The Crash and Burn
At the start of 2024, I found myself in yet another crash and burn—stuck in the darkness of inactivity and isolation. It was a familiar cycle, one that had plagued me for years. I had a tendency to hyperfocus and overwork myself, pushing through projects at lightning speed but paying the price afterward. When I burned out, I disconnected from everything and everyone. My free time turned into endless hours of lounging in bed, unable to do much of anything. I wasn’t painting. I wasn’t socializing. My life came to a screeching halt.
The Usual Escape No Longer Worked
Years ago, when I found myself in this kind of state, I had an escape plan: immersive retreats filled with self-care and intense healing treatments. Within a week, I’d feel like a new person. But this time was different. I was stuck at a job I hated. My marriage was in shambles. And I couldn’t just check out of my life for a week to fix it all. I had to figure out a way to help myself.
Small Steps Toward Healing
The concept wasn’t new to me. I knew that taking small steps could reawaken me, but I had to actually do it. I wasn’t ready to dive into my creative work just yet, but I started with the basics: getting out of bed and focusing on my internal well-being. It wasn’t easy. It didn’t feel like some big, magical transformation. But little by little, I felt myself shifting.
One day, I had a realization: I deserved more in every aspect of my life. More joy. More peace. More alignment with who I was meant to be. And from that moment on, I started making sweeping changes. I leaned into simple, relaxing activities—making my own soap, mixing fun non-alcoholic drinks. These little moments of joy became the spark that kept me going. The more I did, the less depressed I felt.
Finding Accountability and Momentum
By the end of 2024, I took a major step forward: I reconnected with a dear friend and we became accountability partners. Together, we set personal and professional goals—including the launch of Defiantly Happy! We committed to working out together over FaceTime at 6 AM every day. And let me tell you—the mood boost is off the charts! Moving my body, connecting with a friend, and showing up for myself every single morning has been a game-changer.
The Biggest Lesson: Saving Myself
Along the way, I learned a critical truth: coming alive again requires a compassionate but forceful kick in the ass. You have to get the F out of your comfort zone and help yourself—because nobody is going to swoop in and save you. You have to save yourself. You have to go after it with all of your heart and soul because you deserve it.
Choosing to Be Defiantly Happy
This is what it means to be Defiantly Happy. To fight for joy. To refuse to let life’s setbacks keep you down. To take your power back. If you’re in a place where you feel stuck, know this: small steps matter. Find the things that bring you even the tiniest spark of joy, and do them. Connect with people who will support and uplift you. Move your body. Challenge yourself. And most importantly, believe that you are worthy of a life that feels good.
Because you are.
And you don’t have to wait for anyone’s permission to start living it.
~ Maggie Hernandez-Knight
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