A Jehovah Surprise

I awoke today feeling only semi-rested. I haven't been sleeping well the past two weeks. I'm not sure why, but I hope that I will live ;) I've been trying to stay up as late as possible in hopes that it will help, but no dice.

It has gotten to be quite the heat wave here in Spain ~ over 80 degrees!!! I must say that I loved every minute of it. I went for my walk/jog today and successfully completed Week 2 Day 1 of my Couch to 5k Challenge. Here was today's inspiration:

I definitely powered through today much better than the prior challenge. Here's to Day 2! I also got to see my workout buddy today. Oooooh Ernie!

After I completed my challenge I went home for some grub! With it being Semana Santa and me not working, I decided to do some self pampering. I infused olive oil with ginger and gave my hair a hot oil treatment. I wanted to give my hair some extra nourishment for a couple of days so I did not thoroughly shampoo my hair. I washed and rinsed but did not repeat. I also made a salt and sugar face scrub. 

I used a small amount of the oil that I had infused with ginger and added sugar and salt and applied it to my face. After gently scrubbing I hopped in the shower and rinsed it off. I also used face wash to rinse off any excess oil. After my shower I applied face lotion and my skin is now nice and smooth without being overly dry or oily~ it's just right! While living here I have continuously had the issue of my face becoming extemely dry and flaky. Although some may not care for the scent, I have found olive oil to be a great moisturizer. I dont mind the scent and after I apply my makeup I can't smell it at all. 

My hair has more oil than normal, but that is to be expected since I did not thoroughly wash it. As of now it feels, obviously oily, but great! Softer and smooth. I can only hope that it will remain that way after my next wash ~ minus some of the oil of course!

It was so odd. Today I received a couple of visitors at my doorstep. They just happened to be Jehovah Witnesses. I didn't realize that it was even a thing here as Catholicism is one of the main religions of Spain ~ Surprise! 

Semana Santa Begins!

I am currently living and working in Spain as an English Language Auxiliar. I work at a bilingual school in a small town. Although I would not have minded being placed in a larger town, I am grateful that I can walk to and from work ~ great news considering I do not have a car, nor could I properly operate one here. #automaticonly

I have been here for about 6 months now and leave in approximately two when my contract expires. I must say that if I did not have the support I do (most times) from my family I would not have made it this far. At times I may have complaints about their behavior, but that's what makes us so close. We can get on each other's nerves and still be totally loving of each other. Idiomatically speaking, they drive me to drink. However, the next day I will be hungover and get over it. 

Today marked the beginning of Semana Santa. Before break, I was able to show the students a slideshow of how my family celebrates Easter. I can only hope they enjoyed it as much as I did. To kick off my Saints Week in Spain I started my third challenge on the Couch to 5k running app. Here was my inspiration for the day:

I will start by saying that I did in fact finish the challenge!...

...just barely! I definitely had a more difficult time today than I had with the past two challenges. I blame Jillian Michaels 6 week Six-Pack (Courtesy of YouTube). I was only five minutes in and I could have used a butter knife to spread my legs on toast ~ as they were LITERALLY jelly! I'm hoping for better results tomorrow, however I don't know if I'll be giving JM another try for a bit. I may need to ease into that one by first trying something that's not going to kick my a**. Thankfully, YouTube has a slew of others to choose from!

I met a fella on my way down the road from the Cerro Bellido. We definitely have a budding friendship. I'm pleased to introduce to you, Ernie. Now I know it may not seem like it from the photo, but he's quite the shy guy!

I previously touched base a bit on loving the skin your in. If you are making changes to your body, please dig deep to make sure you are doing it for the right reasons. At the end of the day you are the one who has to be okay with them. Be sure that your decisions are not based on others' perceptions of how you "should" look or what's considered beautiful and what is not, but instead based on how YOU see yourself or even for better health. Loving yourself can be a tough job and it's easy to relapse into having toxic thoughts about your body. In light of this, I thought it would be nice to say something that you love about yourself and/or body. 

For example, I love my smile!

Please leave your comments below!

My First Steps

One part of my life that I mentioned previously in my introductory post was Health & Fitness. 

Before your eyes start glazing over, please know that up until this point in my life, enforcing a healthy lifestyle upon myself has failed miserably each and every time I attempt to do so. However, I think that is because I have been going about it all the wrong way. My epiphany occurred after having lived in Spain for almost 6 months. My eating habits are still not the best, however I would like to think they have, well, "matured". Here's why I feel just in saying so: 1) I only cook for one person ~ me ~ portions are easier to control 2) I do not have access to the numerous processed goodies I did in the U.S. 3) Fresh produce & meat markets are in walking distance

Now, there's also the bad habits of which I have also adapted: 1) I crave sweets ~ ALL of the time 2) The pastry shop is within walking distance 3) I really enjoy carbs 4) the Bakery is also within walking distance ~ warm loaves, how can I go wrong?! So far, according to my calculations, the good outweighs the bad ~ Whoot Whoot for me!

I've tried an exercise routine time and time again, but it always ends with me feeling discouraged and giving up. Most of the time it's because I do not start the routines with good intentions. Also, because I always felt exhausted afterwards...although I don't see that changing anytime in the near future...

I start it out of spite of someone else working out and not wanting them to be smaller than me or out of jealous of someone who is working out and getting great results. Not the best way to go about gathering inspiration, I know. I have finally dug deep and decided to start anew. This time I'm going about it a little differently. I'm going to be selfish. I'm making it all about me and not about caring about other people. I'm doing this for me. It's taken me a while since moving here to come to this conclusion, however recent discussions in the media about negative body image have really helped me come to a good place about my own body image. Girls here who are half my size think they are fat. I pity them. I don't know who made them feel less of themselves, but that person or those people should be ashamed. 

I've decided to take a stroll on a the path I've traveled least on thus far in my life. Feeling good about myself and my body. There are definitely some things about my body that I wouldn't mind changing, but if I never do, I am completely content with that outcome as well. My only wish is that in the final outcome I am healthy. I don't care if that means I have some extra junk in my trunk, chub here and there or if I'm thin as a rail. I just want to be healthy. It's so unfortunate that body shaming has become a norm in today's media. People need to take a step back and realize that just because someone's body doesn't fit your expectations, it doesn't mean that they are any less handsome, beautiful, or most importantly, HEALTHY human beings. I myself am guilty of thinking my own body should be or look a certain way to be beautiful. However, I have finally come to the terms with the fact that the way my body looks does not measure my beauty and that it exudes from the inside. If I change anything on my body, it's not because I don't think that I am good enough as I am, but because I want to be my best self. I want others to see me how I see myself, and that is as a beautiful woman.

Off to the less heated part of my post. My new fitness routine ~ Couch to 5K! Many people do this and I have even attempted it before, but now there is an app that you can download on your phone that helps to keep you motivated. I'm just as excited after Day 2 as I was the day before Day 1. It is a paid app if you want the full 8 week program, however the first  week and Day 1 of week two are free. I really enjoy it. It's like my own personal trainer and gives me words of encouragement every now and then.

Today was my second day and I have to say, I think that this will truly work! I'm highly optimistic but I have a reason to be. I felt my endurance was elevated and was shocked when I realized the workout was over! I can't wait to see what's in store for the weeks to come. 

XoXo,

Hasta Luego!

Amanda Lorraine Wiltgen

Let Me Introduce My Blog

To start, I go by Amanda ~ "Put'er there" (Reaches out for handshake)

There has been one main facet in my life which I have tried to live upon. This is, do what makes you happy. Some might find this to be a dream that one is always chasing. I think the idea is a bit more complex than that, and most times easier said than done. This blog is about the challenge of attaining my own sense of happiness in one or more aspects of my life, and recognizing the parts of my life in which I have already achieved it. That is what I hope you will absorb from reading this. The road may fork, be bumpy, or run down at times, but I feel even at your weakest moments you'll find you're happy in one element of your life or another. I think in time you will grasp who I am as a person while I display the different parts of my life. This includes, but is not limited to Health & Fitness, Family, Food, Friends, Business, Travel, and the matters pertaining to the Corazón (Heart).

I have a feeling that things are going to get interesting at the very least ~ I guess I cannot complain about "interesting"...yet!

XoXo,
Hasta Luego!
Amanda Lorraine Wiltgen