Authenticity in the World of Social Media.

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After hearing that CHILDREN and teen suicide rates have greatly increased in the social media era--in large part because of the often unrealistic, perfect-seeming and unobtainable standards that are portrayed & shared--I made this video in an effort for me to personally be more authentic on social media for the people in my sphere of influence. Recording in my PJs with a day old hairdo and makeup and giving a mini tour of my MESSY house contributed to those efforts ;0)

As I mention in the video, I LOVE beautiful things. I love designing cute invitations, throwing themed and coordinated events and decorating my house for each holiday and season. It's easy for me to only post the beautiful, "perfect"-looking parts of my life. But I desire to make positive waves with authenticity, to liberate myself from unobtainable standards and feel comfortable & confident in my skin AND to allow allow others to do the same.

If you take a look at how your life is portrayed, could it use a reality check? Could it use a little more vulnerability and a few less perfectly posed pictures?

Honestly, for most of my life I've been SO paralyzed by the THOUGHT of what others were thinking of me (I'm still working on that!). I worked so desperately to please everyone and to portray my most put together and "perfect" self. In college I'd even Photoshop out blemishes before posting pictures of myself online. Well you know what, upholding that kind of façade is EXHAUSTING because it's not real! It has been incredibly liberating to do Facebook lives right after rolling out of bed, when my microbladed eyebrows (I don't have real eyebrows, can we say anxiety-induced trichotillomania??) are all goopy after my touch up appointment, or when looking ~~amazing~~ amazingly flushed after a jog & sharing how I wanted a new GI tract for Christmas. It's the real me! There are no pretenses to keep up.

We all have flaws, insecurities and weaknesses! The more we're able to face them, allow them and share them, the more freedom we'll experience.

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GIVEAWAY! CLOSED

(See Introduction video here) On my journey for greater overall health, my sister introduced me to Lauren Daigle. Have you heard her music before?? I fell in LOVE with it, bought her CD and have been listening to it on repeat for almost 2 months! Her voice is beautiful, her lyrics are so inspired and uplifting and her music is energizing. I've been buying copies and sharing them with close family and friends (in fact in my intro video I'm holding up a print out of her album because I recently gave my copy away too.) AND decided I want to share the love with one of YOU & one of your friends. SO, the Giveaway WINNER will get 2 copies of the album mailed directly to their house. TEN Ways to Enter the Giveaway: (You can enter as many times as is specified below BUT only comments listed below on this post will be counted) 1) Watch my intro video (linked above) and comment below on what brought you here to the By His Grace I Can Blog Blog. (1 entry)

Motherhood Monday: Waiting for Me.

I wanted to share one of the reasons that I haven't posted in several months. September 2016, at 10 weeks pregnant, our fifth baby earned its wings. It was a really painful and poignant time for our family, yet through it we saw how God brings sweetness to bitter experiences. At the time I decided to share some of my thoughts from that day in the hospital-- Well, a little over a year and a half later we are expecting again! We are overjoyed and feel incredibly grateful. As I write that, it dawns on me that this little one is due right around Thanksgiving and what appropriate timing. We are indeed SO very thankful. In part I wanted to share this news here because my mental health has been part of the journey. We wanted to try sooner for a baby but I felt strongly that I needed to take some time for myself to get my health in better order, especially my mental health. How far the Lord has brought me this last year!! I feel so much more stable and capable.

Why I started Therapy and an Introduction to Intentional Happiness & Self-Leadership.

Click Here for Video. If I took a look at my life it essentially had all the elements that I would handpick, yet I was constantly trying to escape my reality. Usually I escaped through endless, mindless, insatiable scrolling on social media and by eating junk food. But nothing seemed to fill the void. I was almost always tired, irritable, easily angered and annoyed. I loved spending time with my husband or by myself, but it was never enough. I did things I enjoyed but felt like I was stealing the time or being selfish. In spite of my extremely supportive husband, each day felt like an uncontrollable vicious cycle with no way of changing things. Showering, getting ready, and exercising didn't feel like priority or even possibilities. Regardless of my efforts I chronically felt behind in everything. My kids seemed more burdensome than anything else, with never-ending messes, requests, tantrums, fights, whining and complaining. The resentment I felt towards them seemed

You're a Gem.

This morning, in conjunction with seeking light & inspiration at a nearby temple (of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints), I had a very sweet and powerful experience. With it being the weekend, I was going to wait and type it up next week, but when I saw that it was International Women's Day, I knew I needed to take the time to share this TODAY. While driving away from my house this morning I had the idea to text a song to a friend of mine. I've learned to as-immediately-as-possible follow through with the whisperings of God's spirit, so I pulled over and sent the text. Next came the thought to tell her how amazing she is, that she is just the way God needs her to be (strengths, weaknesses, insecurities and all) and that He works beautifully through her. That phrase made me think of a prism and how it refracts light. The words came to me, "We're each unique prisms (with the different faces & facets of our personalities and testimonies

Officially Facing My Dragons.

I'll be honest, although mental illness runs in my family and definitely played a role in my upbringing, I wasn't keen on the idea of looking in to my own mental health. The societal stigmas kept me stressing over all of the "what ifs" instead of seeking for answers & solutions. Finally in the Fall of 2017 my mental health was negatively influencing my physical health to such a degree that I felt sick and debilitated most days. It was unsustainable, especially as the mother of 4 young & active children and a new puppy. Something had to change. I ended up doing a Facebook Live (see video here ), sharing an impression I'd had regarding my mental health. Little did I know that the comments I received would be more important than what I shared. They were a springboard for finally being brave enough to officially face my dragons. I say officially because I'd done my best to deal with my anxiety for years and I KNOW that God has been with me every

By His Grace I Can.

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