I’ve been home from vacation for a few days now, and while the jet lag is still very real, my heart feels incredibly refreshed and grateful.

Standing in the same places in Arizona that I stood 3 years ago, I couldn’t help but reflect on how far I’ve come.

If someone had told me all those years ago that I’d be where I am today, I probably would have laughed.

Back then, my world felt so much smaller.

My eating disorder had stolen so much from me—my energy, my freedom, my confidence, and countless experiences that I never thought I’d be able to enjoy fully. So much of my life revolved around fear, rules, and the constant mental battle that seemed to follow me everywhere.

But today looks different.

Today, I get to hike, explore, travel, and make memories without that battle controlling every single moment. Sure, there are still hard days, I struggle, I get tempted to go back, but recovery has given me back pieces of my life that I once thought were gone forever.

One of the most meaningful parts of this trip was getting to see my dietitian—the woman who has walked alongside me through some of the hardest seasons of recovery.

Through setbacks, surgeries, tears, victories, and everything in between, she has continued to believe in me, even on the days when I struggled to believe in myself.

And sitting with her this time around felt so different. Because I wasn’t frozen, unsure of what to say, or how to feel. Instead, I could talk about what was really happening, ask for what I actually needed, and be honest about the hard parts of where I am right now. I was reminded so clearly what a gift it is to have someone like her in my corner.

As I was walking out of her office on Saturday, I heard her say, “I’m so proud of how far you’ve come in your eating disorder recovery.”

How. Far. You. Have. Come.

I didn’t get here by accident. Those words stayed with me.

They followed me onto the plane, back home, and into my kitchen—where recovery continues in the everyday choices that no one else sees. The choices that still matter. The choices that continue to build a life of freedom. The choices that lead me to continue to follow my meal plan, even when I don’t want to.

Recovery isn’t always a straight path. There have been unexpected detours, difficult seasons, and moments when the road felt much longer than I wanted it to be.

Even now, this season hasn’t been easy. I’m still navigating eating disorder recovery and the aftermath of my hysterectomy. Some days are filled with hope, and other days I find myself wondering if I have the strength to keep fighting.

But being back there reminded me of something important: healing happens one step at a time.

It’s often slow. Sometimes messy. Rarely linear.

But it is worth it.

Today, I’m especially grateful for the people who have helped me get here—for the professionals, friends, and supporters who have encouraged me along the way. Most of all, I’m grateful for a God who continues to write a story far bigger and more beautiful than I could have imagined.

There are chapters in my story that I never would have chosen for myself. Chapters filled with pain, uncertainty, loss, and waiting. Yet God has faithfully used every one of them to shape me, grow me, and remind me that He is present in both the valleys and the victories.

Looking back, I can see His faithfulness woven through it all.

And looking ahead, I’m choosing to trust Him with whatever comes next in my road to recovery.

So here’s your reminder—and mine—to pause and celebrate how far you’ve come. The road ahead may still be long, but don’t forget to acknowledge the progress you’ve already made.

God is still writing your story.

If this season has taught me anything, it’s that God’s plans are better than my own…..and that there will always be someone in your corner, proud of the person you’re becoming.

-Taylor Kate