It's my year. That's right - MINE.

After the disaster year that we shall consider "the year that shall not be named," 2014 started on a positive note. Near the end of 2013, I decided it was my turn to take charge of my life - instead of letting things happen to me, I was going to make things happen.

During the year that shall not be named, I:

1. separated from my husband of nearly five years in February and we jointly filed for divorce in March.
2. took a promotion and moved to Charlotte (best. move. ever.) in April, after spending college and the past 8 years of my career in Virginia.
3. put my house in Virginia on the market and tried to wait patiently for the mortgage company to make decisions about an offer that came in for the short sale…which the mortgage company turned down (I'm not getting into this…).
4. gained back about 10 pounds of the 20 I had lost in 2012 because I am an emotional eater who wasn't following any fitness regimen.
5. became a divorcee in August - five years to the day I tied the knot.
6. spent most of the year depressed and waiting to make friends after I moved. Who knew making friends was so hard as an adult?!

I first got a sense that 2014 (henceforth called "my year") would be my year in early December, and things have only progressed from that point. So far in my year I:

1. have continued making new friends (partially due to CrossFit - more on that down the road).
2. have been appointed to the board of directors for a local professional organization.
3. started CrossFit with 101/Foundations courses on January 6 and started regular WODs on February 3. It's safe to say I drank the Kool-Aid.
4. have lost 20-25 pounds since December, thanks to a doctor-prescribed metabolism boost plus CrossFit.
5. registered for the 2014 CrossFit Open (crazy, right? I can't even do a double-under or pull-ups. YET.)
6. agreed to train for my first 5K - the TuckFest Twilight 5K at the National Whitewater Center in April - and committed to running in the Thunder Road 5K in November.
7. improved my power clean and push-and-jerk lifts from struggling with a 15-pound barbell in January to lifting 75 pounds or more consistently.
8. found out I can deadlift 135 pounds…when I struggled to deadlift 40 pounds less than 8 weeks ago.
9. decided to try the Paleo lifestyle (not diet) for Lent.
10. feel ALIVE for the first time in years!

2014 is my year. I hope you'll join me on this journey to increased health, happiness and strength through a commitment to CrossFit and experimentation with eating Paleo-style. I'll be posting about my experiences and some of the recipes, tips and techniques I've checked out - at least once a week.