Keep Moving. Keep Enjoying Life.

One of the promises I’ve made to myself is to keep moving.

In 2019, my back surgeon suggested Pilates to strengthen my core. I took that recommendation seriously, but I was a bit nervous about getting started.

I’d heard about Pilates for years, but my exercise routine had mostly involved working with trainers, doing some weight training and using the elliptical. Pilates was something new for me.

Once I began, I noticed the benefits almost immediately. Strengthening my core was the key, and feeling that difference encouraged me to keep going.

Today, Pilates is an important part of my weekly routine. Twice a week, I make time to show up, stretch and challenge my strength, balance and flexibility.

For me, staying active isn’t about looking a certain way. It’s about feeling strong and being able to keep enjoying life for many years to come.

Trying something new can feel a little intimidating. I’m glad I gave Pilates a chance. It has become one of the ways I keep my promise to myself to stay strong, keep moving and enjoy life.

Making Room for Possibility

Sometimes, making room for something new begins with letting go.

I was listening to a conversation between Mel Robbins and Ed Mylett on a recent podcast (linked below) when Ed began discussing an idea that caught my attention, we sometimes need to create space in our lives before we can welcome something new.

My ears immediately perked up because that idea reminded me of a philosophy I’ve believed in and shared for years, the Vacuum Law of Prosperity. The way I understand it, when we release what we no longer need, we create room for something new.

And I’m not just talking about cleaning out our closets!

Sometimes what we’re holding on to is an old belief about ourselves. A habit we’ve outgrown. Or an expectation about how our lives were supposed to unfold.

We can become so comfortable with what’s familiar that we don’t stop to ask whether it still belongs in our lives.

I’ve learned that letting go isn’t always easy. Even when something no longer serves us, the familiar can feel reassuring. Moving forward may mean being willing to sit with a little uncertainty.

What I love about this idea is that we don’t need to have everything figured out to begin. We can start by noticing what we’re ready to release and considering what we’d like to make more room for.

More peace. More meaningful connections. More time for something we’ve wanted to explore.

For me, that is part of living with joy, purpose, vision and possibility. Continuing to learn, being willing to reconsider old beliefs and staying open to what might come next.

The first step toward a new possibility is often simply making room for it.

Inspired by a conversation worth sharing, listen to Mel Robbins and Ed Mylett discuss “It’s Not Too Late, The 5 Shifts That Will Change the Rest of Your Year.” ↗

Joy Is a Practice

My middle name is Joy, and I’ve always been grateful to my parents for giving me that name.

Friends sometimes call me a “cockeyed optimist.” But I haven’t always felt as positive as I do today. There have been difficult seasons in my life, and learning to approach life differently has taken time, energy and work.

Through years of personal growth, I’ve come to appreciate the place gratitude, meditation and perspective have in my everyday life.

Being positive doesn’t mean pretending everything is wonderful. It doesn’t mean ignoring disappointment or expecting ourselves to feel happy all the time.

For me, it means acknowledging the challenges while staying open to the good in my life and the possibilities ahead.

Gratitude helps me notice what I might otherwise take for granted. Meditation gives me time to pause. And continuing to learn, through books, conversations and the people around me, reminds me that there is often another way to look at a challenging or difficult situation.

These practices have become part of how I care for myself, right alongside taking care of my body.

Some days, looking for the good comes easily. Other days, it takes more intention. I’m still learning, and I give myself room for that, too.

Joy may be my middle name, but making room for it is something I continue to practice.