The Importance of Self-Grace in Health and Wellness

The greatest thing about your journey is it’s literally just that. It’s YOUR journey. Meaning you can start over as many times as you like. When we think of weight loss, the thought of starting over when we “fall off” becomes discouraging. Sometimes the reset is harder than the first start. Even though I’m speaking in terms of living a healthy lifestyle, it applies to life in general. I’ve had to do a hard reset not only for my physical health, but it was also necessary for my mental health. I think people really forget how much our mental health can affect our physical health. I live by the motto when you “look good, you feel good.” Since my mother passed almost 2 years ago, I’ve really had to reset myself mentally, physically, and emotionally. I saw how the effect of these things has shown up physically. I went from being someone who worked out 5 days a week with a couple of two-a-day sessions, to reaching the point where I barely wanted to get out of bed. I was going through fifths of tequila like it was water. I was literally watching myself self-destruct. I was pretending to be okay when I wasn’t. Even though I didn’t speak on my silent battles, I watched how it changed me physically.

Grace Extended

I realized that I had to start over! I had to extend grace to myself yet again. The first major step in starting over was forgiving myself for not taking care of me. The next step was going back to therapy. That literally was the best decision I made for myself. I took control of my life back mentally and physically. I had to learn this new version of me, a version of me without my mom 💔. Over the last 6 months, I’ve begun my healing journey. This past summer, I started over by being more intentional about what I feed my mind, body, and soul. I became motivated to do better and be better. I’ve lost about 25 pounds since April 2024. I’m super proud of myself. Yet, when writing this blog, I realized that I needed another reset. I haven’t gained any weight back. But, it’s starting to become harder to get up and go to the gym in the morning.

The Journey Continues

I said all that to say start over as many times as necessary. My mental health is a trigger for my physical health. I’ve learned to become self-aware. It also helps that I have an amazing trainer. He, coupled with my village, has been amazing, and I’m forever grateful! Having a support system during your journey is something we all need. As someone who is constantly pouring into other people, I’m thankful to have people that can pour into me. I’ve also realized that being transparent with others about your own struggles can also be therapeutic. There is so much behind my smile, but I continue to stay resilient.