2017 Realness & Reflection – What to Expect in 2018

Two years you guys. TWO YEARS since I was walking down seventh avenue in tears, crying to my parents and Jord on the phone.

In case you are new around here, exactly one year ago I shared a blog post that stunned most people. I shared more about my journey and how I got to where I am today. Most assume I left my corporate job to pursue my blog full time, but little do they know I was actually fired from that job. Aka it was not in my control.

This year was pretty epic if you ask me. There were many up’s as well as many down’s but I am grateful to say that I am still waking up everyday to do what I love and what inspires me.

The last few months in particular have been a bit tougher than I expected. Ever since mid-summer, I would say I have felt a bit “off” in some ways. I do feel a lot of this has to do with my hormonal issues still (yeah, still no period over here). I have been a woman on a mission trying to get my hormones back on track and figure out what the missing piece is to the puzzle. I will share a full post on this once I am ready, but I have been seeing Dr. Frank Lipman (after seeing a handful of other people) and I am so grateful to be under his watch. Someone I have looked up to for so long and I hope we will figure this out together. And then we can help others figure out their hormones (I know many of you also are struggling with this).

One thing that I will share I have learned so far with my hormonal journey is that my cortisol levels are through the roof. It’s crazy to think that by doing something I love so much, I am going through chronic stress. Like what? How does that happen?

Similar to where we left off last year, I am still continuing to build my brand and business each and everyday. I live to create new recipes and content to share with you guys. I want to inspire anyone and everyone to eat food that tastes good and actually makes them feel good. I also want to inspire anyone to pursue their dreams even if it is in the most unconventional way like I am right now.

I absolutely love and I am so grateful to work with a handful of brands that I authentically love and eat and drink and use daily. I love seeing when you guys make my recipes or buy collagen peptides or anything after seeing it on my blog or Instagram. It makes me so happy, and really reminds me why I am doing what I do.

A few highlights from this year both personal + business:

• I launched my own Double Chocolate Quinoa Coconut Cups with a brand I love and eat daily, Eating Evolved. They’re currently sold on their website for a limited time and everyday I just smile looking at that package with my name on it. Someone pinch me, please
• A local NYC restaurant, Springbone, and I created a delicious grass-fed lamb meatball bowl that is on their menu (a must have and one of my favorite spots in NYC!)
• Jord and I purchased our first home in Hoboken and we moved out of the city
• Found my love for talking on camera (no not Instagram stories, real video camera!) and was able to collaborate with some amazing brands like Mind Body Green and Well+Good
• I started eating meat again (HECK YA!) and really have begun listening to my body and showing it the love it deserves
• I was able to host over 12 events this year with some of YOU and have a handful of more events in the works for next year
• Proudly represented female entrepreneurship on a billboard in NYC
• Successfully traveled somewhere every month whether it was for work or pleasure and got to see some new places like Texas, Hawaii, Arizona and Oregon
• Was a back up dancer for a barre3 vide with my dear friend and favorite instructor, DINO!
• Attended Revitalize with Garden of Life, one of my favorite brands!
• Spent time with some of my most favorite people in the space and got to meet some that I have looked up to since before starting my blog and really cultivated the most amazing friendships in the space

This past year was a learning experience in so many ways and I certainly learned a lot more about myself each and everyday.

Since the day I was fired from my job, I haven’t taken a moment to really stop and breath and enjoy what is happening.  I’m too consumed figuring out what project is next or what I’m going to snack on after lunch. Or what workout class I should try next week. What ever happened to just living and breathing in everything currently surrounding us?

I am so grateful to be doing what I do and something I personally would like to work on is living in the moment more. Putting my phone down and walking with my head up. Not stressing out when there are 150+ unread emails in my inbox or a list of recipes I still have on my to-do for the month. Not trying to please every brand who wants to collaborate, and really knowing the worth of the work I do. I need to stay true and believe in myself, and remember I’m not where I was two years ago. So much has happened and so much has been learned since then.

Self love has been something I have been working on for the past six+ months. I think this is what is going to help us all go into 2018 even stronger than we could imagine.

I believe self love is what will always be the answer. We need to know our self worth and always believe in ourselves. In every aspect of our lives. Career, food, body, everything.

What I’d like to focus on for 2018:

• Work on slowing down and being in the moment. Not having FOMO when I am not on Instagram or stressing if I don’t post everyday
• Solve my hormonal issues, manage my cortisol levels and get myself back on track (with patience of course since this wasn’t something that happened overnight)
• Spending uninterrupted time with my amazing family, husband and group of supportive friends who love me and they deserve my attention just as much as this magical community on here and Instagram
• Practicing more yoga and meditation to help manage my stress levels (already planning a little mediation and flow nook in our bedroom!)
• Take at least one full day off from work each week (no recipes, no emails, etc.)
• Plan even more events for next year throughout the country or world to continue to engage and get to know each of YOU (if you have requests for cities, hit me up!)
• Knowing the value of my work and work with brands who understand and appreciate the partnerships and friendships that can come about from collaborating together. We are in this space together!
• Surround myself with people that uplift me, believe in me and don’t make me doubt who I am or what I am doing (a lot of this comes with just more self confidence and not letting what others say get in my way!)
• Start + finish a project that is offline aka not digital or phone-related
• Launch my NEW rebranding, which I am so excited about. Should be in early 2018!
• Learn from my failures and always celebrate any type of successes, focus on the good. Emphasis on celebrate.
• SELF LOVE and reminding myself that I am proud to be here today, doing what I love and I should feel accomplished instead of planning what is next. LIVE IN THE MOMENT!

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