1600 Hours Later...

Well...1603 to be exact.

I finally did it.

It may not seem such a huge deal to graduate from hair school, but for me, it's a miracle. Not because I'm a "slacker" or "a little slow" (quite the contrary, I tend to be a bit of an overachiever)...but because for a good few years, completing post-secondary education just wasn't in the cards for me.

In my second semester at college, my father had passed away. From that point, I felt like my life had snowballed and landed in a hole of impossibility, no matter how much I tried to make the impossible possible. Have you ever gone through a point in your life, where you felt like you were trying your absolute hardest with blood, sweat, and tears but no matter what, you still failed? That was me. Before I left college, I had ended up as a part time student working three jobs. I would work until 4am, then be to class later that morning by 8am. It was a vicious cycle I simply could not keep up with while trying to overcome the grieving of losing my father.

So I packed up and went home. I kept trying to get back into school....local art schools, even community college just to finish my associate's degree. Nothing would work out. The financial aid wasn't there, they lost my files and class had already started, etc. For one reason or another, it just wasn't working out. I couldn't even get a decent job to try and get back on my feet.

Then one day, I finally gave into the idea of going to cosmetology school. I've always wanted to go (after all those years of doing everyone's hair and makeup for Show Choir and Musical Theater), and people kept urging me to. I started looking around, and I ALMOST ended up at the Aveda in Lansing, MI...but I couldn't afford the housing at the time.

Around this time, my aunt who had just moved down to Florida a few months previous, had come up for my cousin's graduation. We started talking at the open house and at one point my aunt just turns to me and says, "hey....why don't you come back with me in a few days?" Well, that took me about 5 seconds to decide my life was going nowhere and I had nothing to lose, so within 3 days I packed up and headed down to Florida.

Thus, I got a job, started attending school, and I even caught myself a husband!

There were a lot of scares while I was in school, that my financial aid was going to fall through....then there were a lot of things my husband and I went through in the last year. But I held on and tried my best to give 110% regardless of what was going on in my life at the time. I had one goal, that was to graduate and graduate well.

And I did. So here I am, diploma in hand, I've been studying for the state boards for two months, and we're getting ready to head back to the "Show-Me" state. And not to mention my husband has completed one of his goals and is moving onto his next as well. I'm really proud of him, too.

Anyway! This has been a huge deal for me. I'm so glad I have this opportunity to do something I love, and that my life has taken a total 180. And thanks to all my friends and family (and models) who have supported me all the way!

Without further ado, my graduation from the Aveda Institute of St. Petersburg!

First of all, I would like to take this moment to thank Betsey Johnson for providing me with the perfect graduation dress...in petite size:

Out of 4 awards given, I won two...Highest GPA and Highest Retail Average (we couldn't seem to get a picture where someone wasn't laughing):

With my mother and step-dad:

The hubby helping me clean out my station for the final time! (Gosh, we look so young...I swear we're in our 20s!)

Packing up my portfolio I scrapbooked for my clients to look through:

One last snapshot of school:

And my coconut!

Wait...what? Okay, so here's the story:

When I was younger we came to Florida twice and also went to Hawaii for vacation. Every time I was DYING to bring back a coconut. Because that's just what you do in exotic places, you get coconuts! However, I was always told I couldn't because they don't allow you to take coconuts on airplanes. SO. Thanks to my mom for being innovative and remembering all those years ago, I finally got my Florida coconut!

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Journeying through the last 6 years of my life, I'm reminded of how God is in control, no matter what the situation. He has carried me through some of the hardest times of my life, and now through one of the most promising times of my life. There will always be a bigger picture, and I cannot fail if I always choose to trust God, and obey. One verse that I have specifically encountered on multiple occasions is Deuteronomy 31:6

Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.

Isn't that promising? If I hadn't failed so many times, I never would have gotten to the point I'm at now. I would still be struggling and trying to figure out where I was going next. Perhaps I never would have met my future husband.

You know that old hymn, Great is Thy Faithfulness? That one is my favorite. :)

DIY Heating Pad

So I got the idea from Pinterest on how to make a homemade heating pad. Actually, it doesn't just need to be used for heating, you may also stick it in the freezer to break fevers. I have some fabric that I can't seem to recall why I purchased it in the first place, so I thought I'd put it to use! I tried to take the best pictures possible, but it's times like this I dearly miss my DSLR!

First, I cut two 6"x18" strips of fabric.

Next, place them together so the fabric's backside is facing out. Pin the edges together and sew all except the end so you can fill it up:

Flip the fabric inside-out (which is actually the correct way so the pattern is on the outside). I filled ours with lentils, but you may also use rice or any other filler that can withstand temperature change. To add fragrance, I emptied a few tea bags into the pouch and added some lavender oil. Aveda's Active Composition is also a great choice, as it has healing qualities that are specifically geared toward relaxing muscles, not to mention a calming aroma!

Mix it all up and sew the end together. Put it in the microwave for 1:30-2 minutes and voila! You've got yourself a nice little heating pad for your relaxation needs!

8 Habits of Effective Critical Thinkers

Guess who's moving to Masters 9 weeks early. That's right, this girl! Almost done! Now I can wear THESE:

Also...an interesting tidbit my pastor posted on facebook yesterday. I think we can all apply these habits to both our personal and professional lives: 

Eight Habits of Effective Critical Thinkers

Posting Date: December 01, 2011

By: Stephen L. Guinn, Ph.D. and Gary A. Williamson, Ph.D.

Successful executives use critical thinking skills every day, to sift through incomplete and complex information, ask the right questions, recognize strong versus weak arguments, and to assimilate the information they need to make logical business decisions. Today’s rapidly changing business environment allows no time for poor decision making. If not quickly recognized before too much investment is made, a poor decision can hinder a corporation’s chances for success in quarterly results and throw a monkey wrench in the opportunity for timely intervention in fast-moving markets.

Although the consequences of poor critical thinking increase exponentially for higher-level positions in a company, critical thinking is not just the province of executives. Employees at all levels make decisions that affect their level of productivity and the efficient use of resources. When the maintenance mechanic has the critical thinking skills to problem solve effectively, he can get a piece of equipment back in working order more quickly, thereby enhancing productivity. A sales representative with good critical thinking skills will ask the right questions of her customers so she can best meet their specific needs and create successful, long-term relationships.

8 Habits of Stellar Critical Thinkers

The best critical thinkers practice eight particular habits when processing information, solving problems, and reaching decisions:

Habit #1: They are more concerned about getting it right than about being right. They can put aside their egos to recognize that they do not need to have all the answers. They are willing to admit to not knowing something or to making mistakes. They know the importance of asking questions and seeking out the best available information.

Habit #2: They avoid jumping to conclusions and rushing to judgment. They take time to gather as much information as possible to better understand a complex situation before taking action.  They recognize that the consequences of some decisions are more important than others and these decisions require more scrutiny.

Habit #3: They do not accept information at face value. They ask questions to discover what is behind the data. They recognize that it is important not only to confirm that the facts are correct but also to understand that information can be presented in a way designed to support a particular agenda. Similarly, they know to inquire about information that may have been left out because it does not lend support to a particular position.

Habit #4: They avoid over-analysis that leads to paralysis in decision-making. They seek clarity by looking for order or patterns in the data while avoiding the trap of forcing information to fit a particular need. By looking at both the forest (the big picture) and the trees (the details) they have a sense of when they have enough information to make a decision. They know that they will never have all the information they might like but are confident that once they have explored the available information fully and objectively, they will likely make sound decisions.

Habit #5: They are continuous learners and work to stay well-informed. They are inquisitive about a wide range of topics and issues, making a regular effort to read and to educate themselves, gathering information that may be important for making decisions now and in the future.

Habit #6: They show flexibility in their willingness to consider alternative ideas and opinions. They seek to understand the perspective of a potential customer or even a competitor.  This ability to see more than one side of an issue allows them to position their approach more effectively and reflects their confidence in their ability to reason. 

Habit #7: They use critical thinking on themselves. They can explain how they arrived at a conclusion, allowing others to follow their reasoning and understand their thinking. Through self-examination and sensitivity to their own biases, they ask themselves questions such as:  “Do I have all the necessary information? If my conclusions are true, what are the likely implications?” They are willing to change their views when they are provided with more information that allows greater understanding.

Habit #8: They have a distinctive behavioral style. They are confident but not cocky, reflective yet able to take action, and decisive while showing reasonable analysis. They can demonstrate patience when the stakes are high and the issues are not black-and-white. They read more than the average person and communicate their ideas clearly. They can think independently but place value on different perspectives. They accept responsibility when things go wrong and seek to understand what happened so they can learn from their mistakes. 

Critical thinking skills cannot be developed overnight. Nonetheless, practicing these eight habits described here will improve one’s critical thinking ability. As individuals become more successful in using good critical thinking in their everyday decision making, their companies will be more successful in meeting the challenges of continuously changing expectations of customers and markets.