16 years ago today I was in cosmetology school. I have been in the beauty industry my whole life. 

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My mom is the creator of aesthetics schools in the state. 

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I thought I wanted to do hair, oh no!! I was the poster child for what “Not” to do. Don’t get me wrong, I love the beauty industry. My ex husband and I even owned and operated an aesthetician school. 

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I quickly learned that the beauty industry is a creative art. I’m not good at that, my mom is the queen of that department. I loved the feeling of helping people. I used to do “fat melting and body cavitation” ABSOLUTELY LOVE that service. Ask me later about that! 

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I have struggled with being grateful for the accomplishments and my “wins” in life.  I ran a successful body redefined business during my divorce. 

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A few years when I realized that I was not in a good place in my life or my marriage, since that moment, I realized it was time I should start to live for me and go after my dreams. 

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What are my dreams? I have no idea! I still don’t really know. I know that I love to lead people at church and I know that I love to write my silliness. 

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Since that moment last year I have accomplished some pretty cool things and yet none of them I view as successes until now in this past year:

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I learned how to truly love myself . I mean I still struggle cause I always put my kids first on their needs and wants but I’m definitely in a better place than I was.

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I learned what emotional/verbal abuse is and I know I don’t deserve that. It’s rough when you have no idea you were in it and then you’re not in that relationship anymore and BOOM it hits you like a speeding train. I thought that’s how all marriages were. I thought all husbands called their wife’s “worthless, stupid, fat, ugly and a few and even some made up sear words”

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I helped by impacting people’s lives while leading Rooted at church. What is Rooted you ask? It’s an 11 week discipleship on how to better build a relationship with Jesus Christ, your Lord and Savior. I think that this is my favorite thing so far at church. Well, and that I work there.

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I started my own blog to help others through telling my own story  

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I started a family tradition. Everyday, well almost everyday we as a family will make fun happen. We have #30minoffamilyfun it is so cool. Did not think I would enjoy it at all but I do. The kids do too, well most of them, that teenager is being a teen at her finest.

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I fell in love!! This one is my favorite. I didn’t even know that I could do that and guess what? He truly loves me for me. I KNOW (Monica voice) I think I’m kinda cool.

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And I realized who I really need my life. It’s cool to have 5000 or more friends on social media but how many of them are your family? That is the question. I can honestly say that I have a handful of friends who love me for me. It really is better to have that few than trying to impress the 5000 on social media.

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I didn’t know how to celebrate the good things other than my kids birthdays.

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A couple days ago I told my husband I was going to start a blog. He said “I don’t know why you haven’t already, go for it, you’ll be great” My husband is a great encourager!! I said really? He said ” Yes, look at how many people came up to you at church and asked either why you haven’t posted or I cant wait to see what the next post is” I didn’t realize people were watching what I do. I didn’t realize I was impacting people. I didn’t realize people wanted to see this crazy.

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And I think we should all write blogs.

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So set goals for yourself. Celebrate your victories no matter how small they are. And don’t wait until New Years to set them like I used to.

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Start now. 

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What are you currently working towards? What’s on your vision board or bucket list?