12/01/2025
Have you ever written a love letter to yourself?
A letter filled with the same kindness, care, and understanding youâd offer a dear friend. I knowâit sounds daunting. Finding time to celebrate your own accomplishments, reflect on challenges, acknowledge your strengths, and speak encouragement into your past, present, or future self is not something most of us prioritize.
For meâas a busy mom, business owner, community leader, active exerciser, devoted wife, daughter, and friendâit has often felt unnecessary, even a little silly. From the outside, it might look like Iâm pouring into myself and others nonstop. Why would I need to write a love letter to⊠me?
But recently, Iâve felt called to pause and reflect. To look back at all Iâve accomplished this past year.
Because exactly one year ago, in the midst of a very real depression, I put something bold on my calendar: an epic hike with seven of my closest friends. Deep down, I knew life would get betterâand I wanted a milestone that would show me how far Iâd come. A line in the sand. A promise to myself that even when youâre at rock bottom, you can climb out⊠and up.
So I rallied six powerhouse girlfriends and my lucky brother for a Grand Canyon trek spanning 21 milesâfrom the South Kaibab Trail across the Tonto, down Bright Angel to the Colorado River, and back up to the South Rim.
On November 1st, we started our descent: 13 hours of breathtaking beauty. But somewhere between calculating water stops, managing fueling and nausea, keeping pace with daylight, and navigating the sheer vastness of the canyon, wonder slowly gave way to fatigue. And if youâve ever done this trail, you know the truth:
Going down is optional. Going up is mandatory.
We held steady for most of the journey, but those final three miles were humbling. Darkness fell. The trail grew quiet. Our headlamps illuminated switchback after switchbackâeach step feeling like dĂ©jĂ vu. Our lungs burned, our legs protested, and we questioned everything⊠yet none of us stopped.
Because we knew why we were there.
Yes, for the accomplishment. But even moreâfor gratitude. For the reminder that our aging bodies are still capable of extraordinary things. That when we set our minds to a challenge, we rise. That life expands when we step beyond the predictable edges of our daily routines.
And most importantly:
We grow when we do hard thingsâtogether.
This season of giving, I encourage you to take a moment to celebrate yourself. Write a love letter to your past self who survived, your present self whoâs doing the work, or your future self who deserves your belief. Or send a heartfelt shout-out to someone in your life who has done something courageous this year. You never know how deeply a simple affirmation can shift someoneâs perspectiveâand their path.
At Functionize, shout-outs are our love language.
If you ever want to feel empowered to do amazing things for your body and mind, know this:
Weâre here to support your past, present, and future selfâevery step of the way.
Hereâs to climbing out, climbing up, and climbing together.
Happy December.
