Knowing Kelly

NEW DOMAIN

I'm in the process of forwarding people from this blog to my new one. But for now, you can stay updated here:

www.knowingkelly.com

Thanks for sticking around!

04.16.15 UNDER CONSTRUCTION

Over the next few days this blog will be under some construction.
I'm exploring areas of the blogging world I have not yet explored!
Wish me luck. I hope I can find my way back...

04.15.15 IN THE DETAILS.

Follow along on Instagram for more: @knowingkelly.

I was enjoying the comfort of my bed after a great sleep. Finally, it was the weekend. I opened the blinds and the sun shone on my face. It was the warmest sunshine I've felt in months. I felt happy. I felt alive.

Everything's falling into place and I feel like I'm where I need to be. With summer on the horizon, I look forward to finishing the rest of this year with happiness. So far it's been a year for self-care. A year for me. I've had to be selfish in some ways, but when you go through hard times, you need to put yourself first. It's tough, but those who love you will understand. And I'm thankful that they did.

I realized all of this as the sun was shining down on me. It's like the sunlight energized my mind. It brought life to my life-less body. It opened up my heart to gratitude. Gratitude for my health, to be able to have this day, and to experience such a full and enriching life.

To me, happiness is a state of mind. It can be hard to get there, but when you finally make it, try not to let go. And be grateful always.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

As I’ve mentioned before, a group of bloggers have gotten together to start a little ONLINE BLOGGING GROUP to share advice, get feedback, and support each other. We’ve decided once a month to all write a post on the same topic. Below you’ll find links to all of the wonderful ladies in the group so that you can read about what happiness means to them, too. I highly encourage you to check them out- you might find some new favorite blogs!

04.10.15 DECONSTRUCTING DINNER

When I'm out of ideas for dinner, I like to pick apart some standard meals to figure out what specific ingredients I feel like eating. Then when I catch on something I love, say, sweet potatoes, I start to think up all the things that go well with sweet potatoes.

Sometimes I don't piece back the ingredients into a blended meal. In fact, I love to leave the meal deconstructed. Each ingredient stands alone. It is perfect just the way it is. And I'm not by myself in this, the explosion of the "lunch bowl" concept proves that!

Next time you are looking for dinner inspiration, try it yourself! There are tonnes of lunch bowl variations if you decide to google it. I've seen some good ones on the Oh She Glows website like this one (what an appetite!) and this one (inspired my dinner tonight). Make sure your meal is a well balanced blend of food groups to maximize nutrition. It's super easy, and trust me - you'll love it!

Meal pictured above: roasted cauliflower, roasted sweet potatoes, hummus, naan bread, quinoa and asparagus.

04.06.15 TAKING BACK MY FITNESS

Now that I have a better work-life balance, I feel like I can take control of my life again. I'm not drained at the end of the work day. I have energy to move. I have time to dedicate to self-care.

I've taken up yoga over the past few months. At first I did it to help deal with my anxiety. And you know what? It helps. It actually helps. And I feel amazing after every class. I want to do yoga all the time, but it's so darn expensive! Regardless, it's become a staple in my life.

This week I'm getting myself a gym membership to a local recreation centre that gives me access to cardio equipment and weights. I like yoga for relaxation, so I will make sure to get my cardio when I go to the gym.

And now that it's beautiful out, I have visions of runs on trails and along rivers. I signed up for soccer for the first time in years and I don't know if I can even sprint anymore. Maybe I should have figured that out before signing up?

I hope that you will join me in my adventure and read my odd fitness posts. I'm excited to take back my health and active lifestyle. It's time for me to rebuild this area of my life and I'm so happy I can finally do it.

What do you do to stay active?

04.02.15 YOUR CAREER: HOW TO STAY MARKETABLE

My coworker thought it'd be funny to take a picture of me leaving with a Bankers Box full of my things. Yes, that is a yoga-cat calendar. And yes, that's a massive bag of mini eggs...

In a previous post I talked about how I quit my job. For those of you who don't know, I was an assistant buyer for a big retail company. I spent three years there, and I can't say that it was an easy decision to quit. It's hard to realize that you're on a career path that you don't really want. It takes a lot of soul searching, but I finally got there. I realized I wanted to go back into marketing (what I studied).

Before I was applying for jobs, I worried I wasn't relevant anymore. Why would someone want to hire me? My work experience was specific to buying. How do I get myself into the career I want?

HOW TO STAY MARKETABLE WHILE CHANGING CAREERS:

ONE. Make the most of your current position, even if it isn't what you want. Get as much on your resume as you can. Keep examples of your projects, and their results. Leave a lasting impression on your coworkers and bosses. Chances are you will need a reference from someone some day.

TWO. Volunteer your time. Do freelance work if it's appropriate. Get experience in the industry you'd like to move into. I was lucky that I did some volunteer marketing work for a friend's business (Castellammare Jewellery). My new employer found this very interesting, and it was probably one of the biggest drivers for me getting the position.

THREE. Focus on your transferrable skills. If you don't have a lot of experience relating to your dream job, what useful and relevent skills and abilities did you develop? Make sure to highlight these, how you were able to strengthen them, and how they can help you in your new position.

FOUR. Further education. Going back to school isn't always fun, but employers love to see that you're keeping your education current. This is a tip from a friend of mine - she does a great job taking courses and getting certificates to enhance her career and skill-set. How far are you from your dream job? You may only need a course or two, or you may need to invest more time. It depends on where you are and what kind of education is expected for the position.

Anything is possible. If you're unhappy in your current job, there are opportunities everywhere. You just need to have faith, stay positive and keep your eye on the prize. I promise, it's worth it in the end.

03.27.15 FIVE THINGS THAT I AM GRATEFUL FOR

Source: Instagram @Stephynow

During my yoga class this morning, just as we were settling into shavasana, the instructor asked us to focus on what we are grateful for. That made me smile. Honestly, when was the last time you consciously thought about what you were grateful for in your life? It's been an embarrassingly long time.

What are five things that I am grateful for today?

ONE: TODAY.
I am here, present, and happy. I am grateful that I get to experience the day today. What makes it better? That it's a day off from the stresses of a workplace, and that I get to enjoy what I love doing which is yoga, cooking and baking. I am grateful for today.

TWO: THE JOB I JUST QUIT.
When I think about what my job gave me, I realize it gave me experiences but also very important relationships. I met Mike, made a great work-family, and made a few friends. Some of whom I hope will continue to keep in touch as I pursue this new adventure. I am grateful to have met such wonderful people, and to have met the best man in the world. I posted a #tbt on my Instagram about this yesterday.

THREE: MY HEALTH.
I mean more than just eating well. I mean taking care of myself emotionally and physically. I feel the best I've felt in months. I'm consciously eating well, practicing yoga, working out, and spending time doing things I love. I am truly happy. For that, I am grateful.

FOUR: GOOD FOOD.
Over the past few months, I've become quite the foodie. Some nights, Mike just wants to get something prepared and stick it in the oven. I never let him - I love making food, experiencing it, feeling proud about it. You can't do that when you buy a pre-made meal. I am grateful to have access to good, quality food, and to have the time to make it for us.

FIVE: MIKE.
Did I save the best for last? Maybe... Mike is my rock. He's there for me anytime I need it. I love him to death and am so lucky to have him in my life. Honestly, I could count a million and one reasons. I won't name them all because you'd be reading this post forever, but I'm grateful that he let me into his life the same way that I let him into mine.

What are you grateful for today?

03.24.15 THE RIPPED JEAN.

Last weekend I went to the mall with 1 goal: to find more work clothing for the new job.

But in the back of my mind, I knew what I really wanted. A great pair of slightly distressed blue jeans. I didn't know how realistic this would be - It's been difficult to find a great pair of jeans recently. A pair that fits like a glove, stretches but doesn't "bag" out, is the perfect colour... my expectations are high.

Well I found them. At Zara! I've never been able to find a pair of pants at Zara that fit properly, but when I pulled these on, I knew they were the ones. And to top it off, they were only $50, which is quite reasonable for a good pair of denim.

Now, about that work clothing I meant to get...

03.13.15 I QUIT MY JOB.

Pinterest | Source

This week I quit my job.

I handed in my two weeks notice, blindsiding my colleagues and bosses. "Do you even know how far you can go here?" "You are so close to a promotion, why?" "Do you even know what you're giving up?" These are just a few of the questions that I've been fending off and trying to answer during this whirlwind of a week.

The truth is, I'm taking a hard look at my life. What do I want? Where do I want to be? And more importantly, what will make me happy? These are all such difficult questions to answer for someone with little experience in life, but I'm trying to do the best I can.

The job I was in was challenging, motivating and fast-paced. It fit me perfectly... Until it became a little too demanding. It's a cyclical business, and at one point during the heavy season, I didn't feel well, was getting headaches, and was getting dizzy. During this time, I was working 12+ hour days, running at 110% for months on end, and when I was finally home, I was too tired to do anything. When it all stopped about a month later, I realized it was stress. My body was doing a pretty darn good job telling me I needed to step back.

I realized I needed to make a change. I needed better work-life balance. I needed something that I could really enjoy. I was looking for jobs, but only applying to what I was truly interested in. Going back to my marketing roots, I accepted a position earlier this week. It's a different career path with its own challenges, but with a less demanding schedule.

Now the anxiety is starting to set in. What if I hate this job? What if I'm not challenged enough? The pace is very different, what if I can't get used to it? The company is going through challenges, so I'm giving up a very secure job for something much riskier- am I crazy?

Every life decision comes with its challenges. Changing jobs is difficult - much more difficult than I anticipated. I've gone through all the emotions: fear, sadness, excitement... I'm terrified that I'm making a huge mistake, but I have to remember to keep it in perspective: I'm not going to die, it will be a learning experience, and above all, I did this for a reason. I can't ever forget the reason why.

Have you ever quit a job before? Did you find it difficult?