So, if you know me personally, you know I am a Facebook-aholic. I jokingly refer to myself to my friends- “The Backbone of Facebook”- hey someone has to run it while everyone is sleeping. Oh, have I mentioned I also have insomnia? My online family jokes, “Do you ever sleep?” as they see posts from me at all hours of the night.
As much as I love Facebook, the constant, arguments over politics were really starting to get to me, social media is supposed to be relaxing, right? So- I took a walk (virtually) on over to Instagram. Ahhhh, it was so quiet, I think I currently had two posts on Instagram and I didn’t even have a hashtag on them- blasphemy when I think of it now. So, I started my journey into the more quiet version of social media and started to follow accounts that struck my interest. While doing so, a necklace giveaway popped in my feed it read – “Beautiful Disaster,” and it was gorgeous. The words struck something in me that I resonated with so well, Beautiful Disaster… yes that is me! I finally have a title!
I have lived through rape, depression, post partum depression, severe generalized anxiety disorder, chronic illness, and surgeries. I dubbed myself previously, “A Medical Mishap,” but now, I have a much cooler, unforgettable name, and I was determined I was going to win that necklace. I posted it and reposted it as many times as I could and by the last round of the necklaces giveaways, I won it!
I received a super kind and sweet email from Christina DuVarney, who is the owner of a clothing company- Beautiful Disaster Clothing to send over my info so they could ship it out to me. I thought, wow, clothing too? Off I went, right to the site and lo and behold, I found my new wardrobe, bearing my new name. I was following Beautiful Disaster and checking their IG constantly, reposting their posts because I thought there had to be other women out there that can resonate with this just like I have and oh yes, there was a plethora! There it was- an entire community Facebook group that BD created as a safe space where we as women who have gone through hell and back, some of us still battling as well, could share our stories and support each other in our day to day lives. I joined and immediately felt at home and thought- “these are my people.”
Fast forward a few weeks and an affiliate program had opened up. I was onboard immediately because I had been in direct sales since I was 18 (soon to be 49) and I helped build three sister direct sales affiliate programs in the past 8 years. I dove in, started to help others in the affiliate group and was asked to be a moderator in the group, which was an absolute YES! Thrilled was an understatement and life was starting to change in the right direction.
In May of 2019, Memorial Day weekend to be exact, in our private group community, a women had posted she felt like taking her life due to issues she felt she had no control over. An affiliate from the affiliate group tagged me in the post and I immediately took action to help. I am thankful and proud that she is alive and thriving today due to the help of our community, our owner Christina, and myself. I always have wanted to help others and make a difference and I did that night. I was offered to become a moderator in our private group and of course it was another YES!
Okay, are you still with me? Good! Let me take you along into December 2019. I was offered a full time job with an insurance agency ( I am also a state-licensed Property and Casualty Producer) my heart was so torn because I really needed to go back to work full time due to health and insurance reasons and planning for the future. I would in no way be able to dedicate as much time as I do to the groups, work a full time job, and balance family life. So I took a deep breath and sent Christina a message. She immediately responded- even though she was on holiday with her family, and hired me full time as the Tribe Relations Coordinator (Public Relations) and of course keeping my full time moderating of the groups I hold so dear to my heart. I was and still am ecstatic and feel like it is a dream come true.
So, to sum this up, I am verging 49, my entire mindset, life, and career has changed and it started with taking a chance. You are never too old, too “messed up,” too sick, or feeling too weak, to take a chance. Take the chance, you might end up changing your life- I’m your walking, talking, and -sometimes sleepless, living proof.