Blacksburg Belle

  • Home
  • New? Start Here!
  • FAQ
  • Shop
    • Courses
    • Get My Book
    • Sunday Society
  • Speaking
  • About
  • Connect
  • Blog

3 Self-Care Habits to Adopt to Change Your Life (No Candles Included)

- January 10, 2018 | by April -

Today I’m going to pull you out of your comfy little cocoon that you’ve created behind your cell phone wherever you’re reading this.

We’re going to bulldoze straight into the super hard topics.

You know, the ones you always try to sidestep, especially when nosy yet well-meaning family members, like Aunt Nancy, ask you how you’re doing.

No more burrowing under your false, “Oh, I’m fines” even though you squint your eyes when you check your bank account hoping that it magically grew and you avoid the scale because you devoured about 274 Christmas cookies last month (you might’ve eaten your holiday feelings) and you still haven’t run your numbers from last year because you’re realllllllllly afraid your business didn’t make a profit.

Or, you’ve never actually “run your numbers” because your personal and business accounts are actually…cough…mixed together and you don’t know how to figure out how much you made in your business last year.

Instead of continuing down this self-destructive path of “if I don’t pay attention maybe my life won’t blow up,” how about we figure out three serious self-care habits that will change your life in 2018?

And, I don’t mean lighting a candle each day.

I love candles as much as the next gal. (My favorite at the moment happens to be the Moroccan Amber scent by Nest. Oh my goodness…I wish I could bathe in that stuff.)

But, that’s not really taking care of yourself.

You need to do more than light a damn candle and try to meditate for five minutes a few times a week.

Three things that are a must for true self-care are: 1) getting right with money 2) paying attention to your body and 3) connecting and spending time with the right people.

Let’s break these down a bit further and turn each category into a specific habit you can create this year:

1. Getting Right with Money

When you read this, what were your first thoughts?

Did you cringe and think about your overdue bills? Did you high-five yourself because you think you’ve got it all figured out? Did you admit to yourself that you have a lot of work to do in this area even though it hurt to do so?

Before you move on, take a few minutes to think about money and your current relationship with it.

How did you get here? Has your spouse had a big influence on your relationship with money? Do you have the same relationship with money that your parents did when you were growing up? Have you created a relationship with money based on your favorite movie…Clueless?

Is your relationship mostly negative or positive?

Do you think negatively or positively about people who have lots of money? When you hear the phrase “rich people,” what do you think? Do you automatically assume those people are bad? Do you want to be one of those people? If you have negative thoughts about “rich people,” how are you ever going to become one of those people?

One way to improve your relationship with money today is to remind yourself that there are amazing people who have lots of money and crummy people who have lots of money just like there are amazing people who are broke and crummy people who are broke.

And, as you make more money, you have more power. That’s the truth.

You can change the world with money.

Plus, you need it to purchase the supplies for your business, to run your website, to hire a virtual assistant, to hire someone to clean your house so you can create more products or serve more people, to pay your mortgage, to feed your kids and your two golden retrievers, Bigfoot and Thor, to dress yourself, etc.

To make this money, you have to get right with money.

This means tackling your money issues.

If you’d like to join us, we’re focusing on this topic in Sunday Society this month. We’ve got a two-hour live call dedicated to this topic on January 26th. To join the call live or access the replay, just sign up for the membership program right here.

During this call you will learn so much about your own personal money issues and how to declutter them. (P.S. I’m closing Sunday Society membership within the next month, so if you want to join us before that happens…it’s time to make a choice!)

In the meantime or if you decide not to join, I’ve got a habit for you that will help you get right with money in 2018.

As you wrap up your work at the end of each day, jot down the following things in your planner or a separate notebook: how much money came in (especially if you have a business), how much money went out (out of your personal and business account), and one thing you’re grateful for that money has given you that day.

The one thing you’re grateful for could be something like the new shirt you feel confident in that you bought the previous weekend or the food you ate at dinner or the treat you fed your dog when you left for work and buy on a weekly basis. This will show you that money is important (not evil!) and it’ll help you become more grateful for what you have in your life.

Also, keeping tabs on how much money is flowing into and out of your accounts will make you much more aware of what’s going on in that area of your life.

This isn’t a habit you need to keep forever. It might become unhealthy to do this forever, but it’s essential to stop burying your head in the sand if that’s what you’ve been doing. Try it for the next six months and see how it helps you become so much more aware of what’s going on in your life financially.

That’s the first step to decluttering your money issues…you’ve got to know what they are before you can deal with them, right?

2. Paying Attention to Your Body

Entrepreneurs are usually pretty terrible at paying attention to their bodies.

They’re often very passionate about what they do, so they work until they literally drop or their spouses remind them that their married. Oops.

But, what I’ve found personally, from mentors I trust and from working with many entrepreneurs is that you actually get more done and do much better creative work when you take care of yourself.

We all want to do our best work, right?

So, we need to learn to slow down and pay attention to what our bodies need.

This isn’t going to be easy if you’ve been ignoring your body for a long time.

Your habit in this area is to tune in regularly and ask questions. You could set an alarm on your phone for every two hours or you could tune in before making decisions to get a snack or another cup of coffee.

When you wake up, listen to your body.

Does your body want to stretch? Does your body hanker for a glass of water? Does your head hurt and beg for you to ease into the day?

When you think about getting a snack an hour after lunch, pay attention to what your body is really saying.

Is it giving you signals that you need some fresh air and a short walk would give you even more energy than a snack? Is your body saying that you’re really just bored and looking for a reason to stop working? Is your body dehydrated and you’re confusing that for hunger?

The better you become at tuning into what your body really needs, the healthier you’ll get and the more productive you’ll become. You’ll also be happier.

It’s a win, win, win, win.

Try it tomorrow. It won’t be easy, but it’ll be worth it the more you do it.

Don’t give in to your first craving. Really think about what your body needs and wants.

3. Connecting and Spending Time with the Right People

You introverts are probably screaming, “Nooooooooooooo” at the screen right now and that’s okay.

I’m a big time introvert, so I relate to those of you who don’t want to believe this is a big part of self-care.

But, it’s undeniable.

Humans are triable. We need real, loving connections with other humans to be happy.

I realized how important this was when I got very sick and was unable to leave the house except for doctor appointments. My immune system was practically non-existent which meant that anytime I left the house, I got sick, because being around other people who were even carriers of illnesses made me sick.

When my husband and I tried leaving the house, the first time someone would cough, I would recoil with terror in my eyes and we’d have to leave wherever we were. It wasn’t worth trying to do anything.

Now I get monthly treatments that make me immune to those illnesses. YAY! I can leave my house again and do things like eat out at restaurants and go to the movies.

During the time that I was kind of like the bubble boy, I realized how important friendships and connections are to my happiness, even though I’m the first person who will pick reading and cuddling my dogs over a cocktail party.

The critical piece of this puzzle is making sure that you’re connecting with the right people.

If the only person you chat with on a daily basis happens to be your mom and she’s also the most negative person you know and doesn’t believe you’ll ever make your business successful, she’s not the right person.

That doesn’t mean you should completely cut her out of your life. Moms aren’t easily cut-out-able. But, you should find someone else to talk to daily.

Maybe another creative entrepreneur who knows what it’s like to try to build a business while working a day job. Or maybe your cousin who always makes you laugh when you catch up. Or maybe your friend from college who you lost touch with and have been meaning to reach out to.

And, you shouldn’t ever put all the pressure on one relationship.

Your spouse, your mom, your best friend, your business partner…one relationship can’t take all the good and bad. It can’t support your every need. That’s too much to put onto one person and will create a lot of strain on your relationship over time.

So, the third habit for serious self-care in 2018 is to do something each day to build or strengthen the right relationships in your life.

If you need more relationships, start there. If you’ve got the right people in your life, do something each day to make those relationships even better or to connect to one of those people.

If you do these three things in 2018, you’ll have made huge changes in your life by the end of the year–the kind of changes that literally change your life. This is what true self-care looks like.

What are you going to do this year to take care of yourself in a thoughtful way?

5 Comments · Filed Under: Happiness, Health, Success

30 YouTube Channels I Adore: Business, Health, Books, Beauty and More

- March 9, 2017 | by April -

We live in this wonderful world filled with free information on building successful businesses, cooking healthy meals, money-saving DIYs, 20-minute yoga routines, learning how to fishtail braid your hair and more.

I’m a huge fan of YouTube and the creators who put tons of effort into publishing videos that are filled with knowledge and entertainment.

It’s not an easy task to come up with a catchy title, brainstorm what you want to say, set up the lighting, film a test video, adjust things, film another test video, adjust again, film the actual video, edit the video, find music for the background, etc.

So, I’m acknowledging my 30 favorite YouTube channels for today’s post. Some are related to business, some aren’t, but I’m sure you’ll find something in this list that you adore as well.

Happy viewing!

Business Channels

1. Lewis Howes

Lewis films his podcast episodes and publishes the videos on his YouTube channel. I enjoy the videos more than the podcasts and usually play them while I’m watercoloring or bullet journaling.

My favorite episode is this interview with Sara Blakely, the creator of Spanx. Her story of how she built her business inspired me to work harder every single day. It’s a must-watch (or listen) for all entrepreneurs.

2. Gary Vaynerchuk

I don’t work or live by the same values of 16-hour days, but I’m incredibly inspired by Gary’s hustle. If I’m feeling a little lazy, I watch one of Gary’s videos and it snaps me out of that fog.

3. Chase Jarvis

I started watching Chase’s channel when he hosted the 30 Days of Genius series, and I pretty much loved every episode. My top three favorites (if I have to choose) are: 30 Days of Genius with Seth Godin, 30 Days of Genius with Austin Kleon and 30 Days of Genius with Tim Ferris.

4. Marie TV

Marie’s videos are professionally made which makes them such a joy to watch. My favorites are the interviews, like this one with Cheryl Strayed. If you’re a writer and you haven’t watched that interview, stop everything immediately, brew a cup of tea (I recommend Liquorice and Mint by Tea Pigs) and dig in. It’s worth every single second.

Planning and Bullet Journaling Channels

5. Boho Berry

If you’ve been interested in bullet journaling but you don’t know where to start, I suggest watching some of Kara’s videos. Because a lot of entrepreneurs prioritize their businesses over themselves, one of her videos I really enjoyed was about tracking self care.

6. Full Flourish

This channel focuses on bullet journaling and minimalism and why she decided to make those changes in her life. She talks openly about depression and anxiety which I think a lot of people can relate to. Watch one of her ‘plan with me’ videos to see if you like her style.

7. The Reset Girl

Oh my goodness…I could spend all day watching her planning videos (and she creates and sells amazing planning stickers). Here’s an example of one of her fun ‘plan with me’ videos.

Crafty Channels

8. The Sorry Girls

They have a bunch of DIYs that are just plain fun but they have some that could really help your business while saving you money, like this DIY video backdrop.

9. Amy Tangerine

Amy puts up lots of different crafty videos, but I love her most recent video on bullet journaling and her videos on hand-lettering like this one.

10. Shayda Campbell

On this channel, you’ll find artsy tips, hand-lettering tutorials and fun DIYs. Here are three videos I reallllllllly like: 1) 10 Tips to Improve Your Painting 2) Styling Your Art for Social Media and 3) Hand Lettering with Pigma Micron Pens.

Lifestyle Channels

11. Mimi Ikonn

I’m a homebody but I enjoy watching travel vlogs to transport myself to that beautiful place without actually going there. I haven’t found another channel that even compares to how amazing this channel is with their travel videos. I suggest this one and this one and this one.

12. Amelia Liana

I started watching Amelia’s videos because I loved her style and then I realized that she has health issues and I could relate to her personal videos. Plus, this outfit challenge was so much fun to watch.

13. Sarah Nourse

Sarah’s channel is filled with daily vlogs, advice on how to save money and travel videos. Here are two of my favorites: Why I Went Vegan and Getting Debt Free Changed My Life.

14. In the Frow

Victoria is a fashion, beauty and travel vlogger. Her hair is the most beautiful shade and her luxury looks for less videos are incredible if you’re on a budget but love her luxury looks.

15. Claire Marshall

Love her voice. Love her style. Love her videos. This is one of my favs.

16. Christine Kobzeff

On Christine’s channel, you’ll find tips on building a capsule wardrobe, DIY aromatherapy ideas, and plant-based recipes.

17. Rachel Aust

The first video of Rachel’s I watched was 10 tidy habits that will change your life and I was hooked.

18. Tanya Burr

Tanya’s channel always gives me a boost of happiness. She’s always positive and upbeat. Two of my favorite videos are: 1) Most Worn Items In My Wardrobe and 2)  Khloe Kardashian Blue Smoky Eye Makeup Tutorial.

Book Channels

19. Books and Lala

If you’ve been a Blacksburg Belle reader for a bit, you know that I’m a reading addict. One of my favorite moments of the day is when I’m snuggling my husband and reading in bed. And, this is my go-to channel for book recommendations. Every month, she posts a video all about bookish news such as cover reveals and movie adaptations. Watch this video to see all the books she read in 2016.

20. Squibbles Reads

Joss at Squibbles Reads talks a lot about thrillers and mysteries and in the past year, I’ve picked up a bunch of thrillers that I’ve really enjoyed based on her recommendations. Check out her favorite books of 2016 to see if you have a similar taste in books.

21. Peace Love Books

Jess reads mainly romance novels and I’m a sucker for a good romance novel. Whenever I’m in the mood to read a book with lots of romance, I go to her channel. Through her channel, I found my favorite new adult romance writer, Samantha Young. Anybody else enjoy watching videos about other peoples’ reading goals?

22. Between Chapters

I’m pretty sure I’ve watched every single video on Trina’s channel. Because of her review of Not a Drop to Drink by Mindy McGinnis, I picked it up, read it and really enjoyed it.

Health Channels

23. Niomi Smart

Niomi eats a plant-based diet and I enjoy her ‘what I eat in a day’ videos. The food always looks delicious and she gives me lots of ideas for healthy meals.

24. Yoga with Adriene

If you’re a complete beginner to yoga, Adriene has a great exercise video for you. Her teaching style is very soothing.

25. Boho Beautiful

If you often find yourself feeling anxious, you might get a lot of this channel, especially this yoga for anxiety video.

26. Tone It Up

If I’m not doing yoga or taking a walk for my exercise, I usually turn to the gals from Tone It Up. Ummmmm…yes I want a bombshell booty!

Beauty Channels

27. Kathleen Lights

Kathleen is hilarious, she’s honest (and will tell you when she doesn’t like something) and she creates makeup tutorials that seem doable for beginners. If I had to pick one video of hers for you to watch, it would be this one.

28. Jessica Braun

Jessica does a great job using drugstore products as well as high-end  products. If there’s a deal or a drugstore product that’s just as good as a luxury product, she’ll tell you. I’ve bought a handful of products based on her reviews and have liked all of them. My favorite videos are when she talks about products she’s used up like this one. I also love that she’s a teacher and creates killer videos every week.

29. Luxy Hair

If I’m ever hankering for a new hairstyle, this is my go-to channel. It’s how I learned to fishtail braid my hair and how to double fishtail braid my hair.

30. Casey Holmes

I adore her spirit and attitude. My favorites are her hits and misses like this one.

YOUR TURN! What’s your favorite YouTube channel? Share it in the comments below to spread the love.

16 Comments · Filed Under: Beauty, Creative Business Development, Creative Process, Creative Tutorials, Creativity, DIY, Health, Inspiration, Lifestyle

The Most Vulnerable (And Maybe Most Important) Blog Post I’ve Ever Published

- February 9, 2017 | by April -

Yesterday, I had a doctor’s appointment at 1pm that I mentally prepared for all morning. I told myself I was going to be okay no matter what, that I could control my feelings and that I could remain calm.

Within five minutes of the visit, I was full on ugly crying. I filled tissue after tissue with mascara and snot.

My husband came to the appointment with me and his eyes filled with tears, knowing I was in agony. He stroked my arm, telling me that I was beautiful and that he loved me.

The doctor looked at me with sympathy, probably wishing she could shoot me up with valium, because the mascara running down my face made me look like I was in the middle of a mental breakdown.

She didn’t tell me I was dying. She didn’t tell me I had cancer. She didn’t give me any sort of life-changing news.

What sent me over the edge was stepping on the scale and realizing that despite eating mostly raw veggies and salads for the past month for every meal, I didn’t lose a single pound. I gained a pound.

One pound.

Not really worth sobbing over, right?

But, it wasn’t about the one pound.

I wept because I was fed up with feeling like I have no control over my health. I have to take a medication that’s made me gain over 25 pounds in three months which means I’m at a high risk of developing diabetes. For someone who’s 5’3”, that’s a lot of weight to put on in a short amount of time.

You can probably imagine how my self-esteem crumbled and hid in a corner while I looked embarrassingly at the nurse as she wrote down my weight, praying she wouldn’t say it out loud.

And, I’m scared to share this with you.

Just thinking about hitting publish makes my heart race and my palms sweat.

I could just keep taking photos at my best angles and not show much of my body, avoiding selfies on social media as much as possible. I could angle the camera down while filming videos and hope that nobody noticed.

And, it’s not just about the weight.

I don’t want you to think I’m so vain and put so much importance on a number even though I won’t lie and say it doesn’t bother me. (That’s another reason I thought about deleting this post.)

There are other terrible side effects of this medication including osteoporosis, rapid heartbeat, long-term heart damage, eroding tooth enamel and more. Every single time I take this medication, my sinuses burn like they’re on the fire, my nose bleeds the next day, and my ankles swell to three times their size if I sit for more than 30 minutes.

It sucks.

If I don’t take this medication, I’d have to live in the hospital, because I wouldn’t be able to eat or drink. It’s not one of those medications that I could get by without; however, over the long-term, it’s literally taking years off my life.

I’m telling you this because over the last few months, I’ve realized how much my thoughts control and affect me.

“Since self-image is determined by what you consistently say to yourself, you have the power to direct your self-image by directing your self-talk.” -Dr. Jason Selk and Tom Bartow, Organize Tomorrow Today

For the past few months, I’ve been telling myself that I’m ugly and unattractive and completely unsexy.

Every time my husband compliments me on my looks, I give him the wife death stare (instead of saying thank you), because he couldn’t possibly be attracted to me with this extra weight.

I had to buy new jeans, because I only had one pair that still fit. I almost donated all of my “skinny” clothes to Goodwill even though my doctors have assured me that when I get off this medication, my weight will drop pretty quickly.

While I shopped for new clothes for my new body, I wanted to find sweaters I could hide in and pants with elastic waistbands. Thank goodness, I realized something important instead.

I’ve spent way too many hours over the past few months thinking about my weight gain. And, the weight gain didn’t make me miserable–the thoughts did.

“That which you focus on expands. Focusing on the negative is essentially like fertilizing the weeds in your yard.” -Dr. Jason Selk and Tom Bartow, Organize Tomorrow Today

Throughout these months, I’ve also had some great days.

I felt pretty and attractive in some of the new clothes. Those thoughts made me feel comfortable enough to walk to Starbucks and write for hours or get a ton done during the day and then cook dinner with my husband, flirting with him by lightly spanking him with a spatula or kissing him unexpectedly.

Those good days have been a blessing in a very dark period of my life.

I’m sharing this with you for three reasons (and none are for pity because we all have tough stuff we have to deal with):

1. I haven’t done a lot of live videos even though I looooooooooove live video, because I’m afraid of what I’ll look like or if someone will say something rude to me about my weight gain (which could happen no matter what I weigh because there are terrible, unhappy people in this world).

Instead of focusing on the bad, I’m going to focus on the fact that I’m flooded with endorphins when I get to hang out with you on live video. So, you’ll see me hosting a lot more FB live videos on my business FB page. I hope you join some of them.

2. A lot of women struggle with body shame issues. No matter what size we are, we all have things we’d like to change. I’m trying to become comfortable with the way my body looks now, because there’s nothing wrong with it.

If I had a daughter, I would be ashamed with what I’d be teaching her by focusing so much on what I look like. I know she would pick up on it and think that if you gain weight, you’re less worthy. I would never want to teach girls or young women that their worth is related to the size of their bodies.

3. And, most importantly, your thoughts and attitude absolutely matter.

If you concentrate on the bad, you bring more yuckiness into your day and life.

If you concentrate on the good, you bring more radiance into your day and life.

You have so much more control than you think you do.

Since I have to take this medication that makes me gain weight, I could say, “Screw it. I’ll just eat pasta and jolly ranchers and french fries.” Or, I could keep eating healthy because those foods give me energy and fuel me to run this business I love so much and will at least help me gain as little weight as possible.

I can concentrate on the fact that the insurance board granted us a 3rd party review!

I can focus on the fact that I’m married to one of the top 100 trial attorneys in the United States (yep, he has this award) who read 150+ journal articles about my autoimmune issues and wrote an impressive 8-page letter to the insurance company on why I need this other treatment option (that would allow me to stop taking the terrible weight gain medicine) to include in our 3rd party review.

I have thoughtful doctors who also wrote letters on why I need this very expensive treatment that my insurance doesn’t want to pay for.

My mom and mother-in-law also dropped everything to write letters to include in the packet.

My whole family is behind me, ready to do anything to make my life easier.

I could be all alone. I could be trying to fight the insurance company without an attorney who wins battles with insurance companies all the time.

I have a business I love and a membership site that is growing every single day. Maybe you’ll be the new member today? (We’d love to have you!)

This third point is the most important, because it’s life changing stuff.

If you constantly complain and think about the bad stuff in your life, you’re going to remain miserable. If you start focusing on the good things, no matter how small, you’re going to have a life worth living.

It’s up to you.

What are you going to be today?

Happy or miserable.

It’s a choice.

Is it really that terrible that the barista messed up your order and you have to wait a couple extra minutes for your triple venti, half-sweet, non-fat, caramel macchiato? That’ll give you the chance to visualize your upcoming meeting and how you’re going to impress your clients so much that they sign up with you immediately.

Do you really need to huff and puff when you have to park at the back of the grocery store parking lot? That’ll give you a chance to get a bit more exercise that day. That’s a win and something you should do anyways.

Do you really need to slam the burnt casserole onto the counter, cursing at the oven? That just means you have a good reason to laugh, order pizza and watch Gilmore Girls.

You can change negative things into positive points of view–not always, but way more often than we think we can.

I’ve done myself such a disservice by focusing on the negative these past few months.

I’m done with it. I choose happiness. I choose gratitude. I choose love.

What do you choose?

72 Comments · Filed Under: Happiness, Health, Personal

Smoothie Experiment Wrap-Up and Next Month’s Health Challenge Announced!

- September 26, 2014 | by April -

Smoothie Experiment Wrap-Up

In the next few days, I’m wrapping up my smoothie experiment.

(You can check out why I started this health experiment right here if you need a little refresher.)

I know people always say this, but where the heck did September go? I know where my September went…working on my upcoming CreativeLive courses.

I’m surprised and excited by how my health changed over the course of four weeks.

Every week, I noticed a boost of energy.

This might not seem like much, but I’ve gone from being able to work two to three hours most days to being able to work eight hours or more most days.

That’s HUGE. And, not only can I work more, but I’m having an easier time concentrating and my motivation level has skyrocketed.

I can’t say that this boost of energy is all due to drinking smoothies every day for the first two weeks and then every other day for last two weeks, but that’s the big change that I made so I’m assuming that it’s partly responsible.

Because this smoothie experiment has paid off, I’m going to continue to drink smoothies at least three times a week moving forward.

The superfoods that have seemed to have the most positive impact (I tracked how I felt after each smoothie) are: maca powder, camu powder, flax powder, and maqui powder. So, I’ll be using those the most in my smoothies.

I know this might sound a tad weird but I’m happier.

To begin with, I’m no Debbie Downer and I’m a pretty happy person, but I have to admit that my health issues have taken quite a toll on my overall mood this past year.

Over the past month, I’ve felt much more like myself: getting excited over little things (charity book sales and fall weather), feeling happy just because, and enjoying my work more than ever. (Seriously, I couldn’t be happier every morning when I wake up, knowing that I get to work on my upcoming CreativeLive classes.)

For the past couple years, I’ve thought, “Why me?”

What am I being punished for? Why do I wake up every morning and feel as if I have a horrible case of the flu? Why can’t I get healthy or at least find a doctor who is up to the challenge of helping me?

Until I got sick, I used to think I was lucky. I had a really great life, and then everything came crumbling down.

My life revolved around doctors’ visits. Every morning, I’d wake up and how I felt would determine what I could do that day. Would I actually have enough energy to go to the farmer’s market? Would I be able to get out of bed? Would I be able to walk my dogs? How long would it take me to put on a bit of makeup?

But as I sit here typing this, I feel lucky again.

Lucky that I have a loving, incredibly funny husband who continues to have hope that we’re gonna figure this all out. Lucky that I get to spend my days at home working with my three lab mixes at my feet. Lucky that I get to do work that motivates and inspires me. Lucky that I finally feel energized again. Lucky that I have the opportunity to take my health into my own hands and make some serious changes.

Okay, this post is turning into a mush fest and that’s totally not what I meant to do.

Before I start crying, I’m going to announce the big health change I’m pursuing in October.

For the past six months, I’ve been struggling to exercise and working out used to be a big part of my life.

I used to do 10-15 minutes of yoga when I woke up, walk my dogs for an hour midmorning, and walk them again with my husband in the evenings. And, I used to fit in about an hour of weights and abs each week on top of that daily regimen.

Exercise used to be my happy pill.

I know that some people dread working out, but I always looked forward to it. I would download a really good book to listen to while walking my dogs. I’d pump music while doing arm and leg weights. I’d feel ready to conquer my day after a little yoga.

My health has practically taken this away from me. In all honesty, I’ve let it.

It’s hard to talk myself into changing into workout clothes and getting motivated to exercise when I know that I’ve only got a few good hours each day. How could I waste part of that time on physical exertion when I could be working or writing or blogging?

Now that I’ve got more energy, I want to get back into the rhythm of moving my body every single day.

I’m a realist. I know that I won’t be able to exercise as much as I used to and I know that some days I might only be able to do ten minutes of yoga. That’s okay.

I’m going to make this as easy as possible, breaking up my exercise into bite-sized increments: five-minute dance breaks, ten-minute yoga videos, fifteen-minute walks, five minutes of arm weights, etc.

I’m going to try to do at least five minutes of something three times a day when I’m taking work breaks. That’s totally doable, right?

If you want to do this with me (it’s always better with buddies, right?), I’m starting on October 1st. Use the hashtag #31DaysofMoving when sharing your progress on social media. I’ll be checking Twitter, Facebook and Instagram for your updates.

Each week or every other week (depending on how much there is to share), I’ll blog about how it’s going, so make sure you check back in. And, I’ll be sharing photos of this journey on Instagram a few times a week—follow me there so you don’t miss a thing.

Let’s do this!

If you’re going to give this a go and want some doable, short workouts, here are some of my favorites:

Free Videos:

Flexibility and Range of Motion with Tara Stiles (Yoga – 9 minutes)

Routine for Stress Relief with Tara Stiles (Yoga – 5 minutes)

Building Balance with Tara Stiles (Yoga – 9 minutes)

Ultimate Stretch with Tara Stiles (Yoga – 10 minutes)

Natalie Portman’s Workout (Ballet and Strength Training – 11 minutes)

Ballet Beautiful Long Lean Arms with Mary Helen Bowers (Ballet Strength Training – 11 minutes)

At Home Cardio Workout with PopSugar (Cardio – 10 minutes)

Become Beyoncé With This Sexy Dance Workout with PopSugar (Cardio Dance – 10 minutes)

Bombay Jam Bollywood Dance Workout with PopSugar (Cardio – 11 minutes)

Dance REFIT Revolution to Taylor Swift’s Shake It Off (Cardio – 4 minutes)

I also really like the 10-minute Barre3 workouts. I have a monthly membership with them and I highly recommend it for those of you who want doable strength training and yoga routines.

23 Comments · Filed Under: Health, Lifestyle

Smoothie Experiment: Week 2

- September 12, 2014 | by April -

SmoothieWeek2-2

This week has been full of health highs and lows.

During the first half of the week, I had a lot more energy than normal. During the last half, I felt like I’d been run over by an 18-wheeler. Fun, right?

On Tuesday, I had to take this devil medication, Prednisone, due to an onslaught of throat and stomach ulcers. The day I take it, I always feel like I’m superwoman–that I can conquer the world. But, the days following, my body feels wrecked. I hate taking it but it’s the only thing we know of that gets rid of my ulcers when I have a breakout of them. I’m still recovering from that big dose of steroids.

Here’s the day-by-day run down:

Day 6 (September 6th):

Because I was feeling nauseous, I stuck with my favorite combination of banana and frozen blueberries. Other ingredients: coconut milk, coconut ice (which is just frozen coconut water) and the superfood, maqui powder. It was creamy and delicious and it gave me energy for the rest of the day.

Day 7:

I had the Creamy Carrot recipe from Superfood Smoothies by Julie Morris with the superfood, hemp seeds. I was incredibly surprised by how much I enjoyed this smoothie. I had a ton of energy and didn’t have to take as much pain medicine as usual. Things seemed to be looking up.

Day 8:

I came up with my own recipe of frozen cherries, banana, coconut ice, organic raspberry lemonade and the superfood, camu powder and called it Cherry Lemonade. I loved this recipe more than any other I had tried to date. Unfortunately, my ulcers were getting worse and worse.

Day 9:

I loved Monday’s recipe so much that I decided to have it again, but I left out the coconut ice this time. I like it both ways: with and without coconut ice. I had lots of energy, because I took Prednisone which always gives me a huge boost of energy in the short term.

Day 10:

I made up my own recipe again and it tasted like a strawberry milkshake. The ingredients were frozen strawberries, banana, coconut milk, coconut ice, and superfoods, maca powder and flax powder. It was creamy and sweet and oh-so-yummy. I’m definitely going to have this one again.

Day 11:

I couldn’t believe this, but I got so wrapped up in Michelle Ward’s CreativeLive course, Create Your Dream Career (even though I already know what I wanna do when I grow up–I’m doing it!) that I completely forgot to make a smoothie. The first day of her class didn’t end until 7pm EST and then I had dinner with my husband. After we finished eating, I said to him, “OH MY GOD…I forgot to make a smoothie today. I was watching Michelle’s course all day.” Whoops!

Day 12:

Today was the type of day I created this experiment for: I’m feeling sluggish and nauseous and I barely ate. Around 5pm, I knew I needed to consume some more nutrient-packed calories so I made myself a frozen berry (blackberries, raspberries and strawberries), coconut milk and maqui powder smoothie. I gave me the energy to write up this post!

See ya next week with another update and like always, if you want daily updates, follow me on Instagram.

9 Comments · Filed Under: Health, Smoothie

Smoothie Experiment: Week 1

- September 5, 2014 | by April -

This month I’ve challenged myself to drink a smoothie each day in order to see how it will impact my health.

Every smoothie is made from super healthy, organic ingredients and most include superfoods such as maqui powder, camu powder, acai powder, goji berries, chia seeds, and hemp seeds. And, I’m not adding any sugar, honey or other sweeteners to them.

Most of the smoothie recipes come from Superfood Smoothies by Julie Morris and a few are recipes that I’ve come up with because I know that I’ll love the taste.

Before the month began, I ordered $125 worth of superfoods. And, I started drinking smoothies every other day for a week before the beginning of September to get my body used to the superfoods. I didn’t want to flood my body with stuff it wasn’t used to because that could make me sick and do the opposite of what I’m hoping to accomplish from this experiment.

Some days, I recorded some video and others I took pictures. If you want daily updates, follow me on Instagram!

Day 1 (September 1st):

I had the raspberry peach smoothie from Superfood Smoothies and according to the book, it’s supposed to help with heart health and bone strength. The superfood in this one was chia seeds. It was extra tart but after the first few sips, it was easier on my palate. Overall, I enjoyed it and I’ll definitely make it again. I started out this month really hopeful.

Day 2:

I had a lot more energy than I normally do. I have no idea whether the superfood smoothies were starting to help or what.

I made the peaches and cream smoothie from Superfood Smoothies and that one specifically helps with immunity and heart health. The superfoods in it were chia seeds and goji berries. I had to choke this one down, not because it tasted bad but because it looked like vomit. I’m a visual eater and when something looks disgusting, I have a very hard time eating it. I only got about half of it down before I had to stop.

Day 3:

Because I was feeling super nauseous, I made up my own smoothie. I knew that I’d like it and I didn’t want to make something that would just increase my nausea. Ingredients: frozen strawberries, blueberries, and blackberries, banana, cashew milk, maqui powder. It was delicious!

Day 4:

I fell asleep in the afternoon after my call with Bryan (my content producer) from creativeLIVE. The detailed outline for my courses is done and locked! Oh yeah! I had planned on having a smoothie that afternoon as a snack but I didn’t get up, so I didn’t have one this day. Sad.

Day 5:

Again, I had a lot more energy than I normally do which is really exciting to me. One of the medications that I’m taking has made me anemic so my energy level has plummeted in the past month. Maybe these superfoods are increasing my energy? I hope so.

I made up my own recipe again: frozen blueberries, frozen banana, coconut milk, coconut ice (it’s just frozen coconut water) and camu powder. The frozen banana added some extra creaminess. It was yummy. I’ll definitely be making that one again.

See ya back here next week for another update!

27 Comments · Filed Under: Health, Smoothie

What Affects My Business the Most and How I’m Changing It

- August 27, 2014 | by April -

Superfood-Smoothies-1

Many of you know that I’m chronically ill. What I have, I’m not so sure. Neither are the fifty billion doctors I’ve seen all over the freaking country.

It started a little under five years ago, a week before my wedding, when I was hospitalized for a staph infection.

The doctors told my soon-to-be husband that “he should prepare himself” because I probably wouldn’t be leaving the hospital. They advised me to cancel my wedding.

I didn’t. Seven days later I walked down the aisle and married the love of my life.

The crazy-pants antibiotics that made me vomit around the clock cured the staph infection. Yay!

I thought everything was fine. Fast forward to a year later and I was seriously ill. Like ‘want to claw my throat out’ and have to take painkillers every day kinda ill.

I saw a handful of doctors who all said the same thing: get your tonsils removed.

Done. The surgeon who removed my tonsils said that my symptoms (flu-like stuff, daily fevers, severe fatigue, throat ulcers) would most likely go away.

A couple days after getting my tonsils removed, I developed pneumonia. And, it lingered worse than your Aunt’s horrible perfume after she hugs you. For five months, I had to sleep sitting up or I wouldn’t be able to sleep cause I’d cough the entire time.

Everyone was shocked when my symptoms that were supposedly gonna disappear after I got my tonsils removed didn’t.

That started the doctor to doctor shuffle. Johns Hopkins, Wake Forest, UVA plus over fifteen local doctors. Ear, nose and throat specialists, oral dermatologists, rheumatologists, infectious disease specialists, immunology specialists and more.

Everyone wanted to do invasive testing (which I did) but no one wanted to try anything to actually treat my symptoms. Every doctor I went to basically said, “I’m stumped.”

Finally, I found a doctor who wanted to try things to alleviate my symptoms. I’m currently taking medicine that has made me anemic. Before that I tried other medications that made me violently sick to my stomach.

And, at my latest university visit, I was tested for leukemia and lymphoma because “you’ve been tested for every infectious disease and your symptoms almost always fall into one of two categories: infectious disease or cancer.”

I was told this four days before my thirty-second birthday this July.

For a week while the tests were being sent to the Mayo Clinic, my entire family was freaked out. My husband had nightmares of visiting my grave. My mom was in denial. My mother-in-law cried with me.

Cancer. No one had ever mentioned cancer seriously before. One of my doctors was concerned that I might have throat cancer but he did this horrible test where he shoved a scope/light down my nose into my throat to check for anything cancer-like and didn’t find anything. It hurt like a bitch.

Thankfully, the tests revealed that I didn’t have leukemia or lymphoma.

Phew! At that point, I thought I could handle anything. As long as it wasn’t one of those very scary diseases, I could do this.

But being sick for years has worn me down. I’m tired. I’m frustrated. And, I’m so sick of being sick.

Fevers, fatigue, constant nausea, throat and stomach ulcers, severe muscle and joint pain, and more super fun symptoms have taken over my life.

It’s so true that you don’t appreciate your health until you lose it. I would do practically anything for one week of feeling healthy cause that hasn’t happened in years. Can you imagine? I know some of you who are chronically ill can.

Anyways, I’ll get to the point of today’s post.

I’m done being carted from doctor to doctor. I’m done putting all of my hopes and wishes into my next doctor’s appointment.

I can’t tell you how many times my husband or I have said, “This doctor is going to be the one. He/she is going to know what this is and he’s going to have a plan on how to combat it.”

Then I usually leave the appointment sobbing because we traveled for hours to meet with a doctor who doesn’t have a clue what to do and paid hundreds or thousands of dollars for it.

In the past five years, I’ve accumulated more than $30,000 in medical bills. And, I have health insurance! That’s insane.

When I went to Wake Forest, I met with a specialist for about an hour and then received a medical bill for $1,968.25. What the what? You’re kidding right?

I don’t really care about the money. I mean, I do when I feel like you haven’t done anything to help me and then you charge me more than what I pay to live in my house each month. But, if a doctor actually helped me, I wouldn’t care. I’d pay whatever it took.

Being disappointed over and over and over and over sucks. It’s worse than spending thousands of dollars.

So, I’m taking my health into my own hands.

I’m not going to stop seeing my doctors or taking my medications just yet, but I’m also not going to keep relying on them to figure this crap out. I’ve seen the best of the best and they don’t know what to do besides fill me with painkillers.

When my husband and I traveled to UVA in July, we decided that if that doctor didn’t have any ideas, we needed to start taking action on our own. Meaning we needed to start experimenting with holistic, more natural methods.

Don’t get me wrong. I have tried other things besides medication. I’ve done acupuncture, meditation and seen a chiropractor for months. I got myofascial therapy for months. I eat almost all organic. I’ve completely cut gluten from my diet. But, there are lots of other things I could do: eat even better, do daily yoga, try reflexology, get weekly massages, try acupuncture with a different person, get serious about meditation, try tapping. I haven’t tried it all.

So, I’ve decided to try something semi-new or completely new each month over the next year and document it to see how it makes me feel. Monthly health experiments if you will.

Superfood-Smoothies-3

Because I truly believe that food is medicine, the first thing I’m going to do is focus on nutrition and improving the nutrients I put into my body each day.

I ordered a bunch of books on nutrition but the one I’m focusing on this month is Superfood Smoothies by Julie Morris.

I ordered acai berry powder, spirulina, camu berry powder, goji berries and such. And each day in September, I’m going to consume a smoothie from this cookbook, either replacing a meal or having it for a snack.

I only eat one or two meals a day most days because I’m nauseous all the time. It’s hard to eat when every mouthful of food feels like it’s gonna come back up. I’m hoping that by adding these smoothies to my daily food intake, I’ll get more nutrients and eat at least three times a day. That’s gotta help things a little bit, right?

Superfood-Smoothies-2

I’m hopeful. We shall see.

I thought about keeping all of this to myself, because Blacksburg Belle is about helping creative entrepreneurs build successful businesses. But, when I announced that I was struggling with my health a while ago, I was inundated with emails and comments from others who are suffering from chronic illness or constant sluggishness or unhealthiness.

Your health FOR SURE impacts your business. I know it impacts mine. When I’m feeling better, I do better work and get more done.

If you want to follow along, I’m going to post updates weekly or twice monthly (depending on how much I have to share) via written posts and videos. I won’t be posting these on Wednesdays cause I want to stick to business-related stuff on Wednesdays after this post. I’m thinking Fridays.

I won’t be sending out emails about these posts, so if you want to know when these posts get published, make sure that you’re subscribed via Bloglovin or whatever blog reader you use.

Also, I’m going to update my Instagram account every day during the month of September with a photo of that day’s smoothie along with how much I like it and how it makes me feel. If you want daily updates, follow me on Instagram.

And, lastly, if you want to get healthier, I hope that you join me for some of these challenges. Maybe try healthy smoothies for breakfast for a week next month just to see how it makes you feel? Maybe it’ll increase your energy, make your skin glow, help you drop a pound or two, or just make you feel a tad bit better.

You can look for my next update and how I feel after my first five days of smoothies on Friday, September 5th. I hope to “see” you then, in the comments of course!

I’m planning as I go, so if you have done something that has vastly improved your health, let me know about it!

Has daily meditation changed your life or helped your pain management? Has acupuncture cured you? Has yoga given you more energy and increased your happiness? I might just make a monthly experiment out of it.

87 Comments · Filed Under: Health

A 3-Day Mission to Boost Your Health and Happiness + FREE Printables

- June 18, 2014 | by April -

Connecting the Gaps

It’s way too easy to get stuck on the hamster wheel of life.

You wish upon a star each night when you’re falling asleep that you’ll find that extra time to write that book you’ve been dreaming about since your mid-twenties, go to the gym so you’re not wasting that expensive membership you paid for months ago, or finally take that vacation you’ve been talking about with your husband for the past two years.

But, then you wake up and chaos ensues. Your to-do list is monstrous. Your business is struggling. The laundry is overflowing and your mom thinks you should be able to go grocery shopping with her mid-day cause you don’t have a “real” job.

You snap at your husband for forgetting to take out the trash. (Doesn’t he know that you’re on your period and he should obey your every command?) You barely have time to fit in that five-minute yoga video before taking the fastest shower of your life.

You manage to whip together spaghetti for dinner. (Okay, the sauce came from a jar but at least you made something.) And, by the time you’re finished loading the dishwasher, you’re exhausted. (Even a bubble bath sounds like too much work.)

The day is over and you’re not really sure where it went. You did a lot but you don’t feel like you really accomplished anything.

It’s not as if you’re depressed or completely unhappy, but you’re also not thrilled with how things are going. You feel like you’re always on the go and have no time to: sit back and enjoy the ride or actually work on your BIG goals.

This certainly isn’t how you pictured your life.

You imagined yourself walking your golden retriever with a nice tan from your two-week vacation in St. John. You imagined weekly dinner dates with the love of your life. You imagined owning a wardrobe that makes you feel beautiful and taking hot yoga classes to keep your arms toned.

You didn’t picture wearing sweatpants most days, feeling self-conscious about your jiggling arms when you dare to wear a tank-top or having to make do with orangey tinted self-tanner because you barely get outside.

And, the worst part is that you’re not trying to change it. You’re just trying to get through each day, hoping that the next one will be better.

Connecting the Gaps

So, here’s the hard truth that I know you already know: if you’re not taking steps to change your current circumstances, they’re not going to change.

You’re not going to find Cinderella’s fairy godmother waiting to make all of your dreams come true standing next to your bed when you wake up tomorrow morning.

You’re in charge of changing things.

We all fall into a rut sometimes. It just happens.

I’d like to help you break free of the monotony—to focus on yourself, your happiness and your health.

If you can give me a little bit of your time for the next three days, you can start to shift everything in the right direction.

Grab yourself a cup of tea or a glass of freshly squeezed juice and press play on this FREE video.

P.S. There’s really fun (and totally cute) printables included!

1 Comment · Filed Under: Creative Business Development, Happiness, Health, Productivity

The Top 10 Resources for Improving Your Life and Business in 2014

- January 8, 2014 | by April -

Quote-Mary-Oliver

Does your brain still feel like it’s floating in eggnog? Or, is it just me?

I love the holidays. Like a lot. I’m a handmade girl and enjoy crafting gifts throughout December. And, family time feels like a Caribbean vacation. I know I’m weird—not everyone loves an entire week of family. I consider myself lucky in that respect.

But, I also get excited about goal setting and planning out the year in the beginning of January. It feels like a fresh start. A do over. Reset. Pass go. Collect $200. Wipe the slate clean.

One part of my planning process entails compiling a list of resources I want use and learn from to better myself and business throughout the year.

It includes books, courses, apps, videos, retreats, conferences etc. And, I thought you might like to do the same, so I’ve gathered some ideas for you below.

10. Nicole’s Classes 

Stop boring yourself by studying your camera manual and sign up for a fun photography course that’s made for creatives just like you. Learn how to use Illustrator. Take the ‘Creating an Identity 101’ class and turn your Plain Jane branding into something that wows your target market. Or, have a blast learning a new skill like painting with watercolors or flower arranging. Ooh la la.

9. Death to Stock Photography

Do you waste hours trying to find the right images for your blog posts, newsletters, ebooks, courses, etc.? I recently found this FREE resource of stock photography that’s waaaaaaay better than mainstream stock photography. The pics don’t feel so staged and fake. You get a new batch every month delivered directly to your inbox. It sounds too good to be true, but pinch yourself, cause it’s not a dream, my friend.

8. Crazy, Sexy Kitchen

Want to reset your health this year? Let Kris Carr be your guru and you’ll find yourself with a tighter tummy, prettier skin, and vanishing cellulite. This is a plant-based cookbook filled with delicious, flavorful recipes. Some of my favorites are: Vegetable Sushi Maki Rolls, Greensicle Smoothie, and the Raw Apple Spiced-Rum Shortcake with Maple Vanilla Glaze. Yum!

7. Tara Stiles’ YouTube Channel

Have trouble fitting in an hour sweat session each day? How about making five or ten minutes for yoga that’ll get your body in shape and reduce your stress level? Instead of scarfing down a brownie for energy, turn on one of Tara’s videos for FREE and feel instantly better after a short break.

6. No Excuses Art Journaling: Making Time for Creativity

My goal for this year is to play in my art journal for at least ten minutes every day, because I want to feel more creative. I just got this book and it makes art journaling daily easy and doable. I can’t recommend it enough if you’re looking for an easy way to inject creating for fun {not for profit} into your daily life.

5. The Fire Starter Sessions

Use this book to define success on your own terms. It’ll help you figure out what you truly value and how to get what you want out of life. And, it’ll light a flame inside of you to kick start your inspired life.

4. Turning Pro

If you’re serious about turning your passion into a practice and creating your life’s work, this book should be a monthly read. It’s short but packs quite an inspirational punch. Bam!

Favorite excerpt from Turning Pro: “When we do the work for itself alone, our pursuit of a career (or a living or fame or wealth or notoriety) turns into something else, something loftier and nobler, which we may never even have thought about or aspired to at the beginning. It turns into a practice.”

3. Marketing for Creatives

How could I possibly leave my book off of this list? I can’t. Obviously. If you read it and complete the exercises inside, your business will bend over backwards to thank you and your PayPal account will expand. You’ll learn how to attract people who want to buy your stuff and how to promote your business without feeling icky.

2. Life is Messy Planners or Bootcamp

Why settle for generic planners when you can have some that include a: Super Power Finder, One Page Business Plan, Goal Generator, Trip Planner, Weekly Meal Planner and soooooo much more? Don’t settle. Seriously. You’ll have so much fun filling out this planner {and it’s so pretty} that you’ll stay organized all year. And, the bootcamp will BLOW YOUR MIND.

1. Business Transformation Sessions

Love what you do but wish you could make it more profitable? Need some one-on-one help from someone who’s been there? I’ve got two consulting spots for 2014 open and I’d love to work with you to make your business a screaming success this year. {So, I might be a tad biased in making this number one, but it’s my blog, right?}

Have a favorite resource not listed here? Don’t keep it all to yourself. Share it with us in the comments below.

Happy New Year! I wish you much success and happiness in 2014.

P.S. Some of the links above are affiliate links which means if you purchase through them, I get some dough. As in money, baby. But, I only promote things I have personal experience with and love so much I have to tell the world {or the super awesome people who read my blog} about them.

18 Comments · Filed Under: Creative Business Development, Happiness, Health

Allergies, Acupuncture and Fevers, OH MY!

- June 17, 2013 | by April -

Vintage Set Up7

Chronic illnesses elicit a number of responses: hopelessness, anger, depression, frustration…or a fighting mechanism that wakes up, determined to get better.

I’ve felt all of the above in my own battle against my rare autoimmune disease.

Over the past couple of months, my will to fight continues to increase.

And, I’ll try pretty much anything, unless it involves something super invasive that could make me worse like the $200,000 daily injections that would likely cause infection and haven’t been approved by the FDA, recommended by one specialist.

I’m gathering information and experimenting. Recently, I got tested for food allergies and I started acupuncture. I had high hopes for both.

I found out that I’m allergic to peas, green beans, and almonds none of which caused my health problems, even though they did make them worse. Of course, I cut them out of my diet lickety split.

Peas and green beans? Not so hard to give up. Almonds? I whined about this one, since I love these KIND bars and regularly use almond milk for chai tea and smoothies.

I’m over it. I’ve got substitutes. Now, I use rice milk. Not as great as the almond variety, but it works.

I’ve also had six acupuncture appointments since I’ve last written about my health problems.

I’d read {and heard} so many awesome things about it, so I knew I should give it a shot. The main problem going into the first appointment: I hate needles.

When I get a shot, I can’t look at the needle. It makes me woozy. I have to turn my head and go to a happy place. Same thing when I have to give blood for tests. I’m a pro at it now, but I still can’t stand needles and avoid watching as they pierce my skin.

The acupuncturist I saw was kind and hopeful. He listened to everything I was struggling with and I could tell he wanted to do anything he could to help.

The first session we started with just four needles to get me used to them. I didn’t feel them going in, not much anyways, but I did feel them coming out. I didn’t mind it.

For the second session, he gave me the full treatment. Afterwards, I felt happier and more relaxed. I continued to go, hoping that the $80 per session that the insurance doesn’t cover would be worth it. I didn’t care about paying for it as long as I saw some hint that it was helping.

Even though the sessions were relaxing, I don’t think they did anything for my overall health. After the fifth session, I got sicker than I’ve been in months.

For a week and a half, I felt like death was knocking at my door. I had a fever every day and the usual medicine that I take to get rid of the fevers didn’t work.

So, where does that leave me?

I’m not quite sure. I don’t know whether to keep going to acupuncture, because my acupuncturist told me that I should feel a difference after five sessions. I wasn’t expecting to be cured, but I was hoping for a tiny bit of relief.

I saw one new doctor a couple weeks ago. He’s the one who gave me a prescription for my fever-reducing medicine. As we left his office, he said, “Good luck with managing such a tough disease.”

That seems to be the only thing doctors can offer me, luck. And, it’s not enough.

I’m still researching, learning as much as I can on how to combat this myself, and I’m not giving up. Not even close.

5 Comments · Filed Under: Health, Personal

  • 1
  • 2
  • Older Posts

Blogging for Business

Get in Touch

Get a FREE Copy Here

Follow April on Twitter Follow April on Facebook Follow April on Pinterest Follow April on Youtube Follow April on Instagram

Get in Touch
Get in Touch

Blacksburg Belle. All Rights Reserved.© 2019 · Designed by Amanda Creek Creative On the Genesis Framework

We use cookies on this website. Read our cookie policy here.