One year ago, I came home from the grocery store, sat down, and created this website. I had no idea what I was doing, but I had passion and this overwhelming desire to share it with others, and I figured that had to count for something. I smile when I look back at my very first post, even from its humble beginnings, I wanted nothing more than to use my blog as a way to inspire and motivate others, little did I know how much creating this blog would inspire and motivate myself as well.
As I sit here and type this post, I cannot help but become overwhelmed with gratitude as I think about how far I have truly come in the last year. A smile spreads across my face at all the changes I have made to better myself as a whole person, body and mind. I still have IBS, but I am at peace with my disease. I have irate intestines, period. It is a part of me I simply cannot change, so I have decided to embrace it, and at times, even poke a little fun, because what's not funny about the fact that I had to: stop driving to my destination, frantically speed to get off the next exit, PAY a toll and beg the hotel lady to just let me use the bathroom. Yes, I could get upset over things like this, but instead, I laughed, and Im laughing as I type this because I just told the entire internet about my poop problem. Yep, I just used the word poop on my blog, HERE I AM, EMBRACING MY IBS, take it or leave it, because it's a part of me I won't let bring me down any more. I could either succumb to my symptoms or overcome my symptoms, and I am choosing the latter. And as for my Celiac, I don't let it seclude me, I instead have become the ultimate B.Y.O.F. advocate, and could care less what others think about my constant pink cooler in tow.
As I sit here and type this post, I cannot help but become overwhelmed with gratitude as I think about how far I have truly come in the last year. A smile spreads across my face at all the changes I have made to better myself as a whole person, body and mind. I still have IBS, but I am at peace with my disease. I have irate intestines, period. It is a part of me I simply cannot change, so I have decided to embrace it, and at times, even poke a little fun, because what's not funny about the fact that I had to: stop driving to my destination, frantically speed to get off the next exit, PAY a toll and beg the hotel lady to just let me use the bathroom. Yes, I could get upset over things like this, but instead, I laughed, and Im laughing as I type this because I just told the entire internet about my poop problem. Yep, I just used the word poop on my blog, HERE I AM, EMBRACING MY IBS, take it or leave it, because it's a part of me I won't let bring me down any more. I could either succumb to my symptoms or overcome my symptoms, and I am choosing the latter. And as for my Celiac, I don't let it seclude me, I instead have become the ultimate B.Y.O.F. advocate, and could care less what others think about my constant pink cooler in tow.
This is the happiest, healthiest, and most positive I have ever felt and I only see myself continuing moving forward in this uplifting direction
I realize that within the past year, my blog and Instagram account became an outlet for myself. What started out as simply sharing gluten free and dairy free recipes became a way for me to spread positive vibes and messages about body image, food, and exercise with others. I inspired others to help inspire myself. Sometimes the words I wrote were thoughts and feelings I wanted to have and I thought if I could help others feel that way, then I could do the same for myself. And I HAVE done that for myself. Through a lot of self-work, positive thinking and shifting my mindset in recognizing that happiness is something I choose, I have healed the harmful relationships I had in my life.
Happiness outshines any editing I am healthy
I am happy
I am confident
I am beautiful
I may not have the biggest muscles or tightest stomach BUT
I AM ME
I am confident and happy with myself, my choices, and my body.
I am happy
I am confident
I am beautiful
I may not have the biggest muscles or tightest stomach BUT
I AM ME
I am confident and happy with myself, my choices, and my body.
| I LIVE my life. I enjoy delicious food (that is usually healthy, but sometimes not), and skip the gym if life happens because THAT'S what a healthy lifestyle is all about, balance. Finding what works best for you and falling in love with your whole self in the process. I have finally found my balance. And as for you, all of you incredible followers who are taking the time to read this right now: Thank You, thank you from the bottom of my heart. I am beyond grateful for ALL of you, your comments and your emails mean the world to me, especially when you let me know that I've helped you in someway or another. Those words make my heart swell with happiness. I cannot express enough how blessed I feel to have made such wonderful connections and relationships through my blog, as well as opportunities it has created for me. |  |
A year is a LONG time to be reading my blog, which doesn't really disclose a lot about my personal life, so I thought I'd finish up this post with five snippets of insight into my life beyond the blog, and even some photos, click to read more!
More than just Eats and Exercise
I am an only child.
My mom and dad are literally my entire world. They are my best friends, my biggest support system, and I honestly do not know how I could have survived college, let alone life, without their undying love and their constant believing in me. Even while I was eight hours away, they always found ways to make me feel close to home, even making sure to visit me once a year. That's right, I went away to college eight hours away, and even as a graduate student, I'm still just as far away from my family. Despite the distance between us, it has made us closer than ever and I am so thankful for technology that keeps us close. I text and talk to both of my parents on a daily basis, sometimes even multiple times a day. Yep, you read that right, I am twenty three years old and still talk to my parents every day and I'm not embarrased to admit it. They're also my biggest fans of the blog, promoting it to anyone they meet, I consider myself beyond lucky, and relish over the fact that my parents are pretty awesome.
My mom and dad are literally my entire world. They are my best friends, my biggest support system, and I honestly do not know how I could have survived college, let alone life, without their undying love and their constant believing in me. Even while I was eight hours away, they always found ways to make me feel close to home, even making sure to visit me once a year. That's right, I went away to college eight hours away, and even as a graduate student, I'm still just as far away from my family. Despite the distance between us, it has made us closer than ever and I am so thankful for technology that keeps us close. I text and talk to both of my parents on a daily basis, sometimes even multiple times a day. Yep, you read that right, I am twenty three years old and still talk to my parents every day and I'm not embarrased to admit it. They're also my biggest fans of the blog, promoting it to anyone they meet, I consider myself beyond lucky, and relish over the fact that my parents are pretty awesome.
I used to hate the way I looked with no makeup on and my hair pulled back. I would never go in public unless my hair was done and I had makeup on. Oh how much that has changed, I am such a promoter of natural beauty. Now, I rarely leave the house WITH makeup on, let alone put the effort into straightening my hair. I love my hair up, I think it plays up my features, and I have fallen in love with my natural face, and beauty that can shine through a pair of untouched eyes.
I have a boyfriend, we've been together for almost five years. I met him my freshman year of college, from the minute I laid eyes on him, I knew he was the type of guy you want to make your boyfriend. I am a go getter, and I got what I wanted, and I still consider myself the luckiest girl in the world to call him mine. I am quirky, and he accepts that, and gladly switches seats with me or sides of the bed, because he knows I "need my certain side." He has been there for me through out all of my health issues, and can still make me feel like the most beautiful girl in the world when my IBS has me in its irate grips, and I am at my worst. For every pain I have experienced, and tear that I have cried from frustration for my digestive distress he was there, especially all those times when my parents could not be (which was majority of the time, remember I went to school eight hours away). He is the other main component to my support system, I don't know what I would do without him. I went from being his normal girlfriend (well only health wise I was normal :P) to his gluten free, severe IBS, lactose intolerant, have to bring her own food most places girlfriend, but he still loved me all the same. If anything, our love has grown through these struggles. Now, he brings me gluten free dairy free cupcakes on my birthday, and does research for restaurants and snacks for me to eat. He makes me happy like no other and that is something truly special and worth taking a risk for. So, after I finish up my Master's degree this August, I won't be returning home to mom and dad, but instead I am moving in with my boyfriend, to our very first apartment together. Oh the adventures that will ensue for us sharing a gluten free and gluten filled kitchen, I'm sure there will be some posts about that :) but despite some bumps we may have to jump over, I am beyond excited to take the next step with someone I love so much.
I am nerd. Getting ahead on homework/planning on a Friday night is my idea of a good time I am the girl that gets the assignment done weeks before it's due. I love making to do lists and get extreme satisfaction from being able to cross items off. I am chock full of random facts, statistics, and bits of research from all the article reading I do. (Did you know that next to the Common Cold, IBS is the main reason why people miss work?) Growing up, and even through out college, my hand would always be first in the air to volunteer or answer a question. Speaking of questions, I am the Question Queen, I actually was given a "question limit" when I was younger because I was told I asked too many by my teachers. That never stopped me from continuing to ask questions, and to this day I am still very inquisitive. Knowledge is power, in my opinion, and for me to learn, I must ask questions. Clearly all my question asking from the front row, middle seat, which was always my go to spot, paid off. I graduated from Undergrad with never receiving less than a 4.0, and as I finish up my last semester of Graduate School, my 4.0 streak has yet to be broken! My smarts reside solely in books though, I am a bit lacking in the common sense department, and tend to be a bit of a spacey/scatter brain. (I am notorious for forgetting everything and anything unless it's written down, or there is an alarm set for it in my phone - which only intensifies the nerd status I pride myself on being)
Dressed to Impress OBVI I ride the cold struggle bus on a daily basis. Well, that's what I've reverted to calling it since I am cold all the time, yes even in summertime when it's hot, you'll find me uttering the phrase "I'm cold" and then proceeding to bundle up. Freeze pop fingers is what I call my hands, since they feel as if they were just taken out of the ice cube tray. It's quite comical actually, anyone who knows me in real life knows that I am notorious for being bundled up, rocking an earwarmer while inside, and yes, even wearing a blanket in public. I do not care what I look like, I just care that I am cold and will do and wear whatever it takes to feel warm.
WELL, if you read all or ANY of this, then YOU are fabulous and I thank you.
- Do you have any special "anniversaries" coming up?
- If you're a blogger, has your blog been a form of therapy for you as well?
- Did any of the snippets I shared surprise you?
- Any Comments/Questions/Remarks about anything I've shared?
