The only reason I write at all is because I am going through, and growing through, something in my life I want to share with others through my personal experiences.

Keep on moving: any motion is forward motion. You can always course-correct.

Make sure you eat whole foods that are good for your entire body. This doesn't mean that you can't enjoy your food or make room for plenty of indulgences. But your conscious goal has to be to eat for long term health and what you do most of the time is what really counts.

My mom is a great cook, and family dinners were a must growing up, even if that meant eating at 10 p.m. when my dad got home from the hospital. It's where we did our family bonding.

Having been to culinary school, the single greatest asset I learned there was how to cut and chop properly. It's an investment of money that will save you hours of time down the road, and hopefully some cut fingers.

Ultimately, it's how you approach things in life that puts a smile on your face.

We need to demand that our food is labeled, especially genetically modified foods, and learn how it is produced, processed, and grown.