Too Blessed to be Stressed

Hello everyone! I hope that all of you have had a great week despite the gloomy weather we have been having. Thanksgiving is next Thursday and I hope all of you are planning on relaxing and spending time with friends and family. The holiday season is supposed to be full of happiness, sweet memories, giving, and traditions. Unfortunately, they also tend to cause stress, anxiety, and sadness. For those of you that have been getting my emails for a while, you already know that I battled an eating disorder for many years. It is not something I like to discuss often, but I think it is such an important topic to bring up this time of year.  I have always loved the holidays. Getting families together, going to festive parties, eating delicious food, the rush of it all made (and still makes) me so happy. But when I started to really struggle with my eating disorder, this time of year completely overwhelmed me. I was so filled with angst, that I would mentally check out for the season. Instead of making memories and enjoying every moment, I obsessed over how many calories I had eaten and fearfully prayed that I would not lose control. Now that I am healthy, I look back on those years and it makes me so thankful that I do not feel that way anymore. It also makes me thankful I found Pilates. I took my first class my freshman year of college and it was exactly what I needed. It made me feel grounded, empowered, and in control.  Like I always say in class, balance is everything. And when we can find balance in ourselves, we can find balance in life. No matter what battle you may be fighting, you can win. Just make a decision to be strong, confident, positive, and passionate about becoming the person you were created to be. Be thankful for who you are, thank others for letting you be yourself, and thank God for making it all possible. Enjoy next week. Spend time with your loved ones and relish every moment you have. Don't let anything bring your spirits down. Because time is precious. 

- Jennie