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Thursday, March 8, 2012

Footprints on the Heart

Thank you. To everyone who I've crossed paths with over the past 11 weeks: Thank you. I'm a firm believer that everyone who comes into your life, no matter how long they stay, leaves footprints on your heart. I am so grateful to those of you who encouraged me to explore job opportunities in Nashville & Atlanta; those of you who have helped me realize my potential; those of you who spoke wisdom & kindness when I needed it most; those of you who inspired me to be a fitter person; and of course those of you who pressured me into going out dancing on a Monday night when I had a 6:30 wake up call on Tuesday -- it was so worth it. There are also people who have stepped into my life that I'm not entirely fond of -- but I'm thankful for them as well for showing me what not to do. Some people may never know the ways in which they've shaped my life & how I view the world. That's unfortunate, but I will always remember.

The other interns & I became pretty close with a younger guest who was here for an extended stay. She was such an inspiration & I'm so thankful for the opportunity to meet so many wonderful people here. She gave us these bracelets as a parting gift.

It serves as a reminder to remember who I am, why I am, where I am, how I got here, and how I'm going to grow in order to get where I'm going. For each of those things, and each of the people involved in every step of the way, I am grateful.

Friday, March 2, 2012

My Vision

This week, there was a lecture offered called "Re-inventing Yourself." Of course I planned to go -- I've been making a lot of realizations this week so what do I have to lose by doing a little more soul-searching?

We started by brainstorming how we want to feel about different aspects & relationships in our lives and then cut out pictures and words from magazines that capture those feelings. It's basically a media portrayal of my vision statement I made a few weeks ago. As if I haven't said it enough, I feel like 2012 is really my year to be the best me possible and it's also a year of big transitions, so my board definitely reflects that.
Are you on the right course? Don't ignore the signs. "I know it's hard to reconciled. Not everything is exactly the way it ought to be. But please turn around & step into the future. Leave memories behind & enter the land of hope." (Zbigniew Herbert) Sound mind, sound body. I realized today is the day I write my own story.  The movement ignites hearts and inspires emotion. Finding peace in a frantic world. An orchid in full bloom. Your fittest year.  The new me.

Thursday, March 1, 2012

Becoming an adult in 6 weeks

Well, it's official:  6 weeks left to go!  It's hard to believe how fast the time has gone by.  I have learned and experienced so much over the past 2.5 months and in 1.5, I'll be forced out into that thing everyone calls the "real world."  With that said, I've been doing some job searching and, naturally, freaking out a bit with all that entails (Many thanks to those of you trying to keep me sane during this process!).  But more on that later ;)  In less stressful news, I have decided on a final project to work on over the next few weeks!  I'll be working with the Marketing Coordinator to evaluate & improve Operation Health, H3's employee health program.  I'm very excited about working on this since many of the jobs I'm looking into deal with corporate wellness.

The past few weeks have been jam packed:  Ginna, one of my best buds, came to visit, then I had a visit from my parents, we celebrated Fat Tuesday, had an awesome weekend with the lovely Lauren Spires in Charleston, and this week the other interns and I painted at a local studio and we are planning a bachelorette party for this weekend.  It was so awesome seeing my friends and family.  Mardi Gras was a much-needed event -- we decided to get off the plantation, let our hair down, and celebrate in Fat Tuesday style.  My trip to Charleston last weekend was a bit of a last-minute one, but so worth it.  Lauren and I had a long-overdue reunion and I was more than ready to get off the island and just let down.  I was so glad to just spend some time with her and enjoy good food and drinks.  How lucky I was to find Lauren all those years ago on Craigslist! Glad she didn't turn out to the be Craigslist killer ;)  We tried out a restaurant called Black Bean Co., which further ignited my dream of someday owning a vegan restaurant.  We also ate at Triangle, one of Lauren's favorites.  It's easy to see why -- check out my veggie burger and sweet potato fries (with apple butter!).  I also got to meet some of Lauren's Charleston friends, including the lucky man in her life-- shout out to Dana, my new favorite person!

The lovely Ginna Goode & me
Me with my parents atop the HHI lighthouse
Mardi Gras goodies
Reunited with my bestie!
Vegan cupcake from Black Bean Co.
Making veganism sexy -- one veggie burger at a time!
My finished mermaid from Artist Uncorked, a BYO painting studio