It's your choice

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At one point in my life or another I have felt stuck. Caught it a rut. Whatever expression you would like to use to say that my life had gotten stagnent in a place I didn't like.

When you are in that spot I think it's easy to be resentful of all of our circumstances.
If only I had finished college I wouldn't be stuck in this crappy job. 
If only I had a different manager. 
If only I hadn't gotten pregnant so young.
If only my parents cared about my education.
If only I had more friends.
If only I made more money.
If only I was skinnier.

This can go on for a long time, meanwhile nothing in life is changing. I know this phase all too well. I've hated my job before. I've lacked money before (who hasn't?). I've not liked what my life looks like sometimes. And the easiest thing to do is blame that on someone or something else. If only that thing would change, then I would be happy.

Well, I'm going to share with you some valuable advice today. Something that I've had to learn on my own over the last year.

If you want something to change, then do something to change it.

I know. There are obstacles. But unless you get off your rump and do something about it things will continue to stand in your way.

If you don't like your job, find a new one.
If you want to lose weight, then make healthy food and exercise choices.
If you don't know how, then get help.
If you are depressed see a counselor.
If your marriage is falling apart, talk to your spouse about it and figure out what you need to do to make it better.

Don't be afraid to get help.

I'm tired tired tired of people telling me all of their issues and then doing nothing about them. I'm tired of classmates complaining that they don't get the material in class and refusing to go to talk to the teacher about it. I'm tired of hearing the complaints coming out of my own mouth. If you (we, I) can't do it alone, then DON'T, get help.

You are always going to encounter some "Negative Nancy's". But sometimes you have to open your eyes and realize that maybe you are one too! So knock it off! You are bringing everyone else down too.

I'm sorry if I am being brutal, but I think sometimes we need to hear the hard things. And honestly I'm coming from a place where I've just had to look really hard at myself and learn all of these things.

A year ago I was in a very different situation. I wasn't happy with the direction my life was headed in. I saw no end in sight. I had no idea how I was going to dig myself out of my own hole. And I finally realized that I just had to do it one step at a time. Regardless of how painful it might be, what I might not like about it.

And now, I'm in a good place, and I constantly have to remind myself that I am in control of my own future. It can really suck or it can be awesome, but it's up to me.

Priorities | Level and Lace

There is something about a brand new year that always makes you re-evaluate your priorities. Maybe it is hearing all of the New Year's resolutions. Maybe it is thinking about the fact that another year has gone by in the blink of an eye. Who knows? All I do know is that my priorities have gotten lost along the way.

I've been struggling for awhile with this blog. Trying to figure out what I want it to be and how much a part of my life I want it to be. And I've decided that what is important in my life is not this blog or having it be huge. I want to get through school and through the week without feeling like I'm going to fall apart for how much I am putting on my plate. I want to have a healthy marriage. I want to accomplish things. And if that means spending less time here worrying about this place, then so be it.

So, I have some good news and some bad news.

The bad news (depending on your perspective) is that I'm not going to be posting so much (or at least as much as I was posting back when I was a "good blogger"). I'm just not feelin' it. The posts that I have been writing at just lackluster. I've focused more on quantity than quality. So from now on I'm just going to post as I see fit, or as I actually have something to say. And for once I'm not going to beat myself up about that. I might write a couple times a week, I might write a couple times a month. It just depends on what I want to write about. If I lose followers, I'll survive. If I never gain another follower for as long as I blog, it will be because I didn't let this blog consume my life. And that will make me feel happy and successful.

The good news is that I am going to be focusing on the thing that I love most about blogging! The thing that is important to me are the relationships that I have developed through blogging. I'll be focusing more on your blogs and reading the awesome things that you have to say. And adding my own two cents here and there. Hopefully this means actually responding to my emails. ;)


And now I have something new to share with you guys!

www.levelandlace.com

I've been working on this new blog for a little while, trying to figure out exactly when would be a good time to introduce this. And there was no better time than the present.

This will be a compilation of anything style and design related that I may want to post about. It's going to stay simple, mostly pictures and minimal writing. It won't be updated daily, but as I have something to post. This is my new baby, and something I expect to take more of my attention that this blog here.

If the things you love about my blog are my fashion updates, diy posts, building projects, or anything home decor related I suggest you head over there now. It's where all that stuff will be located. ;)

So... things are going to be different around here. Hope you guys will stay with me for the ride, but if not I understand!

cha-cha-cha-changes

I'm kind of upset with life today.
Not in the sense that I don't like my life or that I'm unhappy,
just in the sense that I'm feeling sad about some of the changes life has brought.
Specifically the people that it has taken out of my life.

The truth of the matter is that I miss people.
People who I don't often see anymore for one reason or another.
Some have moved away.
Others are just on different paths than I am.
It isn't a bad thing that life changes, in fact, I'm usually one of those people that tries to embrace change.
But after so many years of change I am finally realizing how much my heart is aching for those lost friendships.
Because they are people that I really cared about.
People that I still care about.
And I still want them to be in my daily life.

I don't think I will ever say that these friendships are over.
Because I just couldn't give up on people like that.
And because there are no hard feelings towards any of them.
They are just not the same, because we don't often see each other.

I do have newer friendships, that I absolutely love and cherish.
Friendships that are deeper than any I have had in a very long time.
But no one will ever be replaced.
I still have those little holes that their absence leaves in my heart, and that isn't something I want to be filled by any one or anything else.

Now here I am, at the cusp of new changes and new adventures.
Which I am excited about.
But I'm also scared to lose the current people in my life.
I don't want to push anyone away unnecessarily just because I am overwhelmed with life.

None of this is necessarily a bad thing.
And the last thing I am trying to do is be all depressed about my life.
I'm just realizing that one of the facts of life is that it changes.
And sometimes those changes push and pull people in opposite directions.
It's a sad experience, but it happens.

I accept the change.
But for now I am just missing some people who have been amazing friends to me at one time or another.
People who I will always have room in my heart and life for.

I have a problem

I'm fickle.

There I said it!

I am always changing my mind, I will decide on one thing and then 20 minutes later decide that I don't like it anymore and pick something different.
My blog is no exception.

Thus, I have a new blog header! Again.
I'm pretty sure I change my header more often than I change my clothes.

...

Ok, that isn't true, I change my clothes way more often!
I was just realizing how many pictures of myself there were on my blog (just the basic design, not including posts) and was feeling a bit egotistical and vain.

I was hating pulling up my own blog because I personally don't like to stare at a million pictures of myself.
Thus a new header was born!
You like?
Me too!

For now.



Alright, next topic, my life.

Last week I wrote about how I was feeling pretty down that things in our life were not going as planned. Like moving and what not.
I did say that I was going to see this in a positive light, but I was still feeling very stressed about everything.
Today, I am feeling so much better about our current situation.
I'm actually very excited about this change of plans because this was our original plan, we just got side tracked and dreamy-eyed imagining a whole new life for ourselves in a completely different part of the state.
Anyways, things are going in an even better direction.
The program that is offered at the college campus closer to our home is really awesome and I'm super excited to start working on it.
I'm going to be pursuing a B.S. in Nutrition/ Dietetics, which is something that I am very passionate about.
Part of me is a little surprised that I even considered going to another University or campus because this program is far and away the best of all of my options, and the only true undergraduate nutrition program in the state! (at least that I have been able to find).
If I do well I can be placed straight into an internship and then take an exam to become an RD (Registered Dietitian), which is really all you could ever hope for with a college degree!

All this to say that all the pieces are falling into place perfectly.
I couldn't have even planned things to go this well.
There are still sacrifices being made, but I know that they are all for the best.

There are more exciting things to share, but I think I am going to leave them for when everything is official. Don't want to jump the gun on my announcements!
Plus, they are probably only exciting to me so don't get your hopes up too high.