What's YOUR Song??

I am loving this weekly link up with Goodnight Moon. 
This week's song is ... All I Need by One Republic. No explanation. It's just where my mind has been.

Shake Your Groove Thing

I miss the days where I used to dance like no one was watching and work out at the gym like everyone was watching (you all know what I mean.) Back in my twenties, when I went to the gym to work out, not only did I want to be fit, but I wanted to see men check me out as they walked past. Childish and self-centered I know, but I had "it" for a time and I wanted to flaunt it.

Today, I am afraid to go to the gym. Not because I don't want people looking at me, because the reality is that everyone is looking at the fit 20-somethings. I am afraid to go because my gym is smack in the middle of where I grew up. I am not comfortable in my own body right now and would hate to run into someone I knew from my past while I was jiggling around on the treadmill.

Instead, I'll keep my 30-something post-two baby body at home shaking my groove thing (because I KNOW no one is watching) while playing JUST DANCE on my wii. The $30 I pay a month for the gym I never go to is just motivation for me to lose 20 lbs to be comfortable in the gym again.

Desiring Love

I found myself wondering today if my future includes me finding a man who cherishes me...for who I am. I want to love someone again and be loved - like he can't take his eyes off of me, falls asleep holding my hand, chick-flick watching, always protecting, passionate kissing love. I don't know why I was thinking about it. Maybe because I truly don't think I've ever had it...I'm not dating yet, but that desire is growing stronger everyday. I want to believe it is a sign of healing and moving on. I want to believe it is a sign of strength that my desire is not to settle anymore. I want real, honest, action-based love.

This is the life

Here's how I spent my afternoon...

The wind in my hair, the sun on my face and nothing
but the wide open road ahead...

This is the life. 

Okay, so it was more like...

The wind in my hair, the sun on my face and 

nothing but the hundreds of circles around the cul-de-sac ahead of me

with a pair of training wheels to the right and the left. 

Me on my 20-year-old 18-speed.

Boo-ya - that's right. 

I said 18-speed. 

Jealous much?

Yeah, I would be too!

Now THIS is the life. 

Though my thighs will tell me differently tomorrow. 

(today was the first day I rode a bike in about 15 years and I rode for two hours straight!)

What's YOUR Song?

I'm trying out this whole "link-up" things for the first time :) Hop on over to Goodnight Moon to see her song and others'.

MY song right now is "Let us Love by Needtobreathe. I am LOVING them!!!

Playlist for the breaking hearts

Hearts are breaking all around me...marriages falling apart, fighting, cheating...not just acquaintances, but friends - some of my BEST friends - are losing all they know and their dreams are breaking into pieces. Not long ago, it was me. Almost one year after my divorce was final, the pieces of me that were broken on the ground are being put back together into someone beautiful and I see the masterpiece that is being re-created. I want to share some (okay almost ALL) of my favorite break-up/empowerment/strength-gaining songs.

Fighter-Christina Aguilera
A Little Bit Stronger-Sara Evans
Stand-Rascal Flatts
It Takes More-Jordan Sparks
Faith-Jordan Sparks
Over You-Daughtry
No Surprise-Daughtry
Take A Bow-Rhianna
Since You've Been Gone-Kelly Clarkson
Never Again-Kelly Clarkson
Walk Away-Kelly Clarkson
Cry Me A River-Justin Timberlake
What Goes Around-Justin Timberlake
Bye-Bye-JoDee Messina
Consider Me Gone-Reba McEntire
You're Not Sorry-Taylor Swift
Picture to Burn-Taylor Shift
You Outta Know-Alanis Morrisette
So What-Pink
Irreplaceable-Beyonce
Before He Cheat-Carrie Underwood
Undo It-Carrie Undersood
Life Goes On-LeeAnn Rhimes
Better In Time-Leona Lewis
Apologize-One Republic
Jar of Hearts-Christina Perri
Rolling in the Deep-Adele
One Girl Revolution-Superchick
Stand in the Rain-Superchick
Beauty From the Pain-Superchick
Just to Know You're Alive-Kutless

Unwritten-Natasha Bedingfield

What are some of YOUR favorites?

#dearyoungself

One of my recent tweets:

#dearyoungself, pay attention to the red flags. They do not go away with time.

Oh, the letter I would write myself...

Ps- follow me on twitter @amanda_long30


- Posted from my iPhone