Chapter 30: MUDDLED

Secluded.  Singular.  I was back on the island, and it was early April, trying to get my life in order for the next 6 months.

Wanderlust was at every corner I turned on the island.  From the brick cobblestones on Main Street that took me back to time spent in Italy to the sunsets which reminded me of my travels through New Zealand, I had the itch-the urge-the readiness to explore, I was ready to run to a far away land, go some place where no one knew me and learn a different way of life again.  But I couldn’t do it.  I had grown up a little and I knew it was time to take THIS time that I had come back early to get working on my new projects.  It was time to grow my career.  And this time, I needed to anchor myself to the island and work my tail off.  You see, I finally learned what the word sacrifice meant.  Not giving up your dreams, but pursuing them and putting the leisure aside just for a bit while you accomplish those goals.  And then it would come. Soon enough it will be time to fly.  Come December.  Destination December.  

I set the list.  Not the bucket list, but the forever-list.  The ‘what I am going to make of myself' list.  For so long I had tried to figure out what it was I wanted.  I even fell in love with pursuing other peoples goals along the way.  The ones that sounded so enticing and when I tried them out they were everything BUT what they looked like on the surface.  

    I had finally come to the realization that everything I had been longing for, was always within me.  It was right inside, tucked away, hidden like a precious gem in an African Desert. And I had finally discovered it that past winter.  It's crazy how sometimes you can't see whats been right in front of your face all along.

That summer, so different than the others, I spent with a feeling of wishing I had a get out of jail free card.  A lottery ticket to get me out of there. I knew great things were ahead.  It was just so tough to see beyond the bar as I reached for the mint to make more mojito's than I ever wanted to see.  I was feeling trapped.  I was feeling muddled.

31 Days of Fitness: Week 1!

Summer is blissful.  Summer is crazy.  Summer is a challenge.  

After being in and out of the doctor for the past 6 weeks stemming from an infectious scary spider bite on my calf, I (thankfully) finally got the all clear to get off antibiotics and get back to my regular routine.  It's no fun not feeling like yourself, especially in the midst of the summer months.  This bad strike of luck-along with bartending 5 nights a week, and filming and editing for other projects on my days off, life has been a little off track in the active-department.  

I felt like I was making more of an effort to come up with excuses than getting to my usual yoga sessions, bike rides, swims or walks.  

An active lifestyle has always been part of who I am.  I was a gymnast through grade school and cheerleader through high school and college.  And when I hung up my pom-pon's, I took up training for fitness competitions for a year, then discovered how much I missed flipping upside down.  I discovered yoga and it's been the missing piece to my puzzle ever since.  I love the outdoors, nature and incorporating these elements into my daily routine just seems so necessary.  It keeps me sane in the craziness of a Nantucket summer, as August can seem to drag on-and-on 30 miles-out-to-sea, so I've decided to incorporate some health and healthy habits back into my every day routine.

Not only does having a regular excercise routine keep my body peaked, but more importantly, for me, regular excercise makes for a healthy, clear, and focused mind.  And, I just LOVE a good sweat.

For 31 days, I'll be challenging myself to getting back on track and working in those important healthy aspects of my every day life.  And my hope is, by the end of August, for my batteries to be fully (re)charged with energy for my favorite month out here-SEPTEMBER.  So here's to a 31 days filled with health and happiness. To feeling good both outside and in.

DAY 1: Bike Ride from Miacomet to Madaket: 13 miles

Day 2: Favorite Forrest Bike Ride-6 miles & 30 min swim

Day 3: Jami Lower's class: Definitions Click here to check her out and take a class! This one always gives me a run for my money.

Day 4: 30 minute Swim (and wipeout. Check out the video!)

Day 5: Bike Ride to town and home: 6.5 miles

         + 20 minute Yoga sesh @ home.
Day 6: Bike ride to Sconset via 'the loop': Polpis out and Milestone back-I wanted to rename Milestone the NEVER ENDING MILES yesterday-21.5 miles
Day 7: Forrest Loop Bike Ride in the video! 6.5 miles

At the end of week one, I'm feeling pretty fabulous!

Plus. I figured if I wrote about it, I just couldn't let myself fail.  You know, the whole accountability factor? :)

Oh yeah!  I bought a GO PRO and I've been testing it out on my workouts.  Check out the video!!! 

And I'll see you next week.  We're (all) going kayaking!!!

CLICK HERE TO WATCH THIS WEEKS VIDEO!!