Good morning my favorite peanut butter lovers!
(And good morning to you peanut butter haters as well. I like you too… but think you’re a little crazy.
)
I hope your day is off to a great start. Mine began as all Wednesdays seem to around here… at zee gym!
Ryan and I headed to the gym to knock out 20 minutes of cardio on the elliptical before I headed into my usual BodyPump class. Today’s class was okay… I felt like the lunge track was easier than usual. I hate it when the BodyPump people incorporate squats into the lunge track. There is a squat track for that! Stick with the lunges. I hate ‘em, but they work… and if I’m there, I want to get the most out of my workout. Kick my boo-tay!
After the ‘Pump, I took Sadie on a 20-minute walk. The weather is surprisingly brisk in Central Florida this morning! I wore a hoodie and a fleece. What’s the deal!? I think the cooler temperatures are fleeting though because this weekend it’s supposed to be in the ‘80s.
Breakfast
Surprise, surprise! More overnight oats!
Have you noticed that I tend to fall deeply in love with certain meals and eat them over and over again until a new love-ah comes into town? First it was bagelwiches (actually, I kind of want one of those right now…) and now it’s overnight oats!
In today’s bowl:
- 1/2 c. old fashioned oatmeal
- 3/4 c. pumpkin
- 3/4 c. almond milk
- 2 tbsp. chia seeds
- 1 Stevia packet
- Pumpkin pie spice
Loved this combo!
I think Sadie did, too.
I don’t know why, but her expression in the above picture makes me laugh!
Life’s Handbook
And now, before heading into work this morning, I want to share an email I received yesterday with you that I thought was really neat.
Handbook to Life
Health:
1. Drink plenty of water.
2. Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince, and dinner like a beggar.
3. Eat more foods that grow on trees and plants and eat less food that is manufactured in plants.
4. Live with the 3 E’s — Energy, Enthusiasm and Empathy.
5. Make time to pray.
6. Play more games.
7. Read more books.
8. Sit in silence for at least 10 minutes each day.
9. Sleep for 7 hours.
10. Take a 10-30 minute walk daily. And while you walk, smile.
Personality:
11. Don’t compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about.
12. Don’t have negative thoughts over things you cannot control. Instead, invest your energy in the positive present moment.
13. Don’t overdo. Keep your limits.
14. Don’t take yourself so seriously. No one else does.
15. Don’t waste your precious energy on gossip.
16. Dream more while you are awake.
17. Envy is a waste of time. Be grateful for what you have been given.
18. Make peace with your past so it won’t spoil the present.
19. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.
20. No one is in charge of your happiness except you.
21. Realize that life is a school and you are here to learn. Problems are simply part of the curriculum that appear and fade away (like algebra class) but the lessons you learn will last a lifetime.
22. Smile and laugh more.
23. You don’t have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.
Society:
24. Call your family often.
25. Each day give something good to others.
26. Forgive.
27. Spend time with people over the age of 70 & under the age of 6.
28. Try to make at least three people smile each day.
29. What other people think of you is none of your business.
30. Your job won’t take care of you when you are sick. Your friends will. Stay in touch.
Life:
31. Do the right thing!
32. Get rid of anything that isn’t useful, beautiful or joyful.
33. God heals everything.
34. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.
35. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.
36. The best is yet to come.
37. When you awake alive in the morning, thank God for it.
38. Your inner most is always happy. So, be happy.
Question of the Morning
- Which one of the “lessons” above struck a cord with you?
My favorites were numbers 10, 11, 14, 20, 29 and 35. Well, let’s be honest. I kind of loved all of them.
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love the list! I think # 28 will be a great challenge for the day: Try to make at least three people smile each day.
I really struggle with number 35, sometimes it is hard to force yourself to get up and get dressed and show up. I can think of so many times I have bailed out of things. I like number 4, 11 and 18. Thanks for sharing Julie!
No one is in charge of your happiness but you is my favorite. I think I wasted a lot of time looking for others to make me happy without realizing that I’m in charge of that one!
Thank you so much for sharing this, Julie.
I love #29. Life is just too short to worry about what others think of you
#29 really resonated with me. I have always struggled with worrying about what other people think of me. But the less I care, the more free I feel.
Great post! 🙂
16: “Dream more while you are awake”
Living in NYC has awakened so many of my goals and dreams. Even though achieving them seems next to impossible at times (both financially and logistically), I’m never giving up! 🙂 What an inspirational post. Thank you!!
PS – I wish I could make my food pics look like yours. Clearly I have a lotta learnin’ to do!
Thanks for the list. You are such a bright and positive person. I start my morning everyday by reading your blog, it puts me in a positive mood. It has also motivated me to get back to the gymn. Thanks Julie
I love the very last one, that our innermost being is happy…so be happy! Makes me smile 🙂
Such a great list to begin the day! I loved them all, especially 3, 21, 22, 37 and 38!
Loved #21: Realize that life is a school and you are here to learn. Problems are simply part of the curriculum that appear and fade away (like algebra class) but the lessons you learn will last a lifetime.
holy cow… perfect thing for me to read this morning… 🙂
29. What other people think of you is none of your business.
This one really struck a cord with me… I am in the middle of planning my wedding which is in 4 weeks and I am so stressed with pleasing every guest and all involved as I am worried what how they will think of me if I don’t do it all or make them all happy (*cough*cough* seating chart drama!)
This statement is so true. I cant please everyone and the day is about me and my future husband so as the most important part is that we are happy and no one else!
Great Post!
ah the seating chart is so tricky! when i was stressing about it, my friend merri said “people who mind don’t matter and people who matter don’t mind.” that helped me a lot!
I love them all! However, I need to work on #14!
How I love that entire list! I’m lovin #3!!!
Thanks for posting these, Julie! They are just what I needed after a particularly rough morning that had me down in the dumps.
I posted this on my blog because I loved it! Thanks for sharing!!
I adore this. I loved all of them, but 11,12,13,17, and 31 resonated with me the most. Thanks for posting this!!
Thanks for this reminder! I need to tack this up on my bulletin board. Have a great day!
Beautiful and inspiring, thanks for the uplifting messages =)
Hi Julie, I’ve been lurking on your blog for a little while and I’m finally leaving a comment. I love reading about your life and dedication to a healthy lifestyle. The Handbook For Life was an unexpected treat this morning. I would have to say my favorites were #8, 14,24, 30 and 36. They are definitely things that I need to keep in the front of my mind more often! Thanks again for your wonderful shares!
thanks for commenting!!! 🙂
No matter how you feel, get up, dress up, and show up. This is my favorite post from you:) thanks for the inspiration!
Love the “handbook”. I try to incorporate most of them into my life, but it’s always good to read them and have an extra reminder. My favorites were 8, 11, 21, 24, and 35 though they all spoke to me.
Envy is a waste of time. Be grateful for what you have been given.
Great post!
I LOVE this! 35 is my favorite. Thanks for sharing, I’m definitely passing this one along. 🙂
I love 10. 15. and 19! I actually love so many hard to choose!!!! Love this list!!
Have a great day girl!
I just started reading your blog this summer and I love it!
#18 : Make peace with your past so it won’t spoil the present.
I struggle so much with regrets and wanting to change the past. But this reminds me that there is no past, only right now and I need to stop beating myself up because the only one it is hurting is me! I really takes a lot of energy out of my day.
#37 is my favourite. I usually wake up from my alarm clock during the week, and resent having to get up! I have to remind myself how very lucky I am just to be alive.
Oh my goodness, i love them ALL! I must say tho, 34, 35 and 36 really spoke to me what everything going on in my life right now. I want to print these babies out!!! BTW, your posts lately have been AMAZING!!!!!!!!!!!! I need to go back thru and comment (I’ve had to read on my phone lately since I can’t get to your website on my work computer, bleh!)
My “American Courts” professor was just telling us yesterday that his motto for life is “Do The Right Thing!”
The world would be a better place if every person just thought about that.
Happy Wednesday Morning!
Thanks for sharing this Julie!
A lot of them resonated with me, but “#8. Sit in silence for at least 10 minutes each day.” really stuck out to me. I have been focusing more on “unplugging” each day, whether it’s sitting quietly or doing yoga in silence, and I really think it has made me a calmer and happier person!
No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up…that’s the one I needed to read today.
I love them all.
I got the same e-mail chain letter a few years ago and printed it and saved it.
I need that one a lot. Sometimes sweatpants are so tempting…
i love ALL of them but 30 REALLY did it for me. I am 26 and i have never called out of work a day in my life. I have gone to work INCREDIBLE sick WAY TO MANY TIMES.
I find something I love and eat it over and over too!
I love all them. Thank you for sharing!
I’ve heard about #2; I love eating a large breakfast. 🙂
Love this handbook! I might have to print it up.
Thank you very much for posting this!! It was very helpful.
Number 18 was particularly helpful.
Have a nice day
Great advice. 🙂 Might need to put this on my fridge.
Sometimes life gets away from you a bit, but all it takes is a subtle reminder that you’ve got it good. 😉
That’s such a good idea! I need to put it on the fridge!!
This is EXACTLY what I needed to read this morning! I loved all of them, but 2, 11, 30, & 33 were my Favorite 🙂
I like most of them, although I disagree with #s 2 and 9.
For #2, I believe in balancing my meals. They are all about the same, but yes the biggest is my breakfast. But I’m not going to bed hungry!
And for #9, I need at least 8-9 hours. 😉
great post! I so needed this today. Someone said something to me today online to intentionally hurt my feelings and it really stung. I have been so tempted to either retaliate or wallow in self pity and hatred. I am trying SO HARD to not let it get to me and ruin my day. I have been praying and praying to be able to love this person anyway and not let it get the better of me but its so hard! so, number 19 sticks out to me today!
I loved all the ones you loved! and 18! Those were suprisingly the ones that really struck home with me! I’m struggling with not comparing my life, etc right now and it can really ruin the fun!! I just need to jump back on the wagon, let go of the bad things in my past, dont let it spoil my future and HAVE FUN! Thank you Julie this really made my day, honestly 🙂
Also, I totally get on breakfast, lunch kicks, whatever it be! Once I love something it stays til something new takes over!! lol
I wish I could eat overnight oats right now. It’s still too cooold here!
30. Your job won’t take care of you when you are sick. Your friends will. Stay in touch.
I need to call my college girlfriends!!
29 and 35 are awesome and things that I definitely live my life by everyday.
1, 7, 18, & 36 are my favorites!
I love this. #’s 8, 12 and 34 really resonated with me, but I think they’re all wonderful things to keep in mind 🙂
I love your blog! Sadie is so cute and I love how you and Ryan go to the together every morning 🙂
Julie,
You are a young woman and a newlywed. I am curious as to why you and Ryan never seem to go out on the town? Do you ever enjoy a weekday cocktail or glass of wine?? Eating healthy and working out is important but life is short. Enjoy being young!
Love,
Marge
we do on occasion (see this post: https://www.pbfingers.com/2011/01/23/downtown-antics/ ) and i don’t always blog on friday and saturday nights to document it. plus, to be 100 percent honest, the bar scene isn’t really my style. i MUCH prefer house parties and dinners w/ friends.
DON’T worry julie! I think you have such a fun life and you totally enjoy being young!!
No bars for me when I’m your age either!!
It seems to me you guys always go out and have fun!!
Carlee:
how are you involved?!?!? stay out of it!
guys, this really isn’t a big deal. marge hand a question and i answered it. no big deal. i just wanted to alleviate her concern that i’m holding back just b/c i’m not out drinking and hitting up the bars. i love the activities i do and am happy not being part of the bar scene for the most part. please keep comments respectful of fellow commenters. thank you! 🙂
the link you provided was a night where you and ryan ate grilled cheese and stayed in. hmmm….
STOP bashing on her life!!!
oh my gosh! haha sorry! here’s the right one: https://www.pbfingers.com/2011/01/23/downtown-antics/
I like “The best is yet to come.” It’s the best one, because no matter what is happening, whether it’s good or bad, when you say this you know that it will be better.