Find Your Happy!

Hello, my friends!

I hope you all are doing wonderfully! It is Wednesday and I am excited and ready to work, today! I love the fact that I can go anywhere, do anything and still do my job. I also love that, while doing my job, I can do my hobby, which is talking about mental illness and bringing awareness to end the stigma and shame associated with an illness over which you have no control.

It would be like shaming a person because they have cancer. They didn't ask for it. It just happened upon them and it's their turn to fight. They don't need a whole lot more than that and they just fight because there is only one other option. That is the same with mental illness. We ALL have days when we don't want to do ANYTHING. We all have days when we just want to wallow in self pity and I think a day of that is just fine, every once in a while. Heck, I think a day of that for anyone, for ANY reason is just fine! Car broke down? Go ahead. Have a pity party. Broke a nail? That HURTS! So, I understand wallowing for a bit. 

But, there comes a time, in ALL trials, where you just have to decide to be happy again, no matter the circumstance.

So choose. Be happy or be miserable. It all takes the same amount of life. You just get more life out of being happy. I promise.

Origami Owl's theme for our annual Convention is Find Your Happy, this year.  I am working toward going because it is so near, but I am afraid I won't have the funds. My husband and I just bought a house and I need a car and bills and all of that are piling up. (Side note, I don't know WHO let me "adult", but I'm pretty sure I want to return that gift. Haha.) So, I think I'm going to have to miss out on finding my happy. But, that's okay. I already found mine. It's you. It's life, in general. It's blue skies and sunlight, but it's also grey skies and raindrops. You find the most happy when you give yourself permission to be happy, no matter the circumstance. 

Train yourself to find the silver lining and you will find it there, most of the time. A truly happy person will even create their own glimmer when they can't find one already there. THAT is called being a leader. Press on when it looks bleak and show others how to do it, as well. That is how I find my happy. So, today, I am designing my locket to have my favorite things. Plain and simple. 

Coffee
Shoes
My Dogs
My Love For You
Kisses
Blogging
Rain

What would your locket have in it, for YOUR favorite things?

Find your happy, everyone! It's so worth it.

Love you all,
Jessica

Why Join The Sparkling Hooters Team?

Question: 
Jessica, why should I join the Sparkling Hooters team?


Answer:
I can't believe it is already the 25th of April!

Where is the year going?!

I have been so busy with Origami Owl, writing my book and reading... I have also been designing my garden and working on my house. I am working on a great life, here!

I love working with Origami Owl! The company is AMAZING. They had an internet platform change that threw a lot of things off in the last couple of months. Now, they are making up for it! I knew they would. They always give us more than we deserve. 

They are giving us promotions, starting now, where we can make bonuses for the next few months, by just doing what we were doing, anyway. It's amazing!

I get to work from wherever I am... Including my bed, when I'm sick, anywhere there is wifi or I have data coverage on my phone, when I'm running errands! I love working for myself! I choose my hours and I can come and go, as I please. There is nothing more freeing than that!

So, you want to know about the team I'm on... Well, my small team (Charmed & Dangerous) is an offset of an amazing BIG team called Sparkling Hooters...

I am on Jill McCarthy's team, Sparkling Hooters and it is the most amazing group of people! We are a no negativity group who take charge and find solutions, rather than exacerbating problems. We are all over the USA and Canada, we hold each other up, pray for and send positive vibes to each other, wish each other luck, love on and cheer each other on, every step of the way. 

We have our own Charm School, as a new or "seasoned" Designer, every month, where we learn about ourselves, set goals, learn tips and tricks of the business and get the motivation we need to keep up the pace, or just get a business re-boost. As a leader, you can help with Charm School by teaching all the great things you have learned along the way and help cheer on those going through it to learn... And, you just may learn a few things, yourself! 

We have a group that allows future Designers to join to see how we work together, learn who we are and what Origami Owl and the Sparkling Hooters are all about. It is AMAZING because we can help you grow your team! I am actually the admin on that group, so I can say with confidence... It's awesome. But, maybe I'm biased. Along with the group, Jill also does Opportunity Nights once or twice a month, on a webcast format, (Where we can see and hear her, but she can't hear or see us.) and we invite our future Designers and they can get on the chat and ask Jill questions and we dance and have a LOT of fun. 

We are well trained. Once we join, we have different groups for our own graphic designs, to stay healthy, to stay motivated, a Leaders page and weekly team webcasts with Jill! 

In case you don't know who "Jilleysue" is, her name is Jill McCarthy and she is AMAZING. She is a social media rockstar, living in Florida with the cutest dogs (besides mine!) and rocking her businesses! Yes, more than one! She is one of the busiest people I have ever met and she is living the dream, one day at a time. I aspire to be like her.

She and so many others have already helped me to become who I am. 

When I was diagnosed with my mental illness, I was strong, but I also fell apart. When everything you thought you knew goes down the drain, that happens. But, joining this particular team with these people have inspired me in so many areas of my life. Business, personal, financial, emotional, spiritual, health... No area has been left untouched. I am truly thankful for my Owl family and I would like to give them a warm "hoot hoot"! 

Some times, you touch people's lives and you don't even know it. So, thank you Tammy Leatherby, Anna Dean, Sonya Marchetta, and last but not least, Jill McCarthy. I know I am leaving some out, but there are so many. I learn from all of my Sparkling Hooters family and am grateful to all of you. 

So, if you're thinking about joining, that's why you should choose us. We make each other better. We are family.

And, I'm not even going to tell you about the annual Convention shenanigans... You'll have to find out after you join us! ;)

Talk to you soon!
Jessica Starwalt - ID# 12588973
jstarwalt.origamiowl.com to join or shop
facebook.com/jstarwaltOO to "like" and talk to me!

Be the Exception until it's the Rule!

Today, I got up, showered, dressed, coffee and set out to Target, because I had a gift card. I LOVE gifts cards to ANYWHERE. Seriously. They make me WAY happier than they should. Lol.

I went there and got new stationary and thank you cards. (I also love sending snail mail to people!) I bought the cards and then, handed the gift card to the lady behind me when I was finished and told her to keep whatever was left on it. Her face just lit up and smiled and she said "well thank you!" and the cashier let out a sweet "AWW!" I was taken aback. I do things like that a lot, so it didn't occur to me that this is the exception and not the rule... At first, I felt thankful that I have a heart for others, but then I started feeling sad.

Being kind and giving is the EXCEPTION! That should not be. I would have given that lady my CAR if I didn't need it. I would give her my shoes and I didn't even know her. It makes me sad to know that people don't truly care about others, very often. It's a shame.

I don't have my life completely together, quite obviously, but I love to make other people smile. So, now I'm wondering what types of things do you do to make other people smile? I would love to hear them in the comments. And, no, this is not about bragging on yourself. This is giving people who may not know what to do, some ideas. (And, me, too! I can always use more ideas!)

This is very important to me and part of the LOVE Revolution! Talk to me in the comments! What can we do to make this a better, sweeter place to live? Let's hear your ideas!

Talk to you soon!!

Jessica

LOVE Revolution

I have another blog, where I talk about my mental illness. I have talked about it here, before, but I don't dwell on it here because there is no reason to. However, I am cross-posting this because it is a GREAT entry and it ties into Origami Owl's way of loving people and telling your story. So, get to know me a little better, here... 

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Everyone who has a mental illness KNOWS that it's not fair. Heck, life isn't fair. Things happen beyond your control and you just have to sit in it and learn to live. How do I cope? Well... My body is made up of and held together by pure will and caffeine. Yep. 7/10 caffeine. That's why I drink so much coffee. I have to keep my levels up!

I just sit and look at it from other people's point of view and, if you don't have the "pleasure" of NOT seeing me on a bad day, (which I only show to those I truly love...) then I look like I am fine. You see me glaring at you because Sheila is near, smiling at you because Victoria is near, either smirking or staring at you, defiantly, if Jenna is there. Sasha is hard to spot, but she comes out when she feels safe and can be silly or has to protect the rest of us. And Jessie doesn't come out much because she hardly ever feels safe OR scared. She's shy and quiet. And then, there's me, at the heart of it all, standing there with a stupid look on my face because I have no idea how I feel.

I have lived on instinct my ENTIRE life. I do what I need to do to survive and that's that. I do not know HOW to be truly happy. It's sad, but I'm honestly happiest when I am alone. There's not so much pressure there. I can do what I want and be who I am without anybody thinking ANYTHING. I don't have to worry about hurting someone if there is nobody there to hurt, but myself. And, I can take it. I've been through the Seven Rings of Hell and I can handle anything life throws at me.

But, you start adding other people into the mix and, there goes everything. I never want to hurt another person. That is NOT how I do. But, it is how I have done. I know that. I have heard stories about myself that make my skin crawl. I have had blatant disrespect, at the very least, for other humans and that is SAD. But, know I did what I thought was right, in those situations, at the time.

Sometimes, I just wish God would take me out of this world. You see, I don't want to die. I just want to be dead. It seems like the easiest solution to a hard and fast problem. The only way, though, is if God were to take me out, Himself. I can't tell you how many times I have prayed for God to take me and that I was ready to go because this life is more than anyone should have to carry. I have found myself on many a floor, red and out of breath from all of the sobbing, wishing I would just leave this place.

After so many years, I know God has a plan. He must. It's not like I'm just floating around, accomplishing nothing. I must be here for a reason, right? Because, it seems to me that God wouldn't put me through all of this just to watch me squirm. He wouldn't just leave me down here to fall and be brutally hurt so many times, just to see me reach out for death. Yet, that is exactly what I have gotten from His "church". It's sad, really. The Bible tells us to LOVE. You will know Jesus's followers by their "judgement"? Nope. LOVE. You will know them by their LOVE.

Do you know how many times I reached out for love and got smacked down by a "Pastor"? One even threatened to rape me, as I was baring my soul to my friends. I was at my most vulnerable and he attacked. How do I deal with that? Well, I can tell you. I stopped going to church. It was the best decision I ever made. I started hanging out with the people who have been hurt, embarrassed, beaten down and harassed. That is where your true love lies, because these people know what it's like to be hurt, so they know compassion. They know how to truly love, though many of them have never experienced receiving it. My heart aches for them. I want to love them. I want to love you.

I want to feel safe, secure and to love and be loved. THAT is my mission. THAT is why I'm here. I am here, on this earth for YOU. If you need love, let me know. (And, I don't mean anything creepy, got it? Do NOT freak me out or I will let Sheila go and you do NOT want that. Promise.) If you need someone to talk to, listen, advice or a virtual hug, please let me know. I am honored to be of your service. I want to be a true servant leader in this LOVE Revolution this world so desperately needs and I don't believe it will start with the church. (Yet, it will come from God because He knows what it's like to sacrifice for all mankind, just like the "misfits" of this world.) I believe it will start with the broken.

So, here I am. Let it start with me. All who are damaged, forgotten, helpless, bullied, fear stricken, trampled on, bruised, beaten, mocked, hated, misunderstood and lost, come with me on this journey to make the world a better place. We can do it because WE know compassion. We know what it feels like to want to die and somehow manage to still be here every single day. We have the power to change things, so let's start now.

Keep standing strong and try to smile at someone you don't know! You never know how that can change someone's day.

So much love,
Jessica

How Do I Start a Blog?

Q:  Jessica, I want to start a blog, but I don't know how to go about it. Where do I start?

A:  I am so glad you asked! I love to write and it comes sort of naturally to me, I suppose. Here, I write as I speak. That is not how it always goes. For a blog, though. BE YOU! Your words in your language us what will get through to people. Being yourself will be how you develop a voice and people will love that voice because it's REAL. 

It's a lot harder to write a book. Finding your voice, as the author AND not neglecting the character's voice is a lot harder. I have this blog and my other one, which speaks to other people with Mental Illness. (I have been diagnosed with Dissociative Identity Disorder and I would LOVE to end the stigma of mental illness!) 

I have a lot of forces driving me to write in both of them. Figure out your "why" and write about what you know. Always be learning, so you can always have something to write about! 

Simple and sweet!

Any other questions? Ask away! If I don't know the answer, I will find someone who does! 

Love you all!

Jessica Starwalt - #12588973

If you are interested in my blog about my disorder, please feel free to send me a message or email and I will give you the link! 

The 80's and 90's Were the BOMB.... Diggity. :)

Hello Happy Times Fans!

It's been a while since I wrote! Sorry about that! We did our taxes and I had other grown up type errands to run. When did I become a grown up? Lol. If you ask most people, it was 13 years ago when I turned 18. However, I don't remember it, so it must not have happened, right?! That's what I'm saying!

I look at this generation and think how DIFFERENT it was when I was a kid. We played outside and didn't worry about being kidnapped or anything else. Not to mention the TECHNOLOGY these days! We wouldn't have known what to do with an iPod or anything else, for that matter. My Tomagachi Pet was as high tech as it got and THAT was pushing it. We didn't have cell phones. I remember we had an old, black "bag phone" in the car, with a cord! My, how times have changed.

How many of you remember watching TGIF on Friday nights? I miss those types of tv shows! So many weeks we spent around the dinner table and then the tv, watching together and just being silly. It seems to me like families just aren't the same, anymore. I miss those days.

Come on, when Steve Urkel turned into Stephan.... GOLD! Haha!

I also look at the music. This generation has it SO EASY when they want to hear their favorite song, they just type it in to youtube and THERE IT IS! Anyone remember doing THIS?

What songs do you distinctly remember waiting for? I remember we had the Macerena and Breakfast At Tiffany's (She said, I think I remember the film and as... I thought, we both kinda liked it....) on cassette! Gotta love it!

What were your favorite memories from the 80's and 90's? Share them with me!

Love you all!
Jessica Starwalt

Jared Padalecki and His FIGHT. Help!

Pleas take a moment and buy a shirt from Jared Padalecki's campaign with To Write Love On Her Arms for suicide prevention and the fighting depression. I have dealt with these things, myself.

Go to represent.com/jared and buy NOW! There are only 24 hours left!

Happy Times Lockets supports this cause, as we have been dealing with our own, internal battles with multiple disorders.

Thank you!!
Jessica Starwalt - ID# 12588973