Wednesday, July 31, 2013

picpack giveaway: your instagram photos turned magnets

picpack instagram magnets giveaway

i am thrilled to be teaming up with
today to offer Sweet Dreams are Made of These followers a sweet giveaway
one set of 12 instagram photo magnets


picpack is a personalized printing service that turns instagram pictures into high quality magnets
i won a set of these radical picpack magnets from my dear friend Amanda of oh my little dears
i had so much fun selecting which of my instagram photos would come to life on my lockers
it was so easy
{and you know how much i love instagram...read my top five reasons here}

all you have to do is log into your IG account straight from their site
the hard part is choosing which ones to use
you're going to want multiple packs i promise you

they are shipped next day from beautiful deutschland
and in your hands ready to display in no time


so lets get your hands on some
one Sweet Dreams are Made of These follower
will win one picpack set of 12 instagram magnets

easy to enter
follow + comment
1. follow Sweet Dreams are Made of These on Bloglovin here
2. comment below letting me know why you love instagram

want more chances to win?
then head on over to my instagram feed and
follow + repost
1. follow @briana6 and @getpicpack
2. repost this photo and tag #picpackdreams

giveaway ends midnight Monday August 5th

best of luck to you!

Tuesday, July 30, 2013

i am in deep sleep debt or my clock is broken

are you a deep sleeper or in deep sleep debt



Sleep.  We, as humans, will sleep for roughly one third of our lifetimes.  That means, on average, you will sleep away about 25 of your 75 years on the earth.  That is a lot of time spent ‘recharging the batteries’.  Why, you may ask, am I telling you this?

Well, I am not a good sleeper.  I am in deep sleep-debt.  My circadian clock is completely broken. I have no rhythm - sleep rhythm that is (and come to think of it, I don’t think I have any rhythm of any kind.  I wonder if rhythm of all kinds is interconnected?  Based upon a very small sample size, I believe they are connected.  My wife has great rhythm and is a great dancer; and she sleeps so incredibly well.)

So, yes, I have an inordinate amount of time to think about sleeping while I am not, in fact, sleeping!

When I married Briana, I was shocked and little scared about how deeply she slept.  In the middle of the night, while not sleeping, I would watch her sleep.  You know because I was young and in love and that’s what people do who don’t sleep.  She would sleep on her back with her arms folded across her abdomen like, well, you know, like a corpse.  Her breathing seemed very shallow.  In fact, a few times, I actually shook her awake because I was terrified that she had actually stopped breathing!  I quickly found out that Briana was special. A special sleeper.  She could sleep like the dead.  I literally mean like the dead.  It was an incredible ordeal just to wake her up in the morning.  And still is.  Alarm clocks mean nothing to her. Useless.  Going to bed early? Nope, still sleeping late.  

All Briana has to do is think about sleeping and she’s out.  Really, all she needs to be off her feet and she’s out.  She has fallen asleep on her knees.  Hanging off her bed.  Legs on and torso off. Everything but upside down and that’s only because she hasn’t tried it yet.  A story I like to tell to tease her about this sleeping proclivity is as follows:
Briana and I were getting ready to drive from Utah to California to see her family while we were dating/engaged.  She told me how excited she was to have 10 hours alone to talk and share everything about one another.  As soon as we got in the car, she was fast asleep.  We stopped in Mesquite, NV for gas where she woke up, ate, and promptly fell back to sleep.  That was the most solitary 10 hour drive I have ever experienced!

I also enjoy when Briana is talking to me and she falls asleep.  Did you get that? She is talking to me and falls asleep.  In mid-word! “Honey, thanks for empty...” and she’s out! Classic.

It’s actually a family thing.  The whole Dix family can sleep anywhere, anytime.  I loved having family Sunday lunch/dinner at Briana’s parents house, because directly after the meal, everyone would retire to the huge sofa, stake a spot and pass out immediately. (Vanessa being the exception!) So comical!  And I was so jealous.

I, on the other hand, must have perfectly ideal conditions to sleep.  It can’t be too hot or too cold.  The pillow must be a certain thickness.  I must be in a certain position - exactly the correct position.  Briana cannot be touching me.  And it must be completely quiet.  Or else, I am done.  No sleep.  Any sound wakes me up.  (This has come in handy as a dad, I can hear when the kids are trying to sneak out their rooms.)  And when I do manage to fall asleep, it is usually only for 30-60 minutes at a time before something wakes me.  And then the process starts all over again. Temperature check.  Pillow check.  Positional check. Noise check. Ok go...or not.

Growing up, I slept in a room down the a hallway from my brother.  When he woke up and opened the door to his room, I woke up.  That was my alarm.  A soft creak down the hall.  That’s all it took.

With my disease, I have added a dimension to my difficult sleeping situation.  Pain has been added. Sweet.  

I chase sleep like some elusive pursuit of truth.  I’m constantly looking for the magic trick.  Counting sheep does not help. I’ve taken some herbal remedies without success.  I refuse to take habit-forming helps. I’ve tried to ‘empty’ my mind - which should be easy, it’s pretty empty already - and found that I cannot NOT think.  That double negative has led to proof positive that I am sleep deprived.

As is most often the case, I tend to look at the bright side of things.  I can’t sleep.  What do I do?  Read.  I love to read.  And this allows me to read more than I could without this inability to sleep, so I am grateful to have something that allows me to pursue a hobby I thoroughly enjoy.

To recap.  

Briana sleeps like the dead, and can fall asleep at any given moment.  

I, on the other hand, can’t sleep for anything. But that allows me to enjoy one of my favorite hobbies - reading. It’s a win-win.

Do you want me to recommend a good book?

Monday, July 29, 2013

{a world of good} heather, a cancer survivor story


it is my honor this morning to feature another force for good in this world
heather von st james
a mesothelioma cancer survivor
who is sharing her hope and life with others
through a message she is proclaiming to the world
with hope, odds don't matter

i felt so humbled to receive an email from heather sharing her story with me
knowing that she recognized from what she read here on my blog
that ours is a community of caring and compassion
a place where hearts are shared, comfort given, and outreach made

it brings me great joy to help spread the work
of someone so dedicated to the wellbeing of others
for that is what my daddy did here on this earth as well
he worked tirelessly to 
succor the weak
lift up the hands which hang down
and strengthen the feeble knees                                           {Doctrine and Covenants 81:5}

lets give a warm Sweet Dreams are Made of These welcome 
to the courageous and beautiful Heather
as she introduces us to her journey of pain and triumph
I am 44 and a mother to a quirky little 7 year old, Lily. She is my only child, and my whole world. When Lily was just 3 1/2 months old, I was diagnosed with mesothelioma; a type of cancer that kills most people within 2 years. As I’m sure you can imagine, the first thing that came to mind when I was diagnosed was my baby girl and how I wasn’t going to be able to watch her grow up.

After intense treatment and recovery, I’m still here 7 years later and cancer free! My journey with cancer was a terrifying one and I'd like to turn my pain into purpose and become someone that other people can look to for guidance, inspiration, and hope in situations like my own. My husband and I recently participated in a short video about my experience with cancer. I’m hoping to use this video as a tool to raise awareness of this horrible little known cancer that is such a deadly killer (and sadly, 100% preventable).

come listen to her and her husband cameron's courageous story
and witness her vibrant spirit
as she uses dedicates her life to helping those who have lost hope
to feel its outreaching beams once again
i have been accused my whole life of wearing rose colored glasses
and seeing life very optimistically
i have no intention of ever taking them off
there was no option other than living through this
i was going to beat it no matter what
there is more hope now than there ever was
so don't give up
don't take a death sentence is a diagnosis
there is hope



i invite you to share this video 
and connect with heather
read more of her spirit and love for life on her blog
living life with passion and purpose
heartbreak and healing
on visit her on facebook here
let her know what an inspiration she is
and to keep up her outreach to help those affected by asbestos, cancer, and any who have lost hope

Saturday, July 27, 2013

one year without him



oh my life without him
can it be a year
an entire year
without him here with me

i just want to curl up next to him on the sofa and be wrapped up in his arms
and have him kiss my head
and hear his laugh
i want to feel the unparalleled security that i felt being with him
and yet i know that has been a lesson that every single one of my family members has had to learn
to feel that same security without him here
as much as i learned about the nature of my Heavenly Father from the character, love, and actions of my own earthly Father
i have had to depend on my Heavenly Father more than i ever had before now that my daddy is not here to lean on

one of the most difficult moments in my life was watching my daddy lay in his hospital bed with his oxygen mask on, unable to speak to me
he was there
i was there
but we couldn’t converse
that had never happened to me in all my life
my father was always present, always available for me to talk to 
and one i cherished and came to depend on
mike would always tease me that even though he would give me the same advice, i wouldn’t believe it fully until it came from my daddy
amazingly their advice seemed to always coincide
i married a very wise man

being completely separated from my daddy physically has caused such heaviness upon my soul, a longing, a yearning i have never experienced
and yet knowing that he lives on has brought the greatest clarity of existence that i could not have discovered any other way
to live each day knowing that there is someone you love so deeply that continues to live on passed this earthly death
to know and feel it with every fiber of your being
that he lives
brings a life of overwhelming peace even in the midst of your sorrow and longing

that reassurance also comes when i can feel him near
when i can hear as if from his own mouth
words of encouragement
when i can close my eyes and see his face 
and hear his laughter

yet there are those moments when the separation seems unbearable and so unfair
and so lengthy
when i'd rather just have him there beside me instead of peace from afar
when i think of what he has missed already in a year, what he will miss in my future and the lives of my children 
when i think i just can't make a decision not knowing his advice
when i miss his silly dance, his falling asleep mid conversation on the sofa, his squinty eyed laugh, his shortness with uncooperative collapsable chairs, the way he held my children on his shoulder, his rush hour phone calls
oh how do i live without all of that
what if i forget what his voice sounds like
what if my children forget how they used to play with papa and how much he loved them
what if i get used to him being gone
what if i stop talking to him out loud as if he can hear me

today my mother in law shared with me part of a message from our past general conference of our church
this man spoke of how even though his father had passed away more than ten years ago, 
“i can still hear his voice, sense his love, enjoy his encouragement, and feel his acceptance”
this is what i want to experience
his voice, his love, his encouragement, his acceptance
always

thank you dear friends for your continued support throughout this year
i have grown closer to so many of you through your deeds of kindness, words of encouragement, and expressions of prayer
as one of my daddy's favorite quote says

thank you for helping to meet the needs of my family this year
i pray that i may be the hands of heaven to you in return

to read more about my daddy and his battle with bone marrow cancer as well as my trudge through grief and living without him click here
to read what i have learned on how to help your children through the loss of a loved one click here

Friday, July 26, 2013

the other side of the weekend: being fed at every turn

mike and i took a leap of faith and sent me to dallas for the Nerium national convention this past weekend
loaded up with 45 bracelets that i planned to sell there to pay for my trip


nerium bracelets get real make people better

i packed up my only business clothes that i had
threw in some high heels that i rarely wear but love any reason to
soon after mike came home from the store with his ‘dad’s alone with the kids’ food pyramid
{i could seriously hear my children’s arteries clogging}
i kissed my kiddos and hubby goodbye

i worried about leaving all the kids with mike
knowing his limitations
but i also knew of his incredible parenting skills and prayed all would be well
for weeks he has had the kids on a summer schedule
packed with morning preparation, scripture memorization, flashcard review, reading, snacktime, and physical fitness
no joke, this dad is a father of champions
with me taking the reins of providing for the family more
he has taken the lead on achieving some incredible things i have attempted to do with the kids for years
why is it that kids just seem to respond better to dad than mom
{read his side of our weekend here. packed with awesomeness and gross-outs}

i am not afraid to travel by myself but i still get nervous about logistical stuff like missing my flight and finding the right shuttle to the right terminal
the difference is that i only have myself to worry about instead of 5 other people
in san diego i parked my car in a park n ride place and hopped onto the shuttle
in a panic i looked for my phone only to discover i had left in my car
ugh.  i had to ask the shuttle driver to turn around
thankfully he was kind about it saying that this has happened before, mainly with women
i jumped out and found my phone on the driver’s seat
quickly returned to the shuttle
jumped in
only to realized that i didn’t lock my car
aww
i jumped back out and literally ran back to my car in my heels
locked it and headed back
an eventful start to my trip
thankfully i’m really good at laughing at myself

i love airports 
they give me a rush knowing i’m heading somewhere
i love to travel and married someone with the same love
if we could have it our way, we’d travel the world with our kids
and of course sometimes without them
i studied humanities in college
and am fascinated by the way others view the world and the beauty they create to capture their perspective and philosophies 



i love airplanes
i began flying by myself when i was about ten
my grandpa was a pilot
which enabled me to fly fairly inexpensively to go visit him and my grandma in park city, utah
my second home growing up
i love the thrill of taking off
that rush of sound and velocity
and being up above the clouds is so peaceful and causes for great reflection as you look down on the world below
just in case i was close to heaven i looked for daddy;)


flying above the clouds
sunset from the airplane

during my two and a half hour flight i decided to take that time and blog
by hand writing on paper
something i haven’t done in a long time
the words seemed to flow naturally with the movement of my hand


blogging on the plane



from the moment i stepped on that shuttle after i arrived i was greeted by incredibly friendly people
all headed the same place for the same reason
to make their lives and the lives of others better
you can see it on their faces, you could hear it in their words, you could feel it in their embrace and greeting
the culture of this company is so unique and i tell you it changes you


gaylord texan get real mason jar latterns

the first night i stayed up til two chatting with some of the leaders in the company
people i knew the faces well having seen them on videos and on stage
it was rather intimidating at first, but their conversations put me at ease
and then guess what, something marvelous happened i slept in til 10
what??!!
i was in disbelief 
i could stop right there and the trip would have been worth it



as i was waiting for the conference to begin along with the other 10,000 people that were there
i was greeted by a text from mike sending me a card Tate wrote to Eyan from Eyan’s ‘girlfriend’


tate pretending to write a letter from eyan's girlfriend
tate pretending to write a letter from eyan's girlfriend
pretend girlfriend letter

Eyan was not thrilled
i think its hilarious
you can see Eyan's scribble attempt to change this to be from Tate's girlfriend

throughout the three day conference i received a variety of texts from mike like this:
‘i’m so glad that you are there’
‘we’re out of wipes!!!!!’
‘you’re the best.’
‘i cannot tell you how proud i am of you... you are being incredible in going out trying to help us become financially independent and build something incredible.’
‘did you lay out clothes for felicity...she may or may not be in the same dress she was in when you left’
‘you’re the best. and i’m so glad you have been there. everything went real smooth here. but i’m ready to have you home!!!’

i am the luckiest woman in the world to have a husband who feeds into me like that
always building me up, always demonstrating confidence in me, always doing his best to be an incredible father
how can i be anything but successful when i have a constant influx of optimism and love coming my way 

those three and a half days were packed with continually feeding from those around me
my husband
my team
strangers
my leaders


nerium team get real 2013 dallas beyond all limits

heaven smiled upon me in placing me in a team of people who care about me and my family
jimmy is one of the leaders of our team and his continual inspiration played a large part in being able to hurdle over those initial months of self-doubt
he had encouraged me to make those 45 bracelets to sell
reassuring me that they would sell and he would help me to do it
one of the mornings we set up shop outside of the vast convention ballroom


nerium bracelets get real make people better
nerium bracelets loving caring sharing live better look better

i was overcome with gratitude as jimmy and his parents directed crowds of ladies over to my bracelets
calling out ‘have you heard about the Nerium bracelets...this is the girl’
to some people he happily shared my story
a mom with an ailing husband and four young children
working hard doing whatever she can to provide for her family
strangers came and hugged me, cheered me on, and bought my bracelets
one by one
tears of gratitude streamed down my face
this feeling of support and love from this culture continued
when jimmy handed me three one hundred dollar bills
i couldn’t believe what i was holding
i don’t know what he said, but he had shared my story with one of the ladies in corporate
she gave him the money to give to me from the company
i raced over to her and threw my arms around her
thanking her through tears for this generous gift
she told me it was from the company
to help pay for my trip and to go home to take care of my husband
she said, ‘this is what we do, we take care of our family.  and if you ever need anything else, please let me know.’
i couldn’t believe what i had just experienced
truly an affirmation of the company’s mission to make people better
and to create a culture of loving, caring, sharing


gaylord texan get real 2013 beyond all limitsa family business nerium get real 2013
jeff olson get real 2013 beyond all limits with nerium

beside witnessing two major announcements for the company
that of the new daycream which supercharges the night cream for 24 hour anti-aging Nerium power
and the doubling of our commission structure with a builder bonus program
i learned so much about how to make small changes in my life to be better
better equipped to take care of my family and be a better version of me

favorite takeaways from the conference:

the more perspectives you see at the same time, the more success you can have
how are you looking at the world around you?
the words we use create a reality


style soldier survivor our words construct reality

we must seek to construct and change our view of reality through a more positive lens
we are used to looking at this photo and asking if we see it half empty or half full


glass half full half empty
we need to construct a new reality and what our brain focuses on
that those questions of half-empty or half-full don’t apply
a better question to ask is where is the pitcher
shawn achor ‘before happiness: the 5 hidden keys to achieving success, spreading happiness, and sustaining positive change’


not glass half empty or half full but where is the pitcher


your adversity is your advantage
your past has developed muscles not wounds
its not what you know, its what you do with what you know that matters
am i doing what i know?
you are the compound effect of the choices you’ve made up to this moment
success is not a result of heroic deeds or quantum leaps
success is a result of small, seemingly insignificant moment to moment choices
you will suffer one of two pains..the pains of discipline or the pain of regret...james rohn
the pain of discipline weighs ounces, the pain of regret weighs tons
darren hardy ‘the compound effect’


know who you are, where you’re going, and how you’re going to get there
people want to make a difference
turn people from a receiver to a transmitter and you can start changing people’s lives
people join this company for the product and the comp plan
they stay to make people better
i’m in the making people better business
we are looking for people who fearlessly believe in the mission
willing to give up something to make it happen
willing to do the thing that you said you committed to long after the mood has left
willing to build your dreams
willing of being accused of being driven
to succeed you must be willing to show up consistently over a long period of time, with desire and faith, willing to pay the price and do it with integrity
jeff olson ‘the slight edge’ ceo and founder of nerium


its not stepping on God’s toes to dream big
imagination is given by God
you can imagine, it separates us form the rest of God’s creatures
learn to manage choice and the gift of imagination
we are commanded to multiply stuff
{see the parable of the talents}
multiplying what i’ve got is what i’m expected to do
it is natural human instinct to ask ‘when can i rest?’
you can rest with the abundance of achievement
we must give ourselves permission to fail
however we have to learn to lose without being defeated
david byrd, ‘the next level achievement system’


nerium get real 2013 beyond all limits dallas





as you can see i was indeed richly fed
ready to come home and be a better mother, wife, friend, teammate, and person
truly this experience has been a blessing from a loving Heavenly Father
who continues to tell me that i can do this
i can be successful at providing for my family
and he will continue to put tools and people in my path to accomplish that

what experiences and words have inspired you to be a better you?

Wednesday, July 24, 2013

my side of the weekend: project stay-at-home-office dad


What happens when your spouse is away?  Until recently, I have been the one away on business trips.  I have enjoyed the reinvigorating professional company, the motivational talks, the expanding of my business acumen, and helping to build something bigger than myself.  And, of course, I’ve had a lot of fun while away.  Now, because of my disability, my wife is the one off to business conventions.  (You can’t travel often if you’re going to fall down in airports, which is what I did recently in the Salt Lake City airport. Right on my face!)

So what does this look from the other side?  From the stay-at-home-office Dad perspective.  That was what happened this past week.  What an adventure -- and you know what? I really enjoyed it!

First, when preparing to take care of four young children during a spouse’s absence, the first key to success is preparation.  For example, taking four young children to the grocery store is not a pleasant experience.  I would put it up there with walking across hot coals.  So, when I knew Briana was leaving us for a Wednesday through late Saturday night excursion with Nerium, the first thing I did was sit down and make a list of food to make it through that period without the need to load the kids into the van and walk across hot grocery store coals.

As a father, I feel it is my duty to carry on the time honored tradition of feeding children all of the basics while mom is away.  Basics like Cheetos, Cap’n Crunch Berries, Oreos, Sour Patch Kids, Fudge Stripes, soda, chips, microwaveable dinners such as chicken nuggets and pizza rolls, and other important items from the Dad’s Alone with the Kids Food Pyramid.

Dad's Alone with the Kids Food Pyramid

"Crunch Berry Pie"-as nutritious as pie
[Side Note: I loved Shasta as a kid growing up.  When my family went on family trips, Shasta was our constant companion.  Shasta always hit the spot when you needed to quench your thirst.  So, naturally, I jumped at the chance to introduce my kids to the wonderful world of Shasta this weekend.  I purchased some Shasta “California Dreamin’” “Tiki Punch” and “Zazz” for my kids to really enjoy their childhood as I did.  And it worked.  They loved it.  But. Fast forward a couple of decades plus for me and as an adult Shasta is...well...Shasta is gross.  The Tiki Punch tasted like medicine and the Zazz tasted like I don’t know what, but it wasn’t good.  The California Dreaming was tolerable.  Yes, I tasted all three for the sake of this post.]

Second, ensure your children have a strict schedule of activities and work to keep them busy throughout the day.  I equipped my kids with the Summer Bridge Activities series of books based on their upcoming grade level, relevant flashcards, created some personal projects based upon their age, summer reading books, and a physical fitness regimen.  These tasks were executed throughout the day and allowed their brains to get smarter, their bodies to get fitter, and Dad’s work got done.

physical fitness regimen

Third, be ready to play games and have fun!  Because I work from home, my day was tied up in my office, but after the ‘office’ closed it was go time.  Or as Felicity says, “Let’s do this!”  Phase 10 is a popular game for us, as it allows all but Felicity to participate (and she “helps” me play). And time with dad wouldn't be complete without some serious tv fun.  Our list of favorites include Wipeout (lots of re-runs), American Ninja Warrior, and Treehouse Masters

The weekend was success.  No one threw up.  No one woke up in the middle of the night crying.  No one asked those awkward “Go-Ask-Your-Mother” questions.

Were there challenges?  Absolutely.  


I don’t know how to dress girls.  Bathing little people is physically challenging for me. I knew we were going to have a problem.  So, I wanted to be prepared.  I had  a plan. I asked Briana to set out some clothing/outfits that I could dress Felicity in each day.  But...she didn’t have time before she left to do this for me and/or she forgot.

So...Felicity became one of the guys. I mean boys can wear the same shorts and shirt for a couple of days and not be worse for the wear and showering is optional except on Sunday (I do strictly enforce the change of underwear by making them show me each morning the new pair), but girls are supposed to be pretty and bathed and coiffed and stuff.  Well, it was sort of like camping for Felicity.

She may have worn the same dress the whole time Briana was gone - day and night.  That might have happened.  And I might have given her a bath with wipes.  And she might have used the aforementioned dress as a giant tissue for her runny nose.  And it might have had a lot of little bits of food stuck to it.  And her hair might’ve been sticky. And...well I better stop before Briana freaks out.
day one
day two
day three


day four
Also.

As a guy, I have always refused to make my bed.  It seems like such a waste.  I’m just gonna climb right back into it in a few short hours (ok maybe 16 hours).  And I know it’s a terrible argument...what about brushing your teeth you say? The teeth are just gonna get dirty again...and what about showering...Listen, I get it.  But for some reason, I just don’t like making my bed.

Well, I applied this faulty logic to the house for the weekend.  Why clean up their toys every night when they are just gonna get them out again in the morning?  I decided that we were just gonna let it ride!  Saturday is chore day anyway and Briana will be back late Saturday night, so we’ll do a big cleaning then and nobody will know the difference.  And you know what? I was right. By Saturday everything was sparkling! Bam!

Stay-at-home-office Dad Project: Success!

Tuesday, July 23, 2013

my three months results with nerium: the vehicle to our dreams

over the past two posts i have taken you on a journey from self-sabotage to freedom
a process of renewal and self-discovery
now i conclude with that unexpected spark which ignited this transformation
Nerium

Nerium will be my vehicle to not only provide for the basic needs of our family but to achieve our dreams

and i will bring along as many family and friends who want to come
it may not be for you
but take just a few brief minutes and look at two things
decide for yourself
and let me know what you think

first
my results
after 3 months i have seen incredible results
reduction in the appearance of redness, pore size, and fine lines
increase in hydration and softness
go ahead, blow up the photo
take a good look



second
this short video 'Reflect Your Youth' about the Nerium AD 24 Hour Experience
give us a year and we'll give you 10 back



want to know more
visit my website at www.mikeandbriana.nerium.com
comment below, drop me a Facebook message or email me at mikeandbriana6 at gmail dot com

Monday, July 22, 2013

how i got my groove back


self-sabotage and barbed wire fences is where i left off in my last post
that is not the end of the story
my dreams that i shared with you of having a sustainable blog are still in full force
mike and i have been working behind the scenes on this for over a year
our new name, our new goals, and our new design and content being drafted and refined
and i look forward to sharing them with you
but what came into my world just three months ago has been something that has forced me to address those self-sabotaging thoughts and barbed wire fences i had been filling my mind with
convincing myself that i was not good enough, experienced enough, worthy enough to be able to provide for my family
being successful was just not in the cards for me
just look at our past struggles and the destiny of our future would be told
financial struggle was something that would always be around
especially if it was me that was leading the way in providing for the family

ugh. those thoughts are awful
heavy and paralyzing
anyone would believe those thoughts if they were the only ones they had told themselves
thankfully they were not the only thoughts occupying my mind nor were they words that i heard from those who care about me most
briana, you can do this
briana, you have been blessed with abilities that can benefit others
briana, you have a husband to take care of and children to provide for
briana, your future is as bright as your faith

in my mind i entertained both streams of thoughts
and unfortunately i couldn’t quiet the negative ones long enough to believe the positive ones
three months ago i packed my bags and flew out to las vegas with skepticism as my carry on
that weekend i learned that i had liquid hope in my possession
and joined a company whose goal is to make people better

to read more about my weekend read herehere and here

this real opportunity has been an unexpected answer to my prayers to be able to help provide for my family
i have shared it with many of you over the past few months
and most importantly have learned how many of you are praying for our family
i threw myself into sharing this breakthrough product and dream building opportunity with you
but all along in my mind the doubts rang loudly
not doubts in the product
for it is the real deal backed by over a decade of science and substantiated by real results
not doubts in the opportunity
for i personally know people who have earned their I-pad, Lexus, and real money through this incredible opportunity
not doubts in the principles of the company
for i have met and heard stories of people whose self-confidence and faith have been raised and lives have been changed through the founding goal of Nerium
to make people better

my doubts lied in me
my ability to be successful
i have all the reason to fight for success
my family is depending on me
its real
the need is there
the reality of me needing to play an increasingly significant role as a provider for our family has solidified to the level of necessary
this need is what has propelled me out into the workplace
and it is a spark for action if i’ve ever felt one
but it was not enough

having a worldclass product, real opportunity, principle founded company, and a compelling need to be successful was just not enough
i had to believe that
i, briana marie, stay at home mother of 4, possessor of passion, faith, confidence, and drive
could be successful with what i have been given

after three months i wondered why i hadn’t been as successful as i was hoping 
and it wasn’t until after the transformation happened that i realized why
everyday i had prayed for success in building my business
i was doing all the right activities 
and was receiving tremendous help from others who were working with me each day to build my confidence and belief in myself
and i was listening
but only partially believing
i thought that if i listened to their words long enough, i would begin to believe them

the weekend before last will be the weekend i forever remember 
as a turning point in my life
i had set a business goal for myself, one that i wanted to achieve by saturday night
i set out to make that goal a reality
doing all the recommended activities
as i began my day a passion burned within my soul to be successful at this
to be able to ease the burdens of my husband
to feel the clutches of financial stress release the paralyzing weight around my ankles
to be able to provide the basic needs for my family but also giving me permission to bust through those barbed wire doors to let my dreams free
to help provide a life of discovery and learning for my children
to be able to have the means of helping others in their dark nights

i decided to fast, a full day’s fast
knowing i needed to feel as much of God’s spirit and enabling power as i could that day
i knelt in prayer with my children surrounding me
i poured out my heart to my Heavenly Father
thanking Him for this noble man that i had married
for my patient children who have been supporting me in this
for this opportunity He had placed in my path
i pled with Him to help me to meet my goal that day
i shared my heart in wanting to be able to alleviate the burdens of my husband and to be able to provide for my children and help them discover and pursue their talents
my desire to be able to give to others
to be able to do simple things for others like buy them groceries, simple gifts of appreciation, and give to their causes that their hearts connect with
those things people had done for us
i poured out my heart

i rose to my feet and went to work
during the morning and mid-day the grumblings of my stomach were audible
but as my day went on fasting seemed to get easier
in those final hours of prayer and fasting something simple and profound happened
i felt close to God and felt Him speak to my heart in a way i had not experienced since the passing of my daddy
the love i felt from Him was palpable 
and i felt Him speaking to me
briana, you can do this
briana, you have abilities I have blessed you with that you can help others
briana, as long as you come unto Me first I will pour into you and you will be able provide for your family 
and yes briana, you can dream again

i finally felt as if the dark, hard shell of despair and fear that had been covering me
break apart and fall to the ground
i felt free for the first time in nearly a year, no years
i felt like me again, something i didn’t know could happen again after all that i had experienced this year
the light of real hope, real faith, and real confidence
i was new
born once again through the love and mercy of my God

it was bigger than any business goal than i had set for myself
i didn’t need to fear anymore
He would walk beside me in whatever endeavor it might be
He would enlarge my capabilities to achieve whatever may come to help my family, others, and myself
but in order to achieve any business goal, i first had to believe that i could do it
and boy do i believe now
i will succeed 
and i will bring along as many of my family and friends who want to come along with me
its right for me, could it be right for you
i don’t know
but if you’d like to find out
know that i’ll help you

tomorrow i will leave you with some concluding thoughts

thank you for your continued prayers and support for our family

have you experienced a transformation in your life?  how did it happen?  how did it effect you?

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