I'm a big picture kind of girl.
As Jon Acuff explains in his book, Start, there are "how" people and there are "wow" people. "Wow" people think of big, grand ideas, and "how" people are the ones who can build the steps to get there.
I'm a wow-er.
I can dream up some mega-plans! (ok, re-read the word "mega-plans" in a deep, echoing voice, and maybe picture the hulk ripping his shirt off or something.)
But when it comes to figuring out the steps to get there, I get frustrated. (Reason number 1923834745785 why I love Brett. He is a "how" person and can logistics his way out of a paper bag!.....i know. That is super grammatically incorrect.)
Sometimes on my journeys to greatness, I get frustrated that ALL OF THE AMAZING THINGS aren't happening RIGHT THIS VERY SECOND.
That is a problem.
When we focus too much on the end goal, we forget to appreciate our small victories.
We also forget that those small victories help us to get to that sweat-dripping, fear-crushing, tear-running, photo finish.
Today, my blood glucose levels were good. After a terrible endocrinologist appointment last month, you'd think I would really enjoy that! But I was so focused on work, and the Start Experiment, and my several meetings I have coming up, that it took me until 3:30 pm to stop and say "Yes!! YES YES YES!"
That is a total of 8 and a half hours of not appreciating a great thing.
The sad thing is, I've gone longer, much longer, without appreciating great things, because at the time, I thought of them as insignificant. Because those victories weren't the fireworks I had been so focused on.
Stop and think about all of the terrific things that happened today. No matter how itty-bitty. Appreciating the small wins in life makes the ginormous triumphs even sweeter!
What have you overlooked today?
Since my last posts about my tragic eye injury, I've gained new readers. (Say it with me.."welcome new readers!")
So for those of you who have no idea what's going on, you can read part 1 here.
You can read why I wanted to punch a wall here.
And you can feel super bad for me by reading here.
And now, the saga continues...
Two weeks ago I went to see a corneal specialist. In what I thought would be a last ditch effort before surgery, he decided to switch up my eye drops and ointments.
It didn't work.
I had an appointment today, in which I was anticipating scheduling surgery because let's face it, it's been three months, I've tried everything, and I've still not healed.
NOPE.
Noe nope nope nope.
He decides to put a contact lens bandage on. (Tried it...twice. Didn't work. Did he even read the notes from my eye doctor?)
I get it. We are trying to avoid surgery. Because surgery sucks. They basically have to give me another corneal abrasion to allow my eye to heal. And it is pretty much the most painful thing I've ever endured. Ever.
HOWEVER.
It HAS been three months.
I want to be able to wake up in the morning and not physically hold one eye down while I wait for the "juices" to get going. I don't want to spend 1984875683 minutes a day putting in eye drops. I don't want to move my eyes like a crazy person every 5 minutes just to avoid pain.
I know that surgery is the only thing that will heal me. in a decent amount of time. (Let's be real. A "decent amount of time" has passed. It has passed HARD.)
So we'll see how it goes in two weeks. If he tries to stall anymore, I'm gonna straight up rip out my eye ball right in front of him. Then he HAS to do something. Right? Right.
A couple of weeks ago, Jon Acuff posted a blog that said something like this:
24 people. 24 days. Guaranteed risk. Dragons. Wizards. Machetes. This message will self destruct in 24 hours. Sign up now.
Ok. I made some of that up. (interestingly enough, not the machete part.) But the point is the same.
So I signed up.
Here's what is going to happen:
I'm going to be on a "team" with 23 other dream chasers from the Nashville area. I'll have an accountability buddy. Each day we will send each other an idea, words of encouragement, or something else to help them with their dream.
I got to choose my own goal for the 24 days. Mine is to blog EVERY day of those 24 days.
We will get an email from Jon each day with a "new challenge, point of encouragement or other such awesomeness"
I am excited! I don't know where this is going to take me, but I do know I'll at least be closer to my goal. *excited squeal*
Well, folks...it's official.
I have turned 27. I'm in my late-twenties.
I know how ridiculous this post is going to sound to some of you, but just bear with me here.
My mid-twenties were the best and worst years of my life. It was filled with confusion, sadness, and anger. But it was also filled with love, fulfilling relationships, hope, and a brand new start.
I was just stupid and completely clueless in my early twenties.
So what will I write when I turn 30? How will I describe my late-twenties? I can't predict the future, but I think it will go something like this:
My mid-twenties were the best years of my life. It's when love grew into something I didn't know was even possible. It's when I switched my life from average to awesome. It's when I stopped dreading Sunday nights and started looking forward to "work." It's when Brett bought me a VW Bug in every color!
Ok, I got a little carried away on the last part. It's unrealistic. His driveway is not that big.
But the rest of it? I can do that.
We often think that we can't control what happens in our lives because we can't control the situations that arise around us. And that is true-- to an extent.
What we CAN control is how we react to those situations. We can control our attitude. And sometimes, my friends, that makes ALL the difference.
I know what I want to achieve in the next few years. And I know that as long as I keep a positive attitude and surround myself with support and encouragement, I can achieve whatever I want.
Here's to 27! May it be the start of the very best years of my life.
Sometimes, we all need to proudly proclaim what we're good at. We are scared to, because, then we just sound like we are bragging, which has a negative connotation. But you know what? We NEED to brag. We need to OWN what we're good at! So...go ahead and brag! What are you amazing at??
One month ago, I attended my first 5 Club meeting with Jon Acuff.
He's motivational, inspirational, REAL, and downright hilarious.
Since that meeting (and since I've read his books) I've decided to stop hiding from my dream and start going for it.
And you know what happened?
Progress happened.
All of the sudden, other bloggers are retweeting me. People are sharing my blog posts. I MORE than doubled my blog views from the first 6 months of the year in only 25 days.
And all it took was a little push from this local author and speaker.
If you are ready to punch fear in the face, and learn how to get on the fast track to awesome, get up super early with me tomorrow!
Register here. It's from 5 am to 7 am. It's free. It's early. It's worth it.
Ok, this post is not actually a thorough explanation of why I am a Christian. But, it's a story, that might help you understand.
I've had kind of a no good very bad day. I kind of had that day yesterday. And had a couple of those days last week. And heck, for the past 2 months, I've had some serious down days.
Let's go back to last week. I call my insulin pump supplier to order more supplies and to switch over my insurance. (because supposedly, I "only" had to wait 5 months for them to start paying for my diabetes supplies.)
To make a long story short after speaking with a bazillion different people, and after a lot of frustration, and a few tears, it turns out that they are not going to pay until January 1, 2014.
My blood sugar levels are MUCH better controlled while on the insulin pump. But because my supplies are SO expensive off of insurance, I wouldn't be able to afford it. (No one would.) And I'd have to go back on shots.
Going back on shots means taking shots 6 times per day. That means interrupting my daily life 6 times every day to go to the bathroom, draw up insulin, and inject myself. I'm a busy person. Sometimes I miss a shot. Or sometimes I'll skip a meal so I don't have to take a shot. Or sometimes I'll just downright not take it "because I don't wanna."
None of those are healthy. I knew it would take a LOT of work to try and control my diabetes while on shots.
So I call my doctor's office this morning, to explain the situation and confirm my off-pump regimen. She says she will confirm with my doctor and then call me back.
She called me back this afternoon.
Someone JUST donated the EXACT amount of supplies I would need to cover me until my insurance starts paying for my supplies.
If that's not God saying "Hey, I'm looking out for ya, kid."....I don't know what is.
I'm a Christian because my faith gives me hope. Because I believe that I am always taken care of. And I like those feelings.
