Depressing explaination warning but there's a silver lining and a happy ending - I promise.  Just like me, we have to get through the bad parts to find the good ones... stick with me:

There's a lot of significance for me this week.  It holds alot.

7 years ago, I was living in Massachusetts.  A small little town I nicknamed "Mayberry" after The Andy Griffith Show's location. Why? Because it was small, very small and it had the same people doing the same things everyday. There was one major store (a small locally exclusive store that I won't bore you with) that had all the same cashiers every day and we had one main access road - it was Main Street.  We had 7 (that's right) 7 Police Officers for the whole town and one of them lived upstairs from us in our apartment complex.  Our landlady lived right next door, and I had the hardest time finding work.

Now, you might say - Weren't you applying? How was your resume? Did you let your LifeCoach look at it? Did you apply to as many places as possible? Lower your standards to try and get ANY work? (The list goes on.)

And yes, dear readers, I did. I did all of that. 

I was the girl who landed a job from a cold walk up and a 20 minute conversation on a dare.  Yes, a DARE. But thats for another day.

In September of 2009, I lost my Ge-Ma (My Mom's Mom) just 60 days after losing my Da-Da.  To say I was crushed, would be a very basic way of looking at it. They were my buddies.  That might sound weird to you, but they were. I went to them for advice, encouragement, a smack upside the head when I needed to "snap out of it".  They weren't just my Mom's parents... they were my friends. I looked forward to spending time with them. 

Also going on at the same time, I was broke.  To say my husband and I were stressed would be a reason to throat punch you. We were barely staying afloat in every way a human needs to - we really were forced to learn to rely on each other and God.  

7 years since that.

6 years later I found myself in a similar depression.  Revisiting an old friend that you realize is poisonous but you really don't have the skillset to forcebly remove that poison without losing yourself further.  It is delicate work.

I was at a job I hated, that I took on because again, we were in a bad way.  My bosses were abusive and I felt horrible, not only emotionally/mentally/spiritually but the work I was doing was ridiculously taxing and my body was giving me hell for it.

1 year ago this week, I was the lowest I had been since I left "Mayberry".  I had no time to invest in my real work, Creative Chaos and that part of my depression was draining the last little bit I had left in me.  I hated what had become of my life, my dream and I was miserable to be around.

I finally had made the decision to leave and to go somewhere else - but where?  I applied to many places, desperately trying to find a work at home situation that would allow me to invest SOME time into my plans but to no avail.  I needed out.  I needed to breathe again.

So, I took a leap with my husband and left that steady but unwelcome hellhole and put in my two weeks with the intention being, that I would do Creative Chaos full-time and pray for it to be in God's will for it to take off and trust that He did not intend for me to hate my life as I had come to.

Tomorrow marks the 1 year since I left work the last time.  I took a stand for myself and I decided I wasn't putting myself in that position any longer.

Friday,... Friday is my favorite day.  One year ago today, Friday, I enjoyed my first day of Freedom.

My best friend was in town and she and a mutual friend of ours went out, walking in one of our various and wonderful nature trails and enjoyed the sunshine and the weather. It was hot, of course and we sweated more than we were intending to - but it was FRESH air and FRESH eyes, and FRESH perspective and so much support.  It was exactly what I had been needing and they embraced it with open arms.

So, Friday - my favorite day is what I am so happy to celebrate this week.  I am so thankful for what this year has been for me and for Creative Chaos - what opprotunities have been presented to me and doors that have been opened.  To see that God has paved a way for me to be happy, to not regret the life choices I've made, because then I wouldn't be here. I wouldn't be here at all, I don't think... which is a sad thought to type out but, the depth of my sadness over the situation I was in last year, I really don't think I would have been able to climb out of if I had stayed where I was.

Also, we are doing a huge giveaway this week! Make sure you're sharing out these live streams in order to be entered to win. As many times as you share is as many entries as you get to win! We are giving away a 30% off coupon and you can pick one item $50 or less in value or a few different items that add up to $50, it's your choice!

This is to celebrate the one-year anniversary of doing creative chaos full time! My first day of freedom! Winner will be announced on Friday on the Facebook page! 

Be sure to go to www.facebook.com/ejmcreativechaos and share the live streams from there and also be looking on Friday for the annoucement!

I hope you enjoy the rest of your week! Happy Hump Day!

~Elizabeth McCann

Creative Chaos

www.ejmcreativechaos.com