There’s a version of me that used to feel like she disappeared somewhere between sleepless nights, restocking the snack cabinet, and standing in the kitchen trying to remember why I walked in there.
Maybe you know her, too. It’s the woman staring right back at you in the mirror. She used to have hobbies, energy, and dreams … before life got beautifully busy.
One morning, I was getting ready for another mundane day and I caught my reflection and thought, “I know that face. I just haven’t seen her in a while.”
Motherhood is incredible, but in that same breath, it’s also consuming. It’s easy to spend so much time pouring into everyone else that you look up one day and realize your own cup is bone dry. I felt like I was living on autopilot; I had traded curiosity and confidence for comfort and routine.
Movement is what brought me back.
It wasn’t a dramatic “January 1st overhaul,” not the perfect plan, not a strict routine. Just a decision to try again. To challenge myself with something that scared me a little, excited me a lot, and reminded me I was more than a schedule keeper and snack negotiator.
For me, that started with strength training. Picking up weights again felt like reconnecting with an old friend. Then years later came hikes, running, and eventually adventures and challenges like Hyrox competitions and hiking the entire Grand Canyon in one day. That experience alone taught me things about myself I didn’t know I was capable of. But the real transformation happened long before the actual challenges and adventures, it happened each time I laced up my shoes on the days I didn’t want to. It happened on imperfect days with less than ideal circumstances.
Movement didn’t just change my body, it changed my mind.
I feel more patient with my kids. More confident in my decisions. More grounded, less anxious. I laugh more. Feel proud again. Not because I am perfect, but because I am trying.
And here’s what I learned:
New challenges can bring you back to yourself.
Challenges do something special:
- They remind us we’re capable of growth.
- They pull us out of autopilot and into intentional living.
- They give us something that’s just ours – something beyond motherhood.
- They spark joy, pride, awe – feelings we deserve to experience often.
- They show our kids what strength looks like in real life.
Friendly reminder:
Your challenge doesn’t have to be rim-to-rim hiking or a 300lb deadlift. It can be simple. Some of the big challenges I’ve done weren’t even on my radar when I started doing things for ME again.
If you’re ready to find yourself again, start here:
- Commit to 20 minutes of movement 2-3 times a week.
- Choose one goal – something new, exciting, or maybe a liiiiittle intimidating.
- Walk with a friend, join a class, or follow a structured program so you don’t have to think.
- Track progress in strength, energy, and how you feel (not just the scale).
- Say yes to one event, hike, run, or challenge you might normally talk yourself out of.
You deserve to feel proud and feel strong AND to feel alive in your own life. You’re not selfish for wanting that. You’re human.
Just maybe the version of you that you have been missing is still in there. She’s just waiting for you to take that first step, tie those shoes, pick up the dumbbells, or sign up for something new.
Movement might just be your way back to you.
Xo, Katy
