Greetings, Friends. I hope that the holiday season has been kind to you and that you have spent time with friends, family, and have had more laughter than tears.
As 2016 takes its final bow, I find myself full of reflection. Forty-five years of experience has taught me to not have regrets, but to believe that everything happens for a purpose (even if we are too close at the time to realize that gifts come in multiple wrappings and disguises).
I believe that we are our worst critics and that we must focus on the positives in our lives and not wish time away waiting for the things that we long for. We must focus on the now, while planning for the future. Even small changes can impact our tomorrow and help us achieve our dreams.
I decided that I could reflect on the past year and beat myself up for all the broken promises I made (to myself or others), or I could focus on the strides I made to live a full life. I will be listing my achievements in my private journal and will thank my family and friends for the support and love that they have bestowed on me.
As we pass into a new year, I will continue to plan, grow, and set goals. On the top of my list for 2017 is for my husband John and I to continue making our family’s financial health a priority, to raise the majority of our own food, and to be the best role models that we can be for the two beautiful children that we are raising.
In 2016 my healthy goals were put on the back burner due to a multitude of excuses and I need to make time for myself in 2017. Are you with me? Are you ready to invest time and energy on yourself? As we know, when we take care of ourselves it enables us to take care of others better. We are better spouses, parents, children, siblings, leaders, bosses – and all the others roles we serve in our lives.
I decided that I needed to put my January goals “out there” in order to commit and achieve them. Studies show that we are more apt to achieve our goals when we write them down and post them in a prominent location.
What are your goals for the next month? Make your goals achievable and realistic. Once we have achieved our goals our success will snowball and we can confidently make the next steps to finding our balance.
Leave a message here (or private message me) if you need support and are willing to give support to a healthy community of individuals. I am willing to create and moderate a private group on Facebook if there’s enough interest (Find and like my FB page in the right corner of the page). There’s nothing to buy – no cost, no strings attached – just the willingness to put yourself first for a few times during the week and focus on your healthy goals.
I promise to make time for myself in the coming days, weeks, months, and years. Join me. We are worth it! 
Produce with Amy 
Hi Amy..
This is Donna Lerlie … You were a WW leader in Mqt. Township when i went there.some years back. I enjoyed your user friendly teachable way of keeping our interest as u were dedicated about keeping your own self accountable. I love your web page full of color n expectation n bringing your personal life with your family along for the ride. I was 3 lbs. away from my goal weight when i made a move to Colorado to attend Charis Bible College in Woodland Park.. Gods calling for sure. I’ve been here 4 mo. n love Colorado. When i got here my race track life began. It became hard to navigate all that was expected of me that i never had to do before. what happened then was i started to put the weight back on….I am an emotional eater, no excuse.. I am now in the throes of acute bronchitis.. I have spent 6 days in bed coughing n not sleeping. This to shall pass. I’m on Christmas break now until the 3rd hoping this will be going by then. the New Year will be another goal year to get back on track. It’s so good to hear from you again n with eagerness will follow your recipes to get me excited again.