It was the discovery of an autoimmune disease in 2011 that shoved me, however unwilling, onto this continuous path of imperfect progress. It is a sincere love for helping others and writing about the journey that has kept me here.
This path to improved health has led to changes in career, nutrition, mindset, finances, and lifestyle choices for not just me but my little family too.
I share it all here, in answer to the steady stream of questions and stories from the many people I meet that are all too familiar. We don't need a diagnosis or a test to tell us that we're tired, sick, in pain, or just not living the fulfilling life we know we can. It's my greatest hope that this can be a place where we come together as a community that helps each other in our progress, imperfect as it may be.
AND
Just as it should be.
That's the only way to get there, imperfectly.
Much Love! - Debbie
Author: imperfectprogressme
How to NOT Just Stay Alive for a Really Long Time /with or without Chronic Illness/
"The arrogance of belonging is not about egotism or self-absorption. In a strange way, it's the opposite; it is a divine force that will actually take you out of yourself and allow you to engage more fully with life...the arrogance …
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Start with Gratitude — A Lesson in Looking Up
Start with Gratitude --- A Lesson in Looking Up Wow! Walking right through the middle of the sea, that has been parted---for your benefit, by the way---and choosing only to complain about the mud. Unthinkable!...It's possible the waters are being …
What Quitting My Job Taught Me About Stress That May Surprise You
I began to see that ultimately, the stress was within me not around me. That I could make anything stressful if I set my mind to it, and I'd become pretty good at that. Take away: Stress is not a …
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[Reader Questions Answered]: Pushing hard toward freedom WHILE maintaining health and happiness
Make no mistake, maintaining focus and pushing hard in the direction of our goals has helped us get where we are. It's a necessary side of our personalities, but it's only half. There has to be a softer side that …
5 Steps Toward Financial Independence You Can Begin Today
Becoming financially free means taking a look inside at what's really important and what's truly driving your spending habits. Trouble with money typically has nothing to do with money at all. Taking a hard look at these things can be …
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CHRONIC ILLNESS held our keys to FINANCIAL FREEDOM
One of the biggest mistakes we make as humans is to believe that our pain is exclusive and our beauty is ordinary. - JM Storm Connecting the Dots The year 2011 marked the beginning of the long and winding road, …
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/Favorites/: Bedtime Stories
I must admit, my heart skipped a couple beats at the thought of reading it that night as a bedtime story. It's one of those children's stories I actually enjoy reading at least as much as my daughter likes hearing …
The Road Less Traveled
Originally posted on imperfectprogress.me: “Thousands of tired, nerve-shaken, over-civilized people are beginning to find out that going to the mountains is going home; that wildness is a necessity” ― John Muir, Our National Parks We took the road less…
/Have Family, Will Travel/: 24 days in Ecuador
All I need is the balcony and a warm cup of tea in hand to feel comfortable and settled. And the days begin to blend, one into the other, as we make a temporary home, half a world away in …
/Have Family, Will Travel/: 24 days in Ecuador
Day 6: Back to Quito The city is not at all quiet, but somehow we quickly find peace here.
/Have Family, Will Travel/: 24 days in Ecuador
Day 5: Chugchilan to Quilotoa I'm in the middle of explaining what today will be like to Lilah, as we head down a hill and out of Chugchilan for our last day of hiking the Quilotoa loop. I tell her …
/Have Family, Will Travel/: 24 days in Ecuador
My thoughts drift to the Andean men and women who live in these valleys and on these hills, their fields straight up the side of a mountain. It's a wonder to me their crops ever take root at all on …
/Have Family, Will Travel/: 24 days in Ecuador
Day 3: Sigchos to Isinlivi Good morning, Latacunga! Your car horns, barking dogs, and roosters are plentiful early morning alarm clocks. We need the early start. We have a bus system to figure out and quite a trek ahead of …
/Have Family, Will Travel/: 24 days in Ecuador
Day 2: Latacunga We wake just minutes before our wheels touch ground (except Claire...awake watching a movie). After a quick exit and easy transition through immigration and security, we find our driver, Luis. He drives us safely and slowly through …
/Have Family, Will Travel/: 24 days in Ecuador
We drive north on the long, desolate road between Rocky Ford and Limon. The land is a flat and barren brown with the touch of winter. Our hearts are full and hopeful for lessons and adventures to come...
7 REMINDERS that keep me on the path to peace and freedom
Try as we might to avoid them, some emotions continue to creep up on us and pay us an uninvited visit, fear, anger, jealousy, embarrassment, resentment, scarcity. They are all part of life and learning. They're not always bad, but they …
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/BE/: More Maker, Less Taker
I have challenged myself, beginning with my closet...to be less taker and more maker. It's not just about wanting less, or even about needing less, though both are valid. I truly want to be more creator and less consumer...I want …
I wonder. My mind wanders…
During shavasana this morning, my mind wandered. Yes, the place where I’m supposed to stay focused on breath; my mind wandered, and I had a glimpse of mental clarity. Minds are tricky. Actually, they are like a spider web. Messy. …
/Resilience/: Overcoming Chronic Illness
It came to me in whispers...When you ignore the whispers, they grow and build strength, getting louder and louder. Eventually they scream at you. Like a hot kettle or boiling pot, they won't be ignored forever. They want to be …
The Road Less Traveled
water gently rolling over giant slabs of smooth granite...rock hopping stream crossings...moss covered anything...giant boulders perfect for reading giant novels...content children, creating entire new worlds without any store bought toys...
/Recipe:/ Jalapeno Margarita
Now that school is back in session and the summer is almost over, it is fitting that I write about jalapeño margaritas. Well, maybe not the most socially and visibly fitting time, nonetheless, these are downright awesome anytime of the …
Limiting Beliefs and Fear: /Overcoming/
...Those conversations and google searches added to my limited beliefs. I could have used them as an excuse to "wrap my fear around me like a blanket", and there were days that I did.
French Eggs: /Quick, Easy Breakfast/
As promised, another take on the morning egg. It's ease and speed make it one of my favorites. I can start it after my husband gets in the shower, and it's done by the time he's out. It adds a …
Inspiration: /Food/
Eat food. Not too much. Mostly vegetables. ~ Michael Pollen Yes, Michael Pollen said that. He also said, "If it came from a plant, eat it. If it was made in a plant, don't."...AND, "The wonderful thing about food is …
Tomato Poached Eggs: /Not Just for Breakfast/
So in our continued effort and imperfect progress toward keeping protein, healthy fats, and veg in the forefront of our diet, we offer up another simple way to enjoy both. Couldn't be easier; anyone can do it; if I can …
Humble and Kind by Tim McGraw
Have you heard Tim McGraw's new song, Humble and Kind? The songwriter is Lori McKenna. Listen to it here on YouTube. What wonderfully pure words with an abundance of meaning and implications. I am captivated. "You know there's a light …
/Parenting/: Re-do
I have had too many mornings when I really wanted a re-do. I woke up grumpy and put that mood into my actions. Next thing I know my kids are being grumpy back. My voice isn't kind; their voices are …
Joy in Now: /Mindfulness/
Had I missed this gift of mindfulness, I would have also missed this joyful moment in observing my five year old with our loyal dog...I never would have stopped rolling my paintbrush long enough to hear the quiet giggle or …
/Empower/Part 1: Awareness
An upfront disclaimer on this post is to tell you and to reassure me that I certainly do not have an ideal picture of my personal health put into action. I make my fair share of imperfect choices about food, …
/Parenting/:That Darn Apple
We (my husband and I) want our kids to have access to healthy snacks. I do not want to be asked several times a day, "I'm hungry. What can I eat?" Although I very vividly remember saying this to my …
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