My Life

Worrying Will Never Change the Outcome

From the outside looking in, I may seem put together and have what seems to be a perfect life. I run a successful blog, have a “dream job”, get to travel to different locations and attend shows and meet various people, have a perfect family, a supportive church…. on the outside, yes, this may seem perfect to those who don’t know me. I don’t try to put on a show, by any means, but I suppose to the outsider it looks like things are going well in my life.
worry

Dig a little deeper and there is a whole slew of pains, issues and challenges that I go through regularly. Back in August, I have a pretty major car accident {post here} that changed my life. One would think that life would be back-to-normal now, but it isn’t. I still deal with reoccurring physical pains and complications, health conditions that have changed since the accident, and I haven’t been behind the wheel successfully in a long, long time. I haven’t ever had a panic attack until recently and boy, they are not fun.

In the next few weeks, there will be a lot of changes in my life and if I’m being honest, I’m worried. The people who regularly give me rides will be gone and I’m needing to figure out transportation for the next month. How will I get to the various places I need to go? {I live in a rural area and buses don’t come out this far}

It’s actually more than even this…. will I ever be able to drive by myself again? Will I be able to go through the rest of my life without pain? Will I get back to “normal” again? Will even the mere thought of driving alone not terrify me? Will I find someone who accepts my physical issues and love me despite them? Granted, the last one is not something I should even think about right now, but I’d be lying if I said it hasn’t crossed my mind.

I KNOW that I serve a God who is faithful and can allow good things to come from horrible tragedies and circumstances. I KNOW that God has a plan in all of this. I KNOW that I have people around me that love and support me. I KNOW that my God loves me and isn’t purposely allowing this to make my life horrible.

Am I still worried out of my mind at how everything will work out these next few weeks, months and years? Absolutely. I can’t and won’t deny that. Do I believe that God will work it all out in His perfect plan? Yes.

I have and always will try to be transparent with you all. On the other side of this blog, there’s a girl who is ordinary, has been going through struggles and is still trying to figure out her place in this great big world we live in.

Even though I haven’t fully conquered my worrying state of being, I’m trying. I do know that it doesn’t change anything if I worry or not- how is it that I still let it take control? It’s horrible for my health, doesn’t help my mental state and it really is just a roller coaster for my emotions. Blog friends, let’s try to tackle this nuisance called worry together.

Are you struggling with worry in some area of your life? Have you overcome worry in the past? If you feel like sharing, I would love to hear your story. You can leave a comment or send me an email.

That’s pretty much my heart on a platter right now. I hope that I didn’t scare too many of you away with how personal I get sometimes. This is me: real.

The next time I write, I’ll be back with a more chipper crafty post. Promise.

*photo at the top taken by Krista

My Life

COURAGE

courage3

At the beginning of the year, I did a blog post about my word for 2013. I’m really glad that I chose this word- it’s been a good reminder these last few weeks to take heart and find courage.

As I was laying in bed the other day, I started to jot down notes about my word. Since I try to be open and transparent with you all, I thought I would share some of the ways I plan on being courageous this year.

Courage to believe in myself
Courage to fulfill my goals
Courage to face my health issues
Courage to be optimistic about the future
Courage to have faith during difficult times
Courage to have big dreams in all aspects of my life
Courage to believe in people
Courage to take my blog to an even higher level
Courage to believe God has a plan in everything

Many of you have shared some of you words for 2013- change, trust, hope, faith, joy, strength, patience, loving- all of those are fantastic. If you didn’t share you word earlier, I would LOVE to hear it! Or if you did share it, I would love to hear how you plan on putting your word to action.

I’m thrilled that many of you have taken on different challenges with me. Whether it be to better yourself personally, saving for the future or creating a better atmosphere for those around us. I honestly LOVE hearing about you and your journeys and the things you’re learning and how you’re growing. Thank you for sharing your lives with me. You all mean so much to me. Truly.

Misc. | My Life

Saving Money in 2013

It’s not a secret to those around me that I like to spend money. One of my love languages is gift giving, which can include presents for holidays, unexpected gifts or buying a coffee or meal for someone I’m meeting with. None of these are bad things, but it’s also not great when these things prevent you from saving for your future.

I was talking with my sister recently and she asked if I wanted to do a money challenge with her. I hesitantly asked what exactly she was talking about. She said she had found a chart on Pinterest about a “new” way to save and by the end of the year, you would have over $1300. I was interested, for sure.

Back story: my sister has ALWAYS been good about saving money, even growing up. She lived minimally and this has helped her as she recently got married. On the other hand, if I were to get married tomorrow {don’t worry, I’m not}, I would be in trouble.

I took a look at my sister’s pin, but unfortunately, it doesn’t link to the original person who started this. Upon looking all over Google, I still wasn’t able to find the direct source. I did, however, find the less busy chart below.

Since I enjoy sharing the different aspects of my life, I thought I would share this with you. Yes, I do have a savings account and I will still be setting funds aside there. However, I love the idea of having another place for savings that involves small increments each week.

We are on the third week in 2013, so I have $6 in my savings jar. It makes me excited to see those little dollars bills adding up and knowing I’ll have accumulated more than $1300 by the end of the year.

Want to take on this challenge with me? With a new year in full gear, let’s make it a year of GOOD habits and bettering ourselves. :)

My Life

2012 in Review

This year has been full of unexpected changes, new experiences, memorable moments and stepping outside my comfort zone. Since today is the last day of 2012, I thought I would look back on some of the biggest moments, both here on the blog and in my personal life. If you’re new here, this is a great time to see what my blog is all about, and see some of the biggest moments of 2012.

GETTING MORE PERSONAL…..

Back in April, I did a pretty major change here on Pretty Pink Posh and switched from a craft blog to a blog that encompasses both personal posts and crafting posts. During that time, a lot of things were changing in my life and I wanted to share those things with you. It was in these posts that I got to share my heart, experiences and struggles. It hasn’t always been easy to open up, but I’m so thankful for this opportunity to share with you in a more personal way. In fact, I’ve heard from some that they now enjoy the personal posts more than the crafty ones! Here were some of the most popular ones of 2012:

This year one of the most unexpected things was getting into a major car accident in August {update here}. Never in a million years would I have expected I would STILL be dealing with physical ailments and difficulties from it. The road has been long and left me weary, however I am so thankful for the amazing friends & family that has helped me along the way.

CRAFTY CREATIONS…..

I can’t do a year in review without posting some of my favorites creations of this year. My crafting style is constantly changing, so it’s always fun to see how it’s changed. {Click on the photos to go to the direct posts}

10 Minute Craft Dash…..

Back in August, my friend Ginny and I started the 10 Minute Craft Dash. We both knew it was a great concept and it blew us away at how receptive you all were to the challenge. Since then, Ginny had to step down from her position in the challenge to move onto new things. It was during this change that I thought long and hard about the direction I wanted to take the growing challenge. I made the decision to continue on with the challenge and have since lined up amazing assortment of sponsors through June 2013. Another new change: offering the very first DT call. I’m so excited to see where the challenge goes and getting the opportunity to work with talented designers in 2013!

WHAT’S COMING IN 2013..

As I mentioned above, I’ll continue on with the 10 Minute Craft Dash and also still be doing the monthly Featured Blogger and Random Loves posts. You can also count on new crafty projects, new posts on the things I’m learning and then of course, there will be many surprises. As the blog continues to grow, it’ll bring on new opportunities. I still have dreams for this blog– I’m hoping that some of them will come true this upcoming year!

{I know I posted this image before, but I thought it appropriate to post it again}

I am so incredibly grateful for each and every one of you. Your support, comments, emails, kind words- they all mean so much to me. I have made countless friends through this blog and I am looking forward to making even more in the new year. If YOU know someone who would enjoy the blog, I would love for you to send them over. My favorite saying here on the blog, “The more, the merrier”. :)

I hope that you all have an incredible 2013; I’m looking forward to getting to know you better!

Uncategorized

Christmas Is Not About Gifts…..

I will be the first to admit that I love buying gifts for people, almost to a fault. I love showing the people I hold dear how much they mean to me- in cards, random acts of kindness and gifts. Showing them in tangible ways how much I treasure our relationship is definitely my love language.

It’s so easy during this time of year to get caught up in the busyness of the season. Buying presents, sending out cards, Christmas parties, holiday baking…… I’ll admit, I sometimes find myself getting sucked into all of it as well. This year, since I was relying on everyone else for rides to get presents, I was getting really starting to get stressed out that it all wouldn’t get done. In the craziness, I had to step back and remember what the TRUE meaning of the season is. Sure, it’s fun to take part of the hustle and bustle, but really this season is so much more than this.

TREASURE the precious moments you have with your loved ones and friends. I know that this year has been financially tough on many- DON’T stress about the presents. Those who are around you {who truly care about you} don’t want things, they want quality time and moments to create memories. How do I know? Every loved one around me has said these words to me.

Tomorrow I’ll be posting a list of some special things you can do {with young and old} to create memories. They won’t necessarily be things just for the Christmas season- there will be things that can be done throughout the year as well.

I’m hoping each of you will join me tomorrow- you can help list items that I missed! :) I hope you all are enjoying this special holiday season this year. So glad you decided to spend a little bit of time with me today!

My Life

Health Update

Before I start on my post, thank you from the very bottom of my heart to those who have mailed cards, sent emails or tweets, called or sent a text, or left comments here. I wish I could tell you how much these things mean to me. Since I’m not able to do a lot, it’s these interactions that make me feel like I’m still part of the human race.

It’s been twelve weeks since the accident {story here}. I’ve posted little updates, but I thought I would post everything up-to-date here. Please know I’m not posting this to have a pity party, or try to get sympathy…..I’ve had numerous people ask for an update, so I figured a post would be the best way.

After the accident I was sore and really tired, but it didn’t appear like there was much physical damage. About a week later, everything set in and I was really sore and in a lot of pain. I couldn’t move my neck at all {literally} and my left shoulder was practically to my chin since things were out of place. After a couple weeks of 6x a week of chiropractor appointments and massage therapy, I was able to start moving a little more than before. Driving was something far from my mind since I was still suffering from dizziness and nausea, not to mention major anxiety over driving since I was having flashbacks.

About a month after the accident, I started to feel even better so I started driving and life was semi-normal. Granted, I was still suffering from migraines, some nausea, soreness and dizziness, but it was bearable enough to start working more hours and get back to some of my old activities. I wish I could tell you how excited I was when I was able to drive to church by myself. MAJOR rejoicing.

While I was still rejoicing over feeling more normal, I had a set-back….a major one. I was driving home from work and then I felt super dizzy, nauseous, my vision started to blur and I couldn’t think straight. I pulled off to the side of the road and called my parents to pick me up. It was so discouraging and I felt completely deflated. Was hoping it was just a one day fluke and I would be back to normal…..sadly, that wasn’t the case.

It’s been about six weeks since I last drove and I’m still suffering from periodic nausea/ dizziness/ blurred vision, migraines, not being able to fully concentrate or retain memories and a lot of back pain. Sadly, my body hasn’t really been able to heal properly since I’m not able to sleep longer than a couple hours before waking up. The feeling of being so tired and not being able to sleep= frustrating.

We are still trying to figure out WHY I passed out in the first place. We thought it could have been an allergic reaction, but after an extensive allergy test, it didn’t turn out to be that. I had three MRIs, an EKG, two blood panel tests, a test for my nerves and those didn’t bring any answers either. One doctor suggested something I might have, but this isn’t a definite answer. Still doing some research and getting other opinions.

Tomorrow I have an appointment with a doctor who came highly recommended. I’m optimistic since I’ve heard great things– praying we can get some answers. Even if some of the ailments go away, that would be amazing. It’s all of them together that make day-to-day life rough.

That’s the short version of the story. You all are the best blog followers a girl could ever ask for. Again, thank you to those who have checked in on me and been keeping me in your thoughts and prayers. It means so much. If anything changes, you can be sure I’ll give you an update! :)

My Life

Influence

Hello and Happy Monday!

Recently, I’ve had different emails and conversations with others and they’ve said that I have somehow inspired/ influenced them. Whether it be challenging them to grow {in their faith or thinking} or possibly in their fitness goals. I won’t lie, I NEVER in a million years would have thought I would have an influence on someone.

If you’ve followed my blog, you know that I do quite a few posts under the “My Life” tab section. These posts are based on things that I am going through, learning or things I’ve gone through in the past. These posts tend to be the “hardest” ones to write, since they hit so close to home, but I also have received the most feedback from them. I’m amazed at how many struggles, or things I am going through, others can relate to.

Going back to the topic……When I received the emails, I stopped in my tracks. Wait, me? Influence someone? I never really thought little ‘ol me would have any sort of impact. I have tried my best to write posts that would inspire people, but I guess I never heard a lot of feedback so I didn’t think they made much of a difference. It’s funny how even in the midst of quietness, there are things working……

Reading from various blog readers that I have challenged/ influenced them was eye opening. Granted, I have always wanted to do this, but actually hearing that I DO was so humbling. In the midst of living life and just “doing my thing”, I was influencing people and didn’t even realize it. I won’t lie, knowing that people look up to me makes me think twice about everything I do/ say.

In my day to day life, I try to have a positive outlook on life and be encouraging to people as much as possible.Yes, I realize I fail many times. Life isn’t always rainbows and butterflies but I want to be one of the people to brighten someone’s day, give a hug or smile when needed, or be a positive role model. Goodness knows we have enough “bad ones” out there on tv and in the limelight.

People may be watching you at work/ school/ church/ on your blog, are you using your influence for good?

Gals that are reading this, if you are one of the people who have emailed, thank you. You have made my heart swell with gratitude and brought new perspective to everything I do and say.

I’m looking forward to reading your comments on these answers. We are all works in progress and I think it’s important to see the areas we need to work on. Thanks for stopping by and visiting me today!

My Life

Car Accident

There are some things you never want to be involved in. One of them: being in a car accident. The story I have for you may sound crazy or unbelievable, but I promise it’s the truth.

On Thursday, I had my full work day. It was a good day and I was so excited to start my weekend off afterwards with a trip to Target, my favorite store. I was making my way there and started to not feel very good, so I headed in the direction of home. I was feeling clammy, nauseous and dizzy on the drive home and was planning to pull off into a driveway to rest. As I was praying to get parked safely, the next thing I know I can’t see anymore and I’m waking up to a stranger talking to me. “Are you okay? Do you know where you are?- those were the first things I heard when I gained consciousness. After coming to, I learned I had passed out while driving. There was someone talking to the 911 dispatcher, people peering out of their apartments and many people gathering around my car.

Many moments later, the paramedics came and started taking vitals and information. Shortly after, a police officer came and got details and started assessing the damage. The miracle? I had crossed FOUR lanes of traffic (crossing the street with oncoming traffic coming towards me), jumped the curb, narrowly missed a tree and hit two parked cars. On top of that, this is one of the busiest streets in the city I was in and there are practically always pedestrians walking on the sidewalks. It’s a miracle that I didn’t get hit by an oncoming car, didn’t hit any walking pedestrians or hit the tree. Everyone around kept stating that they didn’t know how there wasn’t more damage.

It’s another miracle that I didn’t get more injured. In all reality I shouldn’t still be alive. I know for a fact that angels were watching over me. I went to the doctor on Friday and thus far, there isn’t any signs of lasting injuries. I’m SUPER sore, exhausted, dizzy and nauseous, but I know it could be so much worse. I think the fact that I wasn’t conscious helped since I wasn’t able to tense up beforehand. Also, I was wearing a seat belt so I didn’t fly out the window.

I never wanted to be in an accident- after nine years of driving, I haven’t ever been in an accident while I was the driver. Yes, all of this is a hassle, the pain is almost unbearable today and it’s not cool that my car has to be in the shop. However, I’m blessed to be alive. I’m thankful that my friend was able to come quickly and help talk with insurance while I was still recovering, that my sister was able to come from Seattle and take care of me that night, that there are no broken bones, all the cars involved are still drivable and overall everything should be okay within a few weeks.

I’ve been on mostly on my back these last few days- standing and walking aren’t things I can do for very long right now. I would so appreciate prayers for healing and the pain, along with being able to get back to “normal life” soon. I have a test coming soon to see if they know why I passed out, so I’m hoping that will answer questions.

I’m hoping that I can do what I normally do, but just bear with me if there are gaps between posts. :) I’ll be in contact with Ginny so we can announce the winner of the 10 Minute Craft Dash in the next day or two.

I know this is a super long post and I should go lay down again. I’ll talk with you all soon.

*updates can be found HERE, HERE and HERE.