I still consider us the newbies…4+ years in.
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…but this weekend I was chatting with not one, not two, but three other girlfriends/wives that are in a very similar spot I was in this photo at graduation. Two reached out to me (see – I must have some experience & be approachable) and those two convos lead me to reach out to one more gf just to say hello.
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You guys. That first year was a complete mess.
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It went something like this…
…I quit my first big girl job.
…Got married.
…Moved across the country where I knew nobody.
…My new husband was gone/training often.
…The job hunt was draining.
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I hadn’t even lived there two months before I went back home for a two week “break”…
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For the first time as an adult, I felt like I had almost zero control over anything. I wasn’t contributing financially. I had no local friends. Job searching in an area with zero networking was exhausting.
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Living that way was NOT what I was used to.
I needed routine.
I craved just one area in my life that I could control.
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I made the decision that “one area” was going to be my health. (After all, I surely had time. Remember? no job. a couple acquaintances, but no friends. busy husband.) Where did I start, though?
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In high school, I was a three sport athlete. When college rolled around, I had no idea how to train because I was used to the drills and workouts my coaches made for me; I never had to put any thought into it before college. If I made it to the gym (that’s a big IF)…I sort of puttered around on whatever machines were open, never making progress.
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Right about the time I made this decision that with all my extra time I was going to lose my college flub, this girl I barely knew was posting on social media about these “online fitness groups” …I was confused about how I could get fit online, but intrigued nonetheless.
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Now, it makes so much sense.
Think about it: we’re always DOING LIFE on our phones (I mean, I’ve been to MULTIPLE weddings thanks to Tinder) …so checking in, tracking my progress, building a support system, completing daily tasks, and learning about health fits right into this 21st century lifestyle. I had all that in the palm of my hand, a professional trainer in my living room, and superfoods in my pantry.
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That was in 2013, and the system has only improved since then.
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NOW…you can stream over 40 fitness programs for LESS than I bought that first ONE when I needed it the most. (ask me how- it’s just a conversation for another time)
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During that 3 month program, I dropped 11 overall inches & 5% body fat, and totally reshaped my body….and that wasn’t even the goal. Obviously it was a super nice perk, but the REAL WIN was how I gained so much confidence in myself, felt drawn to a community that I knew genuinely cared for me, and learned about nutrition & how to cook for the first time in my life.
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I kinda forgot about that part of my story until I chatted with those 3 lovely ladies this weekend. It brought back a whole bunch of feelings I don’t exactly like to remember, yet also reminded me of the time life presented me with the opportunity to focus on myself, and ultimately changed the entire trajectory of my career (but that’s another story for another day).
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If you’re going through tough stuff…look for the opportunity in the situation to learn & grow🌱 It’s probably there, even if it takes you another year to realize it.