My Journey to Regenerative Health

Hi, I’m Kelly and welcome to Regenerative Roots.

For the past decade, I’ve been on a mission: to experiment with every possible way of living that could help me build resilient vitality in mind, body, and spirit. This blog is where I share that journey — the wins, the failures, and the lessons in between.

Living in a Body That Felt “Off”

For most of my life, I didn’t feel comfortable in my own skin. It went beyond the awkwardness of teenage years. I remember feeling like my skin didn’t quite know how to house my bones, that everything just hurt.

As I grew older, even simple tasks seemed to take more effort than they did for others. My pain shifted constantly: daily headaches and neck pain, hip pain, knee pain. At one point in college, I could barely walk for nearly a year.

Searching for Answers

I was a dark, brooding kid, drawn to moody rock music and big questions about the point of life. The doctors I saw didn’t have many answers. I often heard:

“Sometimes people just have pain.”

“It’s anxiety. You need to relax.”

Depression and anxiety medications were suggested, but I quickly realized they weren’t the right path for me. Instead, in my late teens and early twenties, I self-medicated. Alcohol made me feel “normal.” Adderall kept my weight down and my productivity up.

It worked . . . until it didn’t.

By 25, years of sleep deprivation and liver abuse had caught up to me. My energy tanked, my serotonin and dopamine bottomed out, and I spent every day waiting for my next nap. I hated my life, my body, and myself. I knew something had to change, or I wouldn’t make it.

The Turning Point

Pride can be a funny motivator. I refused to accept that this was my fate. I decided I could, and would, fix my life.

Since then, I’ve tried countless approaches to heal, energize, and rediscover joy. Some have been life-changing. Others were dead ends. But every single experiment taught me something about myself.

Why I Started This Blog

Regenerative Roots is my space to share what I’ve learned on this journey, the methods, philosophies, and practices that have helped me move from chronic pain and exhaustion to more vibrant, sustainable health.

I don’t believe there’s one right path for everyone. But I do believe we can learn from each other’s stories and maybe discover ideas we wouldn’t have considered otherwise.

If you’re looking for ways to feel more alive, grounded, and resilient — you’re in the right place.

Next up: I’ll be sharing 7 practices that have brightened my life — check it out here.