Have you ever felt stuck, endlessly running but never really getting anywhere?
If so, you’re not alone. For years, I felt trapped by circumstances. I desperately wanted a fresh start, but I had no clue how to pull it off. This was especially evident in my mornings, which were filled more with obligations than intentions.
My alarm would go off, and I’d hit snooze five times before dragging myself out of bed. Running on 6 hours of sleep, I’d grab a Pepsi and throw in a couple pieces of toast.
Mornings were a chaotic blur, driven more by demands than any clear plan.
Life’s Treadmill: Work and Parenthood
With four kids and my fifth on the way, life was busy. My days, evenings, and weekends were filled with obligations, not to mention trying to maintain three businesses.
Despite the love and joy my family brought, exhaustion consumed me.
The concept of self-care seemed laughable. But beneath it all, a yearning persisted. A desire for change and personal growth — to do better and be better.
But I had no idea where to begin.
As a holistic health coach, I now know the yearning I felt was a call for change, a prompt from within that’s not meant to be ignored.
My Wellness Journey: From Diet to Mindset
Tired of feeling stuck, I dove into books and research.
I started making the connection between mind and body, realizing I needed to eat better and establish healthier habits. And so the journey of self-discovery through food began. The first book I read was Eight Weeks to Optimum Health by Dr. Weil. It was exactly what I needed — a guiding hand that eases into healthier changes.
Many books and life-changing stories later, I became a vegetarian, then vegan, and then a raw vegan. Each step taught me something new about my body and wellness. The benefits of a raw food diet were and are incredible. But for me, sustaining it long-term became too limiting.
I wanted to find a diet that intertwined effortlessly with my life in a healthy way, not too rigid, yet with purpose.
My eventual discovery of the Blue Zones diet and intuitive eating transformed my perspective and offered everything I was looking for. They resonated deeply, merging beautifully with the rich Mexican culinary influences from my husband’s heritage.
The Blue Zone’s diet emphasizes balance and joy, revolving around mostly plant-based foods. It became a sustainable way to nourish both body and soul.
It sounds simplistic in hindsight, but realizing ‘when you know better, you do better’ was a major turning point in my life.
Healthy eating became my anchor in the most calming way.
The Run That Changed Me
The years passed, and after my 9th child and during a particularly challenging period of my life, I felt an unsettling unease within.
Determined to find answers and regain a sense of purpose, I turned to what had always been my solace: Reading. I stumbled onto Rich Rolls’s book Finding Ultra. His memoir is incredibly inspiring and compelling; I couldn’t put it down.
This and other books led me to challenge myself in the most unexpected way — running. I’d never run before, but I set a goal 4 months away and ran two different half-marathons.