I have worked since I was 12 years old and started providing for my family in Holland by the age of 17 – and I still do today.
When struggling to get out of bed in the morning due to pain and exhaustion, the last thing on the priority list is going to get a blow dry.
As a woman who experienced infidelity firsthand, I will always advise my girlfriends to only trust their husbands 95 percent and leave 5 percent for human error.
The Lakers and the Clippers teams play against each other; friends shouldn’t.
Unfortunately but absolutely fair to all, the one thing money can’t buy is health – and happiness.
Nobody likes to be judged, including me, but I am the first to say that I am far from perfect.
Lyme disease has become a fast epidemic worldwide. I am determined to help find a cure and figure out a way to share knowledge with the millions of people struggling with this debilitating disease.
At 12 years old, I raised a premature baby cow on our farm because her mom had died. I bottle-fed it every day, let it suck on my chin, and babied it until it was stable.
I am proud to be an American and finally call this my home!
Anyone that was raised with a Germanic language will agree that our tone is strong, especially once translated into English.
Even though I struggle with severe diminished brain function, I take 100 percent responsibility for every word that comes out of my mouth and gladly admit to my mistakes.
I used to think I had and needed so many friends to feel loved. I know now that if you have one or two, you are good. More than that, you are great.
I love each of my kids in unique ways and try to meet their different needs so they can thrive and be their personal best.
While the majority of my career has relied on my aesthetics and how I look, I worked hard at keeping a spiritual connection with what was most important, what is inside me.
No matter how old we are, there is nothing better then getting the approval from our parents and the sense that they are proud of our accomplishments in life.
Becoming chronically ill has definitely given me a greater understanding of human nature, and I’ve learned to accept people’s lack of long-term compassion for others while they live their busy lives.
The life of any chronically ill person becomes extremely isolating.
My life is raw, authentic, and focused on giving back to the journey God has given me; I want to leave this earth a better place with answers and education on Lyme and invisible chronic disease.
The core of people don’t change… what you see is what you get.
I was raised in Holland, where race and homosexuality are not a subject matter but rather a part of life.
It’s hard for me to be involved in superficial friendships with other women.
I do have my insecurities, but I feel good in my skin, and my heart is full of love.
The only reason I ever shared my health journey with the world was because I felt it to be my duty to sufferers that are bed-ridden and dying because there has yet to be found a proper diagnostic test for Lyme Disease in this country.
I’m not very diplomatic and wear my heart on my sleeve.
It’s interesting as a mom to reflect on your own parenting skills. The core of our beliefs may stay the same, but our perspective changes over the years and evolves with each child that comes through us.
I always like to remind myself that the most honorable people of all are not those who never make mistakes, but those who admit to them when they do and then move on and do their best to right the wrongs they have made.
I choose to live in the present because when you suffer from chronic illness, you don’t have a choice. It’s day by day, one foot in front of the other. When there is a good day, you soak up that moment. Those ‘good selfie’ moments are captured because they’re a gift.
It’s sad that people forget sometimes that there is a whole legitimate world of artists and actors out there that work their entire life, every day on perfecting their craft, but yet don’t get any acknowledgement for their extraordinary commitment to their profession.
In my culture, whispering in the company of others is considered rude.
I feel that when you take the responsibility to host something, it is your job to make sure that all your guests are taken care of equally.
Every essential oil has a healing purpose, so I think it’s a great gift because it’s something that elevates your mood and your health.
I have tried the fancy, superficial life in my past, but I quickly learned that diamonds are not my best friend.
My favorite holiday memory is making gingerbread houses. It’s something I’ve done with my children since they were born.
At some point, you just learn to surrender to your path.
The Lyme disease had so severely affected my brain functioning that it was extremely hard for me to think, form sentences, and stay focused.
I was raised to take pride in homemaking, and it’s something that I always love to do. I know I share that pride with millions of other women all over the world. It’s a good feeling, and it makes me happy.
There is nothing harder for me than to sit at the sideline, not being able to be productive.
I believe the only thing constant in life is change. That’s just the way it is, no?
There are many different shapes of friendships to be had.
I love the American openness and use of language; I just don’t know how to be that way.
I wasn’t born with a silver spoon in Beverly Hills, but I was born with a great deal of self-worth.
Establishing a friendship after divorce takes great effort and a lot of swallowing of your pride and ego.
I am certainly not drama-free in my life, and I used to be a lot more feisty, but I have arrived at a place where I really try to not sweat the small stuff anymore.
I grew up cleaning stalls and milking cows.
Lyme has brought me to my knees; this disease is a silent killer and does not have a face.
Finding that financial independence away from a broken relationship is probably one of the most powerful places a woman can get to.
As a nurturer, I have always lived my life running for others, trying to make everyone happy, even if I often overlooked my own needs. I do it because it makes me happy and fulfilled.
I have been driven by romance my whole life because I crave the intimacy that comes with that.
I am extremely proud of my heritage, and I would never use being Dutch as an excuse but rather an explanation of our cultural differences.
I love to give crystals.
I think I’m a disciplined mom versus a strict mom. But also, that job – the disciplining was from birth until about 12, and at 12, I set my kids free, and they learned to become independent human beings.
Getting chronic Lyme disease is probably the fastest way to figure out what and who is real in your life.
I have always said, ’40 is the new 20,’ and I truly believe that, but it for sure takes a lot of hard work, education, and discipline to keep it all together as we make our way to 50 and beyond.
I took the same pride in my dishwashing job as a child as I take in running my company today.
Trash talk is poisonous and a bad habit!
I believe forgiveness is the best form of love in any relationship. It takes a strong person to say they’re sorry and an even stronger person to forgive.
I have learned that friendship isn’t about who you’ve known the longest, it’s about who came and never left your side.
Although I am not Jewish, I have been to many Friday night Shabbats at my friends houses, and I absolutely love it. It’s a great and inspiring tradition to keep the family close.
Life doesn’t always go according to plan, and we don’t always act in a way that represents who we are. What matters is that these moments become teaching moments.
Religion is a very sensitive subject and reason for wars all over the world.
Some people come into our life as a blessing, while others come into our life as a lesson, so love them for who they are instead of judging them for who they are not.
Having lost my own father at such a young age, I have a soft spot for dads in general, but especially for Guy Glanville. He is a really good man inside who loves his family but may not always be capable of showing that.
Forgiveness for one’s self is the only way we can keep going through life and give ourselves the best chance at being the best people we can be.
When the chips are down, life forces you to take inventory and reevaluate the people in your life.
I have faith that God often uses our deepest pain as the launching pad of our greatest calling.
I am open and respect everyone’s religious and spiritual choices because at the end of the day, in my opinion, I hope that we are all praying to the same God.
I am righteous and not afraid to speak my truth. My delivery might not always be as diplomatic as I would like it to be, but my words are truthful – spoken from the heart and to the point.
I will not allow anyone to shut me up or shame me into silence, and I’m not going to rot away behind closed doors.
A lot of great medicines and ancient therapies are blocked by the FDA, so that’s why I choose to travel and recognize the value of diverse points of view in medicine.
