Shot on Location at The Reading Room
A childhood fascination with weather paved the way for Hannah Skye’s successful career as a meteorologist, where she works to keep people safe and prepared for what’s ahead. Beyond the forecast, Skye is passionate about finding balance, building healthy habits for the future, and advocating for women’s health. Here, she shares more about her health journey and what she’s learned along the way.
What is your approach to wellness?
Today, my approach to wellness is all about balance. I believe in everything in moderation and don’t believe that extremes are sustainable long-term. I try to prioritize whole, nourishing foods, especially protein, while still allowing myself to enjoy the things I love. I also prioritize staying active and moving my body in ways that make me feel strong. For me, wellness is no longer about trying to take up less space. It’s about taking care of the body I have, giving it what it needs, and feeling strong enough to take on whatever the day brings.
What are the traits you most value in yourself?
The confidence I’ve built over time. Choosing a career in meteorology required me to believe in myself before I fully believed I was capable of it. Looking back, I’m proud of myself for taking that leap and continuing to push through the moments when I doubted myself. I also value my passion for speaking up about women’s health. I know what it feels like to be left in the dark about what is happening with your own body, and that experience has made me passionate about bringing attention to health issues that women may not realize are common or may be hesitant to talk about. I hope that by being open about my own experiences, I can help make conversations about women’s health feel a little less intimidating.
What have been some of your recent challenges? Have you found any solutions? If so, what are they?
For years, I struggled with chronic exhaustion and fatigue, anxiety, and sudden weight gain that began after I was put on birth control to help manage some of those symptoms. I was eating well, exercising, and doing everything I thought I was supposed to do, yet I constantly felt exhausted and frustrated with my body. The first doctors I saw were dismissive, and I was often made to feel like what I was experiencing wasn’t a big deal.
Everything changed when I moved to Chattanooga and finally found doctors who listened and were willing to look deeper. After testing and further conversations, I finally had answers and was diagnosed with PCOS. Since then, the terminology has changed this year from PCOS to PMOS, or polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome, which reflects a broader understanding of the hormonal and metabolic factors involved.
The biggest solution has been learning to work with my body instead of constantly fighting against it. I’ve learned to listen to what my body needs, adjust my expectations, and find a healthier, more sustainable balance. Most importantly, that experience taught me how important it is to advocate for yourself and keep looking for answers when you know something isn’t right.
How do you approach emotional well-being?
By recognizing that I don’t have to handle everything on my own. One of the most important things I’ve learned is that asking for help is not a sign of weakness. Counseling has given me a space to better understand myself, work through things I’ve experienced, and look at situations from a different perspective. It has helped me become more self-aware and more intentional about how I respond to life’s challenges. Above all, my faith is the foundation of my emotional well-being. My relationship with God gives me perspective when I feel overwhelmed and reminds me that I don’t have to have everything figured out on my own. Prayer and my faith give me a sense of peace and grounding that I carry with me through both the difficult seasons and the good ones. For me, emotional wellness is a combination of being willing to do the work within myself, knowing when to ask for help, and having faith that I don’t have to carry everything alone.
What are your favorite ways to practice self-care?
One of the biggest changes I’ve made as I’ve gotten older is becoming much more intentional about managing my time, my energy, and my stress. I’m someone who loves to work hard and accomplish things, but I’ve also learned that I can’t do everything at once and do it all well. Sometimes the healthiest choice is to take a step back, finish what’s already on my plate, and give those things the time and energy they deserve. Learning to say no, take a break, or choose not to add another responsibility isn’t weakness. It’s learning how to make my life more sustainable.
I also love the simple things that make home feel like a sanctuary. Keeping a clean, cozy house, relaxing by the pool, spending time with my husband and our two cats, and getting outside for some sunshine are some of my favorite ways to reset. Staying active is another important part of my self-care. That might mean a hard workout, but it can also mean taking a walk or simply listening to what my body needs that day.
I think one of the biggest lessons I’ve learned is that rest is productive, too. I want to be ambitious, work hard, and accomplish big things, but I also want to have the energy and health to enjoy my life along the way. For me, self-care is about finding that balance and making choices today that allow me to keep showing up, doing my best, and taking care of myself for years to come.
