Optimism

My boss tells me I'm too optimistic.He wonders where I get it. When everything around me seems to be crumbling down.

He tells me that's good. But I should try to be cautiously optimistic.

I agree. But I don't have the slightest idea how to do that. Because I feel that the minute you start doubting your optimism (and creating plan B's, plan C's and D's) that's not being optimistic anymore.

So I would just rather remain as is right now. Cancer probably does that to you. Grows your faith. Keeps hope afloat on your side of the world.

Is being overly optimistic bad? They say anything in excess is always bad. Sigh.

AT this point though, I think staying a little more optimistic is the best thing for me to do. When I come to work, colleagues would ask where I get my energy or how do I keep my sanity intact despite every thing that's been happening around me lately. From my faith I guess. I learned how to surrender. And believe that every bad thing has an ending. And there is always a chance that tomorrow is going to be way better.

Right?

***all photos/quotes grabbed from Pinterest

A Better Me: An Update

And so, a quarter past me making this post of making a better version of me by the end of this year and actually promising to do something about it in writing, here's how far I've gone:

photo source

Good news:
-I lost another pound so that brings me down to 105 from 108 in the beginning of this year.
-I can now fit into my skinny jeans. (Well I still wore them when my waistline was around 29-30 inches but of course my mid-section wasn't a very pretty sight to look at)
-I feel better, lighter. I wasn't able to do a long run since my 21k stint at Condura last February but I can finally claim that my easy runs these days are really easy and I always feel like I'm flying every time I do my 10-15min fartleks.
-I've been incorporating weights into my cardio workouts and I'm feeling a lot stronger than I've been in years.
-I've been on the green smoothie brekky diet for 5 weeks now and I am positive that I can now keep up with the 5-day a week plan. There are days when I wince at the thought but I just push myself to prepare the greens and I'd always end up finishing a big glass or two. (big yay for me, right?)
-I've been off rice during dinner for two weeks now and I don't wake up starving anymore unlike the first few days that I was on this diet.
-On the work-front, there were recent changes which I hope is going to be for the better (especially for me). I am now challenged as ever (in a positive way). I am also starting my Nihonggo classes soon and some Microsoft excel training which is a BIG motivation for me to do better.

photo source

-My lipid profile in early January yielded normal results for my LDLs, HDLs and Cholesterol. (big yay again!) I've been off the meds for four months now. Doctor says I just have to retain the exercise and the food portioning and I should be fine.

Not-so-good-news:
-I have started reading 3 books. And I have yet to finish any one of them. I have really lost my reading mojo. If you find it, please let me know right away okay? I will come to get it ASAP!
-I have been doing less and less recipe experimenting in the kitchen since I've been eating less and less. I hope I won't be losing my cooking mojo as well :(
-Because the diet seems to be working, I'm getting less and less motivated to do my regular runs. I need to find something to push me harder soon. If I want to be better equipped for July's second half-marathon, that is.
-I am nowhere near my goal to cut down my caffeine consumption. Any tips on how I can curve my caffeine appetite?

photo source

Okay, these are what I can come up with for now. I hope I can make this a regular quarterly update just so I can check my progress. Wish me more luck, I really need it (lolz)!