Fall in New Hampshire

The last few weeks of work have been pretty rough. It seems that every time I get the hang of a certain process, or complete a project, three new tasks are given to me. Almost every day I'd come home from work exhausted, with no energy to climb or go to my yoga classes. At first, I kind of beat myself up mentally about skipping out on my activities – in a way, I almost tried to bully myself into getting out of the house.

But then I realized I was putting way too much pressure on myself – pressure to improve at work, to improve my rock climbing and yoga, improve my diet, and improve my blog, all while maintaining my work relationships and outside friendships. It was too much. For the first time in a long time, it hit me that I'm human, and I have limits. I can't do everything all the time, as much as I'd like to. And by trying to improve on so many things at the same time, I was mentally exhausting myself to the point where I wasn't enjoying those activities anymore because I was expecting too much from myself.

I'm in the process of learning a very valuable lesson from this: Do what you can. Accept your limits, and never stop loving yourself for needing the time to rest.

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This past weekend, I went to my parents' house in New Hampshire with my boyfriend, Ryan. It was an escape in the truest sense of the word – we escaped from work, from city life, from stress and from complications. Our weekend wasn't particularly exciting or adventurous; it was quiet and relaxing and it was exactly what I needed.

Ryan and I got lunch at my favorite spot in Vermont, and ended up eating it by a beautiful river behind the store. The river was down a steep ravine, but we climbed down anyway to be near the water.

I love venturing off the beaten path with Ryan. When I was younger, I'd go off and explore in the woods by myself all the time, climbing on trees, jumping in puddles, and setting up "forts" for myself with fallen branches and leaves. Now that I'm a "grown-up" (at least technically), it's so meaningful to me to do the same things with Ryan as I did when I was a child. I feel incredibly at peace in the woods.

We spent the next morning doing a puzzle over fresh coffee, and pumpkin pancakes with local maple syrup. It was the most relaxing morning I'd had in months. 

It was an absolutely perfect weekend, and I'm so grateful that I got to spend it with someone I love.  

:)

Taking a Step Back

This past week was pretty tough. As this is the first time in 17 years that I haven't gone back to school in the fall, it's been hard adjusting to the relative monotony and seriousness of corporate life. Don't get me wrong– I'm beyond grateful to have a job in an economy where many are still struggling to find work. It is this gratitude that keeps me going.

However, at some point in our lives we can't help but stop and wonder– what are we working for? What's the end goal? Are we just working to have money so we can enjoy life? Or are we in it for the job and the fulfillment of our careers? 

One thing's for certain– corporate finance is not my life's passion. Although I'm not entirely sure what is my passion, I know it's not that. Now, I'm left to figure out if I can create a full and happy life having that as my job. Will it be enough to just be a "weekend warrior", living for the times I can be outside and truly enjoying life? Or will I eventually need to make a change?

I don't have the answers yet.

This past weekend, I wanted to take some time alone with my pup to reflect on life and the future. We took a lovely hike together in the woods, letting the beauty and simplicity of nature cancel out any of the stresses or worries of the prior week.

After a hike like that, I always come out feeling stronger, calmer, and more in-tune with myself. It's amazing the transformative effect that nature has. And although I'm still not totally convinced that I won't give up corporate life and live in a cabin in the woods à la Walden, I feel refreshed and energized knowing that the world outside will always remain there for me.

Pathless Woods

There is a pleasure in the pathless woods,

There is a rapture on the lonely shore,

There is society, where none intrudes,

By the deep sea, and music in its roar:

I love not man the less, but Nature more.

-Lord Byron

With Revelry

This week while I was on vacation in the Cape, I was blessed to have participated in a beautiful Kripalu yoga practice held in the mornings on the beach.

The practice is held every morning in the summer at 7:30 AM on Chatham Lighthouse Beach. The instructor, Valerie, is not only a Kripalu Yoga instructor but also an RN and a Licensed Massage Therapist.

Kripalu is a form of Hatha Yoga that concentrates on connecting the flow of body movement with the cycle of breathing. Also known as the yoga of compassion, Kripalu invites practitioners to love and accept themselves the way they are, as opposed to comparing themselves with others in the class.

I can't even begin to describe how amazing it was practicing yoga in such a beautiful setting. Hearing the ocean also helped with this form of yoga– we matched our breaths to the ebb and flow of the waves.

 If I could, I would start every morning with yoga on the beach. Greeting the morning with mindfulness, joy, and energy set the tone for the rest of my day. In fact, even though I was waking up earlier to make the class, I found I had more energy compared to the days where I had slept in.

During one of the sequences in our practice, our yoga teacher told us to complete the movement "with revelry". This phrase stuck with me because it made me think– how much better would our lives be, if we lived with revelry and celebration? To me, that is the core of practicing gratitude (and yoga). If we simply acknowledge the amazing things in our lives, then we would be living with revelry; which in turn would give us more to be grateful for.

I am so grateful to have had this amazing experience. I can't wait to go back next year!

New Hampshire

The term "getaway" can mean different things for different people. To me, a true getaway implies escaping all the things that complicate life– traffic, city crowds, pollution, social media, and the constant availability that naturally follows from having cell phone reception.

Enter New Hampshire. Everything is green as far as the eye can see. Rolling hills covered in verdant trees, air alive with the scent of growing things... it seems the less people there are, the more room there is for plants. And after a week of maneuvering rush hour traffic morning and night, it is incredibly invigorating to drive down the main road unimpeded by any other cars.

My second favorite part of New Hampshire is all the amazing hiking. There are so many trails that have been left unspoiled by human traffic, allowing nature to run its course through the woods. Spending time in the forest and listening to the running water is something that I'll never get tired of.

Strawberry Fields

I am so blessed to live in a small country town that boasts many different types of farms– dairy, Christmas tree, and produce (to name a few). Today, I went strawberry picking at a farm less than half a mile from my house.

Fresh-picked strawberries are like no other fruit. There's just something about that which has been perfected by the earth and rain and sun; and is attained in its unaltered state.

I am grateful for the sun, a warm day, fresh strawberries, the earth, humanity.