Why I am here...

Hello World! 

"Go confidently in the direction of your dreams.  Live the life you have imagined." Thoreau

I would like to use my very first (ever!-ahh) blog posting to explain to all of you curious people, why I am here... sooo here it goes (breathe in, breathe out- I am a tid-bit nervous.) So, I am 23-years-old from New Jersey.  My motivation to come here is due to the tremendous amount of change I am experiencing in my life.  My Chiropractor claims that there is a lot of Nitrogen (?) in the air, and therefore I am not alone... but anyway, I believe I am a product of a college graduate who worked my behind off to receive good grades and graduate with honors, only to leave the college world and find that regardless of my accomplishments, I cannot get a teaching job...whoever thought they wouldn't need teachers?  At first I was pretty depressed about my situation, but going onto my second year as a paraprofessional (aka: a glorified teacher aide), I have found this recession to be a blessing in disguise...


In lieu of my situation, I have had the amazing opportunity to look within, I think I may actually know Amanda (me), rather than this elementary school teacher everyone told me I would be great at being.  So, on September 13th I begin taking my very first Masters course in Nutrition and Food Science. Now, this idea of becoming a nutritionist did not just fabricate over my many failed attempts at becoming a teacher, but rather from my many experiences over the past few years where I have learned that I really do (and can) help people and motivate them to get healthy and take charge of their lives.


I must credit the forces I have been faced with (and yes forces, because they have literally forced me to pay attention to myself and my surroundings- Hello Universe!)  that have helped me realize my true purpose: First of all, just two weeks ago (around the same time I realized I was not getting hired as a full-time teacher), I began running.  I have been a devout exerciser since I was 18-years-old, I always have found peace of mind when I worked out, exercise has become my therapy... but running has become by drug.  My first day running I did three miles in a local (and intense!) trail.  My second day, I did 5 miles, by the third day I was running 6 miles, and on the fourth I did 8... and I could keep going... if I wasn't so frightened of shin splints :).  When I run in the woods, I feel alive, I can feel the energy running through my veins, I feel light as a feather and so connected to nature.  There is truly nothing like it. The second force is one I have been am a little late at catching on to, but it has reached me at the most perfect time, that is The Secret.  If you have not read The Secret, or seen the movie, I highly recommend it and will be speaking about it's concepts often.  So, with that, I created my Vision Board, and now I am doing something that I put on my board just yesterday morning, I am writing in hope that I will be able to make a difference in someone's life... my purpose.


So, here I am, ready to open my mind, begin writing again (I love writing), and have You, to hold me accountable.  I plan to write about my journey of being a paraprofessional in a 3-year-old classroom, while pursuing a Nutrition degree, and using running to remain sane.  I am a very open-minded person, so I am willing to talk about anything (well, except politics, I try to avoid conflict :) I hope you will follow me on this journey, and support me, as I try and support you. If you want to know more about me, and where this whole idea of becoming a Nutritionist came from (I could go on, and on, but I won't :), you can read my profile. Otherwise, I hope you come back soon so I can teach you everything I am learning and we can support each other in this beautiful journey of life <3