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The Best Decision I Ever Made

Six years ago this week, I made two decisions that would change my life path.

1. I decided to get my ass in gear and lose weight. 

2. I decided to start a blog.

I’d really started the making-big-changes thing in motion when I moved up here from D.C. a year before that. I’m not one to regret things (except maybe for cutting these bangs) because mistakes are where we learn from, but I do wish I had moved to NYC immediately after graduating. 

After several months living here, with a friend’s wedding coming up, I knew I had to lose weight. 

After several months working at a legal magazine, I knew I wanted and needed more out of my career. I saw the writing in the wall in 2008 and knew I had to get into digital. 

Alas, I started a blog about my then-nascent fitness hobby.

I saw Evann at the Orangetheory event the other day, and we were chatting with a magazine editor. “I’ve been doing this for about a year and a half,” Evann said, “but Theodora’s been doing this forever!”

I have! And when I started this blog six years ago, I had no idea how it would change my life.

The friends it would bring in to my life. 

The AMAZING opportunities it would bring in to my life — flying out to LA for a photo shoot? Meeting fitness idols? 

Feeling the amazing support of 99.5% of the people who take time out of their day to read this and growing a thicker skin from the very few people who don’t have nice things to say.

I hoped at the time it would lead to a career change, and it did. From working on social media strategy for Woman’s Day to working on social media strategy at a PR firm to running social media at a company I truly believe in.

I was offered the opportunity last week to go to Jamaica this weekend to run a half, and I realized how lucky I was that I’d put myself in a position where that was even a possibility.

What’s the best life decision you ever made? 

Theodora Blanchfield

View Comments

  • I've been reading your blog for a couple of years (+/-) and have never felt compelled to comment until now...Your bangs are a very flattering change-up to your look!! You sound regretful, but the bangs really do look great! Sure, they're likely making you spend more time getting ready for your day, but you do look great. Cheers :-)

    • Aw thanks :) I'm being half-sarcastic. I do like how they look...they are just a pain to do!

  • I have been blogging for two years, and I love it. I don't know how big my following is (and I'm not obsessed with the numbers) because I love to write and document my life experiences. The comment about your bangs...too funny! I'm constantly growing mine out and , consequently, cutting them (usually in a different way each time). I like to be constantly changing and evolving...but with that comes constant adaptation LOL (And, I also have a pic of myself with Shalane from the Rock'N Roll event last summer in Chicago)! Congrats on your success(es)!!

  • Congratulations on all your successes, I have been reading your blog for years and so happy that you seem to be in a truly amazing place!

  • I am also very happy you moved to NYC and started blogging , or I never would have met you!

    My best life decision was moving to Colorado - like your blogging, it's brought me a lot of new opportunities that I never would have imagined. Only downside is missing my friends in New York (like you!) :(

  • SO MANY things come to mind for me because I truly believe that things happen for a reason. I would say for me, getting laid off last year and deciding to change industries was huge for me! It was a big change but I couldn't be happier!

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Theodora Blanchfield

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