O.M.G.

Has it really been 12 days since I last posted? My bad. Clearly things have been hectic on this side of the computer screen.

Well, other than writing tons of turkey day/holiday-related content, giving this blog a facelift and coming down with a nasty cold/flu (last week — yuck), I’ve been doing a lot of thinking.

Every year around this time I start to evaluate the past 12 months. From weddings to babies, jobs and friendships, as we get older, undoubtedly things change. And while I’m not the biggest fan of this, I’ve learned that it’s all a part of growing up.

This year alone I started a new job as a health and fitness journalist and began teaching at a brand new indoor cycling and TRX studio. Personally and professionally I saw a lot of growth.

In the relationship department — ahem, let me clarify — in the ‘friendship’ department much happened as well.

I was in one of my good friends weddings, traveled to Chicago, California and Charleston. Both my sister and one of my best friends found incredible men and are now in serious relationships. Two other best friends had babies — one of which moved an hour away.

That’s a lot of change. And I’d be lying if I said I coped wonderfully. I didn’t.

I am far from perfect and this summer in particular was a challenge. I was stressed out, run down, busy beyond belief and dare I say it …

Lost.

Sure I slapped on a smile, attempted to date via swipeable iPhone apps and probably drank far too much wine. But in all honesty, these were all just a bandaid for the underlying issues I was dealing with.

Instead of facing my frustrations head on, I masked them by attending more events and social gatherings — all in an effort to limit the time I had completely free. Because it was in that moment where I would begin to feel lost, uncertain and utterly overwhelmed by this change.

In an effort to not turn this into Trendy Trainer, A Memoir, I will keep it short.

About a month or so ago, I had had enough. I called a meeting with myself, or as I like to call it, a personal pow-wow. I needed to start brainstorming more productive ways to deal with this anxiety — and not just be busier.

Enter, meditation.

I decided that with a job as physically demanding as mine, the stress relief had to come from something non-strenuous. While I’m still in the beginning stages of this practice, I can already tell a difference in my behaviors.

I am relearning how to breathe through certain situations, and let me tell you, it’s refreshing.

How do you cope with change? Stress? 

-TTT