Meet Ivy
Growing up, I was the young lady who loved to explore and have fun. I was an active kid, often daydreaming about what it would be like to visit and experience different parts of the world. I loved that my parents taught me the importance of approaching life with balance and enjoying life to the fullest.
Over the years and after college, I realized that my dream of being a world traveler and photographer was not going to fit into what everyone else wanted for me (to have a stable career, get married, and own a home). Therefore, I did “the right thing”—got a good job at a reputable company, got married, and bought a home.
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Shortly after I got married in June 2010, my mom was diagnosed with cancer. Words can’t express the helplessness and overwhelming sadness I felt for her and myself. I realized that no matter what, I could not take away her pain and suffering. I chose to spend as much time as I could with my mother since her time on earth was limited. All the time I spent with her began to put a strain on my marriage. My husband became resentful that I couldn’t give 100% to our marriage. Over time, things grew from neglectful to being abusive. I turned to food and began eating emotionally to cope with the grief of my mom’s passing as well as the shame and guilt of my failed marriage. My emotional eating grew to a point where I was eating Five Guys’ cheeseburgers, a bucket of fries, and a pint of ice cream, all in one sitting. I also drank alcohol daily to excess for many months. For many years, I blamed myself—I often wondered, “Where did I go wrong to deserve this kind of abuse? Am I good enough? What’s wrong with me?”
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But something in me knew there was more for me…so I reached deep down and got the courage to leave my marriage. I knew in my heart that I deserved to be treated with respect and dignity. No matter what my failures and mistakes were, I didn’t deserve being emotional and physically abused. Choosing to leave was one of the hardest decisions I had to make. I knew I would have to deal with people telling me that I made the wrong decision to get married and/or get a divorce. For many years, I blamed myself for not doing enough for my mother while she was alive. Professionally speaking, I spent many years convincing myself that I was meant to have a career as a consultant. I enjoyed the work and found it rewarding to work with amazing people. While the experience was invaluable, it was detrimental to my mental health and overall well-being. I left feeling empty and powerless. It got to the point where I started asking myself, “Why am I working here? What’s the point?”
I wanted a fresh start. I wanted to be inspired when I wake up in the morning. I wanted a different life—one where I felt more in control and purposeful. Therefore, I started searching for other opportunities and looking for something that would give me time to explore my creativity—my love for photography, food and fitness—so that I could help people get what they want and achieve their goals.