What is POPG? and why do I care so much?
P R E S S O N P R E T T Y G I R L:
Is a womans based recovery movement. Woman empowering one another to create the beautiful life they were designed for. Whether it be recovery from substance abuse, body dysmorphia, domestic violence, anxiety and depression, an eating disorder or simply just struggling day to day to know your worth; this is a community to feel safe in. My hope is that instead of being dragged into societies vicious battle of constant comparison and false perfection, we bond together through our experience, failures and triumphs to strengthen each other. Your past does not define you. You must press on.
Press On Pretty Girl isn't just a cute hashtag. It isn't just something that I like to talk about. This is a movement and lifestyle I am working tirelessly to build. It has nothing to do with money. With recognition or seeking out praise. I am grossly appalled by the lack of support the women in our world have for one another. This has become a state of constant competition and women are being born into this rat race of inadequacy without a chance. I am also aware of the lack of transparency amongst us because perfection is so desired. We have in a sense become detached from reality. I believe the need to have a "Perfect life" is overtaking the truth of our existence and human experience. That being, we are REAL people with REAL lives. We experience pain and trauma. We struggle. We fail. But we keep all of this quiet as we flawlessly execute a steam of visually pleasing wonder for all our peers to observe. We hide the pain we go through on a daily basis. We lie to ourselves about our hopes and dreams to fit the prescribed notion of women created by people who's live we view on social media and many other outlets. When I think about myself two years ago it makes my heart break. When I think about the girl that pretended to have it all together and but really was completely broken inside, it makes me sick. In the end I drank myself nearly to death becasue the pain of being alive was truthfully to much to bare. My entire life has been a series of choices that were either made out of fear, or the want for something I wasn't feeling. Self harm, promiscuity, alcoholism, starvation, binge eating, reckless marital and religious choices. I chased happiness directly into deep despair. I ran so fast, so hard in the wrong direction and finally hit a wall which almost killed me. I've tried to put on every single type of mask you can imagine. I've done the christian girl thing. The military wife thing. The blogger thing. The bad ass, give no fucks attitude girl thing. If there was a role to play, I had played it. Then that charade finally fell apart. I fell apart.
I got sober (1st attempt) May 19th 2015 and for the first time in a long time, I felt alive. I was scared every day for the a few months. It was a scary feeling. Not being numb and being alone with myself. But eventually, I started to feel okay. Suddenly I had ideas. I had passions. I had visions and I was able to think of ways to make them reality. I thought about my grandmother who passed away about a year prior. When my grandma passed away I promised her as I stood next to her bedside that I would live the next year of my life for her. I was going to #LiveLikeBetty. She was always my biggest encourager and I knew she, and God had bigger plans for me than crying over her no longer being here.
I started by being more kind.
She was the sweetest, most gentle person I had ever known. She never said a mean thing about anyone in my 27 years of life spent with her. My Dad will tell you the same. He heard her swear one time while she was making Christmas dinner in her older age. She screamed the F word several times becasue she couldn't get her hands to work properly after recently being in remission from the 2nd time she was diagnosed with Cancer. She was still too weak. But there she was making a traditional Polish Christmas dinner for her family. Even in her discomfort, others came first. She fed cookies to all the neighborhood kids. She collected animals. Not becasue she liked them, but because my Father couldn't seem to not find them everywhere he went. She opened her home to people for living. She watches peoples children when they needed to work. She was the neighborhood Mom. And eventually, she was everybody's Grandma. But I was lucky enough to have her really be mine. Kindness flowed from her as easy as her breath. At her funeral, a friend of my dad said, "She was a collector, but not of things. Material things to her meant nothing. She collected people.
The first step of living like Betty was to be kind- to everyone. Not to judge. To help others feel loved.
That brought me to a place of thinking of myself. Who needed massive, overwhelming amounts of love. Where would I be without her? But it made no sense, I had her my whole life. This eternally loving individual and yet still I felt unworthy and sought out harm. How can I help others feel loved in a BIGGER WAY. How can I change women's lives.
My experience. My pain. My story.
For some reason I felt that it needed to be told.
So I started being more transparent.
I had recently lost 45lbs and recorded that journey via instagram. I had recently gotten sober and had not yet been honest with that to the world. I had finalized on a painful and messy divorce on a marriage that was smothered with domestic violence. I had recovered from an eating disorder. I had developed another. I was a recovering alcoholic with a hell of a lot of feelings and a hell of a lot of pain. I sat at work one day at my new personal training job and I prayed. I asked God to give me vision for my life. How can I help? What is my purpose. I had previously written "press on pretty girl" on an instagram post. It just kind of, popped out. It had no meaning. It was at the end of a post where I was sharing one of my hundreds of struggles to love myself. Suddenly I knew.
Press On Pretty Girl was the way to create a change. It's been a year since that time. I started to share the idea of it more freely. I started telling others of my plan. Most people thought it another of my pipe dream creations. I'm so good at those. But I knew this was real. I knew what I was meant for.
I never imagined my heartbreak and struggle would be useful. I never really believed it would teach me enough to proudly stand and share myself with you guys.
Today "Press On Pretty Girl" is a small internet based movement.
It's still a baby, and that's okay with me.
Let me give you an idea of what I believe this can become. A worldwide movement and lifestyle community of women loving the hell out of each other. This includes everything from clothing, to vacations, to small groups. A world tour. A book.
Its small. But good things take time. I have only been at this a year. I share this with you people so that you understand that what i'm doing and working on is bigger than the posts you see on Instagram, or this blog. This is my heart. My soul has gone into every thought of this tiny little company I am working to build. I believe my purpose on this earth was to love and inspire women ALL OVER THE WORLD and to be a smile and a friend to them.
I'm not a perfect person. I'm not nice all the time. Unlike my Grandmother, I'm judgmental and honestly I can be an inpatient asshole. But i'm working so hard to re configure my manner of living to serve others and have a heart for everyone besides myself first. This is why when I ask you to reach out to me via social media I mean that. I don't care about any fame or attention this may bring me. As I have said before it isn't about money, recognition, or "fame." It's about purpose and courage to believe that if I take that step in the passions I feel my higher power has put in my heart, I will be helped, and given strength to move mountains.
Honestly, If I get down to the nitty gritty, it's simple.
I went through hell. I made a LOT of mistakes.
I'm an alcoholic. I'm an X wife of an abusive husband. I'm in recovery from all kinds of eating disorders. I'm a college drop out. I'm an anxiety ridden nightmare. I struggle daily with body dysmorphia disorder. I'm needy. I'm stubborn. I've been through counseling for self harm and mutilation. I'm a binge eater. I'm an orthorexic. I'm a sister. A friend, sometimes a bad one. A girlfriend. A daughter. A neighbor. A trainer. A woman.
I have been through all of that and i'm still working on myself. I figure I can't be the only one. I also figure I can't be the only one who wishes she had others to CONNECT with in honesty. In dark times and light. In times of needing support. I also make the lofty assumptions that I am not the only BROKEN woman who desires to help other BROKEN women.
So that's it.
THAT IS PRESS ON PRETTY GIRL. And that is why I care so much. Because,
I. AM. JUST. LIKE. YOU.
and that's a beautiful thing. NOT something to be ashamed of and to try and change.
If you're interested in becoming a part of this growing community. Please reach out to me via email, instagram, however! I am taking orders soon for tank tops which I will eventually throw on a website that I will eventually make. (near future) I don't care how much or little you want to be a apart, I just want to know you.
I love you.
All of you.
XO, Dani
I got sober (1st attempt) May 19th 2015 and for the first time in a long time, I felt alive. I was scared every day for the a few months. It was a scary feeling. Not being numb and being alone with myself. But eventually, I started to feel okay. Suddenly I had ideas. I had passions. I had visions and I was able to think of ways to make them reality. I thought about my grandmother who passed away about a year prior. When my grandma passed away I promised her as I stood next to her bedside that I would live the next year of my life for her. I was going to #LiveLikeBetty. She was always my biggest encourager and I knew she, and God had bigger plans for me than crying over her no longer being here.
I started by being more kind.
She was the sweetest, most gentle person I had ever known. She never said a mean thing about anyone in my 27 years of life spent with her. My Dad will tell you the same. He heard her swear one time while she was making Christmas dinner in her older age. She screamed the F word several times becasue she couldn't get her hands to work properly after recently being in remission from the 2nd time she was diagnosed with Cancer. She was still too weak. But there she was making a traditional Polish Christmas dinner for her family. Even in her discomfort, others came first. She fed cookies to all the neighborhood kids. She collected animals. Not becasue she liked them, but because my Father couldn't seem to not find them everywhere he went. She opened her home to people for living. She watches peoples children when they needed to work. She was the neighborhood Mom. And eventually, she was everybody's Grandma. But I was lucky enough to have her really be mine. Kindness flowed from her as easy as her breath. At her funeral, a friend of my dad said, "She was a collector, but not of things. Material things to her meant nothing. She collected people.
The first step of living like Betty was to be kind- to everyone. Not to judge. To help others feel loved.
That brought me to a place of thinking of myself. Who needed massive, overwhelming amounts of love. Where would I be without her? But it made no sense, I had her my whole life. This eternally loving individual and yet still I felt unworthy and sought out harm. How can I help others feel loved in a BIGGER WAY. How can I change women's lives.
My experience. My pain. My story.
For some reason I felt that it needed to be told.
So I started being more transparent.
I had recently lost 45lbs and recorded that journey via instagram. I had recently gotten sober and had not yet been honest with that to the world. I had finalized on a painful and messy divorce on a marriage that was smothered with domestic violence. I had recovered from an eating disorder. I had developed another. I was a recovering alcoholic with a hell of a lot of feelings and a hell of a lot of pain. I sat at work one day at my new personal training job and I prayed. I asked God to give me vision for my life. How can I help? What is my purpose. I had previously written "press on pretty girl" on an instagram post. It just kind of, popped out. It had no meaning. It was at the end of a post where I was sharing one of my hundreds of struggles to love myself. Suddenly I knew.
Press On Pretty Girl was the way to create a change. It's been a year since that time. I started to share the idea of it more freely. I started telling others of my plan. Most people thought it another of my pipe dream creations. I'm so good at those. But I knew this was real. I knew what I was meant for.
I never imagined my heartbreak and struggle would be useful. I never really believed it would teach me enough to proudly stand and share myself with you guys.
Today "Press On Pretty Girl" is a small internet based movement.
It's still a baby, and that's okay with me.
Let me give you an idea of what I believe this can become. A worldwide movement and lifestyle community of women loving the hell out of each other. This includes everything from clothing, to vacations, to small groups. A world tour. A book.
Its small. But good things take time. I have only been at this a year. I share this with you people so that you understand that what i'm doing and working on is bigger than the posts you see on Instagram, or this blog. This is my heart. My soul has gone into every thought of this tiny little company I am working to build. I believe my purpose on this earth was to love and inspire women ALL OVER THE WORLD and to be a smile and a friend to them.
I'm not a perfect person. I'm not nice all the time. Unlike my Grandmother, I'm judgmental and honestly I can be an inpatient asshole. But i'm working so hard to re configure my manner of living to serve others and have a heart for everyone besides myself first. This is why when I ask you to reach out to me via social media I mean that. I don't care about any fame or attention this may bring me. As I have said before it isn't about money, recognition, or "fame." It's about purpose and courage to believe that if I take that step in the passions I feel my higher power has put in my heart, I will be helped, and given strength to move mountains.
Honestly, If I get down to the nitty gritty, it's simple.
I went through hell. I made a LOT of mistakes.
I'm an alcoholic. I'm an X wife of an abusive husband. I'm in recovery from all kinds of eating disorders. I'm a college drop out. I'm an anxiety ridden nightmare. I struggle daily with body dysmorphia disorder. I'm needy. I'm stubborn. I've been through counseling for self harm and mutilation. I'm a binge eater. I'm an orthorexic. I'm a sister. A friend, sometimes a bad one. A girlfriend. A daughter. A neighbor. A trainer. A woman.
I have been through all of that and i'm still working on myself. I figure I can't be the only one. I also figure I can't be the only one who wishes she had others to CONNECT with in honesty. In dark times and light. In times of needing support. I also make the lofty assumptions that I am not the only BROKEN woman who desires to help other BROKEN women.
So that's it.
THAT IS PRESS ON PRETTY GIRL. And that is why I care so much. Because,
I. AM. JUST. LIKE. YOU.
and that's a beautiful thing. NOT something to be ashamed of and to try and change.
If you're interested in becoming a part of this growing community. Please reach out to me via email, instagram, however! I am taking orders soon for tank tops which I will eventually throw on a website that I will eventually make. (near future) I don't care how much or little you want to be a apart, I just want to know you.
I love you.
All of you.
XO, Dani
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