aaaaand here's the first entry on the Hump Day Series. 

You need something to look forward to on Wednesdays... or at least something to distract you! 

Shopping: Reese Witherspoon's new online store.  Reese is PRESH to start with. Now she has an online store with clothing, accessories and gifts. She even has a section called "Made in the South." Can we talk about these napkins. 

Currently Reading: Gretchen Rubin's Better than Before. A constant experimenter with her own life, Gretchen is on a task to look intentionally at her life and at her habits. It's been an eye opener... basically everything that you want to change, can happen. As long as you make it a habit. Have you read it?

Trip to Plan: Swimming with Pigs. In the Bahamas. Say whaaaat. Word on the street is that they were shipwrecked cargo from years ago, and just decided to grow their little oinklet colony in the Bahamas. Why the heck not. Sadly, I was informed they are on a different island than the one that we are going to in July. Way to be a dream killer, Ensley.

For All My Single Ladies: The Bachelor is looking for ladies in CHARLOTTE this week. 

Good To Know: In light of the shark attacks in North Carolina this week, here are some practical tips on how to stay safe and out of the shark's way at the beach

Looking for a last minute present for Pops? Check out these. You are SURE to be the favorite child.

Why the heck not… get out of that FUNK

It’s beautiful outside, and you are stuck in a window-less cubicle. Your coworkers are getting on your nerves. Your dog just puked all over your newly upholstered couch. It’s just not one of your days, weeks, years.

 

I get it.

 

While there’s no surefire way to shake that funk, here are a few of my go-tos:

1.    Put on some tunes. I love to put on Spotify and pick a “mood” genre. On a particularly crappy day, I’ll put on “Mood Booster”. That way I don’t have to make any decisions about what I’m going to listen to. 

2.    Go for a walk - Honestly, getting outside can do wonders for the soul. Get out for lunch for a 30-minute walk or for a mid-afternoon coffee break. Score brownie points by picking up a latte for your boss. 

3.    Embrace that Gratitude - I know, I know. If you’re reading this in the midst of a full-blown funk attack, then you’ll probably just skim over this one. You know you have lots of awesome, amazing things in your life but right now you just don’t see them. Take a step back. Do me one favor. On a piece of paper, in your planner, in a notebook - somewhere. Write down three things that you are grateful for. 

4.    Plan something to look forward to. When you are feeling funkish, you can’t see past the end of the day, much less next week. Give yourself something to look forward to. Plan a vacation, a night out with the girls, or even a yoga class tomorrow morning. 

5. Get Off Social Media. Close the app, close the tabs, deactivate the notifications. I’m not saying deactivate your accounts, but just take a step back for a few days. It’s hard enough to deal with your own crap without seeing how “blissfully happy” your friends are or how “perfect” their instagram photos are. Just. Say. No. 

6. Put Good in your Body to get Good Out. I always hated that saying, you are what you eat (because I’d be a big bottle of Titos…) but when I eat well, drink lots of water and move my bod, I feel so much better. 

It’s so easy to just put on your PJs right after work and watch Friends reruns until 4am. And sometimes that’s all you need. 

But don’t keep yourself isolated for too long. This time in your funk is small and finite. Take charge of your funk head-on. Because, why the heck not? 

Start all over again.

I’ve been trying to write a blog for years.

I start. I get busy. I stop. I get a kick in the butt. I start again.

So, here I am. On the verge of my 12^thish blog.

I started my first way back in the day of Xanga. You know you had one.

But while I’m still in a noisy coffee shop with terrible techno music blaring, I have decided that I should face the reality.

Thus, here are all the reasons not to have a blog.

1.    There’s just not enough time in the day. It’s hard enough to make my bed, make sure I don’t forget deodorant and tackle my daily work list. Much less sit down and focus for a few minutes.

2.    Are my thoughts really that interesting? Rhetorical question.

3.    I’m a perfectionist. The thought of putting my words up on a page for three of my friends guilted into it the world to read on a page that isn’t my final color scheme, that the typography is quite to my liking yet or my words don’t have the best flow – that bothers me.

But then I sit. And I think…. 

Now’s the time. Now’s the time to tackle those excuses. That fear of the unknown. Now’s the time to give myself some grace and do what I’ve been longing to do.

It’s the year of remaining calm and collected. Standing up to get what you want. The year of exploration. 

It won’t be perfect, but it will be yours. 

What's holding YOU back from doing something that you want to?