The Health Benefits of Almonds

*This post is in partnership with nuts.com. All opinions are my own.

The truth is, we're all busy. We have 100 things going on in our minds, places we have to be, to-do lists a mile long. Some of us are parents, some of us have pets, some of us spend more time at work than home with our families. This is what I call the "rat race" of life. We wake up rushed to get ready, get the kids off to school, and make it to work all while balancing the million other things we did forgot, but need to remember to do later.

So why is it that so many people are struggling with their nutrition and their weight? Well, the answer is simple. Convenience. Time. Energy. It's so much simpler to drive through a fast food restaurant for a meal or a "snack" that often has more calories than we require for one day. Yet, there are a lot of people out there that are afraid to eat certain things. Some including carbs or fat -- healthy fat, that is.

I am writing this post to let you in on the little secret that is ALMONDS!!!

This deliciously nutritious snack packs a serious punch, without the guilt that comes with most packaged, processed snacks we find on our grocers shelves and in our cupboards. I researched some of the benefits of almonds here.

Benefits of Almonds {in a nut shell}

Good for your brain

Promote bone health

Good for your heart

Regulate cholesterol

Strengthen your immune system

Improve the complexion of skin

Reduce inflammation

Regulate blood pressure

Increase energy

Prevent colon cancer

Regulate glucose

Good for pregnancy and weight loss

Prevent constipation

I like to enjoy 8-12 almonds as a mid-day snack. It gives me the protein and energy I need to make it until lunch without feeling hungry or deprived. There's no one way to eat them, and various flavor and types of almonds to choose from! You can find the perfect types and flavors of almonds to fit your palate and lifestyle, here.

Would you give almonds a try by adding them to your current routine? I'd love to hear different ways you add nutritious and tasty almonds to your meals and snacks! Feel free to post in the comments below.

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! ♡