Naner PB Oats Diet

According to my camera all I’ve been eating is naner-PB-oatmeal.

I’ve been a bad blogger, leaving my camera home all the time! But tonight I must blog so I walked around the house to shoot a few more photos for this post :)

Pretty Sabrina. She’s been living with us for more than a month now and she’s doing really well. I love how much fun she’s having with the other animals. Notice she has no collar. My little brute Dixie always takes Sabrina’s collars and bandanas off. Dixie apparently thinks she’s the only one who gets to wear anything around the house.

The beverage shelf in our fridge. Notice mine are on the left and David’s on the right. I’m definitely addicted to the High Country brand of kombucha. It doesn’t taste like vinegar!!!

Brining Home the Bacon

I’ve posted these two photos as hints for what my new job is. If you guesses lululemon you were correct!!!

  This Tuesday I will be starting with Orlando’s lululemon athletica as an Educator. I couldn’t be more thrilled! Not only do I get to wear black stretchy pants to work to discuss all the ways to sweat with customers, but I’ll be representing a company I LOVE.

I wear lululemon all the time. Honestly, it’s hard not to. Not only are their clothes cute and flattering, but they perform well and stay dry. I’ve worn lululemon for both of my marathons and finished dry and comfy.

The team at my store is amazing. I can’t wait to join them Tuesday.

I’m also doing some freelance marketing work for an awesome green company. Aaaand there’s something big in the works. I will be planning something that will impact Orlando in a very healthy way. I’ll share more as soon as the papers are finalized!

I can’t believe things are working out so well. When I lost my job two weeks ago I worried I’d have to fall into a 9-to-5 desk job I wouldn’t enjoy.

Then I made the decision to just run toward what I want with full force. I reached out to everything that interested me. I didn’t sit and sulk about my situation. I made an active decision to make good things happen. And now they are. I’m so blessed!

If you could do anything for work, what would it be? What do you do now?

Splatter

Naner-flax-chocolate oatmeal started the day off right.

And then 30 minutes before I had to leave for my interview this incident happens:

…my favorite nail polish splattered allllll over myself, my bathroom and the wood floors in the bedroom. Even after hours of scrubbing I still have to repaint the door and border. Crazy!

Then I had an awesome interview! I’ll tell you more about it when I find out how it went. Until then, here’s a photo of the food at the interview! Someone brought crackers with homemade hummus and nut butter and I brought vegan chocolate chip cookies (top left). Mmmm :)

   For lunch I made  a veggie stir-fry with peanuts over spinach with ginger dressing.

For snack I had toast with an apple :)

…and more Celestial Seasonings Holiday Tea!

Not sure what dinner holds yet. We’ll see!

I forgot to include this picture in my ‘Changes’ post. I received this fortune from a cookie literally 2 minutes before I lost my job. How weird is that?!

As usual, a few pictures of the puppies. Can you believe Dixie is going to be 1-year-old in 6 days?!

 

Do you get nervous after interviews? Have any bad interview stories?

Changes

Today I lost my (still new) job.

It was unexpected, although there is a long story about everything that’s been going on.

I sobbed my whole bike ride home (I commuted to work by bike). Thoughts of helplessness, confusion and anger flooded my thoughts.

Then I came home and decided I am free and this is an opportunity to find something so much better.

Now I have an interview with an amazing company this Thursday!

Sure, I’m still sad. I hate letting things so and there were a lot of things I loved about my previous position. But now that’s over and I am making the best of it!

Still, I am going to take the night off from everything and head to bed to snuggle with my babies. They always remind me how much good there is to life!

Banana soft serve makes everything better.

What unexpected changes have you used to make yourself better?

Top of the Mountain

I knew it would be a great day when it began with creamy pumpkin naner oats. Mmmm :)

For a mid-morning snack I had a Cascadian Farm harvest spice granola bar that I got as a sample from VegFest! It was just like the Nature Granola bars, but this one had more flavor and flax seeds! It’s quite high in sugar, but I’d eat this again.

And then I got a job! I will be doing marketing and more (personal training and some reception) for a physical therapy/ pain clinic.

I’ve been pretty quiet about my job search since I left my last marketing job because I tend to keep big things private in general. I got my personal training certification since fitness and health are my passions, but I also have a degree in PR that I actually enjoy using. While visiting gyms in the past month I knew working as a PT alone wouldn’t be right for me. I needed something more so I tried to figure out a way to merge the two. (Note: In August I began a part-time retail job to help get me by.)

After months of applying to jobs that sparked my interest- and to plenty of jobs that depressed me- I decided to post my resume online instead of just applying to specific jobs. I was soon after contacted for an interview, which led to this week. The clinic is definitely hiring me but I won’t find out the specific details until later today or tomorrow.

These past several months were some of my hardest. I went from successful and financially-secure to unemployed with no hope in the future. I’d be so anxious and worried about my future- and it affected so many other areas of my life, too. It affected how I thought of myself.

So I prayed. God then showed me that no matter how serious and desperate my problems look, he will still be in control. In the grand scheme of things, my unemployment was nothing compared to who I am or who he is in me.

I realized that, adjusted my faith and soon after got a job. Funny how things work.

Always remember every valley brings a mountain.

For lunch I brought out the grill. I had a Dr. Praeger’s burger, asparagus, yellow squash and some wilted fresh spinach with a soy ginger dressing. Now I want something sweet!

I’m not jumping up and down yet because I haven’t signed any papers, but once I do I think there should be some celebrating!!

What is your favorite thing to grill?

Happy Tuesday!

Working Out My Next Step

Play catch up: Last month I quit my job, outlined what I am looking for next and contemplated the perfect job.

When thinking of my next step, thoughts of success, money and happiness bounce around my mind.

In order to do something that I love, I might have to give up a fancy title and comfy salary.

But I've decided on a plan.

More so, I've really decided on a direction. At least I know where to start!

I love all things health, working with people and not sitting behind a desk in front of a computer all day.

So I am going to be a personal trainer

...and go from there to advance myself in the fitness/nutrition field. Maybe something will turn into a collaborative project, maybe I will go back to school... not sure yet. But I am definitely planning on doing more than training at a gym alone.

I am finishing my nutrition and wellness certification with AFPA right now. Once that is complete next month I can start the PT certification to hopefully be certified soon after my time with my current job ends (June 19th).

What do you all think? Do you have any tips for me if you're in the field? Any ideas?

Spotlight: Find Your Balance

Every so often I come across a blog that stays in my mind- a blog that inspires me and challenges me to be a little better, to push a little harder towards my goals.

So last month I began a Spotlight feature here on healthy ashley to shine some light on a few of these blogs just in case you haven't yet found them yourself.

The first Spotlight was on Oh She Glows, found here.

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Meet Michelle:

A few weeks ago I found her awesome blog Find Your Balance and have been stalking her ever since. Her clean, crisp site draws you in with tons of info, recipes, tips and fun! But I would expect nothing else from Michelle- you can just tell she is insanely sweet, positive and lovable. We could be very best friends.

Plus she has my dream job as a health counselor and yoga teacher. Pretty cool, right?

Michelle has gone through a little health makeover that really inspires me. But I’ll let her tell you about that:

What changes have you made to lead a healthier life? Why?

I started paying attention to what I was consuming and how it was affecting me. Like, one time I noticed that eating pancakes for breakfast would almost immediately require taking a nap afterwards. Same with other sugary breakfast choices I’d typically eat for, say, Sunday brunch. So I stopped doing that and started having much more fun, active weekends! This sort of consciousness has brought about so much change for the better. I just wasn’t paying attention before, and wondered why I was so tired and sick! I also started doing yoga, which really feels good to my body. I love my yoga practice.

Any tips for someone thinking about making healthy changes in their own life?

Just start paying attention. Investigate your habits and choices. Learn about where your food comes from and what is in it. Just start playing detective and be open to trying new things and making changes as you learn.

Is there anything would you say to someone who is already pretty healthy but wants some extra healthy shazam (ex: a certain food? To drink tons more water? To go vegan one day every month?)? How to make the good better?

Haha that’s a good question. I find most people know at least 2 or 3 things they can be doing for themselves and their health, but maybe for some reason they aren’t doing it. That’s one of the ways I work with clients, to figure out what they know to be true about their health and help them accomplish their goals. What is something you could be doing for your health? Ask yourself and you’ll be surprised how much you already know. Sometimes it’s simple. I stopped drinking water after 8pm and now I don’t have my sleep interrupted by having to use the bathroom in the middle of the night. I sleep better and have more energy. Woohoo!

Your job looks amazing. As a health counselor and yoga teacher, what is a typical day like for you?

Well, I work mostly from home so I am either working with clients or doing some kind of marketing/blog writing while wearing comfy clothes and slippers. And there is almost always a cat sitting in my lap. Every day is different but I get out of the house for a walk or go to yoga daily. Then at night my husband comes home from work and we spend the evening together! It’s lovely.

Have you always worked as a health counselor and yoga teacher?

Oh no. I worked in advertising as an art director for many years. I knew I wanted to do something more meaningful though – something I was passionate about. It took some time to change careers but I’m finally doing what I love!

What advice can you share for someone wanting to start practicing yoga?

Find a teacher who rocks your world. Really. There are so many kinds of yoga but the only kind that matters is the kind you do and love. Start by taking different classes offered in your area and don’t be afraid to jump around and give different teachers a try. Maybe the 105 degree, hot, sweat-your-butt-off yoga is your thing. Maybe it’s not. Find out!

I have a little mental list of foods I would marry if it was legal (frozen mango, avocado, sweet potato fries and edamame). What foods would you marry?

Hmmm…first I’d date olive oil. Then I’d ultimately marry ghee. Ghee just smells so much better!

Now hurry over to her site because Michelle is hosting a contest for a great cookbook until April 8th!

ps- this is my 300th Post!!! Thank you to all my fantastic readers for reading all my rambles and supporting me!

The Perfect Job

On this post you guys left some great ideas on possible jobs for me to pursue now that I quit the job that was just wrong for me.

So what jobs are open to someone against sitting down all day with an interest in health, nutrition and people?

Some of your ideas:

Teacher

Exotic Dancer (LOL- Thanks, Erinbee!)

Personal Trainer

Working at Disney

PR with a health-related company

Work with computers

Trial attorney

Event/wedding planning

Hotel management

Anything at a gym


Ruby had a really great tip: "look through the wanted ads and cut out all you for some reason find attractive - don't think about whether or not you can do them! Once you've done that a couple of times, you'll probably start to see a pattern. It might help get you some new ideas!"

Since I have three months until I can actually start a new job, I'm following Ruby's tip and looking into everything- especially at the suggested jobs above.

Any other job ideas? If you haven't already, tell me what you do! Leave it all in the comments!
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Ashley from the Lonely Diet Girl blog was kind enough to pass the Sisterhood Award onto me! Her words were so sweet and really touched my heart. Thank you, Ashley!

Changes: What’s Next

“At the center of your being you have the answer, you know who you are and you know what you want.”
- Lao Tzu

First off, WOW. Your thoughtful comments on my job announcement were just amazing. So many of you have been in this situation or are considering it. Your words all mean so much to me. Thank you.

I feel so relieved and free now that I’ve resigned from the job that was draining me, but I don’t have an immediate plan for my next job.

I agreed to stay with the company for 90 days so they can find someone new and I can train that person. After 90 days my lease on my apartment also conveniently expires. I am taking the next three months to find the best job for me.

Instead of finding another local job to hold me down in Tampa, I am considering moving to Orlando to be near David and to find a new job there. It would be a big change, but I’d rather live in a city for someone I love than for a job only.

I don’t want to just jump into another job similar to my last one. I can’t help but believe that a job can enrich my life and be fun. And I definitely enjoy working- I held down two jobs for most of my teen years just because I like working so much.

Since I began to realize the negative toll my job was taking on me, I began thinking about what I really want in a job. I’ve composed a list with three sections: What I am good at/like in a job, what I can improve on and what I don’t like/want to avoid in a job.

What I Am Good At/Like in a Job:
- Working with others
- Lots of moving (little or no time at the desk!)
- organizing
- brainstorming new ideas
- interacting with people
- health + fitness
- fast-paced
- respectable hours (need balance- no 60-hour-weeks as standard)
- social media

What I Can Improve On:
- Public speaking
- Attention to detail
- Social media
- Small talk

What I Don’t Like/Want to Avoid In a Job:
- sitting a desk
- salesperson position
- politics
- never being “off”

From this list I am comparing all positions/fields to narrow down some options. My degree is public relations and my experience is in politics/media/marketing. I’m open to anything.

I have three months to look into everything and make whatever preparations are necessary. I will keep you posted on my progress.

Do you have any ideas for jobs/fields I might be interested in? What do you do for work and does it make you happy?

I need job ideas from you! Leave any and all ideas in the comments!

My grandfather just started reading my blog and following me on Twitter (how cool is that?!), so Hi Poppy! I love you!

(big) Changes

In a time when trained executives are begging for jobs and more families are losing their income every day, I quit my job yesterday.

I took a risky step for my own benefit- and I am proud of that. I’ve let go of something that was pulling me down and opened up a new world of possibilities.

I was the Marketing Director for a successful political media firm- a job any graduate would be thrilled to receive straight out of college. But I don’t like working in politics (although I do enjoy a good debate). And my tasks were very little marketing. But that was all okay; I did stay there for two years, after all. And I enjoyed those two years.

But lately the demand for hours was growing. Missing dinner plans and the gym and then taking work home…losing my Saturday because an early call…working weekends in addition to a full week. They were definitely 24/7 and there was no “off” time. Putting my family, friends, sleep and activities on hold because I would have to work at any time was too much. My pay was appropriate for 9-5… not 24/7. I signed on for a fairly standard job that turned into constant stress that they (either of my two bosses) might call and demand my next six hours.

Other issues in the environment were off, too. (I omit those for the sake of office politics and respect.) I’d come home at 8:30 in tears and just have nothing else to give. My job was sucking the life out of me and it wasn’t worth it. Without a balance of life and work I became drained and could no longer give anything my best.

So I told my boss everything and resigned.

It was the scariest, most freeing thing I’ve ever done.

Often people are respected for the positions they hold, and I let go of a good one. I sacrificed a comfortable salary and big office for my well-being. I am already breathing easier.

Stay tuned for What’s Next