Following Healthy

  What motivates you?      -Feeling better physically, mentally?     -Looking better and fitting into those new jeans?      -Gaining new friends?      -Getting in the best shape of your life?      -Being the fittest mom, dad, or grama on the block?  There are so many motivational factors and you can have an as you go through your journey. Use them to help you stay consistent! Write them down, put them up where you can see them every day. Have someone keep you in check! Journal how it's going for you- that could be visually with pictures, videos or write it down how much better you are feeling.  How is your consistency journey going?  Above all else, know that each person is unique and your body is serving you where you are at right now in life. Don't beat yourself up. Love your body and feel your best in it!  xoxo Jamie

 Ya'll, postpartum is tough.  That sweet baby is SO SO worth it though 💓 When I was pregnant, it was so hard for me to find everything put together to know what I would need after I delivered. Wanted to share what helped me so much! If you don't want to know, then in the words of Bridesmaids-- "Look away!" 1. Upside Down Peri-Bottle: unless you want to spray your hand with water, get one that is upside-down. You'll thank me later.       -Amazon:  Upside Down Peri Bottle 2. Disposable Underwear: You won't want to wear anything super fancy for a couple days. Just trash it girlfriend. The hospital may give you some, but it may be nice to have some on hand just in case!     -Amazon:  Disposable underwear 3. Instant Ice Maxi Pads: Your Vagina NEEDs these. Ice-Ice Baby, pleasantly prepared just for you     -Amazon:  Perineal Ice pads 4. Witch Hazel Cooling Pads: Just say yes. anything you can get to ease the pain is a Green-Light Gooooo.      -Amazon:  Tucks Cooli

Hi guys! I can't believe I am about to say this, but we have finally come to the end of didactic year! -- only 22 more days and we are out from under all those books and endless powerpoints and into the hospitals and clinics with patients. For those who don't know, didactic year is the first year of PA school, where we learn all the body systems, take classes on how to diagnose and treat patients, practice physical examinations, and much more. I also want to throw in a plug for Jefferson PA program in Roanoke, Virginia because I love our faculty and also feel like they picked a pretty dang good class full of awesome people that I am super glad I have had to go through this with. Also--Roanoke is an awesome place with lots of good hiking and weekend adventures (check out Smith Mountain Lake and hikes like Dragon Tooth and Devils Marbleyard and of course the notorious McAee Knob --pronounced Mac-a-fee-- and really fun laid back people! Definitely a place to check out.

unity.  we're not made to do life by ourselves. deep down we all desire connection. we all want acceptance. we need each other. we each have our own story filled with a life of our own experiences. we're all human.  and the thing about that is we live in a broken world. no one is perfect, and certainly no one person is going to fix that. it takes everyone.  give a smile. lend a hand. listen.  say sorry.  do something without expecting something in return.  spend time.  reach out.  share. accept differences. lift each other up. love your neighbor.  we're in this together.

So here is an analogy for you. A few years ago, my friend gave me this explanation of school: It's like taking spaghetti and throwing it on the wall and seeing what will stick. Now imagine this: there's a giant DUMPTRUCK of spaghetti and the truck is literally taking the spaghetti and catapulting it towards a wall. Now that is PA school. There are so many things we have been learning! Which is very exciting but somewhat terrifying because honestly I don't even remember what I ate for breakfast yesterday. I just think my brain is making room for other important things. I have noticed this in other ways too, for example: I have this urge to abbreviate EVERYTHING. My spelling has gone downhill? Writing on paper, you bet my hand is vigorously writing, and I feel for the poor soul that has to attempt to read that masterpiece. Yikes. You know you are in PA school when Quizlet is on your laptop and phone and also on your most visited sites. The second someone says they have

Hey! So here is this week's episode of LIFE IN PA SCHOOL. Buckle your seatbelts. It is approximately week 4 of school and I think it feels like I have been here for half a century. Do I feel like I have learned a thing or two? Maybe. Do I remember what I have learned? I guess we will see!! Our professor today was SO stifled when he asked us about a disease we learned five days ago and saw a classroom of glazed looks staring back at him..had to ask us if we EVEN remember who our OTHER professor is that gave us the lecture. Yes. Safe to say, I think we are all a little exhausted. At least, I am. SO, here's some inspiration, ya'll.  :)  I am so excited right now for some pretty amazing reasons. Tomorrow we get to sleep in!!! AND we have a half day tomorrow!!! What?! Is this real life? Pumped. Also,, it is my birthday tomorrow, humble brag, and my friend is coming in to town! woop! Fun Fact: You can indeed wake up still buzzed from coffee. Thank you Starbucks. I did ge