Hi, I’m Alicia. I’m 26 years old and I’m just discovering myself. Is that too cliché to start out with? Probably…but it really is true. I needed a catchy line to spike your interest, and that’s all I had… Well, I’m excited (and nervous!) to show you the real me. So now that I have your attention, here’s the story…
My greatest loves in life are the following: (in no particular order, of course)
My main man, Steve. I know it’s weird I just called him my “main man” but I have this complex about calling him my “boyfriend.” That sounds so unofficial…and our relationship is waaaay beyond boyfriend/girlfriend status. We’ve been together for a solid 6.5 years. “Wow that’s a long time. Why don’t you just get married,” you ask? That’s for another blog, but I love the guts outta that guy. Trust me, I’ll talk about him lots.
My two darling dogs, CC and Stella. Part of me “discovering myself” was getting my first dog at age 24. As it turns out, I’m obsessed with dogs. I’m one of those people. The kind that dresses them in clothes, takes a thousand pictures, talks about them non-stop, and spoils them a little too much. I freaking love my dogs. Yes, I realize it’s to the insane level.
My dog CC!
My dog Stella!
They are BFFs!
(My very first dog I ever had was Lucy. She’s for another blog as well, but she’s the reason why we now have two dogs…and possibly why we may or may not end up on an episode of Animal Hoarders one day).
My mountain bike and going camping. I’m a total outdoorsy girl. I love the sun, mountains, water, sand, fresh air, and let’s not forget patios. Moab, UT is one of my most favorite places to go but I’m always looking for fun new sites and trails.
My first (and last) mountain bike race. Hardest thing ever. But hey, I got 1st in my category and Steve got 2nd in his. Fun experience but also super-duper challenging. I’m not sure I want to put myself through that again!
View from the top of Slickrock Trail in Moab.
Yosemite, CA
I love music. I’m not Lord Music Master of the Universe but music has a way of making me feel whatever emotion it’s trying to convey. It says what I can’t find the words to. It’s been there through a lot of hard times. And happy times. (And workouts)!
I also like to cook, I wouldn’t say I’m amazing at it but it’s fun to try new things and I LOVE to eat. I’ve been called a “Food Snob” which I completely disagree with. It’s about quality over quantity, right?
Sometimes I get crafty and make things. I like to hang out with my friends, be spontaneous, and make people laugh. And since I’m laying it all out there, I might mention that I love naps…like, 3 hour naps. Such a time waster but essential to my overall well-being.
I graduated from Weber State University in 2010. I have a Bachelors of Science in Human Performance Management and a minor in Nutrition. My personal philosophy on healthy living is balance and moderation. Work hard, play hard. Workout, eat what you want but make smart choices. Be in a good physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, financial state, with an even balance of hard work and enjoying your own time. (Wow, that was really easy to type out. Now ask me if I’m like that in my own life. Um, NO)! I strive to be closer to that every day, but let’s be honest, I could use some work and accountability in all of those areas. That’s why I wanted to do this blog – to actually make it a thing that I have to stick to, work at, be responsible for, and hopefully make successful. I’ve been doing the same thing over and over and thinking about doing better but it’s hard. I need something to motivate me and hold me accountable.
Graduation Day with Steve and my amazing brother
So here’s the thing. That’s all nice and dandy, but I’m gonna get real on you for a second. My life hasn’t been all rainbows and butterflies this past year…or two… I got really sad. And down. I stopped doing the things I loved, I stopped making my health a priority, I just didn’t care, and eventually fell so far down that I feel it’s appropriate to call it “My Journey to the Center of the Earth.” Depression took over my life. Sometimes there’s still humiliation with admitting that, but I feel it’s important for me to be honest with you and let people know that it’s something that happens to a lot of us. And it’s possible to rise above it. Everything will be okay. It does take work, though. There isn’t a magic pill or speech that will fix everything, but thankfully, there is a magic recipe (can be tweaked to your taste):
- Be nice
- Make smart nutritional choices
- Move your body every day
- Love
- Moderation
- Challenge yourself and never stop learning
- Have fun
So “feeling fit,” to me, is: having the tools, knowledge, and ability to pick myself up after I’ve fallen; having the strength, courage, and determination to learn, grow, and choose my own happiness; having a healthy balance in all areas of wellness including the physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, and financial aspects; having a loving, committed, equal relationship with Steve, while also being an independent woman.
Okay, enough with the serious tone. That’s that. I’m sure it will eventually come up again. So if you thought what I had to say was at all interesting, please come back and see me again. I’ll be blogging about making healthy choices, exercise, nutrition, life, love, and anything else that comes up. I need you to help hold me accountable and I’ll be here to help and encourage you, too! Life is about being happy and having fun.