Has anyone actually done it? (Sorry, long post ahead.)
I feel very vulnerable posting, a little silly and even a little stupid, but I hope you’ll bear with me.
I’ve been here, reading for months. And in the beginning, reading posts was an encouragement to me because I’d read about these success stories, and it made it seem possible to turn things around. But I quickly learned that many of these posts are AI, often written to promote apps. And it left me wondering, are there any real stories? Has anyone actually been successful in changing their habits?
To give some context, I’m struggling and desperately trying to get myself back on track. When I was younger, I excelled in school and even after finishing college I did well at the jobs I held. I was consistently a top performer. I will admit that my discipline in other areas was lacking; I’ve never been the greatest housekeeper (I was not taught great habits as a child), and I also do not get enough physical activity or eat well. I actually managed to develop the discipline here, years ago, and lost a fair amount of weight. But stress derailed all the habits I had built, and I haven’t been disciplined in that area since.
Fast forward, and now I’m 41 and married. I’m a SAHM. Life has been a roller coaster, but especially trying the last few years. I lost my grandparents, my husband lost his grandparents, my brother also passed away. I’ve had 5 kids in 7 years, one of whom passed away. We’ve also struggled thanks to inflation driving the cost of living higher. Then my husband was let go, and then we relocated several states away (far from my parents, who were such an important support system); it took a year of looking before he finally found a full-time job.
I love being a mom, and I’m thankful for the life I have. But I’m so overwhelmed by everything, that I’m struggling to get back on track with good habits. My house is in shambles most days, I constantly feel on edge, and I cannot seem to get good healthier habits in place. I can tell that the poor habits and stress are causing me to gain weight.
I want to be the wife and mom my family deserves. But I feel like I’ve fallen so far that I can’t seem to pull myself up. I don’t know where or how to start, or if it’s honestly even possible to improve. I have goals that I want to achieve, but I feel stuck. My fight or flight response seems constantly activated.
Are there any other parents who had a similar struggle and found their way back? Anyone who maybe isn’t a parent but can relate in other ways and managed to pull yourself out?