Dating in the 'Diff Part 2

Well I'm 2 months on from my last Dating in the 'Diff blog, it's been a good couple of months but I've decided to come off online dating for a while and just see what happens in 'real-life'. 

Online dating was a lot of fun, I chatted with some really great guys and met up with some too but it can also be a tad frustrating for many reasons

Not sure which is the best option!

I think that's only fair!

There are the guys who are actually too busy to date and just like to message, the guys who don't seem to know what they want or whether they actually want to date anyone, the guys who don't give you chance to reply and message you 3 more times asking why you haven't replied yet and then there's the guy who put "no hook-ups please" on his profile but that's clearly all he is actually after because he throws a tantrum when you won't drop everything to go over to his place and, well, drop everything!

And then there are the stalkers!

They are the gems who 'wink' at you, who 'wink' at you again... and again... and again. Seriously mate take the hint. You winked at me and I looked at your profile but you weren't for me so I didn't wink back. That's not an invitation to continuously wink at me and then message me asking why I haven't winked back or messaged you. No offence but you're just not my cup of tea.

*blocked*

There have also been some conversations which have turned a bit creepy, these usually involve the guy making suggestive comments very early on. One guy asked me if I liked to 'wrestle' so I told him about my 3rd Dan in Taekwondo and that I'd happily spar with him and try not to hurt him. Didn't hear from him again... I wonder why?!

Another guy asked me if I liked to dress up... it turns out he participates in cowboy themed re-enactment weekends and wanted to know if I was up for it.

Tinder was very entertaining for a while but it ended up being a lot of men posting photos (known as Moments) of themselves topless in the gym changing rooms.

*yawns* So not impressed!

Now don't get me wrong, I've met some really great guys online and had some brilliant dates but it all just feels too forced and pressurised. I want to meet someone and have fun with them, just get together and have a giggle without the added pressure of 'where is this going?'. I have no plans to settle down for a long time. At the same time though I do have morals and know my self-worth so if you want to date me then you have to just date me.

I went on a couple of dates recently with one guy who made me laugh constantly and I realised that it was the first date where I was actually 100% myself. There was no trying to impress, no nerves and I didn't have to try to hide my slightly (very!) inappropriate sense of humour, I was just me and I loved it. So I'm taking that lesson with me on future dates, if I don't feel like I can be myself then he clearly isn't for me!

The next person I start dating might be someone I've met before, he may already be in my life or he might be a complete stranger so I'm just going to carry on having fun, meeting people and see what happens.

In the meantime, you'll find me out running (well in the gym until this weather warms up a bit), walking my dog, getting my yoga on, catching up with my awesome friends or hanging off the top of a wall by a piece of rope in my harness at Boulders. Don't be shy, come and say hello, I don't bite... well, unless you like that kind of thing.

#PushingBackHarder

My Session with a Personal Trainer

On Tuesday I had my free session with a personal trainer at my gym, DW Fitness Club. My PT is called Dave and he managed to kill me in less than an hour *high 5s Dave*

I love my gym... I never thought I'd say that!

Dave sat down with me and we discussed my goals and how I want to train to achieve them. My main goal is being ready for the Cardiff Half Marathon on 4th October this year!

Sorry, have I already mentioned once or twice that I'm running a half marathon??!!

I'm already doing a lot of treadmill time and know to do short runs, medium runs, long runs, interval training, hill training etc but I knew I had to do some strength training to stay injury free.

Dave had me doing squats, press-ups, more squats with a heavy ball that I had to lift over my head and some arm exercises with a giant elastic band... yes, these are the technical names obviously!

Amen!

Dave warned me that if I didn't do the exercises correctly then he would also make me do burpees... Dave is evil!

Luckily I am awesome and didn't have to do a single burpee! *high 5s self*

I really enjoyed the PT session but somehow I lost the ability to use my legs afterwards. For the last few days I have had a lot of trouble with sitting down, standing up and using stairs. Those squats killed me but I LOVED them! 

I am slowly recovering the use of my legs without wincing every time I do anything and the weird thing is that I'm missing the pain! I know, crazy!

Gotta love workout pain!

The strength workout is all exercises that I can do at home so I am emptying out my spare room and turning it into my workout room. I've got my yoga mat, weights, foam roller, resistance bands, bling board and I'm getting a gym ball.

This is what I plan to use it for...

 This is probably what I'll do while sitting on it...

#PushingBackHarder

2015 Is Going To Be Awesome!

Happy New Year everyone!

2014 is finally done and I'm going to have an awesome 2015. This year is my year and I am going to rock it!

I know this is easy to say and not actually put a plan in place to help myself then whinge about it

And I know I can achieve pretty much anything that I put my mind to

So here's the plan...

1) Have more fun and take life less seriously (not that I take it very seriously now but there is always room for improvement and more giggles)

2) Eat a bit healthier - try to eat little and often instead of a big meal and then snacking until I explode

3) Spend more time with the people I care about and dump the time wasters

4) Exercise harder and push myself beyond my limits

5) Take part in more races to challenge and motivate myself

And hopefully do some races with friends (yes Lynn, I mean you!)

6) Start my new job with the confidence and knowledge that I can do my job extremely well and I will be awesome!

Basically I need to

And remember...

#PushingBackHarder

Bring on 2015!

I hope everyone is having a great Christmas so far and that Santa has been good to you!

Merry Christmas from Winston-Claws

I drove to Bournemouth on Christmas Eve with Winston to spend 4 days with my parents. On Christmas Day I started a new tradition, I went out for a run. There were 2 main reasons for this. The first was so that I could eat my body weight in food and not feel guilty for it and the second was to get those happy hormones pumping around my body so that I didn't end up like this...

The run was my first one outdoors in about 3 months, it felt great and was only 1 min and 4 seconds slower than my personal best on a treadmill!

This year I decided that Christmas could suck it! As you will know, this is not like me at all but it's been a year of ups and downs and I haven't been feeling very festive.

I have tried to get into the Christmas mood but I wouldn't exactly call it a success.

Yep... not happening!

My besty and I went to see The Nutcracker the day before Christmas Eve and it was amazing. I have never sat so still or been so quiet before! My new career choice is to be a ballerina... I'm sure I haven't left it too late. 

Wow!

Even that didn't get me into the Christmas mood though. I know it could've been worse, for example this weirdo could've turned up at my window with a candle, present and creepy ass look on his face.

*gags*

I've decided to write this year off. 

2015 is going to be my year. I'm starting a new job, I've got a few races to take part in, new hobbies to enjoy and lots of dating to do!

Planning to avoid him!

So goodbye 2014...

#PushingBackHarder

A Full 360 - Career, Life and Love

Yesterday I had my last counselling session and it feels like I've come full circle. When I started back in October I was amazingly low and couldn't figure out what my life was all about, some mornings I couldn't even decide what clothes to put on. I didn't know what I wanted to do for a career, what I enjoyed doing in my spare time, who I wanted to date or if I even liked the person I was.

It's taken about 2 months, a lot of low points, a lot of heartache but I'm coming out of the other end and I feel stronger, empowered and in control of my own happiness again.

I'm learning to!

I've thought a lot about the type of career I want and I know it's not the one I'm doing right now. I want something that makes me feel as though I'm giving back to my community, the type of job that makes me want to jump out of bed in the morning and skip my way to work. I've realised that I'll have to retrain so the job I have right now is exactly what I need to help me fulfil my ambitions.

Yay it's Monday! Hmmm that might be overdoing it a bit.

Money is another issue for me, I always thought I needed more and more of it so that I can buy more and more things that I 'needed'. Well it turns out that I had that pretty wrong too. I want enough money to pay my rent, bills and keep myself and my dog fed but I no longer feel the need to have a big pot of gold and a load of crap to make me happy. Obviously if I had a lottery win then I'd graciously accept my winnings... I'm not crazy!

Might need to actually buy a lottery ticket

I've started a few new hobbies too which have given me a reason to enjoy exercising again, they also help to relieve day to day stresses and get me out of the house and interacting with people. I've discovered that I love running, yoga and indoor climbing... yes you read it right, I said I love running! Yoga gives me that warm glowy feeling with a touch of added flexibility and indoor climbing gives me a physical and mental challenge and a way to face my fears.

Apparently...

The next big thing is love. Good old love. I grew up being told to marry a man who had a good job, someone who could 'keep' me and for a long, long time I thought that was what I wanted and needed. Lately I've realised that I've got a good job, a lovely (rented) house, a new-ish car and an amazing dog - I already have everything that I could want or need so why would I look for a man to provide those things for me?!

I want a man who is kind, respectful and knows how to show me the love I deserve. I want to feel that Ed Sheeran's Thinking Out Loud was written by him for me. I want him to have a job that he loves and makes him happy regardless of how much he earns a year, together as partners we'll earn enough to live on. Now don't get me wrong, I'm more than happy with being swept off my feet but in a fun way and not in a 'look after me' way. I'm not going to settle for less than I deserve so I'll just keep having fun dating until it happens.

Especially when it's dessert!

I am finally learning who I am, what I want from life and who I want to share the journey with me. I never knew what 'happy' looked like but now I can see that happiness and contentment is within my reach. As long as I am true to myself then I don't need to worry about outside influences bringing me back down. I am all that I need.

Damn right!

  

Now where did I put my cape?

#PushingBackHarder

Cardiff Santa Dash for Welsh Hearts

Today my Besty, Lynn, and I got dressed up and went to The Great Cardiff Bay Santa & Elf Dash for Welsh Hearts.

Lucky number 232

Lynn in all her Christmas gorgeousness

The dash is a 5K run/walk/jog from Roald Dahl Plass to the barrage and back.

And we're off...

Being chased by snowmen

The route took us pass the Doctor Who Experience and Lynn is one of the biggest Dr Who fans I know so we stopped for a quick pic

Lynn in heaven

And on with the race...

Mini Santa

Mini Elf with Santa Paws

Santa Selfie

Another Santa Paws

Pretty sure that's cheating but he was tiny so we let him off

We stopped for a quick Besty Selfie... purely for historic reasons and not because we needed a breather.

Say Rudolph!

Christmas Sara

Teeny elf on a bike

The 5K run went really quickly and we were rewarded with a t-shirt, medal and a certificate!

Winners!!

Shiny shiny medal!

A very proud Besty

Our certificate

Medal and T-shirt

I want to take this moment to say how extremely proud I am of my Besty. She did pretty much no training for this race but ran most of it with me anyway, she is a superstar!!

#PushingBackHarder