Hey there. Life is full of ups and downs, twists and turns. Some seasons bring clarity and excitement, while others feel like an endless storm. But no matter what, I truly believe we should trust that we’ll figure it out. We should believe in our ability to adapt, grow, and follow through on the things we want to do.
That trust, however, can feel impossible at times. I know because I’ve been there. Over the past few years, I’ve experienced some of the biggest shifts in my life. Some changes were circumstantial, others were the result of choices I made. Either way, they forced me to recalibrate who I was and how I showed up in the world.
When life shifts, whether it’s your job, relationships, or health, it can shake your sense of identity. You find yourself trying to make sense of who you are in a reality that no longer feels familiar. For me, I had to accept that things wouldn’t always stay the same. And more importantly, I had to acknowledge that there would be pain in the process but also clarity, growth, and understanding.
The Role of Coping and the Slippery Slope
We all have ways we cope. Some methods are helpful, some are harmful, and many sit somewhere in between. For me, food has always been a go-to coping mechanism. I’ve never felt guilt over my food choices, but I’ve also recognized that there’s a fine line between using food as a comfort and using it in a way that leads to feeling out of control.
That’s where self-awareness comes in. Learning to trust yourself—truly trust yourself—means knowing when you’re teetering too close to that line and making adjustments before things spiral.
Therapy played a huge role in helping me connect with myself on a deeper level. I originally thought it would be a shortcut to figuring things out faster. I quickly realized that was a naive assumption. There were blind spots, things I didn’t want to see, stories I told myself that weren’t true. Having a therapist call me out on patterns, challenge my assumptions, and bring up past discussions in new ways forced me to sit with my reality and actually work through it.
Facing the Physical and Mental Challenges
A major challenge for me over the past couple of years has been injuries. I’ve dealt with foot injuries that sidelined me from workouts, and at times, even from basic movement. As someone whose identity has been tied to fitness, both personally and professionally, this was tough. I had to separate who I was from what I could do physically.
There were moments when I wondered if certain injuries were permanent. At one point, I was using a walker just to get around. My steps per day dropped significantly, not because I wasn’t trying, but because I physically couldn’t. That’s a tough pill to swallow when movement has been such a foundational part of your life.
But through it all, I kept a core belief: I would figure it out. I would get back to where I wanted to be, even if I had to approach it differently than before. And I have. Not just in my workouts, but in my overall approach to taking care of myself.
The Ongoing Journey of Self-Trust
One of the biggest takeaways from all of this is that healing, whether physical, emotional, or both, isn’t linear. There are stops and starts. You think you’ve made it through, only to realize there’s still more work to do. But that’s part of the process.
Many people avoid deep self-work because it’s uncomfortable. Your ego will resist. It’ll want to blame external circumstances or other people. But at the end of the day, your life is your responsibility. Where you are right now is a result of past choices, circumstances, and decisions. And where you go from here? That’s up to you.
The storms won’t stop coming. But each time, you’ll have more tools, more experience, and a deeper belief in yourself. And that belief? That’s what will carry you through.
Ready to Go Deeper?
If this resonated with you, I want to invite you to join The YLF Experience a community designed to help you build a sustainable, inside-out approach to fitness and self-development. It’s about more than workouts. It’s about mindset, growth, and real conversations.