Hello there! I hope all of y’alls Tuesdays are ROCKIN’! Honestly, mine has been not-so-happy, but that’s a matter for another paragraph…
First up: FUN WITH ORANGES!!!
I just love the color orange…it’s a shame UT has to have the best shade of orange for my skin tone as the primary school color! 🙂 Either way, stacking oranges was a fun little experiment this morning, and the bright cheery orange mimicked the sunny day outside!
Lunch was a black bean burger on a sanwich thin with about 2 cups of fresh spinach that I wilted down and a Laughing Cow cheese:
Don’t be scared of the seafoam plate!
This was a great lunch…I really love the creaminess the Laughing Cow gives and the spinach (after I wrung it out) was a great addition to the burger! I feel like I’ve gone vegetarian for the next couple of weeks, and I am hardly eating any veggies! I think I need to pick up the pace on doing that, eh? Today’s workout was a little different than expected because I (once again) didn’t account for that whole after-the-snow-melts-mud thing again! So basically I did a ton of lunges and squats, jumping jacks and running up and down a hill, and then ran back to the office. Overall it was a good workout, but since it wasn’t according to plan I had some internal freaking out. Dinner tonight is going to be a surprise because we’re going to be on the go all evening!
So yes, today was not a great day for absolutely no reason other than me wallowing in my own self-doubt. Why? Who knows. It felt like today was a good day for everyone in the blogging community, and for some silly reason I just felt stuck in a rut. I would LOVE for this blog to take me places I’ve never dreamed of and more than anything I want to touch people’s lives, teach them to love themselves and to love others. And for some reason today I just doubted that would ever happen. I watched excitedly as other amazing women talked excitedly about their futures, prepared for races, did interviews, and started their own businesses, ALL as a result of the places their blogs have taken them. And me? I’m just plugging away at my job and not really knowing what’s next. I’ve said it a million times, but I’m 26 and I think it’s about time I decide what’s going to happen, what I’m going to do, and who I’m going to be. Not that I’m ancient, but 26 isn’t as young as I used to be. I want to be able to look back at my 20’s and know that I made a difference and be able to live the rest of my life with some direction!
Have you ever felt this way? Not even specifically about blogging, but knowing that there’s something HUGE out there for you and not having a clue how to get there? If you’ve been there already do you have any advice to share? What’s your biggest defining accomplishment to date? I know this was a slightly depressing post, but I know it’s something I’ve got to share. Anything you guys could say would really make my day!
I have TOTALLY felt like this, in blogging and real life world. Some people move so fast…I feel stuck in first gear. P.S. I LOVE the pic of the sandwich!
The burger looked awesome!
Yes sweetie I feel like you do a lot lately. The only difference is I have three years on you. I couldn’t agree more with you, every day I think that there is something more out there than what I’m doing now. I hope that there’s something that I will be great at and its not just wishful thinking on my part! Sometimes I feel overwhelmed trying to weed through all the things that interest me and the things that I can say I truly have a passion for. If you know writing is your passion then you are one step ahead of the game! Just remember that all good things come in time and they sure don’t come easy. Keep your head up, you ARE an amazing woman, you ARE inspiring and you ARE touching lives. I truly feel blessed to have you in my life! 🙂 Love you sis!
I totally feel like that with my research sometimes (I am working towards my PhD and do leukemia research). They say 90% of science works. Imagine 90% of everything you do doesn’t go anywhere??? I know it the grand scheme of things what I’m doing is making a difference but sometimes the lack of patient interaction leaves me feeling like I’m just goofing around in the lab and getting nothing accomplished. I know that’s not true but I do struggle with it every now and then.
Keep at it, and when the time is right for you (I know it is cliche) things will happen. 😉
xoxox,
Lauren
I so feel you on this! But just remember it took most of those super successful bloggers quite some time. Go look at Kath’s archives she had like 5 readers for MONTHS before she started taking off.
Do this for YOU (which I think you do) and good things will come. You are such a positive yet HONEST force and I think that will take you far!
I was in a terrible rut the other day, for NO reason. I mean, the huz + I are kind of stressed with the whole no job thing but who knows why some days are worse than others. It just happens and I try to move as quickly past that day as possible. Even working out didn’t help that day last week! It’s so hard figuring out how to balance everything. Maybe start looking at week to week progress instead of daily progress because that can really get frustrating. I know I’ve let one bad eating day kill my mood for a couple days. I know it sounds cheesy but I try to think of the overall BIG picture..I have my health..I have an awesome family..I have a GREAT husband..etc. We are SO lucky and sometimes I feel ashamed when I have an “off day” for no reason..b/c we really have it good! Small steps…small goals….bigger picture – That always works for me…but I still to have those rough days every once in awhile!! Keep at it girl!
Ugh, I SO know what you mean! It’s hard being unemployed and having NO clue where to apply/what I want to do! It stinks, a lot! I often feel in a rut. But I guess I have to remember to keep pressing on, and know that I deserve to be happy and hopefully the right job will come along when it’s supposed to! I wish blogging was my full time job, people have already written to me about how I have motivated them and to do that everyday and put my time and effort 100% into it would be amazing. But it’s definitely harder these days to get that big and it will take time and effort. But know we’re all here to support you. That’s why I love blogging! We’ve got each other to cheer on and hopefully everything will soon fall into place!
Oh man, I want to say a bunch of stuff right now but I will email or respond more later! Just know you aren’t alone in this!!! And I like reading your blog way more than some of the “more popular” ones 😉
I think every woman has felt the way you do at some point or another! I also think every blogger has felt the same way. It’s difficult sometimes to look around and not know if you are making an impact, while also wondering where in the world your life will take you. I’m 28 and work at a Christian radio station. Sometimes I start feeling that way. I question if being on air is actually fulfilling anything, and if I’m right for the job, and then I guess I have to remind myself that I am (you are) making an impact, but we don’t always get to know how, why, or where it’s happening. Anyway, this is long, but I hope that makes sense! I’m new to your blog, but I really love it and plan to come back more. Finding your blog made my day if that means anything. 🙂
Hey there! I can completely relate to you. I’m 23 (about to be 24 soon) and graduated from college almost 2 years ago now. I’ve been struggling to find what my passion and purpose is in life. I know it’s centered around health and nutrition but I don’t know what to do with these! Should I go back to school? I would love to help people with EDs or start my own businesses like Angela from Oh she Glows. Everyone in the blogging world is such an inspiration and I hope to leverage my blog one day into a small business!
Good luck! Although it may seem like we are the only people in the world going through this…as you can tell from these great comments you are getting lots of people in their 20s are going through the same thing!!
xo
Jocelyn
This post has officially made me feel better. I am going through the EXACT same thing right now. It is so easy to get into the comparison game in this community and feel some self-doubt as to where you are in relation to others. I, too, am facing some major life-changing decisions in the coming months and I am SO STUCK. I have so much to say on this, more than a comment can contain. We should talk over email if you’re not completely drained by it. I’m around if you want to chat! 🙂
Yes, Yes, Yes!
I agree with Katie, your posts always touch me. I can’t give you a book deal or your dream job but I still think you and your blog are awesome. I’ve been blogging for three years, longer than some of the “big shot” bloggers and I would be lying if I said that sometimes I don’t get jealous. But then, when I sit back and really think about it, I think about what my little blog does have. It has an incredible audience of supportive and kind readers. Ones who make me think and challenge me in positive ways. Ones who feel compelled to write novel length comments (like this one :P) because what I have written moves them. I would much rather have that than “fame” on the internet.
And I think what you are creating here on your blog is amazing, too. You are open and honest and 100% real and that is what really matters in the end. At least to little ‘ole me “
Ugh– I got THREE rejection letters in the mail yesterday from different literary journals that I’d sent my poetry to. I was having a major self-doubt day too!
I think it’s really important that you see your blog as something you’d want to do, even if it lead nowhere. If you’re (not YOU, but “one”) using the blog as a way to try to get “famous” (ie, get a book deal, etc.), it’s bound to be disappointing. After all, there are MILLIONS of blogs out there, and only a handful of them get the kind of “Julie and Julia” attention that, let’s face it, most of us at least daydream about every now and then.
Anwho…I don’t know if I’m even making sense 🙂
That picture of the oranges is lovely!
I feel the exact same way…I actually think blogging has made it worse, because I see people achieving things that I want. I can totally relate. Email me anytime to vent!
Heather, I just wanted to share with you that I feel like I am in the EXACT same place. I am about to turn 25, and I still struggle to know what I want to do with my life (or, more accurately, HOW to go about doing it).
I also look at other bloggers and am totally inspired by their success and accomplishments, and yet feel unsure about whether or not I should even dream of such a future for myself.
Perhaps there’s some irony in this. You wrote that you want to touch people’s lives, but you feel like that may never happen. And yet by writing such an open post, you’ve definitely touched me and certainly other readers who are experiencing the same thing you are! I think you are making a difference without even realizing it! 🙂
Oh girly, I know exactly what you are talking about. I’m currently taking the steps to EVENTUALLY have my dream job, but I’m currently plugging away on the lower rungs. I’m trying to be more proactive in my life, and for me, I love that my blog lets me look back at how far I’ve come (even if no one else appreciates it, I sure do!)
Hey Heather,
Gosh, I can relate SO much. I’m going to be 25 next week and question myself and where my life is going all the time. Blogging exposes us to so many inspiring, successful women, and it’s only natural to self-reflect around all of that strength.
Just know that you are not alone in your feelings, and that you are exactly where you are supposed to be! I really do believe that. I think the fact that you are even thinking about this shows that you are way ahead of so many other people our age!
I feel like that all the time! I know different ways to accomplish my goals and dreams, the hard part is figuring out which road I want to travel on!
Yes! That’s how I’m feeling right now, too. And I really wish someone would just be able to tell me what I should do, what job would make me really happy. And then I read Eat, Live, Run and wondered what is wrong with my life that I’m not moving to Europe for the summer. 🙂
What you should know is that you’re not alone and that there are other people that feel the same way you do–like me! It’s also really refreshing to hear that in the blog world…..sometimes I find a lot of food blogs to just be too positive all the time, and I appreciate hearing some real feelings from you.
I faced those same issues not long ago. I took a HUGE plunge and left my corporate job to teach highschool, I wanted to make a difference. The entire experience was very challenging for me, I was even more unhappy teaching. Crazy?
I am now back in my corporate job – the same exact one that I left. I am not a “corporate” or “career driven” gal but I LOVE my job. It allows me the flexibility to take great care of my family and myself!
In hindsight I learned a really important lesson. When I have those feelings of being stuck, not knowing my purpose and not knowing where I was supposed to end up – I am missing my life. Those are the times when I am so focused on who I am “suppose to be” that I completely neglect and forget who I AM.
My mom always says “be here now Jessie, life will happen as it is suppose to. you worry so much about tomorrow that you miss today.” I can’t even tell you how many times she has had to remind me of that.
You will be fine! You have already taken huge leaps, moving & marrige & taking charge of your health : ) God knows your path, just walk and it will unfold in front of you.
So first, your burger looks awesome. This would the 3rd time tonight that I’ve seen bean burgers around the blogging world… not gonna lie, totally jealous. 🙂
And I’m sorry that you feel like that. I get it too. You know, the blogging community is awesome. But sometimes… like for instance with me right now, seeing all these girls running races, just running in general, heck, even exercising, is killing me. I try to stay positive and just think “in time that will be me again” but it’s so hard. Blogging can be a good/bad thing sometimes. As for feeling like there’s something big out there that you just can’t reach… yep. I have NO idea what I am going to do after I get out of college next year. No clue, and it’s freaking me out. I feel like i’m so close to something… but just not quite there yet.
Hey girl, I am kinda right there too. I haven’t been working since we got married and am really starting to miss it. Wondering if I would be OK if this is going to be what the rest of my life looks like because I do feel stuck right now. Kinda looking at what my other options could be in the world of nutrition. I love the freedom & spare time of not working & I can devote to working out & taking care of the house & cooking healthy meals & spending my time with Chad, but it’s hard some days wondering if I am missing out on other things. I think it’s a fine balance between praying & waiting on God’s timing & then using the free will He gave us and making a move. I understand.
That sandwich looks iiincredible. Agreed on Laughing Cow. It sort of make everything taste better, no?
It’s so normal to fall into ruts, ESPECIALLY when it seems like things are picking up for everyone but you. But sometimes ruts are the fuel we need to get going, to take action. I know that a big motivator to buckle down and figure out what my “next step” was–career wise–was the same logic you have. I know that there’s something huge out there for me. And maybe, right now, I’m not sure what it is–but I also know that doing nothing won’t get me there. So I focused on taking a “next step,” rather than trying to pinpoint exactly where I’ll end up. It definitely took some of the pressure off. Phew, didn’t mean to write a novel there–but I’m confident you’ll end up finding whatever it is you’re meant to do 🙂