Chelsea DeVries's Blog, page 41

#WriterWednesday: One Year Ago Today

According to Facebook, one year ago today I had just returned from my beach vacation with my sisters and Mom.... On this blog, http://chellyzlife.blogspot.com/2014/05/living-that-beach-bum-life-my.html the pictures tell a story of love and friendship between my sisters and I.

One year ago, I was in the same boat. Living at home, looking for just the right job but willing to do just about anything to have a job in general, and working on my book. Today, I'm still in the same boat but now I've finished school and no longer owe Saint Leo anything, not a dime or ounce more of my time. Yesterday, I finished my novel after 3 years of strenuous work and self-doubt. Lately, I've been a little down at the fact that I've realized so many girls I know now are married and have started families of their own (including girls from high school who mocked me when I told them that I believed true love is real).

Isn't it funny how things change but things also still appear to look the same?

Yet, things have changed.

I got smarter.
My heart grew a bit harder and eventually stronger.
I finally let go and walked away.
I accomplished one of my life goals of graduating from college.
I accomplished another by writing a book that will speak to millions.
I may not have a job but I put positive efforts toward my future every day.
I've become more merciful toward others because I've gone through similar things.
And in the midst of all these things, I've learned that trusting God is the only real thing I can do.

Until next time, remember: I'm living proof that grace always wins. -Matthew West

I'd love to hear how you've grown as a person in the comments below. Any change big or small is proof of growth. Celebrate it.


Love Times Infinity,ChelseaxoxoGod Bless!~Just Keep Swimming~

#WriterWednesday: What My College Experience Taught Me

In case you haven't heard, I finally did it. I graduated from college. My overall experience taught me a lot and today I'd like to share those lessons with you.



With God, Nothing is Impossible
I struggled in every way a person can struggle through my five years in college. I first struggled with living away from home. Then, I struggled with making friends, struggled with finding a job, struggled with balancing work and school, struggled wth figuring out that I didn't want to be an accountant, struggled with my health, struggled with the finances to pay for school, and lastly, I struggled with not giving up and quitting. Without God, I don't think I ever would have made it through. Now, I truly believe that nothing is impossible with God.
Friends Come and Go
Sadly, I feel that most of the friends I ended up making during my college years were fickle and didn't end up becoming life-long friends. Yet, I've found peace about this because I've started praying for divine connections which are friends that God gives you that understand and support the person God is making you to be. Thankfully, when you trust God in all areas of your life, he always comes through at the right time and never lets you down.
Money is important but never meant to take the place of God
Money was something I went to college with and ended up watching it get vacuumed out from under me until I was left in the quicksand that is debt. And being in debt before you even graduate college is not fun at all nor is it something I recommend. 
Some suggestions I have for young people going off to college: 1. Get a job while you are in high school so you always have a job when you come home on breaks and for the summer, or at least experience to build a resume and a reference.2. Sow some, spend some, save most.One principal I live by is giving God 10% of all income I get, and spending what is necessary to spend in order to treat myself, and saving the rest in order to build interest. I won't bore you with a post about the different forms of money-saving options but I will say to do your own research. It will be worth it in the long run.3. Use your college fund solely for college4. Talk to your roommates. See what they have before purchasing stuff for on or off campus housing.
Despite money being a necessary form of transaction between you and your college education; don't ever serve money. Always be a giver in order to take away from being a slave of money. If you believe in God and have Jesus as your savior, God redeemed us from the curse of poverty and lack.Trust me, God can provide wherever there is a need and even if it looks like there is no way.
Stressed? Talk to Somebody or go workout at the gymMy college experience was uber stressful. I coped by praying and spending time in God's word. There were some things I didn't take lightly in college: my near-death experience, a fallout with one of my best friends and one of the first guys I fell in love with. These things required me to go see a counselor, and after I did, I was able to slowly rise above those traumatic experiences and also find the good in them. One thing I did when I was having roommate problems was always going to the gym instead of lashing out at my roommates. Trust me, putting all that negative energy into a workout is an instant stress reliever.
My college experience taught me not only a lot about my career field but about people, about living on my own, about how strong I can be when it seems everything is against me, and how unforgiveness and bitterness left to fester will make you sick.
Before I leave you with a final thought, please use this link and create an account with Graphic Stock for 7 days of free downloads: https://www.graphicstock.com/freeimages/
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The criticism born of other's insecurities? Ignore that. You don't need anyone telling you what your style, substance, or happiness should look like. You can be the judge of that. - Lena Dunham
Love Times Infinity,ChelseaxoxoGod Bless!~Just Keep Swimming~

Writer Wednesday: Happy 15th Birthday Geniveve!

For the past two days, I've been watching recorded tv. What I mean by that is I've been cleaning out my DVR because we were due for a new one. The guy just finished installing it as I type this, and I no longer have to be a daily couch potato.

Today, I write you regarding a very special occasion. My best friend and dog Geniveve turns 15 today! In case you've never met Geniveve, she's a black lab chow mix that I've had since before I turned ten. And we quickly became best friends. Around the time we got her, I was obsessed with the movie Madeline and decided Geniveve would be a perfect fit for my first pet.

Over these past fifteen years, Geni's done things all dogs do: go for walks, visit the beach, enjoy belly rubs and fangirl over food.

Yet, what makes Geniveve so extraordinary is the life she's lead:
She modeled for Ryan Sheckler's charity

Starred in a creative ad for Ryan's charity that won a contest: Just Call Me The Godmother
You can view other videos of Geniveve and fangirl over them all you want on my Youtube channel,Make sure to watch the videos of her dancing since her hips really do not lie. :)
Shortly after the video was shot, I had spent two years telling her one day she would get the chance to meet Ryan Sheckler, the myth, the man, and the legend. 
And she did:
Then she smiled so big afterward because I mean, who wouldn't?!

I've always been happy to stand back while Geniveve took the spotlight because Geni was always there for me, especially when it counted most like when boys would break my heart, friends would leave me out, my family didn't understand me, or August 11, 2012, when I woke up and couldn't breathe.
Over the years, Geniveve has lost perfect sight in her eyes because she developed cataracts from her love of sunbathing, and I've had to help her get around more, and sometimes that requires patience but for me, I don't mind at all. After all she's helped me through and been by my side for, she definitely deserves the utmost respect and as much patience from me as she needs.

Today we celebrate you and your beautiful light, Geniveve. Here's to many more. Keep bringing sexy back girl. I love you so much!

Stay tuned in the coming days to my Youtube channel and social media channels for a video from her party tonight. 
Love Times Infinity,ChelseaxoxoGod Bless!~Just Keep Swimming~

Writer Wednesday: My HSN Commercial Experience

     I found out about two weeks ago that the commercial I had shot in January was finally finalized and it would be debuted at the last acting workshop at the Safety Harbor studio that I had attended two workshops for my internship in December and January. Ever since there was a nervous excitement being built in my belly, almost like a fetus taking shape within my womb but a little less real.
     After months of waiting, I finally saw the commercial yesterday. All the hype I built for it was put out much like a match lit on a windy beach:

I watched it and as I did, my palms became sweaty and my knees felt weak. I was hoping to see myself through the entire 30 minute commercial, which was set up much like the infomercials you find if you are still watching television in the middle of the night. It was a good commercial but I wasn't in the entire thing: You can find the final commercial https://www.facebook.com/Writer.Chelsea.DeVries/posts/871489056244191
   Overall, I just appreciate the opportunity I was given and see it as God helping me overcome my public speaking fear by showing me that I am good enough just the way I am, every insecurity I've faced most of my life can run for the hills because there is no more vacancy within the confines of my mind. Although my acting career was short-lived, I realized I still would rather be behind the scenes in a way because that industry is still too shallow for my tastes. Hey, at least, I got a free ottoman and a paycheck out of it. 
God is good through the good and the not so good.
Until next time, remember: 
Love Times Infinity,ChelseaxoxoGod Bless!
~Just Keep Swimming~

Writer Wednesday: What I will Never Outgrow

I guess I should just come right out and say it. In my heart, I'm still a kid. I won't go into the personal reasons why but I have thoroughly fallen in love with the Peter Pan thought of never growing up. I mean, I believe myself as the firstborn to be very mature and responsible for my age (despite what my sisters believe about me) but in the ways that matter I have adopted a child-like view of the world. Without further ado, here is a list of the things I will never outgrow.

1. God's love for me
The most obvious way I stay child-like is in my faith in God. I have had my moments of doubt in recent years but I have yet to lose faith in God's love for me, and knowing that he has a good plan for my life. You have to approach God like a child in order to switch from a religious mindset where your works help you be good enough for God to a relationship with God through Jesus Christ, you have to believe without seeing. Just like a relationship between a parent and their child, the child never loses faith in what the parent says. They always see the best in the parent, want to obey the parent because they know the parent wants the best for them and wants to go to the ends of the earth to be good to them.

2. My love of Tinkerbell

In case you've never met me in real life, I am obsessed with Tinkerbell. My love of Tinkerbell started when I was twelve or thirteen years old after seeing the movie Peter Pan starring Jeremy Sumpter. I loved how much she loved Peter, how she was genuine, spunky, rebellious, and so much herself despite being a little adorable pixie. Even now, I fangirl over the Tinkerbell movies. I love that Disney made a special section for the Disney Fairies and in Disney World (and I think in Disneyland as well) they have Pixie Hollow. I have Tinkerbell clothes, a Tinkerbell blanket, a Tinkerbell pillow.
In February 2013, I met Tinkerbell at Disney and it was a dream come true:

3. Music from my childhood Call me crazy biased but nineties music was the best Pop music that will ever exist. I still listen to the greats: N'SYNC, Britney Spears, Christina Augilera. And you can't forget the one hit wonder group, Aqua, who were most famous for their song, "Barbie Girl." I feel like their album along with the Spice Girls was the soundtrack of my childhood and always remind me of a time when things were so fun and peaceful, and I never second guessed myself but instead, believed that I could do anything I put my mind to.
4. Disney Movies
I think I will always love Disney just because no matter what age you are, you can go there and just be a kid. My favorite Disney movies would probably be Cinderella, Snow White, Bambi, Fox and the Hound, Finding Nemo, and Hunchback of Notre Dame. I didn't just like Disney movies though. Two movies that were hits during my childhood would be Madeline and My Dog Skip. Both featured dogs and grew in me a love of dogs that I've yet to outgrow, as well. I was also obsessed with the movie A Little Princess which helped me learn about other cultures and how you can find a friend in anyone despite cultural differences. 
5. Board Games
My sisters make fun of me for a lot of things but one thing they always poke fun at is my enjoyment and child-like sense of adventure when playing board games. My favorites are Monopoly, Life, and Mystery Date yet I basically like all board games except Taboo but that's because the first time I played that game was a really bad and embarrassing experience with it so I refuse to play it again.
6. Being imaginativeAs a kid, my sisters and I were crazy imaginative. For more about what I mean, please go ahead and watch my newest Youtube video called Nineties Tag. Nowadays, I am imaginative in all that I do: my blogs, my videos, my writing. No matter what, I've always been an out-of-the-box thinker.
7. Eating Like A Kid I remember the first time I had cotton candy. It was at Busch Gardens and I remember how I loved the thought that someone believed fluffy sugar would be a tasty snack. I wanted to kiss that person. My favorite ice cream growing up was the Good Humor Strawberry Shortcake ice cream bar or the Chocolate Eclair. They were so good. I was also obsessed with cream soda, grape soda, and orange soda. I don't really drink soda as much as I did as a kid but I still enjoy slurpees. One thing I will always carry with me from being a child is my sweet tooth.
I think being a child is ok because at least children have an adventurous fire in their hearts that no one can steal and unlike most of them, they are ok being themselves. 
Until next time remember: The most sophisticated people I know-they are all children.-Jim Henson
Love Times Infinity,ChelseaxoxoGod Bless!~Just Keep Swimming~

Writer Wednesday Book Review: Jesus>Religion by Jefferson Bethke

I just stopped crying. It's a long story but it all started with one simple question from my sister in a not-so-nice tone of voice, What work do you have to do?

I've struggled for years with a fear of not being good enough. Recently, it's been magnified by the relationship with my family. Like I said in my last blog, they treat me as if my work doesn't matter, doesn't count for anything at all because most of the stuff I do, I do for free.

This isn't going to be a blog about all that I do because this blog isn't about me. Like I said, this blog is a review of the book, Jesus > Religion by Jefferson Bethke.

I've always struggled with the fear of not being good enough. Not good enough to my family because I don't have a paying job, not good enough for a guy because I have high standards that include not giving everything away on the first date, not good enough for a job because I've already spent eleven months without a part-time job and still haven't been offered or hired by one since my skill set for a normal job is a bit lacking in the conventional sense of the word. Not good enough for people who decided to walk out of my life or stop making an effort in our friendship. Not good enough for social media because my selfies never get retweeted.

Jefferson Bethke is one creative follower of Jesus I greatly admire and knew that his book would not disappoint. This book made me cry multiple times because with each page, I came closer and closer to leaving a religious mindset behind and came face to face with the real Jesus.

The Jesus who doesn't want what we do but just wants you. According to Bethke, in order to meet Jesus, we have to stop trying to be good enough and just go to him as we are: "I had a feeling of utter quiet and peace. I din't hear those words in my ears, but felt them whispered into the depths of my bones. Immediately, relief and the epiphany that I hadn't surprised God rushed over me. I hadn't caught him off guard. When Jesus went to the cross, he saw all I'll ever be, all I'll ever do, and all I'll ever want outside of him; but he joyfully came and got me. He looked down and said, "I want that one."

Bethke even talks about how there should be no major separation between sacred and secular anymore because everything that God created in this earth is good. (Genesis 1). Therefore, there should be no reason that a Christian always must listen to Christian music or only a select group of secular songs. Everything in art, politics, food, animals, plants, and trees are all good in and of themselves.

Everything we do can be done for the glory of God. It can be anything from writing blogs, making videos, doing PR work, cooking, cleaning, working on cars, being a CNA, being a singer, and even writing stories. All these jobs matter to God. The only thing we must take into consideration is that we shine with a borrowed light that is meant to be a beacon pointing the way back to Jesus and God. For example, Bethke points out that even the moon shines with borrowed brightness.

I'm so grateful that I have Jesus because he sees all that I do and doesn't ever remind me of something else I need to do for him in order to be happy with me, he just loves me. He just pursues me. He just comes and sits with me just the way I am: a creative chick with a destiny for greatness. The only reason I am able to do these things is because all talents come from God. And I'm so grateful for mine, and even more grateful for the fact that no talent is greater than any other. Every talent is a beacon of light pointing back to the Maker of Talents, the Great and Powerful One.

So please check out Jesus>Religion by Jefferson Bethke. It's not at all a waste of your time or like any other Jesus book I've read. If I had to liken it to anything, it's like a letter from an old friend that arrives just in time. One that reads:

I see you.
You matter to me.
I believe in you.
Don't give up.
I love you.

Until next time, remember:" I may not be as tall, as tan, or as talented as someone else, but that's okay. Nobody will ever be a better me. I'm anointed to be me. I'm equipped to be me. Not only that, it's also easy to be me."-Joel Osteen. Be You, Ladies and Gents. Jesus wants you to know that by being YOU, he calls you fearfully and wonderfully made.


Love Times Infinity,ChelseaxoxoGod Bless!~Just Keep Swimming~

Writer Wednesday: What It Really Means To Be A Writer

Ok, so here I sit; Starring out at the sun halfway set glinting off the water in my pool, the sounds of nature really speaking to me. It's a weird concept to think about but really does anyone truly know what it's like to live the writer life. I thought, who better to talk about the writer life, than me, a writer.

Being a writer is the greatest job in the world. Half the time, I could be writing this naked and you wouldn't even know. I just made this awkward. I'm sorry. Let me rephrase that. Nine times out of ten, I write these things in the bummiest clothes I own. My spellcheck just said that bummiest wasn't a word so I added it to my computer's dictionary.

Yet, it's the most misunderstood job and the hardest to endure. Why? Because everyone assumes that when a writer is "writing," they are surfing the web, staring off into space, or in my dad's case, looking at porn. I have no personal comment on the third idea but the first two I darn well know I'm guilty of. And the saddest part of the matter is that a lot of young people today don't even read anymore. Apparently, the only thing they read is their social media newsfeed so if you are irrelevant by social media standards, you are irrelevant in their eyes, period.

For example, my family has always misunderstood me when I announced at the age of fourteen that I wanted to be a writer professionally. I heard things like:

There's no money in writing.
You can't just be a writer.
Does that mean you can write all my school papers for me free of charge?

Yet, these things didn't stop me. I've known since I was a young fourteen that writing was going to be the key to my greater destiny, my calling, the job where I could go everyday doing what I love and it would never feel like work.

The problem with the writer life is that, although it seems like a magic act, the job is an incredible amount of hard work and study. Since my creative writing class my freshman year of high school, I have studied the craft because I still don't believe I'm the best writer out there. One day, I will be. And no, it won't be when my book becomes a NYT best-seller. I will consider myself the best at my craft when people stop treating me like being a writer isn't my job.

Sure, my writing hasn't all been published yet or made millions but hey, I'm well on my way. Don't ever throw the baby out with the bathwater.

Every time I sit down to write, I get this feeling of intense butterflies, and if it's a good day of writing, the words just flow, and before I know it, I've written 2000 words.

Yet, the scary part about being a writer is not the writing part at all, but the revision part.

For example, the memoir that I'm currently writing is the most personal piece of writing I've ever worked on yet I constantly am nagged by an inner voice that it's not good enough.

I've let some trusted writing friends and non-writing friends read it through, and I just finished the first draft editing. I ended up cutting a good seven to eight thousand words out of the whole thing.
Granted, my current word count the last time I worked on it was over 67,000 but still, the scary part of writing is getting feedback on your work.


In a recent interview with the Writer Magazine, Ladette Randolph, author of  Leaving the Pink House, a memoir, states that she has "only three enemies: self-pity, false guilt and fear."

I don't always have all the answers but writing is how I make sense of the world. I feel better expressing my thoughts, feelings, and emotions with the world, even if later, I end up getting rejected for those same thoughts, feelings, and emotions. I guess all I can say about being a writer is that writing choose me, I never chose writing. Besides that, I've faced so much rejection in my personal life I guess I owe it to myself to stare rejection in the face on a daily basis and say, No matter what or who approves of my job title, I'm not giving up until one person has their life changed by the words that I write. 

You know what I mean? It's the same reason people save their books from their childhood because those words grabbed them by the shirt collar and spoke to the inner parts of their soul, and at the same time, sung them a lullaby. If, like me, the child suffered socially, then those characters in those books, such as Nancy Drew, Laura Ingalls, or even Peter Hatcher became the friends they wanted so badly to have every day at school in real life.

Now that I'm an adult, people are a little less judgmental in the sense that they judge you because you prefer books over partying. I've found a good group of people who are also word lovers.

Another aspect of every good writer's job is going on random adventures. Last week, the reason there was no blog post was because I was out with my sisters on the open road. To see more of our shenanigans, please Click here.

The day after the road trip, in all spring break spirit, I hit up the beach for a few hours with my sister so I could get a little Vitamin D.

This past weekend I went to see Boys Like Girls in concert so basically I think it is absolutely important for a writer to have a plethora of different experiences in order to write about this thing called life in a natural flowing way.
In essence, writing is much like the red cardinal that was peaking in at me through the screen cage on my patio. As a writer, I become the red cardinal, looking in on the world, and seeing it from multiple angles. The trick is to use just the right words to infuse atmosphere into the story or piece I'm creating; all while keeping my trademark tone of voice that I believe I bring to each and every fetus that is conceived within the confines of my mind and imagination.
Next time you see a writer, please remember to thank them for what they do, no matter if you understand it because one day, you may find yourself in need of the words they arrange like a symphony of sounds on a blank page.
Until next time, remember: "Try to be more yourself, not less yourself. It's a very hard thing to do. I don't want to apologize for being a dorky, nerdy, offbeat person. I'm not looking for the broad path. I'm looking for my path." - Ladette Randolph
Love Times Infinity,ChelseaxoxoGod Bless!
~Just Keep Swimming~

The Joy in Having an Adventurous Spirit

I've recently discovered a dilemma. You see, I really wanted to go to Tampa Pro this year. Why? Well, Tampa Pro is the best skateboard contest I've ever been to. And I say that completely biased but it really is. The sights, the sounds, the smells. It's a skateboard contest that is a thriving atmosphere for inspiring a literary artist like myself. The actual sound of a skateboard's wheels coasting on concrete or wood is music to my ears. Yet, the dilemma I'm facing is not my passion for attending this year's Tampa Pro, but the fact that I have no adventurous friend who wants to attend with me. 

I don't really know why I thought this year would be any different. Over the past two years, I've cut a lot of people out of my life. Yet, this year, I posted a status on social media asking if anyone wanted to go and shockingly, no one wanted to join me. They either already had plans or they just don't care for skateboarding. 

Now I'm not posting this blog in hopes that someone will volunteer to join me. I am even willing to go alone just because I love being at the Skatepark of Tampa during Tampa Pro weekend. It's so colorful, vibrant, exotic. It feels like my home away from home for me.

I even talked to God about it and when I prayed, "I don't know what to do, Lord." He spoke to me through my daily Bible reading:
And with that simple statement, I've let it go. There's always next year, right? :) Plus, I can still watch it in my pjs from home on StreetLeague.com so it's not the end of the world.
Yet, the reason I share this with all of you today is not because I want you to feel bad for me, or feel obliged to take me to the live event, I share this information because I don't entirely need to go to Tampa Pro to feel that as a writer, I've had my little adventure to experience life in order to write about life more naturally. The point I'm about to make is that life with Jesus is always an adventure.
For example, yesterday was National Pancake Day:
My family and I headed out a little after 11 o'clock to get our free short stack of pancakes from IHOP. Because I had trouble sleeping the night before, my dad offered to buy us a pot of coffee for the table. I thought that was really nice of him considering a pot of coffee at IHOP is now almost $3 a person. We walked into IHOP to find a slew of people, both waiting outside the restaurant and within the waiting area. Wearing my pink shorts and an old t-shirt claiming "I brought sexy back," I was struggling to even be awake despite that it was near the middle of the day. Once seated, we enjoyed our pancakes and coffee, and donated to the Children's Miracle Network, and left. I thought we were going to head home after that.  I was in for a big surprise.   Every time I go out with my family, it's "the stops" that stop me from going out with them again. haha. Yesterday was no exception. After IHOP, Dad asked that we make a quick stop within the garden section of K-Mart so we hopped in the car, and headed next door to K-Mart to go look at the flowers. Then, one of Jayde's friends wanted to use her Iphone charger and his phone was about to die while he was busy working, so then there was that stop. Mom then announced we needed to drop some books off at the library and she had to pick up pool chemicals at the pool store. Then, I ended up with another set of books. How does anyone walk into the library or even a bookstore, and not a get a book? :

Before we stopped home and got my sister's charger, we picked up the pool chemicals. While her friend charged his phone, we stopped at the mall so she could get her eyebrows threaded. Then, went back to Steak N' Shake and picked up her charger. 
After all this, we headed home because it was time for lunch.
I asked God for an adventure and he provided one, free of charge. God is so merciful.
This got me thinking, what other adventures would I love to have:
1. I'd love to visit NYC, San Clemente, CA, and Los Angeles for a week at a time.
2. I'd love to just drive and end up sightseeing.
3. I heard there's a cruise that just sails around the world. That sounds interesting. 
4. I want to travel and see every site I studied while minoring in IHT (International Hospitality and Tourism). 
Until next time, remember: To live will be an awfully big adventure. -Peter Pan (J.M. Barrie)
Love Times Infinity,ChelseaxoxoGod Bless!~Just Keep Swimming~

Day 30: Write a letter to your future mate saying whatever you want to say

Happiness is a form of courage..This is it. The post you've all been waiting for. The final 30 day blog challenge post. I never did it last year when I did this challenge because I was still in the process of getting over someone who was not even living up to the standards I'm about to set with this letter. Why did I wait? Mostly because I'm a little afraid of putting this out there. It may scare a huge amount of guys away...but I guess, the ones that are left standing are the ones worth taking a good look at. Without further ado, here goes everything I have wanted to say for so long:

Dear Future Husband,

Just those three words have triggered the memory of the melody of a popular song by someone who isn't afraid to lay down the law when it comes to men, Ms. Meghan Trainor.

Yet, I'm not here to talk about her today. I'm here to talk about me, and you, Mr. Mystery. A guy I may have met or have yet to meet who I will one day marry.

With that word, many guys will have exited this window, and found themselves clicking onto Instagram or Facebook looking for pictures of scantily clad women.

Being that you are still here reading this, you've shown some great potential. And now I can trust to share what's really on my mind.....




Dear Future Husband,

Thanks for sticking around this long.

I don't know where to start really because no one has stuck around this long before.

Hi, My name is Chelsea DeVries. I don't know if you've had a chance to look around this blog, or you've been to this blog before, but I'm a writer. Words mean the world to me.

Matter of fact, I had to read a book once for a class I didn't really want to take in college but it was about the language of love and there are five specific ones. You'll have to read the book to know them all but mine turned out to be a big surprise: words of affirmation and quality time.

This means I like when people encourage me with their words and give me their time. Quality time doesn't just mean they spend five seconds listening to me talk and then tune me out for something more interesting...Quality time means that the person looks me in the eyes and listens to what I have to say genuinely. The right way to love me, according to this book, is offering me encouraging, heartfelt words and making me feel that what I have to say is of value. I'd say that  I have to say should and does matter to me, and I hope that it makes a difference for anyone that reads what I write.

Since I know that it's already a lot for you to read this all the way through, I'll save you a little work. If you want to know your own love language, Click here now.

Anyway. I'm a writer because when I was younger and growing up, I was always a shy, soft-spoken child. I became this way because I always had a sunny demeanor on life, and naturally, my peers saw it as a threat, so they bullied me. Which caused me to feel as though if I spoke too loud, I may get stopped, pushed down, yelled at, argued with, rejected, left without a friend.

Needless to say, I've got a lot of trust issues. I've overcome a lot of the bullying and learned that being true to myself is the only way I'm going to stay happy, and I've decided to be the bold, fearless young woman I always knew I could be, and over the past two years, I've learned how to love that person in a healthy way. Writing is the only way I've ever gotten people to pay attention.

Therefore, now that you're here this long, I'm guessing you think you can handle me despite what I've faced in my past and that's a really good sign.

Yet, I'm going to need someone who understands the following:

I'm always going to love Jesus more than you. He was the first man I ever met in this life that died in pursuit of my love. I'd say that takes the cake. Now, of course, I don't want you to die for me to prove that you are worthy of my love. I just want you to be willing to do anything for me in the same way Jesus died for me, thinking of me the entire time.

I love dogs more than people. I love people; yet dogs have always loved me for me. They've never left in search of anyone better, betrayed me, or intentionally hurt me in any way.  My best friend is in fact a dog. If you don't love Jesus or dogs, now is the time to walk out. We have no future if you don't love either.

Now that this is settled, and you are still here, I'm really intrigued. There may be something happening here that is greater than the both of us.

I'm a Leo so I'm going to have my moments of serious pride, and I'm going to lose my temper too quickly at times.

If you can't handle my sass, then you don't deserve my ass. lol. I don't know if anyone has ever said that, but I just did. What what?!

I'm not going to list a bunch of dealbreakers because as much as I believe in setting standards, relationships develop more genuinely if you don't start them by saying things like:

No Albanians
No guys with a gap between their teeth
No guys with tattoos

This is the 21st century and we live in a society where pretty much anything goes so I don't expect you to be perfect; I just expect you to be reasonably sane and in good mental health.

It would also mean a lot if you respected the things that make me me:
a tendency to streak my hair with purple hair dye, the tendency to curse like a sailor because I don't care, and a fervent love of street skateboarding, broadway musicals, and choreographing dances to my favorite songs. Oh, and I like to practice singing different songs in the shower. It's the only place where I can find out what genres fit my voice best. I also have a tendency to tell my mom everything because I admire her so much.

Now that you've been debriefed, and in all honesty, let me just say thanks for reading this. I was really quite nervous writing this. I mean it. Ask my family. I had a spontaneous rash appear on my neck while I was writing this. #AwkwardTimesforaRash

I cannot wait to meet you. Or reunite with you. You, young handsome man who loves Jesus and dogs, and one day hopefully me.

Until we meet again, I'll be singing this song loud everywhere I go

Love,
Chelsea
xoxo
~Just Keep Swimming~

Lyrics from Meghan Trainor's song, Dear Future Husband❤Dear future husband,
Here's a few things
You'll need to know if you wanna be
My one and only all my life

Take me on a date
I deserve it, babe
And don't forget the flowers every anniversary
'Cause if you'll treat me right
I'll be the perfect wife
Buying groceries
Buy-buying what you need

You got that 9 to 5
But, baby, so do I
So don't be thinking I'll be home and baking apple pies
I never learned to cook
But I can write a hook
Sing along with me
Sing-sing along with me (hey)

You gotta know how to treat me like a lady
Even when I'm acting crazy
Tell me everything's alright

Dear future husband,
Here's a few things you'll need to know if you wanna be
My one and only all my life
Dear future husband,
If you wanna get that special lovin'
Tell me I'm beautiful each and every night

After every fight
Just apologize
And maybe then I'll let you try and rock my body right
Even if I was wrong
You know I'm never wrong
Why disagree?
Why, why disagree?

You gotta know how to treat me like a lady
Even when I'm acting crazy
Tell me everything's alright

Dear future husband,
Here's a few things
You'll need to know if you wanna be
My one and only all my life (hey, baby)
Dear future husband,
Make time for me
Don't leave me lonely
And know we'll never see your family more than mine

I'll be sleeping on the left side of the bed (hey)
Open doors for me and you might get some kisses
Don't have a dirty mind
Just be a classy guy
Buy me a ring
Buy-buy me a ring, (babe)

You gotta know how to treat me like a lady
Even when I'm acting crazy
Tell me everything's alright

Dear future husband,
Here's a few things
You'll need to know if you wanna be
My one and only all my life
Dear future husband,
If you wanna get that special loving
Tell me I'm beautiful each and every night

Future husband, better love me right

Love in Hot Pursuit: A Valentine's Day Tale

Happiness is a form of courage...Recently, I took a social media cleanse. I did because well, I was going through some stuff within my family that I didn't want to share with the world. I'm basically training myself how to be a better PR professional. Celebrities rarely take to Twitter to post tweets about different people they aren't particular fond of at the moment because that's petty and immature. It took me awhile to learn that basically anyone can see what I post online and it could resurface anytime, so I'm careful now with what I post.

     Anyway, the first day of my social media cleanse. I watched a well-known movie. The movie I watched:

Most everyone young and old knows the story but this time, I wasn't watching the movie for the parts I always loved since I was little. Sure, I sang along to my favorite song A dream is a wish your heart makes but I realized something profound.
Cinderella may have been a servant girl but she never saw herself as a servant. And no matter how absolutely evil her "family members" (her stepmother and stepsisters) were to her, she killed them with kindness. As much as she could have sassed them out, (we all know Cinderella could have told them to sit the heck down and shut up), Cinderella kept quiet and had this silent confidence that shown through when she met the prince. 
The greatest thing about her meeting the prince was that when she walked into the ball, she just wanted to dance. She never even focused on meeting the prince. She was just there to have a good time. She was living in the moment. Not at all looking for the prince to sweep her off her feet and expect that after that happened, she would think about being happy. No, no matter if she met the prince or not, she was just happy to be there. Ladies, did you hear me? Prince or no prince, She chose happiness.
Then, after she meets the prince, and they float across the dance floor to "This Is Love," midnight strikes, and she loses her glass slipper. Instead of being a total diva about it, she nonchalantly just leaves the party. Doesn't ask for the prince's number or Twitter handle. She just leaves because she came happy, she's going to leave happy. Did you catch that? Her happiness had to do with her, not the prince. What a concept, am I right?
The prince ends up literally breaking every royal law in hot pursuit of finding the girl who lost her glass slipper. The prince didn't fall in love with her because she wore glass louboutins or she was thirsty for the prince to notice her. She honestly was just herself and even though she worked as a servant girl, she knew that this was just a stepping stone to her greater destiny: being a princess♥
In the same way that Prince Charming was in hot pursuit of Cinderella from the moment she left the ball, God is in hot pursuit of me. I realized this while watching Cinderella and I realized it again over the past few weeks. His ultimate goal for me is that I know every day that he loves me. So every day, he pursues me in that love. That beautiful unmerited love that just heals all forms of hurt and pain, and every broken part of me.
Yes, it's nice that I love him but he wants me to remember above all, that He loves me unconditionally. Now, go ahead, read that next part out loud: "God Loves Me."♥
This Valentine's Day with this truth washing over me and warming me like the Florida sunshine on a cloudless day, I chose, instead of searching for people to be good to me, but opportunities to be good to others. This year, I made Valentines for strangers I didn't know. Local elderly in my area. And you know what? It was so much fun to give love to others whether or not they deserve it. And with the knowledge of God's love for me, I was able to truly love others. How profound is that?




Until next time and this Valentine's Day, remember: You are loved and you matter!
Love Times Infinity,ChelseaxoxoGod Bless!~Just Keep Swimming~
This Valentine's I treated myself to a new dress from Bethany Mota's spring collection only at Aeropostale. To purchase from her exclusive clothing line, visit a local Aeropostale store or visit Aeropostale.com