Self-Independence: An Invitation to Put Yourself First

By 8 a.m. today, I’d already worked out with my trainer for an hour and walked six miles. It was a wild way to start the day — but there’s a reason behind the madness.

Last year, at 60, I signed up for a bucket-list hike: the Tour du Mont Blanc — a 170 km trek through France, Switzerland, and Italy. I wanted a big goal to stay motivated, stay moving, and get stronger. I thought, “Okay, I’ve got this.”

But life, as it does, had other plans. The first five months of this year brought a string of health issues — one after another. And suddenly, I found myself behind.

Still, I leave in a few weeks.

And I’m focused. I’m determined.

But here's the thing: as women, we’re constantly pulled in different directions — aging parents, summer break, family obligations, work, travel, the never-ending to-do list. It’s hard to put yourself first. It’s difficult to hold the line on your goals, your boundaries, your time. To claim your independence as you.

My partner, Jordan, and I have a little mantra: You do YOU. It means taking care of ourselves so we can be strong together — whole individuals, not just roles we play.

What if we all lived that way? Not in defiance of others, but in deeper devotion to our truest self? What if we honored that kind of independence — one that strengthens us, not separates us?

I'd love to hear what that means to you.

As for me, I’m hitting the trail — literally and metaphorically. I’m training. I’m showing up. I may not feel perfectly “ready,” but I’m proud of this commitment to myself. At the very least, I’ll come back stronger… and with one hell of a story to tell.

Joanie Parsons

Founder/Adventurist of RevelEleven