Friday Finisher 9/19/14

O boy. A lot happened this week and a lot didn't happen this week. I'll start with something simple. I got all my protein powders I left at home and other goodies shipped down! Yay! Time to make some PSPcakes this weekend 😉 The DC VegFest is tomorrow! I bought a Metro Card to make it easier and I am going to meet up with the GW Animal Advocate club who are going to the fest and meeting at the station together. I should be safe. Let me know if your local and coming down! I will be there all day walking around or working the Plant Fusion table, so make sure to stop by and say hi!

And now the big one. That phone call of mysteriousness I have been keeping from you. Well, I applied for a yoga scholarship called Yogis Heart back in the beginning of August. The scholarship is given to young adults (15-25) who are seeking a consistent practice, but may not be able to afford a studio, but desire a strong loving practice and a healthy outlet. The recipient receives 1 full-year of free yoga at any studio of their choice which is paid for by Yogis Heart through donations there receive as they are a non-profit. (Read the full break-down and mission here on their Facebook Page). Since you all know I have never been to a studio (never had access or could afford one), I decided to apply since down in DC I would have access, just not the financial means. I had to fill out the application and then from there 2 weeks ago I found out I had made it to the second round of selection and had a phone interview. From there it was narrowed down further. I got a call on Wednesday from the founder telling me that I had been chosen to receive the scholarship through one of the most rigorous rounds they have had! I started crying on the phone when she told me. I still can't believe it!

What happens now is I find the studio I want to attend, try it out to make sure I like it, and then commit to going twice a week to keep my scholarship. Since I won't be in DC a whole year, the scholarship can be put on hold during vacations and breaks and then resume when I come back and for a little next year in the Fall. So right now I have my eye on Yoga Distract as my studio since they have a super close location on the Foggy Bottom campus of GW. I'll be setting up my first class in the next few weeks and I am so nervous/excited/speechless. Really I am just so thankful and so so so excited to be able to grow and learn as a yogi! I have learned so much from my home practice, but a think a studio will allow me to expand in other directions as well and learn things from real instructors! Plus I am so excited to be a part of a real live yoga community! I am foreseeing many hours there and many friends made 🙂 Thank you so much Yogis Heart! This is going to be a crazy experience, but one I want to try and one I want to take. If it doesn't work out, it doesn't work out, but I am so ready to break out of my comfort zone with something I love and explore it to a whole other dimension!

SS Posts from the week:

Monday: What Am I Doing Here?

Tuesday: September Must Have Box + New Foodie Favorites

Wednesday: Ultra-Fluffy Vanilla Pumpkin Chickpea Pancakes

Blog Posts and Links I loved this week:

Life, Mind, Body, Spirit:

+ How To Live Every Day Like You're Beyoncé

Love this post! (Hate Beyoncé, but that's besides the point!)

+ 5 Ways You Don't Realize Your Being Negative

Gotta stop being negative...

+ Self-Care: It's An Inside Job!

Take care of yourself and follow your intuition.

+ Tricep Dips In A Wheelchair

Because strength is a beautiful and inspiring thing!

+ 10 Lessons I've Learned In My Career

All important things!

Fitness:

+ 10 Tips To Become Your Fittest Self

Yes to all of these!

+ Is Running Different For Men And Women?

This is a great post!

+ How To Embrace Mental And Physical Rest

So important...but so overlooked.

+ The Only 10 Guidelines Your Need To Practice Yoga

It's pretty straightforward.

+ Yoga Poses For Lower Back Pain

These are actually some of my favorite asanas to flow through!

Food:

+ End Your Summer In Style With These 15 Mindblowing Vegan Pizzas

O gosh, pizza is so good! I need to make ones soon! I have gone to long without!

+ How To Store Produce

A very comprehensive guide!

+ Why Oatmeal Made In A Rice Cooker Is Awesome

Oatmeal is awesome...nuff said.

+ Guide To Nutritional Yeast + 20 Recipes

I love nutritional yeast! I pour it on everything!

+ Finally, A Gadget That Tests For Gluten!

Not sure if this should be in the tech category, but...this is something, haha!

+ 20 DIY Pantry Staples That Are Even Better Than Store-Bought

Make your own whenever you can! It's so worth it 🙂

+ 5 Cookbooks To Teach You The Basics Of Indian Cooking

My all-time favorite cuisine!

+ 5 Sneaky Ways To Fill Your Freezer

If I didn't have a freezer...I would die or cry...

+ The Top 9 Most Crappy Processed Foods

Nailed it!

+ 19 Signs You're A Foodie Fanatic

i.e A REAL foodie fanatic.

+ Eat The Skin

I will hunt you down if you don't eat you kiwi or mango skin...don't be a food/nutrition waster!

Health:

+ Is Gluten REALLY The Culprit?

No, not ALWAYS! And people with gluten problems need to stop thinking every health aliment they have is related to it...

+ 10 Ways To Get A Healthier & Happier Belly

My ultimate goal is to be without tummy troubles...

+ Just Stop: 12 "Healthy" Practices That Aren't Healthy At All

Well, Shes got that one right! Love this!

Blogging, Social Media, Technology:

+ Finding Your Words When Writers Block Is Holding Them Back

It happens, but it is not the end.

+ Strangers More Likely To Help Than Friends When Starting A Business?

Interesting read!

+ How To Increase Your Twitter Traffic

I think Twitter is my favorite platform. Follow me?

+ What If We Had Facebook When We Were Young?

On the other hand, Facebook is my least favorite.

Other:

+ A Visit To Woodstock FAS, And 10 Ways That You Can Help Animals Today

I am so jealous of Gina's trip! I read Jenny Brown's book a while back and fell in love with everything she does. Plus...I really want to hug a cow. You know that is on my life-long bucket list!

+ Steve Jobs Didn't Let His Kids Use Electronic Devices, So Why Should You?

Wow, didn't know that one. (Hypocrite?) But really, technology is getting bad...just to much!

+ 16 Times Target Failed So Hard It Won

This made ME laugh, so it will definitely make you laugh!

+ In Defense Of Yoga Pants + 5 Picks

Yoga pants (and leggings) = love!

+ 15 Actually Helpful Tips For Powering Through Your To-Do List

Mine have been getting longer and longer, but I am still chipping away each day.

+ How Free Can Our Kids Be?

It's sad that now-a-days you can't just run outside and play :/ Something to think about.

+ Why You Should Add Castor Oil To Your Beauty Routine

I need this...for my eyebrows and lashes...

Favorite Pins:

(Follow me on Pinterest – RebeccaGF666)

Homemade Oatmeal Flake Cereal. This is so much fun! Oat cereal FTW!

Early Autumn Fig And Oatmeal Breakfast Bowl. This.in.my.face.now!

Pumpkin Buckwheat Porridge Power Bowl. Basically this is the definition of a Rebecca-Approved breakfast!

Sweet + Salty Crockpot Cashew Chicken. No really...I can't even handle this...

Paprika Grilled Chicken with Avocado Salsa. This is my paprika heaven! (My parents just sent me a new bottle of my beloved smoked!)

Spicy Mexican Cauliflower Rice. If you have not tasted the joy of cauli-rice...you need to ASAP!

A few things I loved about my week or am grateful for:

+ It was an okay week. Workouts were killer (I max out on weight on the squat press as a finisher. It is fun to use some machines that I haven't had access to in a very long time. Switching it up does a body good!), food was good (delicious), I accomplished a lot of work and feel less stressed. Good stuff.

+ Well basically the biggest thing is what I talked about in my intro, haha. I am so grateful for that 😉 (I'll keep you informed as it all comes together more clearly!)

+ I had my first "college" quiz yesterday. It was a microeconomics quiz. And...it...was...super easy! I hope my grade reflects that feeling! We only have 4 quizzes the whole semester and our top 3 count. So if you bomb or can't take one, it won't hurt you which is pretty chill. (O and my UW class was canceled yesterday because my teacher was "bedridden" haha, (his words). So no class there! College is so different since substitute teachers no longer exist!

+ My grandma sent me a $50 gift card to Starbucks...enough said. But instead of getting coffee now before class, I love getting Venti Unsweetened Hot TAZO English Breakfast Tea instead! It is much better on my tummy and so good! Although I drink it in 30 seconds flat (yes I burn my mouth) but I have no control over those bitter hot beverages like tea and coffee.

So tell me:

+ Are you coming to the DC VegFest?! I hope you are! I want to meet you!

+ Tell me something your grateful for this week!

+ What is your typical Starbucks/DD/coffee shop order? I haven't gotten anything iced in awhile since it is so cold in the mornings. So now I will just stick to my black coffees and teas!

+ What's your favorite social media platform?

**P.S. Re-follow my NEW blog on Bloglovin’ since the domain has changed! Don’t want to miss any updates **

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