I’m whisping my messy hair back as this warm, glowing feeling of joy fills up my chest and tries to trickle out my eyes in the form of soft, grateful tears. And no, it’s not because Reese’s Cheerios have become available all year round. September 2018 has come and gone and I feel like I’ve just stepped off of a rollercoaster called ‘The Ride Of My Life’. Ready, rejuvenated and fired up for October, it hasn’t quite sunk in what has just happened. So like the famous saying goes “Pics or it never happened”!
This year was a big one, and I cried a lot. I felt a lot, and navigated some deep waters within myself. But I loved every minute. In the fall of 2016 I returned to school to study digital media production and have been working away behind the scenes on a big digital media project of my own ever since I graduated. I’ve learned so much – and I am ready to go for it with shecamesheconquered.com and share the mission!!!
Wellness, health and happiness are my jam – and if I could wrap those up and give them as a gift to everyone I would!!!! All I want to do is teach people how to ‘drink the wine, feel great in the jeans’ all the while enjoying the process!! I’m living proof. But there is some WORK involved! If I didn’t work at building healthy habits and healthy thoughts into my day to day life – EVERYDAY – I would not have felt as good as I did in my wedding dress! Nor do I feel I would have survived this year alive, or with all my friends and family still speaking to me.
This is what happened over the past 12 months:
ENGAGED
A little over a year ago Matt popped the question on a warm, gorgeous evening over a bottle of wine and our favourite take out sushi, in the rich fall colours of the Edmonton River Valley. What a whirlwind, heart warming and emotion filled year it has been!
BRIDESMAID A LA MEXICO
Our 2018 started off with an ‘arriba’ as we ventured off to the sunny and sandy beaches of Mexico for Lyric and Aaron’s wedding!
WE BOUGHT A HOUSE
Then after 6 months of searching to buy our first home together, on April 6 conditions were lifted and the home was ours. We will never forget this date because it was the same day as the Humboldt Bronco’s bus crash. We were in Calgary at Matt’s brother’s celebrating the accepted offer with St. Germaine margaritas. The Bronco’s Go Fund Me page was climbing past $10,000 as we went to bed that night. My heart goes out to each and every person affected – and I will forever be reminded to be thankful for each breath I live to take. So I write with new drive, and dedication to use my time to share the mission of health because don’t you think that our TIME and HEALTH are two of life’s most valuable currencies?
We moved into our new home June 1st and started to settle in … slowly. . . during the weekdays. The weekend gatherings were endless as significant life events and weddings marked each weekend in our calendars. We tore up the highway from Edmonton to Montana, Calgary, Moose Jaw, and Saskatoon to be with our friends.
Ladies – tell me if you feel me – but isn’t one of the most stressful parts of summer trying to take care of ourselves, like eat well and de-stress amid the chaos that is summer? Camping, visiting, visitors, weddings . . . etc. I cursed myself a million times, asking why I picked such a tight wedding dress (I know Mom, you were right!) but with our September 2nd wedding date and being so late into summer weddings – there was no turning back now.
BRIDESMAID A LA VEGAS
At 5am in Las Vegas while eating the best tasting pizza (with a side of Doritos) beside the newly weds (Brett and Meg), I was thanking my lucky stars. First of all – for being with my best friends all together in Las Vegas and secondly that I understood how to enjoy every gooey, cheesy, bite of that pizza and feel zero guilt. My healthy habits will pause, but never for very long. Twenty-four hours after being home and I was back on track fast so I could feel good in that tight wedding dress. Once home from Meg and Brett’s Las Vegas wedding we were one wedding, two stagettes and a bridal shower away from our Big Day! Fast Forward to . . .
OUR WEDDING DAY!
I was soooo nervous on the morning of our wedding. So nervous, and not entirely sure about what and then Kristyn’s (MOH) dress unintentionally came to the rescue! The zipper didn’t rip but it came apart and all our attention and focus went to solving this significant predicament. Phewf. Somehow this calmed my nerves and shifted my attention and perspective, meanwhile poor Kristyn was standing there in shock as helpful and magic hands fixed the zipper! BUT we were good! We were an hour from the ceremony start, and the dresses zipped up beautifully – for both Kristyn and me!! And voila! I felt like $1,000,000! Over this incredible year – I danced, slept, I drank the wine, I felt good in the jeans and I honoured my mental and physical health. And our big day, September 2, WHAT A BEAUTIFUL DAY!!!
So my question is, how does one navigate a year like the above without flying off the rails at the cost of their health? How do we get the most out of each event, thoroughly be present, and be there for our family + friends without sacrificing our own goals, or our physical and mental health?
I believe in order to reach 1/2 of our human potential, and feel like $1,000,000, we need to get really good at taking care of ourself. For me, it all boiled down to being clear on a few significant goals and intentions, and working little by little towards them each day. It involved flexibility of schedule, ideas, and perspective. It involved turning inward and listening to myself, analyzing and unbiasedly communicating the thoughts and feelings being experienced. It involved facing intimidating conversations head on, and listening. It involved reaching out and asking questions. It involved failure. It involved consistent de-stressing via walks, yoga, down time, rest, and phone calls with friends and family. ~ It didn’t involve starving myself, or 7 workouts a week. ~ It involved learning to pay attention to my nutrition, rest, stress level and all of these health indicators listed below:
Sleep quality
Mood swings
Emotional stability
Anxiety level
Digestion
Energy
Physical strength
Cellular repair of cuts, bruises, infections
Skin, nails, hair
Stress management
Joint pain + stiffness (we’re not 18 anymore!)
Inflammation + water retention
Comfortability and confidence in my own skin
And I did it baby!!!! I’m obsessed with finding a solution between drinking the wine, feeling good in the jeans, honouring ourselves and keeping the body and mind healthy.
No matter what age you are – I want YOU to know how good it feels to be on your way to the healthiest body, sense of self, and building the healthiest habits you’ve ever had. I want you to understand how easy it is to get started and learn how healthy habits and food can liberate and support you in living your best life! Picture it! You’re sleeping well, your hair and skin are smooth and gorgeous, not to mention you’ve forgotten what bloated feels like. You feel a new found energy when you wake up, the skinny pants look SO good on you and you’re practically floating on cloud 9 as you walk out the door. You’re less anxious and feeling better equipped to manage tough days. Your moods have been so steady that you’re almost officially off the ‘frequent crier’ list! You can still enjoy your fav treats – but you do so with a new found confidence and guilt free pleasure because you know HOW and WHY to choose what’s best for YOU. It all starts with discovering healthy habits you can easily incorporate each day. I’ve been working on something BIG, and I can’t wait to share it with you!
Time is precious
-E
2 Responses
What a year you had! So many wonderful experiences-and all of them with their challenges. You managed them all with grace and aplomb-I’m so proud of you!
You are such a determined young woman. 💕💕
❤️ this!!!