Day 3 – The Belief Challenge
steffani

Day 3 – The Belief Challenge

Believe that Nothing is Too Good to be True

Cultivate big dreams.  Believe wholeheartedly that those big dreams will come true.

Our human nature compels us to tend to focus on what hasn’t come true – what is lacking. It’s just where our mind goes. Consider for a moment the MANY things we now have or have done that were once only a dream.

We need to focus more on those.

Life is full of wonder. And awe. And Miracles.

We only have to allow ourselves to see it.

Nothing is impossible. Nothing is too good to be true. Life is full of fairytales.

Look for them. They’re everywhere.

True Happiness, as It Turns Out, Doesn’t Happen Overnight
steffani

True Happiness, as It Turns Out, Doesn’t Happen Overnight

The J.O.B 

I took on this mission like a J. O. B. Diving headfirst into the world of personal development, I read every book from Zen and The Art of Motorcycle Maintenance to Power Vs Force.  I studied every guru out there: Pema Chodron, Wayne Dyer, Neale Donald Walsh, Eckhart Tolle, Oprah (Oh wow, did I watch a lot of Oprah).

The climb was long and hard at times, but I found my way to the top of the mountain and even started downhill (The view, the trees, the easy road ahead! I’d done it!).  Then at 35, I got married to the man of my dreams.

Brand. New.  Mountain.

At 38, I had Jack. He was seven weeks early. And then he cried for six straight months.  

Zoe came along at 40. And I realized I was only at base camp.  

There in front of me stood Mt. Everest.

I had to start climbing again…

So, that’s exactly what I did, and what I do. Every single day.

I climb for my kids – So they don’t have a mom who acts all happy on Facebook but yells at them every night.

I climb for my husband – So he’s not married to a woman who gets resentful when he works late and punishes him by withholding sex.

I climb for my siblings – Because they already lost one sibling and don’t deserve to lose another—to anger, sorrow, frustration or stress.

I climb for other moms – Moms who know deep down that they deserve more and desperately want to go to the edge but are afraid to even venture out of their tents.

The journey isn’t easy. It’s long, hard and treacherous at times. But one thing I know for sure is that we can’t climb alone. We need a team. We need a whole village of sisters to help us up this mountain.  We need Oprah and Deepak and wine (So. Much. Wine.).

So, I’m asking you to climb. To climb for you, to climb with me, to climb for your kids, for your relationship, for the happiness that you know you deserve.

Who’s with me?

Join me at the Badass Mom Society.

http://www.facebook.com/groups/badassmomsociety/

11 years ago I did something I never thought I’d do…
steffani

11 years ago I did something I never thought I’d do…

I got married….

I didn’t just get married. I got married to my childhood crush.

I remember sitting at McDonalds with my girlfriends when I was 15 telling them how much I liked this boy John LeFevour. They quickly talked me out of it since he was so young. Only 11 years old at the time.

How could I consider dating a 5th grader???!!! At the time he was too young. But there was something about him. So I told him he’d make a good boyfriend in 10 years.

And he asked me to wait for him.

Who does that at 11 years old?! John LeFevour does.

10 years later we ran into each other at a bar in our hometown. We were both single. I remember asking him how old he was to make sure he was old enough. 😊 He was 21 and I was 25. Now that’s not a bad age difference. He asked me if I was finally ready to go out with him. I thought it would be a fun summer fling.

10 years later to the day we got married. In a midnight ceremony. On our 10 year anniversary.

Contrary to what most people think when you date someone for 10 years before you get married, I didn’t have to give him an ultimatum.

It was HE who had to convince ME.

See I never WANTED to get married. I was afraid it was too hard. I was afraid people changed after marriage. I was afraid married people lost love for each other and never had sex. I was afraid I would marry my Dad. I was afraid my life wouldn’t be full and fun and spontaneous.

After we’d been dating for 8 years something shifted. I realized John wasn’t changing. And that he wasn’t going anywhere.

Then he got sober. And completely changed the game on me.

One night after he was out of rehab and was sober almost a year we were out to dinner, and we were talking about regrets.

If we died tomorrow would we have any regrets?

And it hit me….

I would regret not marrying him.

I never told him that. I was still too afraid.

2 months later he proposed. And I said yes.

It hasn’t always been easy. I had plenty of doubts. I doubted myself. I doubted John. I doubted the institution of marriage.

But when I look back at it all I really never doubted US. No matter what we went through over these last 21 years together my faith in US has been unwavering.

He has proved every one of my fears wrong. You CAN have a wild, spontaneous, happy, healthy, sexy, fun marriage. You CAN grow together not apart. You CAN break your old pattern and not marry your Dad. The love never dies. The sex is still great. And we CAN both continue to reinvent ourselves. And have a better life together than we would apart.

I never wanted to get married…

But I NEEDED to get married. To complete my soul’s mission.

John and I have done this dance many times. 😊😍And it was meant to be again.

I’m so grateful I had faith. I so grateful we persevered. I’m so grateful I faced my fears and I said YES. I’m so grateful that he knew. That he always knew.

My life with John is better than I could ever imagine a life could be.

If I could tell my 15-year-old self one thing I would say…kiss him now, don’t wait.