I’ve been thinking a lot about what I really want to do lately.

I know. It sounds so quarter-life crisis of me. I’m really not trying to be over dramatic here. And yes, I’ve accomplished a lot, I have a career, I’m married, and I’m getting a handle on this whole adult thing. But hey! A girl can dream still!

I’ve always been a writer and a lover of all things journalism ever since I was really young. Heck, I ran my first class newspaper in third grade. But over the past couple years, I’ve developed a deep passion for all thing health (like you haven’t noticed or anything).

And now, I want to do more. Sure, I want to keep writing about health, being open about my own journey and researching new studies and facts that can benefit others. But I also want to make a difference. I want to be able to really help others, like I’ve needed up help.

I’ve been looking a lot into furthering my education recently. The husband has been encouraging me to become a registered dietician…but that doesn’t seem like a feasible possibility, at least not at this point in time or any time soon. So, I’ve looked into nutrition classes, certifications, and more. The idea of learning more about this incredibly relevant subject excites me! I really do believe in the saying, “Knowledge is power.” And I whole heartedly believe that proper nutrition could really save a lot of people in our society a lot of unnecessary pain.

So I’ve been thinking….

On top of writing, could I do more?

Could I ever become a nutritionist? Maybe.

Could I become a health coach to help encourage others? I’d love nothing more.

I’ve had dreams about writing musicals about eating disorders. (And even had a showcase with actors performing snippets!)

I’ve wanted to develop or volunteer in a cooking program for children to help them learn about how amazing food is in a healthy way. (Jaime Oliver is my hero!)

I’ve been wanting to write a book for teen girls on balancing body image and healthy living during those years that are hardest and most confusing.

Heck, I want to write my own cookbook that’s sinfully delicious but saintly good for you!

Really the possibilities are endless. And I’m not going to lie, with all these dreams bubbling inside of me wanting to make a difference,  I can get a bit antsy. And when I get antsy, I get frustrated.

Fortunately, especially within the past week, a bunch of readers have reached out and told me how this blog has encouraged them. Maybe I’m being ridiculous here, but that completely blows my mind. And I’m completely  humbled by it.

I guess I always thought I couldn’t really make a difference or inspire people until I had one of those EPIC before and after pictures or something. But thank you to those who have contacted me to tell me they can relate to my story and my adventures. Thank you to those who have admitted that they deal with the same issues I have and have found encouragement in my words. And I want to especially thank those who have called me “real.”

Oh, and the people who try out my recipes? Super cool. Seriously! Nothing makes my day more!

Honestly, it’s you all who inspire me to keep going and writing this little blog.  Thank you for that!

And who knows? Maybe I will find a way to move on to the next step in the area of health, whatever that may be. But there’s one thing for sure.

I’ll definitely keep you all updated.