Tackling Life and Culture in Your Grit and Grace Life

a roll of voting stickers, which can prompt election stress

What to Do in the Face of Election Stress and Political Division

Perhaps it is cliché to say that I have never seen America more divided during an election season, but it sure seems that way. Whether it’s because America is at a crossroads or because social media amplifies it more than ever before, I can tell you that I am saddened and exhausted by the election process. As I scroll, I see friends slinging mud at each other and opposing viewpoints. I see friendships broken. I see divides. I see hate. I see self-righteousness. I don’t see love or respect. I was raised in a very political family. We regularly engaged in lively debate around the dinner table, watched and discussed the news, went to fundraisers and rallies for candidates from local, to […]

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Unplanned Pregnancy—the Tale of Two Girls

By Darlene Brock / Life & Culture

I was a teen in the early years of Roe v. Wade when a significant cultural change began. I don’t think we realized then how much impact a decision made by seven Justices of the Supreme Court would have on our lives. Pregnancy wasn’t ever present in our minds, but it was something we were trying to avoid, often rather ineffectively, given this was also the era of “free love.” In those years, an unplanned pregnancy had even more impact on a female’s life than it does today. Girls were labeled, often looked down upon, which didn’t make a lot of sense since they were not alone in their activity. They merely experienced the possible consequences that many others risked. It was

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Announcing Smart Living In Small Bites Guidebooks!

By Darlene Brock / Life & Culture, Featured

Do you ever wish you had a guidebook for life’s challenges? Challenges that feel insurmountable, and you would love guidance from someone who has already traversed the road you find yourself on? Something easy to read that allows you to feel comfortable with your hurts, feelings, and thoughts? We created those books in the Smart Living in Small Bites series. The first four are on sale now in paperback and Amazon Kindle eBook. Hard Marriage, Suicide Loss, Anxiety Struggles, and Past Sexual Abuse are the first of the subjects we are speaking to. Our writers, just like you, have faced challenges with nowhere to turn. This shared experience led us to help others facing what we had already faced. Each book in the

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woman at the gym doing bicep curls and learning to lift heavy

Lift Heavy—Your Body Will Thank You (And Still Look Feminine)

By Amanda-Lee Pitzer / Life & Culture

I just read this post by a friend of mine, Heidi Smith: “Today is clean out my closet day—I am finally ready to let go of my ‘skinny clothes.’ Three years ago, I was doing an insane preparation and was the thinnest I’ve ever been. I was weighing my food and tracking everything. To some, that may look like discipline; now I realize that I had put myself in a prison. I was going to bed starving and having horrible blood sugar crashes. For what? Because I thought to be beautiful was low body fat? I am not naturally thin. I lift. I am active. I never stop moving. I eat healthy. But I have learned that it is okay to enjoy

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10 of the Best Pumpkin Recipes to Taste Fall Now

By Meaghan Dawson / Life & Culture

Oh, fall, we just love you for so many reasons. After summer’s heat and humidity, your cool, crisp air is a glorious change of pace. Your colors are astounding, bringing perspective each day as you turn the leaves into gorgeous shades of crimson and gold. Bundling up in sweaters and boots is exciting and new after a season of sweating it out in swimsuits and shorts. But nowhere is our love for fall displayed greater than in the explosion of pumpkin everything in the past few years. Long gone are the days when pumpkin made a single appearance in the pie at Thanksgiving. Now, pumpkin is the marker by which we usher in the entire season, with the release of the Pumpkin

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On Life and Childhood Cancer, From a Pediatric Oncology Nurse

By Rachel Graham / Life & Culture

After her morning coffee, cuddles with her gorgeous Weimaraners, and a little bit of knitting (she’s admittedly a grandma trapped in a millennial’s body), Amanda heads to work, ready to bring light and comfort to her tiniest patients as they fight cancer. You may not know, but September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. Perhaps you’ve seen the phrase “Fight like a kid” on a t-shirt or social media post recently and wondered what that’s about. It’s to bring awareness to the children who are battling for their lives. Some of us have never been around a child with cancer, but for others, this month hits close to home because of the fight they’ve shared. The reality of this month is that one

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How to Get Your Hormone Health in Check

By Ashby Duval / Health & Beauty, Life & Culture

Let me start by saying I am not an expert in balanced hormones. I am, however, a black belt-level expert in unbalanced hormones. Everything I’m about to share with you quite literally comes from my own experience and the things that helped me out of my hormone hole, so I hope there is something here that can help you, too. So. The “H” word. What’s the big deal? What do hormones affect? In short, everything. In fact, your hormones and gut health can have a bigger effect on your health than anything else, even if your diet is sparkling clean. Hormones are your body’s chemical messengers, and if they are off, your quality of life can be greatly affected (not to mention

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Do You Ever Feel Like You’re Behind in Life?

By Katie Loudermilk Roberts / Life & Culture

Several months ago, I was in a pit full of stress and anxiety. I was finishing up my last semester of college and on the search for a job related to my field. Usually, there is an overwhelming amount of emotions when your life is going through impactful changes. Rather than focusing on myself and what was bothering me, I turned to social media. I have a bad habit of spending hours on Instagram or Facebook without realizing it. My phone consumes me with funny cat videos, satisfying slime, and catching up on my friends whom I have not talked to in a while. Social media can be both helpful and harmful. Although seeing my friend’s new baby brings me joy, there

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Remembering September 11: Overcoming Anxiety as an Aircrew

By Kristen Bailey / Life & Culture

When I first started flying as a flight attendant, I was sent to New York as the last batch of attendants hired as JFK crew. My first day of flying? September 11, 2015. Joining one of the major airlines used during the terror attacks on that fateful day, my first day of work was to be a lesson in the necessary skill of overcoming anxiety as a flight attendant. When faithfulness triumphs over fear, true bravery is born. The flight crews who kept working in the air after those tragic crashes told us something with their lives: We must remain faithful to whatever it is we’re doing, despite our fears, or we might freeze. A Lasting Impact I was a new hire,

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Wanting to Take a Fall Vacation? Check Out These 5 Spots

By Sharita Hanley / Life & Culture

As much as I enjoy summer’s arrival, there’s just something about autumn that seems to calm my soul. Like an open invitation to relax, fall swoops in after summer’s high-intensity fun, like a hero in the night. Calm and comforting. An enchanting reminder of what it means to slow… down. So, after the sand castles are washed away, and the back-to-school transition ends, here are five beautiful places to visit for a fall vacation. 1. Asheville, North Carolina Nestled in the western part of North Carolina’s Blue Ridge Mountains, Asheville is a popular fall destination. A festival haven, this mountain town hosts celebrations of all kinds including the The Lovely Asheville Annual Fall Festival and the live, outdoor theater experience-inspired Haunted Trail

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a strong woman shows grace and is not weak

7 Female Inventors Who Solved Life Problems

By Darlene Brock / Life & Culture

I love human history, especially the accomplishments of my gender. Yet searching what women have achieved, one often finds the most current writing focuses on a single note in the rich melody of women’s achievements—the strides made by women in advancing equality. Ladies, we have done so much more than that! It’s not a single note; instead, it’s a whole orchestral arrangement. What I also love is that not only is exploring our gender’s achievements much more than a reflection on how far women have come, but it is also rich in accomplishment that is in no way predictable, especially in female inventors. These female inventors deserve to be celebrated for what they created! The Woman Who Invented the Bulletproof Vest If

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enjoying your life even when its overwhelming

This Is How I Enjoy My Life Even When I’m Feeling Overwhelmed

By Nicole Stine / Life & Culture

Are you in one of those seasons of life where it seems like any second your world is going to go spinning off its axis? Please, tell me I’m not alone in this! Are you feeling overwhelmed with all of the demands of this world? Do you feel like your tank is on empty and you’re running on fumes? If so, I’m right there with you, sister! You see, I’m one of those people that takes life head-on and plows through the problems that come my way. Usually. However, recent illness in my family—myself included—has made it significantly more difficult for me to navigate the stresses and pressures of life with my usual tenacity. I’m exhausted mentally and physically and several times

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Running with Grit and Grace in Hot Pink Spandex

By Lynn Fleshman / Health & Beauty, Life & Culture

A few weeks ago, I had the privilege of speaking to a group of beginner runners on the topic of motivation. Why would I receive such an invitation? Well, because I’m about the world’s least likely and most enthusiastic runner. Especially running with grit and grace. I’m all of 5-feet-2-inches high (on a tall day), I weigh in around one hundred and sexy (which happens to be 20ish pounds more than my doctor thinks is necessary), and I faked asthma to get out of gym class in middle school. Nevertheless, I’ve conquered numerous 5Ks, several half marathons, a full marathon, and a triathlon. One of the reasons I’m asked to help motivate beginners is because of my—ahem—non-athletic appearance; it instantly qualifies me

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A 30 Day Challenge That Will Boost Your Mood

By Molly Dockweiler / Life & Culture

A lot is going on in our world right now. It’s hard not to get caught up in the anxiety that comes from all the news, all the issues we face that can steal our joy, all the uncertainty of the future. If you are struggling to enjoy the beauty that today holds, a 30 Day Challenge might help you appreciate all the good that is still happening around us, while simultaneously forming a new habit that just might improve your life as a whole. I first heard about the 30 Day Challenge from Matt Cutts’ TED Talk. In the video, Cutts discusses that doing something for 30 days is just the right amount of time to add or subtract a habit

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My Most Embarrassing Moment

By Ashley Johnson / Life & Culture

I began babysitting for my high school cheerleading coach, Toni, when I was about 14 years old. At that time, she had one boy, Carter, and was pregnant with Lauren. By the time I graduated high school she had three, beautiful children whom I loved and cared for as if they were my own little brothers and sister. Right before I went away for college, Toni asked me to go on vacation with her family and her brother’s family of four to help with the kids. I said yes, and we had a great time. However, on the very last night of our trip, something went terribly wrong… I woke up that last morning to someone nudging my shoulder and saying my

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woman jumping in the air at the beach who is happy with her body image and swimsuits in the summer

When Body Image and Swimsuits Collide: A Guide for Every Woman

By Kimberly Trigo / Life & Culture

Sitting here with a bad sunburn after a day at the lake for Father’s Day, I can tell you one thing that has changed my life and my summers with my children: not caring about my size or what people will say when I slip off my bathing suit cover. I was 5 feet 5 inches tall and 95 pounds in high school. My mother was 5 feet 3 inches tall and 100 pounds, so I was a small girl. Back then I would lift weights to bulk out a little. All those wonderful kids I went to school with gave me the nickname ‘Toothpick.’ Oh, if they could see me now. I was skinny and never had a weight problem, but

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The Beauty of The Declaration of Independence

By Darlene Brock / Life & Culture

Here at Grit and Grace Life, we want to take this opportunity to share the document that paved the road to the formation of The United States of America. The Declaration of Independence was written in July of 1776 by a group of men who fought valiantly against rulers who wanted to usurp authority over the forming nation. This document is worthy of review, and we do so in remembrance of the sacrifices made and challenges overcome by the brave husbands, women, and children of that day… The Declaration of Independence IN CONGRESS, July 4, 1776. The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America, When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the

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