Turning 27 and Looking Back at 2015

This weekend I celebrated my 27th birthday. And by celebrate, I binged on Netflix, ate cake in bed, and spent a day at the Fort Worth Zoo. As best as I could, I tried to unplug. It was wonderful.

Feeling like a kid again exploring at the Fort Worth Zoo

One year older and hopefully one year wiser. Twenty-six was such an incredible year with its many challenges and accomplishments. Thought it would be a great time to look back and take a moment to appreciate my milestones. With my full time job, the blog and my new venture with Dallas Fitness Ambassadors, busy doesn’t even begin to describe my life. I’ve had to learn to stop and breathe, smell the figurative roses and appreciate every opportunity instead of focusing on a never-ending to-do list. What’s the point of doing all of this if I don’t celebrate right?

Below is a recap of 10 accomplishments I’m really proud of and should be proud of. I’ve also learned a lot about myself this past year. Passion is my driver, balance is the key to my sanity, and remaining humble and gracious will keep me from becoming my worst nightmare: a blogger snob. lol

1. When I first got into blogging, I never thought I’d ever host my own events. I’ve always been a planner and this time I hosted a blogger event at Burn Cardio Studio with the Dallas Blogger Collective last January. This would be my first of many events I host throughout 2015.

2. I also tried my first juice cleanse ever in February. That was certainly an eye-opening experience and have since loved incorporating juices into my diet when possible. It seems that stepping out of my comfort zone is something I really like. This cleanse helped me better understand my relationship with food. I’d totally do it again.

Photo Cred: @LiveTribal

3. Landed my first brand partnership with SIX02 in March and hosted a fitness contest giveaway. Five winners were outfitted head to toe in SIX02 gear and it was a blast! Meeting some of my readers and seeing how excited they were was truly one of my highlights. It really reinforced why I have to keep hustling. I do it for my readers.

4. In May, I was selected to be a Dare to Bare Ambassadors as part of the Movemeant Foundation. The mission is to promote healthy and positive body image while encouraging women to be active, get moving, and dare to do more. I hosted challenges that even got me out of my own comfort zone. Ambassador for life! When I first started with the challenges, I had no idea I’d also be the Movemeant Foundation Grant Recipient. Blown away at the opportunity to do more in Dallas with that grant. Coming for you 2016!

5. In June, I hosted my first community event at PerformanceGX featuring two killer workouts and several local vendors. Up until this event, most of my events were pretty small scale or friends only. It was so nerve-wrecking and such an amazing experience. I learned I could do anything I set my mind to and this was a milestone I am really proud of. Over 40 people attended and got their butts kicked! I couldn’t have done it without the support of my friends and boyfriend.

6. In July, my friends, boyfriend and I took a week long trip to the beautiful country of Guatemala. What an amazing experience we had traveling to Lake Atitlan, Antigua, and even the black sand beaches of San Jose. Years ago, I made a promise to myself to travel to one brand new place each year and I loved that this was an out-of-country destination. The biggest lesson from this trip is that there’s certainly more to the world than just the bubble that is Dallas. Can’t wait to plan for more trips this year.

7. In September through November, I hosted monthly community events in partnership with SIX02 and several local studios and businesses. Bringing readers and friends to take a variety of classes (yoga, bootcamp, spin, and barre code’s brawl class), it was such a blast! More than anything, I loved engaging with everyone and sharing my love for the brand.

8. Earlier this year, I founded a new blogging community called Dallas Fitness Ambassadors. I had the pleasure of meeting all new members at a City Surf Meet and Greet in September and these bloggers are inspiring. We all share a common goal to share fitness and health in Dallas with our workouts, tips, recipes, and influencer presence. I’m so over comparison and competition that thrives in some blogger cliques. Here, I hope to instill a culture where we lift each other up. DFA is also a resource for Dallasites looking for local fitness and health events. Make sure to follow the insta here!

Pipeline using resistance bands and sandbags.

9. In November, I celebrated my 2 year blogiversary. How insane is that?!?! Felt like yesterday, I was visiting and writing my first studio reviews and visiting restaurants on my tiny budget. Ha!

10. All the food! Through Deep Fried Fit, I had the privilege of dining at some really cool places in Dallas. What better, I was able to try new foods with friends and blogger buddies. Everyone should know about the Ida Claire Vice Cake…

Ida Claire’s Vice Cake

Bonus Accomplishment: I did my taxes for my blog this month. Hallelujah! So glad that nightmare is over.

Thanks guys for reading and always being such a great support. I’ve made so many friends and met tons of incredible people in Dallas. Twenty-seven and 2016 is going to be a great year. Deep Fried Fit will also be expanding to include more than just restaurant and studio reviews. I’m dying to give you guys more.

What would you like to see on this blog? Comment below and let me know!