Welcome to the final week of Coming Back to Myself.
And honestly? I’m a little emotional writing that.
What started as me just trying to feel a little less exhausted, a little less disconnected from myself after the lupus flare somehow turned into something much bigger than I expected.
Not bigger in a dramatic, life-altering overnight transformation kind of way.
Bigger in the quiet ways. The important ways.
The kind of changes that sneak up on you slowly until one day you realize you’re laughing more. Resting more. Looking in the mirror a little longer instead of avoiding it altogether.
And maybe most importantly… feeling more like yourself again.
That’s where I am now.
Not magically cured. Not suddenly perfect. Not waking up every day glowing like I belong in a skincare commercial with wind machines and impossible lighting. 😂
But better.
Stronger. Softer somehow, too. More present in my own life again.
And I think a big part of that came from finally understanding that taking care of myself doesn’t have to mean overhauling my entire life overnight. Sometimes it’s just small things done consistently. Small choices that slowly add up until they start feeling like momentum instead of effort.
And I can finally feel that momentum now.
One last thing I wanted to share because honestly, I think it’s played a bigger role in all of this than I realized at first.
Ferritin.
If you’ve never had yours checked, ferritin is basically your body’s stored iron. And when it’s low? You feel it.
Fatigue. Weakness. Hair shedding. Pale skin. Feeling run down no matter how much you rest.
Sound familiar? 🙃
For women around my age (I’m almost 45), ferritin levels are generally considered “normal” somewhere around 30–150, but a lot of doctors who specialize in women’s health or hair loss will tell you that you usually feel better when it’s at least above 50.
Mine?
Nine.
Which honestly explained a lot.
My doctor recommended this exact supplement, and I decided to give it a try. It’s a grass-fed beef organ complex with things like liver, heart, kidney, and spleen. Basically nutrient-dense support that’s naturally rich in iron and other things your body needs.
And before anybody panics: no, it does not taste like organs. They’re capsules. We’re not out here frying liver in a cast iron skillet at dawn like pioneers. 😂
It’s also only one a day, which I appreciate because I already feel like I take enough things. No weird aftertaste either. And they’re surprisingly easy to swallow, even for someone like me, who used to nearly choke on her birth control pill back in the day. Plus, for less than $30.00, you get a 200 day supply.
But here’s the important part: it’s helping.
My ferritin levels are already up to 28 and still climbing, which is huge progress from where I started. And I can feel the difference.
More energy. Less exhaustion. Less of that washed-out, pale look that made me feel like I constantly looked tired no matter what I did.
Again, not an overnight miracle. But one more small thing that’s slowly adding up into feeling like myself again.
If you want to check out the one my doctor recommended, you can find it here:
https://amzn.to/42RsP7E
And I think that’s where I’ll wrap up this little Coming Back to Myself series.
Thank you for following along with me through all of it: the good days, the tired days, the “maybe this tiny thing will help” days, and all the small moments in between.
What started as me just trying to feel a little better after a lupus flare turned into something I genuinely loved sharing. And I hope somewhere along the way, you found something helpful too, whether it was a product, a routine, or maybe just the reminder that small steps really do matter.
Because they do.
I’m feeling better. More like myself. More rested, more present, and honestly… happier than I’ve been in a while. And while I know life will always have its ups and downs, I finally feel like I’ve found my footing again.
Now don’t worry. We’ll be returning to our regularly scheduled programming around here: items I’ve tried, loved, and listed, along with all the little things that make life feel easier, prettier, cozier, or just more fun. 😂
But I’m really glad we did this together.
And who knows… maybe there’ll be another glow-up season somewhere down the road.
Until then, take care of yourself in whatever small ways you can. They add up more than you think. 💛