I can’t believe it’s about to be 2020. When I think about the past 10 years, it’s crazy how far I’ve come. I also don’t even really feel like it’s BEEN 10 years! I feel like it was just yesterday that I was in college. Crazy!!
At the end of the year I always do a “Year in Review” post, but this year I thought it would be fun to go a little further and do my “Decade in Review” – with a focus on 2019 at the end 🙂
So strap in and take a ride down memory lane with me…
2010
In 2009-2010 was my sophomore year in college. I was dating an older guy (a senior) and very active in various college activities. I was the VP of Marketing for Colleges Against Cancer, a dancer and choreographer in IC Unbound, and a member of IC Tap Club. I was still trying to figure out the direction I wanted to go with my major. I felt like I hadn’t really found my “place” at school yet. I was also working part-time at Bath and Body Works at the Ithaca Mall, with a great group of girls who I am still friends with to this day!
2011
2010-2011 I was a junior in college. I was living in an on-campus apartment with four other girls. I finally narrowed down my major to Clinical Exercise Science and completed my fieldworks at Mike Boyle Strength and Conditioning and Brockton Hospital Cardiac Rehab. I was still part of IC Unbound and IC Tap Club, and I was the VP of Events for Colleges Against Cancer. There were lots of themed parties. In 2011, I turned 21 and my bff (whose birthday is 3 days before mine) came to Ithaca so we could celebrate together! I donated my hair for a second time at Relay for Life that year. In 2011, my brother graduated from high school and my cousin Gina graduated from law school. Later that year, Gina got married and I was a bridesmaid for the first time! Her bachelorette party was also the first one I’d ever been to!
2012
2011-2012 was my senior year of college. I spent a lot of time standing on the bar at Moonies pouring shots in people’s mouths (I spent a lot of time at Moonies in general). I visited Ari at Northeastern where we participated in the annual Underwear Run – Ari and I got separated and I had all our clothes! I started dating a guy who I thought was “the one”. I was still dancing and choreographing in IC Unbound. I turned 22 and had a great time, apparently. I went on spring break to Clearwater Beach, FL, where I “met” Captain Jack Sparrow. I was still the VP of Events for Colleges Against Cancer, and I participated in my last Relay for Life. 149 Kendall went to senior formal, where there was a bomb threat and we all had to evacuate. I finally got to jump in the fountains at senior splash…and promptly almost drowned. I GRADUATED COLLEGE!! We took a family trip to Italy that summer, where I got to meet family and see the home my grandfather grew up in. That fall, I participated in my first powerlifting meet. I weighed 104lbs and missed a 135lb deadlift. I also got my first job working at Fitness Together in Natick, and leading fitness classes at the Natick Senior Center. In 2012, I earned my ACSM Exercise Physiologist Certification, AFAA Group Ex Certification, and TRX Level 1 Certification.
2013
I moved to New Jersey to save my failing relationship. Spoiler alert: it did not work and we broke up 4 months later. However, I got to work with a fabulous group of people at 24 Hour Fitness in Paramus, NJ for 6 months before I ultimately decided to move back home. I consider this my biggest regret in life BUT I learned a lot from it. Once back in Boston, I got my first job in corporate wellness, at LifeStart Wellness Network with another fab group of people. I earned my Intrinsic Biomechanist certification through Lifestart. In 2013, I competed in three powerlifting competitions, where I placed first each time.
2014
In spring 2014, my mom graduated with her doctorate of physical therapy! She had been trying to go back to school for along time and finally completed it. In the fall of 2014, I moved into my first city apartment in Somerville, MA with my cousin Lisa and two friends, Jenny and Maddy. Two weeks later, I got a new job with Fitcorp, another corporate wellness company, at State Street Bank. Then two weeks after that, I met Tim. I competed in two powerlifting competitions in 2014, placing first once and second once.
2015
Tim tried to teach me how to ski, it did not work out very well. My brother graduated college. I competed in my 7th and last (for now) powerlifting competition. Tim and I took our first vacation to celebrate our 1-year anniversary, to Miami. I continued to work at Fitcorp and live in my Somerville apartment, but with a new roommate, Brittany, who replaced Lisa when she moved out!
2016
I launched this blog and my online training business on February 4, 2016! My sister received her Confirmation and my brother graduated with his Master’s degree. I got my wisdom teeth out, something which I had been dreading. I donated my hair again. We had our first annual girl’s weekend on Cape Cod. One of my very best friends Jill got married and I was honored to stand by her side as a bridesmaid! Tim and I celebrated 2 years together. I was still living in Somerville and working at Fitcorp.
2017
We celebrated New Year’s in Killington, VT this year. I turned 27! Tim and I traveled to Ireland to visit my friend Nikki who was living there for grad school. My cousin Lisa and her now-husband Mark ran the Boston Marathon! We attended Matt and Lauren’s wedding on Nantucket, where Tim was a groomsman. Tim and I moved into our first apartment together, in South Boston. I saw Lady Gaga at Fenway Park with my sister. Tim and I visited his sister in New York City. I ran my first (and last) 5k. Tim took me to my first Patriot’s game. I was promoted to manager of the State Street gym. (Full 2017 recap here)
2018
I wrote my first e-book and released it on my 28th birthday. I met Luke Pell, from The Bachelorette (never meet your heroes, folks). Tim and I traveled to Alaska with our friends Josh and Bill, where I fell in love with nature all over again (recap here). I was diagnosed with a benign nerve tumor in my left hip. Catherine had her senior prom and then graduated high school! Our grandfather turned 90 years old. I won tickets to see Ed Sheeran at Gillette. I released my second e-book on my half birthday. I celebrated the marriage of Billy and Molly and loved the Ithaca reunion it provided. I traveled to Nashville for my cousin Lisa’s bachelorette party. I climbed my first 4,000-footer in NH, Cannon Mountain. Lisa and Mark got married and I was honored to stand by her side as a bridesmaid!! We traveled to Colorado and hiked in Rocky Mountain National Park with my brother Mike and his girlfriend Kara, and my cousins Dan and Steve. I attended my 10 year high school reunion with my bffs Ari, Nikki, and Michaela. (Full 2018 recap here). Tim and I were still living in our same Southie apartment, and plan to stay there as long as we can because we LOVE it!
2019
And here we are. This was truly a wild year. This time last year, I was in a dark place. I had surgery coming up and I was mentally unwell. I developed anxiety and had constant panic attacks. I was just, basically, scared. My surgery was in February this year and went as well as it could have gone (see recaps here and here) I was in a bad place for about a month after it, which unfortunately was around the same time as my 29th birthday. Once I began to heal, things started looking up. I learned how to rebuild my strength from the ground up. In April, I traveled to NYC to see Harry Potter and the Cursed Child with my family (my life will never be the same). My cousin Angela ran the Boston Marathon. In June, I traveled to Acadia National Park and camped for a weekend with Tim and our friend Nancy. Later that month, Tim and I took our big trip to Banff National Park (recap here) with our friends Josh and Dave, where we got engaged!! Our summer was a whirlwind of wedding planning and we had our engagement photoshoot. This fall, we attended 3 weddings and had a blast at all of them. We had another Ithaca reunion for Parker and Darin’s wedding (we’re next!) We traveled to Salt Lake City and Park City, Utah with Angela and I fell in love with Utah. I celebrated 5 years at State Street in September, and then was offered a new job with First Fitness Management in October. I accepted, and helped to open our brand-new corporate fitness center at One Beacon Street on November 4.
The first half of 2019 was pretty terrible, but the second half was pretty incredible. I fully expected this to be one of the worst years of my life, but it turned out to be one of the best. I am truly blessed and thank God every day for giving me my health, my family, and my friends. I can’t wait to see what 2020 has in store for me – I already know it’s going to be an amazing year! HAPPY NEW YEAR!!
cmghealthfitness.com 