Dudes, I don’t even know where to start. Life has been passing me by at an alarming speed but in a good way. Nothing new has really happened, but I’m settling into my new normal. My schedule at the bookstore has found its constant. One great thing about this place is the full-time people have consistent schedules, even though it’s a retail job. The schedule still posts every week, but it’s really more of a confirmation of what you already know than a crap-shoot of hoping you can make plans with your friends. I’d forgotten how nice it was to be able to make plans in advance.
I do not miss the corporate world in the slightest. I’ve been doing office jobs since I graduated from college and none of them made me as happy as the bookstore does. I’ve worked in payroll, in investments/oil, and the legal world. Yes, they all paid better than I get now, but the quality of life was atrocious. I was working crazy hours, not sleeping well, totally stressed, unhealthy, and unmotivated. My corporate jobs promised nothing more than a paycheck. That was it.
I am very fortunate that I have a supportive spouse who understood what I was dealing with. He’s had soul-sucking jobs, too. When we moved across the metroplex we agreed that I would take the opportunity to shake things up with my career. It took longer than we anticipated and things go tight, but we made it through the worst of it and we’re starting to see the other side.
For both of us, quality of life has improved greatly. Yes, his job is still stressful- it’s the nature of what he does- but it is nowhere near as bad as it used to be. We are both physically healthier than we’ve ever been in our adult lives. We’re dropping pounds, are more active, and overall so much happier.
Eating wise we’ve really cleaned up our acts. I’m vegetarian and he’s a meat eater that has started limiting his red meat. I make our dinners for us to take to work so we’re not wasting calories, fat, and money on fast food. Every Sunday I meal prep for the week making eating throughout the week that much easier. We have freshly prepared and pre-portioned meals ready to heat and eat in the fridge. Sometimes it’s as fancy as Turkey meatballs with stuffing and veggies; sometimes it’s as simple as an Italian salad that you just have to shake to mix; sometimes it’s as lazy as bean tacos with salsa. But I love coming home from work at midnight and not having to think about what to eat. I don’t get tempted to stop for food on the way home at the 24-hour drive-thru. I don’t have sodium-packed frozen preservatives in the freezer to rely on. I have a salad or taco waiting for me.
Activity-wise, I’m on my feet thirty-five hours a week at the store. I need to get back into the habit of walking and running. Scout-the-dog could use it, too. If I can really get my act together, I’d like to start taking classes at the gym to get some non-cardio exercise in and really up my game.
I’ve always been a creature of routine. I like having a plan and for the last year, I haven’t been able to really plan. I feel like I’m finally getting back into a groove. I have made some major improvements in my life and have many more that I’d like to make.
Step one: Job that pays the bills and makes me happy--- check
Step two: Eat more healthfully--- check
Step three: Get back to exercising….. soon to be check
I do not miss the corporate world in the slightest. I’ve been doing office jobs since I graduated from college and none of them made me as happy as the bookstore does. I’ve worked in payroll, in investments/oil, and the legal world. Yes, they all paid better than I get now, but the quality of life was atrocious. I was working crazy hours, not sleeping well, totally stressed, unhealthy, and unmotivated. My corporate jobs promised nothing more than a paycheck. That was it.
I am very fortunate that I have a supportive spouse who understood what I was dealing with. He’s had soul-sucking jobs, too. When we moved across the metroplex we agreed that I would take the opportunity to shake things up with my career. It took longer than we anticipated and things go tight, but we made it through the worst of it and we’re starting to see the other side.
For both of us, quality of life has improved greatly. Yes, his job is still stressful- it’s the nature of what he does- but it is nowhere near as bad as it used to be. We are both physically healthier than we’ve ever been in our adult lives. We’re dropping pounds, are more active, and overall so much happier.
Eating wise we’ve really cleaned up our acts. I’m vegetarian and he’s a meat eater that has started limiting his red meat. I make our dinners for us to take to work so we’re not wasting calories, fat, and money on fast food. Every Sunday I meal prep for the week making eating throughout the week that much easier. We have freshly prepared and pre-portioned meals ready to heat and eat in the fridge. Sometimes it’s as fancy as Turkey meatballs with stuffing and veggies; sometimes it’s as simple as an Italian salad that you just have to shake to mix; sometimes it’s as lazy as bean tacos with salsa. But I love coming home from work at midnight and not having to think about what to eat. I don’t get tempted to stop for food on the way home at the 24-hour drive-thru. I don’t have sodium-packed frozen preservatives in the freezer to rely on. I have a salad or taco waiting for me.
Activity-wise, I’m on my feet thirty-five hours a week at the store. I need to get back into the habit of walking and running. Scout-the-dog could use it, too. If I can really get my act together, I’d like to start taking classes at the gym to get some non-cardio exercise in and really up my game.
I’ve always been a creature of routine. I like having a plan and for the last year, I haven’t been able to really plan. I feel like I’m finally getting back into a groove. I have made some major improvements in my life and have many more that I’d like to make.
Step one: Job that pays the bills and makes me happy--- check
Step two: Eat more healthfully--- check
Step three: Get back to exercising….. soon to be check
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