Motivate me. Please.

Hello friends,

Week 3 as a San Diego resident already! I almost can't believe it :) Some exciting updates to report: I signed the lease on my new 1 bedroom apartment last night in Pacific Beach!! It is 10 blocks from the beach and absolutely adorable. If they rented apartments like this in NYC, as a friend said...they'd be going for "a cool $3.5k a month." Not the case here ;) I also landed a job this week! I am so excited to start working at my new company in the New Year- details to come in a separate post. But my heart is happy to know that it sounds like a great group and will be a great learning experience/new personal challenge.

In other, more literary news, I do have some thoughts I would like to share. The idea of motivation has been on my mind quite a bit in recent weeks and I need to do a mental reorganization of sorts regarding the concept. What is it that motivates us? Such a vague and broad question, I know, but why is it so different for everyone? I have been reading a lot in my new book "Integrative Nutrition" (for the online courses I will be taking that begin in the New Year as well) that there is no 1 diet that everyone can abide by, lose weight on, and feel their best with. And the same seems to be true for personal motivation. For many, it is religion, knowing that we are living a "Christ-like" life and doing all that God wants us to. But what about another group, who maybe don't take direction from God. Some other forms of motivation can come in the form of competition- knowing that if we strive at one task, we will come out on top beating all others. For many others, it is simply doing what they believe to be the morally sound "right thing." And still for others, it is a strive towards personal perfection. Feeling fulfilled based on the inner knowledge of learning new ideas and applying them to improve ones life. And finally, there is the satisfaction of pleasing others. To some, knowing that they will make others happy can be one's sole motivation. I am sure there are many other forms of motivation; these are just the general types I gathered at the moment. SO my questions is, is there some sort of perfect combination? An equation that we can apply to life that says A + B will get us to C? I know we are all going to a different "C" (places) but there has got to be some commonalities that lead those truly content individuals towards personal success. I would also imagine that these forms of motivation would vastly differ between sexes; at least in the atmosphere I am in now. All of the men around me strive towards physical success and use some sort of masculine motivation to get them there that I am unable to relate to. Where as my goals are more mental and analytical ones accomplished through non-physical work. Trying to work this out...I think that motivation most likely comes from an emotional place. All of us want to feel happy and content, and so pleasing whom or whatever it is that takes for us to get us there...is inherently our motivation. How do we know what that is? Is life just the summation of experiences and at some point we finally have an "ah-ha!" moment realizing what got us there? I refuse to accept that theory mainly because it doesn't allow any room for cognitive growth along the way. At the moment- this is my story and I am sticking with it. Our motivations have to lead us to do what makes us happy...both in the world around us and within ourselves. In the end, being content is clearly more complicated then a laundry list of things, but rather a unique puzzle  that allows us to be pleased with who we are and what we have. After writing this post, I've decided my motivation is the life I already have. Focusing on the positive, already great things in our life we already have can become one's motivation for more greatest and happiness in the future :)
xoxo AA

Shine bright like a Diamond

Hello world! It has officially been 2 weeks since I became a West (best?) Coast dweller and I wanted to provide you all with a progress report. Progress report: I FREAKING LOVE IT. Sunshine, 70 degrees, and clear blue skies on a daily basis allows for a girl to easily get used to her surroundings. Oh and I finally live on the same coast as man! The best one I know :) I have started to become accustom to the slower more steady pace of life here as well. The best part of my day is not only being able to smell the sea air from the doorstep of the house, but being able to walk 3 blocks and spend time with my toes in the sand and my mind fixed on the sound of the waves crashing into the shore.  Another new sound here: helicopters and fighter jets...and a lot of them. I am staying on Coronado island until I find a little place of my own. Coronado island is home to 3 military bases- 1 of which is a major naval air base. Throughout the day the sound of fighter jets (some going at the speed of sound I am told) is constant. But the overwhelming amount of helicopters riding low over sea and sand is fascinating. Remember, we are 10 miles from the Mexican border- so the culture is already showing itself to be a bit different here. Another difference...I drive a car!! And actually, don't use it all too often (as beautiful and speedy as she is) because everyone gets around via bike here. Not just any bike folks, yes real beach cruisers, just like out of your favorite throw back episode of 90210. Riding around at night along the water is literally a dream come true. Besides all of these small, yet amazing cultural changes- there is 1 thing that I could not be more grateful for. And that is the accepting and open arms I have received from the community here. I say community, but can already tell that this group is more like a family. I of course wanted to share my observations of this group thus far because I seemed to have jumped right in feet 1st. It is funny to me how within this group, everyone seems to have their assigned roles and just knows what to do, automatically, without direction or a request. We all gather for meals, if a few are down for the count, the others are there to cook, clean, make them laugh, or just BE there. Fun seems to be the only thing that everyone has together and I am shocked at the level of support and respect each individual has for one another. I am so excited to be apart of this community and hope that I am able to give it as much as it has already given :) Cooking is one of the only means of support I know how to provide (besides of course a little motherly love) so you may start seeing some of the new recipes I experiment with here. When cooking for so many hungry people, a girl has to learn how to get creative on a budget! Until then...I will keep you abreast of my new cultural happenings. Missing you all on the east coast; I hope you are staying bundled up and warm- I'm headed out to the beach now (ok, I know that was rude ;))

xoxo

- AA