Before the Change, Create Space
Originally shared April 3, 2025 in the Naked Sunday Newsletter. Adapted for the journal.
Over the past 8 weeks, my client, Samantha dropped more than 20lbs, has more energy than she’s had in years, and finally feels in control of her time, her health, and her relationships.
Oh—and she’s also a mother of 3, runs a thriving photography business, and is married.
So no, she didn’t have endless time or perfect circumstances. She had real-life responsibilities, just like you.
But here’s the thing most people will miss:
It didn’t start with the workouts.
It didn’t start with the meal plan.
It didn’t even start with the weight.
It started almost a year ago…
with one simple decision:
To create space.
Before any of the physical transformation happened, she had to look at her life—her calendar, her relationships, her boundaries, her energy—and get honest.
Because you can’t build something new on a foundation that’s cracked.
Most people want to jump into action. Stack habits. Do more. Push harder.
But if your identity is built on chaos, perfectionism, people-pleasing, or survival mode…
All that effort just adds to the overwhelm.
You burn out.
You feel misaligned.
You sabotage the results before they stick.
That’s why the real work happens before the weight comes off.
It’s when you get real about your boundaries.
It’s when you stop letting guilt run your schedule.
It’s when you communicate clearly instead of silently resenting everyone else.
It’s when you stop trying to prove your worth and finally act like someone who knows it.
And that’s what Samantha did.
She created space.
She did the inner work.
She reclaimed her peace.
And then the weight started falling off—not from pressure, but from peace.
This is the work I do every day with my clients.
We don’t chase change. We clear space so that alignment can happen.
Because once your identity matches your goals, the habits come naturally.
You don’t need to fight yourself anymore.
You just show up as the version of you that’s already living the life you want.
Related reflections
Until next time…
Love. Every. Body.
