Get to Know Someone New!

As you've might have read around here before, finding happiness through health is where I've decided to focus my blog, and while I'm working on a lot of major structural changes to the setup of That's Better, I'm going to keep posting like usual until everything's up and ready to go.

...But in the mean time I'm SO GIDDY INSIDE!!!

It's so fun to think that today is the day I can start making my dream job become a reality and that anything I do today can bring me just that much closer to what I want to be doing in life: 

Inspiring people to be healthier in all areas of their lives, whether it's Mentally, Emotionally, Spiritually, Socially or Physically.   

I'm excited to share my passions and excitement with others, and my professional training, as well.  If big companies like Coke and Kellogs can utilize marketing strategies for negative health behaviors, then why shouldn't Public Health Professionals be able to use them for positive ones!?  

OK, I'll stop diverging from the original topic of this post, but I just wanted to let you know that I'm SO incredibly excited for where 'That's Better' is going and I hope that you are, too!  In the weeks to come I hope that you can catch the vision with me and commit to making your life a healthier one, as well.

But back to the title... :)

I've told you how much I just adore lunch dates with friends before, and since then I've kept the streak running with more and more of these events with amazing ladies from my networks.  Most recently, I had a chance to go to Mulan, a Taiwanese place, with Alane, and thought I'd just say again that lunch dates are such a great way to get to know someone new!!

And if you're lookin for a super simple and easy way to be happy, this is one that works!!  Don't believe me?  Give it a try :)  Ask someone you don't know that well, or someone you'd like to get to know better to go out to lunch, and see how it goes!  Chances are:

1.  They'll be flattered you asked.  (Most people are happy to be invited to do things with someone new, it means other people are interested in them.)

2. You'll get to try out a great new restaurant (usually of your choosing!)

3. You'll have a great time as you get to know someone new and develop your friendship!

Win-Win, hombres!!  So what are you waiting for? Go grab your calendar and text a friend you don't know that much about.  At the very least, it's a great networking opportunity and hey, they might even take a picture with you while making a monkey face with an orange :)

PS  Mulan is fantastic!!!  Highly recommend the Salt & Pepper Pork Chops!! :)  So good I forgot to put my fork down and take a picture!! 

On Dealing With Pain.

Two stories for ya today on pain and how it is just an opportunity to improve things. :)

So last week after working out I set my running shoes under the bench in the locker room so I could grab a quick shower.  Of course, I have the memory of a goldfish and seeing as how I'd decided to sneak those lil buggers all the way under the bench, turns out I'd hid them so well even I forgot they were there!  Upon realizing this later the next day when I went to go grab them, I called the gym and, of course, they were nowhere to be found. :(  I was sooo angry!!

But, being angry wouldn't bring back my beautiful running shoes, all i could do was start where I was at and use it as a chance for improvement.  So began the search for a new pair of running shoes, which led me to these beautiful babies :)  

I've been wanting a pair of bright colored kicks for a bit now, and having my shoes stolen actually turned out to be a good thing because without it, I wouldn't have gotten this pair.  

Long story short- I love these shoes!  Why?

1- They are cherry red and that makes me happy

2- They make my gym outfits feel way more stylish

3- They make me want to go to the gym more bc I want to show them off :)

4- Believe it or not (this might sound super weird... haha) but they give me confidence because they are so loud and demand attention.  

And obviously, if you've got attention on you, you've got to be confident in it or ya look like a fool :)

So yay for my Red Runners :)

OK, second story on pain.  

And this one's a little bit more serious.  So I've grown up in a culture which seems to put a lot of pressure on marriage and the importance of being a wife and mother.  I believe in that, and I believe it's my destiny, but at the same time it's been a real tough time for me over the past year or so to see so many friends take the leap and just sit back on the sidelines and watch.  

I think there's a natural drive in us to want to be with another person and build that kind of amazing, strong and solid relationship that is special just for the two of you.  I want that, and I know that the Lord has something for me, but it's been a tough time waiting for it.  

I got a call yesterday from a really old family friend who's almost like a second mother to me.  She's so sweet and in following the promptings in her heart she called me out of the blue and we talked for a while, with the conversation eventually going to my dating life.  

And in Boston, it's been invisible.  

I talked to her about how I've felt this strong drive to want to start my own family, but ya know, it's kinda hard to do that on your own (shy of being Angelina Jolie...).  I'm not normally one to rely on others, so for me, having a goal which requires another person in order to achieve it has made it somewhat of a point of frustration for me.  I'm a very Type A person who likes to just see what needs to be done and do it.  That's not so easily done when you're To Do list looks like this:

1. Find a great guy who can be loyal to God and me above all else.

2. Make said guy's heart go pitty-pat.

3. Marry great guy and live happily till diapers come. ;)  

I've realized a bit though lately that instead of focusing on him I should just be focusing on me and becoming the right person myself.  

Then Rosemary told me that sometimes, it's like this:

You tell God, 'Lord, I'm wanting something for dinner.  I've thought about McDonalds and Burger King and Wendy's, and I just can't find what I'm looking for.'  But the Lord says, 'My sweet child, I've got a gourmet restaurant right around the corner for you.'

Sounds cheesy, I know, but I actually broke down in tears because I know that it's true.  Sometimes in life we just have to go through the rough times in order to become more refined so we can do the things we need to do later in life which require us to be better.  So here is my chance to be better.  Improve my relationship with the Lord, work on my own follies and foibles, and keep the faith that the Lord knows what He's doing.  

So in the end, the second story isn't near finished yet, but I know that with the right attitude and looking at it from the right perspective things will get better.  Ya know, growth = pain, and sometimes ya just gotta stick with it and know that pain is only temporary but totally worth going through.  :)

Boston Blogger Rendez-vous!!

So I love reading up on new blogs and 'meeting' new bloggers out there, and one I recently found that I think is adorable is cornflake dreams by Jillian who writes about all kinds of cool things from cute fashions to food (yum!) to life...  

And the best part??  

I found out Jillian is coming to Boston this fall!  And she's bringing tons of other blogging friends with her!  So when I read that anyone can register, duh, I hopped on that boat. :)  I'm so excited for the Rendez-vous: New England event in September and can't wait to meet other bloggers from around the area!  

Are you going?!?

'Cause ya should!

What are ya waitin for, sug?!  Register here!

Sure, I'll Sign Autographs

Betchya didn't know I was a TV star, didja?  :)

So I posted earlier about a community fitness event we did at Copley Square in Boston with my internship at Healthworks Fitness Centers for Women, but what I didn't tell you was that I was interviewed to be on a local TV show for it!  It was kind of exhilarating and has since made me aware of the fact that on camera it looks like my lips are invisible.  Ha!

Have you tried Urban Rebounding or would you ever participate in a Community fitness event like this??

The Sweet Spirit.

So I had a really sweet experience tonight talking with someone who recently lost their Mom.  Having lost mine sweet Mom just over 3 years ago, this was the first time I've met someone since then who's gone through that same trial after me.  We talked for a few hours about how amazing both of our Mothers were and it was just so amazing to feel the sweet spirit of the Lord comfort my heart and testify that we can be together again someday.  I am so grateful that I have been blessed with the knowledge of the gospel of Jesus Christ and that I know that families can be sealed together forever so they can be reunited after they pass through the bonds of death.  I love my family and I love the Lord, and I am so thankful for everything that He does for me.  I say this in His name, even Jesus Christ, amen.

I hope that if anyone is reading this and going through that same trial of losing their Mother that I send you all my love and that you don't have to go through it alone.  If you ever want to talk to someone who's been there about dealing with it or anything at all please don't hesitate to let me or someone else know what you're going through.  For a long time I kept it all in and chose to deal with everything on my own, but it sure would have been nice to have someone who'd just gone through that challenge help me with m struggle, too.  I'm here for you and my  heart goes out to you.

Be A 'Yes' Lady!

Oh my gosh, last week was so great!!

So I've been on the prowl for fun things to do this summer in
Boston that will help get me out of my comfort zone and,
lucky me, found this interesting little event called the
Forest Hills Lantern Festival.  

It's an annual event they have at the Forest Hill Cemetery,

(yup, you read that right... party with the perished..)

inspired by a Japanese Bon Festival.

And it was so much fun!!

There are Japanese performers going on for the first part of the festival, 

then the second part is where the fun really begins!!

Anyone who wants to participate can make their own lantern in memory of someone who's passed away to float on the cemetery lake.

They literally had hundreds of frames brought in so that people could 

decorate as many lanterns as they wanted.  

After you get your rice paper you can take 

it to the Japanese inscription artists who will draw one of 

four different characters on your lantern.  The sign says

 Choose One:

Love

Eternal Life

Hope 

Peace

It made me sad to think of what it would be like if we could only choose one in real life.  Though they are all interconnected I would hate to be void of any single one of them, let alone 3.

Because of my religious beliefs in Eternal Life and the fact that I was

making this lantern in memory of my Mother, I thought it best suited what I hope for the most. :)

So while I am NOT an artist AT ALL 

(which is why I craft instead of draw hahaha) 

I took a friend with me who was able to render this beautiful drawing 

of a house with a gorgeous sunset in it and a lovely garden set among rolling hills.  It was the first thing I could think of that my mother loved so much, the sunsets at our home in KY.  

I called my friend Ms Cleo because of the uncanny resemblance the picture has to my actual house in Kentucky.

And then I freestyled on the back with a lovely stick-figure family and the forging of my mothers beautiful signature, something I always tried to do in high school ;)

Though I know she's not here physically, I always try and keep her close to me spiritually and follow in her amazing footsteps of being a true Christian, a kind and loving person.

I love you, Mom!!

So despite the fact that the event was initially a little intimidating 

because it was held in a cemetery

(lil creepy, maybe?!)

I was for sure glad that I decided to say 'yes' to trying something new,

'cause if you don't get out of your comfort box,

you'll keep on being boxed in. :)

Quick 'n Crafty. I like it...

I haven't done anything crafty in a long time since all my crafting goodies are in Kentucky, but the other day I was reading a few blogs and saw some ladies wearing these gorgeous flowers in their hair and decided that I had to have one.

So I made a quick trip to JoAnn's, bought a spring flower that was on sale since they've already started haulin' out their autumn decorations, and made a simple flowerband in all of 30 seconds.  :)  

Now that is what I call a quickie :)

Jordan's friend Bill (or was it Bob??) said it looked like I had a flower growing out of my head.  

I said thanks, Bob.  (or was it Bill??)

I love it too.