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I was nervous to record this episode, despite having done over 600 episodes already. But, as I reflected on my health journey, I realized that it has impacted my work on a deep level… probably more than any other strategy or system I’ve utilized in recent years. So, in this episode, I’m taking a personal look at my health journey and why it finally stuck this time.

No matter how long I’ve done this–been in the public, recorded this podcast, whatever–I’m always just so shocked and surprised at how curious people are about what is going on behind the scenes, like the stuff behind the stuff. And I’m a pretty open book, I’ve talked about my health journey on this show, but today is this attempt to dive deeper into what I’ve been doing, how I’ve been feeling, and even more importantly, how it’s impacted my work and why I think things finally stuck this time.

If you’re listening to this show, I feel like you are a very driven person, meaning you want something more for your life. And I know I’m not unique in this human experience of wanting to change something in my life, whether it’s my circumstance, my career, relationships, whatever that is, and not being confident enough to follow through or not getting the results that I wanted and just giving up. I think what’s super interesting about this topic, especially when it comes to my health journey, is that I’m not one month in or 60 days or 90 days, I’ve been really focused on this for the entire year, and this is the first time that I’ve actually stuck to something. And so today we’re diving into the deep end.

A trigger warning before we dive in

For anyone who has struggled with eating disorders, body dysmorphia, or anyone triggered when it comes to talking about things like health, weight loss, or diets, feel free to hit pause on this episode and pop to any other one.

What kicked off my health journey

I think the biggest shift for me that started the journey that I am on today was actually during our struggle to grow our family. It took us three years to have our daughter Coco, and I had two pregnancy losses in between, and so it was this three-year time span where I feel like my body was going through so much. And I think it started my health journey in ways that actually stuck for me for the first time as an adult because the goal of having a family wasn’t just about me, and it was so much bigger than the way I looked. And it was so clear and it was this deep, deep God-given desire in my heart.

Fast forward to January of this year, I had the second really significant health shift for me. I was two months postpartum with Quinn and I was actually on maternity leave, and I just started feeling this really deep desire to have energy again. I think I was a little caught off guard at how exhausting it was not just to keep a newborn alive, but also to chase a toddler at the same time. And if I’m being really transparent, I think I was a little worried about like, how am I going to add work back to my plate? What is that gonna look like? How is this even possible?

Focusing on feeling

I started by getting my glucose levels checked and working with a personalized nutritionist, Brigid (go back and listen to my wonderful conversation with my nutritionist in Episode 589!) to help me dig into the data. From the very beginning of this whole health journey when I started working with Brigid, I kept just talking about how I wanted to feel. I never once referenced what I wanted to look like. Never, truly. I was not consumed with certain things fitting into pre-pregnancy jeans or losing a specific amount of weight.

I wanted to feel something, and what I wanted to feel was energized and vibrant. Those were the two words that I kept coming back to. I want to wake up and not be exhausted, I want to have the energy to do it all, and I want to define what it all is. And I want to feel vibrant, I want for you to look at me and just say, “there’s something different about her. She is glowing.” And that was how we started off this whole journey.

The biggest shifts 

Here are a few of the biggest shifts I’ve made that have helped me to make this health journey stick, you can hear the rest of my list by listening to the full episode!

Adopting a new mindset

I want for you to write this one down and apply it in any area of your life, because this changed my life and my health: “I am not an unhealthy person who used to be healthy, but a healthy person who let their health slide.” Meaning, I am embodying the identity of a healthy person again. That can look like asking yourself, “What would the healthiest version of myself choose?”

Changing my priorities

I used to say “I don’t have time for that,” and I still don’t have as much time as I would like for certain things, but I changed my priorities and in doing so, I started making the time. So now when Drew does drop off, that is my time to pour into myself. I have this morning routine where I sit in front of my red light, I meditate, I lay on the PMF mat, I drink lemon water with chia seeds, I get ready for my day. This routine has helped me to create new habits that I know help me to feel optimal.

Trying to give my body what it needs through food

I’ve been working with my nutritionist, Brigid of Being Brigid to really help guide me on my food journey! She has incredible programs and resources that help you look at food in a whole new way! I take a ton of supplements based off of my body’s current needs but I also have been thinking about how food has the nutrients and micronutrients my body needs. I do things like eat 2 Brazil nuts a day or aim to get more broccoli to help balance my hormones – there are these little things that I just do now to help optimize my body’s energy source. 

The outcomes so far 

I’ve always been confident, but lately, I feel like I embody confidence with this new energy, like I show up differently. I am excited to be around people. I feel like I just embody what I wanted to, which was that vibrance, and I wanted to just be energized. And I feel like both of those things impact how I show up both online and offline. 

I also think I’m just a better mom. I love that my girls are seeing my choices and seeing health as a priority in my life, and I now have the energy to make it through the day without a nap. I’m more energized and I am able to chase my kids around, do dance parties, and give piggyback rides. I just feel like because I have this energy, I show up differently for them.

There’s this line in my book that says, “you aren’t the risk, you are the investment.” During this health journey, I realized that the more that I invest in myself and put these priorities and habits first in my life and make sure that I have what I need to feel energized and vibrant, the more that emits throughout all aspects of my life. When we see ourselves as the investment and not the risk, I think that totally changes everything.

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