FIVE YEARS!!!

So….we are just a few days away from March and I realized that this is only my second post for the YEAR! Can you believe it? I am sucking at this whole blogging regularly thing lately.

I have been blogging for 5 years now and what started as a nearly daily occurrence has dwindled to a once a month thing, sometimes even less frequently. That’s just life I guess. When I first started out (FIVE YEARS AGO- seriously cannot believe that!) I had a lot more focus and my writing had purpose- to keep me accountable. Now, I am much more set in my ways. My lifestyle is just that, it is ingrained into me. Yeah, some days (weeks) are better than others but even at my worst I am far better off than I was five years ago. My friends call it ‘health conscious’ and I love that term. Even my ‘junk food’ or ‘off days’ look nothing like the crap I used to put in my body on the regular before I knew better.

I can say without a doubt that blogging has changed my life for the better. Because of it I found my support group, the world’s best cheerleaders, and some of the most amazing friends. My community, both online and in real life, is amazing. It has allowed me to open up and connect with others that share my interests and struggles that I otherwise would have never met. That right there is priceless.

I lost weight, yes, but it was so much more than that. I gained my health back. I added years to my life. I ADDED LIFE TO MY YEARS! I stopped being so fucking afraid of everything. I stopped hating myself. I stopped feeling ashamed and embarrassed of how I looked or how I thought others perceived me. I found acceptance, self-love and I did so without having to lose weight first. I fell in love with me at one of my heaviest weights and was able to continue that through my lowest weight and every weight in between.

The adventures….oh there have been so many! Fitbloggin’, weekend trips, hiking with friends, slow rides, running races (still can’t get over this) including and most special to my heart – the Ragnar Relay in Cape Cod. Heck- I was even in a magazine!!! (And a book). Me. The girl that wasn’t sure she could do much of anything has ended up doing more than she could have imagined.

When I started writing five years ago I doubt this is what I had pictured for my future self. I am not even sure I believed that was capable of changing my life but I knew I had to try. My life literally depended on it.  And I knew that I needed to ask for help, I wouldn’t be able to do it on my own. And that is what I did. I asked you to help me, to support me, to listen, to lend me advice and input and you did. And for that I am eternally grateful.

It has been five years.

Five amazingly wonderful, empowering, heartbreaking, humbling, fan-fucking-tastic years. It’s been everything I had hoped for and more. I feel like I have learned more about myself and about life over these past five years than I had in the 33 previous. There is so much growth that happens through openness. I can only hope that these next five years bring me as much love and happiness as the last.

Again, thank you for your love and support and for coming here and reading. It means more than you will ever know.

Love and hugs,

Dacia

xoxoxox

Life is Good

I am in a really good place right now. My mind, although not free of clutter, is settling into my new routine happily. My headspace is getting happier, calmer. Life is good.

Don’t jinx yourself dummy…goes to find some wood to knock on.

Although life is chaotic as usual (did I tell you I have a comprehensive exam/paper due next week that I must totally kick ass on in order to degree complete? And that I haven’t started it yet? In my defense yesterday was the first day I could have worked on it) I am learning, finally after decades of this shit, how to calm my monkey mind.

Right now I have so many positive influences in my life helping me to better take care of myself. Erick focuses and grounds me when I start to freak the eff out about whatever stressor of the day- usually school, but sometimes work. He has really taught me a lot about my personal strengths and how to utilize them. He has also taught me that I stress over things for really no reason. I mean, the paper is due. That’s just a fact of life. I will get it done. I always do. I have a freaking 3.96 (thanks to two stinking A minuses during my divorce)- I know what I am doing. I need to chill. It will get finished whether I stress over it or not so why stress, right? Simple idea but yet one that has eluded me my entire life. BUT I am getting better at it. Did you see I took a beach break in the middle of writing my midterm paper? Now that is progress my friends.

Anna has been helping me lately, too. She has been my workout buddy for a few months now and as of last week (two weeks ago?) we are back into a regular gym routine. She is a huge driving force in my life. Not only does she keep me in check on our gym days but we also try to take one walk a day during our work day. I love that she also understands the importance of staying active, even through less than ideal circumstances. She has a baby, and a dog, and a husband, and CHICKENS, and a stressful job but she still finds a way. Oh, and she is my matron of honor and humors me by listening to more wedding talk than probably necessary. Having her as a friend has really added so much happiness to my life in Pensacola.

Yoga. What more do I need to say. I knew it was what I needed- to reconnect with my mat. Me feet grounded firmly on the earth my heart and head pointed to the heavens. It has brought me so much calm and joy and I am so happy to have a practice back into my routine. Now, since they just opened the new studio and I just signed up for the monthly pass I am still in the process of finding which classes I love AND fit in my schedule AND work around E’s schedule. So far I think I am settled into Monday hot yoga with Sam (although Divine Balance is a close second) and maybe some weeks I will do back to back with her and stay for acroyoga. That is more a timing issue than anything-being able to stay for two classes. I also love Sunset Flow on Tuesdays (which I am headed to shortly) but starting next week E and I will be participating in a cornhole (bean bag toss) league and the games conflict with yoga so for the next two months I will be choosing cornhole (and beers) over yoga on Tuesdays. I have also started taking a Wednesday lunch time yoga class at the gym at the university but that looks like the last summer session is next week. So…I will be back to the drawing board trying to find a couple more classes.

For now, I am going to keep on enjoying every day and the blessings it brings me. Next week is Denver and Fitbloggin' and I am beyond excited. I am on periscope now (follow me through my Twitter @MyRootToGrow) and I plan on posting a ton of videos from FB. Maybe someone will even persiscope the session I am leading with Thea and Heather. That would be AWESOME.

Until then….

Love and hugs,

Dacia

xoxoxoxox

In 2014 I Said Yes

Today I read this post by my friend Samantha over at Samantha Cycles. Thanks for the title and inspiration, Samantha.

I couldn't agree more with this idea because I absolutely feel that 2014 was the year I said yes. To everything.

Last year was my rebuilding year. It was the year I set out to find myself. I wanted to do more and see more and live life for myself. I wanted to move forward and start anew. And I did so by saying yes.

In 2014, I said yes to…

Two birthday celebration weekends and heading somewhere new (Nashville)

Trips to NOLA just because

A girls weekend away in Houston with my bestie (we said yes to a second order of the world’s most amazing brussels sprout dish which we ate for breakfast the next morning)

Phillies spring training and Tampa Bay hockey

Concerts…just the most amazing concerts. The Mowgli’s (in Jax), Arcade Fire (in Atlanta), Weezer (TB) Austin City Limits (duh!) and the Black Keys (in Ft Lauderdale)

Hugging all the baby goats…and sheep…and alpaca

Planting a garden….and then planting another

Painting and pottery and pizza

Anaheim- reconnecting with old friends and new

Philadelphia- sharing my home and favorite place with the person I love most

Fitbloggin’….again. So much love, not enough words. So much happiness and #yessssssssss in Savannah

Baseball games and the Blue Angels

Manatees…all the HUGE MANATEES

Standing on the outfield at Trop Field

Beach days and bicycles

Road trips and airplane rides

Seattle and sail boats

Far too many selfies

Two Ferris Wheels

Bubble baths and back porch swings

Amazing co-workers (who are truly the most amazing friends) and a new job

Being in a magazine article and reading my story in a book

The Empire State Building and Armenia food with friends

Puppy snuggles

Running (and walking) all the miles

Early morning wake up times, super early bedtimes, and crazy ‘runners habits’

Half marathons and weight lifting

Another year of grad school (all A’s!)

Ft Pickens and girl talk

Dinner dates and binge watching Orange is the New Black

And more craft beers and breweries than I ever thought possible….

Every holiday, every celebration, and every moment in between I tried to say yes

To live my life in the moment. To live my life how I always wanted it to be.

I spent the year alone and together. With friends. With family. With E.

I spent the year learning new things, trying to be a better friend, and hoping I was becoming a better human being.

I spent 2014 saying yes to so many wonderful adventures and I have been able to spend my time with so many wonderful people. I am eternally grateful for the amazingness that was 2014.

And so it was no surprise that I started 2015 out with another big YES…when Erick asked me to marry him. Of course there wasn't a moment of hesitation. I just blurted out YES! I mean seriously, how could I not?

So it looks like 2015 might be another year of YES for me J

Love and hugs,

Dacia

xoxoxoxo

Best of 2014: Part Two

Here is the second half of my year in pictures. Again, it was so hard just picking some of my favorites to go in. It was a truly great year! 

And I am so excited to see what 2015 has in store :) 

Happy, happy 2015!

Love and hugs,

Dacia

xoxoxox