My blog my rules

I made the choice a long time ago to follow my heart and my gut. I choose to follow the unbeaten path and be my own kind of badass. We’re dealing with this pandemic right now, and we’re all learning how to ebb and flow in life with our new rules. Rules? Hmmm I haven’t had to follow rules in a very long time, so this is especially hard for me.

I used to surround myself with people that pushed me farther in life, but now I surround myself with those that inspire me and those that I inspire. A lot has happened and I was faced with a friend needing me. Not needing me by a phone call but needing me to be there for her in person and soon.

See, a few years ago my very close friend of mine called me from the hospital. Along with a call came a picture. This picture was of her arms and they honestly looked like fish roe. Yea, that was her arms cut so bad the flesh was falling out. How does one hit such a low point in their life that they do this? I’ve been there. A lot of us have. Well that woman and I remain close and boy has she grown from that moment in her life. It’s just a chapter, and we have moved onto the next, but she needed me.

Bonnie, she said. I need you. I feel that chapter coming back. So, here I am. 14 hours away from home doing what I do. Standing up for the lost, the forgotten and the ones who feel they don’t belong. It is consuming and honestly a lonely place sometimes, but this is who I am.

Today I sit at this beautiful river with her and another person who has became a piece of my foundation. Together we are strong.

I had to get that off my chest as this has been one roller coaster of a trip. Our other friend was adopted at 3 months. Never knew her birth name, but was in a good spot in her life. Well she is Badass too, and she came along on this journey because we all have a reason for this trip. Hers was to meet her bio family after 49 years! Wow! Yea it’s been a crazy day!

Sitting with these newfound family members and talking I realize our stories are not that much different. They all have some form of pain attached to them, but tonight as we feasted together we come together and when we come together the strength is profound.

All these stories remain as one. Unified we stand; Badass we are.

I don’t care what people say about me anymore, I don’t care for negativity, but if you are ready to own your story then I applaud you because it is hard. I’ve said it before and I will say it a million more times. Nothing worthwhile is easy.

To you ladies that are with me this week. Thank you. For being in my tribe, for standing up for yourselves and for being strong Badass woman!

Stay safe, strong but most importantly stay true to who you are because that is Badass.

Kitimat, B.C.

xx Badassbon

17 and 18 because I lost a day

Like literally where did yesterday go. By the time I finally got into bed it was 4am, and clearly I was not into blogging as I cuddled up to my youngest in my bed. This past week has been insane! Yesterday was my last full day at home before I leave for a week, and I had 12 huge hampers to deliver to local seniors, a house to clean, lots of packing to do and a million little things. I got through like a champ though, and today I woke up like a child on Christmas morning.

I’m simply throwing today’s blog together because I have about 24 things too complete and only 3.5 hours to complete them. Typical BonBon style……

I’m going to share with you 15 of my favourite things, and if I had the time this list would look extremely different as I would tell you things I’m passionate about or set my soul on fire, instead I’m playing light.

My favourite things are simple. Fresh fruit, coffee with just the right amount of cream and sugar, lakes, camping, quadding, a well made Ceasar, pickles; omfg I love pickles!!!!!! Seafood, burgers, poutine, hoodies, good weed, people! Coca Cola in a glass bottle and deep fried mushrooms. Bam I’m simple. Feed me hahahaha

Today’s prompt is a picture of where I grew up. So here it is, this is my childhood home we’re I spent 80% of my time. This house was built in the 70’s and had shag carpet and spiral staircases. A large barn and lots of horses growing up. Back then us kids played outside lots! Like I said before my childhood wasn’t all bad, and I was grateful to have had a pace like this with many spots to hide, explore and just be a kid.

Stay safe, strong and Badass!

xx Badassbon

Day 16 and your current relationship; if single discuss single life

Well as I sit here squeezing in a blog post in between building furniture my instant answer is it sucks, but only momentarily and not often. I have been single for one year now, and my previous relationship only lasted a couple months, so really I have had the opportunity to enjoy single life for a little over two years now.

It isn’t so much single life that bothers me, but the quality of relationships and dating nowadays. I’ve learnt to be picky, and sure of what I want. There are qualities in a man I will not waver on, and it comes down to how you make my soul feel. Sadly, I have put a lot of effort into someone that made me feel good about myself and I’ve been tossed aside like last weeks trash. Apparently this is a thing now. Ghosting. Head games. Uncertainty.

I have been fooled, mistaken and left wondering what I’ve done wrong. Let’s be real I haven’t done anything wrong. I am a good friend it is just sometimes others are not good friends and when their use of you is not needed boom I’m left wondering yet again. This cycle ends when you choose to not allow it to continue.

I’m going into single life unsure of what I am doing. I honestly am at a point in my life where I don’t even want a relationship. I thought I wanted companionship but it seems no one values anything anymore. I choose me.

I’m entering a relationship of growth with myself and my business. I hold my girlfriends near and dear to me and can rely on them to have my back. Sure it gets lonely sometimes, and always being the single one in the group can sometimes suck too, but it doesn’t suck enough to be undervalued and treated worthless.

Short and sweet because I’m not here to dwell on the past, but to learn from it. I’m sad I have lost people in my life, and I am sad that I have been abandoned repeatedly, but I’m built to learn from each situation. Growth is what pushes me in life and grow I will.

Stay safe, stay strong stay Badass! But most importantly stay single if you are undervalued, unhappy, abused or not in love with yourself because when you truly love yourself you don’t need anyone else. ❤️

xx Badassbon

Day 15 and my proudest moment

Well first let’s start off with the fact it is 11:35pm and I’m just blogging now. I try my hardest everyday to get my blogging out of the way when my mind is fresh and I’m in a good mood. Life, doesn’t it get in the way sometimes. As I sit here I am extremely exhausted, and already planning out tomorrow’s big day. I have been building ikea furniture all day and everything that was once on a desk or shelf is now on my bed. Looking like bedtime will be put off a little while longer. Either I am on chill mode or extreme go mode there is never an in between.

Today has been a success though, and it feels as if the isolation blues are going away. Thank goodness, because sitting at home watching unlimited Netflix and not seeing anyone has really taken a toll on my mental health. I have seen many people struggle with the adjustment of a socially distant lifestyle and I for one have had many ups and downs of my own.

I feel as if picking my proudest moment is like yesterday’s difficult times. There are so many. I am a mother so I have many moments with each one of my children. I also have many steps in the last three years that have been successful points in my journey to where I am today. Standing up and fighting for what you believe in, standing up for others, standing on a stage and sharing your story, becoming a published author. These are all very proud moments, but there has been one thing that always bothered me.

Not graduating was something that never really bothered me, but having your child want to drop out and have the argument of how their mother dropped out did. So, in my 30’s I went back to school. University actually, and with these credits I was able to obtain my adult dogwood diploma. Receiving my diploma in the mail was a damn proud moment. It now hangs on my wall above my desk as a reminder that no matter your age you can do whatever you put your mind to.

Well I should get back to putting everything away. Can not wait for tomorrows blog, and remember I took a list off of Pinterest and chose to stick to it for 30 days. Not only is this giving me writing prompts but getting me into the habit of regular blogging so I don’t disappear again like last time. So check back tomorrow for a look into my current relationship, or as my list says “if single discuss single life” oh this should be a good one.

Stay safe, stay strong stay Badass

xx Badassbon

Day 14 and a difficult time in my life.

Thanks Pinterest for being so vague on this one. How does one choose one difficult time in their life. It was difficult when I held my grandmothers hand for her last breath. It was difficult to choose me over a loveless marriage. It was difficult to stop using drugs everyday. It was difficult to kick my son out after constant battling with each other. It was especially difficult living through years of childhood sexual abuse. It was difficult to love my mother even though she didn’t know how to love me back. It was difficult to write my story. It was difficult to stay in an abusive relationship and extremely difficult to leave after many years. It is difficult to watch your children hurt. It is difficult to get out of bed. I think this is just the tip of the iceberg.

My whole life I have known immense pain, trauma, neglect, abandonment and disrespect. I have been tossed aside, abused, spat on, kicked and so much more.

But you know what was really difficult? Owning my truths. Ditching the shame I held onto from years of trauma. Admitting my wrongs in life. Standing up for myself and others who need it. It was difficult to share my story after feeling so defeated for so many years, but they say nothing worthwhile is easy.

So, although I have lived through decades of hell I have come through the other side. And do not think for one second I have this thing called life figured out because I do not. I am not “fixed” nor am I who I see myself being in the years to come, but I have started the process to healing and that’s all I can do. I can accept my past and grow from it. I can and will learn from it and I must go on.

We have this thing that we all share. It’s called choice. I can choose to be a victim or I can choose to survive. I have chosen to share my journey for many reasons. Some do the same thing I am doing but are private people. I chose to be an open public book, because I believe people like me change the world. By sharing everything with you I give power to others to know they are not alone. As a little girl I once thought the abuse was something I bared alone, and it gave me much shame. As I became vocal I learnt just how often this happens to others.

Here’s the thing. The more we talk about our tribulations, the more we take away the stigma, the shame and the hurt the less it happens. When we can openly talk about horrific things the power is taken away. When predators choose their victim they are certain they will get away with it. Mine did for many years, until I walked into that cop shop 3 years ago and told my story. I took my power back.

I want you all to take your power back because you are worth it. I am worth it.

And with that I ask you all to stay strong, stay safe and stay BADASS!

xx Badassbon

Back after a time out

Ever need to put yourself in a timeout? It’s like putting your child in the corner for not listening, except I need to check myself and my bad attitude. Yep I admit I have a shit attitude sometimes and if I don’t check myself it ferments into anger. So, time-out complete, and I would like to think I am back in a better mood. Maybe not entirely, but after my much anticipated road trip next week I am positive I will be back to my old self.

So day 11 I was to share 10 of my dislikes and 10 of my likes. I attempted this last night, and I was in such a bad mood my dislikes were actually making it worse.

My dislikes are things that make me tick, things that hurt me and things I don’t like done to me. I have a lot of integrity. And being raised on the golden rule this is important to me to be treated with respect as I hold a lot of respect towards others.

I dislike being ignored. I dislike people talking behind my back. I dislike being taken advantage of. I dislike being lied to and I dislike being used. Pretty obvious dislikes for anyone I would think. On a lighter side I also dislike people who whistle. My kids think I dislike this because I can’t whistle and maybe this is true, lol, but seriously it drives me crazy….. I dislike soggy bread because it is soooo gross! I dislike cold coffee, my allergies and dogs that beg for food when I’m trying to eat.

My likes now. The smell of fresh bread, movie theatre popcorn with junior mints and when my children listen and help out. I like sunny warm days, the beach and the sound of native drummers. I like travelling, friends that become family, sleeping in and fresh coffee. While writing out my likes it really grounds me and puts me in a good mood. It makes me think of all the good I have in my life and the things I have to look forward to. This is why I write. It helps me and it helps others see we are all more alike than we think.

So, day 12 is a little boring. It asks what I have in my make up bag. Thing is I never bring a make up bag anywhere unless I travel, and when I travel I bring everything ? yes. I’m one of those girls. Some would say a diva, a princess but I would just say I am me and I would much rather be prepared than not at all. So here is a picture of my make up drawer. Yes I have a whole drawer, and believe it or not I have downsized by about half in the last couple months.

Well that is all for tonight, now I get to attack my messages and emails. Thanks to depression and isolation blues I have over 1000 emails to sort through. Yay!

Stay strong, stay safe and stay Badass.

xx Badassbon

Day 11 and the places I would like to visit

Well first off I would literally like to go ANYWHERE right now because I am going absolutely batshit crazy and have never been so bored and never felt so alone in my entire life!

Okay now that that is out of the way. Here are the places I have always wanted to go in no particular order.

Egypt

Jamaica

Mexico

Italy

Paris…. Again

Graceland

Those are just the top places I can think of, but realistically I would love to see the whole world. I would love to immerse myself in the different cultures around the world and eat so many different types of cuisines.

I have done a little bit of travelling already. I have driven from Vancouver to Ontario, I have travelled to multiple places across Canada and have seen many towns in BC. I have been to Los Angelas, San Francisco, San Jose, Oakland, Las Vegas, Arizona, Oregon, Utah and Paris. I definitely have many years ahead of me for travel and would like to make it a priority..

If I could pick up right now and go anywhere right this second it would probably be Mexico. I’m really feeling like some sun and fun.

Stay strong, stay safe and most importantly stay Badass.

xx Badassbon

Day 10 and my thoughts on education

The exact question is actually how important do I think education is.

I think education is important as society expects you to have one. I have found it difficult getting jobs without one, so yea it is pretty important.

However, there are many of us who do not have an education. I made it to grade 8 and didn’t return for many years. I think education depends on where you’re going on life. Me, I hustle. It is what I know. I know how to figure shit out and push myself and my brand. I have determination and street smarts that no schooling taught me.

Everything I know I know from my life lessons. However if I could go back in time knowing what I know now I would’ve pushed myself harder and further with my education. I found it very hard to go back to school with 3 kids, but I did. There’s that thing again, choice. We all have a choice.

I do believe also that we don’t learn enough in schools. I am passionate about sexual abuse awareness, domestic violence awareness and confidence. These things are not brought up often in schools and I think they should be. I also think the schools should teach about budgets, balancing your budgets and debt.

And that’s where I stand on education.

Come back tomorrow to hear about the places I absolutely must visit.

Stay safe, strong and Badass

xx Badassbon

Day 9 and my handwriting

I promise as the days go on this will get juicer, but tonight it’s simple. Here’s my handwriting of something I read every single day multiple times a day.

Happy Friday. Be safe. Be strong. But most importantly be you! Because when you’re authentic and vulnerable you’re fucking Badass!

xx Badassbon