Stitch Fix $100 Credit - 24 Hours Only!!

Have you tried Stitch Fix?  I love to get a box now and again.  Just recently, I was offered $49 for an entire year of fixes (and that gets applied toward an order) so I have no reason not to get one each month!

It's so much fun to get that box in the mail!  I have not shopped in a store in quite some time and this is an extremely convenient way for your clothes to come to you to try on!  

Your fix is tailored to what you want and need. You can make a Pinterest board for your stylist to get ideas from or you can just tell them what types of things you are looking for.  As an example, I'm trying to simplify my wardrobe and only want basic prints in neutral colors.  They have done a great job of styling me!

Here is an example of one of my most recent fixes:

I've been given a link to share that allows you to get $100 in credit toward your first fix!  Normally these codes are given at the $25 level so this is huge!  This code is only valid for 24 hours though - so shop soon!

https://www.stitchfix.com/invite/tb4kz4jgdj?pbid=8935866&sod=w&som=c

Monday encouragement

Just in case you are feeling down, or anxious on this Monday morning.  Be reminded that in an earthly world of chaos and fear,  you can find your strength in our Savior.  Let love propel you in everything that you do.

What happened to kindness?

As I sift through news posts on social media, I read the comments just to get a feel for what the rest of the world is thinking or going through.  It helps me to feel connected, and not alone in what I am thinking and feeling.  The problem is that there are so many people who are so quick to attack another person because they dislike what they are saying or don't agree with them. 

I read a comment on a local news story about restaurants opening back up to 50% capacity this past Monday.  One women posted a comment about how happy she was to be able to dine out with her husband for their anniversary.  The follow-up comments from others were telling her that she was going to die, and wishing for her to become sick with the virus.  Really?  Even if you didn't agree with what she was doing or saying, couldn't you just say nothing?  It seems that this type of behavior is only getting worse.  I continue to see hateful and mean comments on every story that I come across.  People attacking people for no apparent reason.  

Are we forgetting that there are real people on the other end?

As a child, I was taught that if I could not say anything nice, then I should not say anything at all.  Were others not taught this principle? 

The mental health of this world is in a fragile state right now.  I'm not suggesting that we stop giving our opinions and having conversations.  I am suggesting that we be more respectful of others, and not spew hateful remarks.  There is a way to get your opinion across without telling someone they are an idiot or that you hope they die.  You never know what the person on the other end is going through.  You don't know their story, or the reasons why they have the opinions that they do. What if they have lost their job, have sick family members, their home is being foreclosed, they have an incurable disease or depression.  What if your remark is the final thing that causes them to feel like they just can't take anymore from this world?  What if instead, you wrote something kind and reassuring for this person to read?  Do you know how quickly kind comments can change someone's state of mind?

Please be kind with your words and your actions.  We are all human.

More change

I've been busy over the last couple of weeks!  I finished up a semester of classes, continued to work from home, perfected my face mask sewing and even found time to read a book that has been on my list.

Just when we are getting settled into what we think our lives look like now, we are faced with even more change.  Now it is time to slowly go back out into the world and discover yet another new normal.

I have finally adapted to working from home and find that I like being here.  Before the pandemic even, I was thinking that our world had everything all wrong.  We spend more time with people at work than we do with the people we love the most.  We spend more of our lives trying to earn a living than we do actually doing the things we love and doing work that matters in our communities. I had hoped that this pandemic would create change in that direction.

Don't get me wrong, I completely dislike the social distancing protocols and the fact that I can't go in to work if I need or want to.  But when it comes down to it, I will miss working from home and spending the days with my family as my co-workers.  I will miss not having obligations after work and on weekends because those have become times set aside for family and enjoying life.

I wanted the world to slow down, and it did, but it seems like everyone is ready to pick up right where they left off - right back into the exhausting fast pace that is our society.  We only get one life to live, and I think we should focus more on God and family and what good we can do.  Yes, we have to earn a living but that job shouldn't be the main point of our existence.  Just my opinions, of course.

Me and make-up free!

I cant tell you the last time I wore a full face of make-up.  There was a point where I could not leave the house without make-up on, but I'm quickly coming to the realization that I'm good without it.

I got to thinking, I don't care if my family sees me and my "make-up free" face and they are the most important people in the world to me.  So why do I care if the rest of the world sees me this way?  Am I afraid that people will not like me because I don't have my face slathered with a colored chemical concoction?

What is this obsession that we have with perfection?  It seems to be ingrained in our brains at a very young age that we have to hide our imperfections (or what we think are imperfections).  I think social media has contributed to this in a big way, and made it more difficult than ever to feel okay about how we look.  I've watched a few YouTube videos and women are putting on foundation, primer, concealer, highlight, contour, eye shadow, lash primer,  eye liner, mascara, blush, lip liner and lipstick - all in the same sitting.  This is their version of beautiful and perfect, but when they finish they look NOTHING like themselves!

I think we should go back to basics.  Less is more, at least that's how I was taught to apply make-up.

After being makeup free for weeks, I have found that my skin looks healthier and is breaking out less, even with all of the stress from current events.  I am starting to embrace who I am and actually like the way I look without make-up.  Don't get me wrong, I'm still going to wear a tinted lip balm and the occasional brush of mascara, but I'm not sure I will go back to a full foundation.

Maybe quarantine is giving us time to rediscover ourselves.  I would never have decided to give up make-up on a day where I was going to work.  Yes, there is the weekend, but two days is not enough to really see a big enough difference and get used to my "new skin".

Today I am grateful for time to rediscover myself and the opportunity to learn to love myself as I am.

What have you done over Quarantine?

When we all finally get to go back to work and see our "work friends", I think it will be much like when we were in elementary school and came back from summer break.  We were so excited to tell everyone about the things we had done and the places we had been and we wanted to hear all about their adventures too!  The only difference here is that the only place we have been is home!

Sitting back and looking at the photos on my phone I realize that I have had a "summer vacation" of sorts.  My family has done so many things that we probably would not have had the time to do otherwise.  We have gone for walks, baked unicorn cookies, played all kinds of games (both video and board), gave the dog a (bad) haircut, painted rooms, learned to make face masks, and even tried to hydro dip my daughters Vans.

As much as this situation is testing my ability to stay sane, the extra time and adventures with my family are helping to ground me.  In the midst of a 5-Alarm anxiety attack, I have had to make a conscious effort to stop and remember that a blessing also comes from this tragedy. My life has slowed down and even though I am working and going to school, I now have that time that I was so desperately missing with my family.

I've said it before, but anxiety is hard and unpredictable. If you are able to step outside of it for just a second and grab on to something that will pull you back to the ground, you might be able to pull yourself out of a full-blown anxiety attack.  It's taken me a lot of years to figure out how to do this, and sometimes I just can't do it, but it is worth trying even if it works once in awhile.

Today I am grateful for my family, the extra time we have together right now and the memories we are creating.

Virtually me

This is how we interact with each other now.  Zoom, Skype and FaceTime.  I spend a lot of time looking into that tiny dot on my laptop or iPad and "meeting" with co-workers.

I'm an introvert.  For me, this virtual meeting stuff actually requires more energy than meeting in person.  I feel more vulnerable because my every move is projected on someone else's screen.  A screen that they are sitting and staring at because I'm not in the same room. It's funny, I actually find myself looking at my own screen more than that of the other person because I want to make sure I'm not doing something stupid or embarrassing on my end.  I'm probably more focused on than than I am on the other person.  I wonder if that goes both ways?

Dear Skype and Zoom software people,

Your background effects and filters are great, but could you please create filters or masks for our faces too?  I would like to be Chewbacca or Sophia from the Golden Girls.

Sincerely,
Me

Anxiety is for real

Anxiety is real.  I can't control it.  I clench my jaw so hard it makes my teeth hurt.  My heart palpitates uncontrollably.  I can't focus.  I'm on edge.  I'm living inside my head.

What I just described is my worst day.  I wish I could tell you that these symptoms only come on when I'm super stressed our during a traumatic situation, but that wouldn't be the truth.  These symptoms can come on with no warning, and with no real reason.  In traumatic situations they are magnified x 10.

Yesterday, our Social Distancing requirements were extended by the President until April 30th.  I do love my family and being at home, but I am more than ready to be released from house arrest.  This news has caused, you guessed it, more anxiety.  I'm doing my best not to let it consume me like the giant T-Rex that it is, but it's taking everything I have.

In search of a little encouragement today, I chose to read Philippians 4:6-7 where Paul offers some very good advice:

6 Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. 7 Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.

I think I may print this verse and hang it at my desk. I know that this works, as I have experienced God's peace and and it is wonderful. It's like weight is physically lifted off of your shoulders and you can breathe freely again.

Today I am grateful for some extra time to read the Bible and refocus.  

I encourage you to be mindful of the people around you and what they might be going through.  It might be different than what you are experiencing.  Offer encouragement and reassurance - you have no idea how much receiving this helps a persons anxiety.

I feel a little defeated today

A couple of responses to the HBR article that I shared in a previous post have rubbed me the wrong way.

My point in sharing the article was that maybe it could help even one person to deal with some small nugget of what is going on in their lives right now, because it helped me.  One response took pity on those of us who are having an emotional reaction.  I realize that everyone deals with stuff like this in their own way, but let's not look down on others for the way they are dealing.  If this isn't affecting you mentally or emotionally, I'm genuinely happy for you.

But pity? I don't need your pity.  I need you to realize that mental health issues are a very real thing and is already a major problem in this country.  Do you think that there won't be a million new mental health issues once we are all released from our home imprisonment?  Do you think that everything will just magically go back to exactly the way things were before all of this?  If so, can I come live in your land of rainbows and magical unicorns?

Please don't downplay the importance of taking care of your mental health.  It's the core of who you are.  You put so much thought into what you feed your body and effort in to exercising to keep your body in shape.  What about your mind?

And please, if you take nothing else away from this post, take this:  Please do not ever make someone feel bad for admitting they have any mental or emotional health issue.  Applaud them, encourage them and offer to assist in finding them the right resources.  NEVER TREAT THEM AS THOUGH THEY ARE BROKEN OR SOMETHING IS WRONG WITH THEM.  We all struggle from time to time and some of us just need a little more help than others to get through it.

Today I am grateful that I was taught early on that mental health is not an off-limits subject.  I'm grateful that I have people to talk to who don't make me feel like something is wrong with me.

Here are a few links if you are interested in learning more about how to cope with the mental and emotional effects of this pandemic:

CDC managing stress and anxiety

National Alliance on Mental Illness

Suicide Prevention Lifeline - Emotional Well being during COVID-19  This one has TONS of resources!

A new hobby?

There has been a huge call from the healthcare industry for those who sew to make masks.  My mom has quickly jumped on that bandwagon and is making masks while she is at home.  Her 9 to 5 job is a hairdresser but due to the regulations put in place with the Shelter in Place order in Michigan she finds herself out of a job at the moment.  She wasted no time getting to work on masks and didn't hesitate to send me a somewhat creepy selfie.

I find myself feeling a little helpless these days.  I can't do anything to help this pandemic, other than staying at home.  I have plenty to do between work, school and keeping my house from looking like a war zone as a result of my family being home 24/7 but I still feel like I need to do something for the greater good.  With a little guidance from my mom, my family and I have decided to tackle this face mask project over the weekend.  We will see how that goes - I'm a scrapbooker, not a seamstress so this will really be testing my abilities!

Today I am grateful for people coming together and trying to help others.  I am grateful for the healthcare providers and first-responders for standing on the front lines during this war against COVID-19.


We all know someone who is working on the front lines of this pandemic.  I encourage you to reach out (but not closer than six feet) and let them know how much you appreciate their sacrifices.

Apparently, we are all grieving.

Someone dear to me shared an article with me today.  A reputable article, from the Harvard Business Review.  It describes what we are feeling as grief.  We grieve for the way things used to be, for the things we used to do, for our normal lives. But we also have grief over what's going to happen next. 

I know some of the grief I have is over what my life used to be like; you know the swanky parties and endless trips around the world.  But seriously, I miss having dinner and drinks in a restaurant with my husband. Now all we can do is order takeout and pull up to the curb to pick it up.  I miss Saturday morning shopping at Target with my Starbucks (yes, I'm that person). Shopping now, is no longer fun but something I have anxiety about.  I miss the simple things.

The article goes on to say that we can deal better with grief if we name it.  I think it somehow gives it less power over us when we do that.  I guess that's what I am trying to do in this blog.

I worry about the mental state of the people in our country.  I did not feel like we were in such a good place before all of this happened.  I fear that this may be too much for people.

Today I am grateful for people in my life who send me articles like this.  I'm grateful to know that someone truly cares about my well-being.

I encourage you to talk to others about your anxiety and grief.  You will instantly realize that everyone else is feeling the same way - YOU ARE NOT ALONE.

If you would like to read the article, you can do so by clicking HERE.

So this is life now...

So this is life now.  COVID-19 has penetrated the US and many of us are working from our homes rather than going to our places of business.  Our children are attending school via online classes while we learn to become teachers on the fly. I hope you all remember that algebra and geometry that you learned in middle school.  You said you would never need it but today's the day!

We are trying hard to adjust to our new "normal", which has not been easy.  I have experienced so many emotions during the last week; so much anxiety about the well-being of our country and its people.  Much of this emotion is uncontrollable.  I feel things and don't understand why I feel them.  My body is rejecting the changes and the stress said changes are causing.  I'm having a physical reaction to this virus and I don't even have it!

As Americans we often feel like we are safe from the things that other cultures experience such as war, frequent terrorism and even famine.  For me, at least, that feeling of security has currently (and hopefully only temporarily) left the building.

All we can do right now is push forward.  Continue working at home as much as we can.  Spend extra time with our children and be that stay-at-home parent we secretly envy when we are at work.  Be kind to others because we are all in this together.  Pray, because if we feel secure in our relationship with God, we know that whatever storms come our way, we are on a path that He has made for us.  There is a purpose to all of this, even if we don't understand what it is at this moment.

Above all, let's stop and be grateful for what we have. 

Today I am grateful to work for an organization that is supporting its employees through this rough time.