Seven years ago, when I started this blog, I never knew the way it would evolve and grow. It started as a place to share my journey towards running my first marathon and then grew into a health and wellness blog. My blog isn’t the only thing to grow and change over time. I’ve changed as a person. For years, I prioritized the blog over other aspects of my life – often without realizing it. There were times when I would sign up for press trips and blog conferences without considering the impact this travel would have on the rest of my life.  As I was working to grow my blog and reach new audiences, I would say yes to every opportunity even if it wasn’t relevant or convenient.

As I’ve aged, I’ve realized that I want and need to prioritize life first and my blog second.  

This isn’t to say that I am going to stop blogging anytime soon or stop sharing my journey towards a healthy, happier life. Instead, I want you guys to know that I will continue to share the tough bumps in the road with you as well as the positive highlights. I have also found that over the past few months, as I’ve said no to the opportunities that don’t feel right or make sense, I’ve been able to say yes to ones that excite me and reignite my passion for this space. I feel at the age of 32 I have far more to offer you all than I did at 25.  I was young and naive back then.  Living a healthy life doesn’t get easier as one gets older. Instead, as other priorities and demands are continuously added to my plate I find it harder and more challenging.

I’ve started making changes, beginning with my calendar, that are already benefiting me and those around me. 

During our drive home from Lake Placid on Sunday, I spent 30 minutes reviewing my calendar for September and October. I used the color coding system to organize my commitments: work, family friends, workouts and blog. I realized that unfortunately, September was a month of over-commitment on the blog front due to multiple opportunities. The change of season as well as New York City Fashion Week often bring incredible events. While I’m always honored to be invited to them, it is difficult to balance these in addition to my professional and personal life. As you guys know, I have a career with Procter & Gamble that I love. My role just increased in responsibility, which means the next few months are going to be exciting but demanding.  Instead of trying to squeeze things in, I started making tough decisions.

One of the biggest things I decided to remove was something that was looming on my calendar and causing guilt – Montreal Rock’n’Roll 10k. 

Due to work commitments for both Bo and me, our three day weekend to Montreal to eat, tour and run our way through the city slowly started shrinking. As of last week, it became a 30-hour trip that would be an expensive proposition considering flights and hotel costs. I felt guilty emailing the Run Rock’N’Roll team since I am a Rock’n’Blog ambassador. Luckily, a few friends and family members reminded me that at the core my blog is about maintaining a healthier, happier lifestyle and I should pursue things that match this goal. While it was a tough email to write, the moment I pushed enter I felt a weight lift off my shoulders.

This was intended to be a virtual coffee date but instead grew into a long post about one thing – change. 

Sometimes we need to take a step back and reflect on where we have been, where we are and most importantly where we want to go.  Over the next few weeks and months, you will start to see my vision for this blog come to life. I hope you’ll enjoy the journey and continue reading.

Picture: Lydia Hudgens

Gear: New Balance Newbury Jacket – New Balance Newbury Legging