The River Flows...Does Your Spirit?

Today, I went on a guided tour of a historic local river. As I floated by, the tranquility and beauty of wildlife creatures in their habitat was astounding. However, when I took my eyes off of the movement and existence of the herring on a marsh or the fish and turtles within the river, I suddenly became sad and angry. You see, the river is not a beautiful, clear blue as you normally think of rivers. Instead, it was a murky, brownish color. This is not the result of nature wrongdoing, it is the result of human abuse. As I sailed along the river, I saw fish and I also saw plastic bottles. What a disgusting mix and destruction of THEIR habitat.

This got me thinking. How many times do we left other humans or situations disrupt our habitat? We are who we are and our flaws make us unique. Unlike creatures of the land and sea, we can control what negativity we allow into our lives. Yes, we all have down days (I've had one which has prompted me to write this evening) where we self-deprecate but to let other people do it? That will not do! We can all take a lesson from natural wildlife to survive in the midst of ugly situations. We have more power and free will over our lives, so exercise it!

Do not let others steal your joy or your confidence. If somebody can't build you up, then they are tearing you down. Don't be afraid to cut people back because you DESERVE to have the best people in your corner. Remember: "When we seek to discover the best in others, we somehow bring out the best in ourselves." -William Arthur Ward

Great website for positive thinking: http://www.livingwordsofwisdom.com/dont-let-anyone-steal-your.html

A day without...technology?!

World, we have a problem. A large majority of your population is seriously addicted to technology. This likely includes you, reader. Now before you get all defensive, let’s consider what our lives are like without the cell phone, iPod, or television. If you live in the East Coast (particularly in the Mid-Atlantic), you probably experienced what has been affectionately referred to as “snowpocalypse (or snowmaggedon) 2010” in which some people lost power. An extended period sans power equals no television, no computer (laptop battery can only run so long), and no cell phone (same reason as laptops). Now, you may be thinking “I don’t even use ______” but to say you can manage without any of these things is pretty unbelievable (and unbrearable for most).

I’ll perform a self-examination. On a daily basis (discounting work because I have to use technology there), I use my cell phone sparingly, watch a limited amount of television (though I will admit it’s often powered on whether I’m watching closely or not), and use my computer heavily every other day. I probably don’t sound too technology-dependent but I’ll continue. When I left my cell phone at home one day, I felt completely naked as if I’d left my an article of clothing at home. There’s something just reassuring about having a cell phone within reach to call or text someone (or check facebook and twitter messages). The same thing goes with my iPod. Don’t get me started on life without my iPod. It’s obviously most critical when I’m at the gym and occasionally riding public transportation (can be a good way to tune out those irritants we all hate). When I find myself at the gym without it, ugh, morale goes down immediately. As for the train, no ipod is mitigated by having a book. Neither? I'm praying for a peaceful ride. The times I’ve lost electricity, I read books and magazines, worked out, chatted with family/friends, and played games—but after a day, this cycle gets boring quickly.

Maybe it’s not an addiction, so much as it is a control issue. When we are accustomed to life a certain way and it’s just unexpectedly disrupted, it can be a really disorienting feeling. I certainly won’t DIE without the items listed above and there are times I actually don’t want to use some of those tech items. However, it’s something about not being able to access something freely that becomes an issue. The Today show featured a family that decided to turn everything off for a day, here’s there story: http://community.todaymoms.com/_news/2010/07/20/4717197-family-gives-up-computer-tv-and-texting-could-your-family-do-it

What do you think? Could you do it for a day? For longer? It’s not as easy as it sounds but are you willing to try? Leave a comment below and hit me up on twitter (@ ImSoResilient) to let me know!

High heels, high price

High heels are among us. They have long been the symbols of power, confidence, and fashion. You can not open a catalogue without seeing the cutest outfit paired with a high (uncomfortable looking) heel. However, for all of these fleeting things we are given, much is given up. That’s right ladies; high heels do a lot of things for us including damage the muscles in our legs.

Now first let me begin by saying that I am NOT against high heels. I simply like to mix my style up between flats and heels. I am kind of tall without heels so I am more of a cute flats/low heel girl. When I do incorporate high heels, it’s to 1) embrace my inner glamazon by going all out on my look or 2) to stand above the haters/detractors/everybody else. I won’t lie, it does feel good to tower sometimes—except when it’s with a guy that I’m interested in (though it kind of works when it’s a guy I’m not feeling as much). But I’ve digressed. The whole point is that the constant wearing of high heels really does lead to a wear and tear of the muscles. When I think about the reasons I don’t wear high heels, the answer always has to do with pain and/or discomfort.

Here are the facts:
Constant and prolonged wearing of high heels (looking at you diva fashionistas) weaken the calf muscles and alter the shape of the Achilles tendon. Have you ever heard of an athlete being sidelined because of an injury to their Achilles? It is a major injury and while wearing high heels may not debilitate you for months, it can lead to problems down the line. The changes in your legs affect the ankle's natural resting position. Additionally, ill-fitting shoes can also lead to foot conditions such as corns and bunions, which will make wearing ANY shoe uncomfortable.

So what does this mean? Nobody is saying that you can't ever wear high heels. As with everything in life, moderation is the key. Don’t walk up all those flights of stairs or across town in your heels, wear cute flats or sneakers. Don't wear those power heels every day, switch it up with flats, etc. Whatever you do, do NOT even think of exercising in heels (you just look ridiculous--yes even you Beyonce). Some of you may have visions of white sneakers and high-top socks but this is 2010. Shoe companies are with it and design really sporty (and foot-healthy) shoes. Check out footsmart.com or aerosoles.com to see what I’m talking about (as well as some *haute* flats).

The research is out there--be informed:

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/07/19/2958019.htm?section=justin
http://www.cnn.com/2010/HEALTH/07/15/heels.shrink.muscle/
http://www.newsweek.com/2010/07/19/she-stoops-to-conquer.html

Check out this hilarious (but true) song by Keri Hilson called "High Heels" set to a pretty cool SIMS video: