Cultivate An Exceptional Life
You are meant to live an exceptional life. Sure, things like chronic illness, trauma and really hard times may seem to stand in the way. But they don’t have to! Grow with me. Cultivate a better life, despite it all.
What Does it Mean To Cultivate An Exceptional Life?
Let’s take a look at the definitions of two important words according to Merriam Webster:
- Exceptional means: better than average
- Cultivate: to foster the growth of
To cultivate an exceptional life is to foster the growth of a life better than the average.
It means that when life beats you up, when tragedy strikes, when auto-immune illness play havoc with your life, you decide to not take the average road. You give up the mundane, fall-on-your face, this is going to break me attitude and instead decide to take steps to make our life better than average.
The journey through life can be difficult, but still rewarding. I promise.
Hello! I’m Leisa.
My daughter and I were finally starting to recover from an automobile accident. Someone, going over 90 miles per hour was paying more attention to his phone, than the traffic signals. He slammed into our car, forever changing our world.
A short time later, our world changed once again. My husband was diagnosed with Non-Hodgkins lymphoma cancer. 3 days later I was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, which added to several chronic illnesses and the PTSD I had been dealing with for years. Our daughter was hospitalized that week as well. We were no longer strangers to tough times and took these in stride. You see, at our home, we deal with nearly 30 diseases on a daily basis. I’ve faced bankruptcy, trauma, health related issues, loss of pregnancies, and more. Getting through tough times is my super power. I get challenges!
Now I am on a mission to help you cultivate an exceptional life, despite the challenges placed on your path.
Let’s Dig In With Content to Help You Cultivate an Exceptional Life
Along with stories form my life, research I find promising, and journeys I’ve gone on, in my quest to cultivate an exceptional life.
Should I Pursue My Dream? Here’s 6 Questions To Ask Yourself
"Should I pursue my dream?" That's what most of ask many times in our lifetime. Or perhaps you're feeling lost or unsure about how to achieve your dreams in life, don't worry! In this article, we'll explore six questions that can help decide if you should pursue that...
Turmeric Aioli
Jump to ContentTurmeric aioli is a delicious and healthy dip that can be used as a spread or a sauce. Turmeric adds a warm, earthy flavor and a beautiful golden color to an aioli. Plus turmeric has numerous health benefits. This aioli is made with pre-made mayo to...
30 PTSD Self-Care Tips
Here are 27 PTSD self-care tips to help you deal with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or even everyday stress. You certainly do not have to have post-traumatic stress disorder to see benefits from these. I built this toolbox of strategies and techniques that I...
When Was Multiple Sclerosis First Diagnosed?
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic autoimmune disease that affects the central nervous system. The disease has been recognized for centuries, but it was not until the 19th century that it began to be recognized as a distinct clinical entity.The first description of...
My PTSD Story #3 – I Was Stalked by a Rapist
TRIGGER WARNING: SEXUAL VIOLENCE/RAPE Today, I am sharing my third PTSD story in a series about the trauma I have gone through, which led to my diagnosis of Complex Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. During the summer of 1983, I woke to the rattling of my bedroom window....
Possible Causes of PTSD, Besides Combat
There are many possible causes of PTSD (post traumatic stress disorder). The term PTSD is one I had long associated with soldiers returning from war. Shell-shock. Battle Fatigue. Combat Fatigue. Those were terms I had seen in movies. For years, I was living with the...
These Are a Few of My Favorite Things – Part 1
My heart is full of gratitude, and I just had to share some things that make me feel truly blessed. Here is Part I in my list of favorite things; things that enrich my soul and delight my heartWHISKERS ON KITTENSYes, I have that song running through my head. But...
The Importance of Play in Adulthood
Why Do We Discount the Importance of Play? Have you noticed one of the primary differences between childhood and adulthood is play? After all, “Adults aren’t supposed to play.” Adults get jobs, do chores, run errands, and more. If there is any time left over, we may...
Stories of Hope in Hard Times
How do you get through hard times? I share some some of the struggles I've dealt with and tips for getting through them.on the podcast Stories of Hope in Hard Times by host Tamara K Anderson. You can watch it below, listen to it below, on Tamara's website or access...
The Power of Words After a Medical Diagnosis
The power of words, after a medical diagnosis, should not be underestimated. They can provide you and I with the ability to change our outlook about life, the disease, and our potential outcome. Some words are more powerful than others by their very nature. Words...
My PTSD Story #2 – Trapped at Home with a Burglar
Trigger warning. This is my second of my PTSD stories – the trauma related events that led to me living with complex post traumatic disorder. My childhood home’s basement had just one exit. A long set of stairs on the south side of the house. At the top of the stairs,...
Living With Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder From Someone With PTSD (with Infographic)
Living with post-traumatic stress disorder can be so tough. Many people associate post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) with combat soldiers. But there are many sufferers of PTSD that were never in the military, and I am one of them. Any traumatic event can result in...
My PTSD Story #1 – I Was Terrorized by A Masked Man and Nearly Kidnapped
Trigger warning: mentions of violence towards a child. This is just one of my PTSD stories - the trauma related events that led to me living with complex post traumatic disorder. You may be wondering what place it has on a blog dedicated to happiness. I am including...
My Complex Post Traumatic Stress Disorder Story
Have I told you my post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) story? Probably not. I have yet to tell many people, until now. After all, I tried to hide it for many years. This is my first time openly speaking (well-written) about it. You see, I was afraid people would...
21 Natural Pain Management Resources I Reach For When I Am in Pain
I like having an arsenal of natural pain management resources to turn to. Some days the pain from multiple sclerosis, pancreatitis, and other illnesses can be super intense. Some days I feel I have to throw most of these at the pain resources to get relief. Below are...
How to Turn Regret into a Positive Experience
Do you feel regret in life? I have. I've felt regret; those momentary feelings of loss, disappointment, or dissatisfaction with something in my life. I would warrant that all of us have experienced some type of regret in our life. Something we wished we had done...
How To Get Pain Relief From Plantar Fasciitis
Plantar Fasciitis is inflammation of a thick band of tissue that runs across the bottom of your foot. And, if you have had plantar fasciitis you want to get pain relief immediately. The planter fascia connects your heel bone to your toes (plantar fascia). Plantar...
On Orange Brunch Restaurant in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania
I stopped by On Orange during for lunch one day on a trip to Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. Centrally located in downtown Lancaster. They only serve an all-day breakfast. It noticed it was listed as a favorite restaurant on several review lists so when I ended up...
Kitchen Kettle Village, Lancaster, PA
I stopped at Kitchen Kettle Village, in Intercourse, Pennsylvania on a recent short stay in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. Kitchen Kettle Village is a fun collection of shops, restaurants, and even lodging. It was founded with a Pennsylvania Dutch theme in mind and...
Red Hills Desert Garden, St. George, UT
Located inside Pioneer Parkin St. George, UT, the Red Hills Deseret Garden is a desert garden, which showcases water-efficient landscapes, so of course it is a great place to get landscaping ideas if you live in the desert. Plus you can see some endangered plants and...
A Look Inside Central Market Lancaster County Pennsylvania
I wandered through Central Market on a recent trip to Lancaster, Pennsylvania. I literally stumbled upon it as I was photographing the historical character of Lancaster. At the time I had no idea how much history there was around the market. Central Market is the...
Curb Appeal Ideas from Lancaster Pennsylvania
Downtown Lancaster Pennsylvania has many homes with some great curb appeal. Lancaster is the oldest inland city in the United States. It has a lot of old historic buildings. So many of the homes and businesses in downtown Lancaster has some great details to give...
3 Day Lancaster County, Pennsylvania Travel Guide
I have wanted to go to Lancaster Pennsylvania for many years. It started back in my early twenties when I spent my time creating and selling handcrafted items. I guess I wanted to go see what the Amish, who are expert homemakers, did. I always said I wanted to go...
Chart Your Course: Dream, Act, Plan, Believe In Your Dreams
I am a huge dreamer and a huge believer in the ability to accomplishing one’s dreams. I always have been. However, life doesn’t ever quite seem to turn out the way you dream it would. Life happens and dreams sometimes get trampled. For me, illness stuck, loss hit,...
Resilience and the Law of Least Resistance
Exhausted – that is how I felt when we returned from the ER visit that Friday evening. My youngest daughter had broken her arm in a rollerskating accident. It was extremely late, everyone was hungry, and I just wanted to crawl into bed, but those motherly instincts...
Spasticity Associated with Multiple Sclerosis
Spasticity is one of the most annoying symptoms of multiple sclerosis. And it can be especially painful. It is a fairly a common symptom of MS and can have a big impact on ones daily life. If often has a big impact on mine. My worse experiences with spasticity has...
Multiple Sclerosis Signs and Symptoms
There have been over 80 symptoms of Multiple Sclerosis identified. It can often go undiagnosed for years because so many of the symptoms point to other possible ailments. We estimate I had MS for at least 10 years and may be as long as 35 years before I was diagnosed....
I’m Too Young for a Cane
I am too young for a cane. I never pictured myself needing one until I was at least 85. But I ended up needing to use one often due to multiple sclerosis. But when I finally decided to get one, the cane opened up some freedom I had been missing. I have not regretted...
Is Your Stress Level Killing You? Studies Say No!
Telling yourself you thrive under stress could be healthy. It's a much better story to tell yourself, than, "This stress is killing me." You see... A 1998 study found that 54% of American's are worried about their stress level. Here's the kicker: most people are...
Lower Stress Level With These Five Simple Strategies {With Infographic}
Do you want to lower your stress level? Has your stress levels escalated? The hustle, bustle, and challenges of everyday life alone often produce a lot of stress. But then, if you are anything like me, you perhaps say yes far too often to things you really don't have...
