goals

2021 Goals / Resolutions / Hopes / Dreams

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Happy 2021! What a year 2020 was….so much and yet so little happened, all at the same time. And here we are in a New Year…I didn’t MEAN to take two weeks off from writing blog posts, it just actually happened. And it was the most time I have ever been silent on this blog since I started way back when. Maybe it was the wear and tear of 2020, but I just felt like I had little value to add. My days felt repetitive and mundane, and there was little creative juice or positivity flowing in my blood. But now, I am back! And what a way to push myself with writing out my goals / intentions / dreams / resolutions / hopes / wants for the New Year. Here they are…..

 

Wav(ing) goodbye to 2020.

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New Years Goals 2019

Josie Girl 5 Comments

NOT SURE WHAT HAPPENED but those past two weeks went by in a flash / blur / second, and I didn’t post at all! OOPS! It is not that I didn’t have lots of down time — I did — but I chose just to sit instead of working….but now, I am back….and HELLLLLOOOOO 2019! Here we are!

 

2019, we see you, because, we are HERE.

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New Years Goals 2018

Josie Girl 5 Comments

2017 was somewhat of a rocky year with a lot of growing pains; on the national/political side to the smaller, less important personal side as well; physically, mentally, and emotionally. I am thankful for so much and grateful for everything, but it was challenging year in many ways. So now that we are in 2018, I am looking forward to continuing to grow, to feel, and to experience, but with a more positive and calm approach. Here are my goals for 2018! (and here are last year’s goals, which are very similar if not the same…) It is the year of love: loving myself, loving people, being in love, and channeling love, and doing things I love!

 

Love the smiles.

 

1. Be more gentle and kind to myself. Too often, I expect myself to be super woman and when I fall short it makes me feel worse.  This year, I am going to try my best, do the best, and be my best, but also be okay and loving even when I don’t.

 

2. Drink more tequila. As much as I love hot water with lemon, tequila is way more fun.

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Marathon Packing- Chicago Here I Come!

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Tomorrow, I leave for Chicago for my marathon weekend. This time, I am going totally solo and will fly, run, and stay COMPLETELY alone. I am not sure what I am more nervous about; the 26.2 miles on Sunday, or the fact that I will be alone for 36 hours (I am not good alone for long periods of time). I know I have a bajillion friends and family to call, and I am actually staying at a runner friend’s extra apartment (I met her when running the 2015 Paris Marathon and stayed with her at the Chicago 2015 Marathon — and yes, that is only after meeting her once while running… runners are AWESOME), BUT BUT BUT, who am I going to wake up in the middle of the night to tell them I am nervous????? MY BABERS WILL NOT BE THERE TO TELL ME TO GO BACK TO SLEEP AND NOT TO WORRY. ***GULP**** In any case, I am packed and ready to go on my adventure. And here is what I packed.

 

This is of me, two years ago, eating dinner before the marathon. I am planning on eating there AGAIN. So cute and good. I look tired, because heck, I was most likely tired. And I probably look even worse now. ALSO, please note my red nail polish. It is a belief of mine to always have my nails painted BRIGHT red before marathons (mind you, my nails are almost painted red year round, but especially right before marathons), because my sister, Courtney, told me that it is a good reminder to “run like fire.” And so red nails, it is.

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End of Summer 2017

Josie Girl 4 Comments

To us, summer is ending. We return to NYC tomorrow night after 2 plus months in Oregon, and as usual, the time flew by and summer disappeared in a *snap*. We had the best time doing a lot of nothing except for exploring Oregon and California, spending time together as a family, and taking advantage of the beautiful nature. It is fun to look back at the goals I set for myself at the beginning of the summer as I accomplished ABSOLUTELY NONE OF THEM. It is almost funny, um, well sort of funny. Literally, NONE OF THEM. Take a look. Maybe looking at my failing my goals will make you feel good about yourselves!

 

First off, thank you to my parents for always being so generous, loving, and wonderful. They hosted many of my friends (and their families) and always let their house feel like my house. I can't thank them enough -- forever grateful for them.

First off, thank you to my parents for always being so generous, loving, and wonderful. They hosted many of my friends (and their families) and always let their house feel like my house. I can’t thank them enough — forever grateful for them. They are the reason I am who I am, and I couldn’t love them anymore (even if my mom wears socks with her birkenstocks and my dad’s fancy shoes are New Balances).

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Korean Skincare 101

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One of my college classmates is obsessed with Korean skincare. Since her skin looks amazing, I thought we would all benefit from a 101 tutorial. Thank you, Bridget Humphrey!!!

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If you want your skin to look amazing, bright, and blemish free, you should start using Korean skincare asap.  I stumbled upon this insight haphazardly. My friend mentioned how Korean skincare products are considered the best in the world. I was hesitant once I learned there were 10 steps involved with Korean skincare. But despite the hard labor involved, I thought I’d try it. (I desperately wanted my skin to be wrinkle free and bright.) And because the products are generally not expensive, I decided to be brave and take the plunge.

 

Once I started my skincare routine (years ago now), I never looked back. People started to notice the difference in how my skin looked, and I was hooked. I began loving and enjoying the 10 step process.

 

Here’s a quick and easy tutorial. KBeauty 101:

 

 

  • Step #1: Oil Cleanser
  • * You need this step to really loosen up the dirt and makeup on your face.
  • * I love the THE FACE SHOP Rice Water Cleansing Oil – $9, because rice is great for anti-aging (and this cleanser smells great)

 

screen-shot-2017-07-31-at-12-16-26-pm

 

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Summer 2017 To-Do-List

Josie Girl 4 Comments

Greetings from Oregon!  The kids and I have officially relocated for the summer. Every year, I am a broken record with very similar summer to-do lists. It either means that I set the right intentions that I want to repeat OR that I have goals that I never end up accomplishing….I really hope that this summer, I am able to commit to my list and make it happen!

 

1. Learn how to breathe.

 

Waves = calming sound = meditiating?

Waves = calming sound = meditating?

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New Years Goals 2017

Josie Girl 7 Comments

Happy New Year! For whatever reason, this year, I felt ambitious and decided to come up with 17 resolutions (goals / to do list / aspirations) for 2017 rather than just 5 or 10. (I think I had time to think about it for 24 hours when traveling back from Asia on Friday!) Here they are:

 

Heading into 2017

Heading into 2017.. a dock in Palawan in The Philippines (more on our vacation to come!)

 

1. Give myself more credit. I am hard on myself and rarely acknowledge (and applaud) my own accomplishments and successes.

 

2. Accept (and love) my body for the way it is. Be kind to myself.

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Summer 2016 To-Do-List

Josie Girl 4 Comments

I realize that for many of you, summer started almost a month ago.  But it is never too late to create a summer 2016 to-do-list / wishlist.  (Here is my To-Do-List from last summer). Enjoy!

 

1. Go to Hot Yoga twice a week. (Already been twice in this past week, so we are off to a good start! #HumbleBrag)

 

Shavasana counts in yoga, right? (This is my dad last year on the Oregon Coast)

Shavasana counts in yoga, right? (This is my dad last year on the Oregon Coast)

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Why I Run

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To be completely honest, not too many people are supportive of my running habit. My parents think I am bonkers; my husband, although supportive, bears the brunt of the time commitment on the weekends; strangers tell me to ‘rest my body’; my kids think every time I run I am gone for half the day; my joints here and there scream STOP; my quads are ginormous and horse-like; and my nerves pre-race / pre-long run bring insomnia and anxiety. But I can’t stop. I love it. There is something about running that brings me a sense of freedom, escape, meditation, nature, beauty, relaxation and peace. Every time I step outside to run and I look out at the sky, I just release a sigh of relief and think, “Thank goodness! Here I am again!”

 

Yesterday!

Yesterday during an 18m race in Central Park! I am the one with the crazy face in the middle. I can’t even tell you how excited I was to see my family!

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New Year’s Goals 2015

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Why hello, end of 2014!!!! Can you believe how fast the year flew by? I feel like it was just January, and what do you know, it is almost January AGAIN. Crazy how the years just get shorter and shorter??? On the blog, the past several years I have created a list of New Year’s goals to match the year (14 for 2014, etc….). However, this year, I am a little more realistic…..so here are my 5 goals for 2015.

 

flower

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