If you've found your way to my blog - hey! I'm so excited to share this space with you.
The idea for The Balance Effect came into my head in Winter of 2016 when I was at a time in my life where there was a lot of change happening. I had just gotten married, graduated college, and was looking for my first full-time job. That's not really the big "change" I'm referring to, though. That winter was pivotal for me because I finally, after years and years of struggling, felt like I was coming to the end of a life-long battle with disordered eating and exercise. My story itself is a long, drawn out one that I'm saving for another time. All you need to know right now, at the beginning of this journey, is that it didn't happen overnight - and it took me a lot of hard work, patience, and time to overcome it. I've spent the last 2 years of my life un-learning diet culture and learning to love myself. I've spent hours reading books, listening to podcasts, studying blogs, having conversations, utilizing resources, and facing my struggles to get to the point where I am today.
This has become a passion project for me. Finally, I feel like I can share this. Although vulnerable, my head has been swimming - and I mean really, really swimming - with ideas, stories, and thoughts I want to share. I'm literally bursting with things to say, and the more I "unlearn" about fitness, diet culture, and eating disorders, the more passionate I've become to share my own story and help others. I feel called to spread this message, because there's no way I was (and am) the only person dealing with this. If this blog can help one person, then I've accomplished something.
This space won't simply be about recovery from disordered eating + exercise and self love. As the name "the Balance Effect" states, life is more than that. This little piece of the web will be where I show you MY balance - in eating, exercising, marriage, friendship, career, school, and more. That's what I've always wanted all along - a balanced life where one thing didn't consume all of my precious time and head space.
I created the Balance Effect as a non-traditional blog to approach wellness in a realistic way. Is it really possible to love yourself, treat your body well, indulge, be mindful and intuitive, and enjoy your life at the same time? Two years ago, this thought made me keel over with anxiety. Now, I'm realizing that it might be true...and I'm getting there.
Want to come along?
Kat