Strong This Year

For the past three years, I have chosen a “Word of the Year” to focus on, rather than a big New Year’s Resolution that lasts about a month before I give up. This year’s word is “Strong.” I made a couple memes for myself, posted them on social media, wrote a blog, and saved the memes to my computer desktop to remind myself everyday that I am strong, and I want to be stronger. 

I envisioned that I would spend my year getting physically stronger. I wanted to show myself and my children that I could (and therefore they could) work hard and become stronger. I started the year doing a virtual 5K with a friend. I was walking several times per week, and I felt great! I started eating better. I LOVE to snack after my kids go to bed, and I gave it up. It didn’t even feel that hard most of the time. When I did feel like a little snack, I didn’t deprive myself; I made different choices than I had in the past that didn’t make my stomach hurt. It was a great start. In the spring, my son’s little league needed more coaches, and since I grew up playing softball, I volunteered. I spent a couple months, running around with a bunch of kids, and teaching them how to throw, hit, and field. It was way more fun than I thought that it would be, and I was getting a workout a couple days a week.

Life Throws Curveballs

Little did I know back in December when I chose “Strong,” how much I would be tested mentally in the second half of 2021. My husband was offered a job in Spokane (my home town), and that meant that we would be moving across the state. Moving seems like old hat for us, because this would be our eighth move in 16 years. But this move was different. 

We decided to move in with my mother-in-law in Spokane while we listed our house in Centralia, which meant putting most of our possessions in storage. We spent the summer looking for a house in an ultra-competitive market, and we ended up looking at over 50 houses, made nine offers, and had one deal fall through before we found the best house for our family. Moving is well-known to be one of the most stressful life events, then add in a new school with no friends and new activities for your kids, trying to keep your business afloat, and living with your mother-in-law with two kids and two dogs, and the stress is amplified by a lot. No one was living their best life in that situation, and everyone’s tempers were on a short fuse. 

While we were waiting for our house to close, my mother-in-law became very sick and had to have emergency surgery. She was in the hospital for five weeks. During that time, we moved into the new house, and set up a space in our basement for her to live with us. The timing ended up being perfect, and I am so glad that we were still living with her when she needed us, and that now we have the space for her to be with us. I am grateful that my business gives me the freedom to be her caregiver. She is doing much better, but it will be a long recovery. 

So much happened between July and September that was VERY challenging. My stress level was maxed out. I fell down and hurt my shin, I threw my back out while painting my daughter’s new room, I’ve had inflammation throughout my body, my anxiety had been through the roof, and none of this should be very surprising. But through it all, I have leaned on family and friends and started working with a coach to help me focus. I’ve also been letting go of some volunteer responsibilities to lighten my load. 

My Biggest Strength

STRONG. Yes, I am strong. I am mentally strong. I continue to be tested again and again throughout my life. When I wonder why, I think about all of the women out there. I think about you. I think about how if I can do it, you can too. I think about my kids, and how I am showing them how to be strong when life is hard. Resilience is important in this life. My hope is that you read my story and gain strength from it as well. If you need someone to talk to, I am here for you.