I know I've been MIA the past month, and I've recorded this episode with a broken heart to explain why. This episode is messy, raw and honestly I'm still in shock that I had to record it at all.. But I always want to keep it real with you guys about the realities of what we all go through in life.. and right now I am really going through it..

My Mum was truly one of a kind. The best parts of me, are her.

In honor of her generous heart and lifelong mission to uplift others, we've created the Julie Fitzsimons Legacy Fund at Sheridan College. This endowment will support students in the performing arts and athletics who are facing adversity—because that's exactly what Mum would have done.

To learn more or donate, click here.

On this page, please select 'Honor/Memorial' on the dropdown menu and put the name "Julie Fitzsimons" in the comments session.

To see my final photo with Mum under the most beautiful rainbow, click on my instagram here.

I want to say a heartfelt thank you to everyone who's reached out with messages of love and support.. I've been reading them all and all of your beautiful words have been giving me strength to keep holding on through this confusing and daunting time of adjusting to a new normal that feels anything but normal..

At the end of this episode, you'll also hear the podcast I had recorded just two days before my life flipped upside down. I've decided to release it along with this announcement because - well firstly I wanted you all to hear how excited I was to have my parents in town, it brought me so much joy - but also because even though my world feels so different now, the message still matters: how to stay commited to your goals when change gets hard.

In this episode, I walk you through the five emotional stages of change—an honest roadmap adapted from the work of psychologists Don Kelley and Daryl Connor. Whether you're chasing a fitness goal, launching a side hustle, or starting over after heartbreak, this is the truth no one tells you about what real change feels like.

You'll learn:

• Why motivation always fades—and what to do when it does

• How to recognize the infamous "Valley of Despair" before it swallows your dreams

• Why discomfort doesn't mean something's gone wrong—it means something's working

• What to expect at each stage of growth, and how to navigate it without giving up

I also share personal stories—from starting my speaking career to moving across the world on a dream and a visa—to remind you: you are not behind, broken, or alone.

You're just in the messy middle.

And that's where progress begins.

Life is too short to quit on the things that you truly care about, just because they're uncomfortable sometimes.

May my Mum and sister's legacies inspire you to be kind, be brave and be fully invested on living your best life. X kg