You are here: Home / Archives for personal inspiration

Army Wife and Survivor Strong Chick Michelle

2013
4 Comments

Strong Chick Michelle

 

I met Michelle on Saturday at the “Operation Homefront Star Spangled Babies” Shower. I can’t stop thinking about her. I was meant to be there that day and meet her. The first thing that so impressed me about Michelle was she was at the event VOLUNTEERING. She is such an inspiration. And in the brief time talking with her I knew we had a bond. Here she is, amazing Strong Chick, Army Wife and survivor in so many ways.

Hey Debbie,

It was truly wonderful meeting you at the OHOK baby shower on Saturday. I feel so honored that you wanted my story so here it is. It is going to be a little all over the place so I apologize. Since my husband deployed my brain no longer works lol.

In 1998 I gave birth to a healthy and beautiful baby boy. Trevor weighed 9 lbs 5 ozs and was as strong as a 3 month old! For almost 2 and a half years Trevor was the healthiest toughest little boy that many had ever met.

One day he started to complain about a sore throat so I made a doctors appt and was told he had a simple sore throat and handed an antibiotic. Trevor continued to get weaker by the day. He didn’t want to eat slept way too much and just didn’t look right. I took him back to the doctor and was told he “may” have strep. No blood work was done, nothing more than a throat swab and more antibiotics. Two days later I noticed the glands in his neck seemed to be swollen. At this point I was no longer content with the antibiotics and took him to Children’s Hospital in San Diego, CA.

Within thirty minutes they had blood work done and iv fluids started for dehydration. We were admitted and I was so happy something was being done. The next morning I was woken up by the pediatrician to earth shattering news. My son had Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia and they needed to start treatment immediately.

I couldn’t begin to grasp what I was just told. How could this be true? I was a good mom! Sadly what I found out was this disease had nothing to do with how he was raised or what I could do for him.

The next year was a complete nightmare between chemo and radiation Trevor was so weak. We couldn’t leave the hospital because he literally had no immune system left. Everyone who visited had to wear a sterile suit and mask so they didn’t bring outside germs in. 13 months after he was diagnosed we received the best news possible…
Trevor was in remission!

Life resumed for 8 months until a random blood test revealed that Trevor’s Leukemia was back. We all settled in for another long hard fight but knew we would beat it again. Sadly the chemotherapy and radiation wasn’t helping this time and the only thing that could help would be a bone marrow transplant. To our horror we discovered than none of the family was a match. We went to the registry and couldn’t find a suitable match that was available to us.

We did what we could and basically just had to make and keep him as comfortable as possible. On November 15th, 2003 Trevor passed away in my arms.

Shortly before my 30th birthday I went in for my yearly gyno appt and within a week I was diagnosed with breast cancer. I underwent a lumpectomy and 2 rounds of chemo and after 8 months I was cancer free!

It made me really take a look at my life and realize how unhappy I was with my marriage. I had been married to my children’s father for almost 10 years and couldn’t imagine being a single mom. However my husband was a very abusive man and I knew if I didn’t leave soon I never would. So one night after an “episode” I grabbed up my 2 boys and we left with nothing. i got us a little apartment an we started life over slowly.
Just one month after my divorce was finalized I noticed an all too familiar feeling in my right breast. I made a doctors appt and once again I was told I had breast cancer. This time I was a single mom and didn’t know anyone since I was new to Oklahoma. I put on my big girl panties and started the fight. A few months later I met a man online through a cancer support group and we started to talk everyday. He was a CML (Chronic Myeloid Leukemia) survivor and understood when I said things like “Im having a cancer day”. Months went by and we continued to chat online then moved to the phone and he was just amazing. I learned he had always wanted kids but wasnt able due to his chemo earlier in life. Then the good news came, he was being stationed in Oklahoma! So I took a chance and flew to Virginia to road trip with him back to Oklahoma. The connection was instant and I knew I wanted to be with this man for the rest of my life. When we got back to Oklahoma we started dating officially. I thought he was insane for wanting to date a single mom with stage 2 cancer but I was super glad! 6 months later he proposed to me and I excitedly agreed. With one clause, I wouldn’t marry him till I was cancer free. He still stuck around!
On April 17th, 2013 I celebrated my 2 year cancer free date. On May 26th, 2013 I also celebrate my 2 year wedding anniversary.

I found out recently I am a carrier fo the BRCA2 gene and so I have opted for a double mastectomy. the way I look at it is I would rather hold a grandbaby someday than have boobs.

I know this is all over the place and I do apologize. If there is anything else I can answer for you I will.

A quick background

I am a very proud Army wife with 2 little boys ages 8 & 9. I am a stay at home wife and mom but keep myself very busy with lots of volunteer work.

Thank you again for the opportunity and interest in my story.

Michell

Filed Under: Inspirational Stories, Leukemia & Lymphoma, Strong Chick Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , 4 Comments

2013 Word-Everyday Mindfulness

2013
2 Comments

Kelli Lene MindfulnessHi everyone! I am still collecting people’s words for 2013. I asked my good friend Kelli Lene to share her word with you-

Everyday Mindfulness

Like many of you I am contemplating what lessons I learned in 2012 and what my priorities are for 2013. This leads to the major challenge of identifying the one word that sums up my focus, both personal and professional, for the year. After much introspection and herbal tea, I have finally recognized the perfect word ( drum roll…..) 2013 is now officially the year of “Mindfulness”.

Mindfulness was originally associated with Zen Buddhism, now it’s intrical with all types of meditation used in psych, Yoga and other wellness practices. However, if you are anything like me, the idea of practicing meditation translates to a daytime nap. And I feel the same way about naps that I did at 5 – at my core I know I need it, but Maaaaaaaaaaama all the other kids are up and I’ve got things to do.

As you can imagine, my 20 year journey from corporate suit to a neuromuscular therapist has led me to become much more in touch with the components of mindfulness in my treatment room. My beloved yet spotty yoga practice has upgraded my awareness even more and brought those components into by personal arena. Now life has exposed to me some amazing women who walk the talk and (despite my best efforts) have been a good influence on me. So this is the year I am going to up the ante.

A semi official description of mindfulness comes from John Kabat-Zinn : “paying attention in a particular way, on purpose, in the present moment, and non-judgmentally ” Mindfulness, like a lot of concepts, can be incredibly complicated and interpreted in a wide variety of ways. For me it means to spend a lot less time on auto-pilot. The trick is how to make it happen simply, consistently and meaningfully.

I approached this venture the same as I do any large project: research, determine goals, and plan specific steps. My plan is to focus on one facet a month, committing to making it a part of my everyday life. The twelve features are:

January: Breath work

February: Body Scanning

March: Meditation

April : Connection to Nature

May: Non- attachment

June: Openness to Experiences

July: Being Present

August: Connection to Myself

September: Acceptance

October: Non- judgment

November: Compassion

December: Connection to Others

Practicing these components will help bring me to the beauty of the present moment. And can’t we all do with a little more beauty in our lives? My wish for you and me is a year full of beautiful moments that we are mindful enough to recognize.

Here is Kelli’s bio-I love her story, she is a true Happy First Chick, she left the corporate world to pursue her passion-

Kelli Lene’ is the owner of Time Well Spent, a consulting and professional development company primarily serving the wellness industry. She has been involved in professional education since 1981 when she began her career as an adult educator specializing in customer service and client relations for the retail/ hospitality industries. Based on a need for personal fulfillment, she embarked on a new direction – as a massage therapist and spa technician. Eventually, due to her corporate background, she had the opportunity to merge the her two worlds – as a spa owner, consultant and eventually as a massage/spa program director.

Time Well Spent is a culmination of all these experiences. The company offers neuromuscular services, corporate wellness programs, special events, professional education and consultation. Since 1994 Time Well Spent has worked with schools, manufacturers, spas, and therapy centers. As an acknowledged industry expert she has participated in all aspects of professional development including publishing, curriculum development, trade shows, and workshops.

As a business owner, Kelli understands firsthand the difficulty of keeping so many balls in the air and still maintaining balance. Her main strategy has always been to have every branch of her business balance the others thru a shared vision –“That every moment invested with her…. is time well spent”

Kelli has a passion for her chosen career and is devoted to combining her experience in education with her love of wellness in order to contribute to her community. That is why she is currently working towards her next project – a personal and professional retreat called Spa Kamp.

(Kelli is also the ultimate Pinterest Chick (think I need to do a Pinterest Chick tee or cap?) -check it out- Kelli Lene Spa Kamp-she has incredible boards and ideas!))

Filed Under: Entrepreneurial Stories, Word for the Year Tagged With: , , , , 2 Comments

Meet my friend GloriaMarie

2012
Leave a Comment

Hi ya’ll! Happy Tuesday! So excited to be a guest blogger at GloriaMarie! Check it out! It is so exciting-I feel like great people are put in my path everyday! I just love her outlook on life.

Filed Under: Inspirational Stories Tagged With: , Leave a Comment

What’s your word for 2012?

2012
Leave a Comment

happy new yearHappy New Year! I love January, it is another new beginning! You can live a life you love-make choices to get you to where you want to be! You can do anything you set your mind to! One thing that helps me in goal setting is to pick a word for the year.

Last year my word was Pursue. 2010 was Create. I encouraged others to think about a word for themselves for the year and frame it and put it in a place they will see every day. I chose my bathroom counter. This year’s word for me is DELVE – as in “Delve in 2012″! I looked up Delve and it means to search for something, or the research or making painstaking inquiries into something.

I have trouble focusing, saying no, over volunteering. I’ve been spread too thin. It has kept me from delving into the areas and relationships where I really want to spend my time. I feel the need to go deeper. Delve. So this is my year.

As I have said before in my Goal setting series, when you set goals for yourself, be specific rather than general.  So that is what I am going to do. I encourage you all to think about some things you want to change or learn this year and take steps to do it. I divide up my goal setting into home, business, creative goals and fitness goals. For creative I am going to learn Adobe Illustrator. I know enough to be dangerous! I am going to master it this year through tutorials and mentors. In 2010/11 I ran 2 half marathons with Team in Training to San Francisco and San Diego. Then I got injured over the summer and couldn’t run for 13 weeks. But it was a blessing in disguise because I really got into Yoga. So I am so excited- I have already signed up for the 40 Day Revolution at Inner Peace Yoga in Tulsa starting January 8. (Yoga 6 days a week for 40 days!) I’m Type A, I have to have goals like this. Oooh, maybe that means I really need yoga, huh? For home I plan on having every room in our house reorganized and decluttered by March 31st. That’s a tough one because home organization is ongoing. I am also setting new goals for my business.

So I guess since I have told you a bit about my goals, I have to be accountable, right? It really helps to be accountable to someone. Last year a friend and I were accountable to each other with our weight goals. So feel free to be accountable to me if you want, or a friend. What are some of your goals? It is inspiring to see what everyone comes up with! I am going to be featuring some of my friends soon and their words of wisdom!

Oh, and what is your word for 2012?

Filed Under: Happy First ecard, Happy First of the Month!, Personal Goal Setting Tagged With: , , , , Leave a Comment

My Team in Training Journey

2011
Leave a Comment

TNT Nike marathonI have become obsessed with running. I just love it. It is a workout you can get just about anywhere. It feels so great just to grab your running shoes, run out the door, and just go. I love the adventures I come upon (like the copperhead in our woods last week) and the new ideas I come up with while running.

My first exposure to TNT

Let me tell you about Team in Training (TNT). You never know where the people you meet will lead you. In May 2007 I launched Happy First. Jason Ashley Wright, our local style reporter/columnist (he’s the best!) wrote a full page article about Happy First in the Tulsa World in August 2007. I was thrilled! What great exposure! Angie Smith, whom I did not know, read the article and called me to see if I would be interested in donating to her fundraising event for TNT. She read that Happy First gives to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society (LLS) and that is what TNT does-fundraises for LLS by training for and running in destination races all around the world. She was having a social event called Life by Chocolate where people would attend, have drinks and chocolate and other desserts and participate in a silent auction. I was happy to donate to her auction and my husband and I and cousins even attended her event. I kept in touch with her over the years, donating to and attending her event each year (she even asked me to speak to the group). I didn’t imagine that someday I would be a runner for TNT too.

Joining TNT

In 2010 I decided to join TNT-I wanted to become more involved with LLS and I wanted a fitness goal. I love to run but wanted a reason to run. I had never done a half marathon before (the most I had run was years ago-the Tulsa Run-9 miles) but wanted to go for it. I signed up for the TNT Nike San Francisco Marathon that took place in October 2010. Our group met every Saturday morning and our coaches had everything mapped out for us. It was fun making new friends and having someone to run with. It wasn’t always easy getting up early on Saturday mornings. But something about having the goal and new friends to run with kept me going. I was growing through discipline, perseverance and dedication. I felt like I was changing-I was becoming a more serious runner and my mind set was changing too!

I had learned so much-my coaches Angie and Becky Gilray (she is so awesome too!) have taught me new things about running. I didn’t know anything about carb supplements, hydration, how to handle hills, etc.  I have emailed and called them with questions and sometimes little aches and pains and they have gone above and beyond with research and help in any way. I really appreciate how they cared for us. They had to get up even earlier on Saturdays and plan for us!

The Nike San Francisco Women’s Marathon

Our big event was in October in San Francisco. LLS flew us there and we stayed in a super nice hotel. It was so exciting! There were over 20,000 runners in this event. The proceeds from the Nike run went to LLS and they raised over $13 million! (With the help of generous friends and family I was able to raise over $5000!). My friend Jana went with me and we stayed a few extra days and went to Napa (I had never been). It was such a fun trip.

The San Diego Rock and Roll Marathon

So now I am hooked! Now I am training for the San Diego Rock and Roll (half) Marathon on June 5th. We just did our long 13 mile training run Saturday  (And I am sore- thanks to Aaron for going at a faster pace than I am used to!) It has been a bit frustrating this spring because I have not been able to run with my TNT group as much because my mom has been ill and I have been out of town a lot. But the great thing about running is you can do it anywhere, so I have been training wherever I have been! And today I am in Dallas to be with her and I am about to head out the door to run. It is fun to run in different places.

So if you want a running goal and some friends to run with, check out TNT! My personal TNT site is  http://pages.teamintraining.org/ntxok/rnr11/dvinyard . Feel free to donate if you would like, but I am not writing this to ask for donations, but to spread the word!

Filed Under: Team In Training Tagged With: , , , , , , Leave a Comment

Live in Full Bloom

2011
1 Comment

happy first brown cap sleeve teeIt’s Motivational Monday again! Mondays come so quickly! I am trying to write this with a spoiled Jack Russell Terrier on my lap. We went for an hour run this morning so she is tired!
Today I want you to think about Living in Full Bloom-living out to your potential. Finding what makes you Happy! Doing what you are meant to do! Again I want to ask you, what is your passion? What do you like to do in your free time?  I believe each and every one of us have special talents and creativity inside waiting to burst out! (That is one meaning of the Happy First egg) I think sometimes we repress it because we either don’t think we have time or are afraid to take the plunge! I think we are happiest when we are creating and doing something we love to do! Make yourself take the time to do something for you. It will make you happier in other areas of your life. Take some time by yourself to just be still and reflect on what you would love to do. Your passion might be something that you just do for fun or it may become a career for you.
I am now reading for the second time an awesome book; it is “The Happiness Project” by Gretchen Rubin. Gretchen spends a whole year researching happiness and does some new things each month to boost her happiness. She has a theme for each month. My favorite month is September which she titled “PURSUE A PASSION”. I love it-we think alike-my quote I put on my website in 2007 when Happy First launched is “Find your passion and pursue it”.I love this-in this chapter she says-“But whatever your passion might be, happiness research predicts that making time for a passion and treating it as a real priority instead of an “extra” to be fitted in at a free moment (which many people practically never have) will bring a tremendous happiness boost”In an earlier chapter (March) she said this about passion- “I’d become convinced that passion was a critical factor in professional success. People who love their work bring an intensity and enthusiasm that’s impossible to match through sheer diligence.”happy first red organic cotton tunic deep v-neck
I guess I relate so much to Gretchen because she was an accomplished lawyer but didn’t love it so she decided to pursue her love of writing. I was a CPA that didn’t love it so I dove into my love of fashion and encouraging others. The time just flies for me when I am working on Happy First. I get lost in it! I love it!
Pictured are two of my favorite tees- the “Live in Full Bloom” tees. They are  perfect for this time of year- one is a chocolate cap sleeve tee.  The other is a v-neck A-line organic tunic (great with jeans or leggings) in a red chili color.
I want each and every one of you to Live in Full Bloom! Be the wonderful You that You were created to be! You are unique and have talents no one else has!
What is YOUR passion, something that you would like to do or already do?

Filed Under: Personal Goal Setting Tagged With: , , , , , , , 1 Comment

The Art of Goal Setting

2011
6 Comments

Last Monday I talked about figuring out your dream or vision for your life. Once you do that, start writing down your goals to get there. It is weird how when you write your goals down and start focusing on them, it starts coming together! I am a very goal driven, type A person. I do so much better if I have goals set before me. Goals energize, challenge me. You can do anything if you put your mind to it!

Write down your goals on paper

Put them where you can see them every day. You can make a whole list of goals, but start out focusing on no more than three at a time. A book that has helped me so much with this is “The Power of Less” by Leo Babauta. It is about setting goals, reaching them, focusing and simplifying your life. He talks about figuring out what your goals are and saying “No” to activities that are not in alignment with your goals. This has been a constant struggle for me; I have a hard time saying no! I want to be involved in everything and I want people to like me. I don’t like to be left out. I want to be Super Mom, wife and business owner. But I am learning in order to be effective I cannot spread myself too thin. Babauta’s  book also talks about time management and how to be more streamlined in your day. I highly recommend it.

Once you set your goals then break them down into projects and tasks to get there. Your goals must be measurable, not just broad statements. For example, don’t say, “I want to lose weight this year or exercise more, say “I am going to be at this weight by this date and this is the way I am going to do it”. Goals seem overwhelming at first, but if you break them down with a timeline and into projects made up of tasks, it is doable. If you have too many goals or make them too difficult, you will give up easily. I read an article in the business section of the Tulsa paper back in January by Harvay Mackay. He talked about goal setting and said “Setting goals is all about taking charge of a situation.” What is it that you really want to accomplish? You have to really want it!

Harvay Mackay cited an example about a company setting a difficult production quota goal. There were 2 different test groups. They both had to reach the goal in 12 weeks. The first group was just told to reach it in 12 weeks, the second group was given weekly goals to reach that same difficult goal at the end. The first group only reached 66% of the goal, the second group exceeded their goal. That is why it is so important to break down your long term goals into monthly, weekly, daily goals.

I love this quote by Harvay Mackay “Although no one can go back and make a brand new start, anyone can start from now and make a brand new end.”

I have divided my goals into different areas-home, business and fitness. I will share them with you over the next few Mondays.

What goals do you want to set?

Filed Under: Personal Goal Setting Tagged With: , , , , , 6 Comments

Spark and Hustle!

2011
Leave a Comment

Spark and Hustle

I just had the most amazing time with about 200 women (and a few brave men!) at Tory Johnson’s Spark and Hustle 3 day convention. Tory is an award winning business leader, New York Times best selling author, workplace contributor to Good Morning America, and a speaker.  I knew I would enjoy her convention, but it way exceeded my expectations! My head is still spinning from all I have learned and experienced. Cindy Morrison (former Emmy-winning tv anchor and now author, speaker, and founder of socialvention) was instrumental in bringing this event to Tulsa-this is an 8 city tour and we were so lucky to get it here in Tulsa! Check out www.sparkandhustle.com and see if there is one in a city near you, I highly recommend it!

It was for anyone that has a business or business idea (a spark) and wants to hustle their business! I decided to go to learn new things, meet other business owners, and exchange ideas. I brought 5 business owner friends along. We all had the best time meeting new people and just soaking up the information. One thing we did that really helped was presenting our business to others at our table and have them give us new ideas. It was exciting to hear a completely fresh perspective!

In addition to Tory and Cindy we listened  to inspiring speakers including Paula Marshall, CEO of Bama Companies, Kristine Sexter (an award winning speaker, consultant and columnist-such a go getter!), Marley Majcher, business owner and author of But are you making any money, Michelle Pippin, a small business coach (so many good ideas!), Simon Bailey (a dynamic motivational speaker), Jo Khalifa, owner of www.mojoroast.com (what an inspiring speaker!),   Jeretta Nord, OSU professor and owner of www.acupofcappuccino.com, Shari Alexander, co-owner of the Expert Message Group (I really enjoyed her speech about public speaking and writing your own book) and Vivian Tenorio, owner of www.signatureflan.com . We also listened to some local business owners, many of whom I have wanted to meet.

I loved hearing about how these women had a dream and made it happen. They gave us nuts and bolts of what they did to succeed. It was so inspiring but it was more than a motivational seminar; we learned business concepts, we networked and exchanged ideas and helped one another in the sessions! I made so many good friends at this event. This is what Happy First is all about, encouraging others to pursue their passion!  I soon will be writing some inspiring stories of entrepreneurs I know. If you have a story to share, please let me know through my contact form above. Also, if you want to go to Spark and Hustle, enter HOSTHAPPYFIRST under the discount code, and you will get 10% off of the convention price! I want us all to help one another in our journey to happiness, success and fulfillment.

Filed Under: Entrepreneurial Stories Tagged With: , , , , , , Leave a Comment

Find your passion and pursue it

2011
5 Comments

oklahoma blizzard 2011Tulsa has had record snow the last 2 weeks.  Winter is not my favorite season (I am more of a warm weather girl) but I do like occasionally being snowed in to be with family and simply slow down. For me, winter is a time to plan and reflect. I like to set goals, especially this time of year, so I thought I would write several entries about goal setting for your personal and business life. I will be posting them on Mondays.

Defining Your Dream

The first thing you must ask yourself is what do I truly want to do, pursue, change? Call it the vision, the dream, or the goal. I think we all have dreams inside of us waiting to burst out. We all have talents of some sort, some of us just may not have explored them because of time, money, fear of failure, or life just getting in the way.

How do you figure out your dream? Start out by spending some time alone and write down what you enjoy doing. What makes you happy? What did you like to do as a kid? (I did crafts and drew fashion pictures all the time) Did you  aspire to be or do something but someone or circumstances shut you down? Is there a cause you really believe in? Somewhere you would want to volunteer? Just listen to  what is inside of you and dare to think of the possibilities. It is never too late to be or to do!  Don’t look at past experiences as failures but as stepping stones leading up to what you are to do now.

Surround yourself with positive, outgoing people. I read a great book years ago called Balcony People, don’t know if it is still in print but it was all about the people in life that lift you up and try to get you to come to the balcony. Don’t listen to the Basement people that try to drag you down. If you’re not sure what your strengths and talents are, ask your good, true friends what they think your strengths are. Also, branch out and find some people with common interests and network and exchange ideas. In the past few years, through networking meetings and trade shows, several new people have come into my life that now are my dearest friends and mentors.

This is our one life to live-go for it! Design your life, no one else is going to do it for you. What are you waiting for? Start now. Don’t wait for everything to fall perfectly in place, just get started.

I think we are the happiest when we are pursuing something. Wouldn’t it be fun to choose work (or a hobby or a cause) you love where you just lose yourself in it? We have choices and opportunities. We live in a country where we have freedom to open up our own business, go to school, learn new things, meet new people. It makes me sad to see so many people in unhappy jobs, relationships, situations. I know some things we can’t control, but most of our future is based on our choices.

I love being a wife and mom. My family is my top priority. But for a very long time I have had a gnawing inside to do something even more, especially now that my kids are getting bigger and more independent. I want to reach out to others.  I love making friends and lifting people up. I know I went through cancer for a reason. I am finally figuring out that I am supposed to encourage others and use my creativity. I founded my company www.happyfirst.com to inspire others through fun clothing and accessories. My message is “find your passion and pursue it”. My company donates to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society (LLS).  This past year I have gotten more involved with LLS through Team in Training-more on that later! I feel like it is finally all coming together. It is so exciting!

I want Happy First to be a place where you can come and be inspired and encouraged. I would love to hear what your dreams, goals and aspirations are! Maybe by just professing it, it will get you started. Maybe you have already started and are in pursuit. Please share!

Filed Under: Personal Goal Setting Tagged With: , , , 5 Comments