Resilient, Not Broken: Rebuilding Through Self-Care

Whew. Where do I even begin? It’s been a minute since I last blogged about self-care. Truth is, I had to live through some things before I could sit here and write to you again. Life has a funny way of throwing curveballs, and mine came wrapped in a breakup and a called-off engagement.

Now, let me be real with you—I did not know the impact it would have on me mentally, spiritually, and physically. Almost six months later, though? I feel brand new. Not perfect, not “all figured out,” but back to myself—and honestly, better than before.

Here’s how it happened.

Saying Yes (Even When I Was Unsure)

When my friend invited me to Costa Rica for her birthday, (La Fortuna CR) I said yes before I could even think. I brought my god-sister along (her first trip out of the country, my first post-engagement getaway), and off we went. Adventure mode activated.

Mi Gente (My People)

Now, listen. This wasn’t your average “lounging on the beach sipping coconut water” type of trip. We hiked. We explored. We even slept next to a volcano. And somewhere between the sweat, the laughter, and the quiet moments staring at the sky, I realized something big:

I had drifted away from my roots of self-care.

The same self-care I used to preach about? The same pillars I once lived by? Yeah… I had let those slip. Costa Rica reminded me: I have to put me first. Always.

To the One Who’s Lost Themselves

Me In Costa Rica

So, I’m writing this for the girl (or guy) who feels like they’ve lost themselves in a relationship, a situation, or a season of life that knocked them off balance. I need you to know: you are not alone.

It’s okay to embrace yourself in every phase—the messy, the beautiful, the in-between. Because one word has carried me through this chapter: resilient.

This breakup? Just a minor setback for a major comeback.

Rebuilding with Self-Care

For me, that meant leaning hard into the three building blocks of self-care: mental, physical, and spiritual.

• Mentally → I started reading again. (Huge love to Sarah Jakes Roberts’ Power Moves and Dr. Anita Phillips’ The Garden Within—those books kept me grounded.) I challenged my mind daily, poured into my new business, and stopped letting my situation define me.

(Link to my reading List https://www.amazon.com/shop/lithewriter/list/2MDHZ7ZAUGMRJ?ref_=aipsflist)

God's Heart

• Spiritually → I got baptized this summer, and right after, a heart literally appeared in the sky. My mom said it was God’s way of reminding me I’m loved—even when I had to make tough choices. She was right.

• Physically → Adventure pushed me. Hiking, traveling, moving my body—it reminded me of my strength. That trip woke me up to how much I had been neglecting myself.

And little by little, piece by piece, I came back to me.

Walking in Purpose

Looking back, I realize that during my engagement I forgot about purpose. I was so busy pouring into someone else, I stopped pouring into myself. Never again.

Now, I’m choosing me. I’m choosing purpose. And I want you to do the same. Push past your limits. Believe in yourself and your vision—even if you have to write it down every single day as a reminder.

Because here’s the truth: You are already amazing. You deserve your heart’s desires. And no setback—big or small—has the power to change that.

With Love,

Li ❤️