As we step into the fresh energy of 2025, many of us find ourselves reflecting on the past year—its challenges, its triumphs, and all that it has taught us. For some, this reflection may naturally turn into the familiar New Year's resolutions—goals to lose weight, eat healthier, be more active, or just feel better in our own skin. As a nutritionist specialising in Lipoedema and helping individuals on their unique journeys to body love, I want to take a moment to share a lesson I’ve learned this past year, which has nothing to do with resolutions but everything to do with perspective.
A friend recently said to me, “2024 has been a hard year for you” At first, I thought, Is it? In fact, when I looked back on the year that passed, I felt an entirely different story. Yes, on paper, it had been tough. I was diagnosed with four skin cancers, two of them melanomas. I experienced a miscarriage. There were rough patches in my marriage, a family emergency halfway around the world in Bali, and challenging moments with my in-laws. It would be easy to sum up this year as one of hardship.
But when I reflect on these events—each challenging in its own way—I realise they are also filled with unexpected gifts.
The skin cancer diagnoses, deeply emotional as they were, felt connected to deeper, unhealed traumas. Going through treatment became a powerful opportunity to release old wounds, and through that release, I found emotional healing. Yes, one of those surgeries coincided with the loss of my pregnancy.
I traveled to Bali alone, something I never thought I would do due to my fear of flying. I went to support my brother, but in the process, I reclaimed my own strength. I healed some old wounds, found space for myself amidst the chaos, and—if I’m being honest—felt empowered in a way I had never expected. I had also been creating my meal planner and an online 12-week program—a vision I’d carried for years, but never fully brought to life. The same year I lost a pregnancy, the universe opened up space for me to finally launch my programs.
I also experienced magic when he baby had come to me, and that connection, that deep, fleeting magic, can never be taken away. Through that loss, I finally created the world’s first retreat for women with lipoedema—a dream I had held onto since 2019. All of this happened in a year that many would label as “hard,” but in my heart, I see it as a year of deep growth, healing, and the realisation of dreams.
Why Perspective Matters in the Journey with Lipoedema
This reflection brings me to a point that I want to share with all of you who may be on a similar path—a journey toward better health, greater acceptance, and love for your bodies. The path to healing from lipoedema (and from any challenge, really) is not just about what happens to you. It’s about how you choose to view what happens.
It’s easy to feel like we’re facing an uphill battle with lipoedema. It’s easy to feel frustrated, defeated, or even ashamed when our bodies don’t fit society's narrow standards of beauty or health. The physical journey, with weight loss, body discomfort, or feeling like your body is out of your control, can often feel overwhelming.
But what if the way forward isn’t just about changing our physical body? What if the real power lies in shifting our perspective?
Just like in my year of personal challenges, there are so many unexpected blessings and lessons that can come from the journey.
Your lipoedema diagnosis is not a death sentence; it’s an invitation to learn more about your body and how to nourish it in ways that empower you.
The frustrations you face with your weight and body image can be powerful teachers, guiding you toward self-acceptance and, ultimately, body love.
Your setbacks, while painful, are often the very things that open the door to growth, healing, and transformation.
Remember, it's not about how tough the journey is—it’s about how we choose to see it and move through it.
A New Year, A New Outlook
As we begin 2025, I invite you to take a moment to reflect on your own journey. Perhaps the year past has been tough for you, too. Maybe you’re feeling the weight of setbacks, disappointment, or frustration. But what if, instead of focusing on what didn’t go as planned, you chose to see the resilience you’ve built, the strength you’ve gained, and the lessons that will shape your future?
As we dive into the new year, let’s approach it not just with resolutions, but with a commitment to shift our perspective. Let’s embrace the possibility that this year can be one of deep healing, growth, and—yes—body love.
You’re not defined by the weight of your body or the challenges you face. You are defined by your courage, your resilience, and your ability to choose how you show up, no matter what the year brings.
I’m here to support you every step of the way in your journey—whether that’s through my meal planner, my 12-week program, or the upcoming retreats I’ll be hosting for women with lipoedema. You have everything you need to transform this year into one of growth, healing, and acceptance.
So, what will your perspective be this year? Will you choose to see the challenges as opportunities for growth? Will you embrace the beauty in your journey, even when it’s messy?
I believe in you. And I’m here to walk alongside you as you move through this year with a heart full of hope, love, and a new perspective.
Wishing you a 2024 filled with healing and growth,
Aimee x
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