Is yoga trendy right now? With the rise in popularity of mindfulness, mediation apps, and companies like Lululemon and Outdoor Voices, yoga can feel pretty mainstream. My roommate happens to be a licensed yoga instructor who favors the more traditional aspects and is often irritated by the common practice now days of removing the more spiritual aspects of yoga in favor of using it as a trendy workout. I tend to just nod in agreement, shuddering to think what she might say to me if she knew my past history with yoga and my utter dislike of the word "chakra."
Read MoreI could feel it starting to sneak up on me. Just a heaviness that seemed to be stalking my every move, hiding behind corners whenever I turned around to see who's there. Then it pounced. What started as a relaxing Friday of cooking turned into a night of drowning my anxiety and a sudden wave of sadness in chocolate ice cream and Meg Ryan movies from the 90s.
Sometimes it's easy to identify why you're feeling sad, be it a bad week, a breakup, or the death of a loved one. Sadness, for me, usually comes in two forms: an overwhelming sharp pain in my gut accompanied by a stream of tears on my pillow, or a dull feeling inside without an identifiable cause.
Read MoreI'd say I've spent way more of my adult life (than I would like to admit) looking at a situation I'm in and saying, "gurlllll, you need to get your shit together." So eventually, I decided to do something about it. Steps I've taken to work towards a better future an suppress that voice inside me that says, I don't know what I'm doing.
Read MoreI'm a pretty motivated runner and have been for the entirety of my adult life. Over the years, when discussing my love of running with friends who aren't as enamored with it, I'll often hear the statement: "I wish I was as motivated as you with running." While I know they mean well with this statement, in my head I'm thinking: "No, no you don't." Not because I don't think running is a good thing to enjoy, (it can be a great way to stay healthy and manage stress, and I think running is just overall fantastic) but because the drive that keeps me so motivated is often coming from that same voice that tries to tell me I need to run up and down the office stairs every day.
Read MoreThey say the first step to managing an addiction is admitting you have a problem: "Hi! I'm Gretchen, and I'm addicted to Instagram... and Tumblr... and Pinterest..." But now that Im aware that "I have a problem," what do I do about it? Why are apps so addicting and how do I manage my time on my phone when I use it as a business tool?
Read MoreIt stands to reason, that everyone has felt awkward at some point in their life. For some people, these are only small situational blips—often turned hilarious cocktail party stories after the awkwardness has past. For other, this feeling of awkwardness can seem like a never-end, daily occurrence. Here's how I deal with awkward situations.
Read MoreSo far this year I've done a month without sugar, a month with no trash, and I'm currently in a month-long challenge of not shopping (for the exception of groceries). But by far the longest project I've decided to take on has been 100 Days Sober....
I went sober for 100 days to learn more about what it's like to be an alcoholic. The experience grew into life lessons I'll value forever.
Read MoreMoving to China was an adventure and my first week in particular was full of mistakes, triumphs, and adjusting expectations. Relive my first 168 hours in Beijing.
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I'm participating in a 100 Days Sober project. Some 50 days in, I've already developed a few opinions about my sobriety.
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I never expected to move to China, but it became one of my most important experiences in life. Now that I've been back for a little over a year, I have the space to reflect on the whole thing.
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An underline theme of mine for 2017 has been the concept of “adulting.” – If you are unfamiliar with the trend, I recommend picking up a copy of Adulting: How To Become A Grown-Up In 468 Easy(ish) Steps by Portland-local Kelly Williams Brown or Almost Adulting: All You Need To Know To Get It Together (Sort Of) by YouTuber Arden Rose
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