The Lizzie Experience

06/11/2026

06/09/2026

Acceptance Is Not the Same Thing as Enjoyment

Lately, I've been thinking about the difference between acceptance and enjoyment.

I don't think we talk about it enough.

We often hear that acceptance is the goal. Accept what is. Make peace with reality. Stop fighting what cannot be changed.

And I agree with that.

But acceptance doesn't necessarily mean enjoyment.

I'm coming up on my third month in my new apartment.

There is so much about it that I genuinely love.

The kitchen is beautiful. Better than any kitchen I've ever had.

The bathroom feels like a little spa.

Everything is clean, new, and well cared for.

The building is quiet.

I feel safe here.

My furniture looks lovely in the space, and every day it feels a little more like home.

All of that is true.

But another truth exists alongside it.

This apartment is small. Very small.

Some days, I look around and think, "This is so warm and cozy."

Other days, I feel like the walls are closing in.

Some days, I love it here.

Some days, I don't.

Both things are true.

I think what makes this complicated is that this wasn't a lifestyle choice.

I didn't wake up one day and decide that minimalism was calling my name.

I didn't sell a large home to simplify my life and embrace a smaller footprint.

Life circumstances led me here.

Financial realities led me here.

Health challenges led me here.

And while I have accepted that reality, there are moments when I still grieve the life I thought I would be living at this stage.

Acceptance and grief can coexist.

Acceptance and disappointment can coexist.

Acceptance and gratitude can coexist.

Just because I am grateful doesn't mean I have to pretend that every part of this experience feels good.

For a long time, I thought resilience meant finding the silver lining as quickly as possible.

Now I think resilience is something different.

I think resilience is allowing ourselves to tell the truth.

The truth is that I am adjusting.

The truth is that some days I feel incredibly fortunate to be here.

The truth is that some days I wish I had a little more room to breathe.

The truth is that I can appreciate this chapter without believing it is my final destination.

Maybe that's what acceptance really looks like.

Not forcing ourselves to love every aspect of our circumstances.

Not pretending that loss doesn't hurt.

Not rushing to turn every disappointment into a lesson.

Just acknowledging what is.

This is where I am.

This is what I have.

This is what I'm building from.

And while I may not enjoy every part of it, I am learning how to live here, how to grow here, and how to create beauty here anyway.

Is there something in your life right now that you're learning to accept, even though it wasn't part of the plan?

Share your thoughts below. You're probably not the only one feeling that way.

You can find my writing here:

https://thelizzieexperience.substack.com/p/acceptance-is-not-the-same-thing

Thelizzieexperience.ca/blog

06/04/2026

I used to think motivation was the missing piece.

If I could just feel more motivated, surely I'd exercise more, eat better, make the call, finish the project, and finally become consistent.

What if motivation isn't the beginning?
What if motivation actually comes after we take action?

It's a simple shift, but it changes everything.

In my latest Substack article, I'm sharing the surprising formula that has helped me understand why we stay stuck, why we wait for the perfect moment, and what actually gets us moving forward.

Spoiler: It isn't willpower.

And it isn't motivation.

✨ Read the full post on Substack. Link in bio.

Have you ever noticed that you feel more motivated after you start than before?

06/01/2026

Today, I begin a new journal.
A pink one, of course. 💕

Lately, I've been thinking about something called The Pink Theory.

Not the version you see on social media.

My version.

A life built around softness instead of survival. Beauty instead of burnout. Intention instead of obligation.

For years, many of us have become practical, efficient, and capable.

But somewhere along the way, we've forgotten that softness is a strength too.

This June, I'm choosing a different energy.

Softness. Femininity. Hope. Warmth. Creativity. Playfulness. Romance. Healing. Beauty.
And maybe most importantly...
Possibility.

My newest Substack essay, The Pink Theory & My Pink Life, is now live.

Read the full story through the link in my bio. 💗

06/01/2026

Tomorrow I begin a new journal.

Over the past few days, I've been rereading the journal I've been writing in since September. As I turned the pages, I noticed something.
Many of the entries sounded remarkably similar.
• The weight I wanted to lose.
• The money I wanted to make.
• The goals I hoped to achieve.
• The worries that were keeping me awake.
• The frustrations I was carrying.

Different days. Similar themes.

At first, I felt discouraged. It seemed as though I had been writing the same story over and over again.
But then I realized:
A journal can become either a mirror or a treadmill.
A mirror helps us see ourselves clearly.
A treadmill keeps us moving without actually taking us anywhere.

This journal carried me through a season that included uncertainty, difficult relationships, health challenges, financial stress, and major life changes. It gave me a place to process my thoughts when life felt overwhelming.

There is tremendous value in that.

But somewhere along the way, I began noticing the difference between documenting my life and rehearsing my problems.

There is a difference between recording an experience and repeating a story.

There is a difference between reflection and rumination.

There is a difference between awareness and simply circling the same thought for months.

As I begin a new journal tomorrow, I don't want it to become another place where I make promises to myself that never leave the page.

I don't need another Day One.

I don't need another declaration that this month will be different.

And I certainly don't need pages filled with predictions about the future.

The truth is, I already know what matters to me.
• I want good health.
• I want financial stability.
• I want meaningful work.
• I want strong relationships.
• I want a life that feels aligned with my values.
•
So this journal will be different.
Less predicting.
Less promising.
Less waiting.
More evidence.
More action.
More honesty.

Instead of asking, What do I hope will happen?
I'll be asking:
What evidence did I create today that supports the future I'm working toward?
Did I take the walk?
Did I write the post?
Did I make the difficult phone call?
Did I nourish my body?
Did I take one small step toward the goals that matter most to me?

Because intentions are invisible.
Actions leave footprints.

And footprints tell us where we're actually going.
Tomorrow isn't the start of a new me.

It's the start of a new journal.
And hopefully, a more intentional way of using it.

For all things Lizzie 👇
linktr.ee/thelizzieexperience

05/31/2026

Water has always felt like peace to me.

A deep bath isn't about escaping my life. It's about returning to it more calmly.

For an hour, there is nowhere to go, nothing to solve, nothing to fix.

Just warm water, quiet thoughts, and the gentle reminder that peace is a practice.

Tonight's soak was filled with lavender Epsom salts, soft light, and stillness. A simple ritual, perhaps, but one that reminded me how much can shift when we slow down long enough to hear ourselves think.

Water has a way of softening what feels rigid.

It quiets the noise.

It creates space between us and our worries.

And sometimes that space is enough to help us remember who we are beneath all the responsibilities, expectations, and endless to-do lists.

As the Blue Moon approaches, I'm choosing peace over pressure.

✨ Resilience in Action
• Self-Awareness – Recognizing when you need peace, not productivity.
• Intentional Self-Care – Creating moments that nourish your spirit, not just your schedule.

💗 For all things Lizzie, Linktree in bio.

05/28/2026

Practicing contentment.

Those two words stayed with me long after meditation class ended this week.

I started wondering…

Does practicing contentment mean we should stop wanting more?

Should we stop dreaming about Italy? A beautiful home? A different life? A future version of ourselves?

Or is there a difference between endless consumption and the quiet dreams that genuinely expand our soul?

This week on Substack, I’m writing about the tension between gratitude and longing — and why practicing contentment doesn’t mean you stop dreaming. 💕

Read the full post on Substack 👉 link in bio

For all things Lizzie → Linktree in bio

05/26/2026

There’s something important about paying attention to what actually makes us feel better instead of what we think should make us feel better.
This morning, I wanted to sleep in.
The cat had other plans and started trying to wake me up around 5 a.m. I got up briefly to feed her, crawled back into bed, and stayed there until almost 9.

And honestly?

I didn’t feel better for it.
Not bad. Not lazy. Just…off.

It reminded me that self-care is not always about doing less. Sometimes it’s about understanding what truly helps us feel grounded, energized, and emotionally well.

For me, I’m realizing my sweet spot is getting up somewhere between 5:30 and 6:30. There’s something about having those quiet early hours that makes me feel more connected to myself and more prepared for the day ahead.

Today also looked like:
-marinating chicken in a homemade Greek yogurt and dill marinade,
-looking up healthy cauliflower rice recipes,
-pulling out the exercise mat last night for stretching,
-and finally starting to take my vitamins consistently again.

None of these things are dramatic.
But together, they are the building blocks of self-respect.

Healing, rebuilding, wellness, resilience…they often look far less glamorous than people expect.

Sometimes it’s just a woman standing in her kitchen preparing food that will make her feel good later. Sometimes it’s stretching for ten minutes instead of scrolling for an hour. Sometimes it’s realizing that sleeping in doesn’t actually restore you the way structure does.

Self-care is not perfection. It’s paying attention.

And slowly building a life that supports you instead of drains you 💕

Resilience in Action:
Emotional self-awareness and intentional habit-building. Resilience is often strengthened through small daily decisions that support our physical and emotional well-being.

If you’re in a season of rebuilding, my digital guide Bounce Back Like a Badass: The Resilience Guide for Real Life was created to help you strengthen your resilience muscle one step at a time.

For all things Lizzie → Linktree in bio.

05/21/2026

Last night I’m lying in bed and suddenly I see this bright light shining into my living room.

Naturally, I’m thinking, what nonsense is this?

So I get up, look out the balcony door, and realize the new beauty place kitty corner to my apartment has installed a giant LED picture advertisement that plays like a tiny movie.

All night.

Beside my home.

Because apparently my living room is now Times Square.

Anyway, this morning I ordered a blackout blind from Amazon because sometimes resilience looks like emotional regulation…

and sometimes it looks like next-day delivery.

Apparently the suburbs are not exempt from the chaos and adventure of city living either. 😂

What’s the weirdest thing your neighbours/building have done?

See link in bio for all things Lizzie 💕