking cigarettes forever.

11. I don’t need anyone.

 

I’d love to hear how others have changed… please feel free to share!

Make Healthy A Habit – One Week After

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It’s been a week since I ended my three-week long project of making healthy a habit, and I thought about how it would be best to write this blog post. I decided to go with stream of consciousness…

it’s been a week. i almost bought cheese puffs today at the drugstore. I haven’t had a snack like that in four weeks and counting… I resisted and went with cashews. the decisions are getting easier, but the temptations are everywhere. must they put candy in front of you at all times? no wonder kids these days live off of instant gratification and have two-second attention spans. treats are in front of them everywhere. i digress. i’m back to doing yoga. weekly. and with my husband now. if possible, i love him more. i recommend couples do this. wine has gone back to being a treat. i have it about twice a week. that’s better. sparkling water is great with dinner. i’m snacking on a banana as i write this. my habits have changed. it’s been four weeks now. i just had pizza for the first time. i’ll never quit that. just won’t have it too often. i feel good.

#makehealthyahabit

Make Healthy A Habit – Day Twenty-One

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Here it is. The end of my three-week Make Healthy a Habit project. And I am so happy that I’ve done this…

Have I changed any habits?

Yes.

Is it getting easier every day to do so?

Absolutely.

Do I feel better?

I feel great (and I’ve lost five pounds!)

Does it take three weeks to make a habit?

I don’t know. BUT here’s what I do know – it’s three weeks later and my desire for wine has greatly subsided, to the point I no longer think about it the same way I had before. And buying junk food has stopped being a part of my routine. I’m serious. Week one I had to focus on it regularly. Week two was a struggle. Week three felt way easier.

Will I continue?

Absolutely. I haven’t conquered all the bad habits I need to break yet…

What does being healthy mean?

I think it means a lot of different things to a lot of different people. To me, to be healthy means I’m making the best decisions for my mind and body and taking steps to prevent future illness while appreciating the moment I live in.

Thank you all who have joined me and showed support through likes, comments and shares.

Stay tuned… I’ll keep you updated :)

Make healthy a habit. #makehealthyahabit

 

**For the original idea, please visit here.

Make Healthy A Habit – Day Twenty

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The Universe speaks to us.

And if we pay attention and listen, we can hear it.

The past two days, I’ve been sick. And I mean sick. I had a fever that spiked at nearly 103! And I’ve never had so many chills and sweats.  At one point, in the early morning, I could not get out of bed. Literally.

This morning, however, I woke feeling much better. Though I’m not 100%, I’m close to it and just need to get some color back in my face.

When I was at work tonight trying to summon up the energy to be on my feet, I thought about how being sick has really made me appreciate what it means to be healthy.

It’s kinda crazy not to take care of our body, when you think about it. Who doesn’t want to feel good physically?

We hold so much power to achieve that. And yes, there are unfortunate situations where our health is not within our reach, but if it is, shouldn’t it be the goal?

Okay, Universe, I get you. Being sick made me value being healthy so much more.

Point well taken.

And thank you.

Make healthy a habit. #makehealthyahabit

 

**For the original idea, please visit here.

Make Healthy A Habit – Day Seventeen

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As I was lying in bed this morning, a thought occurred to me about something my husband and I had talked about in the past.

Getting rid of technology in the bedroom.

The world we live in is fast-paced and practically run by technology.

Smartphones are everywhere and people are now attaching them to their wrists.

Tablets and laptops are third arms for a large part of this population.

And all the noise of technology is very difficult to shut off if you live in a major city. Hell, probably even in small cities.

So, where is our sanctuary? Our technology-free zone? Our place to cut ourselves off from the grid and be mindful in the present moment?

Sure, one could argue that’s what yoga studios and churches are good at but my husband and I came to the realization that we want a place like that in our home.

In an effort to get better sleep, be more mindful and present with each other and in the moment, we are no longer allowing phones, laptops or tablets in our bedroom. This is our place to disconnect, log out, sign off.

Because really, is it healthy to always be online?

Make healthy a habit. #makehealthyahabit

 

**For the original idea, please visit here.

 

Make Healthy A Habit – Day Sixteen

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As I continue on my journey of making healthy a habit, I’ve begun to notice a few things. All these things didn’t start because of the project, but the project has certainly placed a spotlight on them and even added a few more. Things like…

I want to go to sleep before midnight and wake up by 8.

I don’t want candy in the house.

I like a made bed.

Dishes in my sink longer than a few hours bother me.

Vacuum cleaner lines in my carpet make me smile.

Snacking isn’t what it used to be.

I read ingredient labels.

And the invincibility I believed I had when younger has been replaced with a sense of preservation.

Hmmm……

Could it be?

Why, yes..

I think I finally slipped into adulthood.

(Though the kid in me will always have a say in the matter.)

Make healthy a habit. #makehealthyahabit

 

**For the original idea, please visit here.

Make Healthy A Habit – Day Fifteen

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Today marks the end of the second week of my 21-day Make Healthy A Habit project.

And I am already reaping the benefits…

My body is less bloated.

My mind is clearer.

I’ve lost four pounds.

And my husband and I have grown closer as we do this together.

Now, I know making healthy a habit does not happen overnight. It takes day by day. But the starting point is the roughest part, at least for me, and after a couple weeks, I’m feeling better than ever and invigorated to keep it going till it does indeed become a habit and start to happen more automatic.

As I made my lunch of a BLT with avocado and kale chips, I realized that’s definitely already started. I haven’t had a french fry in two weeks and didn’t even notice till now.

Make healthy a habit. #makehealthyahabit

 

**For the original idea, please visit here.