From −9 to 87

From −9 to 87

A few days ago, it was −9 degrees at home.

The kind of cold that makes you rush through chores and question your sanity for owning livestock when the air hurts your face.

Now I’m in Puerto Vallarta, standing barefoot in the sand under lights strung through old trees, where it’s 87+ degrees and warm in a way that feels almost unreal.

The temperature change is drastic, but what really hits me is the contrast in life.

There was a time when I was lost.

Unsure of who I was anymore.

I had to temporarily give up my horses.

I did whatever I had to do to survive.

And all I really knew how to do was put my head down and work.

I became the first woman in my family to graduate college with a bachelor’s degree. I worked one full-time job, three part-time jobs, and carried a full course load to graduate in four years. It wasn’t impressive at the time…it was necessary.

There wasn’t room for excuses or self-pity.

There was just the next thing that needed to be done.

Over time, the work added up.

I started my career in sales.

I got my horses back.

I competed and placed well in fitness competitions.

I began coaching other women and speaking to people who had walked through hard seasons of their own.

I wrote a chapter in a book.

I created something meaningful…a movement that honors my late father and the grit, discipline, and integrity he lived by.

That doesn’t mean life suddenly became easy.

There was grief.

There was heartbreak.

There were moments where I had to pick myself up again and rebuild…quietly, without applause.

But I did.

Today, I have a home.

I have a career in equine nutrition that feels aligned with who I am at my core.

I’ve traveled.

Standing here now, I can’t help but think about the younger version of me who was just trying to make it through the day. She didn’t know how it would turn out. She just kept going.

She would be proud.

And I know my dad would be proud too.

This is why I’m writing this…especially at the beginning of a new month.

If you’re in a season where things feel heavy…

If you’ve had to let go of things you love just to survive…

If you’re doing the work without seeing the payoff yet…

Keep going.

You don’t need to have it all figured out.

You don’t need a perfect plan.

You just need to keep taking the next honest step.

This reflection marks the beginning of something new for me.

The GripT Life blog is live - a space for perspective, resilience, growth, and real conversations for people who’ve been through hard things and chose not to quit.

There will be events, community experiences, and yes, some fun things coming too. I’m excited to share more as it unfolds.

If you’re still standing, still trying, still showing up…you’re not behind.

You’re evolving.

More soon.