When Did Our Topic of Conversations Become THIS?

I don’t know exactly when it happened, but somewhere along the way, my friends and I talk less about the latest trends and have started swapping stories about our (she says in a whisper) "aches and pains." (Now picture Charlie Brown's AAUGH!!!)

Instead of “Did you see the new fall boots?” it’s “I think I pulled something getting out of bed.” Instead of “Where’s the best happy hour?” it’s “I heard ginger shots help with inflammation… but also, they taste like a punishment.” And let’s not even talk about how many times I have to flip my pillow to the cool side just to get comfortable.

Now, I don’t feel this way every day, but when I do, I catch myself wondering—have my knees always made that noise when I stand up? Why does my back hurt when all I did was sit in a chair ALL DAY?! And when did I start considering “comfortable shoes” a category worth discussing?

I swear I don’t remember my mother and her friends having these conversations when they were my age. They were always moving, always active—actually, they still are. Meanwhile, I slept slightly wrong last night and spent half the morning stretching like I just ran a marathon. What gives?

I could blame diet, exercise (or lack of it), or the fact that we’ve gotten very comfortable with convenience. If we don’t have to push ourselves, it’s easy not to. We have every resource at our fingertips—online workouts, healthy meal ideas, hydration reminders on our phones—but instead of following them, we’re over here Googling, “When should I be concerned about…” and “What is the maximum daily dose of B12 for a woman?”

Meanwhile, Amazon has taken it upon itself to recommend castor oil packs to me, and I don’t even know what that is! Should I be insulted? Concerned? Adding to cart?

But here’s the truth: We pay for it now, or we pay for it later.

It’s like maintaining a car—skip the oil changes, and you’ll be dealing with a much bigger problem down the road. And our bodies? They don’t come with a trade-in option!

So how do we turn this around and stay committed… to ourselves? (Which keeping a promise to ourselves is another whole topic for another day...where's my sticky notes so I don't forget?!)

I’m not talking about training for a marathon (unless that’s your thing). I’m talking about small, realistic choices. Stretching in the morning. Drinking more water than coffee. Standing up more throughout the day so I don’t feel like I’ve rusted in place. Maybe even—brace yourself—choosing supportive shoes on purpose.

And let’s be honest—this whole “staying healthy” thing is a lot easier (and a lot more fun) when we have people to lean on. The kind of friends who push us to keep going when we’d rather not, who send “I tried yoga and I can't get up” texts for a good laugh, and who remind us that taking care of ourselves is just as much about grace as it is about discipline.

That’s what Humble Hearth is all about—having a space where we don’t have to do this alone. Where we can show up as we are, work through the struggles, and share the kind of laughs that make everything feel a little lighter.

Because at the end of the day, it’s not just about feeling stronger—it’s about knowing we’ve got people in our corner, every step (or occasional stumble) of the way.