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I’m going to make a bold statement here.
2017 has been my best year, EVER.
Looking back on all that I accomplished, I am pretty darn proud of the personal and professional milestones I have reached. Here’s my year in one blog post!
Personal
Weight Gain
In late spring/early summer 2017, I started putting on weight that I have been trying to gain for years. No kidding, really ever since I got diagnosed with Crohn’s over a decade ago putting on and keeping on weight has been a struggle. I got passed 100 pounds, and even reached 110! I attribute this to incorporating regular exercise and dialing in on my food choices.
New Connections
I met some blogger friends in real life and reached out to old friends and acquaintances that I wanted to catch up with and have in my life. That was such a great decision for me. It made me step out of my comfort zone but the benefits of having deeper friendships was so worth it!
I Got Selfish
…In a good way! I am a people-pleaser by nature and I hate letting people down or saying “no.” However, as an introvert and an autoimmune warrior with limited energy that can easily get zapped, trying to serve everyone is not in my best interest! I started using the word “no” (in a nicer way 😉 ) a lot more in 2017, which meant more time for what matters to me.
I lost my Butterscotch
My sweet baby boy passed and broke my heart in a million pieces. He (and his brother, who we still have), were our family’s first pets (aside from a couple of fish that didn’t go so well). I noticed things weren’t right early in the fall and they got worse quickly. He died after a couple of months. I was with him around the clock and we formed a new kind of bond. I always loved the little guy but it was different once I truly became a care-taker. He was the nicest kitty I have ever met and I’ll miss him forever and ever.
Professional
Nutritional Therapy Practitioner Certification
I decided not to pursue my education degree and become a teacher after I graduated college in 2016. After getting a lot of classroom experience, I knew that teaching was an extremely taxing (although rewarding) job that was not the smartest decision for me. I chose to continue babysitting and nannying children, a job in which I have always worked for a few families at a time. I knew something would come my way, and that’s when I came across the Nutritional Therapy Practitioner certification. I enrolled in the February 2017 NYC class and graduated in November 2017. BEST. DECISION. EVER.
AIP Health Coach Certification
In August 2017, I enrolled in the first ever practitioner course created by Mickey Trescott, NTP and Angie Alt, CHC, NTC of Autoimmune Wellness and Dr. Sarah Ballantyne, The Paleo Mom.
I learned so much from these women. From learning the “whys” behind food eliminations during the initial elimination period of the AIP protocol, to gaining tips and strategies for helping clients through the diet.
Girl in Healing, LLC / Nutrition Business
I registered Girl in Healing as a real business, because that is what it has become! Between working with brands I love, writing articles, ghostwriting/recipe creation, ads on my site, and affiliate income, the blog generates a side income. Now, with my NTP and AIP certifications, Girl in Healing, LLC is open as a nutrition business! I am now accepting clients who want to work one-on-one to start resolving health issues. Consults are all done virtually. You can view my services and book a free call to get started on my Work with Me page.
I Wrote a Book!
I started late spring/early summer in 2017 on my book but worked on it intermittently while I completed coursework for my NTP certification. You can get an overview of the book here. It’s available on Amazon as a kindle and paperback and is covered under Prime shipping! Buy here.
Blog
I really upped my blogging game in 2017. I honed in on my photography skills using a Canon Rebel camera and I committed to posting once a week. I have since upped that to twice a week most weeks! I did a handful of guest posts and recipes and made new blogger friends!
Top Recipe Post – Paleo Buffalo Chicken Cakes
Top Non-Recipe Post – How to use Essential Oils for Crohn’s disease
2018 Goals
- Continue to put on some weight. Another 10 pounds would be great!
- Build a solid nutrition business helping people feel better.
- Make amazing new recipes!
- Continuing to learn by reading books, listening to podcasts, and maybe even enroll in another certification course!
What were the highlights of your year in 2017? What goals are you working towards?
