what i’m loving about the city so far.

after an incredible amazing trip with my fam i proceeded to move to toronto a couple days after getting back. needless to say- i’ve been a little busy and haven’t had a chance to keep up with my blog. i am feeling much more settled now and can’t wait to get back into it.

since moving has been the biggest thing going on in my life right now i thought i would share my top ten favourite things about living downtown so far. i know i’ve only been here officially a week- but there are some things that i am really enjoying.

1. the commute.

i think this one’s pretty obvious- but i am currently enjoying an extra two hours to my day- i already feel like i am accomplishing so much more!

2. running.

running in the city is a little less boring then running in the suburbs. instead of seeing neighbourhood after neighbourhood of fairly similar houses i run down yonge street and see a whole bunch of different things! its a great way to people watch!

3. fruit markets.

needless to say there aren’t really any of these in whitby. i love that they are everywhere- and have everything! and for super wicked prices. got a pineapple the other day for $1.99!

4. friends.

its so nice to be able to see all my friends that live in the city on a more frequent basis. all visitors are welcome at my place at all times.

5. coffee.

yes i do believe whitby has something like the most tim hortons per capita or something ridiculous like that. but on my morning walk i think i pass about 50 coffee shops- chains and local ones. for those of you who have read my previous blogs you also know how i feel about baked goods- so this is also pretty dangerous.

6. exploring.

i love that i can walk out my door and just start walking and discover new things all of the time. yesterday i went for a run and found a really nice nature trail. who knows what i’ll discover next.

7. lack of internet.

i know this one isn’t going to last forever- nor do i think i would enjoy it for forever- but we don’t have the internet in our apartment yet so i’m finding time to do a lot of other things i’d normally pass up on. i’ve been baking and cooking, reading and watching old movies. it’s kind of fun.

8. book stores.

i love love love that there are so many book stores everywhere. there is a bmv right by my place- i haven’t gone in yet because i’m afraid i’ll have spent my rent money for the month- but it’s going to have to happen soon. i also loved used books so this works perfectly for me- i love knowing that someone else has enjoyed the story just as much as i’m about too.

9. new opportunities.

i know it’s only been a week but there are things that have already happened that i am super excited about. being downtown is making it a lot easier to go to certain events and network.

10. courage.

not going to lie here- i was a little nervous about moving out. i was worried i was going to miss my family (and yep i talk to my mom three times a day at least). luckily i have an awesome roommate and it’s not as scary as i thought. i’m totally braver then i thought i was- i’ve done a bunch of new things- like putting up drapes and finally figuring out how to work an xbox so i can watch a movie. maybe they seem like little things- but i’m proud of myself.

i know this move is going to change me – i think its going to be for the better and i’m excited to see whats to come.

ox,
katie

wise words from yours truly.

earlier today i stumbled upon a list entitled “100 wisest words” written by a high school teacher on tumblr- which i immediately fell in love with and reblogged. it’s a list of life lessons- some of which really resonated with me. check out the entire list here. these are some of my favs:

> hold your heroes to a high standard.

> take a vacation of your cell phone, internet, and tv once a year.

> never eat lunch at your desk if you can avoid it.

> make time for your mom on your birthday. it’s her special day too.

> give credit. take blame.

for those of you who are close to me, you obviously know that my life has done a complete 360 as of late. after ending a seven year relationships (with a great guy i am still friends with) i have learned some HUGE life lessons. this summer has been all about exploring a different side of myself, and embracing the change that has come my way. after reading the list on tumblr, i couldn’t help to think about all of the life lessons i have learned lately, and thought i might as well share them with you if you are interested. so here is my list of wise words:

1. getting your heart broken teaches you so much about relationships. it makes you stronger, i promise.

2. it’s not about how many friends you have, it’s about the few that would do anything in the world for you.

3. being single is terrifying and extremely liberating.

4. even though you may feel like you can’t trust any one, have faith in people- there are good one’s out there.

5. don’t play mind games- be honest with people and hopefully they will be too.

6. if you want to text someone- just text them.

7. don’t be too worried about the “rules”- they are made to be broken.

8. you can wear anything you want, as long as you have the confidence to do so.

9. running is good for your soul.

10. if you need a good cry, listen to taylor swift’s “last kiss”.

11. the past is in the past for a reason.

12. if your boss asks you to do something, say yes.

13. indulge in a cupcake every once and a while.

14. want to make a change? dye your hair- it doesn’t last forever.

15. take some time for yourself once and awhile.

16. it’s okay to say no to things.

17. try your best to learn something new each day.

18. go out with your girlfriends and dance your butt off.

19. read a damn book. in fact read way more then one.

20. keep some secrets to yourself.

21. you might not end up with the person you think you are going to end up with- and thats okay.

22. don’t get angry, just get even.

23. don’t be mean, it doesn’t look good on you.

24. don’t regret anything- at one point it truly was exactly what you wanted.

25. spend time with your parents- they have more words of wisdom then you can even imagine.

26. at music festivals always dance and clap and sway.

27. take a trip- even if it’s only an hour away and for one day.

28. spend some time at the beach.

29. you truly are much braver then you believe.

30. you may not think you know how to flirt, but you’re probably doing an okay job.

31. get excited about the little things- and do let anyone take that excitement away from you.

32. making new friends means learning new things from new people.

33. when in doubt, cuddle with a dog.

34. when in doubt, ask “what would jacqui beattie do”.

35. dads aren’t always good with “feelings” but they are DAMN good with honesty- and sometimes you need that honesty to get back to reality.

36. little brothers are just as protective as big brothers.

37. say yes to new experiences and different situations. putting yourself in a new experience teaches you a lot.

38. a pretty dress and a smile always makes you feel much better.

39. to my brunette friends you are beautiful- but blondes have more fun.

40. country music is damn good for your soul.

41. sometimes its good to give someone a hug and feel like you never want to let go.

42. realize your are SO WORTH IT.

43. if you need a good laugh click here.

44. live music is ALWAYS better.

45. just because you’re sisters doesn’t mean you have to be best friends. but if you are, it’s the best thing in the world.

46. don’t listen to people who tell you coffee is bad. it’s good.

47. don’t listen to people who tell you alcohol is bad. it’s good.

48. you’ve only got one family. keep them close and love them with everything you have.

49. being sad doesn’t last forever. eventually you’ll move on and your heart will feel good again- it just takes time.

50. live your life the way you want too. DO NOT BE AFRAID OF YOUR DREAMS.

ox, kt

i’m not qualified. but here is my life advice.

i have been feeling very nostalgic the last little while, and for some reason am viewing my upcoming birthday as a turning point in my life. this year i am determined to accomplish many of my goals (check out my bucket list), as well as living life to the absolute fullest. looking back over my years, i think there are many things i have learned that have gotten me where i am today, and will continue to help me over the course of my life. so for this lovely friday before the long weekend, here is some life advice i thought i’d share. hope it helps you as much as it has me!

 

1. treat others the way you want to be treated. i would hope this is common sense, but i truly believe you get back what you give. if you want people to treat you with respect, kindness and warmth, you have to treat them with the same qualities. my parents have always told my brother, sister and i this, and i’ve stood by it throughout my entire life.

2. if you’re not happy with school/your job- make a change. once i  graduated from school, i got a job right away as an assistant buyer for a really great company. however, after a little while i came to realize that a) buying was not the career path for me and b) i was miserable. it was a terrifying decision, but i quit my job, and started working at sportchek again part-time. i did like 150 internships though, and took on a number of freelance projects-working my butt off. i’m not going to lie- there were moments i was pretty sure i was never going to find anything and would be stuck at sportchek for the rest of my life- but with some patience, and determination, i found the job i am now in, and which i LOVE! i am in the industry i want to be, and work for two of the most inspiring and hard-working women i have ever known (now go to www.thepeacockparade.com now!!!) (lol)

3. if you need help, ask for it. at times i tend to internalize things, keeping problems to myself and not talking about them. i’m a bit stubborn, and like to think that i can do everything by myself and never need help. but guess what- i’m human, and thats impossible. i know the moment i am having a problem and struggling with something and i talk to my mom and my sister i not only get a second opinion on the matter, but i also feel a million times better. asking for help takes a lot of stress off, and lets you look at the situation in a whole new light.

4. don’t be afraid to say no. sometimes at the end of the day all i want to do is go home and watch criminal minds and eat pop chips. if that’s what i feel like doing- then that is now what i do. i’m not afraid to turn down an event, or not make plans with friends just because i feel bad. if you don’t want to do something, then just don’t do it. you won’t enjoy it, and you’ll be wishing that you were at home with dr.spencer read the whole time.

5. don’t be afraid to be alone and learn to enjoy your own company. i’m not going to lie- i really like hanging out with myself and i do it a lot. there is nothing like plugging in my earphones and going for a run. or catching up on a good book. or watching a movie. when i talk to people all day long, sometimes i just need to come home and shut off. my next step is the movies by myself. and then perhaps a nice dinner date with me, myself and i.

6. you only live once, take care of yourself! okay as a former coach potato i know that it is easy to make excuses. but- we all have a responsibility to ourselves to live healthy, active life styles. if you aren’t into more intense forms of exercise, try going outside for a walk, a leisurely bike ride. i guarantee you will feel 100x better. making a change in my life was the best decision i ever made for myself- and in all honesty it wasn’t the hardest thing i’ve ever done. once you start, its easy to continue- and it becomes a regular part of your life. you just need a little will-power and determination and anything is possible.

7. challenge yourself. as i mentioned before, this year i am challenging myself to embrace my fears, and do some of the things i have always been terrified of doing. for example, i am apparently going skydiving. thinking about it as i type this- it seems like the craziest, stupid idea. BUT- it’s something i have always thought about, and something that i know, i know, once i do it, i’m going to be so happy that i did. last year, i challenged myself to run a half-marathon. when i started the training i couldn’t run for 15 minutes straight. but i finished it, and with an excellent time. i cannot describe to you the feeling i felt, (holding hands with sarah), and crossing the finish line. i was high on life for days. it was a challenge, but i rose to the occasion, and it paid off. i’m doing the half-marathon again this year, and this time i am challenging myself to beat my original time.

 

8. try new things. if you never try anything new, how will you ever know what you really like. i try to apply this motto to all aspects of my life. i love trying new foods, new products, new styles, new exercises- everything. you can really surprise yourself when you take a chance and move away from routine. for instance- and this probably sounds ridiculous- but for some reason i had this idea in my head that i hated pears, even though i don’t think i ever tried one. then a couple of months ago, i had some pear in a salad- and i friggen loved it. now i’m completely obsessed, and could probably eat five a day if i let myself. you’ll just never know- unless you try.

9. don’t over complicate things and skip the drama. i think we are all guilty of over-thinking and over complicating things- i know for sure i am. usually the situation is never as bad as it seems, and you’re making half of it up in your head. if you think some one has a problem with you-ask them. if a problem arises in your life-deal with it. there are too many enjoyable things in life to worry about what other people think about you- or to get caught up in unnecessary drama. if you’re dealing with someone who is bringing drama to your life- get away from them. it’s not worth it.

10. believe in miracles and just be happy. every day i am surprised by how many amazing things there are in this world. miracles happen literally every day, and there is just so much to be happy about. life is too short to waste it. be positive about each day you face and what’s to come. not to sound too cheesy, but the future is yours for the taking. you only have one life, so you might as well live it right.

have a great long weekend everyone.

ox, katie