Meet Heather

 

My name is Heather.  I am messed up, I am screwed up, I am imperfect.  I have done some horrendous things I’d rather hide.  But I truly believe we are all here to help each other grow, to become better versions of ourselves every day.  We do that by helping one another and sharing our stories-even the difficult ones.  

This blog is about me, my life, and my interests.  My goal is to share my experiences to help other women, other people who may be going through the same.  I’m going to share all of me, even the parts I’d rather hide. My life probably looks one way on the outside, but I want to show you what it really looks like from the inside.  It’s okay to make mistakes….even big ones. We’re here to learn, improve, and help one another as we go through our unpredictable lives.

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I am so many things – a mom, a wife, an entrepreneur, a recovering alcoholic.  A daughter, a gardener, a granddaughter. A sister, an aunt, a niece, a friend, a recovering sex/love/fantasy addict.  I am broken but I am healing, one day at a time.

 

My sobriety date is September 2018, although I had a suspicion a few years earlier that things weren’t right.  I wasn’t right. My husband knew it sooner, of course. It’s hard to see yourself objectively when you’re wrapped in your vices.  And then once you do see it, it takes a while for acceptance to set in. Learning how to cope in different, more constructive ways takes a lifetime.

 

I’m Mom to two amazing girls, Francesca and Mirai.  Mirai is 6; Francesca would be 11. She passed away when she was a month old but now frequently says hello to us from the other side.  Both girls came very early at 24 and 26 weeks. Francesca opened my eyes to the spiritual world whose existence I doubted. I love to share my experiences and messages.

 

I’ve been married to Adam, a hunky, handy upstate NY guy, for 20 years.  20 years! We have overcome mutual infidelity more than once, domestic abuse, two extremely premature births, our daughter’s death, our own mental health issues, job losses, a parent dying, and I’m sure there’s more to come.  We’ve been through a lot and have treated each other horribly at times. But we sincerely enjoy being together and have both worked very hard to improve ourselves and our relationship. We’re unconventional, but I’ll share what works for us.

 

I’m an entrepreneur and an apprentice optician.  I sell vintage optical frames and sunglasses; in another year I’ll be a licensed optician, which means I’ll be able to fill patient’s prescriptions.  I love what I do! It combines science, creativity, fashion, and sustainability all into one profession. I enjoy helping people see better.

 

My mental health and my recovery go hand-in-hand.  Simply getting through a regular day can be surprisingly difficult!  I had been an alcoholic and/or addict for 25 years. I started at age 15 and stopped at 40.  I feel awkward and uncomfortable most of the time as I’m still learning who I am. I spent most of my adult life being “Jessica,” which is what Adam and I call my notorious addict side.  I barely know just me. I feel like I’m discovering and rebuilding.

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Besides upcycling myself, I’m all about:

 

• Upcycling, recycling, & reusing anything else

• Low-inflammatory nutrition & lifestyle

• Building a sustainable yard+

• Always striving to be a better version of yourself

• Gardening

• Whatever else I feel like talking about

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