Fit From Within: How I Learned True Strength Starts Inside
Why Self-Love is the Strongest Workout You'll Ever Do
For so long, I believed strength was measured by how my body looked.
If I could lift heavier weights, run faster miles, and sculpt the perfect physique, then surely, I would feel strong—confident, unstoppable, worthy.
So I did it.
I trained harder.
I dieted stricter.
I pushed my body to its limits.
And from the outside, it looked like I had it all—
the abs, the trophies, the admiration.
But inside?
I still felt empty.
Still chasing something I couldn’t quite grab hold of.
Still believing that if I just achieved enough externally,
I could finally fix what felt broken internally.
No amount of physical strength could heal the parts of me that felt unseen, unworthy, unloved.
It wasn’t until everything crumbled—the stage lights faded, the identity I built collapsed—that I realized I had been focusing on the wrong kind of strength all along.
Strength doesn’t start in the gym.
Strength starts within.
Healing didn’t look like another brutal workout.
It looked like sitting still with my pain.
It looked like admitting I wasn’t okay.
It looked like forgiving myself.
It looked like speaking kindly to the woman staring back at me in the mirror.
It looked like letting go of punishing my body and starting to nourish my soul.
Getting fit from within was the hardest workout I’ve ever done—and the most transformative.
Because true strength isn’t about what you can achieve on the outside.
It’s about who you believe you are on the inside.
It’s about showing up for yourself with compassion, not criticism.
It’s about choosing love over punishment.
It’s about building resilience, grace, and self-respect from the inside out.
The strongest thing you can do is love yourself exactly where you are.
Not when you lose the weight.
Not when you hit the goal.
Not when you “finally” feel worthy.
But right now.
Today.
In the middle of the messy, beautiful, unfinished story you’re living.
True fitness—the kind that lasts—begins when you choose to strengthen your soul first.
Reflection:
Take five minutes today to reflect:
→ Where have you been measuring your worth by external achievements instead of internal healing?
Write it down without judgment.
Then ask yourself:
→ What would it look like to nourish your soul with the same care you've given your body?
I'd Love to Hear From You:
What’s one act of self-love you’re committed to today?
Share your reflection in the comments, or simply hit reply —
let’s celebrate the strength that comes from within.
You are strong.
You are worthy.
You are already enough.
Reminder:
If no one has told you today…
Your body is not a project to perfect.
Your soul is not a battle to win.
You are not broken.
You are becoming.
Keep choosing love over perfection.
Keep choosing healing over hustle.
Keep choosing to build the strength that matters most—the strength within.
XO,
Rachel
P.S. If you're ready to go deeper on your journey of healing, confidence, and purpose, I'd love to invite you to explore the Fit From Within Journal.
It's a 60-day guided journey filled with reflections, prompts, and encouragement to help you reconnect with the strong and confident woman you’re created to be.
Start your journey today.
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