Hi Friends! I hope you are enjoying a wonderful Labor Day Weekend!I wanted to take a moment and let all of our friends in Florida know that my thoughts and prayers are with you, praying that with the hurricane and inclement weather that you all are safe. I’m thinking of you, my friends.

August is ending, and I am sure many of you have had the kids in your area heading back to school! Isn’t autumn an exciting time of year?

Summer is a wonderful carefree season, but I do look forward to the adrenaline rush of getting back on track with a schedule! And for me, part of that is the discipline of incorporating exercise into my life intentionally every single day.

So I came up with a great idea and I want to invite you to join me!

We are starting a “Step Into September” walking or running challenge! September has 30 days in it, so it is a 30 day challenge, and our goal will be 30 minutes a day for 30 days. We are doing it in a Facebook Group for women called “The Sizzler Challenge” and we would love to have you join along! It will begin on September 1, and each day you check in and let us know what you were able to do that day, and cheer the others on in the group as well! It’s OK if you miss the kickoff… anytime you jump in is a “Step in the right direction”!

This is all positive, inspiring and motivational. And it is always free. No one is trying to sell anything. We all are just trying to get a little healthier by intentionally including activity in our lives. Does it work?

It works like crazy! I am really slow right now, since I broke my ankle on the ice last February. But the group keeps me trying to make tiny little changes that steer me toward a healthier lifestyle. After I broke my ankle, it was months before I could walk. And I put quite a bit of weight on. But finally, the scale is turning around! That is such a huge win for me health wise, and just for my spirits, (my ankle is thanking me too)! There are other women reporting they are feeling better, some are  finding they are losing weight. But the best part is having a really nice group of ladies who cheer each other on! And a few of our ladies are also health and nutrition coaches and everyone shares whatever they have learned of a health nature, so I am learning a ton!

So whether you like to run or walk, whatever level you are at, this is for you! Come check us out at  Step Into September Sizzler Challenge.

This past week, I was extremely honored to be nominated for The Sunshine Blogger Award, an award given from bloggers to bloggers who inspire creativity and positivity in the blogging community. I was nominated by Lori Roach of the delightful blog Circle Square Oval. This is such a lovely act of kindness! And if you read Lori’s blog, you will find kindness, hospitality and great tips for living an organized and earth friendly lifestyle woven in to the very fiber of the blog. I hope you will check it out as it is a breath of fresh air and extremely helpful. Thank you very much, Lori for this great honor!

Lori asked me the following questions which I will share with you here.

How did you decide on your blog name? I love this question! I chose the name “Your Favorite Chapter” because I really believe no matter where you are at in the story of your life, no matter where you have been or what has happened, this can still be “Your Favorite Chapter“. And my heart’s desire is to inspire and encourage people to live life to the fullest, and that each person is unique and has incredible gifts and talents and ideas that are important and precious to this world!

What was the topic of your very first blog post? Oh this warms my heart! It was called “The Beginning of a Beautiful Friendship” and in it I shared my hopes and dreams for the blog and my journey that led to creating this blog.

What countries have you traveled to and which was your favorite? I was blessed to go on a trip to Europe with a school group in high school. It was such a kind thing my parents did. I went to England, France, Germany and Switzerland. This would have been in the late 1970’s. Each country had its own charm. Switzerland was so beautiful it moved me to tears. Germany was full of beautiful old castles and the countryside was beautiful. France was just fascinating. I was studying French so I was able to try using it. And they turned us loose in Paris! So to go with your friends to see the Mona Lisa and the Arche de Triomphe and shopping on the Champs Elysees, well, it was a coming of age trip that poured a sense of confidence and awareness in me. And I have to say, I loved London! I felt so warmly accepted there, and the people were absolutely lovely!  I hope to be able to go back, especially to London!

If a movie was made of your life, who would be your dream actor to play you?  Hah! This is an interesting question! Ok… I am going to say Andie MacDowell. I think she can pull off humor and sincerity and that has been a lot of my life!

Do you prefer dogs or cats? Oh, I love them both but I am going to have to go with dogs. My doggy Kasey is my BFF!

Are you a morning person or a night owl?  Both. I’m the opener and the closer around here.

Do you do any writing other than your blog?  Yes. I love to write! I’ve written many things for use at our church, and I have had several opportunities where family and friends have asked me to speak at special occasions. It is such an honor to be invited into those moments in someone’s life.

Are you involved in any volunteer activities?  Yes, though I have had to take some time off since I broke my ankle. I have worked for over 20 years now in my church with kids and volunteers, as a volunteer and for 14 years as a staff person. I also currently help with some online groups that help women. And I have some ideas of a few new things I would like to add, to try something totally new! And that is exciting!

What do you enjoy doing in your free time?   I love travel, reading (love history), trying new recipes, working on our Family History, spending time with my family, and photography.

Who inspires you to be a better person?  Oh boy… so many people! My husband, my sons, my mom and dad, siblings, the women in my exercise group, women I am friends with from my church, women I have met through blogging, my Grandma who is gone but was one of the kindest people I’ve ever known… goodness… I learn from so many people around me!

If you could choose anyone alive, dead or fictitious to have dinner with, who would you like to have dinner with?  That is an easy one, my Grandma Hammonds. She was so gifted with a love for people, and I was very close with her.

And now, it is my turn to pass this beautiful honor on to someone else! These are the Sunshine Bloggers I would like to showcase today.

I love so many blogs, and I could nominate every single one of them! But I will limit it to a few for today. Because I have health and fitness on my mind, I have chosen a few bloggers that either specialize in health or are including health in a variety of topics they cover. I love all of these. They are all midlife women, brilliant, talented, and great communicators.

All of these women and their blogs and social media presence have helped me over and over on my own health journey. I thank you ladies for your commitment to caring about others and sharing what you have learned. You are truly changing lives for the good.

Regan Davidson’s Nifty 50 Fabulous:

I love Regan’s blog which has beautiful fashion, decorating, recipes, health, all sorts of great things. But right now I am particularly hooked because she has been sharing about her journey doing a 21 day sugar detox. I’ve been riveted as she shares her research and her experience, and it really inspires me to cut way back on my sugar. I highly recommend it.

Helen Greenwell’s Haute Business:

Helen is a successful entrepreneur in the financial world, with an affinity for fashion, health and all things midlife. But right now I am hooked because she has been doing a mind and body toughness challenge called 75Hard. It really is hard and she is crushing it! I am fascinated with her faithfulness and the progress she has made and her learnings.

Deb Gutierrez at Solful Life:

I have never met a more passionate woman about caring for the state of the health of people in the world today. It is so apparent in her videos that it wrecks her to think of people stuck in habits that rob them of a quality life. She truly cares and doesn’t want to see anyone hurting themselves with an unhealthy lifestyle. She helps people break free of bad habits and achieve optimal health, energy and peace.

Wendy Hodge at Wendy’s Way to Health:

Wendy who hales from Australia’s Gold Coast is such a sunny and cheerful person. She has invested her life in creating a fun community for finding support, awareness and great ideas for healthy recipes, exercise and friendship. And it is always realistic and doable! Boom! She is ever producing new content and it always is done with a very fun and energized approach. You can’t help but feel like you fit right in!  You will love her!

Your Questions, Ladies:

1. Tell us a little about you and how you chose to become a blogger.
2. Posts about health and fitness are some of the most popular posts on the internet. Why do you suppose that is?
3. When it comes to eating healthy, what is your #1 snack or meal?
4. What advice would you give to a woman who feels trapped in bad health habits and maybe feels like it’s hopeless?
5. What are your top 3 tips for staying focused and seeing your health goals through?
6. What are 3 bucket list items you want to include in your life story?
7. Can you link one of your favorite posts and tell us why you love it?

Ok, ladies, when I was nominated it came with these instructions, and I share them here with you!

THE SUNSHINE BLOGGER INSTRUCTIONS AS YOU PASS THE BATON:

• Thank the person who nominated you and include a link back to his/her blog.
• Answer the questions given by the person who nominated you.
• Nominate other blogs and give questions for them to answer.
• Notify your nominees through social media or by commenting on their blog.
• List the rules and display a Sunshine Blogger Award logo in your post.

Thank you to my nominees for participating and may your days be filled with sunshine!

Thank you to my readers for letting me share some of these wonderful bloggers with you!

I’ve had “getting healthy” on my mind so much lately, and it just makes everything better in life! It can be so easy to let it slide day after day. I know, because I have done it. But the older I get I am seeing how important a healthy lifestyle is to really having the best life possible! Our bodies are changing, there are new rules!

But you know what? We have what it takes to beat that game! We just need to shift our thinking. All it takes is a spark… an idea. The day that you say, “I want the best quality of life I can have!” can be a total game changer! I promise you can do it!  Even the tiniest baby step in the right direction can be the catalyst to start a change to really feeling great! Take that parking spot that is a little bit more of a walk. Put your sneakers on and go putter around the yard a bit. Head to the mall and set a goal of walking to the end and back. There are things we can do to just start making little tiny changes. In your heart of hearts know that you are precious, loved and worthy of having a healthy life!  I have a long way to go, but now I have the ship headed in the right direction, hah! And I sure would love it if you joined me!

Have a fantastic weekend!

I’ll be back Tuesday with another Tasty Tuesday!

Love Always,

Amy

Believe you can and you’re halfway there.   ~Theodore Roosevelt