Hey there. There have been so many times in my life when I felt like giving up on myself. I’ve been told to be realistic. I’ve been told to think smaller. And for a long time, I listened. I tried to fit in. I tried to live the life I thought I was supposed to live. But deep down, I knew that box wasn’t meant for me.
Growing up with cerebral palsy, I just wanted to be accepted. I wanted to blend in and be like everybody else. But no matter how hard I tried, I always felt different. I learned how to fake it. I shoehorned myself into what looked like a normal life on the outside. And for a while, I convinced myself that maybe that was enough. But it wasn’t.
What I know now is that the dreams I had as a kid, the ambitions that lived deep inside me, never actually left. Even when I pushed them down. Even when I convinced myself they weren’t realistic. They were always there. Waiting for me to believe in them again.
I didn’t take a traditional path in life. I got into marketing because I liked stories. I liked how a message could create emotion and connection. Fitness was always a passion too. Not because I hated my body, but because it made me curious. It made me feel something. Even when my body didn’t always cooperate, I kept showing up. And that built the foundation for everything I do now.
It took a long time for me to show my workouts. I was scared of being judged. Scared that people would tear me down for how I move. But I kept going. I stopped trying to be perfect. I started trying to be real. And the more real I got, the more connected I felt to myself and the people around me.
If you’ve been doubting yourself or putting your goals on the shelf, I want you to know this. You are not too late. You are not too broken. And you do not need permission from anyone to pick your dreams back up. They’re still yours. You can still do this.
You are worth the effort. Please do not give up on yourself.
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