Yes, I turned another year older today, and well… to be perfectly honest it has already hitting me hard – for a week now. There are a few reasons for this, but I don’t really understand them all. Why now? Why this birthday? You might think that turning 30 was difficult for me, nope… but 31, for some reason it hit me hard. Yes, I will be thirty-one. THIRTY-ONE!! How can this be? I just don’t know if I can handle having the extra “one” on my cake (not that I have eaten cake lately).

Really I shouldn’t have a problem with this. Over the past year, I have accomplished and did so many amazing things… I traveled to Las Vegas, South Florida, Houston, Chicago, Toledo (with a side trip to Monroe) & Mackinac Island. I reached and surpassed 100 pounds off (and am actually over 140 off now!), I walked 60 miles in 3-days (not to mention the almost 300 miles walked in training), and have made some of the best friends of my life – most of whom I expect will be there for me for many years to come. But there are little things that I wish were in my life… possibly a long term relationship or living in a different place. There are so many “what if’s” that go through my head that I really haven’t been able to keep up with them this week.

But starting now… well, probably more likely tomorrow morning (day 2 of my 31^st year)… I will look forward to what will happen over the next year for me. I know my travels will bring me to Houston/Austin at least once in the next 12 months, to New York City, and there are so many more possibilities of other places I can’t begin to write about. Other things that will be accomplished will be reaching my goal for weight watchers… and becoming a lifetime member. Come hell or high water, I will get there in 2008! I plan to do the Breast Cancer 3-day once again in Chicago – and am hoping to recruit more to join me!

I am sure that in this thirty-first year, I will do and accomplish so much – and that it will be as rewarding as ever… imagine the possibilities!

Are you living life to the fullest? If not, what can you do? This is the question that has been filling my mind lately. I am in need of change in order to do this. But I don’t know all what type of change this would be. Or what form that this fills.

When my mom was diagnosed with breast cancer, two things occurred to me… first was the realization that nothing in my life would be “sure” or “safe” forever. I know that this was an unrealistic thought, but really you don’t think about sickness, death or anything of the sort until you have heard that someone really close to you has CANCER. That brings a reality check like no other. The other thing that I realized was that I needed to begin to really live my life. Not just live to survive… but to live and enjoy the things around me. To know the world and to find out what I can do to make the most of it.

To do this, I needed to lose weight… which I have done a lot of, but am still working at being the best me I can be. The next part is the unknown for me… what can I do next to live and I guess I would say to live “without regrets”. I guess the last part involves the change that I desire right now.

Change is good. I guess I would also say that being challenged is also good. If we are not challenged, we do not grow, we do not learn, we are not challenged to become better people and better at what we do. Challenge, or change, can come in many forms. What’s funny is that I have learned this through a couple of my recent vacations.

Philadelphia – I learned that driving for many hours is boring, especially when it’s by yourself… but I still love a good road trip! There is so much to see, expected and unexpected. The twists and turns… and the fun of trying to take a picture while driving in a tunnel!

Las Vegas – I learned that I really am a “tourist” kind of girl that really doesn’t enjoy gambling… still not a good thing for my pocketbook – those shows can be really expensive! But I really didn’t mind walking from one end of the strip to the other… and I’d do it again! (But maybe not in the dark.)

Boca Raton –I learned so much about my family and about the area that they live. I have my eyes opened to what “progress” can do to the environment and how we need to protect it from development that on the surface may look good, but could be so costly to the animal and habitats.

If I had not done these trips, I would not be the person I am today. I am braver, more outgoing, less dependent on the things I know, and more inclined to venture to the unknown. I learned so much more than what I can type in this blog… because I am sure that you would get bored reading it.

Changing or being challenged to change is tough. It breaks a mold that you are used to, that brings comfort and safety. But if you don’t break the mold, what will your life bring to you except what you have surrounded yourself with.

Break the mold. Change. Challenge Yourself. That’s what I’ll be aiming for… and hopefully will achieve very, very soon.