This summer I realized without even knowing it I have been stepping outside my box! I have had several experiences that were somewhat out of the norm for me – all of them planned – and all of them resulting in great experiences.

Health and wellness has been a lifelong interest of mine, but I fell out of the routine of making it happen for myself for almost a decade. Although eating healthy foods wasn’t too difficult, exercising has been an elusive goal and so this summer I decided to take it to a new level: I hired a personal trainer and joined a gym, set goals for myself and have been dedicated to the cause of getting it done on a daily basis. I make time for “ Meal Prep Sunday” and I find that pre-planning my week with the right balance of protein, carbs and veggies just makes sense for me.

Another thing I did was book a trip for the family to a Dude Ranch just outside of Santa Barbara at the start of summer. NOT something our family would typically do – and we had a FANTASTIC time. My little man loved the animals there, my little girl enjoyed the daily horseback rides, and I surprised myself by really enjoying the horsebacking riding too.  I even tried my hand at archery and hit a couple of bullseyes. The nice thing is that I got to get down and dirty all day on the farm with the critters, relax poolside in the afternoon, and then dress up fancy for dinner in the evening!

I have ventured onto a golf course a few times in life but would not classify myself as a ‘golfer’ nor can I say I appreciate the subtleties of golf. So when a close friend invited my husband and I on a group trip to South Lake Tahoe to watch the Celebrity Pro Am Golf Tournament on the EdgeWood golf course at first I thought: “Why?” and then I thought “Why NOT?” So we jumped in, and went for it. So glad we went. First, Lake Tahoe is just such a majestic, special place and sometimes we forget how lucky we are to be so close to it. Second, being around good friends in a festive atmosphere was a refreshing time and really allowed me to relax. Friends are always good for that aren’t they?! And finally the golf! Being around a mix of profressional athletes and famous people with a passion for this sport only reminded me that we all dare to have one thing in life that we are passionate about.  I am considering signing up for golf lessons when my kids start school this fall and include golf as a family activity as well.

Besides my family and travel, I would have to say that Plastic Surgery as a profession is a passion of mine. When I am in the Operating Room, that is my little “happy place”; it is a true privilege to perform surgery to help another person look and feel better about themselves. ‘Stepping out of my box’ a bit this past summer has helped me expand my list of passions and happy places!

Dr Christa Clark

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