This morning, I grabbed my headphones and hopped on the elliptical—dust and all. Why? Because I’m listening to Shonda Rhimes’ The Year of Yes. I’ll be honest, I picked it up because she created Grey’s Anatomy and, yes, I’m a “watched the whole series in a single Netflix day” fan. But I wasn’t expecting what I’ve been hearing from this book.

Here’s this powerhouse—talented, focused, competitive, creative, and she’s built an empire—yet she struggles with the same things I do. Since diving into my own midlife transition (hello, perimenopause), I’ve felt those struggles deep in my soul. Today’s chapter? Saying YES to your body. Oof. That one’s been a hard pass for me lately.

Shonda talks about the ways we try to stay invisible, the decisions we avoid, and the truths we don’t want to face—especially when they’re staring us right in the mirror. I’ve been saying NO to my body every day. No to movement. No to nutrition. No to pampering care. And I keep telling myself, “I feel fine, my body isn’t complaining, I’ll start tomorrow.” But that’s my lie. I don’t feel fine. I ache. I don’t sleep well. People still ask if I’m expecting (for the record: it’s been a decade).

Yesterday, I told friends I’ve lost my mornings. I’m not journaling, not meditating, not walking. Instead, it’s snooze button, too much coffee, and frantic mornings. I’ve been saying NO to all the things I love.

This morning, my husband forgot his work bag. I walked it out to the gate in the rain, and as I stood there, the words popped into my head: “Keep going.” I’ve been saying no to the elliptical (hence the dust and messy porch in the photo). But it’s not freezing. I have time for a 10-minute walk—or 40 excuses. Today, I chose to keep going. Maybe that’s my YES. Maybe “keep going” is the message I need most right now.

So I did. I put on my book, climbed on the dusty machine (because if I’d stopped to clean it, I wouldn’t have used it), and I kept going. And you know what? It felt good. I listened to my book, heard the rain, breathed fresh air. I kept going. I came in, took my supplements, started a smaller pot of coffee. I kept going. I sat down to write this blog post (like I promised myself). 

I kept going

What do you need to say to yourself today? Do you need help finding those few words that will push you to say YES to yourself? How can I help you listen to that voice inside?

If you want to listen to Shonda Rhimes’ The Year of Yes, head to your favorite book platform and check it out. Highly recommend for anyone who needs a little nudge to say YES to themselves.

💛 Keep going. You’re worth it.

Ready to say YES to yourself?

If you’re looking for support, encouragement, or a community of women navigating midlife with intention, I’d love to help you. You can join my upcoming book club (we’re diving into “The Perimenopause Revolution” soon!) or reach out for a free coaching discovery call. 

Let’s find your YES together!