Uncover

I opened my eyes yesterday at the normal time, which is about ten minutes before the backup alarm was set to go off. I slipped on my robe and snuck out of the bedroom quietly so Jeff could continue to sleep. Raising the blinds, I was confused by the darkness and then remembered that daylight savings time began mere hours before while I was sleeping.

I opened the door and walked outside, feeling the weight of the air on my skin. Hot, humid and still… even the waves seemed to be crashing in slow motion. Rain was imminent, so I made coffee and settled in to my journal instead of heading to the beach. The sun rose and for a brief moment the sky was streaked with hazy shades of purple and orange, but as the morning moved on it got darker and darker until the skies opened up, bringing relief from the heat, confirming the decision to skip my walk.

My daily walk happened later in the day- snowbirds and spring breakers flooded the beach as the seas calmed and the sun soared high in the sky. With the exception of the few kids tossing a football, everyone was looking down, searching, waiting for a prize to tumble in with the surf. Several shells were picked up, inspected and tossed back in to the sea for daring to sport a flaw.

As I walked, treasures revealed themselves to me, shells of vibrant copper and pink tucked away under the bigger grey and white ones. A game of hide and seek, it seemed, as they waited for someone to uncover their beauty. Recently, I’ve been collecting angel wings and bleeding hearts (I don’t know their real names, but that’s what they remind me of, so let’s go with it). No one seems to notice these simple shells, so my collection is growing at a rapid rate.

My thoughts turned to days at my gym. Beautiful women, hiding behind bigger things: Clothes, jobs, partners, responsibilities, insecurities… women waiting for someone to uncover their beauty and make them feel special again.

I wrote Reflections of Joy for those women, and I wrote it for me.
I wrote it for the one who feels empty and lonely.
The one who feels invisible.
The one who feels ugly or incomplete.

It’s not a “how-to” book… you won’t find magical new ways to lose 100 pounds in a month or how to tone while you sleep.
It’s a “how-I” book. How I got over the need to be perfect. How I stopped hiding. How I learned to love myself every step of the way through my journey back towards greater health.

The countdown has begun!
After more than a year of compiling my hopes and dreams and late-night journaling, Reflections of Joy: Learning to Love the Woman You See While Becoming the One You’re Meant to Be will be released into the world on May 13!
In it you’ll find stories… lots of stories. Some are mine and some are yours… she feels like “our book”. In it, I’ll introduce you to several women who inspired me to think differently about my health, fitness and overall wellness. I’ll offer a couple strong opinions, a few suggestions and maybe a recipe or two. I hope you love her as much as I do.
Pre-order information and launch team sign up will be available soon!

Be Happy
xoxo