It’s right now! Life is expensive. We own a home. We have two kids. Groceries are up, energy bills are up, and somehow the kids keep needing new sneakers every six weeks.
But the SECOND most expensive season of my life wasn’t a luxury vacation or a massive splurge. It was the years I spent unwell.
When I had undiagnosed PCOS, insulin resistance, prediabetes, hypothyroidism. When I was deep in the thick of infertility, going through multiple rounds of IVF ... including the ones that didn’t work. That chapter was exhausting and quietly expensive in all the sneaky little ways that really add up.
There were the obvious things: appointments, treatments, procedures, meds. But also? The grocery bills from trying every possible food plan. The late-night book orders, hoping one would finally connect the dots. The protein powders I drank with my nose plugged like a fifth grader choking down raw broccoli. The retail therapy. The snacks because my blood sugar and cravings were chaotic. The supplements I wasn’t even sure I needed. The overpriced “this will fix you” products I bought with very convincing promises.
And I don’t regret most of it ... not individually, at least. But zoomed out? I was spending a lot trying to feel okay in a body I didn’t understand yet.
What I really needed wasn’t another protocol or a pile of products. I needed clarity. And a path that actually supported me.
Now, from this side of things, I see how easy it is to confuse “self-care” with “coping.” How often we end up managing symptoms instead of addressing the system itself.
Some people spend thousands -- sometimes tens of thousands -- working with functional medicine doctors or naturopaths, only to be told they need to improve their metabolism, support their mitochondria, and reduce inflammation. That advice isn’t wrong! But it’s often missing a roadmap. And no one wants to drop a small fortune on tests and appointments just to be handed a supplement protocol and told to “work on the foundations.”
Holistic providers can be amazing -- but sometimes it makes sense to start with what you can do on your own. Especially if that means saving money, energy, and mental bandwidth.
And listen, I still love a good book and I absolutely believe in joyful spending. But if your Amazon cart looks like a supplement graveyard, five books about hormones, hair oils for regrowth, and a resistance band set you already didn't use and your dog chewed through... this might be hitting close to home.
Lately, I’ve been thinking about how smart we’re all trying to be with our money. How we’re watching where it goes, asking, “Is this really worth it?” Not just in dollars, but in time, in energy, in headspace.
So here’s something helpful to reflect on: Start noticing where you’re trying to buy relief. The powders, the gadgets, the books. Where you’re hoping something will finally stop the bloating, the cravings, the spiraling. And then ask yourself ... what’s the real problem I’m trying to solve?
Sometimes the best “money move” isn’t a hack. It’s finally learning how your body works and supporting it so well that you stop needing the hacks.
That reminds me of one of the most surprising notes I ever got from a TRANSFORM grad. It wasn’t about weight loss or muscle tone or clearer skin (though I definitely squealed about those too). It was this:
“You could triple the cost of this course and I’d still be mind-blown by how much money I’ve saved myself in this month alone.”
I’ve shared that before on social -- but if I had to find it again right now, I couldn’t. I’ve got nearly 600 screenshots sitting in a folder on my phone labeled “transform testimonials.” Which is wild. And humbling. And a huge “pinch me” moment every time I open it.
So if you’re in a season where you’re ready to feel better and you want to do it in a way that doesn’t involve a meltdown and a $950 cart of powders, a new perfectly flattering top, and a workout gadget that’ll live under your couch…
You’ve got one more day to join us for the May round of TRANSFORM: Body + Mind. I’m only running this one more time in 2025, and that’ll be in the fall.
Click here to learn more and join
XO,
Tara
P.S. Whether you join us now or later or never (or maybe you’ve already done a round), I hope you always remember: you’re not broken. And it doesn’t have to be this hard. You deserve to feel at home in your body.