This isn’t a “before and after” story. It’s a story about everything that happened in between.
About eight years ago, I was sitting in a park with my daughter. She ran excitedly towards the climbing bars, full of energy and ready for adventure. And while she played, I sat down on a bench.
Not because I didn’t want to join in. I simply didn’t have the energy. I was too tired.
At the time, I thought that was just normal. After all, I was juggling motherhood, work, responsibilities, and the constant demands of everyday life. Like so many women, I was putting everyone else’s needs first and leaving very little for myself.
Physically, I didn’t feel great. My nutrition wasn’t the best, I felt sluggish most days, and I’d developed habits that no longer aligned with the person I wanted to be. Mentally, I wasn’t in a good place either. I felt unhappy and unmotivated. It was as if I was simply getting through each day rather than truly living it. Looking back now, I can see that I spent far too much time focusing on everything and everyone around me, without ever stopping to ask myself one important question:
“What do I need to be happy?”
It took me quite a while to recognise what was happening and even longer to admit it to myself. Sometimes the hardest thing isn’t making the change. It’s acknowledging that something needs to change in the first place. And that can be quite a vulnerable place.
Then came that moment in the park. As I watched my daughter, I realised something that hit me. I didn’t want to be the mum sitting on the bench watching from the sidelines. I wanted to be playing, running, climbing the bars and having fun with her.
That realisation became the starting point of my journey.
Initially, my goal was simple: lose weight and feel a little better.But as I began making small changes, I discovered something much more valuable than a number on a scale. I realised how powerful movement and healthy habits around exercise and nutrition really are. Every healthy choice started giving me something back. Gradually, those choices became habits. And those habits eventually became part of who I am.
As the years went by, my values evolved. Being healthy, happy, and positive wasn’t just something I wanted for myself anymore. It became the example I wanted to set for my daughter. Because whether we realise it or not, our children learn far more from what we do than what we say. She became my reason to start. But she also became my reason to keep going.
She is my WHY.
Today, there is no “before and after” picture that defines my journey. Life isn’t that simple. There isn’t a finish line where everything suddenly becomes perfect. Instead, there’s a lot of “in between”. There are great days and difficult days. There are holidays, celebrations, busy work weeks, stressful periods, and unexpected challenges. The difference now is that I have habits that support me through all of it. Habits that are aligned with my values and the person I want to be.
Looking after my health is no longer something I fit in if I have time. It is a priority. And when health becomes a priority, everything else starts to align around it. Today, whenever my daughter suggests an activity, I’m ready. Tennis, run a race, climb a mountain….yes we do it all. And one of the things that makes me smile the most is that she now wants to work out with me. Those moments remind me exactly why I started.
So if there’s one thing I’d love you to take away from my story, it’s this:
Look beyond the quick fixes. Look beyond the six-week transformations and the promise of overnight results. Dig deep and find your why. Find the reason that matters so much to you that it keeps you going when motivation fades. Because motivation comes and goes. Your why stays. And when you truly understand your why, your healthy habits stop feeling like something you have to do and start becoming something you simply do. They become non-negotiable.
That’s where real, lasting change happens.
My 6-week online coaching programme, Commit2strong starts on 5 October, and I only have a few spaces remaining.
If you’re ready to find your why and start building habits that last, CLICK HERE I’ll send you the details.
Petra 💜💪