My Journey

I began using my newly purchased bike to get around recently and I’ve noticed a few things.

• I’m really out of shape.
• Burbank is a fairly bike-friendly city and many people around here bike.
• Biking on the road really isn’t as scary as I thought it would be. (By the way, something I learned from the bike shop guy — it’s much more dangerous to bike on the sidewalk than the road!)
• Buying a bike has hidden costs — gear.
• Cars are more forgiving in making wrong turns. Taking the wrong road on a bike adds on significant turn-around time.
• It takes me only 10 more minutes to bike to work than drive.

Most importantly I’m glad that I’ve taken the first step in being more active. I have a desk job and my hobbies, aside from organizing, require sitting as well. I wanted to incorporate something that kept me moving and healthy. My next step is to find a new hobby or two that keeps me active on the weekends. Josh and I have been prepping for hiking and camping, and I’ve also been looking into yoga classes.

How You Can Live Actively

Everyone should have something in their life that keeps them exercising without even realizing that it’s exercise. Trust me, it beats going to the gym!

The gym gets boring. Nobody wants to go to the gym all week and run in place. It’s much more fun and effortless to make exercise part of your life, not something you force yourself to do. Zen Habits recently did a post on this and hit it spot on.

• If you walk to a bus or train, walk briskly.
• If you take the elevator, start taking the stairs.
• If you live in a small town or city, switch the car out for a bike or walk to places instead.
• Take on a new hobby that gets your heart pumping — dance, joining a sports team, hiking, camping, paint ball, archery, yoga, pilates, boxing, the list is endless. Pick one!

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There’s a challenge within the beauty community called Project 10 Pan. In essence, the goal is to “hit pan” (or get to the bottom) of 10 beauty products from your collection before buying more.

It’s a great idea. But you have to stop and think…this really labelled as a challenge? It is. And some girls have a hard time with it.

Project 10 Pan should be how we always approach our beauty collection. Here’s why:

• You use what you have. So instead of buying a 4th mascara, you’re using one you already have until it’s empty.
• You save money. Only buying make-up when you run out of something allows you to largely widen the span in which you’re shopping for make-up.
• You can evaluate items. Using something longer means you can really evaluate the product and whether or not it should be in your collection in the first place.
• You have more space. Running out before you buy more means you’ll have a solution to your makeup storage problem.
• You have less waste. Those shadows you have had in your collection for the past six years are expired because they weren’t used fast enough.

I’m an advocator of only having one of anything except for eye shadows, as that’s how I’ve always been. When I run out of mascara, I go out and buy another one. It’s minimalist beauty! I can fit my entire collection in one bag for travel, if needed. You can view my collection briefly here.

But if you have doubles of items, at least allow yourself to run out of a few things before your next shopping trip. It’s better for your wallet, the environment, and probably your skin.

Have you ever tried Project 10 Pan? Or do you already purchase make up modestly?

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Wallpaper credits: 1. Toy Lamb Wallpaper by .robbie, 2. Fall Desktop by How About Orange, 3. Airplane Classico by I Can Be Creative, 4.Falling Blues by I Can Be Creative, 5. Bunnies by Ms Jinx

Lately I’ve been having discussions back and forth with Josh. We have a lot in common and our sense of living is definitely on the same level — we’re torn!

I love living in more of a city-like atmosphere because everything is a quick walk away, there so much to do, it’s nearly impossible to be bored, you always have places to take visitors, there are many people to meet and stories to tell. It’s just…exciting!

On the other hand, a country life appeals to me as well. It forces you to use what you have naturally, enjoy nature as it was intended, and lacks the stress of city life.

I think right now I’m very young. I grew up in a country scape away from the suburban parts of town… There was never anything to do, it took a 15 minute drive to reach town, and I got bored quickly. I love the quiet escape and the runs I used to have. Where else would deer come out at 8pm to run beside you before they disappear? It’s lovely, but also lonely and dull. I prefer a city life for now, but when we get older I’d say we’d go buy a cabin somewhere in the middle of nowhere and enjoy ourselves just as we are.

What do you prefer, city or country living?

Image sources: 1, 2