Right Now, These Are My Priorities

After two years away from this space, I wanted to start with something simple: what actually matters to me right now.

Life happens, things change, but I was always thinking about what I could do to improve this space. All it took was scrolling Pinterest to find a February themed prompt list and I knew I could work my way back into using this space to share honest reviews, life experience (not that I have a lot of it), and what I can only describe as personal perspective. 

Since taking a hiatus from the blog, I got married, became a cat mom, and truly started (continued?) working on stuff in therapy. Life looks a bit different now than it did when I started this blog 8 years ago. 

I started this blog in the bedroom I was renting in a house with 2 other people as a way to share my experiences. I was VERY single (mentally dating Shaun White at the time.. yes, the red headed Olympian), starting at a new job, and filling my time with FRIENDS reruns or the newest Netflix release or spending time with my friends.

Now? Happily married to a guy I met on Bumble in October of 2020 and mama to a 7 year old rescue cat we adopted in January of 2025. I have reignited my passion for reading, do my best to be present with friends and family, and absolutely love where we live. 

Now you’re caught up. 

So.. let’s talk about today’s topic!

This month I want to feel better in my body, make more memories, read more than I scroll, be more intentional with our money, and finally start showing up for this blog again.

 

Feel better in my body…

I’ve been going to the gym pretty consistently for the last year with one of my closest friends, which has been such a gift in itself. But lately, I’ve felt the pull to actually dial things in again and get back into a more intentional lifting routine.

I’ve struggled with my weight for most of my life. I’ve tried just about every diet out there, and after college, all of that restriction eventually led me straight into an eating disorder. It’s something I’m very aware of now, and it’s why I’m cautious about anything that promises fast or dramatic results.

Which brings me to GLP-1 medications and semaglutide and the “great debate”. I’m generally pretty against them — with an asterisk.

For me personally, there isn’t enough long-term research to convince me that these medications won’t become a lifelong dependency. The potential side effects feel heavy: muscle loss, bone density issues, hair thinning, constant nausea, and appetite suppression to the point of feeling sick just to avoid eating. On top of that, I struggle with how easily accessible they’ve become through spas and online “pharmacies” rather than being closely managed by a primary care doctor.

That said, I also recognize that not everyone has the same experience. Some people take these medications with minimal side effects and see incredible results. Others use them alongside real lifestyle changes and still work extremely hard for their progress.

And I genuinely believe there are people who may benefit from medical support — especially those who have made consistent efforts with exercise, nutrition, and habits but still struggle due to hormonal or chronic conditions like PCOS or endometriosis.

Do I know people using it as a shortcut? Yes.

Do I know people using it responsibly? Also yes.

Do I judge them? No.

I’m allowed to have my opinion, just like everyone else is allowed to make their own choices.

It’s hard to stand in your own beliefs in a world that constantly tells you what you should think, buy, try, or fix. But I think there’s real value in doing your own research, listening to your body, and making decisions that align with your long-term health — even if they aren’t the popular ones.

So, bringing this back to me and not turning it into a full-blown rant: going forward, I want to recommit to my workouts in a more intentional way. Not just for this month, but as a real lifestyle shift again.

There are plenty of reasons I let some of that structure go — stress, anxiety, and just life in general. But I’m ready to get back into a healthier mindset, one that focuses less on extremes and more on consistency, strength, and actually feeling good in my body.

Make more memories…

It’s a very common statement when we lose those we love - I wish we had more pictures. I wish we had more memories together. 

As someone who currently despises how she looks, I need to take my own advice. 

We are our own worst critics. The way we speak to ourselves radiates from us - so we may as well make it positive! Which may come off as toxic positivity - something I have been called before - but when push comes to shove, live life with the attitude you want from it. 

This month (and realistically the rest of the year) I am going to do my best to just take the dang picture - and try EXTRA hard not to criticize myself. When we take pictures, we are capturing moments in time that brought us joy and we want to remember. We aren’t taking the pictures because we want to remember how miserable we felt or how we THINK we look. 

I also want to tack on to this priority - that I want to say yes to more plans with friends and family because I want to have memories to hold on to. This time of year here in the northeast is a black hole of miserable weather and beyond frigid temperatures. It makes us want to stay inside and not socialize. TOO BAD. Make the memories til ya can’t. 

Read more than I scroll…

I’m an avid reader. Reading gives me the ability to shut my brain off and truly immerse myself into a world I want to be in - where I don’t have to worry about bills, my mental health, what the state of the world is, or what is expected of me any given day of the week. 

Last month, I was doom scrolling more than I was reading books. My TBR list is a century long, and I’m due for a good escape. I am also finding that my immediate response to anything I want to avoid is doom scrolling - and it helps approximately no one.. so it’s time to get a grip. 

I set a reading goal last year that came in WILDLY under where I wanted to be. This year I wont let that happen. I have a game plan. I just need to stick with it! 

In all honesty - I am intrigued as to what will happen after a month of reading instead of putting my free time into scrolling! 

Be more intentional with our money…

It’s no secret that the world is on fire.. this also goes for the economy and the inability to afford simple life needs. Yes, the bigger bills are paid up - but what about the rest of life? What about saving? HAHA NO. What about paying down debt instead of accruing more? What about making the choices that are best for our family, 

We have short term and long term goals - that are going to require us to get serious with saving. Creating a budget and sticking to it. Looking at what we don’t need to be spending money on and get real serious about sacrificing. Giving up things now will only better us in the future. With this being a short month, it will be a great pulse check on where we need to start making cuts and where we can loosen the reigns a bit.

 Showing up for this blog again…

This blog grew out of a need to share my perspective in one cohesive read - rather than tweets or posts that made no sense. 

I would find myself thinking about the blog but shrugging off the urge to write - telling myself no one wanted to read it or care about what I had to say. Welp - in true IDGAS fashion, I am committing to this blog for this month every day - and seeing how it goes from there. 

It will not be perfect or pretty. But I need to keep at least one promise to myself this month! 

Filling my free time with reading and blogging might make me an overall happier person - and might help fight some of the demons that try and sneak in when I’m dormant.  

If you have read this far - kudos to you. Gold star. You are a true champion, and clearly had nothing better to do with your time. So thank you for spending it with me and in this space. If nothing else, I want to create a safe space - where thoughts and opinions are welcomed, discussed, and never dismissed. 

I have so badly missed this and look forward to the next 27 posts!! They won’t all be this long of course ;)