Kendra's Favorite Things

...well not this one!! I'm happy to say I checked out of my hotel today and I'm officially HOME from training!!! I'm so excited to get out in the field and kick but and for this next chapter to start. Perfect timing to be back home for the holidays and I couldn't be more excited to spend this time with the people I love.

"Love isn’t a state of perfect caring. It is an active noun like struggle. To love someone is to strive to accept that person exactly the way he or she is, right here and now." -Fred Rogers, The World According to Mister Rogers

If I made a list and checked it twice of all the things in my life to be grateful for we'd be here all day. It is this time of year in particular that reminds me of just how much I have, and how there are far too many people that have not.

That is why it has always been a priority of mine to give back to those who are less fortunate, and this time of year I find it even more crucial to do so. I write this not to toot my own horn, but because I think it's important for people to take a second to recognize their own good fortunes and help out with people that have less.

This Christmas Eve morning I'm proud to say that about a dozen people that are very close to me will be making sack lunches and providing them to the homeless population of San Diego. It is something we did last year as well and felt great about so we are continuing on with this wonderful tradition. I'll be sure to post some photos of the event after we are done.

I went to my very first NFL game yesterday and had a blast!!!


Natalie was the best fan to go with.... :)


We got to Tailgate with Matt and some of his buddies.


.... And our seats were AMAZING!

Sadly, I looked at my blog for the first time in several weeks today. Although things have been a little hectic for me lately, it's not an excuse for me to drop the ball on something that's important to me, like keeping up with posting.

So, I've recommitted myself to regular updates and I know I'll find a way to fit this back into my daily schedule.

Another aspect of my life that needs a serious commitment adjustment is working out. I have not been very good about this at all since I started my new job and it's something that is just not okay. I have no excuse not to get to the gym 4 times a week, and that is something I am going to MAKE myself do this week. It's just time to get back into good habits.

On other notes, life is wonderful and I am truly so happy with everything that's going on! More updates to come as I get back into posting... don't want to bombard you on my first day back!

Sometimes when we need it the most, the people we love know just how to pick us up and make us feel better, don't they. Got this photo from Matt this morning and it made my day.

Since starting my new job last Monday, I've been the worst blogger ever!!!! I finally have a second to give an update on the new job. It is going very well. It's SO MUCH information and a lot to take in each day but I am loving it. I am so happy that I made this decision and feel like this is the right change for me. We've been doing a lot of reading, product training, vendor meetings and some more reading.

It's going to be an overwhelming two months, and a tough first few months in the field, but I'm so excited to be here and ready to learn everything I can.

Other than that, living in the hotel in Fullerton M-F is kind of a bummer, BUT Lisa, who is another trainee is my saving grace here. We are both going to San Diego, and we have so much in common. She's made being away from home much, much easier.

Excited to get home tonight, but in true Kendra fashion I have a completely overbooked weekend and next weekend is the walk. All in all, life is amazing and I am happier than ever!

Where do I begin?!? Let's section this bad-boy off into neatly compartmentalized categories...

Life in General: I honestly couldn't be feeling better. Been off the "crazy pills" for about 2.5 months now, and I am feeling more in control, stable, and overall HAPPY than I ever have before! It's been a great feeling and I love the progress I am continuing to see in myself. (What's that sound?!? That's me tooting my own horn!!)

Work: Are you sitting down? I, Kendra Lee Dwyer, got a new job!!!!!! It's a bittersweet feeling to be leaving the Convention Center but I have decided to move on and venture into the world of Medical Supply sales. I am incredibly excited for this amazing new opportunity and I'm looking forward to the changes that it will bring to my life. I know it's going to be a LOT of hard work, long days etc., but I'm up for the challenge and ready to become successful in this new industry!

Fitness: It's time to get my lazy but back on the road. After a long (and much needed) hiatus, I'm ready to get back to my first fitness love, RUNNING! I'm still going to get to the yoga studio 1-2 times per week, but running has always kept me in the best shape, so it's time for me to get back to it, and I'm ready! I went for my first run in longer than I'm willing to admit yesterday and I felt great. Okay, that's a complete lie, I didn't feel great... I was out of breath and discouraged by how hard it was for me to run even 2.4 miles, BUT I'm not going to let that get me down. I'm just going to start from scratch and take my time to build back up to being a "runner." I don't think any marathons are on my horizon again, but I might get the itch to do a half soon.... stay tuned!

Birthday Love: Last week was my 28th birthday and I've never felt so showered with love. From lavish lunches to a happy hour with many of the people I love (including a surprise visit from KIKI), to a night out on the town with a bunch of my friends... I just felt so incredibly blessed all week long. I have an overwhelming feeling that 28 is going to be my best year yet!

I think Kiki and I should do a re-make of this video... The pink tutus & tiaras are a MUST!

"Alone we can do so little, but together we can do so much." -Helen Keller

I know, I know.... I've been a very bad blogger. My life is usually busy, but the last few weeks have been particularly insane. I feel like I have been equally tied up between work, Junior League, traveling, friends, family and still not feeling 100%. Sometimes I wish my life would just slow down, but then I remind myself, this is what I choose.

I am even writing now as I wait to board a plane to Tucson, although I'm hoping to get some much needed rest over the weekend. Last night I volunteered at Washington Elementary School for a JLSD Impact Event, but of course afterwards had a glass of wine with Erin. Tuesday night we had a Provisional Training for JL from 6-8.... The list goes on!

I love how full my life is and how much I am able to give back to my career, my friends & family, and JL but my goal for October is to set aside enough time for just ME! Whether it means getting to the Saturday AM yoga class so I'm not rushing to or from the studio or saying NO when someone asks me to hang out on a weekday...I'll make it happen! After all, it is my Birthday month!!!

This week is a MUCH better week. Antibiotics kicked in and I'm finally feeling back to normal AND I'm loving the fact that one week from now I'll be headed home to Tucson, yay! Also, I can't share quite yet, but by this time next week I hope to have some very exciting life-changing news to share! Woo hoo!!! Stay tuned.

I caught a cold this week and ended up having to stay home from work Wed-Fri, which was no fun at all. Today I finally went to Urgent Care and it turns out I have bronchitis. Thanks to the lovely Z-pack and two inhalers I am actually already starting to feel better. Just bummed to have been sick for Lindsey's b-day celebration and wish I had been feeling better. Guess I learned my lesson to get to the doctor sooner... man oh man!

So not only was I home sick and feeling terrible, I'm also feeling homesick and miss my family. There's no doubt that I absolutely love living in San Diego, but sometimes I just miss Tucson and all the people there so much. I feel so lucky to have such a great group of friends here in San Diego that feel like family, but there's nothing quite like setting foot at HOME. The good news is, I have a trip planned in two weeks and I'll get to spend 4 days in T-town. So, looks like both my problems are about to be solved!

While our Provisional training got started almost a month ago, the first General Meeting of our Junior League year is tomorrow night and I know we are all looking forward to another successful and productive year making an impact in the community. People often times ask me, what is Junior League and why do you spend so much time in meetings for it?!

I could go on for a while but the short and sweet answer is this;  we are an international organization of women committed to promoting voluntarism, developing the potential of women, and improving the community. The Junior League of San Diego is blessed with over 1,000 devoted, smart and talented women that are committed to enriching our community. Throughout my JLSD career I've had the wonderful opportunity of serving on several different committees and councils, but this year Kathleen and I have been given the distinct opportunity to lead the provisional class, which is comprised of our newest members. We have just shy of 100 women that have set out to begin their Junior League careers and we couldn't be more excited about the impact and potential that this group of women is going to have on the San Diego community.

Thinking back on the experiences I've had, the friendships I've cultivated and the hands-on impact I've made throughout my involvement with JLSD, it's clear to me that being a part of the Junior League is something that has changed my life forever. Being in Junior League has provided me with the confidence to take on leadership roles, the determination to make something out of nothing, and the opportunity to learn from my mistakes. These are lessons I've been able to apply to my life outside of the league whether it be at work or in my personal life, and I can't imagine not being equipped with what this has brought to my life.

As we work with our newest and most eager 100 members this year, I wanted to take the time to remind myself what it means to be JLSD:

We are improving San Diego.
We are leaders.
We are well trained.
We are balanced.
We are opportunists.
We are "whatever it takes."
We are JLSD.

I spent the weekend in St. Louis with my two best friends from college and oh what fun we had! It was amazing to spend time with Sarah and Melissa and see Sarah's new life in STL. The weekend was full of great memories, lots of wine and even a Sun Devil Football win!! It's amazing to know that although  so many things have changed over the years for us, we've managed to remain such close friends. We've decided it's time to book more trips together so... Chicago for St. Patrick's day 2012, here we come!
















Why yes, it is! 

No, not the flower; the yoga pose!!! I was able to do this for the first time last night and did it again this morning, such a great feeling to see a deepening in my yoga practice. This after my first hand-stand without help last week... I'm feeling really good. Namaste!

"Be true to yourself always, be kind to others even when they aren't to you, live in the moment, laugh at yourself when the opportunity arises and love with all your heart." -Kendra Lee Dwyer

Fact: I do not have cable. 

Tyrone Wells' "And the Birds Sing"... the beat, the lyrics... just LOVE it!

If I end up as an eternal bachelorette, I would like for my house to look just like this, thank you.

Time to get personal! Those of you who know me well, you may know that I have struggled with Anxiety for virtually my entire life and that over the last 8 or so years I've been on and off several medications to help with it. It was never my intention to be over-medicated, mis-medicated, or get stuck in a haze; but that's what ended up happening.

I made a conscious decision about 2 months ago, that I wanted to get off my current medication as I really felt that any of the positive benefits I had seen from it were no longer present. So, I worked a plan out with my Dr. and after a few weeks of withdrawals, I am now Rx free!

If you are asking yourself, "Why would Kendra share something so personal on her very public blog?" The simple answer is this... There are so many people out there that suffer from anxiety at so many different levels, and I don't think it's anything to be embarrassed about for any of us. It is simply a disease and just like any other disease we have no control over who is affected by it. My other two reasons are that I am incredibly proud of myself for being able to make the decision that now is the time I'd like to be medication free, and lastly I'm beyond happy that the results have been amazing thus far.

First things first, to not have to wake up and be summoned to take a pill every day is the first bonus for me. Secondly, I have WAY more energy. And most importantly I feel that my good emotions have made their way back in, and the bad ones have subsided. (Quick explanation... good emotions/feelings are the normal every day, happy, sad, excited, annoyed, determined, frustrated... bad emotions/feelings are the extreme and abnormal racing thoughts, ambiguity, passiveness, fatigue, and inability to control these and other feelings/thoughts).

I feel like I'm back in control and it's clear to me that I was not being treated correctly for the past two years. Instead of being upset about that, I am enjoying the way I feel now and looking forward to continuing to treat my anxiety in other ways. I have been taking a more holistic route and even over a short period of time I have noticed great results. My new regimen consists of regular Yoga, acupuncture, less alcohol consumption and a cleaner and healthier diet. Seems like a no-brainer to feeling great huh?!?

Obviously, this is not something that will ever be cured in my life, but my hope is that by actively taking control and knowing that the results can be great even without medication, that a long term goal can be to keep this as something that only affects my life minimally.

ahhh.... that's a well deserved sigh of relief from yours truly!

As you know, last November I participated in the Susan G. Komen 3-Day for a Cure walk. I raised over $2,300 dollars to help fund research studies to find a cure for Breast Cancer. I walked 60 miles (about 45 of them in the pouring rain) over the course of 3 days. I met people who'd fought Breast Cancer and won, I met peopled who'd lost their loved ones to it, and I met people who were currently battling through this awful disease at the time.

One of the most important things I took away from participating in this walk is that raising $2,300 and walking 60 miles in a weekend is NOTHING compared to the amount of physical and emotional pain that goes along with a Breast Cancer diagnosis (and the diagnosis is just the beginning)!

I've decided that once wasn't enough so this year I'll be walking another 60 miles November 19th-21st and I need your help.

I know times are tough right now; 401-K's are down, cost of living is going up, and the act of being employed is getting harder and harder to manage with lay-offs and cutbacks.

I understand completely that money is tight, but I am encouraging you to give what you can, even if it's $5 or $10. I am sending this e-mail to over 100 people today, and if each of you contributed just $5, together we would raise $500 towards finding a cure for this life-altering disease.

Imagine a world with no breast cancer. Imagine a mother not having to fight for her life so she can enjoy it with her children. Imagine a world where you and I don't have to wonder if we'll be the next diagnosis. Imagine a cure.

Please visit www.the3day.org/goto/kendraleedwyer to make a donation.

"Alone we can do so little, but together we can do so much." -Helen Keller

Thank you,
Kendra Lee Dwyer

For some reason this week has just been one of those weeks where I've had several friends come to me feeling a little low or I've felt extra far away from my long distance friends... so I thought to myself about what really makes me feel happy when I have the blues and MUSIC was the answer.

I've made several play lists this week; some to pick people up, and some to make them feel just a little bit closer to home, and in the process I felt good about it and had a great time listening to the music I love. While the art of making a play list is something I've always enjoyed, it's coming up with the title that really gets me going. Once you find the perfect set of songs to allocate to a loved one... topping it off with a "Ready, set, happy..." or "Namaste" or "That's Mrs. Collins to you sir"... it just makes me smile to know that it's going to brighten someone else's day!

Play on!
DJ K

Oh doesn't he just make us so proud in the last picture?!?!? Wednesday was my brother's 30th Birthday and I'm off to AZ to celebrate the first friend I ever made, and the best friend I've ever had. I've had  a lot of fun putting together his Birthday present and it doesn't surprise me all the nice things that people have to say about my brother. Genuine, hilarious, best guy, great friend, typical Leo, loyal, best prom date, the only reason for getting out of bed in the morning, great man, the big bro I never had, one of a kind... these are the things that people have to say about my bro... and I whole-heartily agree with them!

JD is the type of person that everyone wants to be around. If you were to put all of his buddies in a room and ask each of them separately who their best friend was, they'd all say JD without a doubt. He's dependable but still tons of fun, responsible but not afraid to bring out his Irish side, and hilarious but able to get serious when someone needs sticking up for (especially when it comes to his wife or 'lis sis)!

Here's to a weekend full of fun for the best guy I know.