Thankful Thursday

Can y'all believe Thursday is already here?  My week was (is?) packed with activities like girls' night Monday, seeing my parents on Tuesday, a sushi date with friends last night and trivia this evening.  Keeping super busy seems to make the week fly by!

This morning on my way to work, I couldn't help but recognize all the blessings in my life.  Not only am I embarking on a new journey starting Monday, but I have a wonderful family, fantastic friends, a sweet and cuddly puppy, healthy habits and leniency with myself.  I live an abundant, happy and healthy life.  Thanks to your encouragement yesterday, I was able to remember these things despite the panic I was in about my upcoming schedule.

Today, I'm thankful for:

• The obvious things like my friends, family and Bailey.  They make my world go round. 
• The things I often take for granted like: my job, my home, my health and my happiness. 
• New beginnings.  As frightened as I am to start school again, I know this is going to be the adventure of a lifetime. 
• My new church.
• Memories.  Looking through old photographs from my childhood, high school, college and grad school in Italy earlier today brought a wave of happiness and joy that only memories can evoke.
• Sushi dates.  I may feel a little guilty afterward (especially when we go get fro yo as dessert), but I wouldn't trade spending time with my friends for anything at all.
  
  
  
  
• Healthy foods.  My fridge is blissfully stocked with fruits and veggies so that I can have healthy meals when I'm eating at home (read: make up for the sins I commit when on sushi dates etc with my friends).  Despite the weird looks I'm sure to get from my classmates, I plan on prepping and bringing healthy eats for my meals that I need to eat during class.
  
  
  
• Remembering what works for me.  I've had a terrible diet lately.  Instead of my normal, healthy choices, I've been making poor choices pretty consistently and my body is paying for it.  What it boils down to for me is accessibility.  If I have access to healthy food, I eat healthy food.  If I have access to junk, I'll indulge.  Just this morning, I purged my desk drawer of the Christmas candy I'd accumulated over the holidays and plan to go through my kitchen this weekend and get rid of the junk there.  And hey- it's never too late to get back on track!  Yesterday, my meals were atrocious.  Today, I've done pretty well!  
• Cutting myself some slack.  Since Christmas I've been beating myself up for not working out and for not eating healthy meals.  My mind is freaking out about the effects this is having on my body.  But then y'all step in, my friends let me vent, my mom imparts her wisdom and I finally hear you- your voices of reason.  Sometimes falling off the wagon a bit is OK.  My fitness isn't gone.  I walk Bailey at least three miles every single day.  Just because I'm not running half marathons doesn't mean I'm not in shape.  And I have to learn to be a bit more lenient with myself.  Saying no to dinner dates with my friends in favor of working out ultimately won't create happiness.  Sometimes saying yes to loved ones is more important than healthy choices.  I may not be in the shape I was in a few months ago, but it won't take me long to get back there.  I can still hang with the Insanity workouts pretty well, so I don't think I'm as far off track as I think I am!  Right now, spending time with my loved ones is what is important.  Over the next month or so, I'll figure out my new routine and figure out how to work a rigorous fitness routine back into it.  For now, I'm being patient and calm and remembering what you all said- to give myself a break. 

Before you go, tell me:
What are you most thankful for today?