I Run Like A Girl

Hey pals! August has been a pretty social month so far – it seemed like friends were traveling the last two months (probably to escape the summer glooms in SF), but people have slowly returned from their travels which means there are more occasions to hang out. It’s been great to see everyone and catch up, especially since Joe and I have been home-bodies in San Francisco since we moved back a few months ago.

I have two weeks to catch you guys up on since last week’s post was part of my Week of Workouts series. Let’s jump into the highlights of the last two weeks. 🙂

Two weekends ago, our group did a little park hang-out at Golden Gate Park. Everyone brought a few items to share, and it turned out to be quite the event. It was so nice to see everyone and their fur babies and to soak up the sun. I feel like I mention Golden Gate Park in almost every single blog post, but it truly never gets old. I’m so grateful we live so close to these pieces of nature that have become our go-to spots with friends. ❤

The same group got together this past weekend for an Outside Lands pregame – most of our friends attended Outside Lands, the largest music festival in SF that takes place every August. Joe and I didn’t get tickets, but we decided to join the pregame fun. We all met at Rene’s apartment and hung out for a few hours before the festival. Caffeine, electrolytes, and alcohol were passed around – festivals at this age take a bit more strategizing. 😛

Joe and I joined the festival in spirit – we played the live stream at our apartment throughout the weekend. 🙂

After the pregame, Joe and I headed to the Marina to attend a farewell party for Karan and Ashna who are moving to NYC. Longtime readers of this blog may remember when I first moved to SF 6 years ago, I hung out with Karan almost every single weekend since we were neighbors in the Marina. His wedding was last year in Jaipur, India, where I got to meet his lovely wife, Ashna. It was bittersweet seeing Karan/Ashna again – I’m glad we got to catch up while also saying goodbye! The whole event was a nice reunion with this group of friends, most of whom I hadn’t seen since the wedding.

On Sunday, I met up with Matilda for a yoga date. This was actually Matilda’s early birthday present for me (my birthday is at the end of the month), which was the perfect idea since I’ve been on the yoga train lately. Matilda is always so thoughtful as she’s always planning events and making people feel loved with these gestures. I’m glad we got some 1:1 time on Sunday. ❤ After yoga, Matilda’s husband, Matt, and Joe joined us for lunch in the Sunset. We ate Yummy Yummy which has been Joe’s and my obsession lately. The perfect double date before starting the week.

Lastly, I wanted to write about my new morning routine which has made a big impact on me. For a while now, I noticed I was waking up every day with thoughts spinning in my head and with somewhat frantic energy – I’m a morning person, so I usually wake up early and immediately worry about things (seriously, you would laugh if you knew what I worried about). On top of that, once I drank a cup of coffee, I struggled with the jitters/anxiety that carried throughout the day.

And so, I started meditating first thing in the morning over a cup of coffee. I began meditating about a year ago, but I hadn’t been super consistent with it until now. After a few days of doing this, I felt a noticeable difference – I feel more grounded, calmer, and present throughout the day. I also approach things at a slower pace, which was always difficult for me. I chose to meditate during my caffeine intake because it helps me become alert while avoiding the jitters. And the best part: it helps sustain my energy all day.

After meditating, I’ll either journal or read a passage on Buddhist principles – I usually only have time for one or the other. Right now, I’m reading The Art of Happiness by the Dalai Lama. The book has a practical mix of Western psychology and Eastern Buddhism. I’m enjoying it so far, and just a few pages in the morning helps ground me throughout the day.

The whole routine takes about 45 minutes, after which I’ll do my workout before starting my day. I usually wake up around 6am, so I can fit this on days I work from home and on weekends. I’m in love with this new routine and will try to keep it up as long as I can. I don’t want to say this has been a “quick fix”, but I’ve always been interested in wellness practices and I’ve tried a lot over the years – I can honestly say this has made the most impact on me so far.