Happy Monday! I hope that your week is off to a great start. Mine certainly is after reading your incredible comments on yesterday’s post about finding happiness in the little things and everyday moments. I have said this so many times but one of my favorite things about blogging is the opportunity to connect with so many amazing people and share stories.
Speaking of connections, check out this post by reader and fellow blogger Erica about her journey to find happiness. She shares her story about struggling with obesity and about her ongoing struggles to remain happy in her day-to-day life. I think you’ll like her take on it, as well as her plan of action.
I slept until 7:30 this morning. I was just telling someone today how nice Mondays are since I gave up teaching 6 a.m. BodyPump. Don’t get me wrong, I loved teaching the class and it got my week started on a great note but it was pretty exhausting to have that responsibility for two years. I actually don’t teach any morning classes these days and it’s a nice change of pace. I’m getting a lot more sleep! Now it’s my choice whether I want to get up early and workout or sleep. I like it! Breakfast was plain Greek yogurt with bananas, peanut butter banana bread, strawberries and peanut butter.
I love that so many of my meals have been focused around my farmers market purchases. I made a tomato sandwich with mayo and salt on sourdough for lunch today and cut into my watermelon. It’s perfect.
I ran after lunch. Only 3 miles but my god, it was 90 degrees and SO hot and humid. I refueled after with a green protein shake. Ice, banana, spinach, strawberries, almond milk and vanilla protein powder. Protein shakes are becoming my favorite afternoon snack given the crazy hot weather and how much CrossFit I’ve been doing in the evenings.
Let’s switch gears and talk about hair for a second. Pinterest is giving me all kinds of great ideas these days. First, I want to try the sock bun.
This looks pretty simple and I love the volume of the bun. I love to pile my hair on top of my head but I feel like when I do a bun it’s always kind of sad looking. Has anyone tried this?
Second, call me crazy but I’m thinking about doing this to my hair.
(source)
I have never put color in my hair (save for a disastrous highlight experiment in college). I really do love it dark but my stylist has been pushing color lately because I do have a lot of grays (they’re hidden but they’re there). I’m kind of scared to start the vicious color cycle but I can’t stop thinking about this photo! What do you think? It doesn’t seem like too much commitment since the color isn’t at the roots. I can’t decide!
And while we’re on the topic of Pinterest. One last find to share. I immediately ordered this when I saw it last week.
It’s the Woody Buddha bracelet. I’m in love. Can’t wait for mine to arrive!
And that’s all! A bit of a random post but fun for me.
I think your hair would look really pretty like that. I, too, was very reluctant to start the color cycle when my first grays made an appearance, but I’m really glad I did. We all need to try something new and different sometimes.
I like the sock bun but my hair is too short!
Go for a color change. Your hair always looks gorgeous natural, but color can be so fun! That ombre style is a no commitment kind of change because you don’t have to worry about upkeep. You can always color over highlights if you don’t like them.
I think that hair color would look great on you!
Thank you so much for sharing my blog post. I really hope it may provide comfort for any others who read it who may be struggling on their path to happiness.
I also may need to order those Buddha bracelets in a bad way.
You should go for the color! The ombre seems less drastic anyway. I think hers look really nice…the drastic ones don’t really appeal to me. I really love her lip color, too! Have fun!
I say go for the color change! It’s fun to switch things up. I love that bracelet, I might have to get myself one as well.
Have a great evening!
Color it! It’s not permanent & it’s a lot of fun to change it from time to time. New hair, new fabulous you!
Gosh that breakfast looks phenomenal even though it’s nice and simple!
I used to teach spin every Monday and Friday morning at 6am. The Monday was particularly hard because Sundays should be a day for relaxing, not stressing about going to bed uber early to make sure you start off the week on a well-rested note! And Fridays I would need a serious dose of caffeine or a power nap by the mid afternoon in order to be any kind of sociable for the weekend. So giving that up and teaching a bit less was a great move for me, even though I miss the morning birds because they’re a whole different kind of motivated than people who do the classes later on, in my experience!
🙂
I’m sock bunning immediately.
In other news – in regards to my comment last week I’ve found a bunch of great jump rope routines that I’m going to use in London so no worries on that post!!!!
I love the ombre hair, and I think it would look great! I’ve been thinking about doing exactly the same thing, actually!
I tried a sock bun this weekend and failed. I should have checked youtube! I’m totally going to try again
Go for the hair color! Iit will make you feel totally HOT. Seriously.
I highlight my hair and it makes me sexy and confident everytime I do. And if you don’t like it, it will grow out.
Sorry but I’m a purist — I say keep your natural hair color a bit longer. I always took there is something beautiful about hair that is unprocessed. (The omber hair you posted is beautiful though!)
I love seeing your daily eats! That watermelon looks delicious! Your hair would look great like that! I love it! Cute bracelets!
I vote for changing your hair color. A fun and easy way to try something new. This coming from the girl that desperately needs to explore some hair color herself or be prepared to embrace the change to gray! Yikes! Forgot to comment yesterday but I’ve enjoyed reading a book called The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin. Might give you some thoughts on happiness. Unfortunately I tend to see the more negative side of a situation and get wrapped up in it. I have been working hard lately to recognize when I’m in this cycle and to remind myself of all the good things in my life. A good long run helps too but his 100+ heat in the Midwest has been brutal! Wishing you happiness Jen!
Do you have fine hair? i am always fearful of my sock showing if I did that style. AND how come I always have fly-aways underneath and that girl does not?!
I think you should try it! I’m the same way with my hair…I want change but don’t want to get in the cycle of having to do it. My hair stylist picked a color that would last almost 2 months so I don’t have to go so often! Luckily hair is easy to change! 🙂
So, I have a couple spots where there’s a ton of white, and the rest of my hair is still brown—not as dark as yours, but still: brown. I’ve been looking at women aging lately and thinking a lot about what I want to be, and that made me go with lots of high- and lowlights. Then, it blends more with my brown, because the white isn’t as glaringly obvious when some of the pieces are lighter and there’s a bigger mix… I guess I just want always and forever to accentuate what I have, but not fight the process of aging. That’s where the grace is, to me—and I can use high- and lowlights forever, mixed in with the (steadily increasing) grey. 🙂 At the end of the day, hair grows, colour’s not as permanent as a cut (you could actually change it the same week if you hated it), so why not jump in and have fun? 😀
I have done a sock bun. We do them in the military.
Yummy looking shake!
Color your hair,mit’s a fun change!
Buddha bracelet, I want it now!
I am obsessed with Pinterest and love the sock bun! I am always wanting to change up my hair so I totally understand! I say go for it! I don’t know how you ever taught at 6am. I am a group ex instructor but don’t think I could teach so early!!! Wouldn’t be pretty!
I got ombre done to my hair and love it! I really think you’d like it. If you are worried about it being too dramatic or something get it just a few shades of lighter brown than your hair is now rather than blonder pieces. But one of my friends has really dark hair like you and she got it even lighter at the ends than me…and it looks great! honestly I don’t think you can go wrong:)
Do it, Jen! You can always change it back! 😉
would it be bad if I told you to not dye your hair? you seriously have the most beautiful natural hair color, and I feel like the whole ombre hair trend will be a short-lived one! but do whatever you’re feeling the most!
1. Sock buns are lovely…and foolproof! Definitely beefs up my fine hair.
2. LOVE that hair color, I want to switch to that in the fall…that is the perfect ombre, and her hair just looks so shiny and vibrant! I’d go dark to have hair like that!
3. Definitely ordering that navy Buddha bracelet, right now. Love!!! You are one of my favorite Pinteresters but I haven’t seen those yet! Love.
Sock buns are the way to go! Soo easy, plus I have crazy huge hair that can be hard to tame. It’s so easy and even if I let my hair air dry, the sock bun still looks great with all of the texture! Sometimes I even sleep in it and head out the door in the morning. 🙂
I think your hair would look really good with some highlights, but go with your gut feeling!
I love the hair color idea! And layers too! Change is good and fun! I think it would look great on you.
I love both hair suggestions. You should definitely try the highlights and soon…great for summer!
I think your hair would look really good like that! I’m a hair doing nerd. I love styling my hair. Its one of my favourite parts of getting ready for the day. I’ve tried the sock bun, but since I have lots of volume already, it just made me looks ridiculous hah.
Obsessed with those buddha bracelets! I want one.
love the ombre look – go for it! and i so wish I could do a sock-bun…. after years of having long hair due to dancing + gymnastics (for the sole purpose of being able to put it up….), I’ve kept mine pretty short most recently. Post pics when/if you try it!
I’ve actually never colored my hair before either! I really love that look on Jessica Biel though…I say go for it! 🙂
That bracelet looks so cute? Where is your grey? I have very dark hair as well and I have the roots colored dark because that is where my grey is. I say go for the change — it’s fun and it will give you something new to look forward to. 🙂
I’m thinking about a color change too since I’m growing a bit of gray as well! Looks like I get it from my mom. 😛 That color is nice and soft; great for the summer!
I used to color my hair all the time, then backed off when I decided I liked it dark best. Then, my grays really started showing (which I’ve had since college) and decided to go back to highlights. I really like the ombre look in the photo. The only concern I would have is what would it look like when your hair is straight. I would definitely try googling photos of her with straight hair and the same color. It really works with waves, but otherwise, I’m not sure…
But you’ve got to do what’s right for you and a change is always nice!
I love your dark hair! I’m currently trying to get out of the vicious color cycle. I highlighted my hair for 5 years, and now I’m literally paying to have my stylist color my hair my natural color while the highlights grow out. SO annoying! But I also love that picture and think it would look beautiful on you!
I am so late to the game but I love the color in Jessica Biel’s hair. I’m in the same predicament as you – more and more grays, and color becoming something to consider. I’ve always resisted as I like my color but I hate gray more. I think I might try highlights or lowlights first to test the waters – just as the picture indicates.
Jen- the sock bun is by far the greatest invention! It is super easy to do once you get the hang of it (if you have thinner hair use a smaller sock and vice versa). It is awesome because you can do it casually but also dress it up for a night on the town! 🙂 And I love the ombre look, very hip!
I did the sock bun to work yesterday…. and loved it!!! Love this random post!