Soul Food and Stuffed Peppers

Soul Food:

It’s amazing what a few good tunes will do to your mind and soul. How one verse of a song can take you to a place stored in your memory bank and flood you with happy thoughts. Who needs pixie dust when you’ve got great music at your fingertips?

I just finished teaching a spin class, which took a few of us down memory lane as we took our music selections from a 90’s playlist of good times! Its always fun having a few good friends in class that can share in some of those memories with you.

Next time you're dragging your feet and having a hard time keeping up with some sort of exercise regimen turn on some tunes and grab a friend and get them to work out with you. It feeds your soul at the same time, which is just an added bonus.

Stuffed Peppers:

This week in kitchen adventures I took a stab at stuffed peppers. What an awesome dish, with endless possibilities, I cannot believe it’s not a staple in my weekly dinners! Now my daughter (who is 5) turned her nose up at it but my son (who is 13) loved every bite, even the leftovers!

Now, as I am not one too keen on recipes I don’t actually have one to share, however I can certainly provide the basics as well as a few tips and info as to why I chose certain ingredients along the way (some of which were simply because that is what I had on hand!)

I used 4 large peppers, which I picked up at the local farmers market on the weekend.

To speed things up, since it was a weeknight I cooked a few cups of rice the night before and left it in the fridge to use for a few things. (for the rice I mixed ½ brown rice and ½ Cavena Nuda (aka Canadian Naked Oats www.wedgefarms.ca)

Cavena Nuda is a whole grain, it is high in protein, has a low glycemic index which helps to stabilize your blood sugar, it has a low gluten content and is a great source of fibre

Preheat the oven to 350, cut the tops off the peppers and remove the seeds/membranes

In the frying pan, in a small amount of vegetable stock (or you could use water) cook a few stalks of celery and a small onion.

Add a cup or so of the cooked rice mixture (depends on how big your peppers are that you want to fill)

½ can of rinsed black beans

2 large tomatoes, coarsely chopped

A few tablespoons of Parmesan cheese

Sea salt and pepper

Chopped Parsley

Once the mixture is hot I stuffed each of the peppers to the top, placed them in a dish and baked for about 30-40 minutes, till done

I happened to have some leftover fish so I made this vegetarian this time, however they were choc full of protein provided by the black beans and the Naked Oats.

Next time I’m thinking I’ll go with a Mediterranean theme and use some goat or sheep feta along with some olives and red onions in my rice mixture or maybe Mexican and precook some ground beef or turkey or chicken and add some cheddar or mozzarella cheese.

A few tidbits of interest:

Bell Peppers are a good source of vitamin C and antioxidants, red bell peppers have significantly higher levels of nutrients than green (red bell peppers are actually green bell peppers that have ripened on the vine and are sweeter)

Try and buy organic bell peppers when possible as they are among the top foods which pesticides are generally found.

Rice is a hypoallergenic low allergy versatile grain. Brown rice has a higher nutritional value than any other rice available.

Beans or legumes are often known as the poor people’s meat, however when mixed with grains they provide a complete protein full of important nutrients and phytochemicals, with a high amount of antioxidant protection. I am not vegetarian, however I enjoy a few vegetarians meals each week and enjoy the versatility and convenience that alternate proteins can provide.

So, pick up some peppers or some Naked Oats and dare to be adventurous.

Almond Butter Cookies

Yesterday was the first day of fall, cool, wet and not so nice, rather a disappointment really considering it is my favorite time of year. However if I look at the upside, it was the perfect weather to come home, put on the comfies, grab a hot cup of tea and bake some cookies.

I’m hoping this weekend to clean out the cupboards somewhat, which means creating a few items from odds and ends that I have kicking around. As I’m always looking for a “healthier” version of things, last nights cookies were no exception.

Now, as soon as you see the word “cookie” you can ignore the word “healthy”, however I did make a “healthier” version of the average peanut butter cookie and used up my almond butter and carob chips:

Almond Butter Cookies
1 cup organic almond butter (raw, unsweetened)
½ cup sugar *
1 egg
¼ cup carob chips (optional, simply had these on hand)

Cream together the almond butter and sugar, add the egg and carob chips, mix thoroughly.

Drop by teaspoonfuls on a cookie sheet (I use a baking mat on mine) and bake at 325 for 15 minutes or until slightly brown (darker than they started).

Note: * I used turbinado sugar (would have used sucanet but was out)

These cookies are great in that they do not contain any flour, therefore are gluten free. They are high in protein as well which helps to balance out the sugar.

A few nutritional tidbits:

• Almonds, although high in fat and calories, are packed full of goodness! They contain “good fat”, as well as antioxidants, protein, fibre and vitamin E.
• Almonds are much lower in saturated fats than peanuts.
• When purchasing nuts, it is important to purchase good quality nuts as they have a high fat content, which means they need to be protected from becoming rancid. Raw, unsalted nuts are the best, even better if they are still in their own shell. Nut should be stored in a cool dark place in a sealed container. They will keep longer in the fridge or freezer.
• Turbinado sugar is less refined than your typical white sugar, whereas Sucanet is unrefined sugar. Both turbinado and sucanet contain more nutrients than white sugar and have not gone through the same processing. Sucanet is my preferred of the three as it is closer to its most natural form and higher in nutrients, however it is all still sugar and should be used in moderation.

The texture of these cookies is a little more crumbly than ones made with regular peanut butter, however turned out super yummy!

Enjoy the weekend!

Breathe in and breathe out

Breathe in, breathe out, some day’s that’s all we can do when we are left with no other option.

Stress in itself creates such havoc on our bodies, our minds, our souls. One thing which I learned while suffering depression all those years ago was this:

If it is within my power to change something that is wrong then I have to take the actions to change it. If whatever is wrong is outside of my power, if I have no control over the situation whatsoever then I need to just move on and let it be.

This is sometimes easier said than done, more times then not I can follow this but there are times when I cannot accept this philosophy and I cannot move on and this is when it wreaks havoc on my body and I pay the price for allowing myself to let the stress take over.

How we all react to stress is somewhat individual and often I find it to be totally dependent on the situation at hand. Some days I can be totally in tune to what’s going on and what is needed to get through it, other times I simply fall into old bad habits and then correct it all a day or two later, paying the price along the way.

Stress affects physical, emotional and psychological well being. Stress affects your adrenal glands which in turn affect your hormone secretion as well as digestion; this can then lead to a whole new level of stress!

Stress often affects your blood pressure, your sleep habits, you may be sleeping more, you may be sleeping less, regardless, when stressed you are not getting a good nights sleep, meaning you probably didn’t get your brain to shut off and you may very well be “sleeping”, however not feeling very rested; and then there's the eating habits, this is always a big one!

Eating when stressed, are you eating more or eating less? Is your diet all of a sudden full of quick pick me ups like caffeine, sugar, high fat convenience foods, just to keep you going and then waiting for the ultimate crash? Or it can be the other extreme, you get stressed out and even something as simple as eating becomes a total burden to you?

Personally I tend to fall into the category of overeating and reaching for the junk food even though I know the consequences. You don’t reach a weight of 278lbs without having a food addiction and simply because I have lost that weight doesn’t mean I lost the addiction, it still lingers and still needs to be kept under control and sometimes I have to fight hard against it. I have the tools and have been using them for many years, however I have found that just because you have the tools and know how to use them, it doesn’t mean you are always that handy!

So to deal with stress today I am going to make a conscious effort to not grab the extra cup of coffee that I am so wanting to grab but stick to water, I know I will feel much better for it, I will not drive to the store and buy some chocolate (even though one half of me is saying that it will make things so much better, I know that the other half of me is correct in saying that I will pay a price for that!)  and I will try to breathe in and breathe out and not unleash a fireball at someone in my path (I said try….sometimes you gotta let it out!). And then, to finish it off I am going to the gym and I am going to kick my own ass, along with my dedicated spinners at tonight’s spin class. Nothing like some great music, great people and sweat to work off some frustrations, and its good for me, just an added bonus!

So, hope your stress levels are down and if they aren’t then I hope you are consciously making an effort to get them down, you’ll feel better for it.

Happy de-stressing!

Comments - yes, it is possible

I had a few friends tell me that they were unable to post comments on this blog, so I decided to test it out myself.

I have figured it out, you have to use the Anonymous option, or rather I had to, to get it to work. Please feel free though to key your name in with your comments so I know where it came from.

Comments posted will go through moderation prior to showing on the blog itself.

Happy reading!

Sunday Farmers Market

It's Sunday, and this time of year that means a trip to the local farmers market. Nothing beats the fresh produce that awaits us each week, some organic, some not, however mostly local. Local, meaning that it has not been picked prior to ripening, packed on a truck and shipped across the country to then sit on a grocery store shelf until we pick it up and bring it home. Fresh and local to me, means that it is grown in the proximity of my town, freshly picked and packed with flavour and nutrients.

Now, not everything I find at the market was grown within my town limits. I have purchased peaches for example that came in from Niagara, however at least they were Ontario and not shipped from thousands of kilometres away. They certainly taste a lot better than the ones that sit on the truck for days on end trying to cross our borders.

The best rule to follow in food selection is to purchase the freshest possible, as they tend to have the highest level of nutrients, especially when they have been grown in rich, organic soil.

Do I always buy organic? No. Should I? Yes, I imagine I should; however I do not. For me it is a price point at times, and at other times its simply availability of what I want and what is available at the time.

This year (and the last few, if we're being honest here!) I highly considered joining one of the CSA's (Community Shared Agricultural Farm programs), however I did not. Really, my biggest reason for not joining is the fact that I enjoy going to the market and perusing around the merchants and choosing what I am going to bring home. However, the thought of my produce arriving week to week at my door (or picking up my already packed box) does sound like it may be an adventure in itself, however it is still one that I ponder.

I have space, however do I have the time to put into a properly planned and attended garden? Not necessarily. This year I did plant a few tomato plants, a few pepper plants, a cucumber plant (which turned out to be a pumpkin plant (more on that later!) and some broad beans and have enjoyed the fresh from the garden taste and availability. My mother in law welcomed me to her garden of tomato plants weekly and a close family friend had an abundance of apples on their trees that I have quite enjoyed as well.

Below are a few of this weeks farmers market finds:

• Golden Beets
•  I love these beets, don't get me wrong, really I love beets in general, but what I love about the golden beet is that it doesn't stain my hands, or the countertop or anything else that comes in its path!
• Beets are part of the chard and spinach family. Beets, although high in sugar content are an excellent source of folic acid and a very good source of fibre, manganese and potassium as well as magnesium, phosphorus, iron and vitamin B6.
• Beets are stimulating to the liver's detoxification process and they have been shown to play a protective role against colon cancer
• Apples 
• Nothing beats the taste of a fresh apple! They are an excellent source of vitamin C, pectin and other fibres.
• The skin of the apple contains many important phytochemicals, such as quercetin (a rich flavonoid). Quercetin has antioxidant, antihistamine, anticancer, antiviral and anti-inflammatory properties.
• Potatoes
• I found a basket with a multitude of varieties of organic potatoes. Do you know that there are over 100 varieties of edible potatoes?
•  Potatoes are a member of the nightshade family (eggplant, peppers and tomatoes). Also, good to note is the fact that the skin of the potato holds the most nutrients and fibre.
• Eggs
• I also purchased my eggs at the market today, now they are not as good as the ones that I get from my friends chickens, however since they did not have any available today I bought them at the market. I love eggs, they are such a highly nutritious food and my house goes through alot of them, each week!
• Eggs are a low cost, high quality protein rich food, which is also an excellent source of vitamin K and a good source of B vitamins.

I came home from the market and made a great big bowl of fresh salsa (from my fresh tomatoes and a few green peppers, fresh garlic and jalopenos that I already had in the fridge) as well as a big batch of applesauce, all that's needed for that is a fresh supply of apples, a touch of water, a few dashes of cinnamon and the kids are drooling! Now, what's for dinner is yet to be determined, however I have an abundance of fresh produce to choose from.

I hope you take the time to stop by your local market or fresh produce stand on the weekends or on the way home from work. This time of year the variety is plentiful and nothing tastes better than the freshness that it holds inside!

Happy shopping!

(This blog is written from my own personal viewpoints and perspective and nothing more, take from it what you will!)

Adventures in baking, or not!

This time of year I tend to head back into the kitchen, not that I don't cook all summer long, however as the weather cools I find myself spending more and more time in the kitchen, creating.

Lets face it, the hub of a household  is typically the kitchen, all sorts of activities are run from this central station in the house, homework, meals, telephone conversations, socialization over tea or coffee (sometimes wine :)), family game nights etc. You get my point! Summer time is about spending time outdoors, soaking up the sun, lazing on the deck, cutting the grass, weeding the gardens and going to the park. I find fall approaching and I am beckoned to start some new food creations in the kitchen.

Cooking is never a problem, seldom do I actually cook something that flops. Baking on the other hand is not my thing. I can bake, don't get me wrong, however I like to create. I do not like to follow a recipe, I like to use what is available and not have to run to the store because I am in the middle of a dish and realize I am missing something....I am the queen of improvising, at least when it comes to cooking.

My family will open the fridge and exclaim that we have no food, 30 minutes later I'll have dinner on the table from whatever I may have created with what I found in the fridge, I make it up as I go. Sometimes I start with one thing in mind, stumble upon an ingredient and change the entire dinner plan.....and it all works out.

Over the years, I have tried to be a healthier baker, really I think this is part of my problem. I do not have enough experience with baking to improvise, and certainly not if I want it to be low in sugar, be gluten free or dairy free or full of whole grains (depending on what my goal is that particular day!)

I can mimic my mothers pastry, my grandmothers cookies, my friends banana bread, and make a great butter tart, however the moment I try to make it "healthy" I may as well give up and throw it out. Now not everything flops, but there is a chemistry behind baking and simply changing something as simple as the standard all purpose white flour for whole wheat or heaven forbid a gluten free blend, it becomes an art that I am not yet accustomed to.

Now, really, baked goods are not actually "healthy", however its still nice to have a treat every once in a while and really is there any reason why we can't "want" a healthier version of something that may typically be so sinfully delicious? Insert 80/20 rule here and remember that I am not "perfect" nor do I try to be!

I won't give up and I do sometimes follow recipes and sometimes they even turn out, but thats not the point, I don't want to follow the instructions! I simply want to create and get frustrated that I am not quite there yet, perseverance will pay off, eventually, I hope!

Side Note, I have come across two extremely sinful gluten free brownie recipes in the past few years that really make me wonder why anyone would ever want or need to put flour into a brownie recipe again!

I can certainly pass these recipes along, I'm always willing to share, and don't mind being a taste tester either!

With the coolness of fall approaching and the hot days of summer coming to an end, it marks another season quickly coming upon us.

Fall is certainly my favorite time of year. I love the cool, crisp morning, the clear star studded skies at night,the bounty of local harvest and the start of new routines for the months ahead.

As much as I love the summer with the hot weather, warm nights and sunshiny days, there's just something to be said about the freshness in the cool air of the fall and the familiarity of routine.

Not all routines are good, some of them are simply bad habits that we quickly fall back into with the change of season.

Not everyone enjoys routine, while others thrive on it. Personally I find it easier to stick to something if I make it a commitment and have a set time and day of the week that I have to set aside. I often find the kids thrive more when its routine, when they know what to expect and when to expect it.

Starting a new routine can be a daunting task or you can change your perspective and think of it as a leap into the unexpected. Whether its running the kids to sporting events, starting your own fitness commitments, leaving for work earlier to avoid traffic, they are all possible new fall routines and they don't have to be entered into with despair.

Often times we set ourselves up for disaster before we even begin. We all have control over some aspects of our emotions, being optimistic about change will certainly get you further than a pessimistic attitude.

For example:

• That sporting event you need to take your kid to - you may meet some interesting people to chat with, you may thoroughly enjoy watching your child push their limits, you may take that time to go for a walk, read a book, catch up on your emails.
• That fitness routine - will make you feel good, will provide you with more energy, may make your clothes fit nicer, you may meet some new friends, you may surprise yourself and push your limits
• Leaving early for work may mean arriving home earlier in the evening as well

 You never know what may be waiting for you with the changing of the season. The current full harvest moon may even spark your inner soul to leap forward and initiate a new routine, maybe even something you never thought you'd try before.

Why I chose to study nutrition?

There are a few reasons why I decided to pursue the study of nutrition. First and foremost was the fact that our daughter was always sick as an infant and toddler, secondly I wanted to make healthier choices for myself and family and wasn't content with all that I had learned along my weight loss journey.

Our daughter had numerous illnesses from day one, which could not be explained by the number of doctors, specialist or tests that she went through. It's certainly not that she was deathly ill or anything, but she was constantly sick. Over production of mucus caused most of the issues. Her eyes were always blocked, her sinuses were always full, she did not sleep and she constantly threw up this terrible mucus. We eventually tried the naturopath route, which still did not "fix" the problems, however opened our eyes to a new world of information. Over the past few years she has been growing out of the illness, exactly what the root cause of it all has never actually been found, however we have all learned from the experience and are healthier for it.

My studies so far, have consisted of  the Holistic Lifestyle Coach Level 1 course through the Chek Institute and The Edison Institute of Nutrition where I recently received a certificate in Applied Holistic Nutrition. I am currently working on the next module through Edison,working towards the Diploma in Holistic Nutrition. I chose Edison because it was offered through correspondence and it had an introductory program that I could complete before deciding to continue on in the program.

What I am learning throughout my courses is that the information is ever changing and expanding, there are different view points, different concepts work for different people and none of these viewpoints are wrong, just applying similar principles in a different fashion or from a different perspective.

Studying nutrition has taught me to be open to the bigger picture and to be aware that the picture often changes so you need to check back often. We are each uniquely different, I find that the more knowledge I gain,  the more my viewpoints change. Just because something is working for me right now does not guarantee that I will not follow another path in the future. And just because something has worked for me in the past, it does not mean that the same thing will work for someone else or that it will continue to work for me in the future.

Don't ever be afraid to test out a new path, and don't worry if no one wants to follow. We all have to get through this crazy life somehow and sometimes we have to create our own path to get there.

So, on with my studies I go, what I plan to pursue with a diploma and designation in hand is yet to be determined, however leaves the door open for new possibilities and adventures!

That first leap

Leaping into the great unknown and tackling such a thing as mountain biking was a bit overwhelming. When I first got my mountain bike, I hit the trails a few times with my husband. It was scary as I had never done such a thing before and I found it was very hard to learn from him…he’s built differently than me, he could muscle his bike up, over or around anything and I had a hard time just steering mine!

I found out about the Fly Gurlz and got some info on the clinics offered. I pondered it and before I could chicken out I signed up for a clinic at Blue Mountain…it was the best thing that I could’ve done. I not only gained the skills and the confidence to ride, but found confidence in myself that I didn't have before that I could apply to all aspects of life.

What I found with The Fly Gurlz was that they were everyday women, they came in all shapes, sizes and fitness levels; they each had a story of their own, every one unique. The group is no longer active, the owner came to a point in her life where she needed to make a decision and change direction and it has worked out for her beautifully (see http://www.addaboy.ca/). I still keep in contact with many of the girls, they helped me to find my wings and taught me how to fly and that feeling will never be lost or forgotten.

Mountain biking opened the door to so many things. It’s taught me that fear is within yourself, tackle it and life will hand you everything you need to get through.

I had never been much for sports in the past but over the years have found great pleasure in many different sports including broom ball, basketball and ball hockey (ball hockey now becoming my fav!). Just taking that first step and pushing past my fear opened a door that I wish to never close again.

For me, its not just the thrill of the game or the fact that I may be sweating my ass off and gasping for air, but the laughter, the fun, the friendships that have come along with it.....all of it tied together provides such a great stress release and gets the body moving.

So, what's holding you back?

I read in a friend's blog post the other day the following quote and think it holds true:

"Leap and the net shall appear"



Insert physical activity here

Throughout this weight loss journey I began to understand just how important physical activity is. Being at the weight I had been and being there for so many years, exercise really had not been a part of my life. Sometime, around the time that I became a teenager, which was also around the time that I started to get noticeably heavy, I started to become inactive, and a side note - I also started to smoke.

I quickly lost interest in sport involvement at school, I was out of shape, uncomfortable in my body and wanted to simply hang out with my friends instead, insert love of junk food at this stage as well!

I'm not really sure what made me go from skinny active kid to overweight inactive teenager, pretty much an assortment of events really. It just seems to creep up, creep in and take over. I was never an unhappy teen,  I had plenty of friends and was always a social butterfly, seldom missing out on an event, but that didn't keep me physically healthy.

It wasn't until 2003, when my husband introduced me to the sport of mountain biking that I found out just what I'd been missing.

He bought me a mountain bike, nothing fancy but it had gears and everything else that was required. I'll never forget the first time I climbed on that bike. It was in the driveway, I asked him to stay there, I had to do this on my own. I climbed on and headed off down the road. People say that you don't forget how to ride a bike, well I DID! Off down the road I went, scared to death, arms shaking, bike shaking. I got to the end of the road and had to turn around. I chose a large open parking lot, I'm not quite sure how I managed to not fall over in the middle of the turn. I seriously thought I could throw up, and really wondered what I was getting myself into. As scared as I was, it didn't deter me, nor did I give up.

Trying something new and taking a flying leap out of your comfort zone is one of the most amazing feelings ever. There is no drug out there that compares to the feeling you get when you realize you made it through something that terrified you so incredibly. Once a door like this opens you begin to realize the endless possibilities that are out there waiting for you.

A few weeks after that first bike ride, we ventured off to the Toronto International Bicycle Show. It was there that I first found out about the Fly Gurlz (women's only mountain bike group), which is when the next leap into the great unknown came about.

How it all began......

I believe each of us has our own unique story waiting to unfold, wouldn't you like to be the one to step up and create the next chapter in your life? I want you to stand in my shoes one day and know what it feels like to tell your own story. I want you to know how it feels to be someone you never thought you could be. I want you to have the passion and drive and the desire to create change and I want you to understand that once you've created that change it becomes a part of you.

Now my personal story is alot about weight loss as that was the largest most visible change. But let me tell you, that is simply where it started and from there everything else has fallen into place. It was like a chain reaction, one event led to another and so on. When you are stuck in a rut and needing to make a change, you first require the skills and knowledge to make those changes. From there you need the willingness, determination and commitment to embrace those changes that you wish to make.

One day I simply woke up, I can't even tell you what that defining moment was. I had been heavy, out of shape and a couch potato for years. And one day something happened and I wish I knew what that defining moment was but it just happened and I decided to do something about my life.

At the time I was 25 years old, I was in a failing relationship, I smoked, I ate, essentially I hid. I was an unhappy soul and food was comfort to me; it was like my drug of choice, my crutch. Call it what you want but it was what I used to hide behind. I loved to cook and I loved to eat. I didn't have any goals, I didn't have any hobbies, I didn't have a plan.

My highest weight was 278 pounds and this wasn't weight that I put on overnight. This weight was an accumulation of many years. From the age of 10 or thereabouts I started to gain weight and it continued through high school and into my mid 20's. Shortly after high school I suffered depression, which pretty much tipped me over the edge with the weight issue. The medication that I was prescribed added additional weight and being inactive as I was, once it came on it didn't go off.

Looking back, the depression wasn't from one particular event but rather from all of the events in my life. No one caused that depression, no one caused me to be overweight, no one forced me to eat and no one forced me to waste hours on end sitting on my ass wasting my life away. This was the life that I chose to live. Life is full of choices and I just seemed to keep choosing the ones that were detrimental to my health and my well being.

So, I woke up and I took action. It wasn't easy, but really what is? If you look at anything in your life that has true meaning to you, whether its your relationships, your career, you hobbies or interests, all of these things take work, they all take dedication, they all take time. You have to invest yourself in the things that have true meaning to you and your life. Aren't you worth it?

My journing started off with Weight Watchers. My sister joined with me for moral support. We quit smoking together, we started walking and we started to make some serious dietary changes. At one point I even took up lane swimming. Let me tell you, walking into the UxPool, having to change in the change room in front of fit people, into a bathing suit that was far from flattering, approaching the pool with swim goggles and nose plugs in hand, my knees were weak and I think I could have sat on the side of that pool and cried. But I didn't. I got into that water and I forced people to share their lanes. It was not friendly, nor do I ever wish to do it again but I stuck to it for many weeks throughout the winter to keep myself active.

Weight Watchers was a great foundation for me, but it wasn't enough. It took me nearly 2 years to shed 110 pounds. The last 6 months were the hardest. The last 10 pounds that I had to lose in order to be the size that WW deemed as my healthy range was the worst. I couldn't eat much by that point, I walked for hours a day and the results were just not happening. When I finally hit the 110 pound loss, I quit and gained the 10 pounds back, it just wasn't enough. I can't knock WW as I still maintained that 100 pound loss and WW did provide me with the foundation that I was so lacking.

This was simply the beginning, oh how one change can have a snowball effect into so many others. I had to start somewhere, and it all began with a choice, it was my choice to start living my life for me and it is my choice to not go back to being that unhappy soul. It"s easy to fall back into old habits, you simply keep choosing the path you wish to lead, one foot in front of the other, each day.

My next post will continue my story on, stay tuned!