No Bake Shakeology Energy Bites

This afternoon, I was craving something sweet. I thought about running to the store for some ice cream, but let's be honest... that would counteract my workout from this morning and leave me feeling yucky afterwards.

So, I settled for something healthier that is sure to satisfy my sweet tooth just the same--and without all the guilt. I chose this healthy little pick-me-up, and it sure was a great choice!

Minutes to Prepare: 15

Minutes to Cook: No Baking Required; Freeze for 2 Hours

Number of Servings: 25

Ingredients:

1 c. Oatmeal

1/2 c. Natural Peanut Butter (may use other nut butters)

1/3 c. Honey

1 c. Unsweetened Coconut Flakes

1/2 c. Ground Flaxseed

1 scoop Chocolate Shakeology

1 tsp. Vanilla Extract

Directions:

Mix all ingredients together as you go. Use a spoon or ice cream scoop to form the mixture into about one inch balls. Place them on a cookie sheet covered with wax paper and place in the freezer for at least 2 hours. These can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to two weeks. Enjoy!

the nutritional information was found here

Chase Your Dreams

Last night I had a dream I was back in nursing school. Needless to say, it made waking up a little rough when I realized it wasn't reality.

So this morning, I had a long chat with my Dad about my future. Although I'll admit I didn't want to listen to him, he did bring up some good points about DREAMING BIG and going after what you want. I've been searching for something to fill a void that's overcome me these last few weeks since nursing school didn't work out. Feeling lost, emotional, and scared, I began jumping from one idea to the next, exclaiming how "happy" or "fulfilled" it would make me if... "x-y-z" happened.

WHO WAS I KIDDING?!

I kept thinking if I had a different job, more money, this or that... I would be happier and fulfilled. What I failed to come to terms with is that MY HAPPINESS depends on myself. Not on another person or thing.

Through some tears, it finally hit me about an hour ago. I realized my future and the success I do or don't have, will only be a result of my hard work and dedication to the task at hand. It's not hidden anywhere, but in the burning passion I have for helping others live happier, healthier, more fulfilling lives. This is my avenue for pursuing happiness and fulfillment in my daily work. This is my PASSION.

I am READY to create a life of success and financial freedom through something I love and enjoy. Therefore, I am making it a personal goal of mine to help FIVE women each month get healthIER... AND to get certified in personal training and nutrition by the end of Summer 2015.

Whatever your dreams are {big or small} CHASE THEM and don't stop until you're where YOU want to be. Don't let society dictate where or what they think is "right". I know it took me a lot of trial and error over the years to figure out what I truly want. I was too busy searching for something that would make others proud of me, rather than focusing on what I would be proud to do.

Follow your heart. Dream BIG. Believe in yourself. Success will follow.

Best Wishes in all your future endeavors.

Why I Chose Nursing School

*Disclosure: this post is not being written for sympathy. I am simply writing it to get my thoughts out of my head and onto a platform that may be able to help someone else in my position.

"Everything happens for a reason...

Maybe God has a bigger plan for your life that you just don't see yet."

This statement has been told to me multiple times this week. It's taken me a few days to realize that maybe everyone is right on that. Sometimes the path we think our life should be on is turned in a different direction towards something even better.

As I sit down to write this post I am filled with a mix of emotions. On one hand, I feel like the weight of the world has been lifted from my shoulders. On the other, I feel like I have had the wind knocked out of me.

Nursing has always been something I have wanted to do. It took me 24 years to realize that and make the choice to go for it. After two years of applying, I was finally accepted for a January 2013 start in a prestigious nursing program. Ecstatic doesn't even describe my excitement. I did not know just how demanding this program would turn out to be, but I was ready to go all in.

Fast forward to the end of 2014, and I was officially dismissed from my institution's nursing program due to being just under the percent I needed on my exam total. Two years worth of late nights, early mornings, a lot of coffee and studying. I failed to make the cut... AND THAT IS OKAY!!!

Even though this isn't where I saw my future... I would do it all over again because it was something I enjoyed. Stressful? YES. Worth it? EVEN MORE.

PLEASE DO NOT let this discourage you from pursuing such a rewarding and amazing career. I can't even put into words how fulfilling it is to hold the hands of your patients and comfort them in their time of need. To cry with them and talk with them... and show them that you care. You are making an impact on their lives, even if you don't feel like it at the time. The best part is, at the end of the day they are also making an impact on yours. It is the most special feeling.

This week has been hard, no doubt about that. I've cried a lot and wasn't sure what to think or how to feel. It's embarrassing and somewhat freeing all at the same time. The constant stress of excelling was starting to wear me thin and affect my relationships with people I care about. I'll admit I struggled a lot with the change in how the nursing curriculum is run as I have never really been an "A" student to begin with. However I have made some great strides in my studies over the past couple of years, learned a lot about myself, my strengths, and my weaknesses. It has opened up my eyes to the fact that everyone is going through something and even though we may feel rushed to hurry through the motions of life, it is important to stop and really soak up the moments...

To be present. To listen. To smile.

Most importantly, to enjoy every minute of this beautiful life.

I know I am meant for something great. I can feel the fire lit in my soul to turn these circumstances into something incredible. Nursing school may have not worked out for me, but if it is your passion... GO FOR IT!

Give it everything you've got and never give up on yourself.

Maybe someday I will go back for nursing... but right now, I am content with putting my faith in God and letting him guide me down the path he has mapped out for me. I will be switching my major to Population Health Management. Ideally with this degree, I would like a career working with today's youth to end the trend of obesity. I will keep you posted on how it all works out.

"Every time life knocks you down, it gives you an opportunity to get back up and rise even higher!"

No matter how BIG or how small...
Follow your heart. Chase your dreams. Give it your all.

These are my recipes for a happy and successful life.
Best Wishes!

Whatever Is Meant To Be... Will Be.

I just got the results from an exam in nursing school that I was so STRESSED OUT and sick to my stomach over... and I PASSED!!!

I am not posting this to brag, but because this semester has given me a run for my money. Hours of studying, long days of early mornings and late nights. Last week, I felt like I hit rock bottom. Defeated. I cried every single day, and was sure that my future in nursing was done. I even went so far as to make a list of back up career options, as a "just in case".

Being 28 years old, living at home, and barely being able to work due to the demands of school is tough. Throw in the possibility of all your hard work, thousands of dollars in student loans, and your future career path thrown down the drain... and it's a recipe for feeling pretty lost.

Some may think that is a bit dramatic, but I will say that to date, my track record on exams has been just below the percentage mark we need. It's embarrassing and disheartening to keep falling short, time after time.

Especially when I KNOW I will make a great nurse!

However, something changed the other day. I was sitting at a stoplight, and had an "a-ha" moment. I realized how silly I was being for focusing on the worst possible outcome. I've come way too far to turn back now. I decided to change my outlook, pick myself up, and give it my absolute best. A few tears of exhaustion later, my hard work finally shined through!

It just goes to show that when you want something bad enough, you will do your absolute best knowing you couldn't have possible done any more. If the end result is meant to be, it will be.

Shine Bright, My Fellow Coffee Lover.

*google image.

Sitting here in silence listening to the soft hum of my Keurig as it heats up the water for my second cup of Vanilla Starbucks coffee. A warm cup of delight. Delicious. My puppy is cuddled up next to me with a slew of her toys, and the washer is quietly cleaning our well-worn clothes. I silently wonder if this is what my life will look like with kids?! Only a little less silent, I'm sure.

I have so many emotions running through my mind this morning, and a persistent fire that is burning deep in my soul. I have a passion... a huge passion. It comes from the heart and it's so real, I can feel it. I want to help people. I love to help people.

Most people who know me really well will tell you I was very shy growing up. I still am to an extent, but I've come a long way. I hated being the center of attention, was embarrassed far too easily, and was so very quiet in social situations, it was as if I wasn't even there. I feared saying the wrong thing, doing the wrong thing... you name it. I focused far too much of my time and effort into what other people thought of me, that I failed to grasp my own personality. My drive. My passion. I knew I was meant for more, but I had no idea where to start.

High school came and went, and I headed off to college for a life changing, eye-opening, best 4 years of my young adult life. I met some lifelong friends, grew into my own person, and began finding my voice... and subsequently, my way. After graduation, I worked odds and ends jobs... reapplied to school, changed my major a few times, and landed in nursing. It's a perfect career move for me because it encompasses my passion of helping people with my delight of giving back to the community. But it doesn't stop there...

My love of health, fitness, mind, body, and soul led me to Beachbody Coaching, which led me to meet even more amazing friends that have become like family. I have found a way to see the positive in a world full of negatives. I am slowly recapturing the drive I once sought out as a young girl, desperate to figure out my "path" in life.

It's funny, you know... how you can find something--or someone--and you just know it is what you are meant for. Your reason for waking up each day and seizing every moment. Failing forward. Constantly learning, growing, and living with purpose.

I can't even count the number of times I was told I would never succeed. That I was making a mistake by going into nursing, becoming a Beachbody Coach, etc. etc. This told to me by people who failed to see my drive for the desires God has placed in my heart. I am blessed that I have found my niche, and am lucky to have my best friend/soulmate by my side for the journey.

I may not have it all together, but together [with God] I have it all. He will not fail me. I trust in his plan.

As one of my favorite authors (Holley Gerth) says in her book You Were Made for a God-Sized Dream, "There's a God-sized dream knocking on the door of your heart. This is your moment. Now is your time [to shine]."

Go out there and chase your wildest dreams.

Give it your all.

"Small, smart choices + consistency + time = a radical difference!"

-Darren Hardy

Shine Bright Like A Diamond

Do you ever have those times where you look around and find you're constantly comparing yourself and your successes to those of other people? If you haven't, you're one of the very rare exceptions. The truth is, we all want to be successful at something - school, sports, our jobs, our relationships. But the difference between WANTING those things and actually achieving them is HARD WORK. It takes dedication and giving your time and efforts to helping others, while expecting nothing in return. It takes perseverance to want something so bad, that you will make sacrifices to achieve them. It takes letting go of your wants, to focus on someone else's needs.

I'll admit, I've been in sort of a funk lately. My biggest passion is helping others to live their best lives. Yet lately, I don't feel like I'm doing that effectively. I could be a better coach, a better nursing student, a better girlfriend, and a better friend... and I WANT to be those things.

I know I am capable of more. I strongly believe I have the capacity to make a positive impact in this world. To help hundreds of people realize their true potential and empower them to take control of their health and their lives. Not only through Beachbody Coaching, but also as a future nurse.

So whatever your passion is, I challenge you to chase it down and don't stop until you've succeeded. Then, push yourself farther and achieve more than you've ever thought possible. Let your light shine through in everything you do.

YOU WERE MADE FOR MORE! ♡

Grain Free Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

I first came across these delicious muffins on a friend's blog, and I went to get the recipe for them this afternoon and realized she got them from here. Oh the beauty of the internet. You can always count on blogs and sites like Pinterest to find fun, crafty projects, baking and cooking recipes, and awesome DIY stuff you might have never thought of doing otherwise!

{Anywho - It is officially Fall... which now means all things PUMPKIN!}

It is also my favorite season, so what better way than to bake some delicious muffins to honor it. These little beauties are perfect paired with a hot cup of coffee or tea, or by themselves as a little treat. They are easy to make, nutritious, and healthy! Within 10 minutes of them coming out of the oven, my boyfriend was all about trying them out. Needless to say, he loved them. I am sure you and your family will, too! Without further ado... here's how to make 'em!

What You'll Need:

1 cup all-natural almond butter

2/3 cup pumpkin puree

2 large eggs plus 1 egg white, lightly beaten

1/3 cup honey (may substitute maple syrup)

2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt (I used Pink Himalayan Sea Salt)

1/2 cup dark or semi-sweet chocolate chips (I used dark chocolate chips)

How to Make 'Em:

1. Preheat the over to 350 degrees F, and line a standard muffin pan with paper cup liners.

2. In a medium bowl, combine the almond butter and the pumpkin until smooth. (if the almond butter has been stored in the refrigerator and is hard, it is helpful to bring to room temperature before mixing.)

3. Stir in the eggs and honey. Mix in the pumpkin pie spice, baking soda and salt. Stir in the chocolate chips, reserving a few for the top, if desired.

4. Using a large ice cream scoop or a 1/4 cup measure, pour the batter evenly among the muffin cups. Top each with a few reserved chocolate chips, if desired. (I took advantage of this because I love chocolate!)

5. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the centers are just firm.

6. Allow to cool in the pan for 10 to 15 minutes, and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

7. Stored in an air-tight container in the refrigerator, the muffins will keep for at least a week. (They may also be frozen and thawed as you eat them.)

**Tip: If you prefer to forego the chocolate chips, you may substitute raisins, dried cranberries, nuts, or a mix of all three.

Now go out and enjoy some of these yummy Fall treats! :)