04.14.15 HAPPINESS

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! 

Sarah Hartley 

Slice of Heaven 

It's Me, Kelly 

Gabrielle Bogan 

Glamorous Hustle 

Chaotic & Collected 

Kimberrleigh 

Deanna R Jordan 

More Than Love 

Unabashedly Me

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?

03.13.15 I QUIT MY JOB.

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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?

03.10.15 TRAPPED.

When asked "what's your biggest fear?", different things run through my head. From the cliche "being alone forever" to the silly ones like "uncooked meat", I pondered how I would approach answering this question. In the end, I decided it was best if I answered truthfully. Honestly. The whole point of this blog this is to let you see into my life. Why should I sugar-coat this?

Being trapped. That's my biggest fear.

I never ever want to feel like I'm trapped in the life I'm living. Relationships, jobs, cities, situations... I am terrified of the potential of being trapped somewhere I hate, doing something I don't like, with people I dislike. And not being able to get out.

Like any good psychology book would tell you, part of this can be attributed to my childhood. It would make sense. But it didn't really occur to me until I spent 5 and a half years in a relationship that had me feeling completely helpless, trapped and unable to leave. I felt like I had to stick around because of obligation, because I owed them that, because it would be worse if I left.

The truth is, I wasn't thinking about my own happiness. I was trapped.

I'm terrified of going through this again. That I will wake up one day and realize I made mistakes in life that I can't get out of. What will I do then? I don't want to be unhappy for the rest of my life.

All I can do is live in the moment, be with people I love, and make sure I am doing things I enjoy doing. Then I won't ever be able to regret my decisions in life. If I ever feel legitimately trapped,  I need to have the courage to recognize it, and fix it. I need to be in tune with me.

And that, my friends, is my biggest fear. What's yours?

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -  

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 my post you'll find links to all of the wonderful ladies in the group so that you can read about their biggest fears, too. I highly encourage you to check them out- you might find some new favorite blogs!

Sarah Hartley ** Gabrielle Bogan ** Slice of Heaven ** Chaotic and Collected ** Sara Montana Says ** Unabashedly Me

02.22.15 WEEKEND INSPIRATION

Yesterday, Mike and I went to a brewery tour at Ottawa's own Broadhead Breweing Co. What a cool experience.

We walked in and the place was much smaller than expected. You could tell that the entire operation was as DIY as it gets. What better way to exemplify the craft beer style? Between their inspiring story, their super tasty beer, and the slight buzz I had from the samples (thankfully Mike was DD), I left the place a little more excited than when I arrived.

The four founders started their operations making beer in their garage. They expanded to their basement. When they decided to go commercial, they found themselves strapped for cash, needing new facilities. They moved, repurposed old equipment and created their own machines, making Broadhead one of Ottawa's full-blown microbrewery - DIY style.

How awesome is it that such a cool company found this niche? Before craft breweries started popping up all over Ottawa, Broadhead carved out its place in the market. They saw a demand, and moved right in. They did it with minimal money, some very smart and talented individuals, and a little bit of risk.

It's an inspiring story.

When I left, I couldn't stop thinking about how interesting it would be to be a part of something like this. Entrepreneurship is fascinating to me. I'm not one to go into business for myself because I'm very risk averse. I also don't have any good ideas.... But it doesn't stop me from thinking about how cool it would be to be a partner in something. To build something from the ground up. To give it my everything.

And that thought left me smiling :)

02.21.15 THE MOTIONS

Today's musing: I've been thinking about the motions of life.

Elementary, secondary school? Check.
High school? Check
Get a high-school-kid job? Check.
Get stuck in a bad relationship? Check. Check Check.
Go to university, get a degree? Check
Get a grown up job, that turns into a career? Check.
Find a boy who loves you and treats you right? C-h-e-c-k.

And then what comes next? Most would say the moving in with this boy, an engagement, the wedding, and the babies.

It's crazy how hard-wired we are to follow this path that is set for us. Some people break from the mold, but in general this is the skeleton of our lives. The average person goes through these motions in life.

I would be lying if I said I didn't want it. I want to be a wife, a mother, own a house... the whole nine yards. But a part of me hates how predictable it is.

Maybe part of growing up is coming to terms with it? Maybe I've got a bit of a mid-20's-life-crisis thing going on? Am I the only one that thinks about things like this? Am I just over-analyzing life?

Have you followed the motions? Have you broken away from the pack? I'd love to hear someone else's thoughts on this.

02.17.15 UNINSPIRED

Pinterest | Blog

Lately I've felt uninspired.

Not sure what it is, but between the S.A.D. and trying to figure out some key parts in my life, I feel like I'm missing something to be passionate about.

What do I want to do for the rest of my life? What sorts of projects do I want to devote my time to? What can I jump head-first into?

These are the kinds of questions that run through my mind over and over and over again. I'm not sure where to go or where to look. The only person with the answers is me, but I haven't found them yet.

Over the past couple of years I have discovered my love for new things, like cooking, yoga and learning about physical and mental health. I find that I don't give myself enough time to do these things I love, and when I get to do it, I feel rushed.

Life is busy. Working all day means getting home at 6, only to be in bed 4 hours later. Don't get me wrong, I'm grateful for a job, but life lately seems off balance. The hours fly by and I don't even know how. The weekends come and go, and I don't even remember what I did with myself.

All I know is that I won't stop searching until I find it. That balance - that "it". Whatever it may be.

On a somewhat related note, I'm glad to be blogging again. Even if no one else reads my nonsense, at least I have an outlet where I can explore my thoughts, put them into writing, and make sense of them. I now realize how much I missed this...

02.15.15 FIGHTING THE WINTER BLUES

This winter has been COLD. Every time I go outside I feel like my face is going to freeze off. Usually January is pretty bad, but I feel like this year February has been worse.

I've only been on the canal once this year. I love going skating, but not when your eyeballs freeze over. Not cool. The winter blues are out in full-force. I am waiting for the moment I can go outside without mitts. That would be nice. But until then, what do I do to fight the winter blues? 

1) NETFLIX. Admittedly I spent too much time in front of my TV. Currently I have the following on the go:

- Prison break, with the boyfriend

- The Office, finishing the series (I never saw seasons 8 and 9)

- Friends, for when I feel like having noise in the background

- New Girl, another being watched with the boyfriend

But what is better than cuddling up on the couch with a thick fuzzy blanket and a cup of tea staring at a screen forgetting about everything else in the world? Nothing, that's what.

2) SHOPPING. You're staying out of the cold and that's all that matters. I haven't done too much of this lately on account of "trying" to be a responsible adult. But I love online shopping... you can window shop and you don't even have to leave your house. Bonus.

3) YOGA. The city hosts a bunch of recreational classes, yoga included. For a sort-of-beginner, this is the perfect (affordable) way to see how much I really like it. Since I've started, I've become addicted to my weekly classes. A great way to get out of the house, but not spend time in the frozen tundra.

What do you do to fight the winter blues?

01.31.15 My Experience with a Naturopath

I want to preface this post by saying I don't have a serious illness, disease, or any other ailments that have led me to a naturopath. Partially out of curiosity, and partly due to recent experiences, I wanted to see what kind of insight a naturopath might have for me.

At work we go through very busy and stressful periods. Every day is go-go-go, but there are certain times during the year where even THAT gets ramped up.  Last time I went through this, I got pretty bad stress/anxiety. I was getting stress headaches, feeling fatigued all the time, and even feeling dizzy.

I decided to see a naturopath because I want to make sure I am well prepared for next time. Since I don't eat a lot of meat, I feel like maybe I'm missing some basic foundation so my body can thrive in these situations. I was mostly concerned about vitamin B's and protein.

I wanted someone who could look at my lifestyle, diet and other situations, and give me some tips for strengthening my body from the inside. I definitely looked in the right place.

I met with a doctor and we discussed why I was there, she asked many questions, and listened intently. She was super sweet, into a lot of the same things as me, and we gushed over how much we love the Oh She Glows cookbook. Is it weird that I kind of want to be her BFF?

Then we went through my normal diet. According to her, I have a pretty good foundation, I just need to introduce more protein into breakfast (vegan protein powder being her suggestion) and add more substance to my afternoon snack, especially if I have a yoga class that night and don't plan to eat dinner until 9pm.

She gave me a few supplements, explaining why/how each one would help. What I liked about this was that she gave options - vitamin D? Doesn't matter where you buy it. Magnesium? Doesn't matter what brand. The only one she particularly stressed was a certain vitamin B "stress blend", because of the high dose and my high stress/anxiety related to work. If I was going to spend the money anywhere, this is where, she said.

I'm very fortunate that I could make an appointment like this without a serious illness. I am extremely grateful for a healthy body. Now I feel that if something were to come up, it's the first place I would go again.

Time to get get hopped up on some supplements and hopefully get back on the right track! If you're looking for a naturopath in Ottawa, let me know :)

01.25.15 SUNDAY FUNDAY

I spent the today preparing for the week ahead.

4 loads of laundry.
Groceries.
Baking.
Cooking.

I'm covered in flour and need a shower.
But what have I accomplished in all this time?

1) Cooked chickpeas and black beans, and then froze 'em. Did you know BPA can be found in canned food? Unless the can says BPA free, you can't be sure. So I'm trying to buy dried beans instead. The problem? It takes much longer to cook. But with the help of this website, I decided to give freezing the cooked beans a try.

2) Made my favourite recipe from the Oh She Glows cookbook: Classic Glo Bars. These are my favourite to eat in the morning at work. They keep me full and are a great boost to the day. Chia seeds, hemp hearts, shredded coconut? YUM!

3) Chocolate chip cookies. Okay, so these aren't healthy at all. I haven't made anything for the man in a while. I figured it was time to making something a little less "exotic". Since the beginning of time, my mother has been using this recipe from Nestle Toll House. It's probably the best chocolate chip cookie recipe ever. Unfortunately I burned more then half of them, so better luck next time I guess?

Hope your Sunday's been swell :)

01.23.15 FIVE THINGS

We're just getting to know each other again, so I can't get too crazy on you yet. But I feel like it's only appropriate to set the tone of this blog by giving you a little insight into who I am.

MY NAME IS KELLY, BUT I USED TO GO BY KELI. I have another BFF named Kelly, and to reduce confusion, I started to write my name as Keli when I was a kid. Into my teens, my friends would still refer to me as Keli. I used to think of changing the official spelling of my name, but then I "grew up" ;) Although sometimes I still think Keli would have been pretty cool...




I AM A FLEXITARIAN. I have weird eating habits. I don't like lots of meat- these days I stick to minimal steak, fish once a week, and eggs about once a week. Other than that, I like my veggies. I'm cautious about going completely vegetarian because I'm scared I won't get the protein my body needs. I'm very diligent about what I eat to ensure I eat enough vitamins as it is, so going full vegetarian scares me a bit.



DOING NOTHING IS MY IDEA OF A PERFECT WEEKEND. Seriously. My favourite thing is doing nothing and maybe that's boring to you, or maybe it doesn't sound like a good time, but I'm a total homebody that loves Netflix marathons and being in bed by 10. It's a good thing I met Mike at work because I doubt I would have met anyone doing anything social.






I AM IN LOVE WITH MY BEST FRIEND. I call him my walking cliche.  Everything I've ever heard anyone say about their loved one, he's that for me. The man who makes my heart beat just that much faster. The man who loves me at my worst and my best. The man who makes me feel beautiful every day, especially when I feel it least. We've been dating only a year, but it already feels like a lifetime. And I don't plan on returning him.



I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT I'M DOING. I've gone through the motions. I went to school, got a degree, found a job, turned it into a career, etc. I'm almost all definitions of the term "grown-up". But really, I have no idea what I'm doing. And I don't think any of us really know what we're doing. Being a grown up means going with the flow along the weird path your life is on, but at the same time you're creating your own path. So how are we supposed to know if it's the right one?



Now your turn.

01.10.15

A new year, a new space, a new story.

It's been almost 1 year since I took a break from my old blog, Enter Kelly.

A year since I've blogged. 

A year since I've shared my stories. 

A year since I've had my own corner of the internet.

And I miss it.

I knew I would. I look back at blogging with fond memories. I had a lot going on and was ready for a break.

But now I'm ready to start again. To start fresh. To start new.

I don't have a lot of time to dedicate to this, but that's okay. I won't feel guilty if I don't blog every day, every week, or even only once a month. I'm not blogging with the intention to gain a following, make money, or be the best blogger there is. I'm doing this for me.

I miss my creative outlet. I miss being able to tell stories. I miss having a place that's mine.

So welcome to my new place. :)