Taking It Back: Day One: Introduction

Hi friends!

My name is Emily. I'm starting a blog to document my journey to taking my life back. Now don't get me wrong, I've got an amazing life. I have a husband who is one of the most incredible people I've ever met (we celebrate our one year wedding anniversary on the 22nd!), a family (back in Indiana and here in Albuquerque) who is not only loving and supportive but entertaining too, a great job with people I love and more than I thought I could ever have at 27 (just celebrated my birthday but I'll still accept cards :)).

So you may ask, Emily what are you taking back?! I'm taking back control. Control of the one aspects I've never had control over that affects every other part of my life: my body. I'm 5'4" (5'5" when I'm having a good hair day) and 236.4 pounds. At my height I shouldn't be anywhere near that, and I know it. I've always known it. But I've convinced myself that it doesn't matter, I still have everything I want, but I don't. I don't have the peace of mind that I will be around for a long time, or that its not affecting people's opinion of me.

I will admit I'm a control freak, it runs in our family. So it astounds me every time I think about it that I do not have control over the one thing that is easiest to control! Think about it: no one is telling me what to eat, I decide. No one is telling me to sit on the couch and watch Golden Girls (i LOVE that show), I decide. I DECIDE. I control. And I've controlled myself into not being happy with myself. But that stops now!

So who am I. I'm Emily (I know we established that already but it felt right to write it). I'm a 27 year old OCD control freak who works hard for what she has but has also been blessed with people to help her. I love a lot, and by that I mean a lot of people, things and I give a lot of love.

I'm obsessed with make-up and skincare. If I could quit my job and become a makeup artist and still make the same amount of money I totally would (I think my parent's would shoot me though after putting me through 4 years of college, GO PURDUE!). I show myself as confident but I'm constantly questioning everything. I tell people I don't care what others think but I really do.

I can't stand bad grammar i.e. "I ain't got none"...really? Really? And trust me I will correct you on it if I hear it. I'm a hobby crafter but I have a lot more ideas than time to do them. I'm a smart ass and sarcastic but I'll never use those things in a malicious way (intentionally). There's a lot more but I didn't sign up to write a book, just a blog.

So where does the journey begin? With simple steps. I started Weight Watchers (ecrabel if you want to friend me!) and I bought an elliptical machine which gets delivered on Wednesday. Whats my goal? It's simple, silly probably but it's a goal. I want to be able to walk into any store and buy an outfit. ANY store, not Lane Bryant or Avenue, a normal every other person store. Does that sound vain? Probably a little but oh well. It's all about feeling good!

So what is the blog all about, whats it's purpose? To help me get it all out. This will be my journal of sorts. My outlet to say how I'm feeling, what I've done, what I'm excited about and what I'm sad about.

What's the blog NOT about? It's not a political platform or a place to criticize. It's a helpful place. Helpful to me because I get to release and hopefully someday helpful to someone else who is starting the same journey. Some day's will be about my day-to-day journey and others could be about a new Pinterest idea or something new I've found.

That's where I'll end today. It was very nice to meet you via blogger and I hope we'll get to know each other and share stories/words of advice.

Thanks for listening on my first day of something new!

Emily