Weekly Therapy

Weekly Therapy: Sports n’at

- Mel

the week:
Today is National Run at Work Day, so I’m going to see what it’s like running at my lunch break (and then returning to my desk all sweaty and smelly for the duration of the day). I’ll be certainly putting my sMEL U moniker to the test. I have also already added to my list to use my Bath & Body Works gift card towards some body sprays that I can keep at my desk. Plus, my five miles will be over and out of the way so that I can enjoy my Friday happy hour.

weekend:
I’ll be watching the WFTDA D1 Jacksonville Playoffs and cheering for my former teammates in black n’ gold throughout the weekend. The Steel Hurtin’ have already won their first game this morning and play again at 4pm against the Seed 1 Team (London). NAIL BITING NERVOUS EXCITEMENT.

I am also having a massage and a facial this weekend. Getting there should be fun. And then I’m going out for some retail therapy. #earnedit

Hopefully we get some kind of cool front so that I can have a good 16(ish) mile-run this weekend too. And I guess there’s a football game or something.

52 books in 52 weeks:
#32: So You’ve Been Publicly Shamed by Jon Ronson — loved, loved, loved this book. I plan to write a lengthier review about it as part of another post. Important take-aways (for me): the shame spreads wider than the person being shamed (often at the person/s doing the shaming); the internet is a gross place; and yet another disparity between men and women. And when the book ended, I wanted more.

seven things, seven days:
1. I ate tomatoes again. In the form of tomato jam on a hamburger because OMG THE KETCHUP CRAVINGS. And I think I might altogether start reintroducing nightshades (or maybe just tomatoes) into my diet again because I feel all right.
2. Had lunch at the new Yard Gastropub Market Square location with my (now former) work team. Gluten-free bread at a grilled cheese place makes me a very happy downtown worker despite all the annoying workplace crap going on. Though I secretly wish Yard could dedicate a fryer so that I could have those sweet potato waffle fries!
3. I have two more cracked teeth in my mouth per my six-month dental check-up. FFS.
4. Favorite read of the week (going to miss this show so much): Psychology lessons from Key and Peele
5. Why do runners get slower with age? Ugh, age. {via NY Times}
6. Like your flextime but also feeling symptoms of burnout? You might not be balancing your job demands, job resources and recovery properly. {via Huffington Post}
7. Why do we compete? {via The Atlantic}

Weekly Therapy: A change will do you good.*

- Mel

the week:
This has been a rough week. My job was realigned into a new department, on a new team, and I now also report to a new person. There has been a lot of confusion about how my role is changing for the company, and I’m really trying to be open about embracing those changes. What a lesson in organizational development and change management! I wish I was currently in those i/o-psych classes to tap into the experience a little more. And, maybe… help me process everything.

weekend:
It’s finally here — graduation and commencement! (Are they the same thing? WHO CARES! HOORAY!) I’m looking forward to spending some time with my family and celebrating this accomplishment. But also will be doing a LOT of thinking about my future on this weekend’s 16-mile (!!!) long run (I ended up registering for another half marathon to keep me accountable). I really think that I need that career coach.

52 books in 52 weeks:
I realized this week that I’m *tired* right now of reading self-development/inspirational/how-to books. I need a break and some more reading for fun. Have any good book recommendations? Please leave in the comments! I do prefer non-fiction, so a good memoir or biography that you’ve read would fit my interests.

seven things, seven days:
1. We went out (and subsequently got *smashed*) on a Sunday night when we found out that Howl at the Moon was having a luau because of the holiday weekend. We had a BLAST! Nice change of pace.
2. I’m all for social media, but can we PLEASE stop with the wedding hashtags?
3. Speaking of change, I had some lavender dyed into the “hidden”/underneath part of my hair. YOLO, amirite.
4. Pittsburgh blogger? Sign up for Allegheny Inn’s “Partei Für Blogger” happening next Friday.
5. The heel of my loafers somehow completely fell off on my walk to work on Thursday. Like, seriously life?
6. Performance sportswear gives psychological as well as physical boost
7. A breakdown of research about the role of Vitamin D in athletic performance — something that I’ve long considered is the reason behind all my persistent fatigue and exhaustion (I have extremely low levels of Vitamin D, despite supplementation; and yet, still have no answers as to why).

*can’t get that dang song out of my head!

Weekly Therapy: What’s with all the questions?

- Mel

the week:
How do you shift your thinking amidst a bunch of change? I’ve been really taking in the perspective of others and asking a lot of questions to help guide me through a few transitions — both professional and personal. I don’t necessarily feel stuck but I don’t feel as though I’m making any meaningful progress either. I have made it a priority, however, to start getting all the info I need to go to grad school. Spreadsheets are made and envelopes of program brochures are sitting in my mail pile. I’m not yet paralyzed… but I’m certainly feeling a little overwhelmed.

Anyone know a life/career coach who helps with the grad school application process?

weekend:
Long weekend, everybody! We originally had plans to drive to Ohio for a party, but that got canceled. So I’ve got a lot of NOTHING TO DO… in my hammock. Buh-bye, summer. Don’t let the door hit ya. And would you mind taking out that 90-degree/100% humidity garbage?

52 books in 52 weeks:
#31: Are You Fully Charged? by Tom Rath – I received this book for review via NetGalley. Since I enjoyed Rath’s StrengthFinder book so much from my personal development work, I expected this to be equally as inspiring.

The first couple sections of the book resonated, and I was particularly interested in what Rath categorizes as “energy”… but the result of that was either heavy on personal anecdotes that didn’t really add much or regurgitated info that I’ve learned from other books (and from my interest in positive psychology). Like, I GET IT ALREADY: I NEED TO GET MORE SLEEP. When someone tells me a HOW that works, then maybe it will be ground-breaking book info.

Hashtag, not getting enough sleep.

seven things, seven days:
1. Did you know that in Pittsburgh you have to renew your library card? My procrastination framework is firmly integrated. Coincidence that it’s National Library Card Sign Up Month?
2. Why did I feel so much worse the day after my 4-mile run than I did after my 14-mile run? WHY.
3. Why are health insurance companies the worst? My claims were denied for the same blood panel I get every year, albeit with my new insurance, and they won’t even apply the $550 payment towards my out-of-pocket expenses or deductible. THE WORST.
4. Why does this make me feel like shit (but I totally get it)? Read: How ‘transference’ makes you hard to live with.
5. A depressing – but hopefully a means for reflection – opinion piece in the New York Times: How Not to Be Alone. I just realized this is from 2013. Why am I just reading it now?
6. Copywriter to Performance Psychologist… Wait, whose life is this? Sustainable High Performance: Five Questions with Matt Fellows {via Forbes.com}
7. Did you know the GRE costs $195?! The hell.

Weekly Therapy: The same… but different.

- Mel

the week:
Every day my boyfriend asks me what I’m going to do with my evening. For the last two years, my “free time” consisted of my head in a book or laptop and hours spent on homework. More often than not my answer these days is somewhere between “nothing” and “everything.” I feel like I have no gear, but I’m trying to be mindful about my time with minimal obligations and my intentions for using it wisely.

It still hasn’t quite hit me that I’m done with my degree program. So, now I’m currently vacuuming a lot.

weekend:
Long run! A street party with lots o’ pig. And some yoga in the outfield of PNC Park. Yeah, pretty stoked for this weekend.

52 books in 52 weeks:
#30 “Whisper My Secret” by JB Rowley – Wow, I got completely caught up in this book! While the story was a bit predictable, the writing style kept me engaged until nearly the end (where I feel as though some of the writing fell flat).

seven things, seven days:
1. I received a postcard from a hello prompt subscriber in India. Made my week! I seriously love that tiny letter community so much.
2. I guess I got a head-start on my 30-day challenge to get rid of stuff… by leaving a bag of hair styling products and accessories in my hotel room over the weekend. RAWR.
3. Oh, just stockpiling my favorite running shoe that was discontinued and on 6pm.com at a closeout discount. What was that about getting rid of excess?
4. So excited for the boyfriend, who had the opportunity to golf in an amateur-champions game this week. He got to golf with a LEGEND and that is just the coolest. I really wish I could have been there to watch.
5. TRIGGER WARNING: And how those Trigger Warnings are coddling us. {via The Atlantic}
6. The difficulties of change management sums up my unusual work week. {via HBR}
7. For me and for my fellow social introverts: How to Avoid Introvert Burnout {via PsychCentral}

Weekly Therapy: …but maybe we should.

- Mel

the week:
I feel as though I haven’t had a chance to think this week, let alone PACK (or, you know… run). Every night I had something on my calendar and to be honest, I’m looking forward to a couple hours in the car by myself tonight.

weekend:
Heading over to O-hi-O for some running (participating) and roller derby (observing). I have the Rock Hall Half Marathon on Sunday, and the WFTDA D2 Playoffs at the Public Auditorium throughout the weekend. Should be a kick-ass, hot-ass weekend.

52 books in 52 weeks:
#29: Seeking Ultra by Paul Klipp – I feel… a bit disingenuous including this in my list, given that it’s about 50 pages long. But I had no idea going in, and was, frankly, disappointed that I was duped into reading this book that’s not really a book (via Kindle). Moving on…

seven things, seven days:
1. Randomly won a $250 visa gift card for taking a survey about healthcare (which I’ll be ironically using to pay a stupid doctor bill; WHYTF do I even have insurance if it covers nothing?).
2. There was a wellness fair in Market Square this week, and I finally got to try some Gluten Free Goat Bakery baked goods (chocolate chip cookie and a cider donut, if you must know). I know that she uses potato starch in her ingredients, but I had already failed at my attempt in having a non-contaminated, nightshade-free lunch (which was so much FAIL), so… YUM.
3. Excited about crossing a few of these cool places to do yoga off my list soon. {via NEXT Pittsburgh}
4. Speaking of yoga, 1600 (SIXTEEN HUNDRED) people signed up for OM in the Outfield next weekend (I am one of them). More like OMG in the Outfield, amiright?! #anxiety
5. I feel like I was reading something that my daily internal monologue posted with this: …Or Maybe, I Don’t. {via Wit & Delight}
6. The psychological obstacles holding you back at work {via The Book of Life}
7. ME, in sum: “If being watched while you undergo a task, even something benign as eating, makes you highly uncomfortable, then you have social anxiety.” Social anxiety and 7 ways to cure it {via A Daring Adventure}

Weekly Therapy: Setting intentions to LISTEN.

- Mel

the week:
Um, guys? I’m so bored! hahahahahah

But seriously, my week started off with a confirmed broken pinky (chip fracture). And after a couple days off (and one serious day of pain and crankiness), I feel better. A little emotionally drained but better. I went back to run//yoga Wednesday night too, and aside from not doing any floats or crazy inversions, yoga seemed OK for my finger. I definitely had to listen to my body a lot in this practice to be conscious of where I placed my weight. Kind of a welcome change in pace for me.

weekend:
Podcamp PGH X! My intention this year is to learn all that I can about podcasting. I think it might be something I want to dip into this year.

We were also asked to include our garden/courtyard in a strolling poetry reading throughout our neighborhood, in a collaboration with City of Asylum. Each reading is from a specific poet who wrote about the individual gardens in which they are presenting. The collective experience sounded amazing to be a part of, and the boyfriend has been tirelessly prepping the garden (while I write out to-do lists and requests, of course).

52 books in 52 weeks:
Finally finished a book (decided to put the other one to the side, temporarily), which leaves me a couple books behind on my goal, but I have nothing but time to make it up!
#28: The Connection Algorithm: Take Risks, Defy the Status Quo, and Live Your Passions
I was able to finish this book quickly, and there were a few life-affirming gems within it — but I felt the content skewed more towards tech/entrepreneurs and their livelihoods. Interesting read though!

seven things, seven days:
1. Ice wine chocolate, yeah. I just realized today too that maybe these aren’t appropriate for the office?
2. Also, we brought home three bottles of ice wine from duty free.
3. We have approved “jeans day” for the duration of August at work (however, those dang August temperatures aren’t very denim-friendly). I’d like to have Yoga Pants August, please.
4. Would you be surprised that I filled every single night of my week with socializing? (If you saw my face right now, you would *know* that I overdid it.)
5. First post-degree-completion meltdown: CHECK!
6. Why telling kids to dream big is a BIG FAT LIE {via aeon}
7. How my therapist gave me the best career advice {via The Financial Diet}

Training Week 9: Niagara Falls International Marathon

- Mel

I knew going into this week that I would be pressed and stressed for time (probably a self-affirming limited belief as well). Do I accumulate any points this week for driving over the bridge that I’ll be running over for this marathon? How about any for breaking a finger?

(Seriously.)

MONDAY: The usual rest day (but maybe it shouldn’t have been…)

TUESDAY: Had tickets to Kinky Boots after work, and couldn’t wake up any earlier in the morning despite three alarms and one set to System of a Down.

WEDNESDAY: Drove to Toronto, crossed over on the Peace Bridge. Got super giddy about running this race!

THURSDAY: I completed a treadmill run at our AirBnB apartment complex — oh, this is a hilarious one! So, the touch screen on the stupid treadmill in the gym was not working, and it wasn’t until well into my warm up that I realized that I was running IN KILOMETERS. Meanwhile, I had no wifi access (or international plan), so I couldn’t easily Google “how many miles are in a kilometer?” Obviously, I knew my 5K breakdown, so I just estimated from there. But what a hilarious adventure. (I’m quite fast in Canada!)

4.34 miles (or 7 kilometers) which included a six-minute warm-up and .4km walking cool down.

FRIDAY: Rest, convention and finish up final papers and assignments.

SATURDAY: FINALS DUE! Last day (for me) for convention. I wasted a couple hours celebrating the end of school too BECAUSE.

SUNDAY: Drive home from Canada. I was hoping to run IN Toronto in the morning, but decided to just get on the road early and back home to the cats. And then I slipped up the steps in my house while carrying a water bottle and Fig Newtons, and… well, I now have a chip fracture in my left pinky finger and I’m splinted for a few weeks.

Total runs: 1 (yuck!)
Total miles: 4.34 miles
Total training miles: 96.35 miles

This is the first week of my training that I missed my Sunday run. Last week I did one more mile than I should have, and next week is a drop-back week, so I know that I’ll be fine. But a broken finger is definitely not the injury that I anticipated experiencing during my training program! I’ll be taking a couple days off, and hopefully Wednesday I’ll be good again for run//yoga club (adapted for the yoga part, naturally).

Weekly Therapy: “You will either step forward into growth or you will step back into safety.” – Abraham Maslow

- Mel

the week:
My Capstone project has been focused on burnout in organizations (and its relation to organizational culture and motivation), and thank the Applied Psych Gods that this course/project is only 6 weeks long because I’m sure that I would be experiencing burnout myself. I’m on my last couple days of assignments, with my final project presentation Saturday morning. And then, I’m DONE. D-O-N-E.

It’s so surreal from when I first started talking about going back to school and some of the obstacles that I encountered even trying to apply!

weekend:
I’m in Toronto for the annual APA convention, and I’m part of its Twitter Team again. If you’re into psychology follow along: @melindaurick and #APA2015

(AAAAAAAHHHHHH. I’M DONE WITH SCHOOL!)

I’m supposed to run Ray’s Race 5K Saturday morning, aka: the Running of the Psychologists as I like to call it. BUT with my final class presentation at 9 am, I’m nervous that I’ll be cutting it too close (and the starting point is a 30-minute walk from where I’m staying). I have 10 miles on my schedule for my long run on Sunday, so at least I’ll have that relaxing way to see some of Toronto without the stress of homework deadlines hovering over me.

seven things, seven days:
1. Experienced a water main break this week on my street. Thankfully, no flooding in the basement!
2. I attended my first info program about grad school… I know, I know, I’m talking all about being done but I plan to take at least 6 months off.
3. Changing your life is not a mid-life crisis. SO IMPORTANT! Change is certain in our lives; we need not judge others (or fear them) for wanting to change.
4. Seemed relevant: Perfectionism and burnout.
5. Something that I’ve been thinking about a lot lately (re: reducing the clutter and noise in my own life): One year without social media
6. 3 effective ways I’m dealing with professional burnout – a great personal essay from The Financial Diet
7. And if you’re suffering from burnout: How to recover {via Mind Tools}

Weekly Therapy: Action is the cause AND effect of motivation

- Mel

the week:
Because I’m trying not to procrastinate any further on my senior capstone, I’ve got mostly links in the “seven things” section today. But I have read every single thing, so I guess my procrastination likes reading about procrastination and motivation and such.

weekend:
Tonight is the Liberty Mile, which my team won first place in some category last year. I’m “competing” (lolz) as an individual this year, hoping to beat my mile time of 8:42. But otherwise, I’m just doing this one for fun.

liberty mile pittsburgh race downtown
Last year’s medal — and the FIRST medal of my collection!

Saturday: ROBERT RANDOLPH AND THE FAMILY BAND, YES. FEASTival looks to be kick-ass (I hope it’s not hot and crowded, double-lolz).

On Sunday, Bolthouse Farms and Giant Eagle are co-hosting a fun (and nutritious) community event as part of its #SnackMob tour. From 10 a.m. – 2 p.m., the event will feature live music and fresh food, with registered dietitians on-site to provide nutritional guidance for back-to-school snack options for kids. The family-friendly event this weekend will take place at Giant Eagle Market District at Settlers Ridge. Unfortunately, I cannot attend, but Bolthouse was kind enough to send me a few samples of their products. While I don’t have kids, I like snackin’ like them! Trust: these snack items are GOOD.

seven things, seven days:
1. My first sunburn in a few years, and I feel like an idiot (despite my use of sunscreen AND multiple reapplications).
2. But yay, more pool time at the club!
3. Holy crap, you guys — I won a twitter contest that includes entry to EVERY race from Elite Runners Pittsburgh this coming year. I AM SO EXCITE.
4. Probably the best article on procrastination that *I* ever read {via Mark Manson, naturally}
5. What kind of introvert am I? Social introvert. What kind of introvert are you? {via PsychCentral}
6. Me: The upside of being boring. I’ve had enough exciting life for three of me, thankyouverymuch. {via Fast Company}
7. This method would not work for me AT ALL, unless we’re talking about traveling around the world or you want me to eat cereal for every meal: The 2 words that every Busy Person should say before committing {via The Muse}

Training Week 7: Niagara Falls International

- Mel

No long lead-ins from me this week. I just reached 22 pages on my Capstone paper, so I’m all word-ed out.

MONDAY: My usual weekly resty rest day.

TUESDAY: Ran 3.02 miles (10:15 avg pace); should have done 5, but I just wasn’t feeling it.

WEDNESDAY: Rest; completely crapped out after being in a seminar all day. Skipped my weekly run//yoga club, and I’m bummed about that.

THURSDAY: MOAR REST! I had to prepare for my weekly Capstone session with my advisor.

FRIDAY: Rest; again, what a weird week — we had our departmental retreat, so my schedule was just all out-of-sorts. I could have run after work, but… I opted for napping in my hammock. Oops.

yogafest pittsburgh park outside
Ommmmmm

SATURDAY: YogaFest — I did three sessions: two hour-long flow classes (the first was at 7:30am — yay, me!) and a pure barre intro class in between. The barre class one was so… weird. And not at all what I expected. But doing three classes five hours really tired me out, and made me feel less bad about taking so many rest days this week. Also, I freakin’ woke up at 6am — with a massive headache, but STILL. Considering my sunburn from just the morning, I’m glad that I went early.

Side note: I feel like Whirl YogaFest always has THE BEST vendors. Like, I got to eat a gluten-free scone for breakfast (thank you immensely, Chateau Cafe). Soergel’s is always there too, with the perfect snacks. And I come home with a bag full of awesome free swag. I also always purchase at least two new tops every year. But please bring back Marty’s Market and their scrambled eggs?

SUNDAY: Ran 6.14 miles, which also (randomly) included a Flash 5K with SCRR to coincide with this summer’s last Open Streets PGH (sad face). The Open Streets events have given me the motivation to wake up early and do training runs with the SCRR group; I didn’t recognize anybody and wasn’t feeling very social (or awake) though, so I just ran by myself. But it’s part of my monthly goals, to run more regularly with them. I had already ran a mile to the meeting point and didn’t find out about the Flash 5K until I arrived, but decided why not? (I mean, aside from being totally exhausted and unable to run another two miles). Well, I was exhausted, and part of that fourth mile was power walking, but I did my six.

running club pittsburgh flash 5k

In complete random turn of events, realized that I beat my 5K PR time by 7 seconds. So I have a new PR: 28:08! Certainly wasn’t expecting that as part of my training week, but I’ll take it!

Total runs: 2
Total weekly miles: 9.16 (this week was another drop-back week in the training program)
Total training miles: 72.80 miles