LETTER FROM THE FOUNDER
When the THRIVE team and I sat down and came up with the theme for this month’ s issue, of course we had to talk about what everyone was going to talk about and that’ s LOVE but I wanted to do more than give you hope that one day you’ ll find your Mr. Right. So this issue isn’ t just about falling in love again with a man, but also about falling in love with yourself, because that’ s the key to finding true love. Of course, we want someone to snuggle up to, someone to kiss and miss, someone to make us feel good and have butterflies; but none of that will last for FOREVER if we don’ t first fall in love with ourselves.
As some of you may have noticed from the cover, I am now engaged which means I have fallen in love again, but I guarantee you the journey to get here started just like the cover with me looking in the mirror and falling in love with who was looking back at me. I’ ve had many days and long nights of looking deep within myself: dissecting, uncovering and coming to terms with so much of who I really was. There were nights I cried, felt stupid and embarrassed and then there were moments I became proud of how much I had overcome. Throughout the entire journey of falling in love with me, I kissed a few frogs in search of my prince, swore off men completely and when the journey of loving me came to a close. I finally settled on celibacy. I became extremely clear of the man I needed vs wanted. I had learned so much about me that I inadvertently learned about my future husband. I finally truly loved me; flaws and all and began my journey to change and re-create who I needed to be in order to become the best version of my possible self. I had no time for the fluff and emotions that use to cloud my judgement when it came to dating. I became very matter-of-fact and upfront. I would freely tell men from the start who I am flaws and all, where I’ m trying to go and what my future looks like in my head. This allowed men to show me who they were: they either walked away or attempted to show me they were my future.
Ms. Pink falling in love all over again!
Stylist: Daniel Miranda of DVM Productions www. dvmproductions. zenfolio. com
Make-up Artist: Mia Yates www. instagram. com / slayedbymia
When I finally met my fiance’ it was clear that he was either Mr. Right or Mr. Preparation for Mr. Right. He challenged me to grow, he pushed me to new levels and he ripped open every band-aid not to make me bleed but to help me heal and have the least amount of scar tissue as possible. We long distance dated so my celibacy was never comprised,‘ cause who knows if my willpower was really up for the challenge and he asked me to marry him before he was in my physical presence. Now many would say that this couldn’ t work, but I promise you it can and did for us, but only because we both were in love with ourselves already. We both had done the work to become better for ourselves and we both owned up to who we really were flaws and all. The best part about truly getting to know him and building a solid foundation is that now when things are stressful, or he makes me mad(‘ cause I’ m perfect and never make him mad) after the emotion settles we are able to keep it real and talk it through. I’ m no longer waiting for the fairytale or looking for the perfect dream, because I’ m loving the real life roller coaster of building FOREVER with someone.
From My to Your,
THRIVE