Life's Many Blessings.

Although Thanksgiving was a few days ago, I am thankful each and everyday for the many blessings in my life. Most people have been posting their blessings one at a time day by day.  I decided to just put it all in a blog (: While I am sure there are many more if I sit and think I am going to max out at twenty-two.  Forgive me if I go in to much detail but I think that it is just all part of being THANKFUL!

1. GOD. I am far from perfect, I screw up often, but no matter where I go or what I do I always have someone looking out for me. Whenever I am down and out, I have someone to bring me peace. When I feel as though I don't deserve to be loved He is there to wrap his arms around me. He is where all my blessings begin.  If you've never felt his power, love, grace, forgiveness, and comfort then I challenge you to begin a journey in search for it. 

2. MY FAMILY. We are small and dysfunctional but  I love each and everyone of them.  Nothing is sweeter than spending time with your family when you haven't seen them in a while.  They have helped shaped me into who I am.  I am lucky to have the family I do.  I don't think they will truly ever understand how much each of them mean to me.

3. MY FRIENDS. People who know me, know that each of these is my family as well.  Friends is a term often used loosely but I consider friends as family.  I don't have a long list, because true friends are few and far in between.  They keep me grounded, are there for the highs and lows, support me in whatever I may decide to do, and never judge.  Each one has impacted my life in ways they will never understand.  Thankful I was chosen to be a part of their life! Oh and let me just say this includes my ever growing VI-FAMILY!

4. LIFE. HEALTH. PROSPERITY. - VISALUS. I started this journey over a year ago, and it is no longer a journey but a mission.  It is now my way of life.  Growing up in a small town you are taught to go to college get a job get married and then to teach your children the same thing.  Thanks to ViSalus, I have come to learn life is what you make it.  It can be whatever you want it to be.  You don't have to do the 40-40-40 thing the rest of your life.  Why work 40 hours a week for 40 years to only retire on 40 percent of what you paid in?  I love helping people, meeting people, and in the process I am creating my story.  I have learned and  become so much since starting this journey.  I am in the best shape of my life. I am financially independent and can do whatever I want without a worry in the world.  That is nothing but blessed and something I think about every day.  

5. MRS. PAULA.  While I didn't want to single anyone out because I didn't want people to feel left out or upset without her I would have never started ViSalus.  It all started with me working the kiosk for her a few years ago and then becoming her babysitter.  You never know where the connections in life will take you.  She is a mentor, role model, leader, friend, mom, and so much more.  I am so blessed to have her in my life, she has forever changed it.

6. MUSIC.  I am musically challenged.  I wish I could play the guitar, or drums...maybe that should be a 90 DAY CHALLENGE?!! And if you ever catch me singing I apologize!!  I try to be mindful of others lol but when I am in my car, or out listening to bands I just can't help myself.  I love all types of music, it is an expression of feelings, and character.  No matter the day there is a song to make it better. It is like Bob Marley said "when it hits you, you feel no pain."

7.  TENNIS. I haven't played in forever, although I played from 5th grade right on up to my senior year.  I was able to be a part of 2 State Championship Teams as well as being named Co-MVP of the State Tournament my senior year.  Tennis taught me many, many lessons, teamwork, perseverance, discipline, self-control, you win some, you loose some and many more.  If I knew then what I knew now... lol but thats the thing about life, you have to seize the opportunity.  Many of these lessons are still with me today.  Times on the tennis courts, or on the bus to matches are some of my fondest memories.  Without tennis, I wouldn't be the person I am today. I am thankful that I had the opportunity to play for Greene Central with some of the best ladies ever.

8. MY COACHES.  Each one has had an impact on my life.  They helped teach me many of the valuable lessons I mentioned above.  Whether the were correcting me, praising me, cheering me on, or pushing me to my limit they were making me a better person, player, and leader.  I am forever grateful to have the opportunity to play for each of you.  Thank you, without y'all I wouldn't be the person I am today.

9.  AIRPLANES.  Its quicker than a car.  Point blank, the end, period.

10.  MY JOB.  In todays economy, whether you separate trash, or are a lawyer you can't help but be thankful.  While I don't plan on working for someone else the rest of my life, right now I am thankful.  I have great co-workers, and I get the joy of meeting new people and helping them day after day.  

11. BABYSITTING. PIZZA HUTT. GRANT'S GAS AND GROCERY.  These are all places I worked before I started at the hospital.  They are by no means jobs anyone wants to have the rest of their life but we all have to begin somewhere.  I have met amazing people at every single one of them.  I guess you could say they allowed me to get my ears wet in the working world.  They also help me remember where I have been, where I am and where I want to go. 

12. LIFE'S LESSONS.  Whether it has been heartbreak, failure, disappointments, or let downs, it has helped me become who I am today.  It was tough at the time, but sometimes they only way to learn is the hard way.  No matter what is thrown at you, you have to stand up and carry on because every storm runs out of rain.

13.  SPORTS.  Rivalry, fellowship, excitement, adrenaline, atmosphere.  You just can't beat it.

14. WINE. Laugh if you will, but without it, i would have a lot less memories (:

15. BODY SHOPS and MECHANICS.  I am tough on a car.  There have been several instances when the body shop has come in handy.  If it wasn't for a mechanic I would be lost when it came to fixing my car.  Thankful there are people out their who like to do things I don't.

16.  MILITARY. FIREFIGHTERS. POLICE OFFICERS. PARAMEDICS.  They put their life on the line every day so that we may live in peace, and without fear.  They are in danger each and every day that they are on duty, I often times don't think people realize all the sacrifices they do make. 

17. NURSES. While I have never had to go to the hospital for anything major, I work with them each and every day.  I could never do what they do.  They have helped take care of many family members, and help me do my job each and every day.  It takes all types of people and jobs to make the world go round. 

...this is getting a little challenging.

18. FARMERS.  I love beef, cheese, and pork. I would starve otherwise. 

19. MY TRAINER. I am not motivated on my own.  Nor do I know how to correctly workout.  She pushes me and is make me better by the day...wouldn't be where I am without her.

20. GASOLINE.  You ain't going no where without it.  Learned this the hard way the other day.

21. A BIG WORLD.  Leaves a lot of places left to go and see and memories to make.  Cant wait.

22. THE ABILITY TO LIVE LIFE TO THE FULLEST. no explanation needed.

Choices

Choices...

No matter how big or small they shape our future.

How fitting for a day like to day?  I spent this past weekend in St. Louis and one of the key nuggets for me was CHOICES.  We all have those big choices that we know effect our life in some way or another. They cause us to stress and take time to actually think and rationalize the pros and cons between each decision but what about those small choices?!

The choice to spend $5 dollars on a pack of cigarettes or save it.  The choice to eat crappy food or the choice to go with a glass of water instead.  The choice to hurt some one's feeling by a rude comment or to keep your mouth shut in order to not cause pain upon someone else?  These choices all seem small and insignificant at the time but when you stop and think about it they have a huge impact on ones future.

Say instead of buying 2 packs of cigarettes a week they put that 10 dollars in a savings account.  That is 520 dollars a year. If a person started smoking when they were 16, they would have 13,000 dollars in savings by the time they were 40, just by not choosing instant gratification. As a society we choose instant gratification over long term satisfaction.

When choosing a doughnut or a piece of chocolate cake over fruit or a glass of water we don't think about how those ten pounds are going to creep up on us in a month or two.  Instead we go ahead and proceed with the instant gratification, where as if we would choose water or something a healthier not only would our bodies perform better in both short term and long term we would feel better and not have to wake up one day wondering how did all this weight or aches come about.  Think back to those small choices.

What SMALL choices have you made lately that is some how going to effect your life in the future.  See while one choice may appear to be what we want instantly later down the road it is going to be something we wish we would have done differently.

Over the past year I have made the choice to improve myself.  To create a journey filled with positive choices for my future.  I choose to workout so that I can stay young and healthy, I choose to do what others want and sacrifice so that I can stay forever young and life a life where I get to make my choices  with out someone else making them for me.  I choose to put away money so that if a rainy day comes I will have something to fall back on...it is to late when you wake up and realize those small choices have  caused you to wake up with no way to pay the bills one day.  While we never really stop and weigh the pros and cons of our decisions maybe if we stopped and thought about those small choices of instant gratifications vs long term satisfaction things would not creep up on us so badly.  You did not become 50-100 pounds overweight by night, your credit card, and house hold bills, as well as your unhappiness did not just happen overnight, it was a pile of small unthought out choices that piled up and eventually came back to kick you in the but.

So I urge you to stop and think are your choices hindering or enabling you? If you cant pay your bills then what do you need to do so that you can? If you are unhappy why? what is missing? what is it that you want out of life? If you are over weight have you curbed your appetite? The only way things will change in YOUR LIFE, is if you start making smarter, and wiser decisions on the seemingly insignificant SMALLER CHOICES.

To Blessed to Be Stressed

Ever feel like you are just bogged down with life in general? Maybe the fact that things are exactly like how you would life or what you had hoped for? I had been feeling that way then I was reminded that I am To Blessed to Be Stressed....

First and foremost I have learned to embrace the unexpected in life.  If we had everything like we wanted it, we wouldn't appreciate the little things, nor the mountain top after we go through the valleys.

I have the best family and friends a girl could ask for. My family will always be my family and have the top of my heart on lock..as well as my friends outside of my Vi-Family, but over the past 17 months I have met and build relationships with people whom I would of never met if I hadn't of taken an unexpected journey.  Some of these ladies have become my mom, comforter, inspiration and role model.  Others have become my sidekick and partner and crime.  No matter what I know that there will always be someone there for me no matter what challenges I face in life and for that I am truly blessed.

I live. Not only do I get to breathe each day which is a gift in itself, I have learned the meaning of living. I know what it is to create a life for myself without financial worry, being able to go where and when I want to, being able to help others, and I don't ask my parents for financial help...not a lot of 22 year olds can say that. From Miami, to the Dominican Republic, Orlando, Atlanta, Missouri (its not exciting there), back to Miami, the Bahamas, nights out with friends, dinners and conversations that have taught me so much this past year has definitely enriched my life once again to blessed to be stressed...

 I have two jobs.  One (Nuclear Medicine Technologist) I love the people whom I work with and the job I do but it is still a job, the second one (ViSalus 90 Day Challenge) well its not a job, its my life.  It has given me so much more than I could ever imagine...life. health. prosperity.

 
Last but not least, I am a child of the good Lord up above. No matter what situation or how many times I mess up, I know that I am forgiven.  When it feels like I can't go any further, there is someone holding me up, have more than seen and experienced that over the last year. Blessed beyond measure for that a lone.

So, when you are feeling down, stop and think about all the positives :) Whatever you are not happy with will only change if you decide to do something about it...you control your destiny.

The Sky Is The Limit

Isn't it funny how when you are little you are taught to dream big by teachers, parents, coaches, and all the adults who surround you, but as you get older you they are the same ones who are telling you to stick to the norm, go to school, get a job, settle down get married, and live what most consider "life"? The irony is these same adults are encouraging you to do something that they themselves yet never did/do... who are we to put a definition on life it should be whatever we want it to be. So in the past year I have vowed to create my "lived list" instead of a bucket list which are just most peoples dreams.  Yes, I have the normal 9 to 5 job but whose to say how long that will last? I don't want to live a life of routine...so here is my lived list (in no particular order).

~Visit all 50 states. 

   (Florida, North Carolina, Atlanta, New Jersey, Missouri, Washington DC, Tennessee, Georgia, Virginia can all be crossed off)! (and St. Louis in November)

~Take a cruise

~Visit the Bahamas

~Get married

~Do something for someone who can never repay me

~Go Ambassador with ViSalus

~Travel

     ~There are way to many places I want to go so I will keep it general

     ~Dominican Republic ( Thanks Kat!)

~Attend the Tennis US Open

~Attend a Dallas Cowboys game (not in the nosebleed neither!)

~Attend a Superbowl game

~Attend a NBA game (just for the experience, i am not a big fan)

~Attend the College World Series (Baseball)

~Attend a UNC Basketball game

~Take my Mema on a trip to the mountains (shuusshh dont tell her)

~Host or put together an event to raise money for a Children's Charity

~Go snowmobiling :)

~Visit the Grand Canyon

~Travel from the top of California to the bottom

~Dance to Sweet Home Alabama in Alabama

~Ride a mechanical bull

~Have dinner/lunch with a celebrity (Ryan Blair, Chanting Tatum, Jason Aldean, Luke Bryan, or any of the hot ones will suffice)

~Parasailing

~Zip Line (must do it again!)

~Learn to play the guitar (that should be a 90 day challenge!)

I am sure there is a thousand other things I want to experience, just can't recall them all. Whats the one thing you want to do most? What are you living for?

 

Getting ready to Para-sail in the Bahamas

 

White Party in Miami (July Trip)

 

Memories from the free trip to Miami in January (:

The Bahamas in July as well

 

"Meet The Press"

Meet The Press~ ME!! 

My name is Ashley, I am 22 and from a very, very small town.  I am starting this blog kind of as a journal to the journey of life :) I was inspired by a few people who seem to do an amazing job at catching people's eye. I work as a Nuclear Medicine Technologist by day and at night I party, party, party... don't jump to conclusions its not THAT kind of partying, I promote a 90 Day Challenge and we host CHALLENGE PARTIES, but they are just as much fun as the real deal (yes I do party in my spare time)! This adventure called life truly started in April of 2010 when I decided to promote the challenge... but more about that in the posts to come. Although my family is small, we are close. Its the normal quirks and fights but in the end we are there no matter what. My friends mine-as-well be considered family too... this group keeps growing and growing with all the amazing people and relationships I build promoting the challenge! Here is a pic of my family... dont want to leave friends out so I will just throw them in a long the way.

 family. missing the most important person, mema

but she doesn't get her picture taken often so I'll

   see what I can do about finding one!

Well I don't want to keep rambling, this is going to be an experience as I document my journey to build, create and live the life I want for myself. 

"Life ain't always beautiful, but it's a beautiful ride."