From “I Wish” to “I Will”

To be grateful, to me, is to take the time every day to thank God for everything I have in my life—whether it is the food on my plate, the clear blue sky, or the legs I have to walk on.

I believe the more you show gratitude and thanks for what you have, the more you will receive.

The first thing I am thankful for is my health. Not many people have this luxury, and not many understand how lucky they are to have it.

Second, I am extremely thankful for my family. I have amazing parents who support me and two younger sisters who are my best friends.

Third, I am thankful for pursuing a life of fitness. We all have paths we can follow while growing into our own person. I have luckily steered clear of toxic people and bad environments. Living a life in fitness brings so much positivity—positive mind, positive spirit, and you look good too!

A struggle I had in the past year involved a former relationship. I’m sure everyone can relate to being sublimely happy in a partnership. However, something happened that I never in a million years thought could happen—to us or to me.

I had built a life with this person, and in a matter of five minutes, it was all turned upside down. I had foolishly defined myself through the relationship. I didn’t know who I was on my own.

Going through this difficult time, when I had no other choice but to walk away, forced me to discover myself and learn who I was as one person. No more taking care of someone else or putting someone else before me—it was my turn to be number one in my life.

I am beyond grateful for going through that heartbreak. I changed for the better, started to love myself again, and put my needs and heart first. Soon afterward, I decided to pursue fitness modeling, which I had once been discouraged from doing. I worked hard, saved all my money, and moved across the country with faith that my dream would come true. It is still an ongoing process, but I am halfway there.

It happened when I got out of that relationship. It was when I quit my job, which had nothing to do with what truly made me happy—health and fitness.

I decided to stop watching from the sidelines as amazing fitness women succeeded through coaching, modeling, and living the kind of life I had always wanted. I asked myself, “Why can’t I do it?”

I feel like I am running forward and can’t stop. I have no other choice but to continue running straight toward my dreams until they come true. You only have one life.