Oh em gee. I’m uber excited right now to launch what has been a true labor of love over the last oh, I don’t know, 7 months or so. I’m also kind of nervous (but like the good nervous when you know something amazing is about to happen) because it’s always a little scary to redefine yourself and then share it with the world. Helloooooo, my friend, vulnerability.
To all my friends and fans of Peace, Love, and Food, thank you for being so loyal over the last 4.5 years, and I hope you’ll find the new design and format of the blog to be a welcome change. Although the look and feel of the site may be different, the values and mission behind this blog ain’t changing in the slightest.
You see, I started PLF because I wanted to “inspire a peace of mind around what people eat and a love for nutritious food.” Translation: I wanted readers to know that it’s okay to indulge in a slice of chocolate cake every now and again, guilt and stress-free. And through my fun recipes, nutrition education, and photography, cultivate a love for delicious and healthy food. Well guess what, The Foodie Dietitian is PLF 2.0 – through sharing simple & delicious recipes, beautiful photography, mindfulness musings, and culinary tips & tricks, I want to help people make the connection between healthy and delicious and help people learn to love food again.
As a tried and true foodie, I have a deep adoration for the food I create and eat. I respect and take interest in where my food comes (and enjoy gabbing with the farmers at my farmer’s market). I take solace in spending time in my kitchen and find it to be even therapeutic at times. The passion for food I hold? I want the same for my readers and I hope to ignite that fire inside of you through my posts.
Redefining yourself, while slightly terrifying, is also the most gratifying feeling in the world. After losing my job last year, I quickly realized that I very much defined myself by my work (yuck) and I lost myself for a while there, unsure of what new path was the right next step for me.
After months of job applications and interviews, and many, many twists and turns, I felt myself running in circles with no clear purpose. At that point, I escaped to Costa Rica for a yoga retreat with the hope of gaining some clarity and perspective. Amazingly, once I was isolated away from social media (and comparing myself to others) and away from others’ opinions, I was able to feel deep down in my heart that starting my own business and redefining my brand was the only thing that was truly going to excite and energize me. And the only way I was going to feel 100% Kara at the end of the day.
Around this same time, a dear friend and coach of mine also said something to me one day that totally clicked and completely changed my perspective. She said instead of asking yourself what do you want to do, ask yourself who do you want to be?
And then it became less about the job and the work and more about me as a person. Once I got clear on who I wanted to be, the decision became obvious. I got real with what I essentially knew all along (from truthfully before I was even laid off), and that was I wanted to start my own business. I was just too scared and had a million and one excuses not to that I wouldn’t admit it to myself.
My business is two-fold: nutrition coaching and consulting – everything from nutrition communications and marketing to recipe development and food photography. Learn more about my coaching and consulting services here.
Inspired by the yoga retreat, I also signed up for yoga teacher training this summer at Back Bay Yoga Studio to get my yoga teaching certification. It’s been an amazing experience thus far and I can’t wait to share more about it with you in future posts.
Stay tuned for more from The Foodie Dietitian, and in the meantime, I’d love to hear from you! This blog will obviously continue to evolve over time so I want to hear from you on what topics you’d like covered, what recipe makeovers you’d like to see, and what inspiration you’re seeking.
BIG thank you and shout-out to all my family, friends, and colleagues who have supported me throughout this journey! Much love to you all.
Bon appétit!