Happy Monday! I have been feeling spread thin lately, so this weekend was the perfect time to practice saying “no, thanks” and catch up on me time .

It was blissful!  I was able to create in the kitchen, get most of a research paper done, clean up a bit and spend time with the hubby and ‘ohana.

[My cousin Cory, his wife Jina, and my niece Jaylen came for the weekend – we had an amazing pool day!]

My cousin time this weekend was bittersweet because we were celebrating Lance’s going off to the Air Force tomorrow.  He’s always been the baby of us all (even though he’s now taller than any of us!), so it’s hard to see him go.  I can’t tell you how proud I am of him for his brave and adventurous spirit, though!  We’ll be seeing you again sooner than we imagine, Lance.

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Aside from a few laps in the pool, Ben, Zak, and I completed a successful 4 miler in our Vibram Fivefingers this weekend [Zak wore his Nike Frees].  Four miles in the Vibrams felt GREAT aside from the insane blisters I got from the seams .  I’m also super bummed because my right “shoe” has some faulty stitching and now there’s a hole on the top piece of fabric.  I know that there’s a warrantee on the shoes, but I’m trying to figure out a good time to send them back.  I hope it doesn’t take them forever to send me a new pair – I really enjoy my barefoot runs and was planning on racing a 10K in them in two weeks!

I also got to try out my new kettlebell and Jillian Michael’s “Shred It with Weights” this weekend [I’ll definitely be doing a review soon!].  I’m really excited about having a kettlebell at home!  Today I’m sore in places I never imagined possible.

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I’ve thought a lot this weekend about creating a less-overwhelmed-and-more-excited life again, and I’ve devised a plan to [hopefully] create more balance for myself:

1. I’ve set myself up to take two mornings from work off per week. Sure, less hours equates to less pay, but honestly, I’d rather have my sanity than any amount of money at this point in time.  I’m incredibly fortunate to have a flexible boss who understands and supports my school/work situation and is willing to let me come in a little later on a couple of days so that I can function better [and ultimately be a better worker for her!].  I’ve had to prioritize and get a few projects done earlier, but it will be well worth it to be able to get enough rest and do some research in the morning!
2. I’ve got everything written down in my planner now. I know it sounds silly, but sometimes – when every moment from 6 am to 10:30 pm is taken – it’s necessary to schedule in showering time [don’t judge me].  I’m going to have to check that planner every single morning and keep it up to date [writing it down on paper keeps it from floating in my head].
3. I batch cooked and have multiple meals sitting in their perfectly-portioned containers in the fridge for the week. Having healthy meals on hand helps to keep me from binging on crap.  Plus, it’s one less thing to worry about on a week night.

Ultimately, I’m going to be lessening the work hours even more to create more harmony and simplicity, but that is a story for another day .

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Cheers to starting the week right!

What steps do you take to ensure a balanced, happy life?

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