Have you ever stood in front of the mirror and barely recognized the person staring back?
Not because of age or weight or exhaustion—though those things may be there—but because something deeper feels out of reach. The fire you once carried. The sense of strength, of certainty, of knowing exactly who you were and where you were going.
I’ve been there more times than I want to admit.
Not long ago, I stood at the peak of a transformation. I had shed 80 pounds. My body felt alive, capable, mine in a way it hadn’t in years. I eased my grip on rigid food rules, found joy in weight training, and let myself settle into an intuitive relationship with movement and nourishment.
And then, as life does, it intervened.
- June 2023 – A lumpectomy left me with new scars—marks of survival that I hadn’t expected.
- August 2023 – A series of injuries insisted I slow down, whether I liked it or not.
- Over time – Inflammation crept back in as my body’s movement rituals slipped away.
- January 17, 2025 – A brutal flu knocked me out. I fainted, hit my head, and found myself navigating a concussion recovery that, even now, is reshaping what I thought I knew about healing.
Just like that, everything I had worked for—everything that felt solid—felt fragile again.
Walking became difficult. Strength training? Not even an option. The clear lines I had drawn around my food choices blurred, and my body responded with inflammation, deep exhaustion, and an all-too-familiar fear:
Am I slipping back into old patterns?
The Sacred Wound of Broken Trust
When life forces you to slow down, or stop entirely, it doesn’t just shift your routines—it shakes your trust in yourself.
At first, I reassured myself: I’ll bounce back soon.
But healing doesn’t follow deadlines. My body was asking for patience, not pressure. The timeline stretched longer than I wanted. My strength faded. My once-firm grip on discipline felt softer, looser.
And in that unraveling, I started to feel it:
The quiet return of old patterns.
The late-night cravings for comfort food.
The dissolving boundaries.
The self-doubt creeping in like an old, unwelcome friend.
And yet—something was different this time.
I wasn’t numbing with alcohol.
I wasn’t abandoning myself completely.
I wasn’t punishing myself for struggling.
Even in the midst of the frustration, some part of me remained steady.
And that? That was proof. Proof that trust wasn’t gone—it just needed to be rebuilt.
Radical Self-Acceptance: The Foundation of Trust
It’s easy to trust yourself when everything is going well.
The real work—the work that changes everything—happens when you feel like you’re falling apart.
Radical self-acceptance is what brings you back.
- It’s not about pretending everything is fine.
- It’s not about waiting until you “fix” yourself before you show up again.
- And it’s definitely not about beating yourself up for struggling.
It’s about standing in the messy middle and saying:
"Even here, I will not abandon myself."
Because here’s the truth:
You cannot shame yourself into healing.
You cannot bully yourself back into alignment.
You cannot force your way into trust.
But you can rebuild it—step by step, choice by choice, moment by moment.
Rebuilding Trust with Yourself (Even When It Feels Lost)
1. Keep the Smallest Promise First
Trust isn’t built in grand gestures. It’s built in small, steady acts of self-loyalty.
Not “I’ll overhaul my entire routine overnight.”
But “I will keep this one promise to myself today.”
✨ If your body feels foreign, start with one act of care—a nourishing meal, a short stretch, an early bedtime.
✨ If your mind feels foggy, commit to one practice of presence—three deep breaths, a short walk outside, a few minutes of journaling.
Start where you are, not where you think you “should” be.
2. Let Go of the All-or-Nothing Mentality
After my concussion, I wanted to snap back into my routines. But my body wasn’t ready. And every time I tried to force it, I felt further from myself.
The truth? Healing doesn’t happen in straight lines.
So instead of demanding perfection, ask:
"What’s the next best step I can take today?"
That’s it. That’s how momentum is rebuilt.
3. Change the Way You Speak to Yourself
The way you talk to yourself shapes the way you trust yourself.
Are you berating yourself for “losing progress”?
Or are you reminding yourself: I am learning how to care for myself in a new season.
Are you telling yourself you’ve failed?
Or are you honoring the truth that setbacks are part of every meaningful journey?
Your words matter. Speak to yourself like someone you love.
4. Redefine Strength
We often think strength means pushing through—doing more, proving resilience, getting results.
But sometimes, real strength is found in surrender.
- Strength is learning to rest before you collapse.
- Strength is trusting that even in stillness, you are still growing.
- Strength is knowing that healing is happening, even when it’s invisible.
You are still strong. You are still healing. You are still worthy of trust.
You Are Not Lost—You Are in Process
For the first time in months, I’m choosing to see this season as a reset, not a relapse.
Yes, my body is different than it was a year ago.
Yes, I’ve had to let go of things I once loved.
Yes, the road ahead looks slower than I had planned.
But I am still here.
And so are you.
This is just a season. A chapter, not the whole story.
You are still capable of healing.
You are still worthy of trust.
You are still on your way.
And the way forward?
It begins with one breath. One choice. One act of self-loyalty at a time.
An Invitation to Deep Healing
If these words resonate, I invite you to step into a space of energetic healing and renewal if you feel the pull to reconnect with yourself in deeper ways.
Reiki is more than just relaxation—it’s a powerful tool for nervous system regulation, emotional release, and deep self-trust. It helps clear the energy that keeps you stuck so you can move forward feeling lighter, grounded, and more connected to yourself.
This is for you if…
✨ You’re carrying the weight of stress, exhaustion, or self-doubt.
✨ You feel disconnected from your body and long to rebuild trust.
✨ You’re ready to shift from survival mode into deep restoration.
Let’s create a moment of stillness together. A space where healing isn’t something you force—but something you allow.
Because healing doesn’t have to be done alone. And you are so worthy of receiving support.
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