I don’t know of a single woman who hasn’t “shelved” parts of herself over time.

Maybe you shelved your fun-loving and playful self to push through graduate school. You really had to focus and grind to get through that, but it changed you.

Or maybe you shelved your free-spirited, adventurous self while you poured everything you had into your business for 20 years. You were able to grow it into the beautiful, supportive and incredible masterpiece it is today, but you don’t have any hobbies, and you feel like you’ve missed out on life.

Perhaps you shelved your sexy, ambitious and flirty self when you had kids – when your sleep schedule and body were no longer your own. So many parts of you were put on a shelf during that period of time that you might barely recognize the woman staring back out you the mirror.

Shelving parts of us – for whatever reason – is what women do. Because the world isn’t set up in a way that supports and nurtures us and the roles we are in. We are forced to contort ourselves through a million little compromises to try to make the way things are set up work for us.

Don’t get me wrong – we’re good at it! We can multi-task and track and organize and rally. Women are resilient beyond any true meaning of the word.

But we’re also frayed. Weary. Overwhelmed. Overworked.

Too often, we’re left wondering if we’ll ever find that shelf where we put those parts of ourselves… that is, if we can even remember we shelved those parts of us to begin with.

This is when disconnection begins. Disconnection from ourselves, our bodies, our vitality and life force, and the natural rhythms and cycles of the world around us.

What kind of impact do you think this disjointed, disconnected way of living has on your health?

You might be feeling that impact today.

Would you be surprised to learn that the #1 key to elevating your health is to reconnect to yourself?

Getting and staying healthy is about so much more than what you eat, how much you exercise, and how much sleep you get.

Reclaiming the parts of yourself that you’ve shelved – to grow, build, nurture, create  – is one of THE most important steps to improving any and every health issue you can think of.

Yes, taking care of your physical body is foundational to creating health. But it’s an incomplete picture of what it really takes to thrive in these miraculous bodies we walk around in.

Disconnection and toleration leads us to living our lives like we are machines. Going through the motions. Feeling very little. And wondering where our lives have gone. Maybe.

So, while you are working on your health goals this year – eating better, moving your body, staying hydrated and all of those foundational things you know how to do for your health – I invite you to ALSO think about the parts of yourself you’ve shelved.

The competitive athlete.

Your colorful and expressive inner artist.

The adventuresome part of you that loves new experiences.

The fiery, take no BS warrior who has no problem saying a clear NO.

Your curious, inquisitive self that is always seeking.

The blossoming buddha in you that craves quietude and introspection.

I encourage you to think about the things you loved before life became complicated and your responsibilities became a mile long. Journal about it, if that is helpful to you.

I invite you to see what parts of yourself you miss. What parts of yourself you haven’t seen or heard from in a while. What parts of yourself want to take up more space in your life in 2025 – even if it’s just a little time and space, here and there.

As you reconnect with the parts of yourself, you will feel yourself come alive in ways you may have forgotten were even possible for you.

And then, watch as your health begins to climb.