This is me. 35 years...young. Yet old enough to officially run for president of the U.S.A. Laugh away...but seriously this was my journal entry in 3rd grade that I wanted to be the first female president of the United States. Everyone else wanted to be a princess. I wanted to change the world. And I have realized that I really have made my mark in just 35 years. And that is my mission...my mantra...my calling...simply to inspire people every day to know that they can be whoever they want. You don't have to be a child to have dreams. You just have to believe. You have to believe that there is no one quite like you, that you embody so many gifts, and you that are destined for greatness...if you will open your eyes to the world around you & truly let it into your soul.
And so where do you begin? You start now, not tomorrow, not next week, certainly not later. You decide to start living now.
As many of you know, I am a history teacher too. In fact, you might be amazed at the level of nerdiest I live in daily and how I can breathe the past into life each day. When I look at the last 35 years of my life, I figured I would parallel it to a historical era or two. If you get lost, you may need to google some of this...but you should be able to follow this story. I just came out of a dark age. You see, in order to have a Renaissance or rebirth, you must first have a death or dark age or period, if you will (my students tell me that this is my favorite clause). I have experienced a lot of darkness over the last 3 years. Loss of lives dear to me like my grandpa and father. The end of my 8 year marriage. Financial turmoil. Back surgery. But through all of this, I was able to hold onto a glimmer of hope, a voice inside inside that said don't throw in the towel. Just hang on.
And that spark was the beginning of my rebirth. I moved to a new town home, closer to school and my best friends. I got a new car (interestingly, the one my Dad really wanted to get for my Mom before his passing). I saw a personal team of 15 coaches on my Beachbody team recently surpass 50. I saw my oldest daughter embrace her new school, try out for new sports and clubs, and post motivational sayings all over her room. And my youngest hasn't skipped a beat...she still wants to conquer the world and challenges this impossible every day by saying, "look what I did Mom. Can you believe it?!"
And me. My eyes are wide open and my soul, although not healed, is ready to live again. And 2016 is going to be my rebirth. An awakening, if you will. I am going to be adventurous, love whole heartedly, continue to believe in the good of everyone I meet, and be open to what life has to offer.
And so while we may learn from our past, we must begin to focus on the present because that is creating our future. And that is where the magic happens.
Believe and achieve,
Natalie Rene
Three years ago this year I took a chance on me again. I originally thought this was selfish because we as moms build up in our minds that any time away from our kids is somehow denying them our time. But it's the quality of time that is important and how can we feel fully present without energy and self-love? How can we be a role model if we are not happy in our own skin? And so my transformation began. It started off as physical...then came the emotional hurdles of self-doubt and trusting the process that health and fitness is not a quick fix but a series of small changes that will add up to big results. And then came the spiritual because that is truly our everything. And from all of these changes, we start to emerge into a new person. We then start to look at the world around us differently...our jobs, friendships, relationships, and just life. And we realize we want more. And that we deserve more.
What I know for sure is that the last three years have been marked with ups and downs and moments that I would never change regardless of the pain because they were shaping me into the person that is emerging right now. God had a lesson for me. And no matter what has happened or who was a part of it...the lesson was only for me. It was never about anyone else, it was about who I was destined to become. And I can now see that more clearly than ever. In fact, I feel like my eyes are wide open.
I have lived out my truth. I have been honest. I have been vulnerable. And I have always been real. No facade. No games. I have not done it perfectly, but I have done it in true faith. And that is enough for me to be ok now.
I look into my girls eyes and I see love, comfort, and trust. Even though they have lost a grandpa, watched their mother mourn her dad, saw their parents separate and divorce, and moved to a whole new city and life, they still saw strength in me. And if that's the summation of all the heartache and pain I've endured, then my will has been done.
And so as I close this year, I am saying good bye to things lost and past, but I am saying hello to new moments, adventures, and opportunities. And I will only be seeking that in which strengthens me and lifts me up.
This is my prayer for all of you. You matter. You are a different. You are someone's light. Always remember that.
Xo, Natalie Rene
