Chrissy, Inspired - Christina Berry Online

On Holiday

2012-05-17T15:46:00.000-04:00

This blog is on a temporary hiatus.

If you'd like to stay connected to me in the meantime,

please "like" my Facebook page.

You may also want to follow my other blog, The Lazy Pit Bull and its companion Facebook page.

Other ways to connect to me can be found here.

Take care, and be blessed.

I WILL Rock This, Week One

2012-05-10T00:05:00.002-04:00

See that? I lost 6 pounds last week! Go, me!
The weight loss challenge I'm doing with Wendy and her friends is 2 months long, May 1 to July 1. The goal is to be the "biggest loser". There are 40ish people participating, and as of this week, I'm in 7th place.
Now, 7th place is nothing to brag about, but it's a start. Right?
Most of Week One, I counted calories using an iPhone app called My Fitness Pal. It's a great app, and I can see that it would be great for some people. For me, not so much. I find that I'm really better off not fretting over calories. I know what to eat and what to avoid. I know I need to exercise. I know I need to drink water. Tracking it all on an app just seemed like unnecessary administrative hassle that I don't need.
So this week? No calorie counting. No worrying about whether or not I've updated the app. This week is simply about common sense and doing what I know needs to be done.
Here's to Week Two!

Life Is Short - Do What You Love

2012-05-07T00:05:00.001-04:00

Recently I asked you to finish this sentence:

Life is short...

And I love the responses you gave!

You can find the print above all over the internet, so I'm not crediting it to any one source. But I love the things it says, especially this one:

"Do what you love, and do it often."

I love animals and I've always wanted to work with them. I missed my calling when I didn't become a veterinarian but nowadays I make up for it by volunteering. I also run a dog blog called The Lazy Pit Bull and a Facebook page dedicated to saving shelter dogs.

That's what I love and what I'm passionate about.

How about you? What do YOU love, and are you doing it often?

Weekend Inspiration: Party!

2012-05-05T00:05:00.001-04:00

If the first beautiful weekend of May doesn't inspire you, maybe the fact that's it's also Cinco de Mayo will!

It's going to be a great weekend. What are YOUR plans?

I WILL Rock This, Trust Me

2012-05-03T00:05:00.001-04:00

Y'all, I'm a lifetime serial dieter. Since high school, I've struggled with my weight and I've tried everything to lose the weight and keep it off.
I'm frequently successful at losing the weight; rarely successful at keeping it off.
Case in point: five years ago I began a weight loss campaign and over an eight month period, I lost 32 pounds. I worked so hard, learning to think differently about food. I joined a gym, despite the fact that I'm not at all athletic and I despise working out. But all my efforts paid off because I was at my lowest weight in, oh, at least 20 years. I had people actually telling me "don't lose any more." I felt good about myself, and I felt good, period.
But then I changed jobs. I went from a small company that vigorously promoted wellness, to a large corporation that couldn't have cared less about my health. I added a 2-hour round-trip commute, and an office with an onsite cafeteria that specialized in deep-fried everything. I completely lost my focus and my motivation.
Four years later I lost that job when my position was eliminated, and I spent a stressful 30 day period in the unemployment line, on a see-food diet. You know... see it, eat it. I was fortunate to find a new job quickly, but then a major family crisis sent me into comfort-eating. For months, I ate from an emotional place, and as my pants grew tighter, I knew I had to do something.
On May 1, I stepped on my scale for the first time in months and guess what? I've gained back all of that 32 pounds. And a couple more.
All that is why I'm joining Wendy and 28 other ladies on an 8-week weight loss quest. At stake? A $500 cash prize. But more importantly than that? My health. Feeling good about myself. Being able to say "I ROCKED THIS". Because I will. You just watch me.
My goal is 26 pounds. I'm going to be posting my results weekly. I really need your support, so I hope you'll cheer me on and kick me in the butt when I need it. I won't be able to do it without you!

April Wrap-Up

2012-05-02T00:05:00.002-04:00

All day I've been hearing people say, "Can you believe it's May already?" and I must admit, I'm a little bit flabbergasted myself. Where is this year going?

In case you missed something here on the blog in April, here are just a couple of highlights:

We did a really amazing Lindsay Phillips Switchflops giveaway;
We rolled out a new blog series called Life Is Short;
We talked about Intentional Living and what it means to Eat A Frog first thing every morning.

I'm still looking for guest bloggers who'd like to write on the Life Is Short topic. If you're interested, please email me!

Things were kind of quiet around here last month because I've shifted so much of my blogging focus to The Lazy Pit Bull. My mission there is to save the lives of shelter dogs, as well as educate the world about the Pit Bull. If you haven't checked out my blog yet, I'd love it if you'd stop by and maybe even subscribe.

So now we're into May! Summer is just around the corner, and for that reason I'm joining forces with Wendy from Wendy Will Blog on an 8-week weight loss and lifestyle change quest. I've got a lot of work ahead of me, and it's going to be tough. But I'll be blogging about it here, and I ask you to follow along and support me, because I'll need all the help I can get!

Oh geez. Wish me luck!

Do You Want To Build A Blog You Truly Love?

2012-05-01T09:36:00.004-04:00

A few months ago I signed up for an online course called How To Build A Blog You Truly Love, without knowing much about it. I just figured, I'm a blogger and I certainly don't know all there is to know about blogging, so maybe a course will be fun.

It was fun, but what I learned amazed me.

The course wasn't just about the fundamentals of blogging. It wasn't just about how to make your blog look pretty. It wasn't just about generating fun and interesting post ideas. It wasn't just about how to promote your blog to gain readers. It wasn't just about using social media, or realizing your blog's business potential.

No, this course was about passion. It was about building a tribe - a group of friends - to support you in your blogging efforts. It was about, as the title says, How To Build A Blog You Truly Love.

Whether you've been blogging for years or you haven't even created your blog yet, I highly recommend this course. You'll get 6 weeks of lessons (Monday-Friday), and you'll work at your own pace. Through the course, you'll have access to some really rock-star seasoned bloggers who'll be giving interviews and lots of pointers, sharing their own experiences, both good and bad. You'll also be part of a supportive, interactive private Facebook group, which will continue to support you long after the course ends.

If you want to take your blog to the next level, this is a "must-do" course.

But right now is your LAST CHANCE to take the course in 2012, so don't miss out! And if you sign up now through May 5, you'll save $20!

I've been blogging for many years, but I learned so much in this course! If you're serious about turning your blog into a masterpiece, this is the course for you. If you are serious about creating an online home you can be proud of, this is the course for you. If you really want to Build A Blog You Truly Love, this is the course for you! Sign up now!

{The fine print: I'm an affiliate of How To Build A Blog You Truly Love, so if you enroll in the course using the links in this post, I will receive a small commission. You are not obligated to purchase using these links, but please know that when you do, it is much appreciated!}

Weekend Inspiration: Burst!

2012-04-28T00:05:00.000-04:00

{Love this? Click on the image to go to the creator's gorgeous blog!}

Whatever your plans this weekend, be happy!

Intentional Living: Eat A Frog

2012-04-25T00:05:00.000-04:00

"Begin each day as if it were on purpose." -- Mary Anne Radmacher

image source

I want to live my life with intention. I want to have a reason for being, and I want to work toward it everyday.

I want to be intentional. Don't you?

But how do we do that?

Today I'm writing about the first step to Intentional Living. When I tell you what that step is, you're going to smack your forehead and say, "Of course!", because it's so fundamentally simple.

The first step to Intentional Living is getting out of bed.

That's right, I said it. If you want to live with intention and purpose, the first thing you have to do is get out of bed every morning and get your day started.

Kat from Inspired To Action has a great resource for how to "Maximize Your Mornings" - it's her free eBook, which I highly recommend if you want to learn how to get up and get your day started with intention. The book was written as a resource for mothers, but it's excellent for anyone who wants to develop a morning routine designed to set you up for a good, productive day.

Not mentioned in Kat's book is another morning ritual that I believe is important to setting yourself up for a good day, which will allow you to be intentional and purposeful, but you aren't going to like it. What is it?

Eat a frog.

Yes, you read that right. Eat a frog. I know what you're thinking: "surely she doesn't mean to literally eat a frog!" No, of course not!

What I do mean is this: go ahead and do the most difficult - or most dreaded - task on your to-do list first thing in the morning, and get it out of the way. Be done with it, because once you are able to mark it off your list, everything else you have to accomplish that day will seem like a breeze.

In other words, stop procrastinating.

And don't worry - if you're a procrastinator at heart, we'll talk more about that in a future post, because if I'm being honest, I have to admit that I'm a little bit of a procrastinator myself and sometimes eating that frog doesn't come easily for me.

So, what's YOUR frog?

With that said, I'm signing off so that I can go eat my frog... err, I mean, fold laundry!

Mother's Day TREATs In The Nick of Time

2012-04-23T00:05:00.000-04:00

Have you heard the good news? Tiny Prints is now Treat! And it's happening just in time for Mother's Day!

Treat is a new brand that lets you create unique, personalized greeting cards. With more than 4,500 customized card designs at launch, Treat offers one of the industry’s largest selections from the best designers, including Hallmark.

To ensure you never miss an important date like a birthday or anniversary, Treat offers an integrated service that will remind you of all those important events. I love the idea of a Treat calendar, which can be set up with reminders for anniversaries, events, family holidays and more. Plus, you can even use Facebook Connect to link your Facebook and Treat accounts to import friends’ birthdays.

Treat is an easy and revolutionary new way to make personalized greetings in your own style and personality just in time for Mother's Day! Here is how it works:

Choose your card from their thousands of designs, including the Mother’s Day Collection. Personalize it with photos, nicknames, inside jokes, whatever you want to add. This is your chance to make it YOUR card. Be creative. Be funny. Be sappy. Make them laugh, cry, or just smile. You can also add an embedded gift card from stores such as Amazon, Target, Pottery Barn and more.
When you checkout, get unlimited cards for $0.99 each through Mother’s Day. Use the code AFFTREAT to get this special deal. Or, you can also choose to get just one card for free. Use code FREETREAT for that. (Note: These offers are good for first time Treat customers only, so you have to pick one or the other. The good news is that this includes previous Tiny Prints customers). If you are ordering more than one card, the $.99 cent offer will save you the most as each card is normally $2.99.

Treat will truly brighten your day…and the day of anyone who receives one of their cards! So check them out now and take advantage of their two awesome promotions. They have cards for all kinds of occasions including Birthdays, Friendship Cards, Thank You Cards, Thinking of You and more.

P.S. I'm a Treat Affiliate, so I will get a teeny tiny commission on any purchase you make. While you're not obligated to purchase using these links, please know that when you do, you are supporting my blog and its mission and for that, I thank you!

Weekend Inspiration: Happy Things

2012-04-21T09:32:00.000-04:00

{Love this print? Click on it for source!}

It's the weekend! What do you have planned?

Whatever it is, make it fabulous!

Did YOU Win The Lindsay Phillips Switchflops?

2012-04-20T00:05:00.000-04:00

WOW! You guys must really like flip flops! THANKS to everyone who entered the Lindsay Phillips giveaway!

I wish I could give a pair of these amazing shoes to everyone who entered the giveaway, but unfortunately there can be only one winner. And the randomly selected winner is...

LESLIE BYRD

Congrats, Leslie! You have until 11:59pm on Monday, April 23rd to email me to claim your prize! If I don't hear from you by then, I'll randomly select another winner. Don't miss out - email me now!

I'm trying to work out a limited time discount arrangement with Lindsay so that the rest of my followers can order these shoes at a special savings. Once that's all ironed out, I'll let you know so you can get your own Switchflops! Keep checking back!

Again, thanks to all who entered! I hope you'll continue to hang around here and on my Facebook page! I'd love to get to know you better!

Have a great weekend!

Life Is Short: Your View

2012-04-18T00:05:00.000-04:00

Finish this sentence:

It's Flip Flop Season... And A Giveaway!

2012-04-13T00:05:00.000-04:00

Raise your hand if you're glad Spring is here. I sure am! We had a very mild winter, but even still, Spring seemed to take its slow, sweet time getting here.

Remember a few weeks ago, I did a product review of Lindsay Phillips' amazing Switchflops? I mentioned at the time that I was hoping to do a giveaway of these adorable shoes, and guess what? That's exactly what I'm doing!

Thanks to Lindsay and her amazing staff, I'm offering a pair of her Jordi flip flops and an extra pair of straps, a $36 value!

Entering the giveaway is simple. There's one mandatory entry. All you have to do is:

1) Like my Facebook page. That's it! Just leave a comment letting me know!

Want extra entries? Well, of course you do! Each of these actions counts as a separate entry when you do it and then leave a comment below:

2) "Like" Lindsay's Facebook page.

3) Follow Lindsay's Twitter.

4) Write a blog post, Facebook status, and/or Tweet about this giveaway {each counts as a separate entry}.

You have until next Wednesday at 11:59 pm ET to enter the giveaway. I will randomly select the winner and make the announcement here on my blog next Friday.

Thanks for entering, and good luck! I hope you win!

Life Is Short

2012-04-11T00:05:00.000-04:00

I'm kicking off a new blog series called Life Is Short. I'm not sure what all it will entail, so I'm open to suggestions and feedback from all of you. I'm even open to guest bloggers, if you'd like to write a post for this series. Just shoot me an email, and let's talk about it.

Be sure to subscribe to the blog so you don't miss out on any of this series. I mean, you have to agree. Life is short, and we all need to start living out loud. Let's figure it out together, shall we?

Gratitude Mondays, Week 1

2012-04-09T00:05:00.000-04:00

I've decided to shake things up a bit around here. I hope you'll come along for the ride.

As you may know, I'm pretty focused nowadays on my dog blog, The Lazy Pit Bull. I'm also working really hard for shelter dogs on my dog blog Facebook page. My real passion lies in working with these wonderful animals, and it's taking up a lot of my time.

But yet, as you know I just created THIS blog at the beginning of 2012. I have many wonderful followers, and I love interacting with you all. So I've decided to take a little more personal approach on this blog.

I won't be posting on a schedule here; meaning I might post 3 times this week and only once next week. But what I'll post here will be a little deeper than what you've gotten used to seeing from me.

That said, I want to tell you that I typically ward off today's happiness because I'm afraid of what it will cost me tomorrow. What I mean is, I worry about the future {a lot}, so I usually don't allow myself to relax much and enjoy today because I'm so afraid of what tomorrow will bring.

I'm trying so very hard to change that. I am trying so hard to appreciate each and every day, knowing that I have no control over tomorrow. And since I have no control over it, why should I let it rob me of today?

My 21 year old son has had a rough year or so. There have been a lot of ups and downs for him, as well as our entire family. But it seems as though things are finally starting to go his way. He's making great strides. He's just started a new job, which he really seems to like, and it's given him some direction about what he wants to do with his future. He's hoping to get back into school soon, too.

I'm very proud of him, and no matter what the future holds, I will always be proud of him. He will always be my son, and I will always love him.

So today, I'm grateful for this beautiful day, for my sweet son, and for a God of wondrous mercy.

What are YOU grateful for today?

Sunday Scripture: Mark 16:6

2012-04-08T00:05:00.002-04:00

There isn't much more that needs to be said, wouldn't you agree?

{Want more encouragement on this beautiful Easter Sunday? Click the button above to visit Deidra's blog and see the rest of the Sunday bloggers.}

Weekend Inspiration: Spring

2012-04-07T00:05:00.003-04:00

Consider it sprung, my Friend!

I hope you're doing something wonderful with your Easter weekend!

Weekend Inspiration: Story Of A Girl

2012-03-31T00:05:00.000-04:00

Look around, Friend.

Life is pretty amazing!

Go out and have an amazing weekend! I insist!

Weekend Inspiration: Why Ships Are Built

2012-03-24T00:05:00.002-04:00

Are you sailing your ship in open waters, ready for what ever challenge life throws at you?

Or are you docked safely in the harbor?

You can stay there in the harbor if you want, but you're never going to fulfill your purpose that way.

Won't you join me today? Let's sail out into unfamiliar waters and do something really daring! Come on! Won't you join me?

Have a marvelous weekend, my Friend! Happy sailing!

7 Keys To Creativity

2012-03-21T00:05:00.004-04:00

It's because I'm totally lacking creativity {and focus} lately that I'm stealing a little piece of a blog post by the wonderful Ann Voskamp. Her post really spoke to me because my creativity has been so stifled lately. Ann gives 7 great tips for how to feed your creativity:

1. Quit trying to fit. Why try to squeeze all your extraordinary into ordinary?

2. God made woman to be a maker, to open her empty places and let life be knit from within her.

3. Creativity, it’s good theology; it’s what God did in the beginning.

4. When we stop fearing failure, we start being artists.

5. Don’t let the sun set till you’ve done one thing that sort of scares you. The only trees that ever grow tall keep relentlessly stretching into unknown territory.

6. Art, it’s the second person present indicative of the verb to be. Art is a way of being and when you make your life art — thou art.

7. Bury your fear in faith. Otherwise you bury your talents.

What other ways can YOU think of, for feeding your creative spirit? I'd love it if you'd share with me!

Start Living

2012-03-19T00:05:00.004-04:00

{P.S. There's a great jewelry giveaway going on at The Lazy Pit Bull! I'd love for you to enter to win!}

Sunday Scripture: Psalm 32:8

2012-03-18T11:07:00.001-04:00

These are words I need to remember every single day, when I choose to trust Him with my life. How about you?

{Want more encouragement on this beautiful Sunday? Click the button above to visit Deidra's blog and see the rest of the Sunday bloggers.}

Weekend Inspiration: Get Lucky

2012-03-17T00:05:00.002-04:00

Happy St. Patrick's Day, Friend!

Have a wonderful weekend!

Because I KNOW You Love Flipflops...

2012-03-16T00:05:00.000-04:00

Can you believe spring is almost here and summer is just around the corner? I don't know about you, but I can't wait to start wearing my capris and cute tops! And if this great weather keeps up, that just might be this weekend!

There's something else I can't wait to start wearing: my brand new Lindsay Phillips Switchflops!

I found Lindsay's store in the Gaylord Opryland Hotel when I was at Blissdom a couple of weeks ago, and I even got to meet Lindsay herself {she's so adorable!}. And can I just say, these shoes are absolutely amazing! If you enjoy wearing flipflops like I do, I know you will love these beauties!

For right at $100, I got a pair of the black wedge sandals and 6 different bright, beautiful, colorful straps! That's like getting 6 pair of shoes for less than $100, and when was the last time you were able to do that!

What I really love about Switchflops is their gorgeous simplicity! Why buy half a dozen different pairs of shoes, when one pair and lots of different straps makes more sense?

It's hard to believe these adorable, versatile shoes started as Linsday's high school art project! People fell in love with the idea - who wouldn't! - so Lindsay decided to turn the project into actual shoes!

Here's a short little video of Lindsay talking about the shoes:

I know you want to know more about these shoes, so I highly suggest checking out Lindsay's Facebook page.
You can order directly from her website, but I also suggest searching for a location near you. As of right now there's only one Lindsay Phillips store, but she partners with retailers all over the country and I'm betting there's a store near you that carries these great shoes!

As of right now, Lindsay doesn't have an affiliate program, so I'm not getting paid or benefiting in any way by telling you about these shoes. The only reward I receive for sharing with you today is knowing that you will love, love, love Switchflops, and I can't wait to see you wearing yours!

{I'm also working with Lindsay and her PR people to do a giveaway here on my blog!}

Don't you just LOVE these shoes!