No one ever said that a health and wellness journey would be linear or finite. No one ever promised a start line and a finish line or that you would someday reach your goal and that would be it - you could just sail through the rest of life having “achieved fitness”.
If you are reading this right now, you might be able to relate, so I want to share with you a little bit more of my story so that you can see that I’m on the journey with you…
As you may have already read on my About Page, after ending a 5-year relationship, where I had completely let go of my wellness and self-care, I decided to recommit myself to my health goals. I started running again and even completed a half marathon! Things seemed to be going great for me.
After the half marathon my body was really struggling to recover. I had neglected myself and had lost my ability to listen to my body. I ended up in the ER. It took 2 separate blood transfusions and 6 IV iron injections over several weeks before my iron levels got to a place that was considered normal. I was scared and I had to learn how to ask for and receive help. This experience taught me so much about myself and about the value of community.
This experience and several other health factors led me to have a full hysterectomy in December, 2019. Within weeks my energy was back to my usual high Energizer Bunny levels. Even though I felt great, I knew it was going to take some work to truly regain my health and wellness.
I got back on the track - literally. Running has always been a love of mine. It was amazing and such an incredible feeling. It gave me hope and confidence that I was going to be able to do this, and it is a journey that I am still on.
I was planning to run a 10k with some friends to celebrate my comeback when the Covid-19 quarantines happened. Stuck in isolation, I started taking yoga online as a way to increase my flexibility and stamina. I am learning to be patient and compassionate with myself. I am embracing the victories and successes I have, such as the progress I have made with down-dog. It doesn’t look like the cover of Yoga Journal, and it still looks amazing.
What does progress look like...?
When I think back to how I was feeling a year ago, I can see just how far I have come on my wellness journey. I choose to celebrate that progress and use it as motivation to get healthier.
The confidence I am building on my mat, on the trails, and with my weights carries over into my everyday life. I believe in myself, my dreams, and my purpose. This is the same confidence that I see others develop as well. By building inner strength as well as outer strength, we are able to go out into the world and live our best lives, standing taller and prouder, and we are able to make a bigger impact in our families and in our communities.
Depending on what happens with Covid, I am planning on competing in a half marathon in 2021. I’ll keep you updated on my training and my journey. I’ll even post my latest down-dog pictures every couple of months so you can keep me honest.
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"Dream It, Believe It, Achieve It!"