I just simplified my life. I had amazing people around me who really helped me through the months following my diagnosis. One person in particular picked me up every time I was down. My partner Adam. I had met him early in 2011, during the time I was trying to train and compete with Chronic fatigue. He was there through the struggle and through my lowest point, but every time I broke down he reminded me never to give up. He inspired me to take a situation and make the best of it. Including taking control of my own recovery.

I am responsible for me...

During one visit to the doctor towards the end of 2011 I was prescribed anti depressants to help with my symptoms. Something didn't sit well with me when I got home after that visit. I just didn't feel right putting my faith in a little pill to help me feel better. I came home with the packet in hand, stood for a moment and then threw it in the bin. From that point, I was in control.

I began to learn about health and nutrition. I had learnt the basics while completing my Bachelor Degree in Sport Science, but now I wanted to expand this knowledge into something I could use for me and my health. I read books, explored the internet, went over my university notes, spoke to nutritionists and just immersed myself in information. This is where my passion for health really started to grow. I realised that the most fundamental element impacting my health was the decisions I was making everyday. Decisions about what to eat, how to move, what to think, everything.

The more I learnt, the better decisions I made each day. And I began to see a change.

It took a little while, but I started to develop a different perspective of food. I now saw each meal as a chance to heal my body and feed it healthy and nourishing food. As the weeks and months went by I noticed I was starting to feel better. I still had good and bad days, but the days I felt really horrible started to fade away.

Having isolated myself from any form of exercise for months, and now that I was gradually feeling better, I thought I would try yoga. I was the middle of 2012. I felt this was the perfect way to begin moving my body and to refresh and recharge my mind. Slowly I began to do yoga and stretching at home everyday and bit by bit I began to introduce other exercise such as walking, swimming and body weight strength. The biggest thing however, was that I learnt to listen to my body. If i didn't feel like going for a walk I would just do a little 15 minute stretch at home. Just something small everyday. This helped me build a routine and my exercise time started to feel like me time. A way to tune into and understand the way I was feeling.

It's the way I live...

It has been a long road since 2011 but I am thankful for every step of the journey. In the last few years I have learnt the most about myself and how I want to live my life. The way I live now involves some simple philosophies that I follow everyday. It has taken me a while to find what works for me and it involved hitting my lowest point, but through this I really began to understand not only my limits but also what makes me thrive.