My First Ever "In Response Post"

In the post Cassey shares two girls stories who were able to bounce back from eating disorders and how fitness and being healthy changed their lives.

So I wanted to do a response post because of how much of an impact this post had. Blogilates "Gaining Weight. The Reverse Transformation from ED to Healthy" is a really inspiring post because it shows that fitness is not all about slimming down to a size zero.

Gaining Weight. The Reverse Transformation from ED to Healthy

Read more at http://www.blogilates.com/blog/2014/03/15/gaining-weight-the-reverse-transformation-from-ed-to-healthy/#qWYQHrYXehrCEbHL.99

Read more at http://www.blogilates.com/blog/2014/03/15/gaining-weight-the-reverse-transformation-from-ed-to-healthy/#qWYQHrYXehrCEbHL.99

Gaining Weight. The Reverse Transformation from ED to Healthy

Read more at http://www.blogilates.com/blog/2014/03/15/gaining-weight-the-reverse-transformation-from-ed-to-healthy/#qWYQHrYXehrCEbHL.99

Read more at http://www.blogilates.com/blog/2014/03/15/gaining-weight-the-reverse-transformation-from-ed-to-healthy/#qWYQHrYXehrCEbHL.99

I used to be slightly anorexic, not as intense as these girls but still, it is enough to impact my life. Eating disorders are a form of a mental illness and most people don't realize that. Almost 50% of people with eating disorders meet the criteria for depression and eating disorders have the highest mortality rate out of any mental illness. This is not something that should be joked about and don't make fun of someone who is dealing with this or may have in the past. Instead you should be encouraging them and motivating them.

I wanted to "reblog" this and share it with the world to remind everyone out there that there is no "one perfect size." We are all individual and unique and we should focus on making ourselves happy and healthy not kill ourselves trying to look like the photoshopped twig girl on the front of a magazine.

One magazine I read is called Fiterazzi. It was started by Cassey (blogilates) sister. It encourages girls to be healthy and fit. I love it because you don't feel like you want to shoot something with the constant "loose 10 pounds in a month" statements that constantly grace magazine covers.

So please, take a few minutes to read Cassey's post and listen to these girls stories.

If no one else has told you today, or even if they have, always remember that you are beautiful, smart and you shouldn't have to live up to any one's expectations but your own. Live your life to make yourself happy because in the end it is your life, no one else's.

Big computer hugs from my screen to yours,

<3 Kimmie

IMATS LA - Kandee Johnson's Class!

OMG!!! Today I got to go to a master class at IMATS LA to see Kandee Johnson's class on make up and it basics. She is so incredible and amazing! She is my hero and I can't believe I got to go to this class and meet her in person!!!

She shared so much wisdom and knowledge from her experience as a make up artist to help anyone else. We got to ask her a lot of fun questions and just things you don't get to on videos because we could have real time responses to every question. 

She was so sweet and so nice in person! My heart was beating so fast and I almost started crying at the fact that after years of following her on YouTube and on her blog I was actually in the same room as her and able to hug her!

She is a truly genuine person. I watched her give away one of her Imoshion purses to a girl with a heart condition who drove down just for her class. She is so incredibly kind, sweet and funny and I just cant describe how amazing this experience was!

I am so honored to have been able to meet her and I hope I might be able to keep in touch with her.

Love you Kandee!!!

To Write Love on Her Arms

Last night on the news I made a discovery that really got me to actually take interest. There was a segment about a tour for a non-profit organization called To Write Love on Her Arms. On their website their vision states: "To Write Love on Her Arms is a non-profit movement dedicated to presenting hope and finding help for people struggling with depression, addiction, self-injury and suicide. TWLOHA exists to encourage, inform, inspire and also to invest directly into treatment and recovery."

This really hits home with me because for a long time I struggled with depression (and to be perfectly honest, sometimes still do), cutting and was suicidal. I'm not ashamed to admit that I faced this during my life because I want to encourage people who might possibly be going through something similar to message me if they just need an ear to listen or a friend to lean on. 

TWLOHA is now on a tour called Heavy and Light and the tag line is "An evening of songs, conversation and hope." I am still doing research into the movement but I am truly inspired by their vision and the story behind the movement. 

I encourage everyone who reads this to at least take five minutes to look at their website, read a little bit and see if this amazing movement can inspire you as well. 

Have a wonderful day from my wacky world to yours!

Revaluations! Be yourself and don't ever change for someone else!

Everyone has those days where they wonder and question “Who am I? Where do I fit in? What is my purpose here?” And unfortunately, there is no easy answer. Everyone faces challenges and trials that they must overcome. Everyone will encounter those who claim to be friends but have two faces or only call you their friend when it benefits them. It breaks my heart that I have been losing friends recently, but in the end I guess it is what best because if they are willing to hurt and only use me as a puppet then they aren't really a friend. Everyone deserves to be happy and I have finally come to realize that I shouldn't have to sacrifice my happiness to keep everyone else around me satisfied. It’s like every time I was offering myself up on a silver platter to do their bidding all the while hiding how I really feel because I was too afraid that they wouldn't like me.

So I have come to a realization, one that has taken me my entire life to reach. I am no one's puppet and I refuse to continue to apologize for who I am and the way I feel. I have finally decided that it is ok for me to say no to others and actually put my feelings first. Because I have feelings and beliefs and opinions of my own and ones that should actually matter to those who actually care about me. And just because I am finally standing up for the way I feel does not make me “a selfish bitch.” (Yes that is an actual quote of what I was told the first instance when I stood up for myself.) Yes, I may have a flirtatious personality, and it’s something I don’t always have in check. While I am trying my hardest to be mindful of it, it is my personality and it doesn't exactly have an off switch. Just because someone is going to tell me that they think I am a “boyfriend stealing slut” just because I make friends easily and can be clingy does not make it true. So I will wait for someone who will actually take the time to understand my personality and not constantly try and change me. I am not going to hide or change who I am because it is an inconvenience to someone else. I am an actual human being, not just a thing to be used for someone else’s needs.

So I did not simply post this to rant about my moment of self revelation. I wrote this because of the fact that it took me a really long to finally do this and hopefully I will inspire someone else to do the same. You are an individual and you matter. You should never belittle yourself or feel that you have to change yourself to have to please others. It is completely alright to sometimes be selfish and have bad days and want to scream at the top of your lungs just to feel better. You should never have to hide your feelings because someone made you feel that your feelings aren't as important as someone else’s. So be selfish and put yourself first every now and again and don’t continue to put up with fake friends who only want to use and not return your friendship.

I hope that this encouraged or inspired someone out there! And for a little extra motivation here are some awesome quotes! (I will be posting inspiring and motivational quotes on my blog from time to time to help people through the day and remind you that you are special!)

“Those who mind don't matter, and those who matter don't mind.”

― Bernard M. Baruch

“To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment.”

― Ralph Waldo Emerson