 Last week, I was driving home one evening around dusk. And I'll be honest, I don't often look around or take in what's going on around me (other than the other cars and driving, of course). Truthfully, a lot of times I'm in my own world and get home without even thinking about the drive.
Well this evening, I just so happened to look over at the perfect time and see these two horses standing facing one another. They had their heads wrapped around one another's neck, like they were hugging one another (like the pic above...not my pic, but I wish I could've stopped and taken a picture). And it brought tears to my eyes. The beauty of it, the simplicity of it, the love and affection that even animals have for one another. On the very next street that I turned onto, heading towards home, the sky above our church was simply gorgeous. It had various shades of pink and blue and was just breathtaking. And once again, it brought tears to my eyes. I realized that we are so often wrapped up in our own little world and technology that we fail to see the beauty and simplicity of life around us. I wondered how many little moments like these I've missed, by looking at my phone or daydreaming or worrying or complaining. Think about your day-to-day life. How often do you spend it complaining? How often do you look at all the bad things in your life? How often do you complain about your circumstances? And now, conversely, how often do you spend counting your blessings? How often do you thank God for everything in your life, even the bad stuff? I know that life isn't always going to be easy or fun. And I know that it's often easy to fall into the "woe is me" or "why me" stage. But think about it. How does that serve you? How does that help you move past what you're going through? I'll be the first to admit, I used to be the worst why me or what if person. I would let my anxiety get the best of me in every situation because I wanted to be in complete and utter control. And I always thought the worst of the situation. Like, "how could I possibly be in THIS situation?!" It's taken me awhile, but I no longer have that outlook. It slips out every now and again, but for the most part, I know that I am at the mercy of God's will. He already has my life planned out, however that is going to look. And even in the bad moments, I thank Him. For everything. He has brought me exactly where I'm supposed to be, even if I don't fully understand it yet. And I'll tell you what...I am in a much better place with this outlook. The peace I have is astounding. I don't dwell on the bad stuff (for long, lol) or let myself fall into a crappy place. I pick myself up, brush myself off, and figure out what needs to be done next. So today, this week, this month...I challenge you. I challenge you to go 24 hours without complaining. And thank God for everything, even the bad stuff. Count your blessings. Literally...list them out. Spend a couple extra minutes in the morning listing three things you are grateful for. And at night, do the exact same thing. And take in the beauty that surrounds you. Put your phone down, look around, and see everything God has created for us. His beauty and love is everywhere. Our challenge is opening our eyes and seeing it. I love y'all! And I'm thankful for each one of you! I hope you have a beautiful week and see all the beauty in our world! With love and wellness, Whitney
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 I like to think I have it all under control. That I know what's coming next. And that I can control the outcome.
But that's a laugh. Because then something huge happens and you...well, I...very quickly realize I have ZERO control. Over much of anything, other than how I react. Let me put it in perspective. Can we control the weather? Can we control the car in front of us and how fast (or slow) they are driving? Can we control other people's reactions or behaviors? See where I'm going with this? We've all been there. Moving merrily along in our lives, thinking everything is going smoothly. We have it all figured out, all under control. And BAM! Life gets flipped, turned upside down. Yes, I am obviously going through an incredibly trying time right now. The biggest thing I've learned from it, especially over the last two weeks, is that I can't control this situation. I can't control the outcome. I can't even control the day to day activities of what's happening. But I can control ME and how I respond to it and what I put out into the world. And let's be real...THAT is the most important part, at least for me, right now. There is no sense in stressing over the things I can't control. I allowed my anxiety to get the best of me over the first several days, but then I remembered who was in control. I put it all in His hands and gave up trying to control everything. The immediate sense of peace I felt was amazing. And so much needed. One of the biggest changes for me, and something that I have found to be incredibly helpful, is to thank God for putting me in this situation. Yes, it sounds silly, because it obviously isn't the greatest situation, but I obviously needed it. I wouldn't be in this situation if I didn't. God has a bigger plan than I will ever know...one day, it will be evident. And I have to trust that He is in control and that I will come out stronger on the other side. What have you found helpful when you are put into situations like these? We've all been there. We've all so desperately wanted control in uncontrollable situations. I'd love to know your tips on getting you through. I've done a lot of praying, writing in my journal, talking to trusted friends and confidantes. It's unhealthy to keep it all in, to bottle it up inside. That's pretty much what got us in this mess to begin with. But I digress. So, for now, I am giving up control. I pray that everything works out, however it's going to. Whatever that is, whatever that looks like. Nobody but God knows His end plan; so let's stop assuming we do and let's stop trying to control what's going to happen. I love you all. And I thank you for your support and prayers. Y'all are awesome, and I'm so thankful for each and every one of you! Have an awesome week! With love and wellness, Whitney  Life has this funny way of showing us we aren't in control...and to show us that it does go on, despite how we feel.
Tragedies, crises, traumas...they come out of left field and knock us completely off our axis. And they leave us fighting to figure out which way is up. But the crazy thing is...despite how terrible it is, LIFE. GOES. ON. A little over a week ago, my life was completely flipped upside down. I was going about my daily life and BOOM. It was altered in the course of one 10 minute phone call. What I've learned over the course of this past week is that life, does in fact, go on. You have to get up, keep going, put your pants on one leg at a time (just like everyone else). But it's like going through the motions in a fog. I don't really remember a whole lot of the first weekend I found out. It doesn't matter that everything has changed, that you're fighting to maintain "normal," that everyone is asking you how you are doing and what you need...and you have ZERO idea how to answer those questions. I've never dealt with something of this magnitude, but I can tell you it's like grieving. I've gone through all the emotions...and continue to go through all the emotions. And when you ask me how I'm doing, I don't know how to answer. And when you ask me what I need, I don't know how to answer. How am I supposed to be doing? What do I need, outside of back to the way things were? I'm relearning how to live by myself again. I'm relearning a lot. Thank you to all the people who have reached out, expressed concern and offered to help in whatever way they can. Thank you to my neighbors for mowing my lawn and offering continued prayers for our family. I know I haven't been the most responsive this week to everyone, but I've appreciated all your concern and kind words. What I won't do is entertain questions about what happened or if I knew or how I'm planning to move forward from here. That is my business and my business alone. Privacy, y'all. While the news doesn't allow for much of that, I deserve privacy. Life has completely changed, but I have to continue living it. And the questions aren't necessary. But to alleviate some of them, here ya go... No, I didn't know. I had NO IDEA this was going on. If you know me at all, you wouldn't even think to ask me that. And no, I'm not going into details about what happened, because it's none of your concern. And what I plan to do from here on out is MY business, not yours. Sorry (not sorry) if that sounds blunt, but this is MY LIFE, people! It may feel like a bad dream, but it's still my life. And I still have to keep living it. So that's what I've been doing. Continuing to move forward, one step at a time, taking it moment by moment, day by day. Again, thank you for the concern and kind words. But leave the questions out of it. Please. Have an awesome week! With love and wellness, Whitney  I don't understand it. This ad is for jeans ^^
Well...I guess I do. Sex sells. As I scrolled through Instagram and Facebook yesterday morning, I saw a ton of motivational posts (thank you for all of those), but I also saw lots of half-naked women and men as "motivation" for people to get in the gym. See above. Hmmm...so a woman holding her bikini top on (it was untied) is going to be motivation for me to get into the gym? To me, I think, "Great...another beautiful woman, standing in a provocative pose, looking how I'll never look (unless I get a boob job and grow 3-5 inches), and for men, a sex object." That isn't motivation. Not for me anyways. I don't understand how our world is so sex-driven! Everything we see or hear or talk about often has some sort of sexual innuendo or is flat-out about sex. There's nothing sacred about it anymore. I was reading an article the other day where it said dating used to be about getting to know the person, their intricacies, how they operate and think, how they feel, their wants and desires for their lives. But now, it's about how fast they can get into each other's pants. For pete's sake, there are apps that are basically hook-up sites!! What in the world?! How have we allowed ourselves to stoop so low?! I am truly speechless when it comes to where our priorities lie. It isn't on getting to know the other person. It isn't about whether you are going to be compatible long term. It's whether your sex drive is going to match with theirs. It's whether they're going to get naked for you quicker than the next girl (or guy). Yes...I'm going provocative today. I will not apologize for that. I can't say that I've always felt this way, and I can't say that I was always this outspoken about it. But I do now, and I am now. Stop and think about what we're doing to one another. Ladies, is that all you really are? A sex object? Do you think that dressing provocatively, sending naked pictures, having sex before you're ready is how your self-worth is determined? I can promise you this...IT ISN'T. If a guy that you're interested in walks away because you won't have sex with him on his terms, GOOD. You are better off for it! I don't know about you, but I was sick and tired of being used for one thing...SEX. Let's stop this madness. Value yourself. Value your body. Value your worth. You are worth so much more than a sex object for men. You are beautiful. You are powerful. You are strong. Own it. With your clothes on. And men, this applies to y'all too. Value women. For more than just what they can offer you in the bedroom (or elsewhere). But value yourselves too. I love y'all. I'm thankful for each and every one of you who keep coming back to check out what I'm saying. Have an awesome week! Send me some prayers please, because this week is going to be a trying one! With love and wellness, Whitney |
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Please Note: I do not provide the services of a licensed dietician or nutritionist, information received should not be seen as medical or nursing advice, and is not meant to take the place of seeing licensed health professionals. |