Challenge #2: Update

Each month this year I am challenging myself in a new way. Read more about this here.

I know this isn't going to happen in one month.

I'm not going to wake up on March 1st and say "That's it! I'm much better now. I feel valuable and worthy. I really think I'm great."

I'd like to think that I'll be better off on March 1st than I was on February 1st, though. I hope that I'll have developed some positive habits to help me continue to improve throughout the year.

So far, I've been focusing on three things in particular:

1. Eating better. Specifically, having veggies as snacks when I'm feeling a little hungry. I'm also trying to cut down on my candy consumption. If I want something sweet, I try to make sure it's of high quality and will be satisfying.
2. Stopping negative thoughts. I mentioned this last week, too. Simply put, when I start to get stuck on a negative thought, I actively work to redirect my thoughts. No major breakthroughs, yet, but I hope to see a little progress over the next two weeks.
3. Approaching relationships from a place of love. My hope is that by avoiding things like complaints and unnecessary criticism I will improve my relationships and my own state of mind. I want to surround myself with loving, positive people and like attracts like, right?

How is your month going?

Chocolate Espresso Cinnamon Rolls

Do you like delicious things?

I knew it!


I made these cinnamon rolls on my snow day last week. They were easy, fairly quick, and turned out so so amazing!

I made a few tweaks to my batch based on another cinnamon roll recipe Joy wrote. I omitted the chocolate chips to emphasize the cinnamon-ness. I was also out of regular milk, so I used buttermilk to make the glaze.


Check out the recipe on Joy the Baker.


Let me know in the comments if you try it!

Insta-Life

A wild @alix_elise has appeared!

A photo posted by Christa (@thenchsaid) on Feb 7, 2015 at 8:00am PST

#Boston before the snow

A photo posted by Christa (@thenchsaid) on Feb 9, 2015 at 4:51pm PST

#timehop then and now

A photo posted by Christa (@thenchsaid) on Feb 10, 2015 at 8:02pm PST

Planning a treat for work next week...

A photo posted by Christa (@thenchsaid) on Feb 11, 2015 at 6:18pm PST

Blogs I Love

I'm getting into the theme of the month and spreading the love around. I've mentioned almost all of these blogs before, but here they are gathered into a nice little list for you.

This is my friend Alix. She doesn't have a blog (yet?)

My sister-in-law Kait blogs about med school, travel, quilting, and cooking. I don't think she sleeps.

Emily shares original recipes and kitchen tutorials. Tasty stuff!

Ann started her blog to  tackle 52 weeks of challenges. Now she's expanding her scope to chronicle her life and interests, too.

I've been following Tammy's blog for over 7 years. She's one of my biggest inspirations.

When I'm looking for a recipe I usually start with Joy's website. I also love her cookbook.

One of my inspirations for downsizing my wardrobe and simplifying my life is Erin's blog.

I love what Jillian does to thrift store finds!

A Beautiful Mess is  my go-to for craft inspiration.

Susannah writes with openness and honesty, and I appreciate that. I also like her tattoos a lot.

Robyn shares knitting patterns and snapshots of her life.




What blogs do you love? Do you have a blog of your own? Share it below!

Linkspiration

The little girl who wrote a book and disappeared.

A friend of ours works for a local winery and wrote this recipe, complete with recommended wine.

One of my favorite blogs, now in book form.

Another interesting plan for reviving Detroit.

Currently reading.

People tell their stories with their favorite mugs.

My Pinterest board of things to sew is growing rapidly. So inspired!

Challenge #2: Update

Each month this year I am challenging myself in a new way. Read more about this here.

This challenge is hard to quantify. Last month, I knew when I was being successful and when I was on the verge of not meeting my challenge. This month is much more subjective.

Am I showing myself more love this month than last? I'm not really sure.

I am much more conscious of myself, though. I'm thinking about myself and my wellbeing a little more. Food has been an obvious area in need of improvement. I notice when I pig out on chocolates and cookies that I feel crummy afterward. Taking care of myself is a form a love and and I need to be mindful of what I eat. Good food makes me feel good.

I also notice when I'm starting to fall into a sneaky hate spiral. I catch myself getting caught up in negative thoughts and try to stop it as soon as possible. This has been the hardest part of the challenge. When my mind is saying "You're not good enough," it's hard to fight back. I don't yet have a great way of responding to these moments. Some of the things that usually work are playing Tetris, watching Gilmore Girls, crafting, or journaling. It's more difficult when it pops up during work and I don't have an opportunity to step away from the situation. Despite this, I do think I'm making some improvement.