Author: Erica Alisse

People are always taking about Millennials and our laziness and lack of work ethic.

I have always defended my generation.

But now I’m not so sure.

It amazes me how many of my peers are comparing both candidates on the same level. I have heard the term “lesser of two evils?? more times than I can count.

How can anyone still believe that Hillary is “as bad?? as Trump?

After everything we have seen up to this point.

Yes, most politicians lie during their campaigns. A lot of them come off as untrustworthy. Their opinions on issues change.  They are human after all.

Hillary is no different, and by no means am I defending her character. I can understand not trusting her. Personality aside, I still think she is one of the most capable and prepared candidates we have seen in a while.

Does not being a real politician give Trump the right to just say whatever he feels and ignore all the facts? Just look at the fact checking after both debates – the number of outright lies is tremendous.

Does being rich and famous really make it okay for him to treat women however he feels?

Is this really the person that you want all of our children looking up to? The guy who thinks sexual assault is just a joke?  Anyone who has been sexually abused would probably disagree.

The worst part is that most of what I’ve seen and heard on social media has been completely untrue.  Like Trump, many Millennials aren’t taking the time to learn the facts. They’re just sharing the first meme or post they see as truth. 

Many people are also threatening to just vote for a third party since they hate both candidates so much. If this happens, Trump will win the election.  Any vote for anyone other than Hillary is a vote for Trump.  We can’t afford to take that chance so please think twice before you vote third party. 

Trump is completely unprepared to run this country, and he never should have gotten this far in any election. Unfortunately, many Republicans are now realizing this a little too late.

So, Millennials, I beg of you:  Please do some research. Take some time to learn the facts. Watch news and read articles from sources that you typically ignore and generally don’t agree with. Dig deep into the pasts of both candidates. 

Some of what you find may even surprise you.

And then whatever you decide, whoever you choose, at least it will be an informed decision.

So let’s quit giving Millennials a bad rep and prove that we aren’t a lazy or ignorant generation. 

We owe our country that much. 

The early stages of a relationship are always the most amazing. You start to get to know each other on a deeper level. And you slowly start to fall in love.

Or in my case, you free fall at a very high speed.

You make this already incredible sensation better than anything I could have ever imagined. 

It’s more intense than anything I’ve felt.

I feel like I’m in a constant dream. I think about you every minute of every day. 

I get butterflies when I see you, and my heart does about a thousand little somersaults.

I miss you the second we’re apart, and I start counting down until I can be with you again.

I physically crave being next to you.

When you kiss me, time comes to a complete stop. My heart jumps out of my chest and for a few minutes, I forget to even breathe. 

You literally take my breath away.

I smile all day long knowing that you might be thinking about me too. When I get even a simple text from you, my heart just melts.

I feel like I’m losing all control, but at the same time, you make me feel safe.

Somehow I know you’ll be there to catch me when I land.

Suddenly everything leading up to this point in my life has been completely worth it.

I feel weightless and carefree, and nothing else in the world matters.

You’ve completely taken over my mind, my heart, and my soul.

And I never want to lose this feeling. 

If you like this and want to read more, follow me on FACEBOOK!

Our almost wedding date is coming up in just a few weeks.

We had everything planned out.

The venue was booked, the DJ was ready, the engagement photos were taken. I bought a beautiful dress that is still hanging in my closet. I had spent months pouring over every single detail.

It was my dream wedding from start to finish.

Except for one thing.

We were so toxic for each other. As the date grew closer, I realized that I could never go through with it.

Deep down, I had always known the truth. But I was too afraid to face it. I was too afraid to leave you and start over on my own. So, I kept planning.

You were my best friend. You made me laugh. I always thought you were a good person at heart, and I still do.

But you were dealing with your own issues. The alcohol abuse and the lies became too much. I couldn’t stand fighting any longer. I was becoming numb to handle the pain, and I was losing myself in the process.

So, I let you go. It was the hardest decision I have ever made.

Months later as I think about our approaching wedding date, I know it was the right one. 

I was drowning and using the wedding planning as an escape from it all. I hoped somehow a wedding would mend our broken relationship.

Truth was, we lost each other a long time ago, and we were way beyond repair.

I miss the wedding, but I don’t miss you.

If you like this and want to read more, follow me on FACEBOOK!

Starting a new relationship is hard. I understand that more than you know. 

You’re ultimately gambling away your feelings with the hopes of winning something in return. You don’t know this other person well enough yet to know what to expect from them.

He or she could choose to walk away at any minute. 

Are you willing to take that risk?

You tell me about your past and how hard it is for you to open up to someone new after being hurt time and time again. 

Not too long ago, you took another chance and started to fall for someone new, thinking she felt the same way.  And then suddenly she was gone.  It hurt you and made it harder for you to trust again.  

That girl was an idiot. She has absolutely no idea what she is missing by letting you go. 

I want you to know that I’m not her.  

I’ve been hurt more times than I can count. I’ve felt my world ending and thought I would never be whole again. But I picked myself off the floor each time and I made it.

Through all the heartbreak and tears, I always promised myself that I would never give up on love. I would never let the fear of getting hurt again stop me from finding the right one.  I think you could be that one.

You are everything I’ve ever wanted.

You told me recently that instinctively, you still want to pull away when we get too close. It’s natural to want to keep people out and protect yourself, even though you say you are fighting that urge with me. 

I really hope that you don’t go.

I also want you to know that I love on a deeper level than most people.  And I typically fall fast – like I have for you. I’ve never held back my emotions, and I don’t want to now.

I’m ready to give you my heart, but I need you to give me a chance and trust me with yours.

I can promise you that I’m not like any other girl you’ve ever known. I will love you more intensely and more completely than you’ve probably ever been loved before. And it may even scare you at first.

I want you to know what it feels like to be loved the way you deserve. And I want to be the one to give that to you. 

If you like this and want to read more, follow me on FACEBOOK!

Music is the one thing in my life I have never questioned. 

It has never left my side, and I know that it never will. 

When I was going through my worst heartache, music was there to hold my hand and put the pieces back together. 

When I suffered through the loss of loved ones, it was there to console me and honor their memory.

Whenever I feel down or start to doubt myself, the lyrics remind me constantly of the person I want to be and how far I’ve come. 

Music has never turned its back on me or let me down. I don’t know how to function without it anymore. Any event, obstacle, emotion, activity that you can think of, I have a list of songs to get me through it. 

Songs simply have a way of reaching my soul that no one else can. When I hear well-written lyrics, it’s an almost haunting sensation. The words are so beautiful, they give me chills. 

When someone is able to put into words the feelings I can’t express myself, I suddenly remember that I am not alone. Someone else out there gets me. The world seems smaller and that much lonelier. 

When I put my headphones on, the rest of the world stops. The anxiety, the fear, the pain; all the bad feelings are drowned out by the life-altering melody. Once the music hits, it all just seems insignificant. 

Hearing music feels like coming home.

And to me, that will always be the greatest feeling in the world. 

When I met you, I wasn’t expecting anything. 

I had my heart ripped apart only a few months before. I spent 2 years in a messy, emotionally abusive relationship and was in a terrible place. I had lost myself completely and when I looked in the mirror, I saw someone I didn’t even recognize let alone like. I was numb to the world and afraid to feel any hint of an emotion, good or bad. 

I had only just started putting the pieces back together, trying to feel whole again. I was just starting to love myself again, how could I expect anyone else to?

And then you happened.

From the minute I met you, I knew there was something different about you. You understood me completely as if you could see right through me. We started out slowly, but you have made me come alive. You awoke something in me I thought I had lost forever. 

Suddenly, I wanted to feel again. And I do. I have fallen for you completely. You’ve opened up my heart, and I am no longer afraid of what might happen. You’re worth any risk.

I’ve started to remember all the things I used to love about myself. All the things I used to love doing, the things that truly made me happy. I started dancing in the shower again and singing in the car. I started taking care of myself again. I had given it all up before. 

I feel more like myself than I have in a long time. I feel free and alive. Suddenly I’m weightless – all my anxiety and self-doubt is in the past. I’m living for me. 

Whatever happens, this is who I am now. I know I will never give up this girl again, and I will always have you to thank for giving her back to me. 

If you like this and want to read more, follow me on FACEBOOK!

It’s hard feeling helpless while watching the person you love struggle with a disease like alcoholism. It’s hard not to blame yourself. You want to fix him so badly, and you get so frustrated when nothing seems to work. 

You get tired of the constant lies. You can’t trust a word he says because now it’s not just about alcohol. He has gotten so used to hiding his drinking and covering it up with lies, it’s become second nature to him. Did he really go to the gym? Is he taking care of the dog? You even question something as simple as him taking out the trash. 

Everything becomes an argument. He takes out his depression and anger and hate on you; the one person who hasn’t abandoned him. The one person who has put her entire life on hold for him. The one who loves him so much, she can’t imagine letting him go or even doing anything differently. 

You start to ask yourself questions like “does he not really love me?” or “am i not good enough?” “If he loved me more, would he be willing to fight this?” Well, don’t. You are good enough. He probably does love you. But he loves alcohol more. 

When the loneliness hits and you feel like giving up, try and remember these things :

First of all, nothing is your fault. It’s hard to stress that enough. You are not to blame for any of this. 

You are not alone. So many people out there have been through the same situation and many are still fighting through it. Having someone to talk to that understands how  you feel can make a huge difference. 

When a person struggles with an addiction, it is beyond their control and even more so beyond yours. If they are not ready to confront the issue or change their behavior, they simply won’t. No matter how many times they try and convince you otherwise. No matter how many times they say “I didn’t mean it last time but I really mean it this time. I’m going to get help. I’m going to stop.” 

Don’t enable him. It’s nearly impossible to watch someone you love destruct. You want to help him off the floor, take away his keys, give him water and take care of him when he gets sick. It’s a natural response. But the more you do that, the more you are enabling him. He has to hit rock bottom on his own and learn from his mistakes without having you there to babysit and clean up his messes.

You are incredibly strong. Whether you stay for the long haul or not. It takes incredible emotional strength to love someone with an addiction and even more to try and stick it out. When it feels like there is no hope, remember that there is a light at the end of the tunnel. With him or without, you will get through it. 

Call your friends or family you’ve probably started to push away. Don’t isolate yourself and above all, do not forget to make time for yourself. Don’t let his addiction take over your life. 

 If you like this and want to read more, follow me on FACEBOOK!