My Wellness Journey

A little bit about what inspires me.

Through various life changes, one thing that’s been keeping me centered are the loving conversations I have with my family, my friends, and my Maker. These conversations are truly gifts that lift me up and keep me focused. Newness can bring feelings of fear, but we can conquer fear through faith.

"...God is inviting us to separate from what might have been old to walk into a place of newness, just as Joseph was willing to do." - Dr. Jackie Greene, The Pain of First

The Pain of First // H.O.T. Girl Summer (Part 1) // Dr. Jackie Greene

In a conversation with my big brother, he told me to always remember my “why”. Refocusing on the core reasons we do the things we do helps in maintaining confidence moving through new situations. Through all the changes & challenges, my foundational why remains firm.

My why is simply to have a heart for service. I want my life to be an offering to God, using the skills I have and the things I can learn to be a blessing.

Celebrating God's faithfulness, a few days after the surgery that changed my life! January 2023

Identifying my "why" and moving into my "how" has been a source of motivation and inspiration. Thinking about what makes a lifestyle "healthy", I can't communicate the true meaning of wellness without including spirituality. Mental toughness, for me, originates from my faith. Overcoming fears and seeking wisdom is just as important to me as eating healthy and exercising.

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"... and I have to be like Paul and say if he didn't quit, I can't either... I want you to know what not quitting feels like, because winners never quit, and quitters never win..." Bianca Olthoff, Grit Don't Quit

Grit Don't Quit // H.O.T. Girl Summer (Part 3) // Bianca Olthoff

The T in H.O.T. stands for Transparent.

That's been a tough one for me over the years!

Transparency in weakness has been a struggle for me - admitting when I was tired or in pain was so difficult for me that I would deny my own fatigue - through track & field, completing school and the day to day grind of adulthood, I just kept pushing it. But we can only push ourselves so far. Thankfully my loving support system was there for me in my weakness when I was diagnosed with Sick Sinus Syndrome. After almost a week long hospital admission, going back to what I knew as normal was almost impossible. I was discharged with some new hardware that stimulates my heart to beat regularly, but it took a while to update my mindset to match my new reality.

"We don't change to be loved, we change because we are loved." Brie Davis, You Need H.E.L.P.

You Need H.E.L.P. // H.O.T. Girl Summer (Part 4) // Brie Davis

To me, being H.O.T. is about complete freedom.

That's the transformation I've experienced that I'd love to share with everyone I meet. The freedom to be everything at once - weak and strong, able and unable, of service and in need of service - the freedom to recognize no one can define you, but you - the freedom to be fully human - perfectly imperfect. For me, it took some bionic hardware to recognize my full humanity and dismantle a form of perfectionism that was holding me back from enjoying the complexities of life.

Humility, openness, and transparency are leading me in my wellness journey. I invite you to join me as I share the resources that are helping me along the way! I hope you find this Transformation Church series from a transformative time in my life as motivating as I have - and share it with those you love.

What's been leading you to walk into a place of newness in your life? Leave a comment below to share your thoughts!

Health & Blessings,