People think my mornings start with peaceful meditation and yoga, the perfect weighted cardio, run or lifting session, a spotless kitchen, and a protein shake in hand.

Reality? Sometimes I wake up at 2 a.m. with an idea for a client protocol, sprint to the computer in my pajamas, and spend 30 minutes down a mitochondrial rabbit hole before remembering to go back to bed.

And in light of school starting up this week and next around here, I just want to remind you — life isn’t perfect, and that’s okay. We just keep doing our best and get it done where we can. Ten minutes is better than nothing. It doesn’t have to be a perfect hour-long workout or a Pinterest-worthy dinner. Life is messy, schedules get crazy, and the key is to adapt, not give up. It’s about living your best life in the mess, and making changes that flex with you.

That’s the thing about being a wellness practitioner and a mom of three — the work, the family, and the learning never really “clock out.” And just when you think you’ve finally got it all figured out… life throws a wrench.

The Juggle No One Sees

Here’s a real-life snapshot of my week:

• School drop-offs, cheer practice, soccer games, and Code Ninjas classes.
• Laundry that somehow multiplies when you turn your back.
• A workout squeezed in between client calls.
• A crockpot full of shredded beef for dinner… if I remembered to plug it in.
• Eating my protein on the go because I forgot to sit down for lunch.
• Knowing I’m really behind on sleep when the eye twitch starts. (Haven’t had those since nursing school — and trust me, no one’s nostalgic for that.)
• Listening to an educational podcast while scrubbing bathrooms, because if you’re going to clean, you might as well biohack your brain too.
• Trying to get the dogs walked
• Going to the pantry for collagen powder and leaving with nothing… three times… but hey, the counter is now clean.

And in between? I’m running Eagle Freedom Health (while also feeling a little guilty I’m not present more to help run our office, Eagle Freedom Chiropractic), building new protocols, and deep in study mode — always learning and researching — for a method that’s going to completely change the way I help clients heal. Always evolving… and always trying to do it better.

Confession #1: Walking the Walk Is Harder Than It Looks

When you teach health for a living, you feel the pressure to live what you preach 24/7. But here’s the truth — I have days where my “protocol” is coffee, protein, and grace.

I believe in clean, anti-inflammatory eating… but sometimes dinner is scrambled eggs and avocado at 9 p.m. because everything else went sideways.

I believe in stress management… but my “relaxing” session in my office often ends with a kid barging in to ask where their cleats are or the dog deciding my PEMF mat is his new bed. (Nothing says “inner peace” like being licked in the face mid-breathwork.)

I believe in movement… but sometimes the movement is power-walking from the laundry room to the car because we’re late… again. Or doing calf raises while I brush my teeth because hey — two birds, one stone.

Confession #2: I’m Always Learning, Even When It’s Inconvenient

Just when I think my brain is ready to shut off for the night, I’ll get an idea for a blog, a protocol, or a client resource — and I have to write it down before it disappears.

I’ve taken notes at soccer practice, ordered supplements from the school pickup line, and researched mitochondrial function with a clay mask on at 10 p.m.

Even right now, I’m supposed to be in the garage for my workout, but I’ve been up working since 3 a.m. and keep getting ideas I can’t walk away from. The brain says, “workout,” but the fingers say, “just one more paragraph.”

I’ve taken my pre-workout… and then gotten distracted for an hour answering messages before I ever touched a weight.
I’ve refreshed the dryer three times before finally taking the clothes out.
I’ve even started conversations, then walked away mid-sentence because a new brilliant idea popped into my head.

It’s not because I “should” — it’s because I love it. But it also means I have a Notes app that looks like a conspiracy board and more late-night Amazon supplement orders than I care to admit.

Confession #3: Adaptability Is the Real Superpower

Here’s what I wish more people knew: wellness isn’t about perfection. It’s about knowing how to pivot without throwing in the towel.

For me, that means:

• Always having quick protein options in the fridge or my purse.
• Making workouts shorter but more intense when time is tight.
• Swapping a “perfect” dinner for a “good enough” one instead of skipping a meal.
• Laughing at the chaos instead of letting it derail me.
• Accepting that sometimes “self-care” is folding laundry while listening to a podcast because that’s the only quiet you’ll get.
• Counting a sprint up the stairs to grab a forgotten school form as my cardio for the day — because sometimes, it is.
• Letting go of the fact that I just restarted the dryer for the fourth time because apparently “folding” wasn’t in today’s protocol.

That’s exactly why my Freedom Wellness Method is built for real life. If a protocol only works when your life is perfect… it’s not a good protocol.

The Takeaway for You

If your life feels like a juggling act, you’re not failing — you’re human. The key is to focus on your non-negotiables, adapt when you have to, and give yourself the same grace you’d give a friend.

You don’t have to choose between living your life and taking care of yourself. You just need a plan that flexes with you — and that’s exactly what I help my clients create.

So here’s to the chaos, the 2 a.m. ideas, the coffee-fueled mornings, the eye twitches that remind us to go to bed, and the little wins that keep us moving forward. We might not have it all figured out, but we’re doing pretty darn well.

Nicole Kelley, RN, NC, BCHHP

nicole.thenursewellnesswarrior