My Reflection on 2017

It's that time of year again. I don't believe in New Year's resolutions, because they are so hard to keep. But, around this time of year I do get reflective and I start thinking about what went well in the past year and what could have been better. And today, I took a long look at myself, and I reflected on 2017. 

I realized that this has been a majorly important year for growth and change. So many big things happened this year. My home life is different, my work life is different, and both of these things have had a major impact on my health. 

This year, my husband and I moved with our two kids to a new city in a new state. We have all had to adjust to a new environment, make new friends, and find our identities in this new place. This had come with a lot of exhilaration- we love so many things about our new home; an awesome kitchen to cook in, a roaring fireplace that keeps the house toasty, and an extensive basement playroom for my kids to call their own. But there has been a lot of anxiety too. Did we make the right decision for our family, leaving the city that my kids were born in? Will the kids be ok in their new school? Will they make new friends and feel confident about themselves, or will this move make them insecure and sullen? As a mom, my head has been swirling with worry.  

And paired with this move came a career decision. You may not know this, but Autoimmune Strong was started as a little side project- a dream project if you will. Last August, while on vacation with my family, I had an idea to take the workout program I had designed to fix my own body and share it with the world. Little by little, I have been turning this dream project into reality, and this past September, I decided to focus on the business of being Autoimmune Strong full time. And, like with the move, there have been so many exhilarating moments. 

With more people using Autoimmune Strong, I have been a part of so many people's healing journeys. I am blessed to know that my program has lifted the spirits and bodies of so many people this year. (Some wonderful stories are shared on my home page here, some on Facebook and Instagram, and I will share more of their stories in future blog posts- so keep an eye out for that!)

But, with the good comes the not so good. And the reality is that while I am a personal trainer, I used to spend my time working in a gym, and now I spend my time online and I spend most of my days sitting at a desk in front of a computer. That's right, I sit all day for a living. 

So here is the confession- with the pressure of the move and the change in my work, my body has suffered. I have forgotten to practice what I preach and put myself first.  I have prioritized my family and my business first, and I have put my physical health to the side. I have stopped doing my daily workouts, I have been less focused on healthy nutritious food, and my body has suffered. 

Symptoms I have had long under control have started creeping back in. I am exhausted much more easily, and I am struggling to get out of bed in the mornings. My body feels swollen and achy, I have neck and upper back pain, and my body feels tingling, like it's on fire, and it hurts even when my kids hug me. I have gained weight and lost my muscle tone. My acne has gotten worse. My TSH numbers have increased, as have my insulin numbers. Things I took for granted- like being able to scoop my 9 year old up over my shoulders (which makes him laugh and laugh)- I can't do anymore. It hurts too much. 

I am not mad at myself for letting my daily exercise routine go. That's a big lesson I have learned here. I understand that there were big things at play here- my family's happiness is of the utmost importance to me, and I feel blessed to have the opportunity to be an entrepreneur and chase my dream of helping other's feel good. 

But now, it's time to get back on the horse and start again. I know it will be hard, and it will take time to get my body back to a healthy state. But I am ready to start the journey, and to do the work. This is more than new year's resolution, it is a life resolution. I took my eye off the ball for a few months, and my health regressed significantly. But now I know HOW important it is to keep movement in my life, and how quickly it can all go awry.  

So, in this 2018, I am dedicating myself to you- that I will be doing the work to get back to being Autoimmune Strong.

Will you join me?????? Do it with me- let's inspire and support each other!!!

Click here to get started. 

Let's make 2018 the year we get back into good health together.