I imagine there are many reasons any ordinary person may choose to start a blog. Whether it serves as a personal method to get thoughts on paper, a public movement, or perhaps just the possibility of becoming extraordinary, there is something inspiring about one’s decision to go public. With the growing influence of social media, we take for granted the ability to feel immediately connected to anyone or anything we can like on Facebook or follow on Twitter. We expect to get to know people through their profile pages, what they post on Pinterest, and what theme underlies their status updates. Yet, as individuals, we control this knowledge and how candid or superficial we want it to be. Herein lies the beauty of “going public.” That is, truly welcoming the world, to the extent your privacy settings allow, into real moments in your life.

For me, after years of using Facebook to announce various accomplishments or passively imply less than stellar struggles, my most public moment occurred about a month ago. But that moment was preceded by the decision to truly change my life. So, let me begin there.

Although I would never classify myself as severely depressed, and undoubtedly have a “happy” life compared to some, for a long time I fought the silent battle of loneliness. Though always surrounded by friends, and unconditionally loved by family, something happens to a person when she forgets how to love herself. And thus, a spiraling effect began to take over my life, naturally minimizing all of my accomplishments, and slowly pushing my sense of self into darkness. I became consciously aware of this reality years ago, if I’m honest, but could never figure out how to change it. I fell asleep many nights promising myself that tomorrow would be different, only to wake up without the motivation to actually make a change. But, on May 1, 2015, I woke up differently. It was that day that I committed to changing my life, and I have reaffirmed that commitment every day since. For me, the promise was to gain back control of my life, and this meant learning how to love myself again.

I had every intention of keeping my newfound commitment a secret. Looking back, I think this was my way of protecting myself from judgment, avoiding any expectations, and ultimately establishing a safety plan should I later fail in my endeavors. I quickly realized, however, that to commit to being a “new you,” meant requiring others to realize the new you. That meant screaming from a mountaintop that your life has now changed, you have now changed, and people could accept it or disappear. Of course, there are plenty of mountaintops I could have chosen- I live in Colorado after all- but in today’s day and age, the biggest mountaintop is social media, so that’s where I went to tell the “world” my secret: I’m changing my life.

To my surprise, Facebook exploded with love and support. And with each new post about my change, more and more friends began to feel inspired. My decision to change my personal life slowly began to change the small space I occupy in this world. I realized there’s a movement made up of individuals who strive to live a happy, free, and healthy life. And when others make the same commitment, it inspires all involved.

Obviously, there’s nothing novel about the fitness and health boom that’s been occurring over the last decade. Shows like The Biggest Loser and Extreme Weightloss are common topics of discussion within this movement, and personal trainers are now celebrities in ways they never were before. But what about the people who aren’t on these shows and who can’t, or maybe don’t want to, make it into the spotlight? What about us individuals who join local neighborhood gyms and try to keep up with ever-changing diet trends? How can we too feel connected in a way that empowers transformation on a grand scale? My answer: Team TATE.

Team TATE was born out of my sporadic decisions to go public with my own transformation and the way people responded. It represents a collection of individuals who understand a happy and free life and who recommit to furthering that happiness and freedom everyday. It represents those who are still struggling to learn the secret, but who feel inspired by others working towards the same. It is a place without judgment. A place where you will find strength in the simple concept of true connection.

To be on Team TATE is to commit To Achieving Transformation Everyday.

I welcome you to join me on this journey. It is my hope that together we can just live, connect, be extraordinarily happy, and then spread it like wildfire. My Team TATE continues to give me strength everyday, and that is what I hope this Team TATE will provide to you.