Overcoming perfectionism

I am a recovering perfectionist.

You might think, “perfectionist? why is that a bad thing?”

You see, being a perfectionist is not just something as simple as wanting to be the best that you can be at something. Perfectionism can be suffocating and I’m learning that it’s contradictory to who God says we need to be.

For me, perfectionism is ALL-OR-NOTHING. It’s having overwhelming anxiety that’s stops me from doing a task if I am not guaranteed that it will come out 100% to my standards or expectations. I looked to perfectionism to find peace. Looking deeper I truly feel this can be an issue rooted in anxiety, needing control, maybe even feeling like this is the only way you have purpose.

I am a work in progress, I do my best to acknowledge and work on the intrusive thoughts that come to mind when I’ve left a sink full of dishes in the kitchen, or when I leave a small pile of clothes in the basket that I didn’t fold along with the rest of the laundry I had put away that day.

I’ve allowed myself to appreciate and find gratitude in even the smallest of tasks. I’m learning to embrace the “i did nothing days” and appreciate the self-care that comes with unplugging every now and then. I’m learning to pause and be grateful for the gift of life and the people I love in it.

I am a recovering perfectionist, and I’m learning that my worth is not defined by my productivity. That nothing earthly or of the flesh can fill my heart the way Jesus can. And that my identity and peace lie in Christ.

❤️

I never imagined my life this way

I never imagined I’d be here.

I never imagined I’d leave my career.

I never imagined I’d be a mom, much less a stay at home mom.

I was one of the youngest in my field who held the position I held.

I worked endlessly, scarified everything to get to where I was.

I had never dreamed I’d make the amount of money I did.

And even now, 3 years later, people ask me with so much pity, “why”?

Why did you ‘throw that all away’?

Why did you “give it up”?

This question kind of rubs me the wrong way. For one, leaving didn’t come easy and there were a lot of factors that went into play.

I didn’t THROW anything away “just” to be a mom.

Being a mom IS NOT a demotion!

The reality is, I got PROMOTED!

I didn’t know I needed this.

I didn’t realize how much of me was missing until I became a mom.

I lost myself and found my self all at the same time.

I’ll take the messes, the early mornings, and the sleepless nights over anything.

Being a mom has been the HARDEST job, but the most REWARDING one.

Being a mom is the biggest blessing, and no amount of money or success can replace that.

And the truth is, not matter what plans we have in life, Gods plans are ALWAYS bigger and better.

So if you feel the urge to judge a mom based on if she works or not, focus that energy instead on giving her support. Because neither choice is an easy choice .❤️

#allmomsareworkingmoms

Simple and Easy Bible Studying Method for Beginners!

Hello My Dear Friends,

Today I am going to be sharing with you the Bible study method that changed my life!
Okay, I may be a tad dramatic when I say that. But seriously, it was a game changer for me.

If you’ve been following me for a while, you may know that last year I re-gave my life to Christ. I was baptised as a baby, born into a catholic family, and attended catholic church growing up. I completed my Communion but got halfway through my conformation and never fully completed it. During that time I really never felt connected to God, Jesus, or ever really got into the Word.

One of the things that felt heavy on my heart when I first accepted Jesus into my life again, was the fact that I had no idea how to read the Bible. I was so nervous, and anxious at the thought of even opening it. For some reason it was this daunting task and I felt like a disappointment almost for feeling so lost. But I had to take a step back and realize that God would walk along with me in this journey. And one thing I learned throughout out this year is that it is indeed a process.

So,I decided to just go-for-it and started reading The Bible from front to back. A little ambitious I might say, and somewhere in between Leviticus and Numbers I got a bit discouraged. I started to feel like I was barely grasping anything, just reading to read. And let me tell you, its NOT a good feeling. So, I took to research. YouTube, Pinterest, Google, even Instagram. Looking for information, resources, and inspiration.

Now, if you’re an “older” Christian (I’m what I like to call a “baby” Christian) then you may already know about this method. And I am in no way an expert, i’m definitely still learning, but I felt like i just had to share ; even if this only helps one person strengthen their relationship with Christ.

There are SO many methods out there, and it got a little overwhelming at first. After some time comparing I decided with the SOAP method. It fit my learning style and it made the most sense to me.

What is the SOAP method?

Scripture : Write out the scripture you are reading, or whatever parts that speaks to you.

Observation : Who is the Author? What is the author saying and/or to Who? Write down what stood out to you about this verse. Were there any instructions or commands?

Application : How can you apply this verse to your life today?

Prayer : Ask God to help you understand and apply this scripture to your life. Spend some time listening to what He may be telling you.

I like writing all of this down as I’m studying, I feel like I learn better when I write things down ; even if its repetitive.

Another thing to consider is that you do not have to start at the beginning! Although I will say I think it’s great for everyone to read it from front to back at one point in their life.

Using this method I searched for a bible reading plan, which is usually 30 days of scripture reading , and I applied this method as I was reading.

*Full disclaimer, I have no idea who came up with this, but if you do please let me know so I can give credit where it is due. *

Originally I purchased a Journaling Bible, which is BEAUTIFUL, however I mess up often and I write pretty big. So while I still take notes in my Bible, I later chose to get a notebook with full pages so that I can draw, color, decorate, and write on the entire page for my studying sessions.

I am a major stationary nerd, so of course I had to get some things to go along with my bible studying. I will link some of my FAVORITE Bible studying supplies down below. While they aren’t necessary, they sure make it more fun. These are affiliate links, which mean I may get a commission when you shop with those links, at no extra cost to you! If you do decide to purchase through them, I want to graciously thank you for helping support me and my family.

Happy Studying My Dear Friends.

Shop Below:

My Current Bible (available in different covers and translations) : https://amzn.to/3fdIzH3

Bible Tabs : https://amzn.to/3hGnqGT

Favoririte Gel Bible Hilighters : https://amzn.to/2X48DxT

Favorite Pens ( work great in the Bible as well): https://amzn.to/305Jt3L

Guided Journal : https://amzn.to/3hLapfp

Favorite Notebook : https://amzn.to/332hJPI

Regular Hilighters : https://amzn.to/3f7uZ7Z

Life Update

Hello Blog, my old friend.

It’s been a while, I know. For those of you who follow me on Instagram or YouTube, you know I’m quite the Flake. Sorry, I’m committed to doing better in 2020.

Anyway, HI! I cannot believe I found my old blog, I’m excited to put it to use again. I thought I’d share a life update mostly for me to look back on and see how much I’ve grown, so much has happened since this blog. I’ve narrowed it down to the top 4 life updates…

1) Olivia was Born. My birth story is a crazy one, I have a postpartum video on my YouTube that shares a little bit about my experience. She’s now 2.5 and does Dance. She’s grown to be such a sweet, sassy, and smart little girl. She’s going to be something big one day, I can feel it.

2) Johnny and I got Engaged! Wedding planning is not in the works, sorry fam. We’d rather put that towards Olivia’s college fund. #NoDebtGoals. But we do plan on making it official soon. We’ve been together for 5 years now. I started this blog when I was 21, I’m now 25 going on 26 and he’s 27 going on 28!! WOAH.

3) I’m no longer a Stay at Home Mom! WHAT!! Yep, a year ago we decided to give it a try. The idea of having Olivia in someone else’s care was never a plan for us, but being the work-natured person that I am, I felt like we could give it a shot. Also, funds were getting tight lets be real lol. So far so good, it hasn’t been easy by any means but I have an awesome work family and Olivia enjoys going to her sitter’s. Its totally a new environment but I have loved the experience and learning new things everyday!

4) I found Jesus. He has changed my life SO much for the better and I’m so grateful. ❤️

I’ve left a lot out, I could probably write a novel with all that’s happened. I’m truly happy where I’m at in life now and I’m excited to see what God has planned for us in store. Thank you for tuning in. Until next time.

XOXO, Gracie