A big part of the journey Doug and I have been on these past several months revolves around bettering the legacy we are creating for our children; living our life to the fullest; dreaming big and doing our part to turn the dreams into realities. This all comes down to one main thing: living life with purpose. Finding our purpose, stretching ourselves to doing and being more than average, learning to not be okay with just getting through each day, but wanting to make an impact on each day. For the 5 1/2 years that we've been raising children, we have settled into some bad habits, and we realized we were teaching those to our children. These bad habits primarily revolved around being content with where we were at, when that place was far from where we really could have been. We had settled into the place of "good enough is just good enough", but in our hearts we were really feeling that "this is NOT good enough, we were created for more, we have more to offer, we need to be doing more". That's not to say that we were unhappy, far from that we found ourselves to be very happy, we had great times as a family, Doug worked very hard to provide financially for us, but there was discontent beneath the happiness, strain to the family times because we wanted more of that time, and Doug was plain burned out. We knew there was more for our family, we knew we had to make changes somehow before Gracie started school, we knew Doug needed a break from the retail world, we knew we needed to establish better routines and schedules for our kids, but we didn't know how we could realistically achieve any of this.
I have always lifted up my burdens to the Lord, and trusted in Him to guide me. That's not easy for me, as I have a strong need to be in control of myself, but my entire adult life I have understood that the Lord has plans for me, and I need to be open to following them. At 20 years old, I prayed that I was happy being single and independent, but if He had plans for me to spend my life with someone, please let me know when the time was right. At 24 I married Doug, after knowing just 3 dates in that I was going to marry him. After getting married, I prayed that I was okay not having children, since I didn't know for sure how/if my body would handle pregnancy, but that if we were supposed to have them, please let me know when the time was right. At 29 I had Gracie, after a fairly good pregnancy that spared me from morning sickness and gave my sluggish digestive system a reprieve of sorts. A couple years later I mentioned to Doug that with Gracie turning 2 we should think about when/if we wanted another child; 9 months later Joel was born as it turns out I was already pregnant when we had that conversation! At 26 I was facing unemployment and deciding where to go next, when a job opportunity was brought to me, and now 9 1/2 years later I'm fortunate to still be working there. More fortunate than I can truly express, as the job has given me the immense flexibility I needed after starting our family; the only way we were able to both work was because my employer values what I do and allowed me to come and go as needed, provided I got the work done. Not to mention the amazing staff I've had the honor of working with over the years; the solid co-workers who have kept things running smoothly while I remained consistently inconsistent with my hours, but as consistent as possible with my work.
All that is to say, when it came to seeking my purpose, our family's purpose, how we could make the things we saw in our minds a reality, I did the only thing I know works unfailingly; I lifted it up to the Lord. Well over a year ago, I prayed that when the time was right to bring Doug home from his retail job, we would know and we would willingly take that leap of faith. I prayed that there must be a way we could get our children onto a regular schedule of sleep, a way we could have a school routine that didn't involve all of us going so many directions depending on the day of the week. I prayed that the vision I had in my minds eye of being able to blaze a trail of positivity in this negative world; to promote an optimistic and positive outlook to life in those around me; to breed positive energy and radiate it, would come to fruition when the time was right.
Answers didn't come immediately, but positive changes did start to seep through the edges of the life we were living; a content yet chaotic life of coming-going-coming-going, Doug at work and me at home, Doug at home so me at work, kids going to bed when we went to bed, meals a haphazard attempt at homemade and healthy sprinkled with way too many nights of eating out, family budget nonexistent but fortunately not racking up credit card debt, accountability zero. We started to really look at the finances, to analyze where we could make cuts at so we could possibly live without Doug's paycheck. I talked with my boss about the possibility of my working more hours. We looked into refinancing our home loan, and ridding ourselves of the 2nd mortgage that had a scary balloon payment coming due in 7 years. Doug started learning how to fix simple dinners, rather than eating out the nights I worked late or dining on pizza and chicken nuggets weekly.
We started to forage change within our home; to work on consistent discipline with our kids, to teach appreciation of what they, to focus on solid family times in the evenings with the TV off and doing things together. A lot of little things, and not always things we stuck with regularly, but change starts somewhere, and we felt good about taking on the challenge. Along the way, though, I continued to feel out of control with my digestive issues; to feel that even when I was doing all the right things, I was still feeling cruddy. Bloated, eating irregular meals, skipping meals, eating foods that I'm supposed to avoid, not sleeping well. It all added up to a very cranky Ellen, and that was affecting these positive changes I was trying to affect within my family. I decided enough was enough, I needed to step up and find a way to feel better.
Enter my dear friend and the company she had been part of for a few months; she kept telling me if I drank this Spark she had given me samples of, I would feel energy. I would feel motivation. I would feel good! After months of ignoring her, I realized that I had nothing to lose, so I might as well try the stuff. WOW. One Spark and I was a believer; I had energy and motivation and felt like cleaning the house rather than sitting on the couch reading. After so long of being tired and not seeing any light at the end of the dark tunnel of low energy and bloated guts, I saw hope. I met with her and her mentor, told them my history, and asked what they had in addition to the Spark that might help me. I started with a probiotic and digestive enzyme the next week.
You know a lot of that story already from my previous posts, but what you may not know is that finding good health with AdvoCare was only the beginning. I quickly saw something else; a potential financial opportunity that just might be a way to bring Doug home. For real, to bring him home. Not to just have that as a dream, but to make it a reality. Not because we started making money with an AdvoCare business, but more because we saw that we had the power to make our life what we wanted it to be, and AdvoCare could possibly be a vehicle to assist us with that. We found renewed hope, we found potential answers to those "how can we do this" questions, and we found other people that were living their lives the way we wanted to...with purpose. With positivity. Creating a better world for their families. Not happy being "good enough" but wanting to impact the lives of others by being great.
Are you living your life as you were meant to; seeking your purpose and doing everything within your reach to achieve it? Do you realize that God has a plan for you, and He's just waiting for you to ask Him to show you the way? Are you surrounding yourself with others who are living their life with purpose, so that their positivity can impact you?
Greatness is within you. You have a purpose, and your life has purpose. If you are feeling stuck in mediocrity, feeling restless with your content, seeking more for your family, yearning to have peace and health within yourself, do not let any more time pass you by. Get on your knees in a quiet place, lay down your burdens to your God, and be open to the changes He has in store for you. He knows your purpose, and He knows how you can live your life to achieve that purpose. The unbelieving are hard at work to take down anybody who seems happy, positive, purposeful; do not let them take you down; shine and radiate your belief , spread positive energy, and live with purpose.
All that is to say, when it came to seeking my purpose, our family's purpose, how we could make the things we saw in our minds a reality, I did the only thing I know works unfailingly; I lifted it up to the Lord. Well over a year ago, I prayed that when the time was right to bring Doug home from his retail job, we would know and we would willingly take that leap of faith. I prayed that there must be a way we could get our children onto a regular schedule of sleep, a way we could have a school routine that didn't involve all of us going so many directions depending on the day of the week. I prayed that the vision I had in my minds eye of being able to blaze a trail of positivity in this negative world; to promote an optimistic and positive outlook to life in those around me; to breed positive energy and radiate it, would come to fruition when the time was right.
Answers didn't come immediately, but positive changes did start to seep through the edges of the life we were living; a content yet chaotic life of coming-going-coming-going, Doug at work and me at home, Doug at home so me at work, kids going to bed when we went to bed, meals a haphazard attempt at homemade and healthy sprinkled with way too many nights of eating out, family budget nonexistent but fortunately not racking up credit card debt, accountability zero. We started to really look at the finances, to analyze where we could make cuts at so we could possibly live without Doug's paycheck. I talked with my boss about the possibility of my working more hours. We looked into refinancing our home loan, and ridding ourselves of the 2nd mortgage that had a scary balloon payment coming due in 7 years. Doug started learning how to fix simple dinners, rather than eating out the nights I worked late or dining on pizza and chicken nuggets weekly.
We started to forage change within our home; to work on consistent discipline with our kids, to teach appreciation of what they, to focus on solid family times in the evenings with the TV off and doing things together. A lot of little things, and not always things we stuck with regularly, but change starts somewhere, and we felt good about taking on the challenge. Along the way, though, I continued to feel out of control with my digestive issues; to feel that even when I was doing all the right things, I was still feeling cruddy. Bloated, eating irregular meals, skipping meals, eating foods that I'm supposed to avoid, not sleeping well. It all added up to a very cranky Ellen, and that was affecting these positive changes I was trying to affect within my family. I decided enough was enough, I needed to step up and find a way to feel better.
Enter my dear friend and the company she had been part of for a few months; she kept telling me if I drank this Spark she had given me samples of, I would feel energy. I would feel motivation. I would feel good! After months of ignoring her, I realized that I had nothing to lose, so I might as well try the stuff. WOW. One Spark and I was a believer; I had energy and motivation and felt like cleaning the house rather than sitting on the couch reading. After so long of being tired and not seeing any light at the end of the dark tunnel of low energy and bloated guts, I saw hope. I met with her and her mentor, told them my history, and asked what they had in addition to the Spark that might help me. I started with a probiotic and digestive enzyme the next week.
You know a lot of that story already from my previous posts, but what you may not know is that finding good health with AdvoCare was only the beginning. I quickly saw something else; a potential financial opportunity that just might be a way to bring Doug home. For real, to bring him home. Not to just have that as a dream, but to make it a reality. Not because we started making money with an AdvoCare business, but more because we saw that we had the power to make our life what we wanted it to be, and AdvoCare could possibly be a vehicle to assist us with that. We found renewed hope, we found potential answers to those "how can we do this" questions, and we found other people that were living their lives the way we wanted to...with purpose. With positivity. Creating a better world for their families. Not happy being "good enough" but wanting to impact the lives of others by being great.
Are you living your life as you were meant to; seeking your purpose and doing everything within your reach to achieve it? Do you realize that God has a plan for you, and He's just waiting for you to ask Him to show you the way? Are you surrounding yourself with others who are living their life with purpose, so that their positivity can impact you?
Greatness is within you. You have a purpose, and your life has purpose. If you are feeling stuck in mediocrity, feeling restless with your content, seeking more for your family, yearning to have peace and health within yourself, do not let any more time pass you by. Get on your knees in a quiet place, lay down your burdens to your God, and be open to the changes He has in store for you. He knows your purpose, and He knows how you can live your life to achieve that purpose. The unbelieving are hard at work to take down anybody who seems happy, positive, purposeful; do not let them take you down; shine and radiate your belief , spread positive energy, and live with purpose.
This was great. Love you sister!
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