Glad everyone is loving the What’s Beautiful campaign, its pretty amazing stuff!
Today truly felt like Fall, so I had to make sure to stretch my legs out with a nice walk! And it’s Friday too. Hopefully everyone has some fun plans for this weekend! I’m sure it will be fun times over here since it’s our Thanksgiving up here in Canada. Today I’m talking gratitude and how important it is. Details below.
Workout
I’ve been doing my plank challenge everyday this week. A special thanks to my fellow Fitfluential ladies, Michelle and Lori for putting together this 8 minute plank workout.
* one of my favorite plank and push-up challenges as well! *
This will be on my agenda every other day now. And I’ve been loving it! I didn’t think I’d be able to manage the whole 8 minutes, but I surprised myself and did it.
Breakfast
Eggy pumpkin coconut oat bran (or coconoat bran) for the win.
- Oat bran, coconut flour, egg whites, chia seeds, pumpkin, banana, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, stevia, and nuttzo nut butter.
What more could you ask for in the morning?
Now for some Friday ramblings…
1. Microwave muffins are my new favourite snack.
This one was another pumpkin cream cheese muffin I made last week. New snack obsession forming.
2. My iherb order came in today!
Super excited about the fact I got more coconut butter, cashew butter, coconut flour, garbanzo bean flour, peanut flour, vanilla stevia, nutritional yeast and sun warrior. Yeah, I ordered a lot….and clearly didn’t picture it all.
3. I’m newly obsessed with the Vampire Diaries.
[Source]
I don’t know how this even happened? Maybe it was the dress Nina Dobrev wore that intrigued me in the first place. Anyways, I watched about 4 episodes last night. Yikes.
4. Everyday I’ve been trying to overcome negativity in my life. (Hello, mental margaritas). By allowing myself to be grateful and thankful for everyday that I am here on this earth. By finding inner peace within myself, just from writing and allowing myself to be appreciative of every small thing I have in my life in this moment.
* via instagram *
Being in a negative state of mind is one of the unhealthiest stressors our body can undergo. When we talk and think negatively about ourselves it puts added stress onto our brains and as a result our mood, digestion, thinking, and health suffers.
Today I set a simple intention that I would see beauty in every moment I witnessed today. Treat yourself with the kind of compassion you would treat others with. You are in control of how your day will go, so why not make it positive. Living is a beautiful thing, be appreciative that you are alive, healthy and loving.
What are you grateful for in your life today? Simply write down at least 3 things that bring gratitude to your heart on a post-it note and place it on your bathroom mirror or another place you will always see these reminders.
Fill your heart with gratitude, not stress. Be grateful for what you have; past, present and future.
What’s something you are grateful for today?
Happy Friday!
About Lisa
I made your pumpkin cream cheese muffin, along with the frosting! Gush, I might just join you in the obsession- it is so good! I loved the almond butter in it, & iv been making up little bowls of that frosting for tons of stuff, it’s amazing:).
There is just something about getting packages in the mail that feels like christmas to me. And I’d be excited by that loot too! You got some fabulous stuff.
Thanks for the words on gratitude,( & the plank+pushup workout! I’m defintely going to do that), iv been going through some less than nice personal & health problems lately. This was a nice reminder to try & not let those things get in the way of my happiness, and not ruin my quality of life<3.
You are looking BEAUTIFUL lovely, & i hope your weekend & Thansgiving are a bunch of fun!
Xxx
Glad you liked it! It just makes a great combo!
Definitely agree with getting packages, it makes me super happy!
what a great gratitude to practice, keep it up!
Thanks Alex!
Love the idea of being grateful daily! I am so grateful for my fabulous family! Love all the meals as usual! keep those microwave muffin recipes coming! I love them!
That’s awesome to hear Danielle! Being grateful in our lives is definitely an important thing and I try and think of things daily that make me happy.
Wow a 8 minute plank! You go girl!!! I am grateful for my job! I got a new job but this week has been really stressful! I try and think about how majority of the time I love it and the harder I work the more I learn and contribute to my company.
To go with that I am grateful for a three day weekend away from work
That is awesome that you get a little work break, but that you are also grateful to have a job!
omg I’m absolutely OBSESSED with Vampire Diaries!!! So excited for it to come back next week
Same here! I just need to start and finish season 3! Even though I will be sad when I don’t have anymore to watch ha ha
It’s so true about negativity being one of the worst things that can happen to our bodies. We can eat healthy and exercise all we want, but at the end of the day it’s our thoughts that probably have the biggest impact on our overall health. I love the idea of writing down things that we’re grateful for and sticking them somewhere that we can see – I think I might just go do that right away
Definitely! I remember being super depressed and actually having very horrible digestion and skin problem during this time, it was just horrible. Totally try it out, it definitely keeps my mind feeling positive!
AMEN!! Being grateful is the BOMB–helps so much to have a happier, livelier life!
Agreed!
I love Sunwarrior protein!!
I am grateful for my health. I’m about to walk, move, and take care of my home and family!
Those are such wonderful things to be grateful for!
Wonderful job on that plank, Lisa! You are so strong
and gorgeous, your eyes in that picture captivated me!
I love your outlook and I’m still trying to do the same! Today has been a good day. I have fun plans with my mom tonight and I’ve stopped being mopey over going to work. Instead I’ve been trying to joke and laugh with coworkers. As a result I’ve been enjoying work more! Positive thoughts and actions really do lead to a positive life!
Love you and thank you for inspiring me every day:)
Awe thanks you my dear friend!!
I’m so glad you enjoyed your weekend and made some positive thought choices!! Hope your tummy is better!
Loving the 8 minute workout. I will definitely be joining in on this fun everyday
Also, keep up with the positivity you share with us everyday. You are such a beautiful person inside & out girl.
Questions: As I mentioned on my blog I’m going to start the “Thankful thursday” link on my page.. but do you know how you actually set the link up to your page??
Wahoo! Thank you Jessie, I appreciate that!
Oh hm…I actually have no idea! I’ve never done a link up on my own page before.
That muffin sound fab. I need to try it!
Your iHerb order looks like mine.
Its definitely awesome stuff:)
oh friend, you know i am grateful for this post! i love your inner peace, your gentle spirit, you encouragement. It shines so bright! I will take that light with me all weekend now. Cheers!
Awe thank you so much Lindsay!! I appreciate hearing that from you, since you are so full of wisdom and great advice!
I’ve been totally obsessed with making coconut-flour based microwave cakes for the past week! They’re easy to lug around, and topped with yogurt are SO delicious!
Totally agree!
Girl you should not let negativity creep in – I have been following your blog and your story and coming from a similar place I know what it can feel like, but you are GORGEOUS! You have beautiful hair and you seem like a great person! Keep on looking for that positivity
I’m glad that you discovered vampire diaries! I’ve been obsessed with it ever since it came out! Best show ever. Damon = hottie!!!
Thank you very much Natasha! You are so sweet!
Isn’t it just an awesome show?! I agree, Damon is a winner.
i AM GRATEFUL FOR YOU! WOW. Way to totally rock that plank, Lisa! My goodness. 8 minutes is no joke. You’re so strong. <3 I can't wait to rock this Skype chat fo realz. Haha.
Thanks Heather! Um yes, we need to get our Skype chat on Thursday for SURE! ha
Loved this post! I’ve had a ROUGH day today and found myself slipping into really negative thought patterns, but reading this helped so much. You’re so right that stress, anxiety, and negativity are toxic to our health. I could honestly feel your passion, light and vibrancy shining through your words, and feeling that gave me the strength to separate from that toxicity and see the goodness in my life today!
Thank you!
xoxo
Thanks Sloane! You are too sweet!
I’m glad this post helped you and that you will be looking for all the goodness happening in life today!
hello gorgeous! Your posts always fill me with a sense of happiness. Your positivity is contagious and I thought you should know!
P.S. Vampire Diaries is one of my FAVORITE shows. I love it so much! I seriously can’t wait for the new season…it’s going to rock.
Enjoy the rest of your weekend Lisa!
Thanks Kristi!!
Omg. I am too excited for Thursday when the show comes back on!
Fill your heart with gratitude not stress- such wise words!!! The plank challenge sounds awesome!!!
Every aspect of your beauty is shining in this post!! <3 You're right—whether or not our days are positive and joy-filled is 100% in our control. Happiness is cultivated not just in our interactions with others, but interactions with ourselves. I firmly believe that we're equally obligated to love and nurture our bodies/minds just as much as we're obligated to love and nurture others. Thanks so much for the reminder to be grateful; I actually really really really needed it right now. <3
I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving! Did you celebrate with your family? I'd love to hear about your traditions, and whether they're similar to the traditions we have in the U.S.
Oh, and girl, I keep forgetting about that pumpkin cream cheese muffin! I have both pumpkin AND pumpkin cream cheese (from Trader Joe's), so it's going to happen this week!
Love you to the moon and back! xoxo
Yes, I agree to all the words you said. And I’m glad this post could help you out! That makes my heart happy!
I did celebrate with my fam! We don’t do too much celebrating. Just dinner with basically the same things we have at Christmas ha ha. Like mashed potatoes and yams, roasted green beans, turkey of course, and brussels sprouts. Its pretty laid back at our house!
Jealous about your TJ trip. Its my goal in life to actually go into a TJ store ha;)