Alana Davis is one of my favorite American singer-song writer’s! Her lyrics have profound meaning and a chill, calm vibe. At one point yesterday I was sharing a moment with just our doggies listening to Alana on our echo dot, while taking in all the beauty of our big backyard. (the yard is what initially attracted our family of six to our homestead when we moved her six-ish years ago) Her song “Crazy” came on and it made me think of the exact situation people are in right at this moment during the coronavirus pandemic. She talks about living just right.. according to her own values… some might see it as crazy. Towards the end of the song she sings, “I understand the need but I don’t get the greed.” I guess what I am getting at is that our true colors really show during hard times. We can only live in the moment and make the best of whatever our circumstances are. We all have needs and it’s true that we must work for our needs to be met. It is no doubt that I have found that by paying it forward (without expecting anything in return) is the best way for life to work out. The power of karma and prayer have always kept me in a good position in life.  

I have seen the best and worst of so many people through social media during this time. I have made a goal  to create more than I consume. I want to create a life that I am proud of.. no matter the position I am in. Our family has taken full advantage of this time to get lots of home projects underway. I am confident we will have completed more than we thought possible when it’s time for us to go back to work at our salon. My husband, John and I are both hairdresser’s and our industry has been deemed nonessential and a stay-at-home-order is in place. 

I very early in my life decided I wanted to live each day to the fullest. I have gotten way better at it in my adulthood. I think raising four kids has helped me to do just that, leading  by example. Not to mention, having a near death experience, being in a fatal car wreck at the young age of sixteen. I knew after surviving there was a reason I am still here. Finding passion in assisting others in feeling beautiful and creating a life that’s enjoyable. We must put into action what we want to be!

Yes, I have been in dark places.. struggled with mental health and even addiction. I was on and off prescription weight loss medicine over the course of eight years. I’ve  been to a point where I was depending on alcohol to self-medicate/chill out more than I needed to be. Recently  (five months sober as of April 12th)  giving up alcohol in an effort to be a leader to our two oldest sons- Keith, 20 and Landon, 19 who both began their own struggles with mood altering substances, especially after starting college. It has been eye opening to me just how easy it is to get caught in a bad cycle. I am proud to say both Keith and Landon attended treatment and are on a good path to recovery!

Yesterday, our family took the first part of the day to enjoy our staycation during this coronavirus pandemic.  It’s the first day that we actually took the day to relax and enjoy ourselves for an extended period of time. We have been busy painting the trim on the exterior of our large home. It’s been quite the undertaking! I have definitely learned that working hard gets us moving towards our goals. It is also important to live a little.. stop and smell the roses! Even while in the heart of a project finding the beauty in it and keeping our eye on the prize helps to make it enjoyable as a work-in-progress! 

Going back to the theme of living moderately and believing it will all work out has always served me well. From the time of being a little girl and watching my parents struggles and then on to being a young parent and having struggles ourselves.. it has been apparent to me that things work out even if it’s not as planned. I have just always chosen to do what I can.. whether it be helping with my siblings,  working hard in school, assisting others with their challenges, offering a helping hand in general. I have felt better for it and look back and see the best from those hard times. 

Some see it as living a candy-coated life.. I say embrace it and see the best! A candy-coated life might be better than a negative life of attracting negativity. Overall, it is most important to live in the NOW. we can’t change yesterday and it does no good to live in what could be tomorrow! I do like to share and remember the good parts. It is also fun to see where we’ve been and where we are headed, cherishing both the rewarding and hard times! 

My life has seemed to be an uphill climb a lot of the time. Recovering from a fatal car accident as a teenager to home circumstances that were out of my control, on to being a young parent struggling financially. I am currently in a position where I have no income and the money we worked hard to save for upcoming travel is being depleted. I am okay with it! In fact, I am grateful that those funds are available. A couple of years ago that wouldn’t have been the case. For those that don’t know how to appreciate and live in today.. my best advice is to know that contentment is a gift! Believe the best is yet to come!!.. And it will!! 

I once again have found myself getting upset with our oldest son, who has move home and is a bit untidy and doesn’t want to follow our expectations. We aren’t unrealistic.. it is necessary to pick up your underwear off the bathroom floor and participate in the wellbeing of our home if you want to live here. My hope is that we have raised respectful, happy kids that know how to appreciate and enjoy life! For some reason in our young life we often see through different eyes. Often those eyes are the ones that notice what they want to do different than their parents. I am hopeful our kids outsmart us and can show gratitude for those that have and are with them every step of the way. All things are up for interpretation. I have to remind myself that it is normal for our young adult kids to have the need to be selfish. After all, they are just learning how to fully take care of themselves. 

In closing, I want to share a quote~ “Greed is a bottomless pit which exhaust the person in an endless effort to satisfy the need without ever reaching satisfaction.” -Erich Fromm, who was a German Jew who fled the Nazi regime and settled in the U.S. as a phycologist and philosopher: Escape From Freedom. 

I am definitely the girl that has learned experiences hold greater value than material things! At my Granny Corz’s (Esther Corzatt) funeral service.. We printed the quote, “You can’t take a Uhaul to heaven” in the program. We also printed a poem called the Dash.. it talks about what’s important in life is how we live our dash.. the years between being born and dying. She passed away on her favorite holiday, Easter Sunday two years ago. This Easter I plan to teach our kids to remember and celebrate what’s important and help her legacy to live on. I aspire to be the person I knew her to be!! 

I am in a very busy chapter of my life.. getting our four kids (who are just years apart) raised, getting the finishing touches on our homestead we’ve continuously been updating since living here, running our salon and working as hairdressers. I am staying focused and putting into action what I’ve dreamt of being.. I want to continue my efforts in sharing my life’s journey through writing, blogging, vlogging. I am a 38 year old girl, who believes in the power of lifting each other up through sharing experiences. I am excited to downsize our homestead, travel more, and settle down countryside of a city, I see myself owning an event center and Airbnb while implementing and planning events. Hosting people has always brought me great joy. I want to hand down our salon legacy as I move into the next phase of life. BELIEVE IT TO ACHIEVE IT!!

Yours in Style, Amber 💚💚💚

My fifteen year old daughter, Aleah and I ♥️