Saturday, January 1, 2011

Looking Back

(c) 2008, Kathy Fannon

Everybody is looking forward to what 2011 will bring, and rightly so. We should be moving forward and not dwelling in the past. But by remembering the past we will better focus on our future. So I’d like to share 5 things that I learned this past year.

1.  I can do it. I am going after my dream and not letting fear hold me back. In May I enrolled at Institute for Integrative Nutrition to become a Certified Holistic Health Coach. I’m not sure yet what my future looks like with the certificate, but I’m doing it!

2.  I like quinoa! It’s an ancient grain used by the Incas that is loaded with protein and nutrients. Quinoa contains all eight amino acids to make it a complete protein, has a protein content equal to milk, is high in B vitamins, iron, zinc, potassium, calcium & vitamin E, is gluten-free and easy to digest, and strengthens the kidneys, heart, and lungs. I cook a double batch and reheat it through the week to use for more than one meal, or to use leftovers to make Whole Wheat Honey Quinoa Muffins.

3.  I discovered I have a sensitivity to soy. I figured it out when I did The Breakfast Experiment. So disappointing right after I found out I like tofu, too. Rats. So I’ve currently eliminated soy from my diet in hopes that my sensitivity will be “cured”. I will find out in a few months when I redo the soy portion of the experiment whether I have to eliminate it permanently. It’s really great to be in tune with what my body needs!

4.  Chocolate is good for you! Did I get your attention? Let me clarify that I’m not referring to milk chocolate, but the raw cacao bean. According to Raw Foodist, David Wolfe, the raw cacao bean is the #1 magnesium, chromium, and antioxidant food. Cacao doesn't contain caffeine and it contains a natural antibiotic and disinfectant for your mouth. Get the whole bean with skin still on, peel the skin off yourself and dip it in honey or agave! Fabulous! (It kind of reminds me of eating chocolate covered coffee beans.)

5.  I am a survivor! Like so many others I’ve heard from, 2010 was the hardest year of my life. But I made it. I survived. I’m a fighter!

And now, I’m looking forward to 2011, to put the past behind and press on to what God has for me (Philippians 3:13). And I know He has good things, because He has a plan for me and it includes hope for my future (Jeremiah 29:11)!

Pastor said last Sunday, “Don’t destroy your future because you can’t forget the past.” I intend to remember what I need from my past so I have a better future, but the rest I will forget. I will not allow my past to immobilize me! Every day is a brand new start; God’s mercies are new every morning (Lamentations 3:23)!

Happy 2011! Thank you for reading my blog and supporting me this year. I really appreciate you and I hope 2011 is YOUR best year ever!

What did you learn in 2010 that will make you a better person in 2011?