Fall Fresh Start Challenge - Day Twenty-Eight

Day 28. 
Happy weekend everyone. Today is a rest/stretch and meal prep day. And I hope you can get out and enjoy this weather. We've got almost summer-like weather here in NC. 
Amazing for Halloween Eve!

We started this challenge back on October 3rd. My motivation for offering this challenge was two-fold. The first reason was that many of my local clients/friends expressed that they were feeling unmotivated, lethargic, in need of a boost to get "back on track" with exercise, diet, etc. I was very happy to provide a boost by creating this fresh start challenge to encourage us all to make some small tweaks and intentions surrounding fitness, diet and sleep.

The second reason for this challenge was very personal.

I've shared my second reason here in a 200-word story...my favorite and preferred way to share a journey. 

2016 - My year of “self-care.” 
Clean eating. Hired a trainer.
Really strong. Felt amazing.
Travel. Girls’ vacation. First trip away from family.  Restful.
Family vacation. Bucket list trip.  Wonderful.
Living large. Felt invincible.
July.
Pain. Pain in upper back, middle, lower back. Settled in hips. SI Joint.
What’s happening?
Massage. Yoga.  Stop exercise. Rest.
Pain.
August 1.  Can’t walk.  Tears.  Parents carried me to the car.
Urgent Care. ER.
CT Scan. MRI. X-rays.
Nothing unusual.  All “normal.”
Nothing’s normal.
What’s causing this pain?
Life goes on.
Mom. Wife. Teacher. Motivator.
Crying on the inside. 
Fighting tears on the outside.
Ice. Meds. All day long.
Felt broken.
Chiropractor.  Acupuncture. 
Good and bad days.
Lots of help, Tim. Family. Friends. 
Mental, emotional, physical exhaustion.
September. 
Is this Crohn’s related? 
Denial.
I’m supposed to be in remission.
That chapter of my life is closed.
I’m supposed to be “stronger than you think.”
Denial.
GI appointments. 
Colonoscopy.  Moderate Crohn’s disease in large intestine. 
Reality.  8 years of remission is over.
New medicine.  October 8.
Injectable.  Should help joints and gut.
October 10.  No more pain. Gone. Gone!
Unbelievable.
I can walk. No pain.
PT.  Regaining strength.
New chapter.
Gratitude. Hope.
Day One.

​I've waited all month to share this as it has been a month filled with a lot of emotion and self-reflection. 

Thanks to all of you for reading, participating and creating space in your day and life for fresh starts....for Day One.
​
Have an amazing day friends. 
# yougotthis