my experiences

Unexpected things that happen when you start working out

~ Nicky M ~ 2 Comments

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There are a couple of things you expect to happen when you make serious lifestyle changes. For example, you want to become fitter, feel healthier and lose weight.

No surprises so far?

A little under a year ago I introduced a healthy eating plan and started working out regularly  and that’s what happened to me – I lost 2 stone , dropped 3 dress sizes and feel pretty good most of the time.

Result.

However, along the way a few things happened that I wasn’t prepared for. So, here’s a list of 7 unexpected things that might happen when you start working out…

Sunday afternoons are for food prep

Yep, you can no longer go out on a Sunday afternoon. No, you will instead spend most of the afternoon grilling large batches of chicken breast, steaming vast quantities of broccoli and cooking more rice than your local takeaway, just to see you through the next week. Not to mention the drama of matching food tubs to their lids…

You have to check out the fitness section of every clothes store

I so don’t want to be that girl at the gym (the one who is so coordinated even her trainers match) but I gotta tell you, I’m getting very close!

You start watching videos of people working out

Not only are half the people you now follow on social media fitness models and trainers, but you also watch videos of them working out. You also get envious when they receive large deliveries from sponsors showing you what they’ll be wearing and eating all next month.

You have like, a million water bottles

I had no idea there were so many. Ones with sports lids, sip spouts, metal balls and filters to mix your drinks better or keep fruit in place. There are battery operated mixers, ones that are impossible to knock over and they obviously all come in plenty of colours to match every gym outfit you own…

You crave chicken not cupcakes

Seriously. You substitute one addiction for another. Bye bye cravings for something sweet and hello I need chicken. Like really need it. Now. Cold from the fridge.

You get excited about the smallest ways to spice up your chicken and rice

Who knew there were so many seasonings and peppers and spices to add flavour to the daily grind known as chicken and rice. We had so many restaurant chain hot sauces bought for us as gifts at Christmas. Friends compete to see who has the hottest pepper sauces and trade them like contraband. Anything to make you feel like you’re eating something novel.

You ache. Every. Single. Day.

I expected a little ache – regular exercise after 42 years of sitting on the sofa was bound to have a price. However, I was not prepared for at least one sore muscle group every day.

Getting fit and healthy was still one of the best decisions I ever made – the benefits obviously outweigh the negatives (even the things I didn’t expect to happen) and this post was written in good humour as a shout out to all the like minded people.

You know what I’m talking about.

3 things flowers have taught me about living an authentic life

~ Nicky M ~ Leave a comment

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My love of flowers is well documented on my Instagram account.

There’s something so beautiful about a flower when I look at it through a camera lens that I can’t help but smile.

“Bloom, in your own space and at your own pace”

I said that

Flowers don’t concern themselves with what every other plant in the garden is doing. They do what they do best and bloom where planted.

Starting to live a more authentic life can be daunting. It’s about assessing which elements of your life no longer serve you or fit in with who you are becoming. You can feel lonely, even misunderstood or struggle to fit in where you once belonged. You may even encounter resistance from people who don’t want you to change.

If you’re wondering if it’s all worth it, here are 3 thoughts to keep you motivated and reassure you that any path that takes you closer towards the best version of yourself is one that’s worth walking down.

Bloom

Be who you are. Stand out, grow tall, bloom. Be there as the truest version of yourself, not pretending or trying to be like anyone else. Be extraordinary, whatever your role – be great at it. Put effort into all you do, even if no one is watching. Commend yourself on a job well done and remember to love yourself in all your uniqueness.

In your own space

Wherever you are – be amazing. Claim your space. Your home, your work, your ideas. Don’t be concerned with what others are doing alongside of you. Focus on you and your little piece of the world. Make it work for you. Make it beautiful, fill it with things that inspire you, make you smile. Surround yourself with like minded people. Find your tribe, people who have great energy, who are great to be around.

At your own pace

Keep growing, always moving closer to your goals. Your journey is unique to you. Don’t be concerned with what anyone else is doing or how they’re doing it. Don’t compare yourself to someone else. Don’t run before you can walk but also don’t focus on the finish line. The learning is in the journey. The path may not be straight and have boulders in the way, but it will be worth it. Change happens slowly and one step at a time. Keep going.

One last point, do it. Do it now. Nothing lasts forever.

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March challenge: selfies

~ Nicky M ~ Leave a comment

In a bid to step outside of my comfort zone, this months challenge was to see if I could (read would) photograph myself every day for a week and post the pictures on Instagram.

Now, I’m not camera shy however I’m not particularly au fait with selfies!

Selfie day1       selfie day2       selfie day4

After my first day I thought about throwing in the towel. It was harder than I thought it would be and I realised a few things about myself.

I’m uncomfortable with being the centre of attention – I didn’t like being the only object in the picture (although, see if you can spot the photo of my brother sneaking in there!)

I’m a little vain – I only took one picture of myself with no make up and I had to force myself to post it!

 selfie day 4a     selfie day7     selfie day6

Taking selfies is harder than it looks – Some days I took many, many photos before I was happy – who knew natural light was so important!

I’m uncomfortable letting the world in – showing parts of my home left me feeling vulnerable.

I experience a plethora of emotions each morning – I really do!

Completing a project is great for your self esteem – I was really chuffed with myself for finishing it.

A challenge is only scary the first time you do it – I actually feel okay about selfies now.

selfie ig

Some of the photographs are blurry, off centre slightly, and the lighting is a bit hit and miss. But they’re all me. Real and in the flesh. Authentic, unaltered and original. This experience was good for me. It challenged me, taught me and helped me.

What will take you outside your comfort zone? 

You may be surprised at what you learn – about your fears, your limits, about yourself.

Go for it!

Follow me on Instagram (@shimmerwithin)

What stories will they tell?

~ Nicky M ~ Leave a comment
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Photo via freeimages

Life…such a short word to describes the enormity of everything you are and have experienced.

None of us really know how long we have left; what stories still to tell, actions not yet accomplished, memories not made.

I was reminded of this recently with the sudden death of a neighbour. Sobering thought how your life can change in an instant. The only thing we can be sure of is this moment, right now. It’s the age old saying of enjoy every day as if it’s your last – because it just may well be.

But do you enjoy your days?

Do you stroll through the sunshine noticing the magic, delighting in the detail, savouring the sights and sounds as you make memories?

Or do you move through the fog unseeing, experiencing the days as one long chore, the mundane day to day getting you down – believing life would be so much easier if everyone just left you alone?

Your attitude towards life greatly influences your experiences and that of the people close by. It’s only when you are reminded of how short it really is that you pause and take stock of what’s important.

So take a moment, right now and wonder where and what are your priorities? Don’t wait for a tragedy to enforce changes. Don’t leave things left unsaid. Don’t have regrets.

Make one change today – just a small one that might influence someone else’s day, make you smile or have a positive impact on your four letter word.

One day people will be reminiscing and sharing stories about you and your life.

Make them good ones.

Written in memory of my lovely neighbour, June.

Things You need To Know About Me #5

~ Nicky M ~ 2 Comments

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I adore being married.

Soppy I know.

I’ve been with my lovely bloke for 26 years and married for 21 and it’s great.

That’s not to say it’s always been great.

We’ve had our fair share of disagreements and bumps in the road. We’ve experienced the death of close relatives, been on the breadline and dealt with the stress that comes with raising three kids.

But it’s not all been bad either and we survived…

So here are my top four tips for making your most important relationships work. (*Feel free to adapt them for a partner, girlfriend, best friend etc)

Communication

And I’m not talking where you are and what you’re doing – that’s what calendars were invented for.

I’m talking about talking.

Proper grown up conversations. It’s about letting each other know how you feel about decisions, exploring disagreements, being able to say “I need some time alone right now” or “I need to be around you more”. It’s about sharing your dreams for the future, your career plans, what values you want to teach your children. It’s about sorting out issues calmly and before they become arguments. It’s about having your needs met. It’s about still being you, whilst being part of a couple too.

Treat them like you did when you first hooked up

Sounds weird eh? But think back to the early days – the days when you made an effort. You may have left them little notes, bought their favourite treats, spent time getting to know what makes them tick.

Life gets in the way. Fact.

And before you know where you are, you’re only crossing paths on the way to football practise, already in your pyjamas by the time your loved one comes home and date night is something you vaguely remember.

Make a little effort here and there. It’s not about spending money, it’s about making them feel like they are still important to you. Bring them coffee in bed at the weekend, text them randomly to tell them they are appreciated, remind them you value them, listen more and talk less. I’m not saying neglect yourself and always put them first – I’m just saying make them feel special when you can.

Time Alone

Again, a bit contradictory – spending time alone helps your relationships?

In my experience it does.

You don’t need to give up your hobbies, friends and space just because you are with someone. There are bound to be things that you love to do that your partner doesn’t. One of you will usually concede if you have different ideas and that needs to happen sometimes. However, you should carve out a little space every now and then for you time. My hubby works shifts and I take full advantage of it – an early night here, a full day of retail therapy there. You get the idea. Don’t get me wrong, I could still do these things when he’s around, but if I do these things when he’s not, it frees up time for us to do something we both enjoy, together.

Don’t sweat the small stuff

Bit of a cliché, I know – but putting things into perspective is incredibly healthy when you’re in a relationship.

Pick your battles.

Do you really need to nag them every time they forget to do something or disagree with them in public? It’s hard to be around negative people and moan for long enough and eventually they will stop listening. Think of the worse case scenario – is what you’re going through really that bad?

Practise a little gratitude. Make plans to improve (we always had a 5 year plan to get ourselves out of less than ideal situations). Don’t compare yourselves to other couples – relationships that seem perfect may not always be so. Spend your energy looking for the positives and making memories. Keep your humour and never, ever go to bed on an argument.

These tips have evolved over the years through trial and error and are things we strive to do most of the time. They work for us.

Where in your relationships do you put your energy? Which parts could do with a little tweaking to make fabulous? Think of one thing you could do differently to make your loved one smile.

Everyone’s situation is unique and it’s about finding the perfect formula that works for you both.