Reclaiming Strength: The Quiet Power of Showing Up

Over the past two years, my world has shifted—trembled, cracked, and grown anew. Since my daughter’s epilepsy diagnosis and the launch of my own business, life has demanded a new kind of strength. One built not from lifting heavier weights but from carrying emotional loads I never anticipated.

I've gained 15–20 pounds. I’ve struggled to lose it. And while I've applied many of the coaching techniques I share with clients, I haven’t seen the results I hoped for. But the truth is—this battle isn’t just about calories in or out and more workouts. It's about stress.

😔 Stress: The Shadow Behind the Symptoms

Each day I feel the constant hum of concern, particularly about my daughter’s health. Despite prioritizing sleep, rest, and so many practices to de-stress, chronic soreness, joint pain, inflammation, and the weight gain linger. These are not failures—they’re symptoms of a body trying its best under pressure.

I've had to adjust my view on personal health. I don’t work out like I used to. I walk, sometimes with a weighted vest. I move alongside my clients. I’ve reduced sugar. I portion more mindfully. I drink more water. These aren't glamorous changes—but they’re meaningful ones.

👟 Movement with Heart, Not Grind

I’ve learned to celebrate movement that restores instead of punishes. I stretch. I focus on mobility. I move for fun—with my kids, with laughter, with freedom.

I stopped clinging to clothes that don’t fit. I replaced them with consignment finds and sale treasures—pieces that make me feel good, just as I am.

I continue to show up in family pictures. Because life is too short to be absent from your own memories.

🌱 Living Beyond the Scale

I no longer live just to lose weight. If I can move well, eat well, and take on each day—I’m already doing more than enough. And I trust that by honoring nutrition and movement, my body will meet me in time.

🎉 Non-Scale Victories: Real Wins Beyond the Numbers

In a world obsessed with weight loss and body measurements, it's easy to overlook the changes that truly matter. But healing, growth, and resilience don't always show up on a scale. These non-scale victories remind me I'm improving every day:

• 💥 I feel more energized throughout the day—even with less sleep.

• 😴 My sleep quality has improved, and I wake feeling more refreshed.

• 👖 Clothes fit more comfortably, and I choose outfits that make me feel good.

• 🧠 I have better mental clarity and fewer foggy moments.

• 💧 I'm more consistent with hydration, which helps digestion and overall wellness.

• 🍽️ Cravings have shifted, and I'm more in control of my eating habits.

• 💬 I have a more positive outlook, even when things feel hard.

• 💚 I choose restorative movement that supports healing instead of punishing my body.

• 👣 I show up—for my kids, my family, and myself—in the moments that matter.

• 📸 I take the photo. I exist in the memory. I don’t hide.

These wins are quiet but powerful. And if you’re reading this feeling stuck, take stock of what’s already improving behind the scenes. That’s the real progress—the kind that builds a life you love.

To the Parent Doing It All—You Don't Have To

To the parent who’s working, juggling extracurriculars, supporting your kids, trying to be a present spouse, and still showing up as a son or daughter—you are doing a lot. But hear this:

You don’t have to do it all. You don’t have to be all things for all people.

You are allowed to rest. You are allowed to not answer every call, skip the bake sale, cancel plans, and choose rest. Showing up for yourself is the opposite of selfish—it’s the foundation of sustainable love and care for those you care so much about.

💪 Reclaiming Strength: The Power of Showing Up

Real progress doesn't come from doing everything—it comes from doing something. Showing up isn’t about crushing every goal. It’s about making the choice to do what you can, even if it's imperfect, even if it's small. Because something is always better than nothing.

Reclaiming strength means letting go of the impossible checklist and embracing the doable. It means:

• 🧩 Choosing one task you can finish instead of half-starting ten

• 🗣️ Asking for help—and leaning on those who care to listen

• 🧘‍♀️ Focusing on one thing at a time—get it done, then move on

• 🔁 Letting go of multitasking—it’s exhausting and rarely effective

• 💡 Doing one thing well instead of everything halfway

• 💭 Staying in your own lane—comparison is the thief of joy

Your circumstances are uniquely yours. No one else carries your exact mix of responsibilities, relationships, emotions, and experience. So why measure your worth against someone else’s chapter?

And here’s the truth you don’t hear enough: you’ll hear terms like burnout, adrenal fatigue, cortisol detox—but if you're deep in that storm, chances are you can't just walk away from work, parenting, caregiving, or managing a household. You can't hit pause on life like it’s a retreat brochure.

So what can go? What can be dropped? What can change?

Try this:

• 🚫 Cancel something that’s not aligned with your energy or values

• 📅 Reschedule the non-urgent without guilt

• 🙅 Say “no” to commitments out of obligation

• 🤝 Delegate—even if it’s not done perfectly

• 📵 Take breaks from overstimulating inputs like social media or constant noise

• ☕ Find small, sustainable rituals that feel good—5-minute stretches, slow coffee mornings, deep breaths between tasks

Healing doesn’t require perfection. It requires permission—to rest, to reprioritize, to move forward in pieces if that’s what’s available. The strength you feel you’ve lost isn’t gone—it’s just buried beneath the weight of too many expectations. Lighten the load, and it will rise again.

💬 Let Go of the Noise

People won’t remember you for your clothing size. They'll remember your presence. The moments. The lessons. The laughter. The tears.

So if curated images of slim figures and perfect booties on social media discourage you—block and unfollow. Take breaks. Stop scrolling. Start living. Restore joy in your everyday moments.

Because it's not just about the size of your jeans. It's about the size of your spirit.