A Summer of Change

Stories

Sep 29

Summertime was busy and it did not disappoint. Juggling life with a 2 year old, we focused a lot on getting my son "water safe" and I'm happy to report that he's practically swimming on his own already (kudos to my husband who taught him!) We attended weddings, golf tournaments and music festivals. I went on family trips, girls trips and road trips ;) From Memorial Day on, The Allan's have been on-the-go. However, beyond the hectic nature of a busy summer, I was somehow (miraculously) able to do a little unexpected soul searching, having the chance to learn some new things about myself.

Lake Powell / July 2017

Brett with our 2 1/2 year old that always wants to drive ;)

He LOVED his lifejacket!

Hiking Lake Powell

Cabo Girls Trip / August 2017

You can call it a wake up call (or mid-life crisis...lol just kidding) either way, it's left me feeling more alive than I have in years. Internally, I have a new found respect for myself. It's been a bit of a process, but completely worth the positive outcome it has created.I have agreed to be more present with myself going forward, deciding to constantly check-in and not ignore or suppress my feelings. The more I'm experiencing, I'm also learning that peace has almost everything to do with self-love. To me, that means knowing who you are and recognizing those things that make you, YOU. We often lose sight of this by the insanity of life, work and the people you surround yourself with. This can be difficult. In fact, I honestly believe that many of us struggle to ever find it. Staying true to yourself and loving yourself means being able to recognize when things aren't feeling right but more importantly, changing them.

Leggings by GoldSheep HERE

It may sound complicated....but it's really not. Making outside time a priority and connecting with nature has been instrumental for sorting my thoughts. I live a few miles from the beach and have spent many hours there this summer. The more I went, the more I realized I needed to be there. The beach satisfies my mind and body. Smelling the fresh ocean air, hearing the waves crash, feeling the sun on my skin and being next to the water is very calming to me.One of the highlights of my summer of change was a family trip to Lake Powell. It's literally one of the most beautiful places I've ever seen. The clear blue water is framed by magnificent towering rock formations and soaring red cliffs which surround the area for as far as the eye can see. There is truly nothing like it anywhere on the planet. One of the best parts of being that remote was the star-gazing, I've never seen so many stars in my life. It forced me to chill and put things into perspective. Spending a week out there was a spiritual experience for me.

Our Houseboat

Views from our canyon

Sunrises from the top deck

I've always been an active person but this summer I made it a point to take my sweat sessions outside and challenge myself to be a bit more adventurous. At home I found 3-4 new trails to run and explore. They are a little "off the beaten path" so it was uncomfortable at first, especially since I always run by myself and I'm literally scared of everything (I really am!)Talk about boosting my mental health, being active outdoors at Lake Powell was one of the best parts. My best friend from high school Brittni Soo was able to come on the trip. I choose to surround myself with people that lift me up. She's is an amazing sidekick and we can do anything together. Lake Powell challenged us to explore, we did some crazy hiking, off-trail running, sculpt yoga from the top deck and paddle-boarding around the lake. All activities were done outside, in nature. I don't typically have a workout partner so sharing these experiences with Brittni was awesome. Her presence pushed me to keep going and we made so many new, amazing memories together! I went into the summer one person and came out feeling more grounded, more like myself than I have in awhile. It's amazing how tweaking your outlook a bit or changing up where or how your spending your time can dramatically improve your well being. I'm thankful for the time I was able to spend connecting with the elements and to myself this summer. Moving forward, I understand the importance of working on issues and recognizing when things aren't feeling "right". As small as things may seem, identifying them early will prevent things from getting too big and save yourself from useless overthinking.