We live in a society that pushes for health—exercise, eat clean, take care of yourself. But at the same time, the healthier choices are often the most expensive. Processed, unhealthy food is cheaper, faster, and more accessible. I was also raised in a "clean your plate" household—where finishing every last bite was expected, even when the portions were far too big.

What do you do when the weight feels too heavy?When the world feels like it’s crumbling beneath you?You get up. You move.You channel that energy into something real—something productive.You write, you express, you let it out.

I often have to remind myself to appreciate the small successes and the little things that bring me joy—like taking the boys to the fair and seeing their faces light up, or feeling my little boy hug me so tightly it almost hurts. I remind myself that even though I may not be where I want to be in life yet, I'm on my way. Too often, we focus on what we haven't achieved or what we don't have. Sure, I’d love to be a happily married 32-year-old woman with my own house and a picket fence. I dream of being a stay-at-home mom who focuses on healthy meals and a clean house, or having a career with over five years of experience. But that's not my reality right now—and that’s okay. We don’t need to compare ourselves to others or live up to expectations. What matters is learning to be happy where we are. The key to self-improvement is accepting ourselves as we are, then working from that place. We need to find happiness in what life has given us right now, then figure out what we want for the future. What do we want the next five or ten years to look like? Once we know, we can set a goal and create a plan to get there.

Have you ever felt like no matter how hard you try, you just can’t seem to get anything right? Like you're being pulled in so many directions that you’re not excelling at any of them? I know that feeling all too well—I face it every single day. But today, I want to share a moment of success with you.