FBFF: Gratitude

This marks the one year anniversary of Fashion Beauty Friend Friday (otherwise known as FBFF)!!! Congratulations and a BIG thank you to Katy of Modly Chic for brainstorming this idea in the first place, not to mention the care she's taken over the year to provide interesting and thought-provoking topics and to grow the group of participants. Katy, you're doing a great job! Keep doing what you do!

To mark this anniversary, the questions this week are about gratitude.

1.  When it comes to me personally – I owe a lot of who I am to:

Five people: my parents, who started me off on the right foot (and keep me there!), my former boss  when I worked as the administrative assistant in the music ministry at the church (he and his wife both had much more of an impact on me and who I am NOW {not THEN} than they know!), and my daughter. Everything changed when I had my daughter. She's made me happier, sillier and more germaphobic than I ever thought possible. :) Last but not least is my ex-husband, who is still my very best friend. We got married when I was only 20, and they say that it's during your 20's that you grow up and become a different person. I did that while we were married and although he was only five years older than me, he walked with me through so many things during that time. My parents are an obvious answer to this question but as for my boss, he taught me a lot about how to relate to people, how to love people. One thing he would say all the time is to seek first to understand before being understood (I know it's cliche, but the man LIVES it and that's why it sticks). Another thing he would say all the time is that everyone has a story, everyone has a reason for being who they are, whether it's a nice person or not, and those who are not need a reason to be and we should help give them a reason to be, not give them a reason to continue being unhappy.

2. When it comes to me professionally – I owe a lot of who I am to:

I would have to say two of my bosses, my boss from my very first office job and then again, my boss from the church. My first boss taught me a lot about working in a professional environment to begin with, working with clients, taking responsibility. I was there for several years and although it was my first office job, by the time I left I was the office supervisor for both of the companies they owned.  My boss from the church taught me how to respect those in authority. Granted, I have always been a goody-goody, never got in trouble, was always afraid of disappointing my parents and therefore showed respect to teachers and authority figures. But my boss didn't just show respect, he actually DID respect the voices of authority. He taught me how to be a team player, how to work harder for the benefit of the team, and how to have FUN every single day. I can't even begin to express how much I miss working for him and how I wish I could work for him again. He doesn't even work for that same church anymore and I know it will probably never, ever happen for me to work with him again, but I was never happier than when he was my boss. I miss those days more than I can express. Let's move on before I start to cry...

3. When it comes to the art of blogging, I’m grateful to these people for helping me through some rough spots:

First and foremost is Kimberly of Fashion Momma! She and I clicked instantly when we first started reading each other's blogs and became fast friends because we have so much in common. She has been a wealth of information for me when I've had blogging questions, not to mention the personal support she's been to me throughout my separation and divorce, job change, moving into my parents' house and lots of other things.

Another is ML of Twenty York Street, for the support and kindness she's shown me through several different situations. She's given me so much love and been so generous and thoughtful!

One more is Hope of Hope and the Dress Code for partnering with me in Fabulous In February: A Month of Positivity!

4. One blogging challenge I’m grateful happened because it made me stronger was…

Hm...I'd have to say, honestly, the FBFF Awards that were planned a few months back. I really enjoyed reading everyone's posts and seeing who was nominated, I was in full support of them as a whole but I felt like it wasn't something I personally could do. I blogged about my reasons and since then lost one person that I thought I was close to; they just stopped commenting on my posts and haven't really gotten in touch with me at all. It makes me sad that a difference of opinion being expressed could have that effect, but it makes me go back to what my boss said, everyone has a story. To each his (or her!) own and since this is MY blog, all I can do is be myself and hope for the best. I hope people like me but I've realized that it's not always possible and I have to learn to accept that.

5. To my readers, I’d like to say…

You guys are AWESOME!!! You have NO idea how wonderful each and every one of you are! You are all filled with so much goodness, kindness, inspiration, advice and support. I've become a better person and I hope, a better blogger, because of YOU. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for reading, for caring, for commenting. You mean so very much to me!