Dear January

Dear January, 

Hello! Hiya! Howdy!

You were a pretty great month. You have set the bar pretty high for the rest of the year and after 2021, I was really happy that you were good. To be honest, I didn't have the highest expectations for you and 2022.  

You started the year off really unusually with a 60 degree day that I took full advantage of it- a walk in the park was in order and it was perfect to kick off TWO of my goals but also it was such a treat. Especially since the next day, it snowed and was freezing. HA! 

I was able to be active a lot this month. Between the gym and gravity vault,  I was active 14 out of the 31 days this month. This month, I saw real progress with my climbing and it was a really awesome feeling.  The one route I tried back in December, I couldn't even get myself to the start it; by the end of this month, I was able to get myself up and complete it correctly and it was my first V2! This has been definitely a great boost in my confidence and strength. And did I mention, how laid back and relaxed climbers are? They are so supportive too! I think I've found my people. 

Here are my climbing stats for the month:

I climbed 7 times at 2 different climbing gyms. I averaged about 8 routes a session.  

At the Middletown Gravity Vault:

I tried 12 different bouldering routes (VB-V2)
7 different top rope routes including a auto belay (5.7-5.9)
Most rewarding: V2 Pink because of the progress I saw and V1 purple- I worked 3 sessions on this one
Most Challenging: V1 Red because it had  a weird overhang hold and a big stretch) and V1 purple because I couldn't seem to get over the one section
Favorite Route: V0 Green because it had what reminded me of the ninja turtles type hold and I had to trust my self on this very tiny hold while reaching high

At the Brick Gravity Vault:

I tried 12 different bouldering routes (VB-V1)
No top rope routes
Most Rewarding: V0 Blue because of upside down holds and weird angle to over come 
Most Challenging: V1 Yellow because I felt like I was too short, I couldn't figure out how to reach next hold and V1 Grey because the foot holds were tiny and it was a lot of up and down movements in the first section and it went across which  I was not used to.
Favorite Route: V1 Grey because I was able to look at it and get it the very first time I tried it (Flashed)
*The V1 Grey I mentioned in the challenging section and the V1 Grey I mentioned in the Favorite section were two different routes.*

Here are my Gym Stats for the month:

I went to the gym 5  times this month, averaging 12 exercises per workout and about 2 hours each workout.

30 different exercises completed
Most completed exercises: Side bends, Chest Press Machine, Sit kick machine, Lateral Pull Down on Universal, and Assisted Pull ups on Universal  
Least completed exercises:  Dead Lift, Overhead tri-cep extention, Upright row, Bent over Row, Kick Back Machine, Cable Pull down, Small bar pull up, abductor machine, dips and hammer curls.
New exercises tried: 30 second hang on pull up bar and leg press machine

Right in the middle of the month, it was my BIRTHDAY! I turned 34 on the 15th and this year's birthday was probably one of more special ones. I spent the morning/early afternoon with my parents and then I spent the late afternoon and evening with Kyle.  My birthday was filled with sweet cards, yummy food (homemade cake, my favorite breakfast, pizza, garlic knots, cupcakes, and dinner at Barrel and Roost), climbing and lots of love all around. I was so happy this year. I don't feel another year older but I am so excited for what is waiting for me. 

The day after my birthday, I went to a surprise retirement party for my co-worker who retired in December. It was such a great time because I got to see all the women who have retired in the past 10 years again. Some of them I haven't seen in 10 years. It was so nice to catch up and celebrate. The food was delicious and we were the loudest/ most fun having table in the restaurant. 

While I had some great parts of the month, there were some low spots too. I had some hard days of feeling overwhelmed and really emotional about life. Do you ever get that feeling- that you are not doing enough, but at the same time, you feel like you are doing too much? Yup, that is how i felt a few times this month.  I even took a mental health day which I was very proud of myself for recognizing I needed a break and I did not feel guilty taking one either. (I feel that was a tangible area that I grew. Bonus points for me)

A pretty ambivalent moment this month was when I realized that my periodontist appointment was coming up.  I ended up being very nervous for it and I was very proud of myself that I made it known to the hygienist too.  She definitely made me feel more comfortable during the procedure. Younger me,  would have suffered and not said anything, again another growth moment for me. 

My 2022 Goal update:

I moved 14 out of 31 days this month (Move at least 3 times a week)
I spent 5.25 hours outside (Spend 1000 hours outside; only 994.75 to go)

My other two goals are more abstract: be more creative and be the best version of myself. I had small glimpses of both being creative and starting to be the best version of myself this month and I am excited to see how I continue to make progress on all these goals.

One last update, I decided that since I am on the parkway a lot more that I have been in the past 2 years, I decided to start playing the license plate game. I played this game as a kid and one summer, I saw license plates from all 50 states. I was so excited this month I was able to see 23 different state license plates (including Quebec!)

Overall, this month was a great start to this year and I am hoping a great vibe for the overall year. 

In February, I am looking forward to: 
More time outside, more climbing (especially seeing more progress), Valentines day, trying intentionally to be more creative and a 3 day weekend. 

Yay for all good things to come!

[[You are going to make it, you know. You are going to become all that you've ever wanted to be]]

Diary #25

I have so many fun snapshots to share with you this month! 

Lets start with some lefts overs from December:

I love a large beautifully lit Christmas Tree

This little guy made me smile

Double Trouble State Park

Double Trouble State Park

December Sunrise

A giant glowing Christmas tree

On to January....

Found at Hartshorn Park

Hartshorn Park

First Snow of 2022

Blurry snowy sunrise

January Sunset

Gravity Vault project: V1 Purple

Watercolor sunrise over the Navesink River

Parkway Sunrise

Snow Day #2 of 2022

Found in my backyard

After the snow

Same road, different view

natural light and blue eyes

Favorite spot to catch the sunset

Red Robin burger, fries and a very berry raspberry limeade

gym selfie

The gang is back from Hawaii for my birthday

Birthday climbs with Kyle

Surprise Retirement Party with the OG office ladies

Watching a crane destroy a house

Lilly's from Holland Ridge Farms

Found in Traffic #giggles

B&G to the rescue

This has been going on for months

Office views

tall clouds

Snow day essentials

Whew! What a month it was! Check back on Monday when I share my love letter to the month.

What was your favorite snapshot of the month? Share it in the comments.

[[Whatever makes you feel the sun from the inside out chase that- Gemma Troy]]

PS! Since today (January 30th) was so beautiful I was outside for a bit and ended up taking two more photos! I had to share!

First family selfie of 2022

Such a sunny day!

Midweek Thoughts

Hello! Can you believe we are in the last week of January already?! Today's post will be a bit of a random mash-up of what's been on my mind lately. Let's dive in....

Chalk Bag

For the last few months, I have been going to Gravity Vault, the indoor rock climbing gym, at least once a week. I finally decided to get my own chalk bag. After weeks of thinking and researching and measuring, I was originally going to make my own furry creature chalk bag but then I opted not to because for one, I haven't really sewn anything in years and two, that would cause me a lot of stress and put a lot of pressure on myself. So buying one was the route to go, now I had to find the one that was "me"- bright and cheerful.  I learned quickly besides the adorable little monsters, most chalk bags were dull until I found a company called Organic Climbing.  They have custom chalk bags for $22. They use the 'scraps' from other projects to create these made to order bags. Since they use scraps, each chalk bag is uniquely yours. I thought long and hard about the colors and I couldn't be happier with the choices I made. I am so excited to bring this to the climbing gym. 

Soft Foods

Yesterday I had to go the periodontist for a procedure and since my mouth is still healing, they suggested to eat soft, easy to eat foods. I was so nervous before the procedure so naturally I skipped lunch. When I finally arrived home, I couldn't get enough of mashed potatoes and jello for a late lunch. Since I ate a late lunch, dinner was also late, it was more like a smorgasbord for one than a real dinner. I was so hungry and all I wanted was something substantive. Jello, pasta, ice cream, rye bread, a cheese sandwich and raspberries contained my hunger for a bit. I felt like the little dalmatian from 101 dalmatians where he said "I'm so hungry I could eat an elephant" My feelings exactly. 

Grace

It is no secret I am really hard on myself. Like super hard and I get depressed when I can't do something that was on my to-do list. I've been working really hard to break this pattern. Since taking a long break last year from writing, I have been trying to catch up with my "Dear..." posts. I am almost done, I have September, October, November, December and a 2021 to do and I have been taking my time writing these. Thank goodness, my planner, and my phone have documented important things that have happened because I would never have remembered these small but important details in my life. With that being said, I am hoping to close out my 2021 posts in the next few weeks. I have also been realizing that its okay to leave things undone on your to do list. We are living in unprecedented times you know. 

Mental Health

Lately I have been struggling with my mental health and what has really helped is talking about whats bothering me, even if its hard to verbalize. Taking time to process it has shown me that the thoughts in my mind aren't always true and I am stronger than what I think. I have the worst habit of holding everything inside then exploding and crying and trying to make sense of it all and its a mess. I am trying to not let myself get to that point, but its a work in progress, daily. 

Winter Weather

Jersey has been pretty lucky with Winter weather this season, we only had 2 significant snow falls (at least where I live, down the shore) BUT this weekend is calling for a Nor'eastern/bomb cyclone/snomagedden storm. Am I looking forward to being snowed in and not being able to go anywhere- YES but I also wanted to do things this weekend out and about. I guess we will have to wait to see what will actually happen this weekend. 

Focus Tips

One thing I have struggled with consistently lately is focusing.  I have been getting so distracted with a random thing and then trying to get back to my original thing I was working on is super duper hard. How do you stay focused while working? 

Wordle #219

The newest obsession....Wordle. I love this game. The simple interface, the quickness of it, how everyone has the same puzzle to try and how it really makes you think. The other day, Monday to be specific, Wordle #219 came out and it blew everyone's mind. I will admit this was a really really tough one and by the time i got to the fifth guess, I was panic typing and trying every letter combination I could think of. I had to google what the word was after i figured it out. I have said it previously and I will say it again, I loathe double letters. They make it so tricky (I guess that's the point huh?)  I don't have a strategy for what word I am going to start with but my goal is always to solve the puzzle.  I always look forward to 

Whew! I think that's enough randomness for this week. Hope you are all having a great week, staying healthy and happy. 

[[What random thoughts are on your min this week?]]

WGJ vol. #25

I am starting the year off strong with another fun playlist. This month's playlist I've rounded up some of  my favorites. I love how these playlists are mix of genres and sounds. Hope you enjoy!

WGJ vol. 25 

Hold You Down- X Ambassadors
My Universe- Coldplay, BTS
Only You- Parmalee
All We Need- Erick Baker
Holy Water- Brett Eldredge
Good Grief- Bastille
Gravity- Tim McGraw
imagine- Ben Platt
Lease On Life-Andy Grammer
Kiss Goodbye- Cody Johnson
What If I'm Right- Adam Sanders
Stronger- Cody Johnson
Pick Me Up- Gabby Barrett
Learn From It- Conner Smith
Like No One Does- Jake Smith
All In-Chris Johnson. 

Listen here. 

[[You are enough, a thousand times enough]]

Questions for Humans: the series

NEW SERIES ALERT!

For Christmas, I got this fun deck of cards that has all different types of questions for you to ask yourself, friends, family, loved ones, etc. Its a great ice breaker and it makes you think.  Dr. John Delony is part of the Ramsey Solutions group and after checking out his Instagram, I felt a connection to him. He 's down to earth and tries to live his life to the best he can. He admits when he's wrong or when he's learning and he has fun with life too. This deck of cards has brought some big smiles to my face and lots to think about 

I carry it around in my purse, just in case. I have really loved the conversations that have stemmed from these questions. The particular deck of cards I have is for couples, but I have found most of the cards can be used with anyone.

My idea is to share one card a week with you, my lovely followers and in hopes to sparking a great conversation. I will always post my answer within the post and ask you to post your response in the comments.

This month's card is....

This felt like the best way to start these series off with this question. Your perspective as a kid to adult changes so much and to reflect on the change shows how you have hopefully grown and matured. 

My answer:
When I was a kid, I thought success was having a big house and driving around in a fancy car.

When I was a teenager, I thought success was being famous.

When I was in my 20's, I thought success was having a lot of friends and going out all the time.

and finally now, in my mid 30's, I think success is being happy with your job and having money in the bank for a rainy day. Security is success and while security might differ from person to person, it has the same idea- you being safe. 

Clearly, my idea of success has changed over the years and it was interesting to think back of what I thought was successful. Would I like a big house and a fancy car, of course- who wouldn't?! The idea of being financially secure and being happy with what you do each day is so much more important to me now. 

What's your answer? Comment below!

If this question has peaked your interest, you can find this deck and other decks here. 

[[True relationships and connections are the emergency fund for your life. -John Delony]]

WGJ Birthday

 Today is Wonder, Grace Joy's 2nd Birthday! 

I cannot believe it! Who knew when I started Wonder Grace Joy back in January of 2020, what I was in for  and how much YOU-Wonder Grace Joy- has helped me through such a wacky time I think, we all have ever lived through. 

Wonder Grace Joy, I have loved spilling all my secrets  and stories to you. Thank you for giving me a space to write, sometimes just for you and sometimes for the world to see. I am so excited for all the wondrous things I will write about this year. 

Happy Birthday girlfriend!

If you want to see last years WGJ's birthday post, click here.

[[The more you praise and celebrate life, the more there is in life to celebrate]]

Word of the Year 2022

This year, I had no idea where to even begin to think about what my word of the year would be. Previous years I had chosen Bloom in 2020 which I thought was super applicable given the circumstances we were in and Focus in 2021 which I am not sure if I focused in the literal sense of the word. The jury is still out on that and you can read more about 2021's word of the year HERE and 2020's word of the year HERE.

ON to 2022, I really had no idea what it was going to be. Going into the year I usually have a good idea, a few words that keep popping up in my everyday life and then I just go with my gut and pick one. AND usually taking a few of those on line quizzes to get a feel for what suits me (thank you DaySpring!) So going into 2022, I did the quizzes, I looked a different lists and I did the "find first 3 words you see" word search and I looked at others word of the years to get inspiration. This year was tough but I ended up landing on a word or should i say WORDS of the year.  Yup, I found three that just seemed right and they kinda fit together in a way. 

My Words of the Year are:

Power, Glow & Purpose

Purpose has been something I have been chasing after for what seems like the last decade. I finally feel like I am coming into my own and maybe this year will be the year I finally find my purpose. I have always wondered what I was put on this earth for, how am I going to make my impact in my community- real and virtual. When I was in my twenties (and even now), I always thought of myself as a role model for young girls. I want to show young girls its cool to be quirky and to do things their own way. Social media doesn't always show you the whole truth. I guess I am hoping I can become someone that I needed to look up to when I was younger. 

Glow seems to fit really well with I want to portray in the world with Wonder, Grace & Joy. I feel like if you are glowing, you are happy with your life and everyone can see it. It doesn't always mean life is perfect but you are making the best out of your situation. I love when you see someone just loving the life they created for themselves and they are doing things they truly love; its almost like you can see the  sunshine shining out of them. Others just want to be around you and be in your goodness/happiness- THAT is what I try to achieve. 

Power caught me off guard; When I google the word 'power', Merriam-Webster tells me there are NINE different definitions. NINE! That is crazy to think one word could be perceived in so many different ways BUT back to the point, I think of control, ruling over something, possession over something when I hear power. That is the exact oppose of what I want. I don't want to control anyone or anything. I take those definitions as not what I want to be.  I think of power to be more as in strength and a physical might. I am powerful in the ways that I can set goals and accomplish those goals; I have gone through a lot of things in life and I have become powerful through those experiences. I am very curious to see how power relates to my life this year. 

--------

There you have it. I am so curious how these three words are going to carry through this whole year. Check back in July for my half year update to see if I am finding my purpose, glowing and power are making their way into my lives. 

Do you choose a word of the year? If so, let me know in the comment below!

[[Be positive, productive, patient and persistent in life.]]

Word of the Year 2021: Did I FOCUS?

Back in January of 2021, I picked my Word of the Year- Focus. You can read all about it here 

My goal with FOCUS was to see what is important and what is in front of me & goodness will come..

I focused in the following ways:

-I took a step back from dating in 2020 and when I reentered the dating world, I knew exactly what I wanted. 

-I spoke my mind softly, and when I did speak it, I didn't waiver in my decision. I was proud to stay true to myself and being open to new possibilities.

-Funny enough, I didn't put pressure on myself (too much) to focus. I had so much trouble focusing at working- every day I've tried everything from bribing myself to setting timers for work times, etc. nothing really helped. 

Being focused was really hard, I think the reality of the pandemic was hitting everyone hard and while the news was not helping; you had to really make a conscious effort to focus on the good. 

I can't wait to see what my Word of the Year this year will be and how it pertains to my life. 

Check out my 2020 Word of the Year and if I actually Bloomed. 

[[Words are powerful.]]

Wordle

Are you playing it?  

I am totally hooked. Its simple design and easy to follow instructions make me so excited each morning to play. I sometimes get confused with the green and gold colors so I am consistently reviewing the rules. I always think gold equals gold star, you did a great job, that's right. HA!

Some days I need to take a break from it to really think, other days I have good luck (see above). This simple yet challenging game is one my favorite things lately. 

The very best part is since its one game per day, I love comparing answers with friends to see how they got to the mystery word.

Try Wordle here.

[[ you're the best & I'm the luckiest]]