Hey Divas!

Yes 10 years. Where did the time go?

What started as a blog to provide support for a weightloss product and hold myself accountable on my weight loss journey has turned into a community that is now family.

There is no straight line on a journey there are turns curves scribbles and Big Sharpie worthy blackout moments.

To say this blog of mine has been a journey is not justice enough. It’s been filled of life lessons, mistakes, choices, disappointments, laughter, heartache, growth, style and all things fabulous. Complete Acceptance of being perfectly imperfect.

I’m going to take you on a journey from 2011 till now so get comfy. Get your favorite cup of tea and snuggle up in your favorite corner.

2011

I had been 6 months out of a bad break up of a 6 year relationship.

I started this blog as a way to get my life back. In relationships there is so much that is sacrificed. We don’t realize how invested we were until after the fact.

I felt completely drained but grateful to start living for me and not for “relationship goals” to be honest we had sincere love for each other but didn’t really like each other at our core.

We were two very different people with different values and different life goals. It was a pill to face my truths and the reality of our relationship but when you are honest with yourself it will set you free.

I was a year in my nutrition network marketing business but didn’t fit in with the culture and couldn’t see myself hosting hotel room presentations.

I love the company, the products and what they stand for, but l needed to find my own way to market that was a reflection of me and my personality.

I wanted to help people. Primarily women. I had been learning so much about nutrition and degenerative disease prevention being involved in the cellular nutrition space. I got hooked on learning and reading everything l can get my hands on. I was obsessed with learning about the human body and how nutrition can heal just about everything.

I had lost my mother to diabetes at a young age and want other women to be around for their children and grandchildren.

Losing my mother left a huge void in my life. Our family dynamic changed and it took me a lifetime to accept her death but greater than that. What caused it. I’ve spent a lifetime trying to fill a void that nothing will ever fill.

Life goes on. Life moves. A wasted life is staying stuck. My mission is to help people get unstuck and start living! The greatest lessons of life are when pain is your teacher.

December 16, 2011. l posted my first blog post. 10 years ago today.

My First Blog Post It set the stage for this journey. Women pick themselves apart for everything. It’s time we pick ourselves up.

2012

February 2012 l launched my first Fly by July Body Confidence Campaign before the whole body confidence movement. This began a movement of women believing in and loving themselves making a promise to themselves of personal change to live a healthier life style.

Our infamous White Linen photo shoot put us on the map! The white sheets represent accepting ourselves as is and making a personal promise of change. It was the first time in my life that l felt connected to my purpose in life and experienced a true sense of fulfillment.

2013

When starting anything that brings attention it will come with criticism and l wasn’t prepared for that. I’ve learned over the years to develop a thick skin. I was shamed and criticized for providing wellness advice being overweight.

When we make changes in our life it causes the people around us to evaluate their life. When l look back now those people l received criticism from just weren’t satisfied in their own life. It really had nothing to do with me.

Unfortunately l took the criticism personally and ended the campaign. It was something l gave my full heart into but did not feel appreciated.

I focused my time on self development.

2014

My Grandmother’s illness progressed and was placed into Hospice Care. I got her on the vitamins l sell from my online business and had witnessed dramatic improvement in her health. She was in her 90’s so she wasn’t doing cart wheels but l did witness her having a better quality of life knitting and having juicy conversations with her sisters.

I cherish this time l was able to spend with her during that time and am forever grateful.

She gave me the most beautiful compliment. She fondly called her vitamins her “Mia pills”’ she thanked me for giving her her life back.

To hear those words from not only my Grandma but a woman in her nineties inspired me to get back to blogging.

What l learned from my Grandmother as long as

we have breath we have a life to live to it’s fullest.

2015

My Grandma passed away. Peacefully. Spring of 2015.

A few months later in September Cortney, one of FBJ’s Core Original Crew and one of my strongest supporters had reached out to me to let me know her life long friend Teresa who joined us on ALL of our Fly n Fit Saturdays & other Fly by July shenanigans had been diagnosed with Breast Cancer and was in the hospital.

She said what l did meant a lot to them both.

Cortney asked if l could give Teresa a call that she would love to hear from me and asked if l could offer her some words of encouragement and support because it would mean a lot to her.

In that moment l realized what l was doing did matter. That l was making a difference.

I had spent so much time focusing on the negativity that l missed out on the positive. I didn’t focus on the women who did show up. The women who actually digged and appreciated what l was doing.

Teresa came to every fitness meet up and encouraged me on the days that l didn’t want to go, even on rainy days we were out there walking.

I met Teresa at the hospital that day. I happened to make it there as she was waking up from surgery. I made a promise to her that we are walking in her honor at the Making Strides Walk and that she is coming with us.

Since 2015 and counting Teresa has joined us every year we have been out there walking in her honor along with all the SURVIVORS!

Teresa is one of the strongest women l know. She faced her cancer diagnosis head on with grace, compassion and love for herself. She helped me realize that simply showing up for yourself is enough in this life. She has always given me her solid support & encouragement over the years.

l love her for that. ❤️

We also launched our first FBJ Meet n Greet!

2016

We Showed Out as Show Girls celebrating Teresa’s first year Cancer Free!!! Our best walk yet! We rounded up everyone this was a great day for all of us celebrating Teresa’s first milestone and All the SURVIVORS!

We also had our first ever Holiday Party!

2017

The Pink Jam! Named by my Dad. FBJ’s first charity event to raise funds and Breast Cancer Awareness! It was an amazing night of friends, community and raising Breast Cancer Awareness. A night of celebrating Survivors. Live Music & Comedy. The Teamwork definitely makes the dreamwork. I’m forever grateful for my friends and the Las Vegas Community.

We did that!!!

The night was a HUGE Success!

2018

I lost my Dad unexpectedly. It was a traumatic experience for me. We prepare for death but no matter when it comes we are never ready and we never get over it but we do move forward. Life goes on. He was a big part of my life. My family. My Best Friend. My Mentor. My Therapist. My Financial Advisor LoL

In short he was everything to me. The events following his death left me emotionally drained, exhausted, vulnerable and depressed. You just never really know people until you are in times that you need them the most.

“When someone shows you who they are believe them the first time. “ – Maya Angelou

2019

The following year was a rollercoaster of emotions. Packing up my father’s home & belongings. Saying our final goodbyes.

I Thank God for His grace and blessings. I’m grateful for the help & support l had during these times. It was the darkest period of my life but it didn’t stop me from living my life. Defining my new normal and my new life was an extremely painful process. I finally allowed myself to feel everything. I allowed myself to grieve.

2020

A year of blessings and breakthroughs. I had many loses many loses in my life. It was just loss after loss after loss in all aspects of my life. Then the pandemic hit the loss of my “ new normal “ and daily life as l knew it along with the world, changed.

I still kept a positive attitude. I like a lot of people was isolated during the pandemic. Grateful for my cat we had each other during those times. Life completely changed in 24 hours. lt was the first time in my life that l felt grown up.

Living in a space of uncertainty l felt truly on my own and had to make it do what it do. I’m grateful for the tools and resources l had. I learned how to manage and get through those tough times.

l broke through my negative beliefs of not being good enough. I have much left in me to give to this world.

In this moment l felt free and ready to take on the world.

I started blogging again.

2021

Like last year another year of losses but this year l have the tools to get through the eb and flow of life. It’s truly been a journey for me and my greatest blessings. I’m finally starting to see the other side. Peace of mind is everything. Life sh*t and f*ckery is still 10% of what actually happens in life. The other 90% is how we deal. The good news how we deal is fully within our control.

FBJ is coming back! The divas are together again! I’m so grateful for our Fly Crew. 10 years later and we are as solid as ever! My Day 1’s (missing a few in this photo)We always seem to find our way back to each other. I love you ladies ❤️

Cheers to 10 years of being Healthy!

Cheers to 10 years of being Fabulous!

Cheers to 10 years of being our best selves!

Excited for what’s abound for the next 10 years!

Thank you to everyone who has read, liked, commented or shared any of my blog post. Thank you to everyone who has supported Fly by July in anyway. Your support is everything.

Thank you.

The people that this campaign has attracted over the years alongside the witnessed the transformations in their lives inspires me to keep going forward in my life.

We are all here for each other.

We’re coming for you.

2022

Full on Flyness abound! #FBJ10

Be Healthy Be Fabulous Be You!

Mia The Diva