“I’m so glad I live in a world where there are Octobers” – L. M. Montgomery

Alas, it’s the last (and only time) that I will post that quote this year. As cliché as the quote is, I truly do enjoy the magic of Octobers. It’s a month where pumpkin hysteria is at its peak (so many pumpkin recipes here) and the start of permanent sweater weather. It’s a time of countless fall activities (click here to see my faves) and the season where I can live in boots. Ah. October.

I digress. This month, I completed 6.5 out of 8 items on my bucket list. Where did I fall short? Completing my activity ring daily. Let’s just say that I wasn’t even able to achieve a perfect week. That being said, I don’t count it as a complete fitness goal loss because on top of my October Bucket List, I also completed a challenge with my spin studio. The extra incentive to be social and try new classes satisfied my thirst for balance in that regard.

In addition, I only made it through half of a book. Technically, I still have until the end of today, so don’t count me out yet!

Here are a few of my other reflections about this month:

One

I survived a “no spend” weekend!! Even though I tried to hibernate and catch up of a few things, there was still all types of temptation around. I’m sure my wallet appreciated me taking a break from miscellaneous expenses.

Two

Another item that my wallet can thank me for is that I was able to eliminate fast food from my diet for the month. In September, I noticed that I was beginning to eat an alarming amount of fast food. Sometimes the convenience of being able to grab something and not cook is tempting when you have a thousand other things that require your attention. I really appreciated this challenge because it forced me to be creative in the kitchen and try new things. For example, I was able to whip up a fast shrimp pasta dish because I was pressed for time and had limited ingredients. Because there was no option to just pick up food on the way to my destination, I had to improvised which led to a new recipe!

Three

Did anyone else binge watch the entire second season of Stranger Things? If you haven’t watched Stranger Things, immediately add it to your watch list. The second season definitely lived up to the hype and fanfare of the series. My sister joined me for part of the marathon. It was the perfect way for us to avoid doing homework on a rainy Sunday.

Four

I felt like I tried so many new things this month. I went apple picking for the first time (definitely going again next year). I cooked and ate both butternut squash and lentils for the first time in my life as well. I’m really proud of myself for stepping out of my comfort zone and experiencing life this year. A full post about my other “firsts” this year will be posted at the end of the year.

Five

This month I not only worked on my own personal bucket list challenge, but I participated in Ascend Cycle’s Fall Back into Ascend Bingo Challenge. My original goal was to at least complete 3 rows (which I met!). I completed 15 out of 25 squares. Most importantly, the challenge pushed me to be more social within the studio and try different classes and instructors. I enjoyed participating in the challenge and I can’t wait to attend the Challenge Wrap Up Happy Hour!

Thanks for the memories, October! Stay tuned to see what I have in store for November!

♥ Cierra