This loose definition of fab frugal (see below) was what I wrote on my About page as well as my sideline bio back in 2014. It’s a personal mantra that I strongly believe in to this day. That’s what motivated me to start a blog, so I can share my journey with others.

It’s been a little while since my last post. Lucky for me, at the time of this writing, I’m still pretty new to the blogosphere so I’m hopeful that no one noticed my absence. So much has happened this past year that required major life adjustments, which made me question my fab & frugal journey.

About two years ago, I was hit with a bout of extreme fatigue, hair loss, anxiety, sleep issues and the inability to concentrate. It was the kind of tired where you couldn’t stand up straight in the shower or sleep away over the weekend. I had been experiencing it for a while, but blamed it on stress, working too much, and other mundane daily issues that most of us face. I also began gaining weight, despite a pretty healthy diet. I couldn’t understand what was happening to me.

A trip to the doctor confirmed that I have an autoimmune condition called Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis. It’s a condition where your body creates antibodies to attack your thyroid, a gland that produces and stores hormones which can affect just about every function in your body. It explained every single one of my symptoms including my debilitating fatigue which kept me at home a lot, away from friends, family, and activities I love. I mean, it was frugal but very, very un-fabulous.

I spent countless hours researching my condition: reading blogs & articles, signing up for newsletters, listening to podcasts, and attending webinars. I bought books, supplements, and memberships, running around in scrambled confusion because there is so much conflicting info and at times, more questions than answers.

Then, finally, it all clicked. It’s about balancing your resources, adjusting your needs, and finding simpler and less wasteful ways to do things. I started asking myself why I was dedicating all my resources (time & money) and being reactive. I became a thinker, stopping myself to ask why I was running at full steam towards a goal that was not set. So I asked myself: What do I want to achieve? What’s the goal? What’s the simplest and least wasteful way to get there?

Over the last couple of months, I made tremendous progress and have began picking back up where I left off in my fab & frugal journey. I was motivated to heal and live my life! Here’s a short list of changes I’ve made for the better:

• Switched to Paleo (this is said to be the most healing diet for those with Hashimoto’s)
• Set a sleep schedule
• Sourced out less expensive ways to get quality ingredients/supplements for my diet
• Not Sweat the Small Stuff (this one is HUGE!)
• Tackling one issue at a time to reduce stress & anxiety

I’m finally at a place where I’m getting my footing. It was tricky at first… I was spending a lot of money on quality organic food (worth it!) but ignoring other needs (not good). But I’m learning now to balance my needs and my time to be more conducive to my healing so I can get enjoyment from life. This made me think that it was time to reignite my blog because it’s never too late to try again!

Thank you for continuing this journey with me! There is a lot more to come so please stay tuned.

Have a fab frugal day!
Helene