An Update On My Weight Loss…

Hello My Fan Friend Lovelies!

I am officially five pounds under my initial goal weight, which given where I was seven months ago is absolutely amazing and empowering. I have been not only looking better but feeling better. Nothing beats having the energy to do the things I enjoy most after work, like walking four to five miles daily, doing tarot readings, and going out more with friends and family.

Being more active while watching my carb and sugar intake has put ME in charge of my life. So you can imagine my surprise when a friend of mine confronted me about my weight loss and checking to make sure I didn’t have an eating disorder. At first, I was taken aback, then a little insulted and finally I understood this fear my friend had was based off of her own personal experience with someone close to her. I called this friend and assured her that I definitely eat, in fact, I eat and snack often throughout the day I just limit it to things high in fat and protein while low in carbs. I explained to my concerned friend with compassion and understanding that I was fine and not in any danger but I also couldn’t help but wonder: why is it STILL assumed that people who follow low carb automatically starve themselves?

I scoured several online forums to get to the bottom of why this was the case and found the common denominator was that people were convinced that by restricting carbs we low-carb people were depriving our body of essential nutrients and therefore unhealthy. This way of thinking is simply not true because not all carbohydrates are created equal. A lot of the posts on these forums feature many people that still believe that fat clogs arteries, and so these “diets” such as Atkins and South Beach creates controversy. In truth, fat is actually essential for body function , and carbohydrates are not.

Especially in cases where you may suffer from type 2 diabetes restricting carbohydrates in a diet has a direct result in lowering your sugar levels and insulin needs. High sugar levels play a role in type 2 diabetes as well as other chronic diseases such as dementia, cardiovascular disease and even in some cases cancer.

By lowering carbohydrate intake, blood sugars are controlled and insulin levels are minimized. This is incredibly beneficial for those with diabetes (type one or two) and even those with insulin resistance.

High carbohydrates and sugar also trigger cravings for MORE carbohydrates and sugar. They leave you feeling tired, still hungry, and bloated. When we eat too many carbohydrates that don’t get burned for fuel they get stored stored as fat and not converted for energy and can add on extra weight which isn’t healthy.

Everybody’s body processes carbohydrates differently, no one person’s body is created equal and some bodies DO require more carbohydrates and sugar then others so always consult your primary care doctor before starting a new lifestyle change. For me, the low carb “diet” isn’t a diet. It’s a lifestyle change and a commitment to be healthy and maintain my weight for myself. After all, my loved ones, family and friends, deserve me at my best and healthiest. I plan on being around to see my great nieces and nephews and in order to ensure that I’ve got to take care of me today so that the me of tomorrow can benefit from that.

I’d be lying if I said there weren’t days I marveled at how people my age can eat a McDonald’s large fry and vanilla shake and still maintain a figure but those days for me (sadly) are over. I don’t condemn people for eating how they’d like to, I don’t play doctor to them either or presume to know what is going on and how many calories they need to be healthy. Those of you who follow this blog religiously know my recipes are always quick, low carb, healthy and YES I do eat everything I make.

For me, criticizing someone for NOT “weighing enough” is just as bad as criticizing someone for being overweight. How someone looks is entirely up to them NOT society. As long as they’re healthy and happy with the person they’re seeing staring back at them in the mirror that’s all that matters.

Finding myself again through the low carb lifestyle has been exciting and inventive. I have found many low carb alternatives to my favorite foods such as pizza, several Mexican dishes, ice cream, nachos and many other fan favorites. As I prefect these recipes I will share them on here with you. For now I’m just basking in the glow of being 45 pounds down from where I began seven months ago.

Love you. Mean it.

Brittany

Xoxo

Hello Dearies!

You probably remember being told about doing one particular thing all throughout your childhood. I’m not talking about saying ‘please and thank you,’ or even making sure you ‘finish your vegetables’ what I’m talking about is doing the right thing. We were always taught that we should do the right thing simply because it’s the right thing to do. However, in this day and age it seems like we live in a Rumplestilskin kind of world, which begs the question: when did doing the right thing start coming at a price?

Whether it be at home or in the workplace, whether it be kids at school or grown adults in the real world it seems like people everywhere want compensation for simply doing the right thing.

If you think about when you’re at work, are there ever instances where you see people won’t simply do the right thing without saying ‘well I don’t get paid enough to do that’, ‘that’s not my job’, etc? I’m willing to bet almost anything you do. How about children at school or perhaps when they are taken places? It seems as though they won’t help a friend or classmates in need at school without someone seeing them doing it and therefore praising them for it. Whether they are taken to the store or even church they are told if they behave they will ‘get to pick a candy’. This tying rewards to such good deeds and just basic respectfulness towards their community and parents is not necessary.

Yet, it is a small price to pay for most Parents, Grandparents, Aunts and Uncles, to bribe our youth but what ever happened to encouraging them to help those around them in need and being good when we take them places because they know it’s the right thing to do? Does every good deed really need a extrinsic reward?

My husband and I follow the motto at home of a no strings attached/ no scorekeeping mentality. Your spouse is supposed to be your teammate NOT your rival. In our home, we’ve established a long time ago that ‘if you’re going to throw the good things you do around the house in each other’s faces, don’t even bother doing it,’ but simply from observation among our friends, relatives and aquatints it seems like people don’t want to do good around the house without getting recognition from their significant other. Our attitudes and motives for doing good become arrogant, self-serving, and extrinsically driven. As mentioned before, if you’re just going to use your good deeds as ammunition, why even bother?

Furthermore, I think every single one of us knows someone or can think of a time where you did a favor for someone you know and remember that favor so you can get a favor out of them one day. Doing the right thing is suppose to be a good thing and bring positivity to those around you that you love and strangers alike, but holding onto the good you do and turning it into “what have you done for me lately,” is only doing the opposite and turning it into a negative. We’re teaching our youth it’s okay to nitpick who deserves our random acts of kindness and that all kindness comes with strings attached, an I.O.U if you will.

I remember learning in Sunday school growing up and even at home through my parents’ example the value of doing the right thing simply to help out a fellow human being. Random acts of kindness cause ripple affects of good karma and inspire others to do good too. The gentleman who bought my iced coffee for me in Wawa on a humid summer afternoon two years ago, inspired me to do the same for the woman behind me. The gentleman who bought me my iced coffee, (nor I ) expected anything in return. It was a good deed that made my day, simply because he wanted to be a good person. I, in turn, felt good buying someone else their coffee and making their day, no strings attached.

Today I’m issuing a challenge to my blog readers: do a random act of kindness WITHOUT expecting anything in return. Do it without a price and leave a comment below about HOW it made you feel.

Ready?….

Set?…..

Go!!

Love you. Mean it.

Brittany

Xoxo

With the Four of Wands…

The subject of friendship and human kindness has been written about ever since the beginning of time. It’s as old as the Earth and in this particular mythical tale of Jason it’s especially true that without the kindness, and generosity of his friends he would never have been able to achieve his goal of obtaining the Golden Fleece. That is the Four of Wands in essence, taking a moment to pause and remember those around you who’ve helped you obtain your own goals and celebrating how far you’ve come as a result.

The irony that Spirit chose THIS particular card just days after ‘National Best Friends Day’ shows how in-tune God is with the needs of his children (us!). Spirit Guides and Guardian Angels are our most choicest friends. They work in tandem with OTHER’S Spirit Guides and Guardian Angels to bring people into each other’s lives as blessings and lessons. This is why some friendships last forever while others are for only a time. Friendships which stand the test of time and ones which only last a short while are BOTH of equal value because they’ve taught us things and helped in our spiritual growth and journey.

Most of our friends here on this Earth plane were our friends before we came here in heaven. Our closest friends (Pre-Creation Era when we all helped God create the Earth) and ourselves made pacts with each other BEFORE coming here to help teach us lessons and enrich our lives. These Pre-Creation friends become our family members and friends in life as predetermined before our arrival. This includes everything from how we meet, the role we’ll take on in each other’s life, what we’d learn from one another, and how long we’d be apart of each other’s spiritual journeys. All these things are agreed upon before our birth .

These Pre-Creation friends often come in the form of teachers who encouraged us when we felt like giving up, or even relatives and friends who agree to get sick to inspire other family members to quit harmful habits which could prematurely end their life and their spiritual journey before meeting their goals between them and God. We ALL have a purpose but God puts our family and friends here on this Earth to help us to meet our goals and to, as Dory from ‘Finding Nemo’ would say, “Just Keep Swimming!”

I have had some friends for a couple of months and they’ve taught me some valuable lessons which I carry with me for the rest of my life. I have had some friends who I’ve had in my life for a few years and when our purposes in each other’s lives had been served so had our time in each other’s lives. While separating from these friends are often bittersweet sometimes our lives take us on different paths, and that’s okay! We can still love and honor those no longer apart of our lives whether family (in death) or friends (by growing apart and yes even death) by carrying what we learned from them in our hearts. In life we are both teachers and students there are always opportunities to teach the people around us as well as learn from the people around us. Each lesson is valuable, all growth is good in God’s eyes!

Now I have also had some friends that I met later in life, these are the friends that I met and seemed to click with some times instantaneously and for no reason at all. Friends that I know are meant to walk beside me, Bless and enrich me for the rest of my life. I also have friends I’ve had since birth, our parents were either related or friends and thus we became family/friends too, that I know are meant to stay till the very end. As those friends have grown and found partners and spouses the circle of our friendship has grown ushering in new friends who I am blessed to have.

Two people in particular come to mind as I write this post. The first one a friend (my best friend) who has been on my life journey with me since we were five years old and that particular friend and I have learned from each other, taught each other, loved each other, and supported each through every phase of our lives. There have been ups, downs, celebrations and yes even fallouts but they never last long because one of us always remembers the pact we made subconsciously before we came to this school called Earth, to be by each other’s side till the very end.

The second person who comes to mind is my husband. Tom is not only my lover but also my best friend, and he grew up two miles from me. We shared the same friends for different seasons in our lives, yet never meeting until when we were in our late teens we finally met and fell in love. He too, has helped me though every obstacle I’ve ever faced in my adolescent and adult life and he too I know is meant to be by my side until the very end. In entering into marriage with my husband I gained more family and friends who love and support me whenever I need it. This is beautiful, this is a blessing.

These family and friends who walk with us, some for a season and some for a lifetime, will often help us carry our crosses when life’s burdens weigh us down. They act as Christ in our lives acting as beacons of hope, love, loyal, mercy, kindness and forgiveness. In loving them in return we become more like Christ and love ourselves better. The Four of Wands symbolizes the people who supported you behind the scenes (past, present and future) while you achieve your dreams and encourages you to count your blessings for them.

When The Four of Wands appears in a spread it calls forth a time of celebrating after working hard to meet a goal, a deadline, or pass an exam. You worked hard, let your hair down! However, DON’T neglect to acknowledge those around you who have helped you: family, friends, and yes even sometimes colleagues at work.

Happy Belated National Best Friends Day.

Love you. Mean it.

Brittany

Xoxo

I remember the first time I had a tarot card reading, I was seventeen. I grew up in a very Roman Catholic household which although open-minded about things like seeing mediums (my Mom had seen her fair share here and there) my family never really went to psychics. So there I was in the client’s chair nervously shuffling my deck and handing them back to my reader, who split them three times and laid them out…anxiously, I peered at what I saw and was horrified to see Death!

Of course, this terrified seventeen year old (and rather uneducated in the art of tarot at that time) me: I kept thinking ‘am I going to die?!”. Ironically enough, when I was a very young girl I always had dreams that I was gonna die in a car accident having been hit by a drunk driver, this fear had crippled me for years (in fact it took every ounce of bravery I had when I turned seventeen to go to the DMV and get tested for my license). Did this card mean I was going to die young and this was going to happen to me?

The psychic I had could see my discomfort and reassured me that while I wasn’t going to die, something around me was. You see, the Death Card augurs a time when a chapter in our life comes to a close, for me at the time, two months from turning eighteen and on the cusp of graduating high school it was my grade school career that was coming to a close and my college career which was about to begin. Thus began my love of tarot, AND the Death Card.

Now, the Death Card is associated with the number thirteen and while twelve is considered a perfect number in the Major arcana good ol’ thirteen disrupts that sense of perfection. It’s ruled by the planet Saturn and its element is associated with water. Water itself is both very healing and nurturing but water could hurt and destroy too (Hurricanes in the past that produced damaging floods which sweep away both homes, businesses and can wipe out communities is proof of that). What can we take away from receiving the Death Card? I’ll give you the “bad” news first, and I use this term very loosely because I happen to LOVE the Death Card.

The bad news about the Death Card is that something (generally something that’s familiar and comforting) must come to an end. It basically tells us we need to give something we have up, no matter what. This could negatively impact someone’s life if the Death Card is referring to a relationship or perhaps even your long time and long held job. It may change and challenge the way you think which could be downright scary for people who like to stay within lines and never challenge status quo.

I’ll give you a perfect example: Being Clairsentient and Clairvoyant in a Catholic household for me made me turn my back on my gifts which GOD himself gave me. Being both was hard, I often chose my religion over exploring my gifts and empowering my relationship with Jesus Christ by using them. I believe we are all intuitive, I believe that we have the right as children of God to access him on our own whenever we want. Church is a great source of comfort for me and I really love my church community but I also do not go to confession because I believe that I can access God by using my own intuitive abilities and yes for me that entails what some may call divination in the form of tarot and even scrying by looking into the clouds for messages and signs from Him and his angels. I wanted to be able to talk to my spirit guides, access the archangels and connect with my savior, Jesus Christ, who wouldn’t?

The God I love, who loves me unconditionally, wouldn’t shun me for pushing the limits here on Earth just to be close to him. God wants that. I truly believe that we are all sent to earth as a finishing school, and when we are done we get to go home to heaven. I also believe like any loving parent, God the Father gave us all intuitive gifts so we can ‘phone home’ whenever we need to. Our intuitive gifts and embracing them is a GPS from our loving Father to get us HOME to him, where he’s excited to receive us.

The ultimate thing that God cares about in my mind is how well we love those around us. The golden rule is that we are supposed to love one another and reaching out to access him, as long as a protective prayer and positive intent is set beforehand is never wrong in my eyes. I like to think of my tarot cards as a way of praying on the multi-sensory level. I have never contacted demons (nor do I plan to) and I make my intent very clear before I even begin that “whatever doesn’t walk in Christ’s light is not welcome”. I have received nothing but loving and beautiful messages from the other side which have helped both myself and my friends. So what does this story have to do with the Death Card? Everything!

When I decided to not hide that part of myself (the gifted and intuitive side of me) from my close friends and family, that symbolized the death of the way I was thinking. I was living a more authentic life and happier to boot for it! Sure, it was scary-as change often is, and I felt alone at times but not being who I was had to end. Enter the Death Card.

That brings us to the good news about the Death Card. The good news was once I got past that negative pattern of thought that I was “bad” for experiencing moments of clairvoyance and constant clairsentience (that’s a whole nother blog topic of itself) I came out on the other side stronger spiritually then ever! The Death Card challenges us to go through a spiritual transformation which-while sometimes painful and isolating-is so worth it in the end. Death itself is proof that while all things (including all of our lives one day) are going to come to an end, our life doesn’t end with our bodies our souls go on. Similarly, in life there are seasons and while inevitably every door must close one day another door always opens and we too must go on.

Instead when the Death Card comes up, we need to see not only the ending of a chapter but the beautiful beginning of another. The death card allows us to put our destiny and the free will that God gave us into our own hands. It means that just as in the picture above, how Hades stands before the kneeling, naked people who are willing to give him anything to keep things the same change,like death itself, is inevitable. In readings, Death stands to show us all an important ending is on the horizon that will initiate great change. It signals the end of an era; a moment when a door is closing. At such times, there may be sadness and reluctance, but also relief and a sense of completion. As mentioned above, every single ending is a precursor to a new beginning.

Keywords to keep in mind with the Death Card: The End of An Era, Inevitable Change, Getting Back To Basics (a wake up call to refocus your attention on what’s REALLY important), Leaving The Past Behind (closing a deal, moving on from former lovers and friends, starting a new job), Transition, Starting Fresh and Putting Power Back in YOUR hands.

Please note that when you receive the Death Card in your reading and it is reversed this often means that you are reluctant to this change and are unwilling to let go of unhealthy habits, people and environments. It may be that you’re unable to move on. The Death Card reversed calls us to examine the things in our lives which do not serve us and like Elsa from ‘Frozen’ once said, “Let It Go!”

So next time you get the Death Card in your reading don’t freak out, with every inevitable ending comes an even better beginning!

Love you. Mean it.

Brittany

Xoxo

Once upon a time in a world before Facebook, Snapchat and Instagram pictures meant something. Usually a digital camera would accompany you on a night out with friends, attend a family reunion, or even a much anticipated wedding or vacation. Nowadays, with a cellphone on hand at all times with more quality resolution then a 1990s Nixon camera, we’re more connected with our images then ever. We can fly to Vegas and Snapchat it to our hundreds of followers instantaneously, gone are the days we’d have to wait until we’re home to upload every sacred photograph. Gone are the days of leaving people to wonder what you’re wearing or what you’re up to these days. It seems we’ve found ourselves in an era of the normalization of narcissism.

How much sharing is too much sharing? How many selfies equate to a selfish individual? And why as a society do we get such validation from how many ” likes 👍🏻” and ” Loves ♥️” we get? When does being so connected leave us too disconnected? Let’s explore this topic, shall we?

📢How Much Sharing Is Too Much Sharing?💬

If you don’t think twice about posting an update for your online friends with your every random thought, the last photo you took on your smartphone, or haphazardly sharing a link that you haven’t even read yet, it’s time to execute some editing skills ASAP, if for no other reason than your own privacy. Your Facebook “friends” do not need to know how many shots of whiskey you had before accidentally walking into a men’s bathroom or what you’re eating at your local TGI Friday’s. They do not need to know that you fought with your significant other, family member or best friend. Trust me when I say, nothing makes me sign off Facebook quicker then that one social media friend who posts about the same cryptic status update day after day, you know the one right? About what a good person they are and how everyone they get involved with blows? Of course you do!While it’s plausible here and there for emotions to get the better of us, if you’re someone who compulsively posts cryptic messages maybe try investing in a journal rather then putting out your dirty laundry for the world to see. That’s right, all you Kanye West’s of the world, get your finger off the Twitter trigger and try writing about your feelings in a more private way or simply call a friend. I’ll Katniss Everdeen it and volunteer as tribute to lend an ear.

Posts regarding things like reunions, day trips, engagements, weddings, birthdays and pregnancies are fine and acceptable to post and share, I mean, what’s the point of social media anyway then? But nobody wants to hear you vent about your job, family, or significant other when we both know darn well you aren’t quitting, cutting ties with or dumping either of these people. Besides do you REALLY want that coming back to haunt you on that ‘on this day’ feature on Facebook? Yeah I thought not…

Which brings me to my next sign you’re sharing WAY too much, you MAY be sharing too much if you post more then four posts on any given day. Also, if you have wondered yourself if you’re posting too much, you probably are. I checked out Julie Spira’s ‘The Rules of Netiquette‘ , which she challenges her readers to ask themselves if they would pick up the phone to call someone 5 to 6 times a day and leave a message. The answer is probably no, right? “You’re oversharing when your posts exceed four on a given day. Think about the habits of those who log on in the morning and at night,” she says. “If it takes them 12 posts of yours to get to someone else’s, they might just start hiding your feed and get turned off.” As someone who’s usually a quick scroller with a once a day post if I see the same person’s statuses clogging up my entire feed before someone else’s comes up that’s grounds for me to unfollow you. My advice? Instead of oversharing, take a break for a day and don’t feel required to post every single day, nobody expects you to and it actually adds value to what you do post when you do. Less is ALWAYS more.

👸🏻How Many ‘Selfies’ Equate to a Selfish Person?🤳🏻

While I applaud those confident or confidence hungry people who can just put themselves out there in ‘selfies’ each day, I also feel like Chris Carter on ESPN by selfie number three of the week, “C’mon Man/Woman!”

As a general rule, I stick to twice a week MAXIMUM for taking a selfie. In fact, most of my “selfies” are throwback Thursday posts and aren’t even recent. I’d prefer photographs which feature myself to also feature my husband and close friends I also do not have the patience to take the same shot 50 times till I’m satisfied with how I look. Even the pictures I take with my friends it can be exhausting taking a photograph that everyone in the picture likes the way they look. Capturing the moment is important but living in it is too.

If you’re someone who posts over two selfies a week, chances are I have or will have unfollowed you at some point during our social media friendship. It’s not that I don’t enjoy our cyber connection, I just don’t want to see your face more then once a week clogging up my newsfeed. Furthermore it comes across as Narcissistic and I’ll tell you why: 1) They allow the selfie taker to control how the image looks and in doing so project the public image they want. 2) That Third selfie of the week from the obsessive selfie taker makes them the primary focus of the picture and this feeds their desire to feel special.

Unless you’re a high power celebrity with a fan base who hangs on your every post or Kim Kardashian giving Kanye West a birthday gift chances are you’re probably coming off as attention seeking to your social media friends.

Why as a society do we get such validation from how many ” likes 👍🏻” and ” Loves ♥️” we get?

Talking about “selfies” is a perfect time to transition into this topic because let’s face it, the compulsive selfie taker wants TWO things which can be broken down into “👍🏻” and “♥️” . As a society, we rely on our peers for love, acceptance and nowadays self worth. The compulsive status or photo poster relies on the feedback from others they receive to feel validated as a person. Here’s the truth though, you don’t NEED the chick that sat next to you in the lunchroom in High School to agree with you for your feelings to matter and be valid. You are beautiful/ handsome in your own way and you don’t need to post a photograph of yourself on social media to prove it. Beauty in the the physical sense is the most superficial kind of beauty in existence.

Want to post or photograph yourself being beautiful? Document yourself doing good for the community, volunteer, do pay it forwards, photograph and bring to social media spot light the issue of homeless vets, and children in our own country that are starving. The best kinda selfie we can take are the kind you won’t find in your stored photos on your phone, it’s in service to others we are truly are beautiful and will feel as good about ourselves as 100 likes on one picture.

In doing for others we won’t have time to worry about what everyone else thinks of us, we’ll be too focused making a difference and in doing that feeling good about ourselves.

In case you haven’t heard it and you need to: you are valued, your opinion is respected and you are beautiful/handsome. You don’t need the “validation” of social media “friends” to feel special because you are. God chose you for a special mission and all he cares about is how well you love others.

Why does being so connected leave us so disconnected?

Being so connected leaves us depressingly disconnected. The images we see in the media often desensitize us to our natural empathetic ability to connect with others. Children raised on the iPhone and iPad can often navigate technology, send texts and video chat better then their parents but they’re often in the news for sending hurtful words, sometimes even causing the death of their peers, because they have no ability to see how their words and actions affect others. We’re so desperate to share our lives with strangers but do we spend enough meals without our cellphones out and at the ready with our family and friends who are presently with us? Let’s take a stand together, and end the normalization of narcissism so rampant in our society. Let’s challenge our children to pay it forward, use a kind word, smile at a stranger and love one another.

📆Monthly Challenge: Hang out with your family and friends without having your cell phone out the whole time. (One group selfie is fine!)

💠Times I mentioned Kanye in a post count: 2

Love you. Mean it.

Brittany

Xoxo

It was around the time I was twelve and half when I received a book that would begin to change me from the inside out. That book was given to me at a very difficult time in my life, after the death of a classmate and close friend named Jessica. It was given to me by my Gram, as a means to “understand” the unfairness of losing such a beautiful soul to leukemia at the tender age of 13. I don’t have many memories of heart to hearts with my Gram growing up (like I did so effortlessly with my Grammy) in fact, I often felt unsure of how to approach her about questions like “what my Pop was like?”, stories of her childhood, and other memories which my Grammy so effortlessly shared. I always felt like I knew my Poppy (Mom’s Dad) through my Grammy’s stories whereas my Father’s Father seemed like this elusive figure I only knew through photographs and snips of information I’d overhear from relatives.

I did not blame my Gram (I still don’t), after all, it’s still sometimes painful to recall memories of the ones we loved and lost. Everyone deals with grief differently, both of my Grandmothers are a testament to this. Although my Gram found it hard to share memories of my Pop as effortlessly as my Grammy, I know she loved him and missed him more then words could say. When I would hear things about my Pop like how he had an awesome sense of humor, loved History, and Greek culture (traits we share) I often wonder if I reminded her of him and how it made her feel. So with the death of Jessica, when she gave me ‘Embraced By The Light’ by Betty J. Eadie, she gave me something beautiful that I will treasure forever, that not only helped me cope with the loss of a friend but also my Grammy later on in life.

As mentioned above, I carried this book with me from the moment it was gifted to me by my Gram and often read and highlighted different passages to get me though many stages of my life. I can count on one hand how many times I’ve seen my Gram cry, she’s one of the strongest women I know, and I’m proud I share her blood. I love her for so many reasons but she did two things which I will cherish forever. The first being putting this book in my life which helped me in more ways then I can count and the second being when we laid my Uncle Tommy to rest beside my Grammy and Poppy.

As they were lowering Uncle Tommy into the ground, I saw my Grammy’s name etched into the tombstone. The same tombstone we’d visited annually to lay a Christmas wreath for Poppy each year and it was in that moment it truly hit me, I wouldn’t see her until my Earthly mission here was complete. I suddenly felt very alone, like I was suffocating from the inside and I did the only thing I could in that moment, I walked away briskly to be alone. It was then I felt a surprisingly strong pair of arms envelope me and I felt the love my Gram had for me. I also saw the tears in her eyes too, indicting she too missed my Grammy and she also knew I needed her deep down and she was there. Suddenly, I didn’t feel alone anymore in my grief. Once again, she threw me a lifeline. In the arms of my Gram, I felt safe to cry for the first time in months the ugliest cry I ever had in me and she just held me. No words were needed and despite the sadness associated with that memory it is one of my favorite memories of the two of us: United in our feelings of ‘what now?’.

I realized I am very much my Gram’s Granddaughter in a sense it took me months to talk about memories and share stories of my Grammy without being reduced to tears so I opted not to talk about it. Burying the pain was easier then crying and feeling it in Grammy’s absence. Slowly though, thanks to ‘Embraced By The Light’ I was able to re-tell her stories and memories she left with me this time with smiles and laughs. I read that book for days, weeks, months and years it was my light in my darkest moments. Gram gave me one of the greatest gifts anyone has ever given me in that gift.

One of the things Mrs. Eadie talks about in ‘Embraced by the Light’ is the power of forgiveness. Eadie expresses what she learned from Christ on page 70 in the chapter called ‘Healing and Dying’ where she states “It is important to remember, though, that God is the judge of each soul and the severity of each soul’s trials”. I remember highlighting this particular passage and reflecting on it during my many times reading this book through the years however I never thought there would come a moment where I would have the opportunity to exercise this power of forgiveness.

Growing up, I learned how cruel a kid could be when I first met my former classmate, Kevin. For several years in elementary school , Kevin was relentlessly cruel to me, calling me names like “buck toothed beaver”, “ugly” and “miss mouse”. While I often retaliated in calling him hurtful things in return, it gave me no joy to do this like it seemed to give Kevin. I would always cry in the arms of my Mother wondering what I ever did to make Kevin so mean to me. In middle school the first time I used the words “fuck you” was directed at him because he had gotten me so frustrated he brought me to curse for the first time in my life. As the years went on, Kevin left me alone but I will never forget the one time in my sophomore history class we had a conversation I wouldn’t remember until years later.

We had been arguing, through the years I had gotten good at arguing with Kevin and knowing how to shut him up but this particular time he turned around and said something particularly cruel to me, “Brittany if you were to die nobody in our school would care or even come to your funeral.” It was at that particular moment I responded with “Oh yeah? Well it will be a cold day in hell before you ever catch me yours, you miserable bastard!”.

Kevin dropped out his junior year and I only saw him a couple handful of times mostly when he would be working on the houses as a landscaper nearby in the town we grew up in. As I matured, I came to the realization that Kevin despite all his negative words and actions towards me must have had very low self-esteem to try to bring mine down. ‘Embraced By The Light’ brought on and encouraged this revelation and I found myself praying for Kevin that he found inner peace. His soul was not mine to judge, no matter what he’d done to me. As time went on I forgot about the things he said and did. After all, I didn’t rely on the people around me to dictate my worth to God, my family, and ultimately my friends.

So many years later, when I heard about the death of Kevin due to a drug overdose my heart immediately broke that it was not God’s will to heal whatever demons he was fighting within. Being engaged to my husband at the time, his mother had been very good friends with Kevin’s mother (who died when he and his twin brother were young) and so there I found myself at his funeral. One of the only people from our graduating class. The irony was proof even in the most despairing moments God has a sense of humor. It was then as I knelt before the shell of what was once my very sworn enemy, my heart filled with love and compassion for this man who clearly didn’t love himself enough to know his worth in God’s eyes, so much so that he tried for several years to bring me down. I thought about the chapter in ‘Embraced by the Light’ where Betty describes her life review, I wondered selfishly, if Kevin was able to feel the way he made me feel for all those years he tormented me. While the side of me which still felt victimized by him as a child relished in the thought that he would finally know what it was like to feel the pain that he caused me, my higher self, took no such joy in this. As I knelt in prayer before him I remembered that one conversation that stuck out in my mind and yet there I was at his funeral despite me swearing up and down I would never be caught mourning for him. I felt myself unable to resist sadness at the loss of his life. I let out a brief chuckle that probably sounded more like a sob and I began to pray and hard. I imagined my prayer as a beam of light going right up to Christ and in it I asked that he forgive Kevin for what he did against me. I realized I no longer saw my tormentor but a tortured soul who didn’t know how to express himself. I remember asking the Lord that whatever sins he held against Kevin, “do not hold the ones he committed against me against him because I forgive him”. That moment I have never felt as free in my life, forgiving Kevin was not my way of letting him off the hook for the years of torment I suffered at his hands emotionally but it was freeing myself of the hurt I carried with me unknowingly for years. In forgiving Kevin, I was able to follow Christ’s example and love others as I love myself.

Today I still keep Kevin in my prayers, and I hope that I will see him again one day in heaven and talk about this spiritual lesson I learned from his life and death. My Gram is a very big part of that lesson because in giving me that book ‘Embraced by the Light’ I was able to see that there are so many lessons we can learn and that we always have the choice to love and forgive. As Jesus said to Betty, “above all else, love one another as I love all of you”

Love you. Mean it.

Brittany

Xoxo

‘Do you speak Irish?’

They say everybody is Irish on St. Patrick’s Day, and while this may be true I am proud to be Irish American everyday. You may have heard an “Erin go bragh” or even a “sláinte” or two in bars on St. Patrick’s Day, but even on the most Irish of holidays, we don’t hear much of the Irish language—which is a shame! I remember hearing stories growing up from my Grammy about how both sets of her grandparents and even her own Mother spoke fluent Irish. I remember her telling me how whenever her mother and aunts did not want the children to understand what they were talking about they would speak Irish. I remember asking my grandmother many things about our Irish heritage and she would tell me about the currency, the Irish national anthem, heck she could even recall in vivid detail what the Killarney country side looked like, but when I asked her if she could recall anything in the Irish language the answer was always a firm no.

I remember asking my grandmother why this was the case, after all my best friend’s grandmother spoke Polish and she knew some words and taught them to her children and grandchildren. I remember being no more than 14 or 15 and totally confused as to why we did not have such a vital piece of our heritage passed on. The answer I received was both sad and honest. When my great grandparents immigrated to the United States they felt the only language their children and grandchildren needed to know was English and so the ability to fluently converse in the language of our ancestors died with my Great Grandma in 1948. Why is this the case that even in Ireland most Irish people have forgotten the language? The story is also very sad but very honest and here it is.

Like a good portion of Irish history, the English can be blamed. For most of Irish history, the English ruled Ireland, but the language only really began to decline after 1600, when the last of the Gaelic chieftains were defeated. In my looking into the bigger picture, I have never once found that the Irish language was banned or persecuted but I did see how it was discouraged. It was discouraged by allowing English to be the official language of rule and business. It was discouraged by allowing no room to support the Irish language and culture.

Interestingly enough, while the English language slowly spread and took root in places like East Ireland and Dublin, the Irish language held a stronghold in the West in areas like Valentia Island where my Great Grandma was born and raised. By 1800, Ireland was split nearly down the middle between the two languages.

Had two major events not happened we probably would have a lot more fluent Irish speakers but they did so that’s how a slow decline in Irish speakers came to be. The first, I’m sure you’ve heard of at least once in world history, was the Great Potato Famine (1845-50) which hit the Irish speaking West hardest of all. Out of a population of 8 million, roughly 1 million people died and another million immigrated. From then on immigration became a common part of Irish society as huge numbers of Irish left the country every year, primarily to English speaking countries like Britain and America. This meant that most Irish people needed to speak English in the likely event that they would leave home. Irish would be no good to them in America, English was a necessity. English was the language of the future and of economic opportunity; Irish was the past and the language of a poverty stricken island that couldn’t support them.

The second major event was the advent of education. Starting in the 1830s national schools were created across Ireland to educate people through English and Irish was strictly forbidden. While nothing could be done to prevent Irish from being spoken in the home, it was strongly discouraged and shamed. Irish was depicted as an ignorant peasant’s language, whereas English was the language of sophistication and wealth. Poor potato farmers spoke Irish, while rich and successful businessmen spoke English (I teared up just a little writing that attitude of the time). So that is what allowed English to become the language of the cities while Irish language, unwanted and looked down upon, retreated to the most remote and underdeveloped parts of the country.

It was with this attitude, both sets of my great-grandparents came to America and did not bother to teach their children the language they spoke back in the old country. Living in America afforded my grandparents and their siblings (as well as future generations) a strong education and better job opportunities BUT they also were deprived of knowing a crucial part of their heritage. I do not blame my Great Grandparents, they believed the only language their children would need to know is English, but I do get wistful when I see a young woman and her elderly Grandmother conversing in Spanish that I was never given the opportunity to speak in such a beautiful language.

My Grammy would’ve been 100 years old on May 2nd. In her memory, I have decided to do one of two things and one of them is to learn the Irish language. For me, it would be an honor to go to Ireland one day and be able to speak in Irish to the people there to gain a part of my heritage back that was once shamed and thought of as an uneducated language to speak. I am always very proud of my Irish roots even when St. Patrick’s Day is past, I want to honor my Irish heritage by learning a language that has both fascinated and made me sad when I think of just how many people were discouraged from speaking it. When you think about it, if you go to France you can hear people speaking French, if you go to Italy you can hear people speaking Italian but if you go to Ireland you hear people speak English. Today, only 1% of the Irish population speaks Irish exclusively, only 7% speak both Irish and English fluently and the rest of the population speaks English with the exception of a few words and curses they may know in Irish. This is very sad.

While there are many debates that the Irish language is dying, I think it is up to all of us even those of us who are not in Ireland to learn the language to keep the language going. Languages continue to live when people communicate in them in the real world. In 2005 Irish was recognized as an official EU language but it has a long way to go in giving this language the recognition it needs.

My goal for 2019 and beyond is to really immerse myself in the Irish language, I want to speak it one day as well as I speak my own language. I want to know it, I want to speak it, and I want to write it, because I am proud of it.

Are you bilingual and proud? Leave a comment below and tell me what language you would like to learn if you do not know one already.

Love you. Mean it.

Brittany

Xoxo

Later on in life…

Me at age 6 eating a piece of devil’s food cake.

Growing up, I remember that I was the girl that could eat three times my bodyweight in food and not gain a thing. Food is very important to my family and I, we eat when we’re happy, we eat when we’re sad, we eat when we want to celebrate and we eat when we need that quiet comfort after a long day.

For the longest time (well as far back as I can remember) food was always there for me. Different food would spark memories of different things, for example my Grammy would always make a hot milk cake that we would enjoy for every holiday. My Grammy has been passed away for almost 7 years but still when I smell that cake or one of my aunts make it, it takes me back to when she was alive and would bring it to wherever we were spending the day.

Me at age 12 enjoying an air show with my best friend.

My teens and childhood spared me from concerns about my weight I was always fairly petite, never weighing more than 115 lbs. Upon entering my 20s, however, I found that the food that I loved so dearly did not love me back. Namely, those Carb/Starchy/Sugary foods-I’m looking right at you Penne Vodka and Mashed Potatoes!

Marybeth and I, Spring of 2015

When I first was introduced Atkins by my cousin Marybeth I wasn’t sure it would work for me, I was very apprehensive and very skeptic that I would get the results that I really needed. But at nearly 145 lbs and only standing at 5 foot 1 inch, I needed a change.

Me and my husband Tom, at my heaviest.

While at first it was very hard to give up those tough foods, over the next couple months it became easier especially when I watched all the weight just fly off of me. By the summer of 2014, I had weighed less than I did in high school, a whopping 106 pounds. I felt great, I looked great and more importantly I got the self-esteem back that I felt my weight had stolen from me. Of course it is always darkest before the dawn, after visiting my doctor in the spring of 2015 he recommended I come off Akin’s claiming that it is not a permanent lifestyle and like a fool, despite what my body was telling me that it was fine for me, I listened.

Me, November of 2014 after staying on Atkins for 8 months. I weighed less than I did when I graduated high school!

I wish I could tell you that my battle with weight ended there but I not only gained the weight I lost back but tacked on an extra 11 pounds. That was three weeks ago when I got on the scale and I decided I’m going to take control back of my life. In those three weeks I worked very hard getting back on track and today I am proud to say I have lost those 11 extra pounds and I’m back where I was where I started just a few years ago. I weighed myself this morning and lost two more pounds bringing my total weight loss to 13 pounds.

Tom and I, Christmas 2017

This is my New Year’s resolution I want my body back, no I need my body back. My goal to lose 38 more pounds will not be easy but it’s definitely going to be worth it.

Join me tonight at 8 PM with Nate as we discuss this more in depth on tonight’s podcast. Download Anchor and call in to join the conversation, be sure to ‘favorite’ my station or leave a comment below! What’s been your greatest struggle?

Love you. Mean it.

Brittany

Xoxo

Beautiful readers!

Find me on Anchor just search Brittany M. Schmidt and start listening for FREE today.

On behalf of Tom and I we’d like to wish you and your family a very Merry Christmas and a Happy Healthy New Year! I’ve got some exciting things to write about in the next few weeks but mainly I’ve been working on creating a podcast on the app Anchor as another outlet (in addition to blogging) I hope to get my brand going with weekly podcasts. Next week I’m going to write a review of Anchor and share with you the good, the okay, and the needs improvement about it! Being that it’s the holidays I wanted to embed my conversation with Nate and Tom in last’s night’s first podcast episode but alas I’m still learning. Hopefully by next week I will be able to give you a rundown on how to navigate it as it is still new to me so please bear with me and if you would like to listen to this weeks post which I recorded last night and posted a link on here I talk about my favorite Christmas movies with my husband and one of my best friends.

Just click the second link the one not titled sample because I didn’t realize I only posted a segment of the entire episode for what I posted to hear. There is a full length one directly above it that you can listen to and I really hope you enjoy it and if you do spread the word share my station. I will be sure to give shout outs to those of you who do so. Definitely keep checking in here once a week I will be discussing a wide variety of fun topics and sharing some Atkins friendly recipes that you and the whole family can enjoy. I really hope you all download the app and call in because I would love to hear all your lovely voices weigh in on each weekly topic. Each week I’m going to write about the weekly topic and then give a more in-depth discussion on it in my podcasts so next week I will be writing a review on Anchor and I will be discussing on Anchor my New Year’s resolutions which I am really so excited about because I’m not only going to be blogging which was something I made a commitment to do that I’m going to continue to do because I love it so much but I’m also going to expand to podcasting so my Friday nights are about to get very busy.

Happy Chanukah, Merry Christmas, Happy Kwanza and Happy New Year to all of you out there. I hope you are all surrounded by everything that makes your heart smile and brings you joy! See you next Friday!

Love you. Mean it.

Brittany

Xoxo

🎄Christmas Songs… 🎄

Christmas is a time a year that tends to bring out the best in everyone. People get in the spirit of love and giving; they’re more inclined to lend a helping hand as Christ’s birthday looms every closer. Regardless of your beliefs whether you’re a Christian or not this time of year signifies a time to let people in your life know how much you love and care about them. It’s a time of giving and receiving. A time to reflect on your faith, morals, and beliefs. One of the best thing for me about that holidays which gets me in the spirit of Christmas is the music.

Anyone who truly knows me, knows that I love music. I turn to music when I’m happy, sad, silly and mad. Music is a huge source of comfort for me. It inspires and motivates me, it also puts me in the mood for Christmas festivities. Everyone has their favorite songs, everyone has their one tune that it doesn’t feel like Christmas without. So without further ado here is the countdown of my top 5 favorite Christmas songs:

5. This Christmas- Chris Brown.

Why I ♥️ It: Chris’ vocals and rendition of this Christmas classic are both relaxing and true to the original theme of the song. Most celebrity covers of classics are anticlimactic but this one isn’t. See, nobody can argue that Chris hasn’t really been able to shake his reputation since the Rihanna incident and I feel this song reminds me of his softer side. One we haven’t seen since he released the single “With You”.

I recommend listening this song: while chasing your Jack Russell terrier around your living room as they run off with your Christmas tree skirt. It’ll make you less upset when you stub your toe on the coffee table.🎄

4. Merry Christmas & Happy Holidays-N*Sync.

Why I ♥️ It: This N*Sync song came out when I was 10 years old. I’m a 90’s kid, we love our boy bands and I was no exception. This song for me represents a sense of nostalgia, it’s jamming out to their Christmas album on my Sony stereo with my best friend Jen in my pink and purple sponge painted bedroom while fantasizing about braiding Chris Kirkpatrick’s hair. What’s not to love about feeling 10 when this song plays?

I recommend listening to this song: While your hosting a girl’s only holiday wine and cheese party🍷🧀. It’ll give you the ultimate 90’s nostalgia and spark a debate with your girl friends about just who was the hottest N*Sync member after all. 🚨Spoiler Alert 🚨 it was Chris. It was always Chris.

3. So This Is Christmas (War Is Over)- John Lennon and Yoko Ono

Why I ♥️ It: This song really captures the Christmas spirit, plus I grew up listening to this as it’s my Mother’s absolute favorite Christmas song. To me, this song is about reflecting on what we’ve done for others the whole year through. It encourages people to lay down their weapons, join arms and live in peace. John reminds us that war can always be over if we truly want it. This song encourages us to be better and challenges us by asking, what have you done to love thy neighbor? Despite Yoko’s nails on a chalkboard worthy vocals I think we can all agree it isn’t Christmas unless we hear this Lennon classic.

I recommend listening to this song: While you’re writing out your Christmas cards 📜 or wrapping your loved one’s gifts 🎁. It’s good way of reminding you just how blessed you are to have certain people in your life and encourage you that maybe in the spirit of Christmas it would be a good idea to donate to a good cause. I recommend St. Jude’s children’s hospital. Not only does your donation go to an amazing cause fighting childhood cancer but they send the cutest ornaments in the mail as a thank you for your support around the holidays.

2. Thank God It’s Christmas-Queen

Why I ♥️ It: Queen is by far one of my top 5 rock bands of all time so I think the real question would be: why wouldn’t I love this song? Freddie’s vocals really portray a sense of raw emotion that is unique to him. This holiday Queen song reminds us that whatever else may be going wrong in our life we can rely on the spirit of Christmas and each other to revitalize our weary souls. The lyrics allude that for just one night the problems of the world melt away and we are one in celebrating. If you don’t love that message I don’t know what to tell you.

I recommend listening to this song: At midnight on Christmas Day, while you’re gearing up for your festivities ahead. It’s one of those songs that are slow enough that you can slow dance in your kitchen to at 1 AM but also exciting enough that it won’t make you crave sleep without baking those fresh cookies 🍪 for Santa 🎅🏻.

1. Wonderful Christmastime-Paul McCartney

Why I ♥️ It: This song is the ultimate party song for Christmas. Not only does it get me instantly in the mood for ugly sweaters, Christmas cookies and family gatherings it makes me genuinely happy. Nostalgia is a huge part of my love for this song also, I remember before they had Santa tracker they used to announce on the radio where he was. I’d lay on my Gram’s tile floor with a boom box and listen with my cousins to find out where Santa was and I’d always hear this song before the announcement would come up and tell us where ol’ Saint Nick was last located. It reminds me of Christmas Eve at my Gram’s. Of looking up in the sky with my cousins for Rudolph and sprinkling reindeer food on my front lawn. This song is tossing and turning cause I’m too excited to sleep. This song embodies Christmas for me. The magic and innocence of my youth. It’s my Grammy spending the night, singing happy birthday to Jesus before tucking me in. It’s me waking her up at 6 AM to see what presents were left for me under the tree. This song is Christmas to me that’s why I love it.

I recommend listening to this song: on Christmas Eve while you’re making your own Christmas memories. I always do!🎄🍪🎅🏻🎁

So there you have it! My top 5 Christmas songs! What are yours? Leave a comment below and start the conversation, I’d LOVE to hear from you!

Love you. Mean it.

Brittany

Xoxo