The last four months have been the most eye-opening months of my life. Having to sit out of the marathon I trained two long, hard years for was devastating.

I thought my life was over, and running a marathon ever again seems impossible. But tearing my hip labrum has been the best thing to ever happen to me, words I never thought I'd say.

I spent the first month crying in bed or watching Netflix on the couch. Anything and everything seemed pointless, and I suddenly had no purpose. I lost the one and only thing that made me feel different, significant, and strong.

But you see, you are always those things, even without that "one thing" that "makes" you them.

I soon realized I never lost my confidence; it was just hiding under way more controlling feelings, like useless and lazy. It took me weeks to finally realize that I was way more than a runner. Once I accepted the fact that I was no longer labeled by that title, I began to be myself again.

I got my butt up, laced up my sneakers, put on my favorite workout playlist, and went to the gym. I stopped feeling sorry for myself. I figured I'd make the most out of all the things I could still do, like drive, lift weights and, most importantly, smile.

I started to believe I could be powerful again and love myself unconditionally, even without a six-pack. I knew gaining weight was a part of being injured, but it was probably the hardest thing to accept. Being a competitive female athlete is so much more mentally damaging than anyone thinks.

I'm no longer worried if my jeans will fit tomorrow because I decided to have ice cream, or how many miles I'd have to run to burn off french fries. I started to eat whatever I wanted, and I stopped going against everything my body was craving.

Do you want to know the secret to gaining back your confidence? Stop giving a damn.

Stop comparing yourself, and stop worrying about what everyone thinks about you or your appearance. No one pays that much attention to you anyway, and if they have anything to say, then you don't need them in your life.

Go do whatever the hell makes you happy, and if you can't do the one true thing you love, then find something else. I promise you, there's so much more out there that you haven't allowed yourself to experience yet.

So go swim, go bike, go hiking, or try a new sport. Just stop setting limitations and restrictions on yourself.

The minute you let yourself live your life without the voice in your head telling you "no", is the minute you will start to trust yourself again. Listening to your cravings and doing what makes your soul happy is the secret to a good life.

As I sit here with yet again another injury, it is more obvious to me now more than ever, nothing is promised. Each day is a gift, and we are not entitled to anything. I thought I was finally on my way back to being a strong runner, but God always has different plans. Ones that we are never sure of, or why his plans don't always fit ours. But in due time, they will reveal themselves. So I keep the faith, I try to stop questioning, and just simply trust.

Life doesn't have to be as complicated as we make it. Believe in yourself, stop worrying for five seconds about what could go wrong, and start focusing on all the things that could work out for you.

No longer defining myself as a marathoner is liberating. It's something I thought I'd never have to do, but I'm grateful that God has graced me with struggles to make me stronger.

I am still strong, I am still confident, but now I'm more resilient.