12 things I learned when I failed 75 hard

January 1, 2026

12 things I learned when I failed 75 hard

Last week I woke up and cried.

Not because something devastating happened—but because I fell asleep while reading and didn’t finish my ten pages for 75 Hard. That meant I was technically supposed to start over… on day 28. And I just couldn’t do it.
I couldn’t.

75 Hard is really hard (I mean like really fu*king hard, guess that’s how it got the name) .

For those who don’t know, 75 Hard is a fitness challenge with these basic (it's a lie, they are anything but basic) rules:

Do 2-45 minute workouts daily, one that has to be outside.
Drink a gallon of water
Stay on your diet, no cheat days
10 pages of personal development reading daily
Take 1 progress pic daily
No alcohol

I took a leap, and just like the first time I did a boudoir shoot, clarity didn’t come from the planning. It came from doing. From the moment I stopped overthinking and just stepped into the thing that scared me.

So yes, while technically I failed the challenge. Life has a funny way of handing you the lesson you actually needed and what I walked away with was worth so much more.
Failing forced me to confront why I wanted this and what my real goals are.

Here’s what I learned about myself:

A gallon of water is too much for me.
But 100 oz? That’s my sweet spot. I never would’ve found that without pushing myself past my old baseline. It’s funny how often we think we “can’t” when really we just haven’t experimented enough with what “best for me” looks like.

A season of readiness matters.
I didn’t fall asleep because I’m lazy, I fell asleep because life has been a lot lately. Big pushes professionally, juggling emotions personally… and trying to build new habits in the middle of all that? It wasn’t realistic. Bandwidth is a real thing. Timing is a real thing.

I already have great habits.
Just because I couldn’t stick to every line item of 75 Hard doesn’t erase the solid routines I have built. Discipline isn’t one-size-fits-all.

I genuinely love fitness.
I love how strong I feel. I love seeing the changes in my body. I love the version of me that emerges when I commit to moving my body with intention.

Self-love is an onion.
Layer after layer, year after year, we peel. We shed old stories. We examine what still hurts. I’m proud of the layers I’ve healed and I’m not ashamed of the ones I’m still working through. The process is the progress.

My body held limiting beliefs I didn’t even realize I had.
I had stereotypes, judgements, insecurities that weren’t mine — they were hand-me-down thoughts from comparison and jealousy. I can forgive myself for that. I can let that go. I can create my own definition of what a “fitness person” looks like… and be it.

You can love yourself and still want to change.
And here’s something I want to say clearly, because I see it come up all the time in my work: you can love yourself and still have fitness or weight goals. In fact, loving yourself makes it easier to stay consistent. When you move from kindness instead of punishment, you keep showing up. That’s where real change compounds. If you move your body in ways you enjoy, everything becomes sustainable.

I’m entering my hot mom era.
And honestly? I’m here for every ounce of it.

I want longevity.
My job is physical. I ski. I’m active. If I want to keep doing the things I love, I have to keep strengthening the thing that carries me. No one else can do that work for me.

How I feel about my body is everything.
If I project “don’t look at me,” the world reflects that back.
If I project confidence, power, softness, sexiness — that’s what comes back too.

And as a photographer… I see this every single day.
Women step in front of my camera and apologize for their stomach, their thighs, their stretch marks… while their partner adores every inch.

So I’ll ask you what I’ve asked them:
If someone loves all of you, what if you let that in?
What if you loved those same parts too?
What if you stopped rejecting your own body long enough to experience what it feels like to be seen through someone else’s eyes?

This also keeps coming up with my clients, especially women: so many of them tell me their partners love all of them—but they struggle to love one part of themselves. So here’s a gentle question. If someone you love already adores your body as it is, what would it feel like to let that in? To soften your rejection of yourself just a little?

It’s okay to feel desired. It’s okay to want to feel sexy. You are not “just” a body, but you do live in one. You can be smart, capable, nurturing, powerful, and still enjoy being seen. Those things don’t cancel each other out.
I love being the object of my husband’s desire. It doesn’t erase my intelligence or strength or motherhood, it adds to the richness of who I am.

The last few months of the year matter.
As the year winds down, I’ll leave you with this encouragement. You don’t have to do something extreme. You don’t need a rigid challenge. But staying in motion matters. Coasting through the end of the year has left me stuck more times than I can count. Objects in motion stay in motion.

So keep showing up. For your body. Your business. Your boundaries. Whatever your growth edge is right now.

Fail the challenge if you need to. Miss a day. Adjust the plan. Just don’t abandon yourself. Come 2026, the version of you who stayed in motion will look back with gratitude.

So yes, go on with your bad self.

I’m going to keep focusing on fitness and hydration so I can show up for all of you, my clients, my people, the ones who trust me to capture them in their most vulnerable, powerful, intimate forms.

And for now?
I’m letting the reading go.

Those 10 pages can relax…. they’re not the main character right now. I am.

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Why Your Retreat Deserves a Photographer (And So Do You)

May 26, 2026

You've poured your heart into planning this retreat. You've obsessed over the schedule, curated the venue, hand-selected every speaker, and probably stress-tested the Wi-Fi three times. You've thought of everything. Except maybe one thing. Who's capturing it? Not just snapping a few blurry phone pics between sessions. Not asking your most enthusiastic participant to "grab some shots." We're talking about a real, dedicated retreat photographer who shows up with you, understands your vision, and turns your retreat into a visual story that keeps working for you long after everyone's gone home. Here's the thing: professional retreat photography isn't a luxury. It's a strategy. And once you see what it does for your brand, your participants, and honestly, for you — you'll wonder how you ever did retreats without it. Let's talk about it. The Magic Starts Before the First Session Even Begins You know that electric feeling of setting up a retreat space? The welcome gifts laid out just so, the branded notebooks fanned perfectly on the tables, the fresh flowers that you absolutely did not spend too long arranging? That moment deserves to be documented. Lifestyle detail shots capture the beautiful lay outs of your materials, branded swag, workspace arrangements are some of the most scroll-stopping content you'll ever have. They set the tone. They tell the story of the thought behind the retreat, "this is a thoughtful, beautifully curated experience" before a single word is spoken. And on your website? They do the selling for you. Behind-the-scenes setup shots also give your audience a peek behind the curtain and people love that. It makes them feel like insiders. It builds connection before they've even booked their spot at your next retreat. Golden Hour, It's a Marketing Asset There is something almost unfairly beautiful about a group of people silhouetted against a golden sunset, arms around each other, laughing or standing in quiet solidarity at the end of a full, transformative day. Golden hour group shots are the kind of imagery that stops thumbs mid-scroll. They make people feel something. They say: this is what it looks like to be part of something bigger than yourself. These photos become your hero banners. Your social media covers. The image that lives at the top of your sales page and makes someone think, "I want to be in that photo next year." That's not just pretty photography. That's enrollment. Authentic Moments Build More Trust Than Any Sales Copy Ever Could Here's something every retreat leader learns eventually: people don't just buy your curriculum. They buy the feeling they think they'll have. And nothing communicates that feeling better than genuine, in-the-moment photography. Think about it…. the "aha" moment on someone's face during a workshop. Two participants leaning in during a small group discussion, totally locked in. The collaborative brainstorm where the energy in the room is practically visible. The shared meal where walls come down and real conversations happen. These authentic workshop moments and connection shots show prospective participants what your retreat actually feels like . No stock photo can do that. No perfectly written testimonial can do that the way a single, real photograph can. Trust is built in the details. And the details need to be captured. Your Participants Deserve to Be Seen Too Here's something retreat leaders don't always think about: the photography experience isn't just for you. It's a gift to your participants. Individual portrait sessions in the natural retreat setting? Unexpected, generous, and wildly popular. Speakers and team members get professional headshots they'll actually use. Participants walk away with a stunning lifestyle portrait that reflects who they are right now — in this season of growth, at this beautiful location, in this moment of showing up for themselves. That's the kind of unexpected detail that gets talked about. It enhances their entire experience of your retreat, and it's the kind of thing they mention when they're telling their friends why they need to come next time. Capturing the Transformation (Not Just the Schedule) The most powerful thing a retreat photographer can do is document transformation and that means getting beyond the agenda. The technology-free moments. Someone journaling in a quiet corner, face soft and present. A deep conversation happening on a bench outside, two people genuinely there with each other, phones nowhere in sight. A meditation session where you can almost feel the stillness in the image. These shots do something that itinerary photos simply can't: they show the why behind your retreat. They prove that what you offer goes deeper than content delivery. They communicate that this is a space for real change. And then there are the victory moments. The graduation. The certificate presentation. The group celebration at the end when everyone is a little tired and a lot transformed. These images are pure gold for testimonials, success stories, and showing future participants what's possible. Think About What Happens After Everyone Goes Home Your retreat ends. The participants scatter back to their lives. But your photographer? They hand you a gallery of hundreds of images that work for you for months. Social media content for weeks. Blog post visuals. Email campaign imagery. Sales page photos. Speaker bio headshots. Venue shots for future marketing. Stories, reels, highlights. All of it, done, ready to use and it all matches because it was captured by one person with a consistent eye and a clear understanding of your brand. That's the ROI conversation no one talks about enough. A retreat photographer isn't a one-day expense. They're a content investment that pays out over and over again. And for your participants? They carry those images too. When they share their experience online, which they will — they're sharing your retreat. Your brand. Your community. That organic reach is priceless. You Deserve to Be in the Photos, Too You planned this. You showed up. You led, facilitated, held space, pivoted when things went sideways, and probably cried a little at the end (no judgment — we all do). And if you don't have a photographer, you will have approximately zero good photos of yourself at your own retreat. Your audience wants to see you. In action, in your element, doing the thing you were made to do. A retreat photographer captures you leading with confidence, connecting with your participants, and fully in your zone and those images become some of the most powerful personal branding content you'll ever have. You deserve to be documented too. Ready to Make Your Next Retreat Unforgettable If you're a retreat leader who's ready to stop leaving your visual story to chance, I'd love to chat. Whether you're planning an intimate wellness weekend or a multi-day retreat intensive, I bring intentionality, warmth, and a genuine love for capturing the moments that matter most. Every retreat is different, every leader has a unique vision, and I want to hear yours. Let's have a conversation about how we can make your next retreat not just an experience your participants remember but one they can see themselves in, long after they've gone home. Reach out and let's start the conversation. I can't wait to hear what you're building.