Welcome to the very first episode of Small Daily Habits! I’m your host Christine Miller, certified personal trainer, and menopause coaching specialist. I am so excited to kick off this journey with you. This podcast is all about helping busy women like you find calm in the chaos and create sustainable, healthy habits. One small step at a time.
If you like what you hear today click subscribe and invite a friend to take this journey with you.
Episode 1:
In today’s episode, I want to take you back a bit and share my personal journey. From the early days of juggling motherhood and a growing career to guiding women through some of life’s biggest health transitions. It’s been a road full of lessons, challenges, and growth.
So, head out for a walk, pop in your ear buds and let’s dive in as I share my story of transformation—from a multitasking mom to helping women embrace their own power and health, one small habit at a time.
My story, like many of yours, started with the ultimate multitasking. Becoming a mom with a desire to raise a healthy family, have a career I was proud of, and learn to juggle all the hats I wore. In the beginning, I struggled. But, over time I’ve learned the power of simplifying and focusing on what truly matters. I can’t wait to share how that shift has helped me empower the women I’ve worked with through the years.
My Journey Through Motherhood:
OK, a little background about me so you get to know who your working with here.
I was born and raised in New Hampshire. At 18, I left to pursue my dream of becoming a professional dancer. I had my eyes set on that goal, but life had other plans. While studying at Florida State University as a dance major, I met the man who would later become my husband and my path took an unexpected turn.
The year 2000 was huge for me. I graduated in April, got married in June, and by November, I became a mom to a beautiful baby boy. That baby boy is turning 24 in just a few days! Looking back, that year was a whirlwind. My entire life shifted. I had to adapt to so many new roles at once- wife, mother, and a young woman of 22 redefining her dreams.
I was barely an adult and motherhood didn’t come easy in the beginning. Living in Florida with my husband’s unpredictable hours as a Florida State Trooper. AND with my family all the way up in New Hampshire and his in Ohio, I often felt isolated. But even in the challenging moments, I fell in love with being a mom. In 2004, we welcomed our second son, and boy, did life get busy. At this point, coffee became a necessity because this boy never slept! I was content being a “boy mom” and thought our family was complete.
But in 2011 my husband and I decided to try for one more. At the beginning of 2012 we welcomed a baby girl and our family became everything we never knew we needed.
My Career Path:
This story isn’t just about me becoming a mom—it’s about how life is full of twists and turns. It’s about how small shifts, day after day, can change the trajectory of your life. That’s what inspired Small Daily Habits. Whether it’s motherhood, career changes, or personal health goals, the little choices we make each day matter.
Now that you know my motherhood story let me fill you in on my career path and how I came to be a personal trainer and menopause coach.
In the early days of motherhood, I worked a minimum wage job and quickly realized I was working just to pay a sitter so I quit to become a stay at home mom. Except, I wasn’t really cut out for it. Don’t get me wrong, I loved being a mom but I needed something more. Something I could call my own.
In 2006, I decided that something of my own was to become a personal trainer. At this point I had 2 young boys and realized I was pretty good at bouncing back after my pregnancies and wanted to help other women achieve success in this area. I trained other moms in gyms, at their homes, and even at my house.
FIT4MOM Franchise and Beyond:
That led me to becoming the owner of a FIT4MOM franchise in 2013 to help other moms navigate the physical and emotional challenges of pregnancy and postpartum recovery. It was a truly inspiring experience. I’ve since closed that business as schedules and life changed for us. However, if you are in that phase of life I highly recommend finding a FIT4MOM franchise near you.
The knowledge I’ve gained through the years has been invaluable as I transitioned from dancer, to mom, to personal trainer, and now menopause specialist.
As a former dancer, I’ve always understood the power and amazing capabilities of the body. As well as how it can impact your mind and spirit.
Dance taught me discipline, resilience, and the importance of listening to my body and taking care of myself. Even when life pulled me in every direction.
After having children, the lessons I learned rang even more true. It brings me great joy to lead women to feeling strong and confident in their bodies.
Evolutions of the Body and Mind:
But as time went on and I hit my early 40s, I started to feel like my body was changing in ways I couldn’t control. This was a very foreign feeling for me and it sent me into depression. I started second guessing my abilities.
At this point my body has undergone 4 distinct evolutions, each marked with physical and mental transformations. Let me walk you through my journey.
Evolution 1:
In my early years, I was a young, fit dancer known for my athleticism. I felt strong and confident in my body’s abilities to perform any and every task.
Evolution 2:
My childbearing years. This was a time of profound change where my body learned how to adapt to the demands of motherhood. It was a beautiful and chaotic time that was simultaneously mentally, emotionally and physically exhausting.
Evolution 3:
I entered my 40’s and again found myself in uncharted territory. My body was no longer cooperating despite very little changes in my nutrition and exercise. At first, I chalked my symptoms up to getting older because that’s what society tells us. And then it hit me—this was the beginning stages of perimenopause. It took time to recognize and regain some control over the changes my body was experiencing.
It wasn’t just about maintaining fitness anymore—it became about learning to understand and work with the hormonal changes, the emotional shifts, and the physical adaptations that come with menopause.
My own experience ignited a new passion in me. I didn’t want women to feel like they had to battle their bodies or suffer in silence.
I began to have a desire to share what I was learning and give other women the tools to not only manage this phase of life but thrive in it.
So I became a menopause specialist, and focused on helping women reclaim their energy, balance their hormones, and feel empowered again.
Evolution 4:
Now, I’m in yet another new phase where I’m beginning to see changes in my own body, mind, and spirit due to the course of action I took. I’m finding myself taking what I have learned and empowering women to listen to their bodies and advocate for their own unique needs while embracing each evolution with grace and resilience.
Suddenly, I realized that the world of wellness was missing something very crucial: support for women going through this transformative time of life.
Today, my mission is simple: to support women through all stages of womanhood with small, sustainable daily habits that foster long-lasting health and confidence.
I’ve been where so many women are—juggling a million things, losing sight of self-care, and feeling overwhelmed by the changes our bodies go through at these different stages.
But I’ve also learned that with the right approach, we can reclaim control, embrace these changes, and find our power in the process. My mission is to do just that with the Small Daily Habits podcast.
Take Action:
OK friends, I hope you enjoyed learning about my journey on this episode of Small Daily Habits. Make sure to subscribe to the podcast so you never miss an episode and if you really loved it, please write a review to let other women know what you loved about it.
New episodes drop every Friday morning in the hopes that you listen in the spare pockets of your day like in the shower, on your walk/run, while the kids are sleeping or on your morning commute. Then implement what you learned over the weekend (or whenever you have a bit more time to experiment and try new things). I can’t wait for you to tune in next time where I walk you through a simple step-by-step process to answer that dreaded question so many women despise…..What’s for Dinner? You’ll have to tune into the next episode to find out more.
Well that’s it for today friend, the habit I want to inspire you to create this week is to set aside 10-15 minutes to listen to Small Daily Habits each week for tips, tricks, and inspiration to get you and keep you on the right path for optimal health. Can’t wait for you to tune into the next episode!
Want more info about the show? Check out the trailer to get an overview or last week’s blog Exciting News: Small Daily Habits Launches Our First Podcast. You can also check out the podcast version of this blog here.
And remember BIG changes begin with Small Daily Habits! Until next time….
Christine
