Getting to Know Me...The Basics
Telling my story in a few paragraphs has always been a hard thing for me to do in the past. I wouldn’t say that I was long winded or had a particularly harrowing life story, but I never knew where to start or where to go with my story. I think there are a few reasons for that, first off, my story isn’t done yet. I’m 34 years old as I type this, and I (hopefully) have a lot more life left to live in my story. Another reason, I felt like I had to write my story in such a way that it made everyone look good. When in fact, like in most stories, there are times where each character shows some faults. It doesn’t mean that they are bad people, and it definitely doesn’t mean that I don’t love them, but it does mean they are human and can make mistakes sometimes. The third reason though was a harder one for me to admit. I spent so much time trying to live into other people’s expectations of me that I couldn’t look at my story as my own. I always looked at it through the lens of someone else.
I won’t pretend that I have it all figured out and that I no longer care what people think. But, I can say that I have finally been able to look at my story through my own lens and take ownership of it. So, over the next few weeks I will be introducing myself through my story. Today, I thought I would start with the basics.
My name is Stephanie Simmons. I am wife to Evan, mother to Lizzie, Levi, and three babies who were lost in early pregnancy. We currently live in Seattle, Washington with my in-laws. I have had a lot of job titles, and career twists and turns. I graduated from Belmont University in December 2008...three months into a recession. I couldn’t find a job, and I did what a lot of other millennials did and I went to grad school. I moved across the country and attended Portland Seminary. In 2015 I graduated with my MA in Ministry Leadership. I’ve been a pastor, a cook in a restaurant kitchen, server, barista, numbers cruncher (which is hilarious since I’m terrible with numbers), and a Postpartum Doula and Childbirth Educator. Something that has been a theme to all of my jobs (except maybe number crunching) is that I love to serve people. I will always choose the job that has me helping people in some way. Even if it’s just by making them a latte.
I have been in recovery for eating disorders since 2002. I’ve been to many different mental health professionals, read MANY different books, and I’ve done a lot of research throughout my recovery. It’s definitely been a journey full of peaks and valleys. Throughout my recovery I’ve found that there are some essential things for actual recovery to happen:
- First and probably most important, I had to actually want to recover. I had to want my life to be different and free from disordered and unhealthy relationships to food and my body.
-Second, I needed REAL information. I needed to know the science about things. I needed to know the why behind diet culture and weight bias in the medical field. I needed to educate myself to understand how to break the cycles I was in.
-Third, I needed community. I needed people who were experiencing these things alongside me. I needed to talk about the things I was learning with people and gain an outside perspective. I need to hear people’s stories and tell mine. I need to laugh, cry, and process with people who were on this journey as well.
-Fourth, I needed to integrate all of these things into my spiritual life. For me, my spirituality is tied into my recovery. I believe that we are intentionally and lovingly created, and it took me a long time to realize that I was included in that too. That my body wasn’t a mistake, but that it’s differences from other bodies is actually intentional and beautiful.
Well, those are the basics about me, and they will all be expanded on over the next few weeks! I’m excited to stay connected and continue to share my story with you. If you want a list of my favorite resources on holistic and healthy motherhood click here!
