Before I had my daughter, Lyric, I was big on exercising. I went through a bit of depression when I was pregnant and after I had her, I never got back into working out. She just turned three, and seeing how active she is has made me want to get back in shape. We’ll be outside running and playing and I just get winded. I hate feeling like I’m disappointing her.
There was a gentleman on the front page of the Thrive Challenge book whose story stood out to me.
I saw his picture in the break room. He was struggling with some health issues and had turned his life around. I started reading through the stories and seeing the people that made it through, and everybody had a different background and were struggling with different situations. I thought, “Maybe if I made a change, it could inspire somebody else around me to do the same.” I actually kept his story to use for my vision board!
The first step I took was drinking more water.
It was one small choice, but it gave me the momentum to do more. Just grabbing a bottle of water is the easiest thing, but I started realizing that replacing juice with water helps wake me up and gives me energy. We don’t realize how dehydrated we are sometimes. I also started learning about the foods that give us energy, instead of mindless eating. I add spring mix to my salads to provide more greens and vitamins instead of just using iceberg lettuce. I also started doing an open-face sandwich instead of a regular one for less carbs. My whole relationship with food has changed!
I wanted to spend less time on social media to get rid of distractions.
It’s okay to network and socialize, but I realized that hours of just being on there can make me distracted. I wanted to take away some of those distractions, so it would be easier for me to fit in a 20-minute workout, especially on the days that I work. I started putting away my phone to make time to exercise, and now that I have more energy, I can play with Lyric and do things to help her stay active.
My goal is to save up to open my own business.
I have an entrepreneurial spirit and starting my own business is a goal of mine. I’m saving ten percent of my paycheck each month. I actually went to school for makeup, so I’m an aesthetician and I’m big on skincare. I have friends and family that either have eczema or some kind of skin condition, and I want to use my knowledge to help people by creating a skincare line.
The Thrive Challenge has helped me get my motivation back.
Taking part in the Thrive Challenge was the best thing that has happened to me. I am so proud to be a part of the Thrive family! This is like a family of change-makers. I’m thinking so much more about the daily choices I make. If you’re eating poorly, you’re not getting enough sleep, you’re not getting any water, you’re going to be grouchy. Now, I am more positive and it helps others around me be positive.
