Becoming Bethany
My story from exhaustion and self-sabotage to alignment and abundance.
I grew up in a small religious town where I was taught to follow the rules, make good grades, be respectful, obedient, and, above all else, to make everyone proud. And let me tell you, that’s exactly what I did. I got into vet school on the first try, rose quickly in emergency medicine, and became a rising star in veterinary leadership. Promotions came fast and I was on the move, relocating five times for the next new role. I became “the one to watch.”
From the outside, it looked like I had made it: the dream job, the accolades, the praise. But on the inside, I was quietly unraveling. My engagement had ended. I was exhausted. And beneath the gold stars and success stories, I was constantly anxious and people-pleasing, staying quiet to keep others happy, suppressing the part of me that was screaming: there has to be more than this.
I had checked every box, except the one that mattered: my own peace, joy and fulfillment.
When I began coaching, my coach named what I couldn’t see: I was living in lack mindset. This led to a life of lack. Lack of time, lack of romantic love, lack of energy. But beneath that was something deeper: self-abandonment and not living according to my values. I had built an entire identity on proving, achieving, and pleasing, at the cost of betraying myself, the little Bethany who wanted fun and joy to overflow in my life. I wanted love and to have a family of my own, but I still had a lot to learn. The truth is I’m grateful for the roles, the opportunities and all my learnings, and now I’m for the clarity of living a balanced life in full alignment, according to my Authentic Values in a role that I adore.
Coaching gave me the courage to choose something different. To stop betraying myself and begin practicing radical self-compassion. I stopped chasing the next box to check and started listening to my soul. I stopped forcing and fighting for things that hurt me and chose the things that flowed naturally with my life. I leaned into coaching, therapy, and self-development. I moved to Austin, chose a home that felt expansive and connected to water, and started building real community through my Sunday Suppers. I set boundaries. I allowed myself to become someone new.
Then came the turning point: a solo trip to Bora Bora. I booked it as an act of radical self-worth and true abundance. Sitting in an overwater bungalow, staring at the clearest blue water I’d ever seen, I realized I didn’t have to wait for anyone or anything to feel whole. I already was. The next day, I matched with my now-partner on Hinge and the alignment was undeniable. The love I had been waiting for arrived the moment I acted out in true faith that I was enough. The key, remain in flow and know that abundance is on its way and the universe will deliver.
That same energy shift transformed my business too. I stopped chasing, fighting for deadlines, let go of perfectionism and control and started creating and leaning into my gifts. I co-founded The Evolved Vets, not from a place of proving, but from a place of authenticity and the desire to help serve those who want to live a life of fulfillment too.
Today, I’m living the life I used to dream about: speaking on stages, founding a business, staying plugged into the vet community, and saying yes to the kind of love, abundance, and freedom that once felt out of reach. But most importantly, I’ve returned to myself, the Bethany who craves adventure, travel and spontaneity, impact, who follows her heart, loves love, cultivates community, and creates beauty and connection everywhere she goes.
I’ve been the overworked vet, the exhausted empath, the woman collapsing under the weight of duty and people-pleasing, all by my own choosing. I’ve risen, collapsed, and rebuilt again. This time with a foundation of worth, self-compassion and alignment.
And now, I’m turning around to offer a hand and provide coaching for every woman in veterinary medicine who’s quietly crumbling under the weight of burnout, perfectionism, and self-abandonment. If you are trapped by overwhelm, come to find alignment. I’m your example that it is possible! You don’t have to trade your soul for success. You can live a life that feels successful to you! You deserve joy, alignment, and freedom, and you know what friend, it’s already on its way!
+bethany
