Road to minimalism

My road to minimalism started a few years ago, while dating a money hungry attorney. All my friends had 100K jobs, we went on vacations and had new cars. We were living the American dream, and all under 30 years old. I though this is what I wanted of my life. The guy I was dating would joke when I spoke of traveling the Greek islands, he would remark that he wanted to” buy the Greek islands”. I was getting deeper and deeper in debt and wasn’t happy. When that relationship ended I focused more on working hard and traveling. After taking a job as a travel nurse, I too was finally making 100k. With my fancy friends out of the picture, I had my sights set on traveling and finding myself. The job only lasted six months, being away from home was just too much to bear. Back to a staff nurses salary, I saved money to travel by living with only the necessities. While traveling I slowly started to learn what little I actually needed to survive. My luggage went from 50 pounds per trip to 10 pounds. But I was working two jobs and my quality of life between trips was nonexistent. My last, but not final trip was hiking the El Camino de Santiago in Spain. Where, I lived out of a ten pound backpack for weeks. This really made me realize what little I actually need to survive. Shortly after that trip, I was forced to cut my working hrs in half. I made myself sick from the chronic stress, long hrs, lack of sleep, lack of exercise and horrible diet. This wound up being a blessing. Working less hrs with less “stuff” has done more to find myself than all the traveling did. This is who I was truly meant to be. Working less hrs, making my physical and spiritual health a priority. I now spend my time in nature, journaling, eating clean and working out. The last and final steps have been de cluttering my apartment. I still have a wanderlust soul but I also have a minimalist soul, which craves love and simplicity.

Mission to spread love

I have made it my life's mission to spread love in everything I do. Rather this mission found me. The more I discover about my true self and the world, the more love I see everywhere. I am blessed to know my life's purpose and have to ability to live everyday with passion. What started simply as showing gratitude after reading The Power, and traveling the world with an open mind. Has turned into this love affair with the world and everything in it. Negative people used to frustrate me, now I simply don't even notice them. I am not blind to the worlds problems, believe me I work in a county hospital and grew up poor. But I know my place in changing those problems, and its spreading love. The power of love tips the scales over hate every time. In an effort to spread love, I was lucky enough to be present for the Orlando United Day. A celebration of love on the one year anniversary of the The Pulse Nightclub shooting. After a very stressful few shifts in the NICU, I packed my dog Radar and took the 4hr drive to Orlando. I will never know if my presence among the thousands made any difference, but I can take pride in knowing together all our presence sent a loud and clear message that love will always win.

First semester as a grown up in college

First semester back in school was a huge culture shock. I was no longer the youngest in the class rather the oldest by over ten years. I am no longer living at home with my focus 100% on my studies. I am a grown up with grown up responsibilities. "I had a life, I had a good life". My life now is driving 40 miles, 12hrs a day in class, studying, work, training at the gym and playing Russian roulette with my bills. Never knowing if the internet will stay connected long enough to finish the next project. I was asked yesterday why I "Just didn't wait until I was more stable to go back to school". Really not sure what that means, I can only assume it means when I have a man to support me. Staying in defiantly in a job that is killing me, for that perfect time. Time when the stats align just right. In life I have learned, you cant wait for the perfect time or it never comes. There will always be obsticles. Comments like that assure me I am doing the right thing. taking the path less traveled, leaving my comfort zone. I worked two jobs for 12 years and saved up, but guess what? that money is gone after the first semester. 40K in tuition, books, gas and time missed from work. And yet, I still believe I made the best decision for me and my future. This first semester I learned so much about myself and truly had fun while doing it. No hard feelings towards losing those nights out with friends partying, that life has long been over for me. The time is truly right. First day of school, I was overwhelmed and stuck out from the crowd. A few students even asking me if I was the Professor. Met two girls whom seemed to be in more than one of my classes, liked their energy and befriended them. within the first week we had a study group,and un intentionally making life long friends. Typical of my stubborn attitude, I tried to do everything myself. When it became obvious I needed a little help maintaining, mom volunteered to meal prep for me. Dropping off healthy meals every Sunday for the week. The idea worked out great, I was able to focus more time and energy on studying. Convinced that was the only help I needed I kept trekking along. I was barley scraping by fighting for every point, on every test with just not enough time to study. For weeks four hours of sleep was the norm to get projects done, yet still not catching up. Two weeks before finals my body gave up and I got the flu for the first time. I was incapacitated for over a week, taking about two weeks to fully recover. With no time to make up missed class or tests with finals approaching. I made the decision to throw in the towel and take the grade I deserve and retake whatever I need to next semester. Time missed from work was jeopardizing my job and my only source on income. I truly gave my 100% and as an adult I know that sometimes that's just not enough, but that did not define me. My tombstone will not say failed college as a grown up. One last study sesh with my classmate and now friend to finish up a homework assignment. She tells me " I am NOT going to let you fail". with one week to go before a much needed winter break, I give it one last shot. She helped me study for the classes we had together as well as classes she wasn't even in. At this point I had to take out a no interest loan from work to pay the rent. I decided instead of groceries I would get tutors with the money left after paying the rent. Keeping the cash in bank envelopes labeled in black marker. It was the best money ever spent, cant believe I never though of getting a tutor before. The week of finals approached and I needed high 80's on every test either pass or maintain my grade. It tool almost a week for all the grades to come in and final grades to be reported. I PASSED!! I PASSED EVRTY CLASS INCLUDING ALGEBRA!! I DID IT!! After 10 years and 5 attempts I finally passed college algebra. Paving the way to any higher education of my choosing, a Christmas miracle. But I did NOT do it on my own. Just like on the Camino it took the help of once strangers, now life long friends to get through. My whole life I have always had a hard time asking for help. From now on I plan to give and receive help more freely, especially from family and friends. Before it gets to late. I hope to never again get so far behind that I have to fight for every point until the last second. It Took away from the joy of learning and new friendship. I am so grateful for ALL the help I received, I am truly blessed. I PASSED!!

Grown up in college, 10 plus years later

In 2001, I barley graduated high school, requiring night and weekend school to makeup credits. In 2005, I graduated Nursing school never achieving higher than a C. None of that mattered because, I was a college graduate and able to work my dream job while making a decent living. A higher degree has always seemed unobtainable due to time, money and the dreaded College Algebra class. That I have taken and failed several times. Pure fear of that class and not succeeding kept me from going back to school for years. The older I get, the more fearless I become. Getting more and more burned out as a bedside nurse, I knew a higher education in nursing was not for me. Looking into myself, my passions and calling. I kept coming back to the same concept. Help people stay healthy instead of waiting until they were already sick and giving them a hand full of medications prescribed by the doctor. I want to help people live better lives through exercise, nutrition and spirituality. Mind, body and soul; the foundation of wellness. I want to go back to school for Exercise Science. I want to work my own hrs, be my own boss, and not be torn away from my kids every holiday and hurricane to report to work. First of many changes to better set myself up for having a family and being the wife and parent I want to be. With none of those other things anywhere in sight, I take the first steps, having faith that the rest will follow when the time is right.

What your Crossfit Coach won't tell you

Crossfit is a progressive sport; everyone at every level is training hard to improve. Chances are nobody from your box is going to The Games, they have just been doing it longer. Crossfit doesn’t lie, if there is a weakness Crossfit will find it. If you have poor posture, tight shoulders from work stress, poor diet, beginning stages of arthritis, don’t drink enough water or just a poor attitude. Crossfit will find it and expose it. How you overcome those weaknesses is what defines you as an athlete. So many laymen talk about how unsafe the sport is. From my experience every “injury” has simply been a weakness Crossfit found. I had a decision to blame the sport and quit or take a closer look at myself. On closer examination Crossfit was finding things I knew but chose to ignore as well as brought things to the surface, I could have never imagined. Chronic pain brought me to the gym, as those pains went away more were surfacing. Back problems due to a poor core, posture and weight gain. Weakness in old sports injuries, as well as in my own mind. That age old theory from grade school saying “sport is 90% mental and 10% physical. The only thing harder than training your physical body is training your mind. Most of us never truly succeed in getting out of our own way. One such weakness for me is showing vulnerability. As a single, career women, who travels the world alone. I work hard to not be vulnerable. Such weakness opens you up to being a victim. This brick wall keeps me safe when overseas alone sleeping in hostels, and puts the parents of my tiny premature patients at ease, but it also keeps good people away. My Crossfit box has served as a safe place to be vulnerable. A place where nobody judges me for being afraid to do a handstand or perform heavy Olympic lifts. We are all created equal, we are all a community. All there for the common purpose to be healthier and achieve a better self.

El Camino de Santiago One Year Later

Its been one year since packing all necessities on my back and trekking through northern Spain in search of love, forgiveness, friendship and life's purpose. With the weight of my burdens and the burden of my weight on my back. The Camino provided in ways I could never have imagined, and continues to provide one year later. Upon arriving in Santiago and coming home I did not feel closer to god, today however I am closer to god and organized religion than ever. Finding my way back to my old church on a regular basis, worshiping along side my peers. Though it was not Catholicism, rather a non-denominational mega church I followed my heart back to. Not a day goes by that I am not reminded in some way of my time on the Camino. Some mornings when up particularly early the smell of morning dew reminds me of the early morning hikes. Even figuring out the perfect authentic sangria recipe as well as founding a local bar that has Spanish beer. Everyday in some way, I reflect on the simplicity of life on the Camino. Finding myself over stimulated and exhausted when life gets too busy. The Camino taught me to relax and take time to myself. As well as the importance and courage to say "no" to favors and activities that will overstimulate, stress and take time away from daily reflection. Before the Camino I was spreading myself too thin leaving no time for much else. Never much of a TV watcher, don't think I have watched TV once since returning. Rather choosing to read or journal, just as I did every night on the Camino. As far as having "faith" in love, that is still a daily struggle. Some days are better than others, but I can honestly say deep down in my heart I know I will someday find love, when the timing is right. Upon leaving certain burdens at Cruz de Ferro with my rock and prayer at Santiago, I have never looked back on them. The burden of guilt, and shame was truly lifted off my shoulders. The Camino taught me I am my own person and cant hold the burdens of others indiscretions on my back. The weight is just to heavy, and was never mine to carry to begin with.

Love Always Wins

Like every American I felt especially helpless in the wake of the Orlando shooting. Orlando, a town near and dear to my heart. No stranger to the Orlando night life, many crazy stories started at bars and clubs there. With Pride events all over the country planned in memory of the Stonewall riots. This year, less than a month from the shooting, it was especially important to show support. Important to support love, and give love. No stranger to the local gay bars, friends and I often have “girls night out’ here to escape the judgment, glaring eyes and disrespect that is all too common of the straight guys in straight bars. A place we can simply dance, have fun and not be judged. This night police presence was especially apparent and spirits were at an all time high. The bestie and I dressed in matching “love” tee shirts and rainbow tights. As we stood lined up along a one mile parade barricade with everyone else, we felt no fear, only love. I felt proud to support peace, love and happiness. As the parade went by I collected beads, pride bracelets and more condoms than I could ever use. Though the bestie and I “looked” like a couple it must have been blatantly obvious we were not, by the handfuls of condoms I received. graciously taking them as good luck charms. The next day while shopping at Target, a girl of about ten years old, passing the Pride shirts asked her mother if she could get one. Her mom responded with “yes as long as you know what it means”. As the girl was explaining to her mother what Pride means to her, the mother glances over at my rainbow bracelets and smiles. I had completely forgotten I was still wearing them. I glanced back at her and smiled, feeling no need to correct her assumption. Her daughter also wanted to do her part to spread love over hate and show support. I quickly ran off to another isle in the store as tears filled my eyes. Right then and there I realized we are going to be okay. LOVE will always win.