I suppose that makes me a bit of a miracle baby, or so I like to think at times. I struggled with low self esteem growing up. I always saw nothing but my flaws, and the bullying and I went through during my time in school didn’t help. There was also the fact that I had disabilities and was very dependent on my family. I felt like a burden to them. No matter how hard I tried, I could never fully shake off those feelings, and I hated that. There would be times when someone would say or do something that would make me happy, or I would be doing an activity that would make me happy, but by the time I look around I’m back to feeling low. There would also be times when there was a reason I was down, and other times when I just couldn’t explain why I was feeling depressed. When I was a teen, I kept thinking that one day I will let those feelings go when I finally became an adult. I am now a fully grown adult, and still struggle a bit with these issues. I have learned that what I was going through was not just a phase, or something that I was easily going to get through.
Thankfully, I have a very supportive family. My family has been incredibly patient with me, and extremely supportive. To me, they have been like my therapists. They listen to my concerns, and even encourage me to open up. They never make me feel ashamed of my concerns or feelings when I do share them, and they never make me feel ashamed of my struggles. They also never make me feel like a burden. They are always making sure that I know I’m loved, and that I have a purpose and place in my family and in the world. Considering that I was blessed to be a part of the small one percent of fetuses so h Turner Syndrome to make it to term, I can’t help but to feel they are right.
My mental health journey is still ongoing. I’m still finding myself, still growing. I’m still struggling with my self esteem. I don’t know why I was part of that small 1 percent, but I do know that I am willing to continue fighting through this crazy journey called “life” to find out. After all, if there is one thing I know, it’s this: we are all here for a reason.
Note: My inspiration for this post was fellow blogger and disability advocate Amanda Gene, who is also very lucky to be alive today. Give her blog visit and read her story here.
Fall is around the corner! It’s the season of colorful leaves and pumpkin spice flavored lattes and sweets, and the beginning of of a new school year for children and college students (in fact, today is the first day back to school for some children!)! If I had to pick a favorite season I would have to say winter. There’s a special type of “warmth” surrounding that time of year. However, there is also something special about the fall season too, especially for my family.
Thanksgiving is even more special to my family than Christmas. On Christmas Day we’re usually too wrapped up in our gifts to pay attention to each other! That was especially the case when my siblings and I were children! During the thanksgiving holiday, we spend a lot of our time with each other, and I’m not just talking about when we gather to eat thanksgiving dinner. From the food shopping to preparing the thanksgiving meal, everything is done together, and we always enjoy every minute.
When the meal is finally ready and we gather around the table, we all take turns saying what are grateful for. We aren’t usually overly affectionate with one another, especially with words or touch (although we always show our love for each other through our actions), but we get very sentimental when saying what we are grateful for. In that moment, we hold nothing back on saying how much we appreciate each other. We also spend time reminiscing on all the good times we’ve had together so far, and talking about our plans to create many more wonderful memories. By the end of the day, we are generally very exhausted, but happy.
In short, fall is the bonding season for us, and I always look forward to this time of year! That’s what makes fall special to me! Welcome to the Fall season everyone! I hope you all enjoy the season this year as much as I know I will!
Hi everyone! I’ve been tagged in a #shareyourpassions nomination! We all need moments to do activities that make us happy, and those activities are even more special when you use them to inspire others! That’s the focus of this tag! You share your passions, along with how you plan to use them to make accomplishments in your life and inspire others to do the same. What a beautiful tag! The person who tagged me for this post is fellow blogger Laura from Do Five Things a Day. Thank-you so much Laura! Read her Share Your Passions Post here! Sorry for taking so long to respond to your tag!
Rules of the Share Your Passions Nomination
Repost the #ShareYourPassion logo (above) on your acceptance post.
Tag the blogger’s site that nominated you.
Share a bit about your passion(s): what hobbies, outside of blogging, keep you busy in your free time? What would you like to accomplish with these things? How could you use your passion(s) to be a blessing to others and show them the love of God?
Nominate ten other bloggers and spread the joy!
My Passions
Writing
I really enjoy writing, and I’m not just talking about for my blog! I also like writing poetry and stories, which is one of the reasons I created a blog! During my time in middle school one of my language arts teachers asked the class to write a poem. After reading through all of the poems, the teacher told us how much he loved them all. He mentioned that there was one particular poem that stood out to him and he read it in front of the class, but he didn’t name the student who wrote it. I was shocked to hear the very poem I wrote and submitted being read back to me! It was such an encouraging experience, and it was the moment I realized I had a talent for writing! Fast forward to this year in 2019, and I decided to use my love of writing to encourage and inspire others through my blog!
2. Spending time with my Family
Spending time with my family is definitely one of my favorite pas-times! I’m an introvert, and I would probably go as far as saying I’m an extreme introvert! I need my “me time” time! However, there are just some activities that are more fun when they’re done with others! Whenever I’m doing activities with my family I’m reminded that life is too short, and time is something you can never get back. I’m also reminded that if you slow down enough to reflect on your experiences, there is almost always something to learn, even from the most seemingly mundane ones. I now use my blog to share some these experiences to inspire people to slow down and reflect too.
3. Reading
I think I’ve mentioned multiple times on my blog and on social media that I enjoy reading! It’s one of my go to “me” time activities! I love reading books, blog posts, news articles, etc. I just love reading! It’s such a relaxing activity to me! In fact, I used to fall asleep reading all the time when I was a child! As I grew older, putting aside time for reading started to become more and more of a challenge, especially during my time in college. All I had time for were my text books! However, I’m realizing more and more the importance of activities that help me to relax, reading being my one them!
And those are my passions! I want to thank Laura again for this beautiful nomination! Here are my nominees:
“I was here, I lived, I loved I was here, I did, I’ve done everything that I wanted And it was more than I thought it would be I will leave my mark so everyone will know I was here”
Beyoncé “I Was Here”
Image taken from Pixabay
I listen to the news a lot. I like to stay in the know on what’s going on in the world around me. It’s a habit I picked up from my parents. However, there are times when I’ve had my fill. There’s always a never ending amount of heartbreaking stories in the news, and there’s only so much of those stories I can take. On occasion though, there are times when I come across really funny or heartwarming stories. One that I remember in particular is a story about a pay it forward train in a restaurant. One day, after paying for his own bill, a man paid for the meals of another set of customers, a mother and daughter. The mother never got a chance to know who made the kind gesture, but the mother decided to follow the anonymous kind stranger’s example and pay it forward. The recipients of that mother’s generosity decided to do the same. This continued until the pay it forward gesture had been repeated several times by several customers.
It is part of human nature for us to feel the need to leave some footprints in the sand, something that we will be remembered by. We all want to leave a legacy, and we all have our different ways of accomplishing this. We also have different ideas of how we want to be remembered. Some decide to become world leaders, others try to become celebrities, and there are also those who choose to go the infamous route, committing crimes to gain fame.
Many monuments have always been built in honor of rulers or leaders, and you can find many of their faces on currency. Celebrities get similar treatment, with one example being the Hollywood walk of fame in the U.S. Also, many cities, towns, and streets are often named after famous people. The infamous have many books written about them, and many movies made about their lives to tell their stories.
You don’t have to be famous to make an impact, however. Everyone’s actions leave behind footprints. We all impact each other, and we have the power to choose the type of impression we leave on others. Simple actions are all it takes to leave a mark. A listening ear, a hug, or a simple kind greeting can mean the world to someone. After all, fame doesn’t always lead to happiness, and there are many famous people whose works are lost in history. Fame also doesn’t last forever. Many stars eventually fall into obscurity. Beauty and fame, along with many other things, eventually fade, but a loving heart never does. Kindness is not affected by time, and it is infectious. One kind act can lead to another until it starts a chain like the one from the restaurant. The name of the person who started the chain may never be known and may get lost with time, but their deed, and the effect it had on someone, can live on forever.
I love writing and I run a blog. I’ve gotten good grades through my time in school, especially in college. I’m also a very hard worker. All of these are important facts about me. My most important attribute though is my desire to treat everyone how I would like to be treated. I want to be a person that shows kindness and compassion and spreads them, and that is how I want to be remembered.
“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.”
I was nominated!! I’m so grateful!! This award is about celebrating blogs with unique and creative content. To know that there are those who believe my blog fits this description is such an honor! The two bloggers who nominated me for this award are Spence from The Mindberg and KayJ from Unveiling the Mind! Thankyou both so much for the nomination! It means so much to me! Both of these amazing bloggers are wonderful mental health advocates with lots of experience in the field of psychology! They use their expertise to share insight into how the mind works, and tips for dealing with mental health issues! They also share some of their own personal experiences with mental health. Definitely check them out!
About the Versatile Blogger Award
The Versatile Blogger Award is an award by bloggers for fellow bloggers to recognize blogs with unique content. Read more about the Versatile Blogger Award here.
Rules of the Versatile Blogger Award
Write a post about your nomination and display the logo on your site. Thank the person who nominated you in your post, and provide a link to their blog.
Write seven facts about yourself.
Nominate 15 other bloggers for the award.
Seven Facts About Me
I can’t dance…at all! 😂
My favorite colors are pink and blue!
I’m an extreme night a owl!
I’ve never been on any roller coasters. I’m too afraid to try them!
I’m terrible at video games, but I enjoy talking about them and watching others play!
My parents told me I tried to read a newspaper upside down when I was toddler! I was destined to become a blogger! 😂
I can not tolerate spicy food! At all!
My Nominees
And my nominees for this award are below! Give these wonderful bloggers some love guys!
Hi everyone! I’m sorry it’s been a while since I’ve published a post! Things have gotten a bit hectic lately! I haven’t even been able to to interact with my blogging friends on social media lately! I really miss them! For those who have been following my blogging journey, I won’t be away for long! I’ll be back with more inspiration to share once things settle down a little again, so don’t go anywhere! Thanks for all the support and love!
Hello everyone! As you may already know, a New Zealand based book publishing company called Odyssey Books reached out to me recently to help them celebrate their 10 year anniversary! It was such an honor! Learn more about Odyssey Books here. The publishing book company celebrated by putting a collection of books on sale for the month of July (welcome to the first day of August)! If you check their website now you might even be able to catch the end of the sale! In return for writing a blog post for the company about their anniversary sale, I was given one of their new releases of my choosing free of charge! In this post, I will be writing a review of the book I was given. Now the company did not ask for this review, and I am probably a little late with it, but I decided I wanted to do a review anyway. I am not a book blogger, so this post is a little different from my usual posts, but I thought it might be fun to share my thoughts on the book Odyssey Books gave me. This is also my way of thanking the company for collaborating with me. Without any further ado, let’s dive in to the book review!
The book I was given from Odyssey Books publishing company was The Dark Poet by Kathryn Gossow. Here is the description of the book from Odyssey Books’ website:
“Some people are so broken they can only cut us. With poetic dexterity, Aurealis Award finalist Kathryn Gossow interweaves eight short stories of longing and alienation featuring outcasts and the misunderstood. From a homeless storyteller to a gardening soothsayer, to a copy editor who owns a pair of stubborn chickens, readers will come face to face with the humanity of people easily judged by a rigid society. At the heart of these stories is the Dark Poet, a charismatic and broken man leaving a trail of debris as he drifts in and out of people’s lives.”
What I found most interesting about The Dark Poet is its focus on interconnectivity. As stated in the description, The Dark Poet is a collection of interconnected short stories, and in each story there is a common denominator: a character known as the “Dark Poet”. Each story is like a piece of a puzzle, creating a full picture of the “Dark Poet”. In fact, the title of one of the short stories in the book is “The Puzzle Ring”. The author did such a wonderful job weaving all of these independent stories together, creating a beautiful cohesive flow.
Each story in The Dark Poet is also like a piece of a chain. Whatever happens to one part of a chain affects the rest of the chain, and this is the way the events of each of the short stories are connected. There is an age old question that asks “If a tree fell in a forest and no one was there to hear it, does it make a sound?”, and this book seems to answer it. Some of the actions of the characters, particularly the “Dark Poet”, cause a chain of events to occur. All of the characters are affected, some more than others.
The Dark Poet reminded me that we all make an impact on someone else. Just like in the book, anything we do causes a chain of events to happen. Whether we choose to spread positivity or negativity is entirely up to us. All in all, I found The Dark Poet an intriguing book, and would definitely recommend it.
Hello everyone! I’m sure you’ve all heard of Vogue Magazine and Vogue 73 questions! Just in case though, Vogue Magazine is a world-renowned lifestyle magazine, and Vogue 73 questions is a special interview Vogue Magazine does with celebrities. The interview is usually done at the celebrity’s home, and they are asked 73 rapid fire questions! A blogger parody version has been going around, and I’ve been tagged to do one! The four bloggers who me tagged are Francesca from Frantasmagoria, Sunny Larue from Sunny Larue, Katie from I go by Katie, and Melissa Temple from Disabled Disney! Thankyou so much ladies! Fran’s blog focuses on sharing interesting stories and information about true crimes, the paranormal, and conspiracy theories! A very unique blog to be sure! Sunny’s Blog focuses on sharing her experiences with mental illness, more specifically bipolar disorder. Her posts are very heartfelt! Katie’s blog is a lifestyle blog that covers a variety of topics! One theme of her blog is exploration. Exploration is actually why she started blogging in the first place! Writing is not her strength, but she wanted to delve into to the world of blogging anyway! Last but not least, Melissa’s blog is a travel blog with a twist! It combines her love for travel and all things Disney with sharing her experiences as a person with a disability! Another very unique blog! Checkout all of these wonderful blogs, and get to know the bloggers behind them! And now, without further adu, on to the 73 questions!
What’s your usual Starbucks order?
I don’t usually order coffee from Starbucks. I often order food. Generally it would be an egg sandwich, or hashbrowns.
2. What does your workstation look like?
I often use my phone to blog, so my workstation is anywhere I’m comfortable!
3. Favorite food?
Chocolate and anything fruit flavored!
4. Favorite author?
J.K. Rowling, Eric Carl, Dr. Seuss, and Anne Frank. It’s ok that I name more than one right? 😂
5. What do you think of open relationships?
I think it’s not for me!
6. What is your favorite video game?
Hmmm. If I had to pick one, I would say Asura’s Wrath!
7. Guilty pleasure treat?
Chocolate for sure!
8. Favorite movie?
How to Train Your Dragon!
9. Favorite book?
The Bible and the Harry Potter Series!
10. Twitter or Instagram?
Oh definitely twitter! Instagram is starting become a little fun for me, but twitter is king!
11. Desktop or laptop?
Neither! My phone! 😂 Phones are pretty much computers now too! The more mobile the better!
12. Best advice you’ve ever received?
I’ve gotten a lot of good advice, so this is hard! One good piece of advice would be from my mother. She’s always told me to never be ashamed of who I am.
13. What project are you working on right now?
This blog post!
14. Favorite color?
Pink and blue!
15. Did you get good grades in school?
Yes. I’ve always done pretty well in school. It wasn’t easy though!
16. Dream job?
Full time blogger would be nice!
17. Play any sports?
Nope!
18. Do you have a degree?
I do! It wasn’t easy getting it, so I’m very proud!
19. Nationality?
I’m American!
20. What is your favorite kind of blog post?
The ones that tell a story!
21. What do you like to collect?
Books!
22. Describe yourself in three words?
Cheerful, kind, friendly 😃
23. If you were a rapper what would your stage name be?
Lil’ Charli! 😂
24. Who was the last person you DMed?
Mama Robbins, a fellow blogger! 🥰
25. What’s on top of your wish list right now?
Hmmm. Well, I would like to read the Game of Thrones series…so maybe to get those books.
26. Sorting house?
Ravenclaw!
27. How many tattoos do you have?
Zero!
28. What are you most grateful for this year?
I’m grateful for all the new friends I’ve made on my blogging journey!
29. What’s the best thing that’s happened to you this month?
A book publishing company reached out to me to help them celebrate their 10th anniversary! I was so honored! My blog is getting noticed, and I’m really excited about its future!
30. What’s the best thing that’s happened to you today?
Time with family!
31. What’s the best thing ever?
Supportive people around you!
32. Favorite season?
Hmmm. Winter! I can’t handle the summer heat, and spring and fall are too erratic for me!
33. Favorite holiday?
Thanksgiving! It’s a really special time of year for my family!
34. What fictional character do you relate to most?
Hmmm. I would say Hermoine Granger! I love learning about as much as she does!
35. Do you like surprises?
I love surprises!
36. What’s the biggest surprise you’ve ever had?
Hmmm. I’ve had a good few surprises! One was when I first started reading the Harry Potter series. One of my teachers saw me reading the first and second Harry Potter books, and she bought the third and fourth books just so I could read them! She told she will read them too after I finished with them.
37. Which surprise made you cry?
I didn’t cry with my surprise, but I was definitely touched!
38. What’s the best surprise you’ve given somebody else?
I wrote a little something of appreciation for one of my siblings for her birthday. She told me she was very touched, and she tried not to cry when I gave it to her.
39. Do you like muffins?
Yes, I love muffins, particularly banana bread muffins!
40. Do you cook often?
Not really, no!
41. What’s your favorite dessert?
Chocolate flavored treats for sure!
42. Is there a dessert you don’t like?
Any desserts with raisins in them!
43. Cake or pie?
Hmmm. This hard! I think I’ll go with cake!
44. What’s your least favorite food?
Raisins!
45. What’s your favorite condiment?
Ketchup!
46. It’s 4 am on a random Saturday. What are you eating?
Something really light! Maybe cereal!
47. If you could teach a college class what would it be called?
Learn a little something from Charli 101!
48. Best animated film?
I’m a bit biased! My favorite film is How to Train your Dragon, which is an animated film, so that is the best animated film! I’ve just seen Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse though, and that movie is giving How to Train your Dragon a run for its money!
49. What has a guy done or said to impress you?
Sometime ago a cashier lowered the price of an item I was buying. He didn’t do the same for others buying the same item. I didn’t think anything of it! In fact, I didn’t even notice what he did, and that he was trying to impress me, until after I left the store! 😂
50. Best thing to do on a first date?
Give my date my undivided attention!
51. Worst thing to do on a first date?
Do something embarrassing in front of my date!
52. Whats the funniest pick up line a guy/girl could use?
“Are you tired? Because you’ve been running through my mind all day!”
“Did it hurt when you fell from heaven?”
53. Best comic book character?
I have to go with the ever relatable Spider-Man!
54. Name 3 things that can always be found in your purse?
Lip gloss, a little piece of paper to write on, a pen.
55. Favorite drink?
Ginger ale!
56. If you could play a historical character in a movie who would it be?
Hmmm. Can I say Michelle Obama? 😂
57. Kittens or puppies?
Oh gosh, both are so cute!! I’ll have to go with puppies though! I’m very much a dog person!
58. Favorite Sushi roll?
I don’t have one!
59. What lipstick do you use?
I have a red one and another one that’s pink.
60. What foundation do you use?
I have one, but I hardly use it!
61. Blow dry or air dry?
Definitely air dry! I want to protect my hair from heat damage!
62. Who is your fashion icon?
Rihanna!
63. Favorite Disney Character?
Moana! I love many Disney characters though, so that was a little hard!
64. What are you doing tomorrow?
I’m going to work more on my blog!
65. Movie you laughed the hardest through?
Oh there’s a good few of those! One would be Madagascar
66. Movie that made you cry?
There are a couple of these too! One is A Silent Voice
67. If you could sing a duet with anybody who would you choose?
Beyoncé, even though I would just be embarrassing myself singing with her! 😂
68. If your life was a song what would the title be?
“Leaving Behind my Footprints”. I want to make difference in the world, no mater how small the impact might be.
69. What is your favorite animal?
The dog! That animal is called man’s best friend for a reason! They’re amazingly loyal!
Hello everyone! I am not a book blogger, however, I do enjoy reading books. Reading is one of my favorite ways to get some relaxation, as well as some excitement! Ever since I was a small child, I have been an avid reader. I enjoyed getting lost in the pages of a great book for hours on end, and still do. For this reason, I am honored to be collaborating with Odyssey Books to help them celebrate their Anniversary. Odyssey Books is a New Zealand based book publishing company that was created in 2009 by founder Michelle Lovi. This month, Odyssey Books turns 10! As a blogger, I can understand a little bit of the excitement around the success of a growing business, because running a blog is like running a business! You can read more about Odyssey Books publishing company here.
To celebrate this occasion, Odyssey Books has a collection of books that are on sale right now! For the month of July, these books will only cost $0.99! These books can be bought electronically through Apple iBooks, the Amazon Kindle reader, Barnes and Noble Nook, and Google Books, among other electronic book stores. Odyssey generally publishes fiction books, and they seem quite interesting. Here is a description from the company’s website on one their books entitled A Perfect Square by author Isobel Blackthorn:
Odyssey Books
“Across two continents, two sets of mothers and daughters are bound by a dark mystery.
On a winter’s day in the Dandenongs, Victoria, pianist Ginny returns home to stay with her eccentric mother and artist, Harriet. Consumed by disturbing dreams, speculations and remembering, she tries to prise from her mother the truth concerning her father’s disappearance and why, when she was seven, Harriet abducted her. In an effort to distract her daughter’s interrogations, Harriet proposes they collaborate on an exhibition of paintings and songs.
Meanwhile, on the edge of Dartmoor, Judith paints landscapes of the Australian Outback to soothe her troubled mind. Her wayward daughter, Madeleine, has returned home and she’s filled the house with darkness. Her father doesn’t want to know her. Judith wishes he did. When at last she forces the two to meet she breathes a sigh of relief.
Back in Australia, Ginny is poised to fly to England in search of the truth when she receives some earth-shattering news.
A novel brimming with mystery, intrigue, creativity, art and the occult.”
You can take look at other books that are on sale on the Odyssey Book publishing company’s website here.
The company’s motto is “Where Books are an Adventure”. It is true that good books really can be wonderfully fun and adventurous! If you enjoy reading as well, consider taking advantage of Odyssey Books publishing company’s sale! Happy 10th anniversary to Odyssey Books! I wish you continued success!
My thoughts and prayers are with these children and their families. I can’t imagine what the families might be going through. Hoping these children will be found and safely returned to their homes.
Life with Charli 