Summer Goals

Hey everyone!

Breakfast was a "yogurt mess" with Super Fruits Oikos Greek yogurt, Quaker Oatmeal Squares, 1 T chia seeds, sliced banana, strawberries, and Justin's Maple AB. It's so easy to just throw everything in a bowl and this is becoming a go-to summer breakfast for me. The best part of the whole breakfast is when you find a chunk of almond butter!

I was out doing things today, so I packed a lunch. I had AB&J Sandwich on Food for Life 7 Sprouted Grain bread (loving this bread right now!) spread with Justin's Maple AB and Stonewall Kitchen Bellini Jam. I also packed a side of fresh fruit and carrots and cherry tomatoes with Sabra Roasted Red Pepper hummus. 

I've always been a fan of these tasty little snacks, but today I joined the KIND movement.

Dinner was from Taziki's Greek Fare. I branched away from the Friday Special and had the grilled salmon with mashed potatoes and Greek salad. Salmon always makes me feel better!

Dessert was Edy's Slow Churned Mint Chocolate Chip ice cream with a crushed in dark chocolate pretzel.

It has always been important to me to set goals for myself so that I have something to work towards. Proverbs 29:18 says, "Where there is no vision, the people perish." I always want to stay motivated, focused, and be the "best me" I can be. I'm sure I have more, but here are the summer goals that are at the top of my list.

Summer Goals:

1) Find a job I am truly passionate about. Even though I know my first job isn't going to be my "dream job," I want it to be meaningful and something I actually care about.

2) Pass the Registered Dietitian exam. It's been a long road with tons of science courses, driving to and from hospitals all over the state of Alabama, case studies, exit exams, making 3 inch thick binders for every rotation I've done, eating pureed hospital diets, being the "lunch lady" for a semester, and more. I knew they were all things I needed to do to get to where I want to be, and this will be the final step for me!

3) Keep up with my running schedule. Even though I'm not planning on running another half-marathon anytime soon, I still want to do some long runs over the summer. I am thinking I want to run either the Disney Half- Marathon in January or the Seaside Half-Marathon in March. Maybe both!

4) Read at least two books a month. I love reading, so this shouldn't be too much of an issue for me. Even though it's something I enjoy doing, it can still be hard to fit reading into a busy schedule.

5) Try at least two new recipes every week. I'm going to be living on my own in the real world next year, so I want to find some easy go-to recipes that I can incorporate into a busy schedule.

6) Get involved in a Bible study. I want to find a good community of like-minded people who I can be encouraged and grow with.

7) Take road trips. I'm not the best at staying in touch with people, so I hope to be able to visit my college friends as much as I can.

I'm really writing this as a reminder to myself, but sometimes it can be easy to focus on the negative and re-hash it over and over again. What's the point? It's not going to change anything. I've never been one to dwell on the past (or I at least try not to), and I try to make a conscious effort to CHOOSE POSITIVITY no matter the circumstance. It's a simple choice, and I find that I am much more joyful and content when I look at life from a positive perspective. Sometimes things happen in life that are beyond our control, and we have to make the best of them. However, I don't think we should ever forget the lessons we've learned or what it has taught us. It's not always easy, but I have so much to be thankful for, and I believe that something good can be found in all situations.