For years, I lived in a “poor me” mindset — believing my past defined my future and joy was for other people. But victimhood kept me stuck, sad, and small. It wasn’t until I started fighting back with gratitude, prayer, movement, and journaling that I began to break free. These small steps changed everything — my faith, my perspective, my life. Like the Velveteen Rabbit, I’m becoming Real — the woman God always intended me to be. You can too.
In 2014, I hovered over the “submit” button on a new workout plan, praying, “God, is this really going to work?” I was tired, weary, and overwhelmed. As a young mom of two and a wife struggling with my health, everything felt heavy—until one verse changed everything: “You have circled this mountain long enough, now turn North” (Deut. 2:3). That simple directive woke me up. I didn’t need a complete overhaul—I needed one right choice at a time. I swapped donuts for oats, late-n
.png)
