homeI’m thrilled to participate in a sweepstakes sponsored by Investigation Discovery’s new series Surviving Evil, which premieres Wednesday August 28th at 10/9c only on Investigation Discovery
When I look back over the last 26 years and think about things that I've accomplished and overcome, it's easy for me to feel as though I've had it pretty easy. I mean, my family has helped me along the way and my friends have been my backbone for countless years, but what would happen if all of that came crashing down? What would happen when I no longer had that support?
Life took a huge turn for me when I was 23. I found myself engaged to someone I wasn't ready to marry and elbow deep in wedding plans, all while knowing in the back of my mind that this wasn't how I expected such an exciting time of a girl's life to feel. Still to this day I think about the day we went to meet with the caterer, him and I barely spoke the entire meeting. And our engagement party, I don't think the two of us spent more than 5 minutes with one another. I can even remember when my beautiful, dream wedding dress was ready to be picked up, I actually dreaded going to get it because that meant that this wedding was real. This wedding was actually happening and I had to do something about it before things spiraled any more out of control.
So, I did it. I handed my amazingly perfect 3 carat diamond ring back to him and told him I couldn't marry him. It was the hardest words I've ever spoken.
Calling off a wedding at the ripe age of 23, after your parents have already spent money on a wedding dress, venue deposit, engagement photos, oh and an engagement party that everyone you've been close to your entire life was in attendance to, is absolutely humiliating. I can honestly say I've never felt so low and insignificant. Most of all, I felt alone. Most of my friends at the time didn't take my side and my family was so confused and disappointed with me. I can remember dodging family friends whenever I'd see them at the grocery store because I feared the judgment in their eyes if we were to make eye contact.
It took a lot of time, strength, and energy for me to get back on my feet. I had a lot of lonely nights, I had a lot of arguments with my parents, I had a lot of people who just down right hated my guts. Fighting through all of those elements wasn't easy but I can honestly say now, three years later, I've grown so much. Overcoming that part of my life and figuring things out by myself has made me such a stronger person. I can stand on my two feet now without fear of the stares I'll get from family friends in the grocery store, or what would happen if I were to inevitably run into one of our old mutual friends who took his side.
Most of all, I now know that even though that time of my life was an incredibly painful disaster, I followed my heart, stood my ground, and didn't go through with something that could have ended even worse than it did.
For more true stories of courage and survival, check out Investigation Discovery’s new series, Surviving Evil, airing Wednesday, August 28th at 10/9c.
What is an obstacle or fear you've overcome?
Answer below, and each comment will automatically be entered to win a $500 SpaFinder gift card!
This sweepstakes is sponsored by Investigation Discovery’s new series Surviving Evil, premiering Wednesday, August 28 at 10/9c. Told in their own words, victims reveal how they fought their attackers and survived against amazing odds. Learn more at InvestigationDiscovery.com/SurvivingEvil and empower yourself with five life-saving tips at IDFiveToSurvive.com.
Rules:
No duplicate comments.
You may receive (2) total entries by selecting from the following entry methods:
1. Leave a comment in response to the sweepstakes prompt on this post
2. Tweet (public message) about this promotion; including exactly the following unique term in your tweet message: “#SweepstakesEntry”; and leave the URL to that tweet in a comment on this post
3. Blog about this promotion, including a disclosure that you are receiving a sweepstakes entry in exchange for writing the blog post, and leave the URL to that post in a comment on this post
4. For those with no Twitter or blog, read the official rules to learn about an alternate form of entry.
This giveaway is open to US Residents age 18 or older. Winners will be selected via random draw, and will be notified by e-mail. You have 72 hours to get back to me, otherwise a new winner will be selected.
The Official Rules are available here.
This sweepstakes runs from 8/14/13-8/28/13.
Be sure to visit the Investigation Discovery: Surviving Evil brand page on BlogHer.com where you can read other bloggers’ true stories of courage and survival and find more chances to win.
You may receive (2) total entries by selecting from the following entry methods:
1. Leave a comment in response to the sweepstakes prompt on this post
2. Tweet (public message) about this promotion; including exactly the following unique term in your tweet message: “#SweepstakesEntry”; and leave the URL to that tweet in a comment on this post
3. Blog about this promotion, including a disclosure that you are receiving a sweepstakes entry in exchange for writing the blog post, and leave the URL to that post in a comment on this post
4. For those with no Twitter or blog, read the official rules to learn about an alternate form of entry.
This giveaway is open to US Residents age 18 or older. Winners will be selected via random draw, and will be notified by e-mail. You have 72 hours to get back to me, otherwise a new winner will be selected.
The Official Rules are available here.
This sweepstakes runs from 8/14/13-8/28/13.
Be sure to visit the Investigation Discovery: Surviving Evil brand page on BlogHer.com where you can read other bloggers’ true stories of courage and survival and find more chances to win.
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