October 2019
Hi Friends,
September really flew by didn’t it? September was all about getting organized, getting back on track, and starting new habits and goals for me, and despite some bumps in the road, I think I was pretty productive.
September Recap:
At the beginning of the month, I moved in to a new place, and my new roommate and I definitely accomplished getting the new place organized and furnished. We still need to decorate it and get a few more cleaning things, but moving is pricey, so we’re working on doing things in pieces. We both also made some pretty awesome efforts to get back into living a healthy lifestyle. We’re eating out less, cooking more, and getting up early to go to the gym. We’re also holding each other accountable for getting enough sleep and making sure we watch our snacking. I’m really excited to continue our progress, and I want to continue to work on my fitness and healthy eating habits during October.
Unfortunately, at the end of September, we found out that our beloved family pup, Bentley, unexpectedly became terminally sick with cancer. We got Bentley when I was 13, and he’s the only dog we’ve had so it’s been extremely difficult for us. From the beginning of the month until yesterday, October 1st, Bentley’s health declined immensely and he was really suffering; he was struggling to breathe and he was barely eating. So with heavy hearts and much resistance, my family and I decided to say goodbye to Bentley this yesterday evening. We all took this week off of work and set aside our responsibilities to really spoil Bentley during his last week with us (as if he wasn’t already spoiled his entirely life). He got In-n-Out, McDonald’s, fresh All-American brekkie’s and all the love in the world. Despite the tragedy, we’ve indulged in our time with Bentley, which also means I skipped some workouts and ate some meals that weren’t entirely within the guidelines I had set for myself at the beginning of the month, and that’s 100% okay. Life isn’t easy and doesn’t always go as planned, so it’s okay if things get put on hold or get brushed to the side for important things like this.
October:
So with that said, October will be a continuation of working on my health + wellness, and with Bentley’s passing, I’ll need to put extra work into my mental health. While it’s okay to grieve and have tearful moments, I tend to act out in anger when I’m hurt or sad, and it’s just not helpful or fair to my family. I can already tell, it’s going to be a lot of hard work to get through this. So I’m going to work on being mindful of my behaviors, and I’m going to have to make active efforts to move forward no matter how much I may want to sit in bed all day and do nothing. I’ll have to keep you all posted on what exactly getting through this looks like, but at the moment, I think it’s going to look a little something like: keeping up with my therapy appointments, getting out of the house and being social, keeping busy, and maintaining my anxiety with yoga + breathing exercises.
While I’m extremely sad about losing Bentley, I also have a lot to look forward to during this month. A lot of us do! It’s apple picking season, the autumn weather is starting to slowly make an appearance, and Halloween is this month! It’s one of my favorite holidays, and it’s totally sneaking up on me this year. Ah! I have no idea what I’m going to be yet or any clue as to what I’m doing. However, I think my roommate and I might have our official housewarming party over Halloween weekend, so I’m sure I’ll be able to find a way to make this year festive and fun!
So, I’ll also be including some recipes of yummy treats and cozy meals that are not only good for the soul, but also good (or at least better) to our bodies than traditional Halloween treats and autumn comfort foods. I want to make sure we all continue to work on a healthy life balance, and one of the things that’s helping me get through my stress and sadness, is looking forward to some of the things I’ve planned and the intentions I’ve set. If you’re going through a tough time, I highly suggest making plans and setting intentions. Not only does it give you something to look forward to, but it’s also great at keeping your mind on more positive things.
Below I’ve included my October intentions as well as the seasonal list of produce for October. I don’t know about you, but I’m so excited to see apples, dates, Brussel’s sprouts, and eggplant on that list! What fruits + veggies are you most looking forward to using in October? What intentions are you going to set for yourself?
Intentions:
#1 Take a day trip out of LA/OC with a friend (or several)
#2 No Screens past 9:30PM on work nights
#3 Post at least 1x a week on the blog
#4 Aim to weight train 2x a week
Seasonal Produce:
FRUITS VEGETABLES
Apples Artichokes
Bananas Beets
Pears Broccoli
Cranberries Brussels Sprouts
Dates Cabbage
Figs Carrots
Grapes Cauliflower
Kiwi Celery
Pomegranate Garlic
Lettuce
Mushrooms
Onions
Potatoes/Sweet potatoes
Pumpkin
Spinach
Swiss Chard
Winter Squash
I also want to say thank you to everyone who has offered their love and support to me and my family this week. It certainly doesn’t go unnoticed and it’s truly meant the world to us during this tough time.