Author: Stephanae

Hi, I'm Steph, a businesswoman, style setter, blogger, and abilities crusader who breaks the myth that “blind people can’t be fashionable.”
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Elin Williams | Blind Beauty 49

Blind Beauty 49 Featured Image Description is in the body of the post

Elin Williams | Blind Beauty 49

“I have been living with sight loss for the most part of my life but I don’t wake up everyday wishing that things were different or hoping for a cure…”

Image #1 description of Elin is in the body of the post.
Image #1

I am delighted to introduce you to the Award-Winning Lifestyle Blogger, Elin Williams, creator of My Blurred World. Elin, who has been blogging for several years, won in two categories of 2018’s Teen Blogger Awards.

Retinitis Pigmentosa (RP) and a love of writing gave Elin a platform where she shares her passion for storytelling and building awareness. While she lives with the sight-stealing eye disease RP, Elin shows us how a person can continue to thrive with sight loss.

Image #2 description of Elin is in the body of the post.
Image #2

A poised young woman who loves all things fashion and beauty, Elin is an aspiring free-lance writer. Her blog has evolved over the last three years into one where she discusses many lifestyle topics. The following snippet is just a tiny glimpse into how Elin approaches life.

“I have been living with sight loss for the most part of my life. Even so, I don’t wake up every day wishing that things were different or hoping for a cure. Instead, I choose to embrace my life and to approach it in the most normal and positive way I can. As my world becomes more blurry, I never lose sight of what I want to achieve and the positive attitude I want to maintain. I believe that no matter what you’re going through, there is a beautiful life beyond it.” ~Elin Williams 

Blind Beauty 49 Featured Image Description:

Featured image is a faux fashion magazine cover titled Blind Beauty. Elin is on the cover standing on a cobblestone pathway in a green lush garden with stone walls and steps. Her straight shoulder-length brunette hair is swept over her left eye. She is wearing a boat-neck black & white striped top that reveals a small portion of her shoulders with a denim button-down skirt.

Blocks of text superimposed on Elin’s photo are: “Bold | She Keeps Pressing Onward,” “Blind | She Has Deeper Insight,” “Beautiful | She Sees To The Heart Of Others”

Additional Photos

  1. In this photo, Elin is standing in a wooded area on a gravel pathway at a fork in the road. Her hair is wavy and she is wearing black pants, and a white sweater under a gray blazer.
  2. Elin is standing/leaning against a wood railing on a wooden deck. She’s wearing a gray skirt, white top and she also has a bright red handbag over her right shoulder. In the background is a variety of greenery and flowers.

You can catch up with Elin on the following social media platforms:

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Donna Scott | Blind Beauty 48

Blind Beauty 48 Featured Image Description is in the body of the post

Donna Scott | Blind Beauty 48

“Today has been a good day. I had my routine 4 hourly return train trip for my 4 weekly eye appointment at the eye hospital in Sydney. No injection needed this trip, macular is dry and not active, currently stable and injections seem to be working and slowing degeneration. I also travelled solo! Unaccompanied! regaining some independence very proud of me right now.” ~Donna Scott

Independence Realized

Image #1 of a Sunrise is described in the body of the post.
#1 Sunrise

A 4-hour round trip train ride for over two years to the Sydney Eye Hospital for sight-preserving injections. When Donna told me this it reminded me of what we will do to keep our eyesight. This particular trip was different because she traveled solo. 

Typically Donna would take the weekly (sometimes more) trip with a companion. It takes a little gumption to let someone put a needle in your eye. Speaking from experience, you go through it to hold onto remaining eyesight. Can you imagine what it might be like to do this alone on such a lengthy trip? The thought of negotiating her trip home in pain and a lot less sight than she normally had, was frightening.

#2 image of a Lorikeet is described in the body of the post.
#2 Lorikeet

Once she arrived at the hospital Donna was relieved yet she still had to be examined. Thankfully at this appointment, since her eye was stable indicating the medication was working, she didn’t need an injection. This was good news!

Donna lost her sight in her left eye to Macular Degeneration and an autoimmune disease. Her right eye is being treated with a different regimen to prevent more sight loss. She was so excited with the news during this trip. Then the added bonus of doing it on her own, she told me she almost skipped out of the facility.

Like most of us who are living with sight loss, every day for Donna is a challenge. She’s still in the process of coming to terms with her new lifestyle and she yet continues to thrive. Connecting with and befriending others who are also losing their eyesight helps. In her words Donna says:

“The amount of people and organisations I’ve met through Instagram has been awesome! It’s given me confidence reading others stories of their sight loss journey. It gives me motivation, inspiration, and determination. I thank all of you, my followers, my insta support network for opening my eyes to what’s possible if I don’t give up!” ~Donna Scott

You can follow Donna on Instagram @donnasfight4sight. Included with this post are two of her many awesome photographs. Her pictures are feasts for the eyes and a local news station in Australia has featured several of them. Australia. 

Blind Beauty 48 Featured Image Description:

Featured image is a faux fashion magazine cover titled Blind Beauty. Donna is on the cover wearing sunglasses, a black sweater with a black and white checked scarf around her neck. The photo was taken on Donna’s trip home on the train, you can see the smile on her face – It said it all. 

Blocks of text superimposed on Donna’s photo are: “Bold | She Keeps Pressing Onward,” “Blind | She Has Deeper Insight,” “Beautiful | She Sees To The Heart Of Others”

Additional Images:

  1. A photo from the beach shows a glorious Australian sunrise on the horizon over a body of water. The entire frame is in shades of golden orange. In the distance, is a lone sailboat. Clouds are breaking to reveal a bluish sky.
  2. This photo is an adorable colorful Lorikeet perched on a white banister. The brightly colored bird is itself a work of art. Blue, orange, yellow, and a neon green are striking against a tree-filled background.

 

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Bodacious Beauty, Acceptance & Self-Esteem

Bodacious Beauty

Bodacious Beauty, Acceptance & Self-Esteem

Loving yourself while working to become the best version of yourself for YOU is key!

A Recent Outing

Image 1
Image 1

I love the humorous banter between my son and I. Here is a recent exchange between him and me on a shopping excursion for exercise apparel. 

Me: Do you know what body shape I am?

Son: (Laughing) Round?

Me: (Exasperated tone) No! I’m a triangle.

Son: (Still laughing) Don’t you mean you’re a cone shape? Like a traffic cone?

Me: **crickets** (Then I begin laughing hysterically)

An Authentic Hot Mess

I’m a hot mess and I know it! According to my medical chart, I’m obese, a fact of which I’ve lived in denial for a few years now.

Do you know how hard it is to take pictures from the right angle to hide present a more pleasing view? No longer a spring chicken it’s almost impossible to suck in an overabundance of a stomach that used to be a waistline.

As I’ve gotten older I’ve noticed the willpower I used to have has given way to “oh, what the heck?” It’s a plan that works very effectively. I eat what I want when I want and it feels so GOOD. That is until I have to look presentable and find to my dismay my clothes don’t fit—surprise.

What I’ve learned is there’s only so much one can consume before it becomes a serious problem. The “head in the sand” approach is no longer working and I have to, I can’t believe I’m gonna say this, exercise and eat right.

My son thought it was hilarious that I was wearing skinny jeans that showed every bump and bulge. His thinking was skinny jeans are for skinny people. But my thinking is skinny jeans are for anyone as long as the fit is right. Obviously, with my increasing poundage mine have not been fitting right for some time, another case of denial. But, and this is huge, I’m going to use that gym membership I secured last year. And, I’m gonna make better choices when it comes to eating (at least I hope so). I just may resort to the “Oh what the heck?” philosophy.

Getting To The Point

The point I’m trying to make is while my image is important to me I try to balance it with humor. We only come this way once and I want to make the most of it by not being too hard on myself. The understanding I will never be pleasing to everyone is freeing and magnificently beneficial to my psyche.

Accepting yourself while working to become the best version of you for YOU is key! What was life-changing for me was realizing that being my best for myself was what mattered most.

Here’s a little perspective: there are over 7 billion people on earth, all are unique and all won’t like everyone.

Bodacious Beauty Featured Image Description:

This shot is a pose of me with ‘black’ #WhiteCane, taken from the perspective of me looking down at my feet. My cane is to the left of my right foot. I’m wearing white skinny jeans paired with tan ballet flats with a little poofy floret type thing on top.

Image 1:

Mirror selfie of me wearing a black polo shirt with an embroidered design of Abby, text, and braille.

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Brandi @RadiantArrows | Blind Beauty 47

Blind Beauty 47 Featured Image Description

Brandi @RadiantArrows | Blind Beauty 47

“{IMPERFECT} My sight is impaired but my vision is not. I see deeper now. I listen more intently too. Ps. My glasses are my eyes!” ~Brandi

It wasn’t until I began blogging that I became more aware of life for those living with chronic illness. Meeting so many people from around the world really expands your viewpoint and empathy for others.

I met my friend Brandi on Instagram and what is so amazing about this beautiful woman is her ongoing encouragement. Even though she lives with a chronic illness she is so full of light and positivity and shares this with her followers.

Recently Brandi participated in an Instagram #imperfectwomen campaign by @imperfectbosses. Her comment in the above quote was perfect and of course, gave me the opportunity to share with you.

Blind Beauty 47 Image Description:

The image is a faux fashion magazine cover titled Blind Beauty. Brandi is on the cover softly gazing down. She is wearing a pale pink high neck sweater with eyeglasses and lipstick. Faded furniture in the background.

Blocks of text superimposed on Brandi’s photo are: “Bold | She Keeps Pressing Onward,” “Blind | She Has Deeper Insight,” “Beautiful | She Sees To The Heart Of Others”

You can follow Brandi on:

Instagram: @RadiantArrows