Oh yeah! That’s right! The celebration of Swatch And Learn’s 3rd blogiversary is still going on! (Did someone call the party train? Chuggga-chugga-chuggga-chugga-choo-chooooo!) 😉
When I announced my OPI San Francisco Collection giveaway on Friday, I said I’d be having a worldwide nail-polish giveaway really soon.
That day is today! 🙂 *Throws confetti*
I reached out to NailPolishCanada, and asked if we could team up for a special giveaway. They said yes (Thank you!), and they offered an incredible prize that I know readers will love!
Yes, you read that right – everyone can enter to win all 5 shades in the a-england Burne-Jones Dream Collection!
You have until Friday August 16 at 11:59 pm Eastern to enter. (Even if you participated in my other giveaway, you can still enter this as well.)
Please read the rest of this post for the details because the rules for this one are different.
Edit: Congratulations, Katherine! You’ve won this giveaway! Please reply to my e-mail within 48 hours to claim your prize. Thanks to everyone for participating! I’ll have another giveaway soon.
Giveaway Details:
- Starts: Now
- Ends: Friday August 16 at 11:59 pm Eastern
- Who Can Enter: Anyone! (This giveaway is open worldwide!)
- Prize: The entire a-england Burne-Jones Dream Collection (5 full-size bottles!) To see the exact shades, scroll to the bottom of this post. The ones with the links lead to reviews I’ve done on those colours.
- How Many Times You Can Enter: One entry per person. Even if you comment more than once, I will only count it as a single entry.
- How to Enter: In your comment on this blog post, tell me about a challenge you faced and how you handled it.
- Selecting the Winner: I’ll be using Random.org to randomly select the winner. I’ll announce the winner sometime on August 17 or August 18. The winner will have 48 hours to reply to my e-mail to claim the prize. Failure to do so will force me to randomly draw another winner. If the winner is Canadian, after I get the mailing address, I’ll forward it to NailPolishCanada, and they’ll send you the prize directly! If the winner isn’t a Canadian, after I get the mailing address, I’ll ship out the nail polishes myself. (Please add swatchandlearn@gmail.com to your Safe list so my e-mail doesn’t accidentally go to the Junk folder.)
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Feel free to tweet about this giveaway, blog about it, and help me to spread the word! 🙂
Good luck, and thank you for being awesome readers!
If you’d like to see my in-depth review and swatches of the a-england Burne-Jones Dream Collection shades, see the links below. (As I continue to review more, I’ll link them here.)
- Briar Rose
- Briarwood
- Sleeping Palace
- Rose Bower
- Fated Prince
Edit: Yay! NailPolishCanada and a-england have helped me get the word out about this giveaway! 🙂 I love it when companies are supportive of bloggers!
Thanks for the giveaway.
I had to overcome the admission my boyfriend then husband (18 years together) cheated on me, we’re now Separated. I never thought I would be betrayed by him. It’s taken about a year and a lot of crying and pain but I realise now that I’m better off single, though I’m open to falling in love again and getting married in the future.
We have now hard times at work and our boss is from hell. I’m saying to myselff every morning that I’ve to survive this day. And then it’s some day easier.
nina! the same thing happen to me.. be strong there 🙂
What a cool giveaway! 🙂
My father died in march and it’s still very hard for me, there is a lot of crying and the question “Why”….But I have a great husband!He and my little son help me to enjoy life again! I love them so much 🙂
My hardest time was when they found a mass eating at my son’s jaw. The insurance wanted to take its time to approve and we didn’t have time. After being after them constantly they approved it and he got the surgery.
My challenge has been health related, and I have been mostly bedridden for the last eight years. I think your mental attitude is really important when dealing with life changing events, and I try to focus on what I still have instead of what I don’t, like my supportive husband and loving family. I try to come up with different interests, and this year I have gotten i to nail polish big time!
At around Christmas last year, my boyfriend was diagnosed with prostate cancer and had to have surgery to have it removed. He did so in may this year, and ever since has been a struggle to come to terms with side-effects from that surgery, with the worst (for me) being unable to have kids. I found out about that only a week before surgery and then it was too late to do anything about it. Luckily I have nieces and nephews I can borrow from time to time, but it’s not the same.
Johanna! that’s though! my dad had it last year! and it has been difficult!
you need to be strong and have a positive attitude about it! did he had to do some kind of therapy after the cancer was removed?
We don’t know yet. We have to wait for new tests in august to know if it’s removed or if there are more treatments to be had. Hopefully the surgery was “all” it took for it to be gone. Thanks for reply 🙂 <3
Wowww , what a great give away !!
Last year i had a co intoxication and i was clinical dead… they reanimated me , but i smoked about 60 cigarettes by day … So i had to quit smoking , but how ?? A woman in the hostpital had an anwesome nail art … when i was home i bought some nailpolishes and started plying with them …..
Now I still have copd gold 2 , but i am 10 months smoke free !!!! but…… my nicotine addiction turned into a nailpolis addiction !!!!!!!!!!!! Nailpolish saved my life !!!!!
Woo hoo! Awesome giveaway! Everyone’s challenges are so sad 🙁 I feel compelled to share a silly one – I had to do the lunch run for the office today – went to my super special secret Chinese place and proudly brought back a delicious lunch for my workmates – only to realise I hadn’t brought any cutlery 🙁 We don’t have a kitchen at my work, so it looked like we were doomed to eat with our hands until I had the GENIUS idea of CHOPSTICK PENS! I handled my challenge by forcing my workmates to eat their lunch with biros! Hooray!
My challenge has been to be a interpreter in two languages for a company for the first time. Language is not my strength actually but I tried hard to prepare well for the week.
My biggest challenge is that I suffer from severe depression and anxiety. Its been a battle for over 10 years now. I see drs every week and have even had hospital stays for a few times. What made things worse, was that I was in a bad car accident and now suffer from chronic pain. I have learned that I just need to take things at a week at a time, a day at a time, if not, an hour at a time or a minute at a time. I always loved nail polish, but over the years I have found that doing my nails and expressing my creativity and feelings through them helps me out. 🙂
Facebook: Petiteandsweet Denise Twitter: Nisefo62 Google+: Denise F Pinterest: Denise F BlogLovin’: Denise F E-mail Subscription: Nisefo62(at)hotmail(dot)com
AMAZING GIVEAWAY!!
Ok, my challenge was that I desperately wanted to be an actress but my crippling stage fright made me fail every audition. I had almost given up when I read about Beyonce using an alter ego (in her case, Sasha Fierce) when she performs. I decided to try it and Lana Minx was born. Let me tell you, that girl rocks! She’s strong, she’s confident and she gets brilliant acting jobs 🙂
Well, as a 19-year-old, I am constantly facing challenges regarding my path in life. There are so many choices to make, and I sometimes make bad decisions while my hormones are racing, and then I have to face the consequences later on. This has resulted in the fact that I am now involved with a religious cult (don’t ask me how that happened, haha), and I reeeeeeeallly have to do something to do change that!
I can’t decide if I want to go with a really deep challenge or a light one…. in between? When I moved in with my then-fiancé/now husband, I was pretty sure we would not work out because we did not see eye-to-eye about cleaning verses relaxing.
Seven years later, I realize I would rather have my husband and a messy house than just a clean house by myself. He taught me that sometimes there are more important things in life than the dishes (unless they smell, then they really do have to get done). Compromise was the answer 🙂
Let’s see. Right now, I’ve got about 3 weeks until I move to Washington DC for school reasons, and while I’m supposed to have an internship while I’m there for the semester, I have been through countless applications, 4 interviews, and not a single offer yet. I’m getting a little anxious because I don’t want to be That One Student who couldn’t get an internship before the semester started, but it’s a challenge that I’m trying to face head-on, mostly by keeping in touch with recruiters, making myself accessible and available for further follow-up, and checking to see if anyone else is accepting applications this late in the game, just in case.
i had my first exams this year and it was really hard but i did my best and i passed 😀
i wish u once again a happy blogaversairy <3
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Thanks so much for the international giveaway Mary!! 😀
My challenge is getting along with my older little sister. We are 3 sisters and with the younger one we are like two peas in a pod, but with the older, although she is closer to me in age (she is 2.5 years younger than me, while the little is 7 years younger) it’s like fire and ice. It’s a constant challenge trying to get closer to her, understand her motivations and accept her. The problem is most of the time I feel like I’m the only one who makes efforts to have a viable relationship with her, while she doesn’t care. But I don’t want to lose my sister, even though we are so different.
Oh mine, what a gorgeous gift!
Well, my challenge is still going on.
Three years ago I fell to my left side with my motorcycle and broke the upper end of my tibial (left foot). Everyone thought (including me) it would be about two months on sick leave and I would be on my feet again and go back to work. Well, the reality hit me soon. There was something wrong with my knee joint and I couldn’t stand or walk without any crutches. Now I’m educating myself to the new occuppation because I can’t do my former job anymore and waiting for a new knee joint.
I’m learning new things with this disability, such as humility and long-term approaches. All movement is no longer self-evident.. This has been a long road and rocky one.
My challenge has been serious exhaustion, pain, and brain fog that numerous doctors could not explain. They told me it was all in my head and offered me Prozac. (I have empathy for people with clinical depression, but I knew that was not what was wrong with me.) I kept trying new doctors; I googled my symptoms day after day; I meditated; I prayed; I tried every remedy I could think of. Finally, after ten years, I found a gastroenterologist who actually did a blood test for autoimmune disease. I found another doctor (expensive and not on my insurance) who did some tests for thyroid dysfunction. And I found on-line chat groups where people discussed their symptoms, and figured out some other likely causes for my medical problems, as well as ideas for drugs that would help to treat my problems (e.g., low-dose naltrexone). While I’m not now 100% “normal,” I have regained about 80% of my energy. I learned not to accept other people’s assessments if you feel in your gut that there’s another answer, and to keep searching until you find the help you need.
I got sick the summer after my freshman year of high school. It took 2 years to figure out what was wrong with me, and during that time I had to deal with criticism from friends and family members who didn’t believe I was really sick and no longer supported me. There were so many days where I couldn’t walk or sit up and I missed SO much school, once I even missed a month straight and was in the hospital. My challenge was getting through school while dealing with the physical and mental anguish my health problems had caused me. It was so difficult. I was doing makeup work from bed every time I was able to sit up. I was so happy when I was able to graduate on time and even on the honor roll. I ended up being diagnosed with Dysautonomia and am still dealing with it after 7 years, but I’m thankful I have medication to help now.
Thanks for having a world wide give away! Good luck to all the entrants!
Everyone has to deal with different adversities in life. It comes with the territory. I have been through many things in my life, from a cheating boy friend to a very ill child. I believe that everything is Gods plan for us and how we deal with things are all mapped out in the footprints we leave on this earth.
I choose not to feel on adversities but to embrace and overcome them. I challenge everyone to do the same!
Hehe, my chinese isn’t very good. I can speak some and understand some. But I can’t read chinese characters. There was a time in college and nearby there was a hawker place, I was so much more used to ordering in hokkien dialect back in my hometown but this was a different town and they were cantonese and I had no idea how to speak (though I can understnd roughly). That’s when I’d be so grateful whenever I have pictures of food to point at to tell the person there which food I want. You know, the typical “This one, one *points points* erm, don’t want the green-green thingys” =P Hehe!
thank you so much for the awesome giveaway! 😀 Hope I’d be able to win these!
Bought a house and moving, the whole process without family help (they live too far away). I am still struggling
The biggest challenged that I have face has to be accepting my alcohol/ drug addiction and making a change. I went to rehab with no reservations and an open mind. Here I am 6 years later! enrolled in college still clean and getting many goals accomplished.
My challenge is overcoming severe, nearly incapacitating Executive Dysfunction. It’s one of the most insidious neurological disorders, because a lot of the ways it manifests appear to outside observers as extreme laziness. That’s true to an extent with almost every disorder- you’ll always have hordes of well-meaning people who have just every kind of advice for you, who think they know you and your disorder better than you do. And the worst ones are the ones who say things like “you just have to focus!“, as though I hadn’t thought of that already. As though I haven’t gone through 26 years of a debilitating disorder battling the inability to do just that.
Because it’s chronic, it’s not exactly something I will overcome, but I’m learning to manage it. I’ve begun finding peers who have the same struggles I have, and I started a side blog talking about my journey to becoming a normal, functional adult. Having people around me with the same issues was a huge step towards self-acceptance already. Also, I have learned a lot of tools and coping mechanisms from my group. Even though I backslide sometimes, I’m doing better now than I have in a long time.
In an odd sort of way, my nail polish addiction helped me too. Having something to fixate on that isn’t extremely time consuming (unless I want it to be) is helpful. I paint my nails almost every day, and even if it’s just a simple one-color job with no art, it’s an anchor for me that helps ground me in reality while also being very rewarding. And the better I get at managing my time and doing what I need to do, the more time I have leftover to invest in what I love.
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My greatest challenge has to be motherhood. I love it but its a challenge.
My challenge is overcoming shyness and I understood that by gaining confident,I could overcome it,and I did,and I am glad I did!
Thanks for another great giveaway!! I work in a very small office and my co-worker is super extroverted and quite intrusive (in work matters as well as personal matters). This causes difficulty for most everyone who works with her but since my office is right next to hers and I’m very introverted it’s been….a challenge to say the least. To cope I’ve done several things including opening a dialogue about the personality differences between introverts and extroverts (the social needs of those types vary quite a bit), and I’ve had to learn to be very firm with my boundaries and allow myself to not be snowed under by a flood of chit chat and feel okay with not socializing or divulging personal details if I don’t want to. Not the hardest thing I’ve had to overcome but when you’re stuck next to someone who you find difficult for hours on end after a while things can wear on you!
My health is definitely my biggest challenge. I’ve had a permanent headache for roughly 23 years, plus epilepsy, PSTD and brain injury to summarize the short list of my problems. I just do all that I can to be as healthy as I can and hopefully I can undo some of the damage. I don’t drive, drink alcohol, smoke, and I chose not to have children so they wouldn’t be cursed with my problems. That alone was a huge challenge because I do wish I could have children. I eat as healthy as I can, try to get enough sleep every night and exercise.
Thank you for doing an international giveaway too – I know the postage hassles involved, so teaming up with a supplier seems the perfect (and generous) solution 🙂
You already know about some of my challenges that are similar to yours (fathers day posts) so I’ll lighten the mood a bit this time. My challenge is effectively balancing work and home life. My solution is still in progress, and I suspect it always will be. I have a web/mobile agency set up with my fiancé, so we live and work together. Occasionally the problem is not being motivated to work when we need to, but for the most part it’s the opposite – we struggle to make time for ourselves and each other because our income, our clients and our employees depend on us. We’re getting better, but I can’t say we’ll ever have the balance perfectly even.
x
Work hard to finish my bachelor, had allot of struggles to finish, to now struggle to find a job, be pushed to work in jobs I don’t need a bachelor diploma for cause I need to eat. Sometimes I wonder Why I did ever studied,a and no is not a strange career.
I’ve experienced a lot of death in my immediate family. Within the past 10 years I’ve lost my sister, my nephew, my mom, my dad and a woman I consider my second mom. I’ve had to go to therapy and I currently take medication for depression. I’ve found that painting my nails helps me to focus on something other than my problems. Entering the nail polish world has changed my life for the better.
Last summer was extremely challenging. My fiance needed emergency brain surgery just a few weeks before we were due to make a 1000-mile move, and it was a very stressful time. We got through the surgery and recovery period by staying positive, and were able to get all of our stuff moved without his help thanks to friends and family that stepped up at that time. I was so glad by the time the summer was over, once we were settled in and he was recovering well.
Yay for international giveaways!
3 years ago I finally found the courage to leave an education that had made me miserable for nearly 18 months. In the beginning I found the field really interesting, I didn’t get along well with the other students. After long conversations with family and friends I took the jump and left a situation that had only succeeded in making me feel horrible about myself. Today I might be a little behind education wise but I’m happier than ever and feeling good about myself for the first time in years.
And even greater, I don’t have to worry about painting my nails in “work-place approved” colours. 😀
Lovely giveaway, Mary! You are such an inspiration, as a blogger and a friend.
One of my greatest challenges has been our inability to have children. After IVF attempts and a failed adoption placement, I have struggled with my desire to be a mother coming against the inability to have our own children. It will always be a sadness deep within me, but I have overcome this by realizing I can nurture the next generations through my teaching, compassion, and giving back.
Good question, and I hope that others read this comment and those of the other posters realizing that in the face of adversity, there is still hope. Hugs to everyone!
Thanks for such an amazing giveaway! I still check your blog every day and get excited when I see previews of upcoming polishes on instagram! You’re one of my favorite nail bloggers!
Over four years ago my husband and I had a full-term stillborn daughter. Honestly, I’m not sure how I overcame that one. Time (the first year was definitely the worse). A lot of crying. Good family and friends. My faith. Welcoming another baby girl into our arms (yeah, I dared to get pregnant again 3mos. later). Oh, and Harry Potter. lol. I had tried reading Harry Potter when I was in college but never even finished the first book…I was too hoity toity for that kind of stuff. I tried again and after getting through the first book and to the second book I fell in love and it was the most wonderful escape. It saved my life. Four years later there is still pain and sadness but it’s not overwhelming. It’s manageable. It taught me a lot about who I was, what I could do, and my relationship with my husband.
Right now the challenge that comes to mind is living with my in-laws while we try to find a permanent place to live. We moved into this area after my husband got out of the Army because he was able to get a job at the shipyard here. We thought it would just be a matter of months before we’d find a place to live. Here we are 1 1/2 years later and we still haven’t found anything. There are lots of places advertised, but getting the realtors to return phone calls is like pulling teeth. So, I’d have to say is making it work for us (my, my husband and our two children) while living with my in-laws (who are INSANE) has got to be a challenge that I’m still working on overcoming.
I could mention a few things, but I’ll go with something bloggy. I have been writing in my blog since 2008, and I have no growth! I am happy with my content and think other people would enjoy it too, if they read it. I have learned that I feel better about it if I just keep writing and look at Google Analytics a little less.
I’m very lucky that my life has been pretty simple in comparison to some people. One of the largest challenges I’ve had to face would be when I was choosing which university to go to. Most (I mean 4/6) of my high school friends ended up going to the same university, quite a long ways a way. It was pretty clear most of them made that choice so they could be around each other still. The thing was, that university wasn’t for me. I knew it, it was too far from my family, from my boyfriend, and I had visited another university closer to home and loved every single aspect of it. It was a really hard decision that I know a lot of young people have to make. I ended up choosing the university I wanted to go to. Yeah, I’ve sort of lost touch with my friends. It’s hard to keep up when they see each other every day and you only see them maybe once a month in the summer. We are all really different now, and yeah that’s sad, but alone at the university I picked, I’ve found a great group of friends who are more like me, and I had an awesome university experience. First year was really hard at first, socially. It is for a lot of people. But basically my advice to those making the choice. Do what you want to do. Yeah, that could mean following your friends. Or it could mean going to the university that best suits you for other reasons. I don’t regret my decision at all! 🙂
Thanks for the awesome giveaway, Mary! And I’ve been so inspired reading all the comments on this one.
My personal challenge, which I’m still working on every day, is overcoming my shyness and reaching out to people. Even as a child, I remember having trouble making new friends, which was especially problematic since I moved a lot. Thankfully, our family settled down by the time I got to high school, and by then I had a solid circle of friends. It was then that I decided I would start forcing myself to be more outgoing, because chances are, the other person is just as nervous as you! While I am definitely still trying to improve in this area, this is one decision I have never regretted! 🙂
I finished my bachelors degree, and realized I no longer wanted to be in that field! It was a horribly confusing time, but I went back to school and started on a new track… I met my fiancé and we’ve been planning for the future ever since! Now I’m just waiting on the outcome of my PA school applications 🙂
My most recent big challenge was climbing Mt. Everest. I got some altitude sickness on the first rotation up the mountain and got pretty upset about it. I’ve never gotten altitude sickness before so I thought this was it for me. However, I decided to stop being emotional and just take one day at a time… I turned off my mind. On May 18 at 8 am I was rewarded with views from the top of the world!! :). Now I know that it’s all in the power of the mind.
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I spent years volunteering for a local gaming convention, despite the fact that it was costing me money and quite a bit of time. The stress built so badly that I ended up yelling at one of my closest friends. Realizing how negatively giving my time to this group was effecting me, I decided it was time to put my efforts towards a different cause.
One of my biggest challenges has been moving away from home to a city where I didn’t know anybody. It was hard at first but I made some new friends at university and at work. But then it just didn’t work… I got depressed. So, I moved back home. That city just wasn’t for me. About six months later, I moved again to another city where I already hade some friends. There I made a lots of new friends and also found a boyfriend.
My biggest challenge was when my daughter was born prematurely and was in the hospital on a ventilator. Very stressful times! today she is a completely healthy 14 year old.
Life. My problems seem so insignificant compared to everything going on in this world. I try not to complain about things and keep a smile on my face .
My challenge was realizing that my friend wasn’t really a friend. She just betrayed my secrets, and it took me a little while to realize that. But, now I do, so we are not friends anymore.
What a great prize!!! Thanks!!
My great challenge is the day-to-day. And how do I handle it? Smiling!
It’s not a joke. I smile for me and for the other people. Nobody has to suffer if I have a good or a bad day, so I smile as if all the days were the best one 🙂 And for me, smiling is the best thing. Not to worry for things you can’t solve, and do what you can for the other things.
And if there are something you cannot do, well, look for another thing you can do, or for another way for doing the same or similar thing.
I choose to share a challenge that was so worth it in the end! At 19 I had a beautiful baby girl – unplanned and eventually no support from the father. Some may say that’s not uncommon but this was in the 1980’s and it was a much bigger deal then – less government/societal support, more social stigma and prejudice. I did what I had to, the best I could. All the suffering and sacrifice has been rewarded as my daughter has turned out great and I’m awaiting my first grandchild now!
I’ve been battling depression for nine months now, and it’s an uphill battle every day. But my family and friends are very supportive, and I know I’m going to feel better.
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I just ended a rough 3 year long relationship. one of the hardest things was seeing my children go through it too. they became really close with him and my youngest started calling him “dad” a few months prior. but it was for the best, drugs do horrible things to people.
Thanks for the fabulous giveaway!
A challenge that I faced (and continue to face) is my terrible social anxiety. All through high school, I dealt with panic attacks and crippling fear. There were many days when I couldn’t muster up the courage just to go to class, and I missed a lot of school. Then the idea of graduating and getting a job or going to college seemed impossible! Fortunately, over the last few years, with the help of my parents and a good friend, I’ve been able to get a handle on things. I now work a full time job and am able to go out with friends without totally breaking down! Not to say I’m totally over my anxieties, but it is far better than it used to be 🙂
My most recent hardship regards my mother. I’ve recently found out she is depressed. This is all so new to me and I don’t know how to help her. I feel like everything I do is not helping her in any way. I truly feel helpless. I just hope she gets better. I try to do things with her that used to make her happy. Manicures were her favorite. However, manicures aren’t making her quite as happy anymore. What to do…what to do…
A big challenge for me was figuring out where I wanted to go with my English Degree. Law School had always been my ultimate goal, but the LSAT and I apparently don’t get along (which was very difficult for me to accept in itself, as I’d always been good at schoolwork and taking tests). I ended up taking a year off after gaining my English degree to try and figure out what I wanted to do (in the end this enabled me to pay off all my existing student loans, so it wasn’t a complete waste of a year!). Eventually, a lawyer friend of the family suggested becoming a paralegal. I’d never even heard of this profession before, but I decided to go for it and am absolutely loving it:) Two more semesters to go and then I can be out in the real world and working in the field that I always wanted to work in!
Again congrats on the three years blogging. <3
My biggest challenge was when I was 23 and found out I was pregnant. My boyfriend at the time was so happy but he was going through some personal issues as well. The day of the birth I had a horrible allergic reaction to the epudiral and both me and my little guy ended up in ICU. A month after that his dad tried to commit suicide and ended up in a coma for 2 months. I was all alone… With a new baby I had to support all on my own. I was too broke to even afford someone to look after him, so he came along to work. I had to move back in with my parents so I could at least have a roof over our heads. Its now three years later and somehow I managed to get through all this alone as a single mommy. Sure the hours are super long and tiring, and having work too.. There isn't another life I'd chose even for a million bucks. My little guy is my world.. And even though we started with very challenging situation… I love being his mommy.
What a great giveaway!
Compared to some my challenge is insignificant.
I always have to try to be happy. I feel sad, even when everything is fine.
The first challenge that came to my mind was my challenge of being fit. Growing up I always wanted to be “skinny” and “pretty”. I played sports and loved doing that, but I wasn’t always at the top of my game because I didn’t know how to better myself in regards to healthy eating and being physically active. It didn’t really click that I actually needed to set time aside to move (workout) and plan meals until I was in college taking public health courses. I decided I wanted to pursue my major in that field and I wanted to become healthy and lose weight. I overcame my challenge by actually stepping out the door and running. I won’t ever forget my first steps down the road and how I walked back. Through the course of a few months, I eventually ran back home and then made my runs longer and faster. Then I saw the change in myself. I saw I was more awake and I knew I overcame the challenge. I made it a lifestyle change and could not be any more prouder of myself.
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My biggest challenge has been, up until now… To accept myself for who and what I am.
I went to school to study to become a sign language interpreter and thought I did good, I never heard anything to say otherwise when suddenly my teachers tell me that they want me to repeat a year, because of the fact that I wasn’t acting the way that They thought an interpreter should act, I wasn’t as social as they wanted me to be, even when they had told us that not everybody interacts with the people that they will interpret for. So I made the decision to quit, not because I had to repeat a year, but because I didn’t feel comfortable with the fact that I would have to change basically everything that I was, and everything that made me me, to fit their mold of who I Should be. I’ve had to think long and hard about who I am, and come to terms with that, and to tell myself that I’m alright just as I am, and that I don’t have to change everything about myself to make someone else happy. I’m good just the way I am.
the best part of this giveaway is having the opportunity to talk about things. (beside the giveaway, a-england is one of the brands i’m wishing to use for a while now).
right now my life is a complete challenge, just getting through the day is the biggest challenge. it all started back in december, i was so angry at some of my coworkers and the way they handled things in the office that i just couldn’t take it anymore, so i got a part time job.. almost a month i quit my job in february, my husband lost his!
so..
i had to forget about pride, and ask my boss to hire me again (i knew they were having problems finding someone to do my old position) she was happy to have me back in the team.
So my husband decided to start his own business with the money he received from the company he used to work for.. and a month after starting everything, his mom suddenly passed away (there’s a lot of legal situations regarding her death, she was killed by a doctor, so we are in the middle of this legal war against the system, doctors, etc).
and don’t let me start with my job, is not that i don’t love what I do.. but.. i’m not happy anymore here, i’m trying to keep it cool.. but it is difficult.. so i have this awful migraines during the week… and i don’t even feel like blogging anymore..
so.. these months have been though. i think that the most difficult thing has been my mother’s in law passing away. how things happened.. she was a very kind woman, even though we didn’t get along well at the beginning, and I always doubted how happy she was with me being the wife of her son.. i still learnt some things from her, so sad you never get the chance to tell people how are you learning from them (so, do it, if you are learning something cool from someone, tell him/her HOW MUCH you appreciate they teach you that), i learnt that we should be happy about the things we have instead of worrying for the things we don’t.
so when it comes to what is helping me going through the challenges these last months have brought is that. being thankful for what i have, instead of worrying for what i don’t.
sorry for such a long answer.. i just needed to take this all out from me.. it’s wonderful how you dare to share this personal things with strangers online, but you just can’t share it with your friends or family, because you don’t want to worry them.. because in the end, you know you’re gonna be fine.
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Trigger Warning: Depression & Suicide
I’ve been suffering form severe depression for 8 years and only within the past 6 months had the courage to tell my parents and family doctor and get help. During that time I was also suicidal.
At first my parents were in denial about my depression, saying I was making it up to make excuses for not doing well in university, when the reality was I wasn’t doing well in university due to my depression. Having them fighting against me made it all the more hurtful. It didn’t help that I went to university downtown and had to take the subway every day. My depression sometimes spoke to me, trying to influence me to take the jump and end my life.
As lame as it sounds, I found a company that produces video game content among other things, and they were the first factor that helped me along until I became medicated. Their daily videos on YouTube gave me something to look forward to, and their podcasts that I could listen to on my iPod helped cheer me up and distract me during the commute.
I also turned to nail art, giving me something to distract me and make me feel proud when my nails turned out beautiful. Getting compliments on them always helped as well.
These things helped me along until I finally just told my doctor about my problem, and she put me on anti-depressants. I still get sad, but normal amounts of sad, and I haven’t thought of taking my life since.
Thank you for the contest and the chance for me to almost anonymously get that off my chest 🙂
What a cool giveaway. Love those colors!
For me one of the biggest challenges in my life has been moving to New Orleans, Louisiana from Portland, Oregon. My husband & I moved here for the sake of adventure – we didn’t know a single person here, our closest relatives are 900 miles away, and we didn’t have any jobs when we got here. We’ve settled in really nicely (been here 2 years already) and have good jobs but it’s still hard missing my really close friends in Oregon. I’ve been trying to make friends here but it’s a slow process. It’s been really helpful to stay in touch with good friends back home and to remind myself that making friends takes a long time!
Wow, lots of comments. My biggest challenge is still kind of ongoing. When I first got married my husband lost his job, then he got sick. Really sick. It took us five years of applying for aid and trying to get in to see specialists before we finally found a doctor who could diagnose him. Another five years of applications and persistence until he finally got the surgery he needed. Shortly after his dog from childhood died and now it’s a struggle trying to get him back into the workforce. The past 13 years have been one challenge after another, but… I don’t know what I’d do without him. Thanks for having such an awesome giveaway. I hope whoever wins is a psychotic polish fiend who will truly appreciate them and share lots of pics. 😉
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Happy Blogiversary! What a neat giveaway. 🙂
A recent challenge for me? Alternating driving cross-country with my husband. Sounds small & silly, but I am a seriously nervous driver!
🙂 Kim
I was absolutely miserable at my job, so when I saw that a position opened up in another dept, I fought and harassed (in a fun manner of course!) my future boss into making sure I got an interview, and getting the job.
Thank you for this giveaway!! These polishes are gorgeous!!
And these stories of overcoming challenges are amazing..
The hardest thing I’ve probably had to do is forgive the doctors that delivered my brother. It was in Germany a long time ago.. and they were intoxicated while on the job. It basically led him to have severe cerebral palsy and die at a young age of sickness because nothing was really done to save him from lack of oxygen. Harboring bitter feelings won’t do anything for me..and forgiving them still remains a daily process as I often think that my brother could still be here as a healthy child if that hadn’t happened :/
I had a very successful career but decided to quit and follow my dream and study what I really wanted. It was really hard in the beginning everyone thought I was crazy to give up a good job and do something completely different but I do not regret it at all.
I am 16 turning 17 and I am in my senior year of high school already. My family has been in a bad financial state where we lost our home and my mother is physically disabled so she can’t work. In turn my dad is the sole source of income in the home and he (and my mom) are approaching 50. The company he works at forces you to retire at 65 and I have 2 younger brothers that are starting high school. I cannot go to college because we don’t have the money and due to time constraints I have not been able to take an ACT/SAT yet so I can’t apply for a scholarship, despite my 3.5 GPA. I am currently doing a pathway for nursing but the credits only count if I enroll at the college after my graduation; in 2 years they expire. I have completed college classes for the credit and yet now all that work is useless to me. My dad is working and his smoking is affecting him so I found myself settling for learning nail art and other nail techniques in order to get a Nail Tech license to work when I leave school. I would rather forgo my education in order to lessen the burden on my dad and will help him put my siblings through college.
I had a very bad body image. Who doesn’t but wow it was pretty bad. “I CAN NEVER BE SKINNY WOAH IS ME” sort of bad. Then I started working out (breaking the elliptical and weight training) and eating a little better every day (salad twice a week to three times a week to every damn day). I’m not seeing my dress size go down but I feel so confident in my clothes. I’m fat but I’ll be the fittest fat lady on the street.
My biggest challenge is dealing with a certain health disorder but I got myself help in college when everyone else dismissed my problems growing up. It took eight different medication changes over seven years but I am finally balanced and have a good attitude about life. Some days are more difficult then others but I try to be thankful for all that I have and how far I’ve come.
Erin (Paint Those Piggies!) recently posted: A Very Skullicious Mani
My biggest challenge has been moving with my husband from NJ where both our families live to MA. Just trying to make a life here from scratch, build friendships, and know that we’re going to be starting a family so far from our families.
I have been wanting this collection so badly, I’m so glad you’re doing this giveaway! Thank you!!!!!!! 🙂
Wow again! These are soooo gorgeous.
My biggest challenge is getting off the couch and deciding I am going to run Disney.
It’s not really a challenge that I solved with good will or spirit strength, it was solved by physical strength. My dad used to beat my 2 sisters and I (they’re younger than me). Once, I was around 20 (my sister 19, and my baby sister 9), he tried to hit my mom (never did before) and we threatened him saying “if you ever hit her we’ll do the same to you”. My sister and I were forced to work when we were little so we had some physical strength at that time (now we both have a back disease because of that physical work), he saw that physical threat and he stopped trying to hurt my mom. My youngest sister (17) has no longer to suffer the same we did in those days. Some people tell me I’m cold or even cruel because I clearly say I don’t love him and I don’t care about him, I can’t even stand being in the same room with him (I live with both my parents). I know I’m cold, but all those memories won’t go away so easily, I know alcohol can erase someday all his memory (and it’s doing it right now). I feel I need to be cold in order to defend those who need it (for example my mom and sisters).
I think sometimes women can take advantage of physical strength to make it work for us. Violence can generate more violence, but we have to defend ourselves and claim the respect we deserve.
About eight months ago I lose my beloved grandpa and grandma.(grandpa is my father’s father and grandma is my mother’s mother.) All of my family filled with great sadness and.pain. And I couldn’t overcome that at all. I cried even when I on the bus to school, after several days l was too hopeless to cry any more. Anything but I could do was accompanied my grandma more and more, and wrote something about the beloved and me. From the time with my lovely grawndma I saw hope and love, she was so brave that encouraged me. An I learned that how l cherish my family is not enough — they are the most beautiful treasure in my life! Now we are slowly recovering, l believe that things will be fine:-)
All in all, thanks for the giveaway and I like your swatches so much!
Wow! Thanks for the awesome giveaway! I love A-England :).
My big challenge right now is to stay positive and look to the future. I am returning home from a study abroad trip, and I had to say good-bye to someone that I have grown very attached to. While it is definitely pretty minor as far as challenges go, I will still miss him a lot and I want to try and focus on other things. I am planning on taking up some new hobbies and catching up on some reading. I also can’t wait to start painting my nails again (they were naked for the duration of my trip).
Awesome giveaway!
My boyfriends father died little over a year ago. They diagnosed cancer and half a year later he was dead. The family was devastated and even though I had not known that man for a long time I was too. When the funeral came I was the one holding up my boyfriend so he could manage to get through it and support his mother. I have still no idea how I was able to stay strong and hold their spirits up but I did. A few weeks ago we were having a dinner and everybody laughed and suddenly I was crying my eyes out and shocked them when I said I miss him.
My boyfriends mother had tears in her eyes because it meant so much to her that I too was feeling this hole about him leaving their life.
My most recent challenge was having a baby! After having a traumatic labour resulting in an emergency c-section with my first child I was determined to have a natural birth for my second. After a lot of support from my midwives and my husband plus tons of visualisation I was able to deliver my beautiful daughter naturally after a 12 hour labour despite her initially being in he wrong position, being threatened with another c-section several times and my contractions actually almost stopping at the end.
Wow, interesting way organising a giveaway.
Let’s see, challenges.
For almost three years now I have had some problems with my stomach– small, but since I am a paranoid hypochondriac, all I can think about is them and how am I going to get past them- I kept thinking it would never ever pass and that I had a cancer of some sort, even if test results did not indicate anything. My mother (whose mother has had cancer about eight times in her life) kept telling me that I wasn’t sick, and it was meant to reassure me, but all it did was making me feel guilty for being so worried and depressed about really small health problems when I knew, consciously, that I wasn’t really sick. And the guilt made it worse, of course, and then I was feeling even more guilty, etc. It’s not over now, but I have learnt to try and calm down whenever I have a crisis, to wait a bit before taking medicine. I’m still looking for what I can eat without problems and what I can’t, and it’s a constant war because I have to fight both my mind and my body. Getting better with time, I can now go out more (I had almost completely stopped, because I was terrified I would have a crisis while outside of my home) and not be that stressed 😀 it’s really still a work in progress though, and every day is a challenge in itself. For instance, I am going to start working for a month in a few days, and that means I’ll have to get up early and be away from my home every day for a lot more than three hours– but I’ll manage. I went to Italy to study law in an Australian university program for five week a couple of weeks ago, and it really helped me to overcome my stress because I saw that I could be away from home (both my home in France, and the appartment we had in Italy which wasn’t in the same town in which we had class) and manage both to not be too stressed and to understand the subjects I took (English is not my first langage, so it was a bit terrifying as well to have 3 hours long seminars by australian teachers, in the midst of English speaking students). And before that I even managed to get very good grades for the last semester of my degree, while only having four days to revise and being so stressed I felt like I would have a heart attack (a 3 hours long exam is a terrifying thing because you are not allowed to get out if you feel sick without turning in your paper, and that is an excruciating thought :(.). But hey, one thing at a time, and I did survive, and this is what encourages me to go on, even though I don’t manage to be that hopeful about it every day.
(Wow, it felt good to say all this. O_O really, thank you for the opportunity, and I apologise for any mistakes in my English, or if I didn’t make sense, or if it was boring, or anything else.)
Thanks again! 🙂
Congrats again Mary! This is such an accomplishment and I’m so excited about the giveaway!
One of the biggest challenges I’ve had to overcome was when I was 16 my boyfriend was killed in a car accident. I was a pall bearer at his funeral and it’s something I still carry with me to this day. He was my first love and I still think of him often. It gets easier over time but losing anyone you’re close to is incredibly difficult and at such a young age it was hard to get through.
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Thank you for an international giveaway!
Being a ridiculously shy person, any social interactions are just painful for me.
So going abroad to study to France this year has been a very difficult thing to do. I missed my family terribly (we’re really close), felt like a fish out of water language-wise and didn’t know a single person there.
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Thanks for the international giveaway!
The biggest challenge I had (and i’m still dealing with it) is loving my body. I know it sound old and repeated, but I really strugle with that. Since I remember I was tall and veeeeery skinny and the other kids in the school mocked me. Eating everyday if it was the last day of humanity didn’t change anything, even my father still thinks I have an eating disorder like bulimia or anorexia.
I know it’s common to have overwight, and a lot of girls try with diets just to loose a few pounds. When I speak with people with that condition, they almost hate me and can’t understand that having difficulties gaining weight is a problem too!!!
I can’t reach the weight I want and looking to the mirror and like me as am is really hard. I wish to have more boobs, more hips, more something! Even it’s hard to find clothes for me!
I really try my best to not speak about this with the people I met, they can’t understand that this is a problem to and they use to undervalue this. So it’s simpler to give a smile and move on with it.
Ugghhh… It feels better now after speak my mind, thank you!
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I faced a challenge at work where I was being bullied and set up to fail. I hung in there for years, continuing to show up every day and acting like I was doing fine, even though I was deeply sad inside. By making contacts outside my department, I was able to build networks that helped me get a better position. Now I work with nice people who support me and are thankful to have me around! When I see my old co-workers I make sure they see how happy I am, but I don’t give them the time of day! 🙂
I had an accident when I was 3 years old and ended up on a wheelchair. I tried a lot of treatments, but nothing worked. I’ve learnt to live with it and just keep going even though everything is super difficult.
Thank you so much for this giveaway <3
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What comes to mind is when I realized how my tendency for desiring perfection was keeping me from being able to pursue my passion. Allowing myself to make mistakes helped me to take risks and learn from the results. Now, when my perfectionist self rears its head and attempts to shame me for messing up, I remind myself that imperfection is what makes me human! It is so freeing to be rid of the shackles of perfection.
Mary, thanks for the giveaway! I recently bought an a-england polish and the formula blew me away. I’m delighted to have an opportunity to win some. 🙂
The biggest challenge I faced was having a horrible advisor for my master’s. He was manipulative, fickle, and made inappropriate sexual comments to me and other female students. I wanted to switch labs, but the graduate student advisor encouraged me against it, even after he witnessed my advisor screaming in my face during a meeting. Turns out, that my advisor had threatened the student advisor to make me stay in the lab or he would vote against that student advisor when he came up for tenure. Anyway, I managed to find another professor in the department who would take me on as a student, and I switched labs and everything turned out okay in the end. My new advisor was awesome (he came to my small wedding, if that’s a sign of how great he was), and my research was much more interesting. I escaped a truly awful situation.
My biggest challenge, was getting pregnant at age 45, having already sons of 13 and 15 years.
It was a complicated pregnancy, and finally at 8 months, born this beautiful daughter, who is now 13 years.
Were times of adaptation and change, but with a very happy ending.
Thank you for this oportunity !!
awesome give-away 🙂
the hardest thing I ever had to face was 3 close relatives dying from cancer within 6 months. How to overcome it? I don’t know, Im still figuring that one out
My challenge is happening right now. My husband has an ex (from 17 years ago) that he has a daughter with. The ex has been interfering in our lives since we have been together (3 years). We are currently in another legal battle. This has been very stressful for us. We deal with it together. It has made us stronger as a couple. We just take every new hurdle as it comes. We pray. And although we can see only a glimmer, we know there is a light at the end of the tunnel.
Great giveaway!
My challenge is one I will live with forever – infertility. It has been a long road coming to terms with never having biological children, but I feel like my husband and I are now finally at peace with it.
Milly recently posted: Sephora Pantone – Rose Dawn by Terra
OMG!!! wow, what a giveaway!
Lately I’ve had to pass on from the tragic death of my 15year old (year old relationship as well) CAT!!!!!!
I miss him terribly. It’s been quite hard because I recently broke up with my boyfriend and was kinda finding comfort in my furry friend. So being alone make it seems lots worse I guess. But after weeping for a good whole loud week I decided to honor him …well…constructively! I painted my nails, decorated a bit around the house bringing it some fresh air. Instead of falling in a PANIC MODE, I sit down, cry a bit, and breath a good couple of time and then I MOVE ON! SLAP THAT GODDAMN DOOR to you MR. NEGATIVITY!!!!!!! hahahaha.
Yeah, that’s what I do. 😀 I really encourage everyone to try it once in a while. You do feel better after!
Congratulations, and thanks for the giveaway!
My challenge for the last many years has been my husband’s health. It feels like a long road sometimes, but we’re ever hopeful for improvement. I get through it by just moving forward, trying to focus on the good and not dwelling on the bad – who’s got time for that? The pretty, pretty polish helps, too!
Thanks for such a great giveaway, a worthy celebration for your third blogaversary!
My challenge was going to college as a 43 year old grandmother. I had to learn to focus on the important things (schoolwork), let go of the lesser things, and let the hubby take care of the important things that would relieve my burden. We, as a family, made it through my 2 year degree and now have a more successful life. I am also easier to live with because I am a happier person.
What an amazing giveaway! Those polishes all look gorgeous!
My biggest challenge is having a husband who works out of town. He typically travels and works one month on and has one month off. I’m lucky to have my dog and some good friends to hang out with when he’s gone, and I’m also involved in team sports in the winter (Ringette is awesome – even for adults). We miss each other but he loves his job.
Hi,
my biggest challenge at the moment is getting my nails ready for my wedding! For some reason, they are drier than ever and peel like nobody’s business. And I really want square nails on my big day!
How I deal with it? Well, I’m cracking out my nail oils and hand creams and hope for the best…
Thank you for having this awesome giveaway!
My current challenge is putting up with my job. I feel ungrateful when I say that, but it’s sucking my life away because 1) it’s a 45 minute drive from my house, 2) I’m on call 24/7, 3) when things CAN go wrong in my department they DO, and there’s not much we can do to fix some of these issues due to lack of project funding, and 4) I have an 8 month old son and a surprise baby on the way, so I’m exhausted all the time. It’s become a duty more than anything, and between feeling guilty for not liking my job when it pays well and the US economy is still struggling and coming home angry and staying that way, it’s difficult to figure out how to deal with anything.
I’m finally starting to delegate tasks at work and lie low for the moment. Nothing will improve if I beat myself up for feeling how I do, and I’ve started looking at opportunities to improve (or change) my job situation. Hopefully in about 6 months I can get some more investigating done.
I have been diagnosed with Clinical Depression since 8th grade and have been on medication during that whole time. During my first year of college, living in the dorms away from home, I became very dressed once again. Slept all day, stopped interacting with friends and went to class in a day. To correct this I transferred to a more local school, went to my doctor to have my medication increased, and tried to bring my grades up and interact more with people.
Challenge I’ve faced…hm…I’d say growing up in poverty in a family where a high school diploma was the highest level of education and putting myself through school to get a degree that I’m sure some thought was a waste of time (certainly for a woman).
No one thinks that now, and I’ve been able to provide a far more stable financial footing for my own children. There will always be plenty of people in the world to tell you why you can’t do something; don’t help them. Just make it happen.
What an amazing giveaway! My eldest son was diagnosed with mild Autism, and the challenge for me is how other people react to him. He isn’t truly Autistic, but they don’t have a label for what he is, and the fact that so many people need to label each other, and my child, does my head in. I handle it by getting him help with speech issues, and by keeping everything fun and low-key, so he doesn’t think he’s ‘different’ in a bad way, and trying to help others see that we are all different, and the label/diagnosis etc is a place to start, not a place to stop and judge. 🙂
wow. reading the comments has me in tears.
this is an ongoing challenge – recognizing and accepting that my choices directly impact my life. seems simple and “well, duh!” but accepting my choices/actions has kept me from blaming others for things that happen to me.
Stunning giveaway!
My biggest challenge involves the relationship with my father. It’s been hard to save my soul, and recover the innocence, after what happened when I was a little girl, and so on for years, sometimes with years between the previous and the following “episode”. I realized that I couldn’t succeed to fight the “monster” in me, the feeling of being guilty. And I’ve been lucky enough to find a Psycologist really able to guide me towards the end of the tunnel. Now, after so many years of tough inner work, I can definitely say that I’ve forgiven him and, even if our relationship won’t ever be perfect, there’s still a place for him in my life.
Thanks, Mary, for this opportunity!
Challenges abound. As soon as I resolve them I tend to try to forget them. gotta press on with life! thanks for the giveaway and congrats on your blogoversary!
The challenge I’m working on overcoming isn’t as heartbreaking as the others I’ve read on here. However, it is important to me! I am very much trying to find a life balance of being a mom, wife and still doing things that I love. Thankfully, nail polish is an easy outlet for me, but while my hubby and I were out on a date the other night, he asked me what are some things I’d like to do in the coming year. Honestly? I did not have an answer for him, I was quite surprised that I had nothing that I was really striving towards (apart from being a wonderful wife and momma). So that’s where I’m at. I’m still over coming, finding balance is a challenge!
A challenge for me was accepting that I’m not a social butterfly. I enjoy my alone time and I no longer pressure myself to “get out there.”
One of the greatest challenges I have faced has been the passing of my brother who has been survived by our parents – the biggest challenge being supporting my parents who are in their 80s in the loss of their son. Losing a child is so very difficult as I help them through this in their fragile elderly age.
One of my most current challenges is maintaining my friendships and/or making new ones. Most of the friends I have I made between the ages of 7 and 16. I’m 30 now, and making friends as an adult is harder than when you’re a kid or teenager. My best friend passed away last year at age 31 and I was the only one of my friends to experience something like that. But because of that shared loss I did become friends with his girlfriend, but she lives 3 hours away so we don’t see each other much.
I’m handling my other friendships by understanding and accepting some of us have just grown apart, and I’m open to opportunities to meet new people even though I consider myself somewhat shy. So I do have friends of friend’s and I try to show up to their events whenever possible. After all, that’s how I made most of my friends in the first place :).
My challenge is having create and innovative ideas for my blog.
My most recent challenge has been having my mother-in-law move in with my husband and I. We have been married 10 years and have no children so it’s just been the two of us and some cats. Adjusting to having another person around and dealing her idiosyncrasies (and what we believe to be mild Munchausen syndrome) sometimes bothers me more than I feel like it should. She’s a sweet person and I love her, but help me sometimes she drives me crazy!
thank youfor thos giveaway 🙂
one of my recent challenges was an exam in psychology for uni. it was so much stuff to learn and everybody was afraid for this exam because when you fail it its the end of your academic studies in this subject. the weather was very hot in germany during this time which made it even harder to studie for this exam but i handled it. i dind´t see my friends in this timeperiod, bought a lot of icecream and so on 😀
I am blessed. I have a husband who loves me, and two safe, healthy, Christian teens. I have suffered for the past 6 years from chronic pain (post shingles). The pain is inside my ear. The nerve involved is the trigeminal, which means that I have constant fire and extreme prickly sensations on one half of my face, along with the constant pain in my ear. There are many others worse off than I. We have had no income to our home for the past 6 years. We are on no government programs. Just living off past blessings. I have found recently that even though to some it is a small thing, if I can keep my nails painted and looking fresh, it does give me one thing where I can say I am doing something to help myself feel better,and show a better example to my children and husband. Many days that’s all I can do. GodBless
My challenge was over coming my fear of failure and going back to school. I was able to over come this because I’m a single mom of 2 daughters and new I needed to make a better lifr for all 3 of us. So I am proud to say I’ve been in cosmetology school since February 18, 2013, loving every minute of it and doing great. Love your blog as always you do an awesomely great job. :~)
I haven’t had a huge challenge for years, not until March of this year.
Last year my supervisor left the position, and I am responsible to take charge of all her duties now. I was able to handle everything and get things done in time. The busiest season of the company in late February and March, we had thousands of contract coming in and I had no time to deal with other issues. After a discussion with my employer, a lot of changes have been made since then – lots of manual work has now been made simpler due to new technology. My job duties have become much easier to handle.
I am currently studying to become a Speech and Language Therapist. It’s a postgraduate course with a very high workload, and it requires me to live away from my husband. It’s VERY tough! But I’m half-way through, helped through it by some lovely friends, cycling, and learning to make the most of the positive parts of my life (and I’m lucky – there are many).
I live in Mexico, and my biggest challenge has been trying to succeed in a country without many opportunities and terrible security issues. I would love to be able to take my family somewhere safer but that is easier said than done. I still put my very best on everything I do hoping it will make a difference, specially for my kid.
We recently had a branch fall on our power line during a week of 90degree+ weather. Had someone fix it the next day but we needed a city inspector to come and inspect their work before the power would be turned back on. We were told that it would take over a week for that to happen. So e kept calling and eventually got a hold of someone who did us a favor and came on their free time. Four days after the branch falling, we got our power back. 🙂
One of the biggest challenges I have faced and continue to face is my social anxiety. I am nearing the end of my undergraduate degree and school has been a nightmare for all of my life because i hate so much having to speak in front of other people and being forced to do so by professors and TAs, especially because it’s a big emphasis and part of our marks. I am seeking help and hope that one day I can feel comfortable in social situations but I have a great family that loves and supports me so it makes it okay in the big picture.
I’ve been challenged a lot with my job this past year. The company downsized a few positions and added their job duties to mine without increasing my pay. It’s been a struggle to stay on top of everything and I think about quitting every day. But I’m hanging in there. Having good looking nails helps in a weird way!
Hi Mary, thanks for all your hard work in this blog and doing the giveaways! Congrats on 3 years!
For me, my biggest challenge has been my 10+ year relationship with my boyfriend. Growing up and going through pain of loss together has made us close, but there has always been problems. I think the hardest thing is not when I’m told that the old me was better in some way, but how I’m now learning to change myself. To make myself into a better person so the one whom I love will feel loved in return.
I’m slowly learning that the small things I may overlook will and do build up from his side. So I’m working with that thought in mind – that all the little acts will fill him with the love that he’s been craving for years. Thankfully, there has been success, but I’m trying hard not to falter or become complacent. It’s hard to change my habits, but I know that with the right incentive the change can become the norm.
Aside, a less emo challenge recently has been knitting. Apparently it’s hard enough for me that I will use the colourful part of my vocabulary!
My biggest challenge is depression (with a side of attention deficit) since I was a child. I am fortunate that my medication generally allows me to lead a normal life, but I am currently in the midst of a major episode despite my meds–probably because we had a natural disaster that affected my community. I have been off work for almost a month now, but hope to be strong enough to return in a few weeks. How I am handling it: Looking for support. My family doctor’s office was closed due to the disaster, but they hooked me up with emergency psych care immediately. We have an employee assistance programme that got me into counselling very quickly. HR has also been helpful. My colleagues have been wonderful, reaching out to me to see if they can help and sharing their own stories. Finally, my husband has been a rock for me. Oh, and I guess the budgie has provided entertainment for those days that staring at the wall seemed like the only thing I could do.
Happy 3rd anniversary! And thank-you to Nail Polish Canada for donating the prize 😀
My challenge was overcoming my fear of water. I had avoided pools, lakes, rivers like the plague for the last 28 years. I finally convinced myself I needed to swim if nothing else for surviving some freak accident that might happen. Took swimming lessons in Oct 2012, cried most of the 1st lesson. Now I’m a swimming fool and go 4 times a week to swim laps.
My dad’s death was challenging, but it’s true time heals all wounds. It gets easier esp when you have a good support system.
One challenge I faced was when my grandmother passed away. My mom had to travel back to her home country to plan and attend the funeral. I was left in Canada with my brother and father and we had to take care of ourselves while mourning. That year was also bad because we didn’t get to celebrate Christmas well cause we were mourning. We got through it through lots of support from friends and family.
Another challenge was when I broke my ankle during a Canadian winter. My family doesn’t own a car so I ended up having to take a taxi to school and home everyday for over a month. The bone healed but my ankle never felt the same again.
I managed to overcome a deep depression about 8 years back or so. Not really sure how I did it. Mix of time, medication and great friends helped a lot. There is hope for everyone!
Thank you for this giveaway and congrats for your lovely blog!
The greatest challenge for me was finish my master degree paper during one of the saddest periods of my life. I had no energy left, but I encouraged myself thinking that even if I was phisically alone, the most important person was fighting something bigger. We made it. 🙂
One of my biggest challenges has been my struggle with self harm (dark I know). I have been struggling with it for over 10 years and sometimes I fall down so to speak but it’s something I live with and try to overcome bit by bit. Strangely, nail polish has become an obsession of mine that helps me deal.
On Mother’s Day my mom told me she was moving to Michigan. Living in Florida, Michigan isn’t exactly close. She moved to be with my aging grandparents (they are 87 and 92). It’s been pretty hard to know that my mom is so far away and it’s even harder to deal with my grandparents and their health issues. I am thankful for everyday I get to talk to my grandparents and they seem to be in good spirits 🙂 I know my mom is doing the very best job she can and there’s nobody (besides myself) that I would trust with (taking care of) my grandparents. I face everyday with a smile, I am 32 years old and have an incredible bond with my grandparents and I know a lot of people that aren’t close with their grandparents or have lost them at an early age. I know the inevitable is eventually going to happen. But I also know I’m blessed with the love of two amazing grandparents!! Everyday with them is a blessing, but I do miss my mom.
Wow, I feel very blessed to have such minor challenges in my life after reading some of the very difficult problems many of the other commenters wrote.
One of the most recent challenges I faced was trying to find a job after leaving college. I am a teacher and there really weren’t any jobs in the area. I eventually broadened my search and found a job an hour away.
I have the challenge of commuting two hours during rush hour six days a week (yes, we have school on Saturday) and working about 10 hours per day, not including travel time or planning and correcting I do at home. It’s tough, but I’m so thankful to have a job, and I really enjoy working with my students.
So 2011-13 have been a rough couple of years – I lost my job, my Father died unexpectedly, my daughter was diagnosed with Autism, then I miscarried 4 times in a row at 12 weeks – but we never gave up for what we wanted! It was hard to keep going, but I am now 30 weeks pregnant with my son! Keep trying for what you really want 😉
I am an assertive person so it’s really bewildering how difficult it is for me to say “no” a lot of times. I’ve said “yes” to a lot of people and situations and regretted it instantly. Like I would spend weeks just wrecked with regret. I’m getting better now, but still not a ways to go. It’s just really trying to keep reminding myself that the most important person I have to please is me. 🙂
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There is almost something I fear or find challenging everyday. I just wake up and take it on. As my grandfather always said….Tomorrow is another day.
Wow! These are some really amazing stories!
I was diagnosed with melanoma and had to undergo surgical and medical treatment while I was in university. I started out with a full course load but after an impossible semester I got help from a social worker and reduced my course load. My girlfriends, mother and sister were indispensable to me and I passed with flying colours and am healthy to this day!
Thank you for this wonderful giveaway! You are an amazing blogger. 🙂
I had a miscarriage at the half way point of my first and only pregnancy about 5 years ago. It was the hardest thing I’ve ever had to get through and I’m still not entirely over it. The crushing loss has led to me having chronic tension headaches, high blood pressure, and anxiety about getting pregnant again. It really destroyed me emotionally and mentally and I feel like I’ll never recover from it.
About a year after the miscarriage I started collecting nail polish. Building my stash turned out to be therapeutic and blossomed into a passion/obsession. 😀
a challenge i have faced is school. the only thing i can do is try my best so thats how i handle it!
My father sustained a brain injury in May of this year. He had also been dealing with some chronic health issues during the last few years as well. Watching his health deteriorate, and my mother struggle to cope with this, has been immensely stressful. I’ve found solace in a variety of sources. Reading nail blogs, and painting my own nails has been a welcome distraction from stress. I’ve also found that setting different goals (professionally and personally) and making to-do lists has been very helpful too. It’s helped me feel in control, kept me organized, and returned a sense of power over my own life. In the last month I obtained my certification as a pediatric critical care nurse. Being able to set and accomplish goals, both big and small, has given me much needed focus.
I’d also like to say how much I love reading this blog ( and many others!!) and all the comments. It has provided a lot of brightness during a difficult time. Enough sad stuff…. Yay nail polish!
Steph
I have a tendency to gain weight, and I always thought it was impossible to fix. But once I became involved in fitness, nutrition excluded from harmful products, and as a result lost 10 lbs. Now I always try to keep myself in good shape.
My husband started his own business last year. We’re trying to grow as a company but it seems like one thing after another goes haywire! We’re just taking this one day at a time…sometimes hour by hour…
I moved across the country to be with my then-boyfriend. We hadn’t seen each other in over 6 years but we just got along so well that I HAD to find out if we were as compatible in person as we seemed over the phone. I was scared but I handled it by telling myself how much I’d regret it if I never took the chance. Seven years later and we’re still going strong – we got married last month on my birthday!
I have always been a tom-boy, and struggle with my femininity a lot. It’s not that I don’t enjoy being a girl, but I have never been into make-up, shopping, etc. I also suffer from anxiety and panic attacks, and often have to work hard at relaxing (if that makes sense).
Over this past year I have moved out of my home of 7-years, started a new job and career, and adopted 2 adorable (but sometimes evil) kittens. While all of these things sound like great changes, they have been very hard to process, and challenging for me. As a result I have developed some anxiety issues (granted I have always been a bit of a worry-wort, but now it’s resulted in panic attacks and OCD behavior!). It’s hard work to force myself to relax!
Honestly one of the few things that has helped me deal with these challenges is by doing my nails. I find beauty in a well done manicure, and the act of painting my nails is a very zen like experience (it calms and focuses me). And the added bonus is when I look down and see my nails painted beautifully, it puts me right back in that place I was when I first painted them. Sounds funny but doing my nails is truly my stress relief.
On another note: Your blog is one of the few I visit regularly, and I always enjoy your reviews (even if I’m not as obsessed with blue polish as you are 🙂 ). First time commenter too, but this contest is just to amazing to resist! Thank you!
Hi!
The main challenge is that right now I’m working with my father in his accounting office and I hate it. I want to do something else however I feel like I’m obligated to stay so I don’t disappoint him or effect my family’s income. Hopefully sooner than later I’ll be able to leave and find a career I love without feeling guilty.
Well one of the challenge that I was and am still facing is eating healthier and losing some weight, especially so I can fit into my bridesmaid dress (which fit a year ago but I had gained a lot of weight since then) and to keep myself health for years to come (family has long history of cancer, high blood pressure and diabetes). WIth only a few months left before my friend’s wedding, I challenged myself to work out at least 1 hour each day of the week and make healthier food choices (which is hard since home cooked meals are awesome). So far I haven’t lost any significant weight, but I have noticed that I am not as out of breath when I walk and parts of my body is a bit more toned. I hope to continue what I have going on after the wedding too and keep it up for a long, long time.
I am currently finishing my Master’s thesis so it has been a challenge but I am so proud of what I have done. It was a challenge well worth all the tears and headaches!
Fabulous that you are getting this kind of attention from the companies now, Mary!
Let’s see – challenge.
Well, how about a move to a different country? So many people said “stupid”, “why?”, “what about your family?”, “how will you stay in contact?”, “what will you do there?”, “you’re an idiot”, and many other comments along those lines.
I faced it by facing myself in the mirror and answering every question they had – but to myself. When I was satisfied with my answers to me, I started the paperwork.
Ten years later, I’m still in that *new* country and looking to move yet again. It’s no longer a challenge to actually move, the challenge now is how to pack!
Thanks, Mary – and here’s to more swatches from you!
One of the challenges I’m facing right now is trying to pick what I’ll be studying next year. I just finished my higher studies, but I’m not ready to start working yet (I’m 20) and no one is hiring in my chosen field. So I’m going to study some more. Right now, I’m still trying to decide between animation and illustration.
To make sure I’ll make an informed decision, I’m meeting up with people who are studing/have studied this at the schools I might go to next year, so I can ask them all about their experiences.
Thanks for the giveaway, Mary! And congrats again 😉 Here’s to many more years!
My recent challengew as in the early spring. My bf started not feeling well.. getting constant heartburn and indigestion. It got worse and worse and he lost 40 lbs in 2 months. He kept going to the doctors and ER and they kept finding nothing wrong. He was sure he was dying and was extremely depressed. I was supportive the whole time and trying to tell him he was ok even though it was difficult because I myself started thinking something was wrong with him. Finally , he realized all this was caused by depression and he went to see a councilor and is now on meds and is 100% back to his old self! I am so happy now that he is better and I’m glad I was able to be there for him, it was rough for a few weeks.
I just resigned from a job that was mentally draining and difficult for me to adapt to. It was a challenging to get my coworkers to push forward towards the same end goal of getting more business domestically and overseas, because there were more internal squabbles and fighting against each other through long, arduous meetings than there were orders coming in. I have tried my best to provide detailed transition reports for the department heads, and encouraged that some reorganization happens. I will continue to work for them until the end of the month, but it feels nice to be able to focus on my own goals and dreams now, rather than being stuck in the same negative cycle.
Three years ago, a car ran into my apartment.
(really. right into my bedroom window.)
And this was a challenge to me because I have depression and a history of handling massive problems badly. But in this case I managed to see the humor in it – yes indeed! – and that got me through. There was nothing I could do about the hole in my wall or my wrecked bed. My cats and I were safe and my laptop (on a bedside table) miraculously survived without a scratch. I was lucky, so I think that helped. I laughed, moved my cats, and got on with packing my things and moving into a new place. Three years later I have a great story to tell and the knowledge that humor helps keep you resilient.
For the past year and a half, my husband has had recurring bouts of a mystery illness. He is totally exhausted, has a fever and loses his appetite and his taste buds completely. This goes on for about five days – during which he stays in bed all the time – then he will suddenly feel better for a week or so before he gets sick again. We have been to see several doctors, who are completely baffled because all of the tests they’ve run have come up negative. His business is suffering (he’s self-employed) and we no longer have a social life – we’ve constantly had to cancel plans with friends because of his illness.
Thank You for the fantastic giveaway!
8 years ago I met a wonderful boyfriend… I just knew that was the one. It wasn’t easy though, because he lived 200 miles from my hometown. We had a really hard time, visiting each other once a month only. We’ve been married for almost a year now, and I’m so happy our love managed to survive this circumstances:)
My challenge came in the form of a cancer diagnosis for one of my closest family members. In addition to the obvious emotional devistation of that news and process, and doing all I can to help said member through the process (sorry I’m being vague about relation, they’re a very private person) I also had to step in and do much of their job in addition to continuing my own already 60 hour a week position because we work together. All on the heels of being rejected from the educational programs I had my heart set on for this coming year. In the end, I stepped up, busted by butt, and did what needed to be done (not a whole lot of sleep going on!). Now that things are finally looking up (family member is on the mend with a very positive projected outcome), I realize that the rejections were actually a blessing in disguise, because if I had been shipping off to a program this year, I wouldn’t have been able to step up in a time of crisis like I did.
These polishes look AMAZING!! Thanks for the giveaway 🙂
My latest challenge is dealing with a very difficult in-law relative who is always so negative but yet selfish. There has been a lot of tension and it’s a constant struggle to be pleasant. I’ve realized that patience and killing with kindness seems to be a small part of the solution. Baby steps!!
A few years ago I was in tough place in my career. It was going nowhere. The company was failing and I was bored and unchellenged. It was difficult but I decided to quit and go back to school and get my Masters.
That turned out to be the best desicion I every made but it was really scary at the time with all the unknowns.
I got to learn alot, change my career path, travel and have a rewarding job now.
Conceiving my kids was a tremendous challenge, but now I have a son who is almost 3, and another baby on the way!
The greatest challenge for me was finish my master degree paper
Hi Mary! Thanks for another giveaway, you’re too kind 🙂
My biggest challenge at the moment is looking after my kitten! I love her so much and she’s helping me get through a tough time in my life but as she grows she’s getting more and more courageous and curious! It’s been too hot to keep her inside so I’ve been letting her in the garden with me but she’s managed to escaped a couple if times. I know she just wants to explore but I’m worried she’ll get hurt bless her. Got to keep my eye on the little rascal at all times until she’s big enough to go out by herself 🙂
Sarah xx
WELP, my challenge is not nearly as depressing as most of these, but here goes:
Early in June this year, my middle fingernail was a casualty in a freak wind-vacuum-effect, door-slamming incident. At first, I had hope that maybe the nail wouldn’t fall off at all, because it was fully intact and not cracked anywhere; but, alas, the whole thing came off right from the root. It was disgusting. Being super into nail polish and the overall health and condition of my nails, I was horrified by this disfigurement (in all seriousness, a human finger without a fingernail is pretty gnarly). But I stayed strong! I’ve been taking a daily biotin supplement, and recently started using Duri Rejuvacote, which I think has made a difference. I only have half a nail as of today. You know, nails only grow about 3mm/month. Maybe someday it’ll be back to normal and I won’t have to hide my right hand from strangers anymore!
My biggest obstacle or challenge since 2008, when the economy tanked and lots of people lost their jobs, including me. I was also management soi was not eligible for un-employment insurance so it has been tough living on my savings at 58. But, and there always is one with me, these past 2 years have afforded me time to take care of my mother who so very sick. She was also very modest, opposite of me, but she didn’t like other people helping her with bathroom duties, etc… My beautiful mother passed away July 6th of this year and I feel so selfish wishing her back because she was so sick. I know how sick she was and I know how she is in a world of no pain. Now by challenge is what to do with my time? I started a nail b,of almost 2 years ago and I write almost every day on there. But other than that, I am needing so ethi g to fill my time besides missing my Mom so badly.
I don’t know how I’ve never found you before. I love Nail Polish Canada, I just love all things nail polish. I have zero A-England polishes, even though I have over 400 bottles I would still love,love, love to try this brand.
Thanks for the give away and ill be reading every day now.
Judi Tierney
Such a wonderful giveaway:)
One of my biggest challenges were last 5 years getting trough college. It was on and off battle with money I had to drop out two times and get a job so i could pay for all college expenses. I did manage to keep my desire and will to proceed and now I only have to finish my diploma and I’m getting degree from South Slavic and Comparative Literature studies this year.
Love to read your blog:) and thanks for the giveaway
I have been struggling with my weight my entire life. In February, I changed my life and decided that I wasn’t going to live like that anymore. I was in a size 28 jeans and six months later, I’m in a size 18!!!! I have not been in a size 18 since I was in school and I’m now 40 years old. I still have a long road ahead of me, but I’ve got this 🙂
Thank you for the giveaway 🙂
Awesome giveaway!
I don.t know if you can consider it a challenge, but i gave birth to my youngest daughters at home. And you go through it been very, vrry patience. =)
My challenge has been trying to move on from my dog’s sudden death. It has been a hard thing to do but nearly 3 years later I’m starting to do it.
I would say my biggest challenge has probably been the realization that the college I originally chose to attend wasn’t working out for me, even though I had spent 4 years there already. I loved the school, but I was struggling to pass my classes because I was homesick. I ended up transferring to another school closer to home and altho I had gotten married, divorced, and had a baby in between I finished my degree!
I am currently in process of trying to overcome three years of being sick with Graves Disease. Its a thyroid condition that caused me to remove my thyroid. Since my surgery I have been pretty much a mess but I feel like I am on my way back with a new medication and a little gumption I plan on the old me being back sooner than later! 😉
I was involved in a major car wreck in March. I was hit on the side snd my car flipped 3 times. I suffered a concussion and major anxiety aftwards.
2 days ago a car pulled out in fromt of me in the same spot. We crashed. I have nother concussion right now, bruised ribs, and my thumb nail issplit in half.
I am trying to stay positive. But its hard 🙁
I’m currently trying to overcome 2 rare autoimmune diseases, for the last 5 years I’ve been suffering with Pemphigus, my body was covered in large blisters and my scalp also has lesions that cause my hair to fall out.
It’s a struggle everyday and it did effected me both physically and mentally, however I’m now more happy in my own skin and see each day as a challenge that I can overcome, with the strength given to me by friends and family.
I’m slightly addicted to nail polish and even though I’m covered in scars and my hair is thinning, I still feel feminine and attractive when I do my nails.
I love this collection and would sooooo like to win it!
The most recent challenge I faced was having to move to a different state when we decided that it was time for my husband to go back to school. I was in a position that was great for my career and it was hard to just leave it for the unknown. I prayed constantly about the situation and just recently found a new position that is perfect for me.
Thanks for the opportunity doll and congrats on your milestone!
Well, I’ve had many different challenges but I think the one that has had the biggest impact on me was back in the summer before I started high school (8 years ago this month — scary thought) my mother wanted me to continue an enriched curriculum and I wanted to be normal again (I’d been in the gifted program for 4 years) and she was so irate that I didn’t plan to go to the school SHE wanted me to that I moved out and stopped living with her and moved full-time to my dads place. (They had joint custody of me). It was extremely difficult for me but in the years that have passed I know it was for the better because we are too similar in personality so we conflict a lot and need our space. She’s since moved and I see her once a year/two years.
My greatest challenge has to be being a good parent to my 3 kids 🙂 It’s hard being both a mom and dad.
My biggest challenge in life, so far, is being able to go back to work after being at home for 7 years due to chronic pain. I’m now able to work 10 hours a week but it is a struggle every day and some days I cry in my car after work because I’m not sure I can make it from the car to our apartment due to pain and fatigue.
Happy blogbirthday!
There has been many challenges that I have faced throughout my life, so I thought, instead of listing just one, I will write to ya’ll a poem that depicts the pain that I went through during the rough times. Hope you guys don’t think it’s too bad. hahaha. THE MOST important thing to remember is ,we must never give up in the face of adversity, and that happiness is attainable to all.Thank you. :*
Displaced till the point it hurts,
Chaffed and raw cheeks, causes and effects of such torrent of tears,
Humming to songs from a time long forgotten,
Craving for the hugs of the long dead and of the lost hopes,
Feelings of might crashes within the soul,
Tremblings of hands and tremors in breath takes precedence,
Melancholia and nostalgia entwine until two becomes one,
The ever-searching gaze and loud sighs sings throughout the nights,
Nothing is ever constant, the mind whispers,
Nothing except love, the heart declares,
But none remains whence the body turns to dust,
For the carrier shall part whilst an era will have danced its last.
First of all, I am VERY grateful for this opportunity! I think my biggest challenges are very easy for some, but I spent the last three years driving over two hours for graduate classes to get a certification in school counseling, while working full time as a teaching assistant in special education. The late nights at class and early mornings at work, along with the actual work outside of class made me very tired (and I threw a wedding into the middle of it!), but it was worth every minute 🙂 AND, I had cute nails while I did it 😉
My biggest (and most rewarding) challenge was raising 2 kids on my own after my husband passed.
Raising kids is tough and it’s extra tough when you do it alone. No parent wants to see their kids running the streets and getting into trouble with other kids so I made it a point to partner with some of the parents in our neighborhood so that we all knew where our kids were at any given time–especially important since most of us held full-time jobs at different shifts.
My house became ‘kid central’…that house on the block where all the kids hung out after school. There were homework circles, video games, football in the yard, and an endless line of hungry kids. I learned how to cook for a crowd and everyone pitched in when it came time to clean up before going home. We were even lucky enough to host exchange students a from Germany and the Czech Republic a few times. It was exhausting and time-consuming, but so worth every minute.
Where’s the reward? Well…all those kids still call me ‘Mom’ (My Other Mother) and I wouldn’t trade any of them for the world. They all grew up into stable young adults without getting into drugs or trouble of any sort. Some of them went to college, some went into the military, and many went on to become parents themselves.
My favourite moment? Hearing my daughter introduce new kids when they came over. She used to tell them:
‘This is Mom…she’s real nice…DON’T make her mad’ …lol
Motivating myself to keep on keeping on with university. I found it too easy to just let go and ‘forget’ my academic obligations – as a result I was nearly disallowed from continuing my study… Keeping that motivation and drive is my biggest challenge! I am better at it now as I set achievable goals and meet/exceed them!
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The biggest challenge I have faced is raising my four kids! I’m still working on that, so get back with me in about 20 years! lol
My challenge is everyday letting go of past hurts and moving on. I know its getting better cause I’m not as angry anymore I wont the past wont control my happiness
The hardest thing in my life has been coming to terms (after 18 years undiagnosed) and dealing with terrible debilitating illness Fibromyalgia.
I have become a SAHM, and find if I craft a day, it makes life a little bit more bearable.