Another Beginning, 2023

Yes, another resolution post, like we haven’t all seen enough of them in the last week or so. I know, how cliché, but I love any opportunity to take a look at where I am, where I want to go, and develop a plan on how to get there. I want to share a few of my 2023 goals just for some inspiration because I know I love to hear what everyone is excited by lately even if I don’t want to achieve their same goals.

I like to pick at least one goal for several areas in my life instead of just getting stuck on one type that can seem overwhelming.

Fitness: Work up to running 6 miles/5 days a week. It’s been forever since I’ve had a true running plan and I miss the consistency and love how my mental toughness increases when I do a workout no matter my mood. Plus I am working on building muscle through strength training. It’s never been my favorite so I’m making it my mission to commit to it this year and find what I like most. I like pushing myself physically and it’s been awhile.
Health: Focus on small habits to up my wellness game. Specifically I want to have protein at each meal, pay more attention to eating intuitively, especially with portions/stopping when full, and delving into personal habits (why I do what I do). Researching wellness/health trends is one of my favorite things so I know what to do.
Finances: Create a new income stream. Ideally something I enjoy as a hobby that can be monetized.
Adventure: Travel at least once a month. I haven’t been on a plane since December 2019 and I’m going stir crazy, but road trips to little towns not too far away count as well. I want to explore more.
Food: Cook more actual recipes. I love to bake and watch cooking shows. I am the master at roasting vegetables and protein and making easy soups but when I follow recipes I’m amazed at how much better my food tastes. I also want to experiment with new techniques, ingredients, and trying classic recipes I’ve never made.
Bonus Challenge: Only buy clothes that are thrifted (thrift stores, Poshmark, etc.) as much as possible. This one is part eco, one part finances. It will obviously help me save money if I’m not buying new items but also make me get more creative in “shopping my closet” to create outfits. I’ve felt guilty for quite awhile with being such a consumer of new clothes when most of my favorites are from thrift stores anyway. Obviously I’ll allow myself to buy new undergarments (hah!) and if something is needed out of pure necessity.

Even though I love the goals I’ve chosen to work on I still give myself grace and not make them too absolute. If I slip up a day or even a week, it is my choice to get up again and restart. If I had said on January 1st “I will work out every day” for example, odds are I will screw it up and feel like a failure. However, I made my goal more about the overall process. I used to think the 80/20 rule with wellness was stupid because, what am I supposed to do? Be tracking my meals and calculating if I ate correctly exactly 80% of the time and splurged the other 20? That just never felt doable or sustainable. Lately though I’ve realized that the 80/20 concept is more like a figure of speech to not take literal. It is about sticking to your goals most of the time and allowing yourself that wiggle room for the more fun moments, the treats, and the mistakes. I think many people don’t set “resolutions” because they don’t want to be disappointed when they “fail.” In my opinion, if you are committed to a goal you truly desire you will be motivated to keep going. Make your goals personal. Don’t start January with a typical resolution that you hear everyone and your neighbor making. That will not excite you. And never forget that even the biggest goal you wish for the most will not always sound exciting and you will not always have the motivation. A little bit each day, one step at a time is how we grow and change.

I love this quote when I feel like my daily habits aren’t adding up: “Your days create your weeks. Your weeks create your years and your years create your life.”

~Whitney

P.S. I have other goals that I’m keeping more private. Plus, I realized I was rambling far too long on each of my bulleted goals above when I really wanted to stick to a simple post. I think I’ll go into each one more in depth later on.

January 5, 2023January 5, 2023

Whitney VictoriaLeave a comment

Procrastination

You know those things you really want to do but you end up procrastinating or worse, never start? I have a few tips for when this hits me and I need some extra motivation. Trust me, this is for me today just as much as it is for you guys.

Check in with myself. Is this even a goal I still want to achieve? I think a lot of times we get thrown off by what we think we “should” do and then wonder why we aren’t excited about it. A goal set by someone else will rarely excite or inspire me. If I get quiet and decide, yep, this is something I really want, then I proceed to the next step(s).
Start small. Say I am procrastinating doing a workout. I can’t go in telling myself I have to do an hour on the treadmill. If I am not feeling it, I’ll tell myself just do 15 minutes. If it’s miserable, well then I’m done quickly but I almost always go longer. Once I start with just a little the initial hurdle of overwhelm is gone.
Remember why I started. What made me excited do this in the first place? If I’m training for a race it’s impossible to love every single workout so I need to visualize my end goal. I like to see myself showing up as my most authentic self who is vibrant, confident, and works out because she loves the feeling afterward. It’s normal to not always feel motivated!
Focus on gratitude. I GET to do this. I get to put one foot in front of the other and run or lift weights. I get to cook a delicious dinner because, gratefully, I can afford healthy food. I get get into bed early and read because I have an open schedule, etc.
Finally, let it go. I only truly fail when I quit so I stop dwelling and don’t call myself lazy. Start over this afternoon, tomorrow, or this weekend. We always have a choice to change and redo things. I used to get so stuck if I ruined my exercise streak. I thought I had to wait until the next day or the next first of the month or whatever to start again. Nope. No one gets to set the rules but me.

I usually end up using exercise/running as a metaphor because it is one of the easiest to comprehend but these steps can help with any of your goals you keep putting off.

Bonus tip: If all else fails reward yourself! See pic of me with an oat milk cappuccino. Haha, but seriously, as long as the reward is in proportion to the task, I say go for it.

December 8, 2022

Whitney VictoriaLeave a comment

Tuesday Turmoil

I hinted at this on my latest IG post…(go follow me to read heh).

When there is something I don’t want to do or something I don’t like but I need to do anymore, I try to make it better, more special somehow. I’m not perfect and there are times when I get stuck in the negative thinking, but my go-to response is to try to make it fun!

A lot of time it’s just for myself, and that’s pretty much all that matters. No one might know that I just went to get a latte at Starbucks because it’s a little treat. Or I took the long way home for a change of scenery. I think it’s so easy to get caught up in our daily lives, doing what we’re “supposed to do.” We forget that we have the power to change anything at anytime. Yes, it might not be easy but after awhile of this kind of bigger thinking, you get the hang of it.

The idea for this came from me hating Tuesdays. I shouldn’t say I hate them, but they sure are my least favorite day of the week. I can think of redeeming qualities for every other day but Tuesday. It’s not a fresh start like Monday. Wednesday is the peak from which you can see the other side, and it’s obviously not a weekend day. I don’t know, it’s just boring. Sorry Tuesday.

Something hit me this morning that I don’t need to just get through all the rest Tuesdays I get to experience in my life, I can actually enjoy them!

Seriously, Whitney. Duh.

How did I not realize this before? I know I always get to decide how I feel so why did I forget I could change my narrative around Tuesdays too?

I started with trying to think of all the good points of Tuesdays. Well, I didn’t come up with more than like two.

It’s a blank slate.
A lot of new podcast episodes are released on Tuesdays.

That’s it, you guys. All I could think of.

Sooo…my next plan of attack is that I create new experiences for myself. Plan a little treat or something unique on a Tuesday every week. Could be little or big. Now this was a fun list to create.

Try a new fitness class
Schedule a wellness practice (ie. salt lounge, meditation)
Cook a special dinner
Go to the library and find a new book
Buy a fancy cappuccino (I basically always get black coffee or Americanos)
Get a facial, manicure, spa treatment (or to save money, have an Epsom salt bath/face mask situation at home!)
Go window shopping
Make lunch plans with a friend
Plan a TV free night
Bake cookies

Of course you can tailor it to your hobbies and things you love. I believe if I make just this little bit of effort to plan a small, fun thing, I’ll break out of my routine bubble and, who knows?, maybe even begin to look forward to Tuesdays!

~Whitney

P.S. What day of the week do you dread? What do you do to make something more fun?

August 20, 2019August 20, 2019

Whitney VictoriaLeave a comment

meditation motivation

Oh hey, yeah, it’s super trendy and that usually annoys me a little, but meditation is pretty magical.

In this day and age, I think it’s an even more important tool now to help with improving our mental health. Every moment we’re surrounding by media. Technology is always waiting at our fingertips to give our brains new ideas and concepts. We can barely think our own thoughts anymore without some kind of outside influence.

I am not going to lie and say I meditate every day or really even on a set schedule, however, when I set aside time to sit quietly and do nothing, shifts happen in my life.

There are so many resources out there today to help you but you honestly don’t need a single thing to get started.

This summer I started meditating outside and it’s been nice but you can do it anywhere that feels right. If I’m feeling extra fancy I’ll light a candle and maybe hold a crystal or two. It’s not necessary though! It’s too easy for me to skip it because it’s not the “perfect” time or setup. (What is that trait? Perfectionism or just an excuse to procrastinate? That’s a mystery for another time.) Literally, you can meditate anywhere without a single prop.

Anyway, it depends on my mood what type of meditation I feel like doing.

Ways to meditate:

Solo – In your car, bedroom, on a park bench…Use headphones with music if you want but it’s not necessary unless you’re trying to tune out some outside noise. I suggest just instrumental music; lyrics usually make me think too much. I’m a dork and love movie soundtracks (Legends of the Fall…swoon) and Jim Brickman.

During exercise – Any cardio is great for this, I think because of the repetitive motion, like running, walking, biking, ellipticalling…that’s a word, right? I rarely wear headphones when running (unless I’m going for speed on a gym treadmill. I like the music for a motivation boost!) and it’s such great thinking time. It’s not classic meditation but it’s mind-clearing time where I come up with a lot of solutions to things I’ve been mulling over.

Group meditation – look around for events on Facebook. A couple places in my area that have meditations now and then are The Salt Lounge, Bldg 7 Yoga, and Integrative Healing Arts. At first I thought this might be strange, sitting silently in a room with a bunch of people, but it’s usually been great. There’s a different energy when you’re all together.

Apps – If you can’t tear yourself away from your phone, you might like an app to help you get started with meditation. I’ve heard great things about the Headspace app!

YouTube – I’ve been known to search randomly on YouTube for meditations. There are thousands out there but it can also be a little overwhelming. I recommend listening to the first few seconds of one before committing. I def. can’t stand certain people’s voices or overall vibes and have to switch to a new one asap!

Journaling – I wasn’t sure if I should include this as a type since it’s a little more active but I think it’s an excellent practice and can definitely be meditative. If you’re not used to writing, start with a prompt. Soon you’ll be surprised at how easy it is to write from your heart, not your mind. Cliché but true.

It’s seriously about just quieting your thoughts for a few minutes. I get clarity, and weirdly, feel more energized after I meditate. Sometimes I’ll do it in bed and then realize I’m a little more awake! Not really what I was going for then, but it’s amazing at what just sitting still does for me.

If you’re not sure where to start, do this: Set a timer for 5 minutes. Close your eyes and just notice your thoughts. Don’t try to get rid of them or change them, just notice how they come up and how they flow away and onto the next one. There’s no forcing your brain to be quiet, it’s more the action of letting go of the thought, not trying to understand it. Once your timer goes off, just go about your day. See if sitting quietly gets a little easier after each time you do it.

There will oddly be times where I crave it now. Sometimes I just want to grab a notebook and write some random thoughts. Anyway I do it is time well spent.

I’d love to hear your experiences meditating or why you haven’t gotten in to it before!

~Whitney

August 13, 2019August 13, 2019

Whitney Victoria5 Comments

Laughing’s My Favorite

It’s soooo easy to get stuck in a solemn mood. Maybe it’s because I’m focused on a goal or possibly because I’m determined to craft a new plan of attack for whatever strikes my fancy lately. It’s not always because I’m sad or discouraged about something. These are the times when I stay in a mood. It’s that dull, lackluster, monotonous feeling where things seem to just be rolling along with the clock, no big changes or manifestations.

Ew to that. I like the sparkle and the joy.

It’s like when I want to be dancing around the kitchen, music blaring (Well, not blaring; I don’t like super loud things in my house. I have sensitive ears, okay?), making scrambled eggs or something. You know the feeling, when I don’t have a time schedule and just act a little weird and silly like no one’s watching, even if someone is. It’s freedom to let go of control and literally let loose.

I got to thinking this more and more recently. As adults it’s almost an unlearning of sorts. We’re taught to button up and save the wild times for very specific moments when they’re deemed acceptable.

Hello! There is no scheduling fun when you’re a kid. We can be silly! We can have fun! This doesn’t make us any less responsible or respected as grown ups. In fact, I believe it sends out the message to the universe that we’re having a great time here on Earth and we’re open to more enjoyable moments. So yes, it’s not a perfect world where we never lose our sense of fun for fun’s sake, but this just means we have to be a tad more conscious about it.

I’m trying to make time for the silliness.

Watch a funny movie/TV show I know gets me laughing or smiling or just feelin’ good.
Daydream.
Sing out loud to my favorite songs.
Color.
Play dress up.

None of this is relegated to kids; we just seem to forget these are options.

Last night my mom and I went to see I Love Lucy in the movie theaters for Lucille Ball’s birthday and it was so fun. They showed a couple episodes in color and even though I’ve seen them all (many times) before I still laugh so hard! It was worth the staying up a little later. If you know me, you know I’m in bed by 8:30pm on a weekday…

This was the reminder I needed that I can laugh and have a great time any moment of any day. A “normal” schedule doesn’t allow time for that. It doesn’t always come naturally but it always boosts my mood for a long time after. It’s something I’m working on and I think it will keep getting easier to do without thinking.

So for now, I’m just over here connecting with my inner child, people!

~Whitney

August 7, 2019August 7, 2019

Whitney VictoriaLeave a comment

Trying too hard?

Trying too hard has been such a theme in my first 30 years. I’ve gotten tons and tons better but it would just sort of stop in one area of my life and stay present in another.

Trying too hard to be perfect.

Trying too hard to be nice.

Trying too hard to be organized.

Trying too hard to look pretty and polished.

Trying too hard to be something (everything) I’m not.

There is much to be said for self-improvement. In fact, it’s basically my favorite pastime. However, the feeling that I need to change in order to feel better about myself or more worthy of my dreams I’m trying to manifest is completely insane. That’s what trying too hard has done for me. It was almost always never about growing and chasing my goals. It was almost always about striving for perfection so the world would think I was good enough. It was never for the sake of having fun and being myself.

The act of trying is really an act of doing nothing but spinning my wheels. Stuck in the mud, trying to run away and gain some traction. It was usually something I had to force myself to do and something I did not really enjoy. I would even try to like whatever I was forcing myself to do!

I lost all the magic, all the spontaneity, all the fun.

Now, there is a time and place for planning and pushing myself. There’s even an instance or two when I need to force myself to do something, but that only works when the end goal I dream of requires consistent action.

I swear I won’t always use running as a life metaphor but it just works, okay?

Case in point: I’m running a marathon this November (115 days to go!) and there are some days I reallllly don’t want to get out and run my miles even though my training plan says so. This is when I let my (old friend) rigidness come out and show me who’s boss. I need this run or else I’m going to regret it on race day. This run makes me stronger and more prepared. This run gets me closer to my dream of crossing “Run a marathon” off my bucket list. It’s those literal steps that are taking me where I want to go.

That, to me, is not trying too hard. It’s just fighting for my goals.

I’ve been really into surrendering lately and that’s what kicking this habit of trying too hard means to me. Surrender has been quite the trendy word but, man is it a tough one to actual practice. I’ve never noticed just how tight my grip on the world is until I started to let go.

What a work in progress I am. Aren’t we all?

P.S. I like fun things too. It’s not all a lot of words and thinking and pondering life’s purpose up here…aka in my head.

August 2, 2019August 1, 2019

Whitney Victoria2 Comments

Inspired

Basically as soon as I knew how to screenshot something on my iPhone I was hooked. I began saving pics of pretty scenery, quotes I loved, outfits I wanted to emulate. The word “muse” comes to mind but this is not the extent I want to relay. To me, “muse” is long-term. It’s someone who serves as constant inspiration for whatever your project maybe. These moments I compile are tiny hits of inspiration that are ever-changing and always being replaced or forgotten. It’s the things in life that come across my path that cause me to make a certain “small” decision. It’s like this: I see a bright bunch of flowers at the farmer’s market and then choose my outfit based on that combination of vibrant orange and hot pink that I saw in those flowers. Get it?

Boom.

Inspired.

I am a collector of beautiful things and by “beautiful” I mean something that provokes emotion in me, just as much as something that I see as physically and aesthetically pleasing. Pinterest and Instagram has made this possible

As we speak, I’m sitting at a Panera drinking iced coffee and I can hear one of the male cashiers tell every customer to “have a beautiful day” at the end of their order. This is something that inspires me. The same man let me know he loved my dress while I was getting my coffee. Some people barely squeeze out a “thank you” or a “bye.” I always know that I am in that specific place and time because I was meant to witness that kindness and beauty. (Huge believer in timing right here.)

Anyway, I feel like starting a regular recap of my own inspiring moments I collected with all of you. Thursday night seemed like a good time to do this. Right before we head into the weekend, the last night that isn’t particularly joyful for most since we have one more day of work. Some times I might have lots of quotes, one time I may seem to be drawn toward landscapes, and I just know that my collection will include a lot of style, fashion, and even some gorgeous people.

I’m hoping that by sharing my inspirations, you notice those moments in your own lives and let them inspire you to do something wonderful.

Beauty is all around.

I’ve started here with my Instagram picks from the last few days.

Umm, hello, I’m going here. Something for me to reach for.

This one is all about the caption!

Every struggle is a chance to grow.

Seriously. My astrology sign cat is Indiana. It’s fate.

Listen to yourself. You will hear what you want.

We can heal ourselves from within. Oh yes.

I’m betting on myself. How about you?

Yessssss. No one is telling you what to do, say, think, or believe. That’s all you.

Yours,

Whitney Victoria

July 6, 2018July 5, 2018

Whitney Victoria1 Comment

Joy & Muffins

I decided to bake last night. I usually don’t bake during the week. I think I always feel like it will be an all-consuming 4 hour process or something so I push it off until I have “adequate” time on the weekends. Baking gives me a little jolt of accomplishment so I really need to stop assuming my other to-dos are more important and I don’t have time. You know what they say when your assume. The best part is that I had plenty of time to whip up muffins, pack some lunch for tomorrow, and do lift a few weight. Oh, and most importantly, I had time to watch Young and the Restless #priorities

My point is this: Don’t Postpone Joy. Chase it now.

So, what did I bake, you ask? In my head, you’re asking, ready for the recipe.

I always have criteria for my recipes. Usually I need to have everything on hand and easily accessible. No surprise that I couldn’t find something suitable from a quick Pinterest search, so I made up my own recipe.

Enter my Cinnamon Sugar Snacking Muffins.

They’re semi-healthy. Recipes like this I consider sorta like half-caff coffee. You’re still eating a little sugar and gluten but not near as much as in traditional recipes. The taste is still there and you most likely won’t miss the extra calories. It’s good when you want to bake something for a person who eschew healthy food. Most of the time I just can’t bring myself to not do some clean eating swaps.

This muffins are moist and have a cinnamony bite to them. They go well with tea as a snack. Since the batter doesn’t have as much sugar as most muffins, the topping adds a welcome sweet crunch.

Next time I plan on making them in my mini muffin tin. Like muffin poppers! Is that a thing?

Cinnamon Sugar Snacking Muffins

makes: 12 standard muffins or 18 mini muffins

Ingredients:

2 cups all purpose flour (can use Bob’s Red Mill GF too!)

1/3 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup unsalted butter – melted

2/3 cup unsweetened applesauce

1 tsp baking powder

pinch Himalayan salt

1/3 cup milk

1 flax egg (can sub for 1 egg)

Topping:

1/4 cup white sugar mixed

1 tbs cinnamon

Preheat over to 350 degrees. Sift together dry ingredients. Whisk all liquids together. Slowly incorporate liquids into dry ingredient bowl, until just mixed.

Mix topping together.

Spray 12 muffin tins with cooking spray. (I love this!) Pour batter evenly into muffin tins. Sprinkle topping onto each muffin. Bake for 15 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. They should be golden brown with a slightly crisp top. Don’t over bake!

Tip: You can fill just 8 muffin tins to the top for bakery-style muffins.

Let me know if you whip these up! I think adding apples would be great. : )

July 4, 2018

Whitney VictoriaLeave a comment

Whitney Lately Vol. 2

Admiring lately:

Lower Manhattan

This is from a recent Uber ride from Brooklyn to MSG to eat gluten free pizza and have have macaroons from the bus station. This view will be a part of my daily life. It’s always been in me.

Crushing lately:

Tone It Up Bikini Series

“Crushing” might be a little strong but I’m officially on the last day of the TIU Bikini Series. I gotta say, it’s 8 weeks, but those weeks really did fly by. There’s an app that has free daily moves every day. Each day is dedicated to a certain body part you’re working. You swipe through the moves and then the last screen is this one. A little encouragement is always welcome.

Seriously check it out. I’m a TIU girl now for the long run.

Sipping lately:

All the iced coffee

I’m loving my coffee cold even more so than usual. It just tastes sooo good to me this time of year. Who am I kidding? It tastes good any time of the year but in winter my hands start to freeze if I don’t get hot drinks. But then again, that’s what I have gloves for.

Researching lately:

Summer Events

On July 18 I am going to an event for the Almost 30 podcast in NYC and I cannot wait. I took the day off and the next day just because I’ll get back late on a “school night.” Even though the event only starts at 6:30 pm, I’m planning on taking some time in the city before it starts. Right now, my schedule is wide open. I’m a planner but I’m working on being more flexible with my schedule. It’s actually way tougher than I thought it would be when I started to work on this trait a few months ago. I actually feel stress when I have something “fun” planned but I don’t have an entire, completed, highly-detailed itinerary in my possession. Anyway…I am slowly getting there and am allowing myself to enjoy some true free time. So, for this day trip I had to at least have some things in mind. As we speak I have a few options:

Catch a matinee show on Broadway (This most def. revolves around finding a good price.)
- Currently cruising this site right here for tips and tricks – Last Minute Broadway Tickets
- I’m dying to see Anastasia and Dear Evan Hansen (amazing music that I only know because of my Greatest Showman Pandora station)
Find a new cafe and people watch while I enjoy a great coffee and pastry
Eat at a top chef restaurant for lunch and take my time enjoying the meal
FINAAAALLLY go to a Soul Cycle class
- I so want to do this eventually but my main reason for most likely striking this one from the docket is that I won’t look super cute for the Almost 30 shindig a few hours later
Possibly find a semi-affordable hotel for the night so I can leisurely enjoy myself without rushing home at 9pm

Watching Lately:

Imposters

This was just recommended to me by a friend and I’m hooked. A Bravo show that follows a team of con artists and the jilted marks who are trying to catch them. I”m currently catching up on the first season on Netflix and will probably finish it in a few days.

Tonight I’m heading to see Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom and can’t wait. I haven’t looked at a single review because I want to just go enjoy Chris Pratt, Jeff Goldblum, and some Velociraptors.

June 30, 2018June 30, 2018

Whitney Victoria4 Comments

Underestimating Ourselves

Why do we underestimate ourselves so much? Is it out of fear? So we don’t disappoint ourselves?

I was born with a huge imagination and with that came a knowing. A knowing of just how much I could accomplish. Lots of things pile on and make it seem impossible but deep down I still have my voice telling me to just do it because I’ll succeed. So I’m not exactly sure what the answers to my aforementioned questions are. What do I let stop me from following my dreams? Maybe that’s just fine. Maybe it’s in the asking that I’ll make a difference in my life or yours.

When I write something here, I like to help. I like to give some sort of advice or tricks or inspiration. Me asking a question and not giving an answer used to seem wrong. Unfinished and unsatisfying.

A wise friend said this the other day and I’ve been thinking about it ever since.

“Maybe you’re not supposed to be the one with all the answers, just the questions.”

My favorite uncle, Tony Robbins, says you have to ask quality questions. I agree.

(source)

I don’t need to help everyone all the time, including myself. Just because I don’t know exactly what needs to be done next doesn’t mean I’m stuck and creating nothing.

I don’t need all the answers.

I don’t need to be perfect to help people.

That’s all.

~Whitney Victoria

January 10, 2018January 10, 2018

Whitney VictoriaLeave a comment