My 3 Grateful and Positive Thoughts of the Day: 08-09-14

A lot in my life has happened since my last blog post in January.  I have to admit, it’s been a rough year so far.  I’m inherently one of those optimistic, “every cloud has a silver lining” individuals; but the past 8+ months have really tested me in all aspects of my life:  emotionally, physically, and spiritually.  There are many times I’ve thought about this blog, getting out in writing what’s been going on, but it didn’t happen for whatever reason or excuse.  Maybe I just didn’t want to re-live the bad/sad/disappointing stuff all over again.  As Elsa would sing “the past is in the past.”  However, as much as I try to bury it all and/or deal with it and move forward, it can get hard at times.  But despite it all, I still smile and look for the positive and beauty all around me.  It’s just who I am.

What’s prompted me to blog today is that I’m in a bit of a funk at this exact moment, despite the insanely gorgeous and perfect summer day we’re having here in my part of NY.  I realized I really needed to get my head out of this mindset and thought of a great way to do it.  Over the past month or two I’ve seen many friends partake in a “challenge” of sorts going around Facebook where they’ll list 3 or 5 positive things they are either grateful for or are positives in their lives on that particular day.  So I figured that’d be a great way to break the blahs.  Also, it really is something I should do every day.  You need to have positive thoughts and be grateful every single day you wake up.  Those happy, thankful thoughts will then continue to multiply over and over again, day after day.

So, without further ado, here are My 3 Grateful and Positive Thoughts of the Day.

1.     No surprise on this one. I am grateful for my son!!  He is my ray of loving, huggable, kissable sunshine every single day.  There are no words I could write that would ever do him and his love justice.  The mother/son bond we share is undeniable.

2.     Although she is no longer with us (one of the incredibly heartbreaking events back in January/February this year), I am so very grateful for the nearly 44 years I had with my grandmother.  Again, no words I could say would ever do her unconditional love and support for me justice.  I miss her so incredibly much.  Love you grandma.  You are forever in my heart and spirit.

A really old and rather "risky" photo back in the day of my grandma (L) and great grandma (R)!!!  

3.     I am grateful for the new medication (Tecfidera) I’m on for Multiple Sclerosis (MS).  My "official" 13-year MS diagnosis anniversary was this past July.  Although the Tecfidera does not cure the illness, it’s what they call a "disease modifying drug."  For me, it has had a significant and noticeable improvement in at least one area of my illness.  This is the first time in at least 5 years, if not longer, that I haven’t needed a cane for stability assistance while walking in the heat and humidity of the summer months.  Haven’t needed a cane in the slightest and that makes me feel amazingly grateful and positive!!

Meet Pepe', my original cane and now one of many fashionable canes in my collection!!  LOL

So there you have it, my positivity and optimism of the day!!!

Wishing you peace, love, happiness, and a lifetime of blessings!!

Kristyn

PS – For my previous blog readers, notice the change in my sign off?!?!!  Yeah, that’s another positive thing that’s happened to me in the past month or so, but I’ll save that for another day!!

Me In A Nutshell

My last post I ended with the footnote that I had written my brief/concise bio paragraph for the photographer Kathie Austin of KathieAustin Photography and that I would share it with you in my next post.  Well, that next post is NOW…obviously!!  LOL!!!  So, to end your suspense, here it is.  :-)

As a huge country music fan, there are lyrics to a particular song I enjoy that sum up a way in which I approach and live my life.  They are: “You get tired and you don’t show it.  Dig a little deeper when you think you can’t dig no more.  That’s the only way I know.”  You may ask why I can identify so strongly with those lyrics, and the simple answer is that I’m a 43-year old woman who is a single mom to a happy, loving, affectionate, and rather funny boy who is constantly on the go.  What I wouldn’t do to be able to tap into his level of energy!!  But, through feeding my body by eating healthy and nutrient-dense foods; feeding my mind through expressing my creativity in a variety of ways; and by feeding my soul with living a life full of optimism and hope, and always keeping a smile on my face, I’m able to be the best person and mom I can be.  No matter what life has thrown my way, I always come back fighting and coming out stronger than before.  Yeah, I’m stubborn like that!  Oh, and in addition to all that, I’ve been living with Multiple Sclerosis for the past 13 years of my life.  No pity party going on here.  It’s just not “me” or who I am.  So remember that even in the hardest of times, all you have to do is dig a little deeper when you think you can’t dig no more.  It really does make a world of difference. 

***I did make a few more grammatical/punctuation changes to the above, but the words are the same as what I handed to Kathie.  What can I say, I’m not perfect, I make mistakes…as rare as that may be for some of you to believe. ;-)  LOL***

Yep, that’s me in a nutshell.  Well, at least the VERY generalized me for the past few years.  No doubt there is so much more to me and my life on many levels, which this blog has and will continue to reflect upon, expose, and discover along the way.  But, at the very core of my being, this is who I am…This is where the culmination of my life experiences has brought me…right here, right now…at this exact moment in time. 

As soon as I can, I will post the photo Kathie took of me and EJ for our upcoming Christmas card.  It blew me away when I saw it.  I’ve always known my son is quite photogenic (Yeah, I may be biased because I’m his mom, but he truly is a cutie pie!!!), but I didn’t turn out too shabby, if I do say so myself. ;-)  LOL!!!

Well, until next time…

Wishing you peace, love, and happiness,

Kristyn

Inspiration and Encouragement

Surprise Surprise!!!  Look who's back. :-)

Yes, it has been about 6 months since I last blogged.  There are many reasons, and even some excuses, as to why I haven't posted, but do they really matter?  I don't think so.  What matters is that I'm back!!!

The reason I feel like I am back is because of two recent happenings in my life.  Or, more precisely, two people.  One whom I would deem incredibly encouraging; and the other, obviously, would be the inspiring one.

First, the "encouraging" individual as this one will be easier to explain.  My son and I recently had some professional photos taken of us which we plan on using for our 2013 Christmas cards.  The photographer, Kathie Austin of Kathie Austin Photography in Vernon, NJ, happened to have posted on my Facebook page about a week ago that she was editing the photos, and that I was a beautiful woman.  That was so sweet of her, and it made me feel good about myself.  She then sent me a private message asking me to write up a little bio, something brief/concise/simple, talking about my having Multiple Sclerosis (MS) and being a single mom.  She said I had a story to tell and she wanted to tell it when she posted my pics, presumably on her website.  Of course I said I would do it.  She is an amazing photographer who has this uncanny ability and talent to tell stories through her pictures.  This woman is a true artistic visionary when it comes to her passion.  Writing up the bio is the least I could do for her. :-)  Plus, when I saw some of the photos a couple nights later...O-M-G!!!!!  They are STUNNING!!  She captured so beautifully that strong mother/son bond EJ and I have. 

So, because of that, I now need to put on my writer's cap and come up with this mini yet concise bio about myself, my MS, and being a single mom.  The hard part about this is even though Kathie thinks I have a story to tell, I hate talking about myself because I don't see anything special in who I am or what I am doing.  I'm a 43-year old woman who happens to be a single mom for the past two years to an active, on-the-go 5-year old little boy; and oh, I happen to be dealing with Multiple Sclerosis for the past 12+ years of my life.  I am just me.  I do what needs to be done and try like hell to be the best mom I can be.  Don't all us moms do that?  

However, after speaking with the "inspiring" one I touched on above, it's caused me to re-evaluate and look deeper into myself, my beliefs, my feelings, and many other areas of who I am as a person and as a woman.  In the most calming, trusting, accepting of ways and conversations, he's caused me to peek into those dark corners of my soul and confront some shadows that have been haunting me and holding me back in many ways throughout my lifetime.  Our conversations have also made me look at what I really want out of my life on many different levels.  I've never felt so vulnerable yet so safe talking with anyone before on such deep levels.  It's scary but exhilarating all at the same time.  So, based on some of our conversations and what I'm learning about myself, I've been inspired to write, which brings me back to this blog.  It is called "Rediscovering Kristyn" after all, and that is what I'm going through at this moment in time.  I'm truly rediscovering myself on a completely different, new, and exciting level.     

On that note, I will end this post.  I'm sure there will much more to post now that I've been encouraged and inspired.  It's amazing what can happen when those two energies come together at the same time.   :-)

Wishing you peace, love, and happiness,

Kristyn


***I started writing this post a few days ago, so I hadn't written my piece for Kathie yet.  However, it is now complete, and I brought it to her the other day.  She was pleased with it and said it inspired her to re-start the "Inspirational Women" part of her website.  I will share what I wrote for her in my next post in a few days.  I need to first get though the family turkey day tomorrow!!  Happy Thanksgiving everyone!! :-) ***