The Journey That Shaped the Mission.

Before She Connects became what it is today, I spent years building community through another organization. Bringing women together wasn’t just something I did—it was something I loved.

But as my own health quietly declined, so did my ability to keep pouring into everyone else.

When that chapter came to an end, it wasn’t because I’d stopped believing in the power of connection. The truth was, I simply didn’t have anything left to give. I knew I wanted to build something new one day… but first, I had to find myself again.

For years, I thought I was doing everything right.

I was exercising. I was running. I was eating well. I was trying harder than ever.

Yet the weight kept creeping on.

Not five pounds.

Not ten.

No matter what I did, it felt like my own body was working against me.

But the weight wasn’t even the hardest part.

I didn’t feel like myself anymore.

I was exhausted all the time.

I struggled to find words in conversations.

My memory was shot.

My motivation disappeared.

My confidence was fading.

My libido was gone.

And I honestly started wondering if I was losing my mind.

I remember sitting in my car after doctor’s appointments, crying.

Over and over, I was told everything looked “normal.”

Or that maybe I should try antidepressants.

Mental health is real, and I know those medications change lives for many people. But deep down, I knew that wasn’t what was happening to me.

I wasn’t trying to become a better version of myself. I was just trying to get myself back.

Like so many moms, I had spent years putting everyone else first.

My kids.

My family.

Their dreams.

Their activities.

Then one day, it hit me.

I had spent nearly $3,000 on one season of lacrosse because I wanted my son to have every opportunity.

But I barely had enough energy to sit in the bleachers and watch him play.

I’d chug fizz and a Diet Coke just to get through the game.

That realization stopped me in my tracks.

I would invest anything in the people I loved…

But I wasn’t willing to invest in myself.

And if I was constantly exhausted, disconnected, and simply trying to survive…

What kind of mom was I really able to be?

For the first time, I realized taking care of myself wasn’t selfish.

It was necessary.

That decision changed everything.

I started learning about perimenopause, hormones, metabolism, and the changes so many women experience in midlife. That journey eventually led me to GLP-1 medication, hormone therapy, and healthcare providers who finally listened instead of dismissing what I was feeling.

The result wasn’t just losing 40 pounds.

It was getting me back.

More energy.

More confidence.

More patience.

More joy.

The ability to show up for my family—and finally, for myself.

If there’s one thing this journey taught me, it wasn’t which medication to take or which supplement to buy.

It taught me the importance of finding trusted resources, asking better questions, and surrounding yourself with people who genuinely care enough to say,

“I’ve been there too.”

That’s why I share my story.

Not because I have all the answers.

Not because I’m a doctor.

Not because everyone’s journey should look like mine.

I share it because I know what it feels like to believe you’re the only one.

And I never want another woman to feel that way if I can help her find the right conversation, the right resource, or the right person.

Today, I still believe the best solutions begin with connection.

Sometimes that’s a physician who finally listens.

Sometimes it’s a friend who’s walked the road before you.

Sometimes it’s a local business that changes your life.

Sometimes it’s simply hearing someone say,

“Me too.”

That’s why She Connects exists.

Not to tell women what to do.

But to remind them they don’t have to figure it out alone.

If every woman leaves She Connects feeling a little more seen, a little more hopeful, and a little less alone, then I’ve done what I set out to do.