Fit Pregnancy Tips -- First & Second Trimester

While it would be really easy to just sit on the couch, veg, and indulge in all your favorite cravings your entire pregnancy (believe me this is a daily temptation for me), I believe that taking care of your body during pregnancy plays a huge part in having a healthy pregnancy, as well as, an easier post-partum recovery. I'm currently 6 months pregnant with my first child and have made a big effort to try to have a healthy pregnancy. I wanted to share some of my "fit pregnancy" experiences so far and the lessons I have learned along the way. I can only go off my experiences thus far and some of you may not find this to be a credible source since I have not actually gone through a full- term pregnancy, delivery and post-partum period yet. But like I said, this is my advice based on my experience of pregnancy so far and this is what is working well for me!

1. Exercise before pregnancy. The biggest thing my OBGYN told me concerning exercise during pregnancy is that I was allowed to continue doing the exercises I had already been doing, but I was not to start anything new that would be too strenuous on my body. Luckily, I had been working out before pregnancy, so I was able to keep up a pretty active exercise routine. Unfortunately, pregnancy isn't the time to start anything new which might limit you if you weren't very active prior to pregnancy. My best advice is if you plan on getting pregnant any time soon, try to develop an exercise routine now. It doesn't need to be anything too demanding, but something that you will be able to keep up during your pregnancy.

2. Continue exercising during your first trimester. I was very nervous about exercising once I found out I was pregnant. My biggest regret is that I stopped running immediately after finding out I was pregnant. Being a long-time runner, giving it up completely was a big deal for me. I was just too scared to mess with it and was terrified of hurting the baby. If I had to do it again, I would have continued running just with less intensity. That being said, I did continue to do the elliptical at the gym, lift light weights with more repetitions, and go on long walks and hikes. It was very nerve-racking exercising in the first trimester for me and it might be for you as well. It's important for you to keep up what you had already been doing knowing that your body is used to the intensity and can handle it. Also, if you stop exercising in the first trimester, it's going to make trying to get back out there in the second trimester a lot harder. Stay consistent with your routine and your body will naturally adjust to exercising during pregnancy.

3. Stay active in your second trimester. Exercising in the first trimester was a breeze for me once I got over the fear of hurting my baby. I didn't experience any morning sickness, wasn't overly exhausted, and didn't have a belly. It basically felt the same as it always had. The challenge came in the second trimester when my belly got bigger, I felt more pressure on my stomach, and I lacked energy. What I soon learned is that for me staying active is key to feeling good and having energy during the second trimester. Not only did it give me more energy, but staying active has also allowed me to feel good during my second trimester. It has helped me feel like the weight I am putting on is healthy weight because I know I'm taking care of my body and my baby by staying active. I quickly learned that staying active doesn't mean I need to always be at the gym. I have found alternate ways to get out there and move around that don't always include much intensity and are low-impact. I go on walks a lot. I even started walking some days during my lunch break just to move around and get away from sitting at my desk for 9 hours straight. Sitting still for a long time isn't great for pregnancy and just caused me to get sleepier and my muscles to tighten. I also go on hikes and walk trails often which allow me to get in a good workout with much less intensity and stress on my body. Some days I just focus on doing basic tasks like cleaning the house, folding the laundry, and going grocery shopping which may not seem like a big deal, but they still help me get up and moving around. All of these things combined keep me active and feeling good. My best advice for the second trimester is to stay active despite your lack of energy and be creative with how you stay active. I try to do something active at least 5 days a week, but I usually only go to the gym 2 days a week. The other 3-4 days a week I just try to make an effort not to come home and sit on the couch all night which after a 9 hour work day and commuting is very tempting!

4. Take the time to rest and listen to your body. With everything I said about being active in mind, also remember how important it is to take the time to rest during pregnancy. We are growing a human inside of us and that's hard work! Some days it might be a good idea to take a nap instead of hitting the gym, believe me your body will thank you! Just like with any workout regime, it's also important to remember to have rest days where you give your body a break. For me, that usually means having a couch day where I do sit and veg, take a nap, and don't worry about having to get up and do anything. While trying to have fit pregnancy, it's so important that we listen to our bodies. Some days while working out, I take it down a notch because I can tell my body is tired or I'm feeling more pressure than normal. If you know you would benefit more from sleeping in than going on a walk, it's important to get that rest. Don't push yourself past where you know is a healthy point for you and that comes with listening to your body and taking the time to rest and relax. Remember that having a fit pregnancy isn't about losing weight. It's about taking care of yourself and your baby which includes rest and not pushing yourself too hard.

5. Recruit your husband in your pregnancy fitness journey. Exercise and healthy eating is always much easier with a partner than doing it alone. Get out there and walk with your husband! This has become a favorite activity for me and my husband. We love going on walks together a few nights a week. It allows us time to talk about our days and get in some low-impact exercise. We also love to go hiking on local trails around our house. We bring our dog and make it a family affair. That way I'm not having to sacrifice limited time with my family, but instead it becomes a fun family activity. If you can recruit your husband to stay active with you, it will make exercise much more fun and enjoyable -- you might actually want to do it!

6. Eat everything in moderation. My last point has to do with the thing pregnancy ladies love most: FOOD! There are so many lists out there of things you should be eating and things you shouldn't. When you are tired or not feeling well, you just want to eat what you want and not have to worry about where the carrot sticks are. There's also the huge topic of pregnancy cravings. You may not want healthy foods and may be craving anything but. So far I have tried to stick with the concept of everything in moderation. I don't have some strict, perfect pregnancy diet, but I also don't give in every time I want ice cream (and good thing because that's like 3 times each day). This has worked really well for me! I'm on track with my weight gain, but I don't feel like I'm depriving myself at all. I do make an effort to eat healthy, but I usually eat something small each day that feels like a treat (usually something sweet :) ). Sometimes I have days where I just eat all the junk food I want, but not every day. The key is to try to stick with an overall healthy diet and then when an unhealthy craving hits, you don't feel guilty for giving in. It's also important to remember that although you are pregnant; gorging yourself with food isn't the best option. It's easy to justify it, but not good for you or your baby. Try to stick with everything in moderation and I feel like you will be very satisfied!

Those are some of my fit pregnancy tips! Every pregnancy is different and what works for one person may not work for another, so definitely keep that in mind. I have also been extremely blessed with a healthy pregnancy so far and am able to carry these tips out, but I do realize that based on different circumstances it's not always possible. Please let me know if you found these tips to be helpful and if you would like me to do another fit pregnancy post in the future (I'm thinking something along the lines of "My Favorite Fit Pregnancy Foods). Also, if you have any advice on having a healthy pregnancy and how to take care of your body during pregnancy, I would love to hear it! Hope you all have a wonderful week!

 

My Library -- Book Recommendations

Hey guys! I'm back for another blog post. I have been trying to switch things up lately and write about a variety of topics. Today I decided that I wanted to share my current library with you. This is only a small portion of my entire collection of books, but these are the books that I have read in the last 6 months. I have read a few of them on my own and a few of them with a group (my Bible study and Sunday School class). Either way, I would highly recommend all of these books and believe that they will strengthen your walk with the Lord. So, let me tell you about each of them!

 

My Sunday School class has been on a C. S. Lewis kick this year. We have read a few of his books and we started out the year reading through the Chronicles of Narnia series. Many of you may have read this classic series as children. I know I read a few of the books growing up. The awesome thing about C. S. Lewis is that he can write novels that appeal to both children and adults. His words carry weight although presented in a simple fashion. As our class read through each book, we were amazed at how he weaved the words together to really dig deep into the Christian faith. The books were beautifully written in order to challenge the adult mind to see God within these children's stories. Each book displays a different part of the Bible including creation, the redemption story, and Heaven. It really challenged my class to find the meaning behind the pictures he builds throughout his stories. We used the study guide pictured above to navigate our discussions throughout the books and also reveal truths that we may not have seen otherwise. I would highly recommend this series and I think you will be surprised by how much you fall in love with not only the characters, but also Lewis' style of writing.

 

Next is Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers. If you haven't heard of this book, I would honestly be surprised. This book came to me with very high recommendations and was actually a gift from my husband (he had also heard great things). The book starts out in an odd fashion if you are expecting the traditional cookie cutter Christian novel. It is Biblically based though and actually focuses on the story of Hosea. It starts off with an emotionally and physically beaten down girl named Angel who makes a living as a prostitute. She has no self-worth and a very ugly past. A man named Michael Hosea sees her one night and feels God telling him to marry this girl. He is immediately very confused and doesn't want much to do with Angel based on her outer appearance and her lifestyle. Michael ends up obeying God and marrying her and from there, things take a turn for the crazy. All sorts of events happen and many that are very surprising. This is a very, very powerful story of redemption. I know I personally started tearing up while reading it because of the way it shows God's unconditional love for us. I would say this is a must read for any woman and is a great example of God's extravagant, over the top, beyond anything we could ever understand, love for us. This book keeps you on your toes the entire time!

  This book is an oldie, but goodie. Its Beth Moore's Breaking Free. If you aren't familiar with Beth Moore, then you are missing out. She is a phenomenal teacher especially when it comes to women's studies. I actually read this book a few years ago and it came at the perfect time for me, a time where I was feeling very captivated and almost trapped by certain strongholds in my life. I reread this book recently and was surprised at how much I got out of it considering I had already gone through it once. Breaking Free is about the obvious: breaking free from the things that hold us captive and finding freedom in Christ. But this book also offers more healing than you would expect and dives into exploring the abundant life God intends for us. The book goes through the benefits and challenges to finding our liberty in Jesus, our past and how to mend our wounds for the future, obedience through the obstacles, God's unfailing love, and the joy that comes with freedom. This book is full of encouragement and you can only walk away from it feeling God's presence and fullness in your life. I personally really connected with this particular Beth Moore writing, but I find that most everything she puts out is something worth reading.

 

Like I said, my Sunday School class is very into C. S. Lewis right now. That being said, they chose to read Mere Christianity after reading the Chronicles of Narnia. I'm not going to lie, I was a little concerned that we would all go into a Lewis coma and be quickly burnt out by reading another Lewis book, but I was pleasantly surprised. This is probably one of my top favorite Christian books. It is so good. This book is different than the Narnia series because he is talking directly about his faith instead of using characters and stories to portray it. These "talks" by Lewis were originally done on the radio in the 1940’s. He was asked to share little segments about faith every week and to explain why he thought Christianity was the way to go. In some ways, Mere Christianity is like an apologetics book (defending a position through the use of information). Lewis defends Christianity and explains how it works. What makes this book really interesting is that Lewis was not always a Christian. He didn't convert until later in his life, so hearing his position on Christianity and non-believers is a unique and inspiring one. He writes in such a captivating way and he explains a religion that can be a tangled web with a completely simplistic approach. He uses logic to explain Christianity in such a profound and powerful way. I can't recommend this book enough!

 

The last book is my most recent read and I am not quite finished with it yet. I am part of a girl's Bible study and we are currently reading Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life by Donald Whitney. The book focuses on 11 spiritual disciples and each chapter entails why this discipline is important to our faith. Obviously, discipline isn't the most fun topic to discuss and it's rarely easy, but Whitney reveals that discipline actually brings freedom. This book has exceeded my expectations so far and challenged my walk. It is a great catalyst for discussions and has allowed me to dig deeper into my faith. So far we have discussed the discipline of Bible Intake, Prayer, Worship and Evangelism and I have yet to be disappointed. If you are looking for a challenge and a way to grow in your spiritual life, this book is for you!

Thanks for sticking with me on this journey through literature. I hope you enjoyed learning more about what is in my library and that you will pick up one of these great books in the future. I promise you will not be disappointed!

"I Need To Be Skinnier"

I haven't written too much about health on this blog, but being healthy and in shape is a big part of my life. I've had my ups and downs with weight over the years. I've gone through very healthy and somewhat unhealthy phases. If you are a woman reading this, then I feel like you will be able to relate on some level. Women constantly worry about weight and appearance. The older we get, the worse this obsession becomes. I see so many women going to extremes to achieve their goal weight or a certain look. It makes me sick to watch. I'm here to share my personal health journey and hope that it will inspire some of you to see that leading a healthy life doesn't have to be all about counting calories and spending countless hours in the gym. It takes some self-love and dedication to not becoming skinny, but becoming healthy (physically AND mentally).

From the time I was young, I have always worried about weight. I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism at age 11 and was considered overweight for my age at that point. Before my diagnosis, I just thought I was rapidly gaining weight and can remember being conscious of what I put into my body at an early age. In the 3rd grade, I started drinking water instead of juice. I tried to eat more fruits and vegetables and to cut out sweets. I was already trying to "diet" because I didn't like how I looked. After I got on the right medication, the pounds began to shed and I got back to my natural weight.

I was on the track and cross county teams in middle and high school, so I was constantly running. That definitely helped me stay in shape in my teens, but I still stayed close to the scale to constantly check my weight. I have always eaten fairly healthy and had a love for healthy foods. I also have a love for sweets. So when I got to college, I was amazed by the plethora of food I saw everywhere. I had a 24/7 access pass to the dining hall and went out to eat Waffle House in the middle of the night regularly with friends. The pounds started coming back on. I didn't realize it at the time, but I was my heaviest in college. I would work out regularly, but I would also binge eat and go to bed extremely full on a regular basis. I overate and believed I needed way too many calories to keep my body going. I was truly uneducated about what being healthy really meant.

My senior year of college after Christmas break, I decided I needed to go on a "diet". My weight was at an all-time high and I wanted to get down to what I had been in high school. I started eating healthy and working out, but I was a bit obsessive about it. I went to the gym 5-6 days a week in college and felt like something was off if I wasn't there. I thought I needed to be there in order to not gain weight. While this isn't a crazy extreme, my mindset was unhealthy. A few weeks before graduation, I reached my goal weight. But looking back, I didn't do it in the healthiest way. I wasn't consuming enough calories and was pushing myself to the limit. I believed that if I just ate less, then I wouldn't have to work out as much and I could still be "skinny". While that was true, it was difficult to maintain. I gained some of the weight back after graduation and it was hard to step on that scale.

When I got engaged, I started losing weight again, not on purpose this time but because of stress and busyness. I began eating slightly less calories but also letting myself indulge. I didn't feel like I was depriving myself anymore. I was working out, but only 3 days a week, nothing extreme. It was through that method and putting less focus on weight than I ever had, that I got to my skinniest and healthiest state. Pretty ironic, huh?

I'm not saying this method works for everyone, but I can say that I have been able to maintain a weight I am very happy with while still being healthy for almost a year and a half. I work out, but I don't live at the gym. I eat healthy, but I also eat unhealthy sometimes. I am not constantly counting calories. Everything in moderation is my new personal slogan. I have seen a change in my body and my mind by putting less emphasis on the scale and more on being a happier person all around. I am happier, healthier, and skinnier when I take the pressure off of myself and decrease my intensity with trying to be thin. I changed my focus and it worked.

I was inspired to write this particular blog after constantly seeing women who hate on themselves and who put every ounce of their being into reaching their goal weight. Even if you look on Pinterest, there are a million recipes on how to make things differently to cut calories. I think healthy choices are very important, but eating a little less of something with a higher calorie content and feeling satisfied instead of deprived is okay too. Don't get caught up in everything "diet" and "skinny". Eat a piece of cake, just don't eat 5. Depriving yourself is NOT the solution to a healthy life, but loving yourself is. Everywhere we look; there is pressure to be smaller, to push ourselves, our bodies, and our minds to the extreme. Moderation is key. Lifestyle changes are more effective than diets. Eat in moderation, workout in moderation, and dedicate your time and energy to being thinner in moderation. The scale may not look different, but that doesn't mean that you aren't getting results. Throw the scale out if you have to in order to focus on being healthy (physically and mentally) not skinny. You will be a much healthier and happier person in the long run.

LETTING GO

It's interesting to me that lessons meant for children or youth, always hit me harder as an adult. The kids may walk away learning nothing, but I find myself touched and intrigued by the simplicity of the message.  This happens often during our youth group. My husband is the youth pastor and the funny thing is that because of our busy lives, we rarely discuss what will be happening at youth group beforehand. I usually don't know what he will be speaking about and I hear it all for the first time with everyone else. Our simple talks with the youth tend to resonate with me more so than any complex teaching I ever receive.

This week we talked about God's promises. Josh taught us about the concept of a covenant or an agreement that God makes with us. Of course, there are times when we don't uphold our end of the bargain, but He remains true in His promises to us always. He never fails to keep His end of the deal. Knowing that, we then looked at the commitments He had made to us throughout scripture. Among the plethora of promises God has made to us, we found one that particularly stuck out because of the New Year. God says to us, "See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland."  In these verses, He is showing us that if we just let go of the past, He will do a new thing within us. He desires that for us, not to be stuck in the past but to give us a future full of hope. He wants us to be excited about what is to come! God wants to carve a new path for us, if only we would let Him.

 

I've heard this verse many times, but as someone who struggles with letting things go and moving forward, it convicts me each time I hear it. I had a wonderful 2013, but it wasn't perfect. Like anyone, I made some mistakes and bad choices. I held onto grudges and fears. I struggled to forgive when others had wronged me. I would definitely say 2013 was a pruning year for me, where God showed me areas of my life that needed work and slowly began molding me into the wife, daughter, friend, co-worker, etc. that He has called me to be. He showed me the things I needed to let go of: selfishness, pride, irritability, anger, self-consciousness, not trusting, anxiousness...just to name a few. I had to learn some of these lessons the hard way and anyone who has ever felt the Lord trimming away their problem areas knows it isn't easy. It was a year filled with growth, but I still have a long way to go. Too often we put our focus on the past and on all these things I've listed from my 2013 that I'm not too proud of. There is nothing we can do about the events that have already passed, yet Satan loves to torture us with them. The past can preoccupy our minds, but nothing about it will ever change. It's a pointless battle that we need to retreat from.

I take this verse as a challenge for this year. God is holding His hand out to me, to all of us, asking us to let go of what is currently in our hands occupying our time and energy and put that weight down, so that we can grab ahold of Him and what He has for us in 2014. To symbolize this, our youth group lit sky lanterns and released them to show everyone including ourselves that we are putting the past behind us and embracing everything that we are trusting the Lord to do in the New Year. It was one of the coolest things I've ever done and it was very meaningful for all of us. We didn't let them go individually, but all together. We are in this together. Here's to 2014 and the great things that we know are to come!

FRIENDS

Each season of life is unique in its own way and each comes with different struggles and adaptations, but I must say that the phase in between college and "real" adulthood is by far the strangest I have yet experienced. You are technically an adult, but you wouldn't consider yourself one. You are left learning to navigate for yourself without the roadmap you have always held -- you don't know how this time period is supposed to look. There is no right or wrong answer which makes it harder to make decisions. You determine where you want to go and you have to figure out exactly how you will deal with and adjust to the changing circumstances. It's funny how things change when you get older, things that you would never expect. There are certain trials that happen in life that no one tells you about. There is no warning or preparation; it just happens. Sometimes you just aren't prepared for everything that growing up entails.

In high school and college, I definitely would have defined myself as a social butterfly. I was always out and about doing things with friends. You would rarely find me home on the weekends because I made it a point to fill up my schedule. In college, I regularly had lunch/dinner dates with girlfriends and would go to the gym or go running with friends. It was very rare when it was just the roommates in our townhouse because we always had people over. I kept myself busy and constantly in contact with everyone because in college there are almost always people around at all times in the day. You have to try really hard to fit a quiet moment to yourself in. I wasn't used to spending much time alone or struggling with friendships.

When I graduated and moved home, things changed. My once booming social life soon began to dwindle and I struggled to maintain friendships, let alone make new ones. No one ever warned me about this particular dilemma. I never realized that part of my life was going to change so drastically. I have now been out of college for 2.5 years and I am still dealing with this change. It's a lot harder to make friends when you are older and tend to see the same people day in and day out. I don't come in contact with as nearly as many people as I did when I was in school. It's also harder to keep friends because we don't live as close anymore and people tend to be scattered in different cities or even different states. It's not as easy to just call someone and ask to hang out spur of the moment. Everything has to be planned and scheduled. It's an awkward phase and it was tough for me.

Life seemed to get in the way of what used to be one of my first priorities, my friends. Many nights when my husband would have a night class, I would dread going home because I knew I would be there alone with nothing to do. When there were things to do, I wasn't always able to make it to hang out like I used to because of work or the long drive. I missed out on fun events because I had to be up early the next day or I wanted to spend rare quality time with my husband. There were also times where I just didn't get invited to hang out with friends like I used to. I was sometimes forgotten or maybe just not as close to that group anymore. I've had friends move, get married, get new jobs, get in consuming relationships, etc. and they weren't around to spend much time together anymore. Some people assumed that because I was now married, I wouldn't be as interested in spending time with friends as I once was. This was completely false, but I noticed myself getting invited to do less and less. I found myself almost always being the one who had to make the effort to make the friendship happen. It hurt and it was hard for me to see other people having so many "friends" when I felt like I had very few who were truly there for me.

I slowly realized that I wasn't the only person in this boat. I actually found out that many people my age dealt with the same problem and also felt like I did. Little did I know, I wasn't alone in this at all. It's still hard for me, but I am becoming more content with the friends that God has blessed me with. Getting older has allowed me to have less surface level friendships with lots of people and instead dig deep into a few friendships that really matter. It has taught me to cherish the friends that I do have because I know how hard real friends are to come by. It has drawn me closer to loved ones knowing that these people are worth investing in because they will be there for me until the end. I've gained a brand new perspective and a deeper understanding of relationships as a whole. I am also learning that there are times where I will just have to accept being alone and that's perfectly okay.

No matter how happy I am with my marriage, my family, my job, my church...I will always crave genuine friendships. It took me a while to realize this, but I still have those friendships. They may look different as I get older and they might require a little bit more effort, but they are still there.

A Little R&R

Last week was one of the busiest weeks of my life. I had something going on every night and was barely sleeping trying to fit it all in. Needless to say by Friday night, I actually had to take a nap at 7pm because I just couldn't keep my eyes open any longer. Tired and irritable probably described me pretty well by the end of the week. I had taken no time to rest throughout the week and it showed.

Saturday, we had our Gale Family Christmas and it was lots of fun! A day filled with family, kids, food, presents and giving. My favorite part of the day was when we went around to different people in the community who were going through a rough time or who didn't have much family to spend time with during the holidays and we gave them a tin of goodies, an ornament, and a Christmas card. We also sang Christmas carols to them upon request. It was a great reminder that the Christmas season is not only about getting but more importantly about giving. It was a good way to refocus after a chaotic week. We enjoyed our visit to Irwinton although it was very short. We were only there 12 hours and didn't get home till 2am because we wanted to stay down there as long as possible.

I was completely wiped Sunday morning after my hectic week and long Saturday. So on Sunday, I did something that I rarely do. I took a break. I am always doing something and going somewhere. I never slow down, stop, and rest. It was so great doing almost nothing yesterday. I slept in, did a devotional with Josh, rested on the couch and watched movies, took a nap, went through some boxes, finished Christmas presents and folded laundry. All things that were very low key and that needed to be done, but I was never home long enough to do them. It was amazing what a little rest and relaxation did for me. I felt renewed and refreshed while getting up this morning, ready for a new week!

My day of rest was such a good reminder of what I need to be doing more often. I make a conscious effort to get everything else done in my life, but I never make an effort to take the time to relax. I am slowly realizing that it doesn't mean I am lazy or being unproductive with my time. Rest is good for the body and good for the soul. If I want to get everything done on my To Do List, it is necessary for me to slow down. It's so easy to get caught up in the hustle bustle of the holiday season, and when that happens, it is especially important to get away. Josh and I spent some time yesterday reading the Christmas story with no phones, computers or TV on. All we had were the glowing lights of our tree and the beautiful words of Jesus' birth to focus on. In that moment, I understood why it was so important for Jesus himself to get away sometimes. The silence, the stillness and the time to focus on what really matters is so much more fulfilling than staying busy ever could be.

Then Jesus said, "Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.” – Matthew 11:28

Ch-Ch-Changes

My husband recently told me that the longer he is married to me, the more he realizes how much I don't like change. This statement caught me off guard, but after thinking about it for a few seconds, I wholeheartedly agreed. I really don't like change.

They say that the only thing that remains constant in life is change. That it is really the one thing you can always depend on happening. The older I get, the more rapidly the changes come. In the past few years, I have had many, many friends get married, move, have babies, and change their whole lives; myself being one of them. My life has also been altered in hundreds of small and large ways over the years. And let's just say those changes weren't usually joyfully embraced. I have always struggled with things being different from what they once were. I like the comfort of routine and dependability. I cling tightly to the things and people that I love, expecting them to always be there. In fact because of that, I have major issues with giving up on any kind of friendship. I will put the effort into it until the very end, because I just can't accept losing a friend or things changing between us. Even if it's for the best.

This fear of change has been very present in my life recently. My very best friend just moved to Florida. She is the first friend I've had move to another state and I have to admit that saying it's been tough would be an understatement. I have really been having a hard time accepting this change and all the other changes that have come along with it. My brother is also interviewing with a company in Dallas, Texas. There is a good chance that he will be moving to Dallas very soon. My first reaction was pure happiness for him. I am really proud of him for going after what he wants. But once I realized that him moving away is a very real possibility, I instantly became on the verge of tears. It will be a tough change to deal with when the time comes. I am being forced to open up my eyes to the reality that I am getting older and people do move away from where they grew up especially at this age. Things aren't going to stay the same forever. This isn't a foreign concept to many, but to me it feels like another language entirely.

Coming face-to-face with my fear of change each day, I am learning that it is never going to go away. It's here for good, so I might as well embrace it. I must keep moving forward while letting certain people or situations go along the way. I am slowly accepting that it is actually healthy to allow change in my life. It's a good thing. Change has brought me to the place I am now and I must say I'm pretty darn happy here. The good things in life can't come without discomfort, without hard times, without change. So I will slowly loosen my grips and let go, knowing that the best changes are yet to come.