Birthday Reflections

I’m not sure how 35 is supposed to feel but I honestly feel better now that I ever did in my twenties or even early thirties.

When I was living in NYC in my twenties I partied like a New Yorker! Late to bed, late to rise and a diet that consisted largely of pizza, bagels and ice cream.

I was out almost every night and if I wasn’t drinking, I was out with friends eating and staying up really late. I would make an attempt at getting up early to make it to the gym and squeeze in a workout before work at the beginning of the week, though by the time Wednesday or Thursday rolled around I was not getting up to go to the gym.

I was also trying to climb the corporate ladder. I wanted to be the best at my job, get the promotion and the raise and I was willing to work long hours to prove to my boss that I was capable.

No wonder I found myself sitting in my doctor’s office crying hysterically at the age of 28. I was sick on and off for years, I was always tired and stressed and very moody, and I was so sick of being sick.

I had put so much pressure on myself to look good in my body, to be the best at my job, to try and find the perfect man, be a good friend and I was exhausted.

I honestly think hitting rock bottom on my 28th birthday, crying over another stupid boy and then getting sick again is what led me to find a doctor who would listen to me and finally be the support I needed.

From that moment forward I have done everything possible to create a healthier life for myself. I started using a neti pot and no longer get sinus infections, I became obsessed with yoga and became a teacher, I fell in love with real whole foods, went back to school so that I can support all of you. I even learned how to breathe properly.

I have de-stressed my life a lot! But this is honestly something that I work on every single day. Learning how to cope and react to life in a more easeful way has made all of the difference.

Yet, I still have my days. We all do. We are doing the best we can do every single day and you know what I love? I love that I’m an emotional, strong, loving woman. It is who I am and the older that I get the more that I appreciate me.

I make no excuses for the way that I feel now. Instead I embrace those emotions and try and figure out why I get stressed and why I am so hard on myself sometimes.

But hey, that is the magic and beauty of aging. You get the chance to look back and celebrate who you are and how far you have come to become this amazing version of yourself.

We have the choice every single day to decide how we want to feel. I don’t think we are ever taught this growing up. But this is something so very important that I have learned with my life and with my health.

It is up to me to make decisions that feel good for my body. So I choose every single day to eat real whole foods, reducing my sugar and dairy intake, move my body every single day to de-stress and relax and most importantly I have learned to say no to others so that I can say YES to myself.

I hope that no matter how “young” you are, that you celebrate you for all of the beauty and wisdom that makes you, so very special. Because that is what I did to celebrate me this year on my birthday.

As I look forward to this new year ahead, I can’t wait to see what adventures and challenges it brings and instead of looking at it in fear I am looking at life with my arms wide open.

Big Hugs & Health,

Katie

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