Stephanie Lahart's Blog - Posts Tagged "stephanie-lahart"

Synopsis:

Note to Readers:This book is recommended for mature audiences. Some parts of this book contain sexual relations.

Hannah-Marie is married and she will be celebrating her 25th anniversary in three more days. But, there’s a problem. She has three other men that have been occupying her mind: Christian, Liam, and Bryce. Hannah-Marie has been thinking things that a married woman shouldn’t, things that her husband would NEVER imagine or suspect. After all of these years of marriage, why now? What is it about these other men? Will Hannah-Marie ruin her marriage and risk it all? Many secrets will be revealed, secrets that have been hidden for years. Does her husband, Matthew, REALLY know his wife, and what secrets have Matthew been hiding?

In a marriage, sometimes you think you know everything about your mate, but you don’t. Will Hannah-Marie come clean to Matthew or will her thoughts become a reality with these three other men? Hannah-Marie thinks she’s the only one with secrets, but she’s in for a surprise when Matthew reveals his secrets as well. Marriage can be a beautiful thing BUT, as we all know, some decisions can change the course of a marriage forever…or do they?

Marriage/Temptation/Romance/Decisions

Genre: Fiction

Available on Amazon: Paperback and Kindle
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An unbreakable bond is what we share
Our love is genuine and rare
Beautiful memories of you and I
Laughing, smiling and joking
Unafraid to be ourselves
We are mother and daughter

Openly talk about whatever is on our mind
We fully trust one another with our deepest thoughts
We are best friends
How awesome is that?!
Never have to pretend
We can just be ourselves

We love each other unconditionally
Occasional attitude
Moody ways
And those not so good days,
Will never change the way we feel
Our love is one of a kind

We don’t always see eye to eye
But we communicate to make things right
Never stay upset with one another for too long
For our love is much too strong
Togetherness
An undeniable bond

You are my daughter and I am your mother
Always there for one another
Fully supporting and encouraging each other’s dreams
Uplifting, never discouraging
We are each other’s biggest fans
We are one

Kiss and hug each other on a daily basis
Show each other love and appreciation
I’ m an image of you and you’re an image of me
We are very special to one another
Mother and daughter is what we are
We Are Each Other’s Heartbeat!


– Written by Author Stephanie Lahart


* I was inspired to write this poem about me and my daughter's relationship. I hope you enjoy reading it! :)

Kings and Queens don’t compete against one another. They support, encourage, and help each other out to the best of their ability. They fully understand that they’re a team. His success is her success and her success is his success.

They build each other up, NEVER tear one another down. They choose their words wisely when they speak. They understand the power of words once spoken.

They love each other for who THEY are. Respecting one another’s uniqueness, flaws in all. They understand that nobody’s perfect.

They are faithful to one another. They wouldn’t dare entertain that kind of foolishness in their relationship. They both know what they have in each other, and no other man or woman could come between them, no matter what! Cheating is total disrespect! That’s not something that they’re willing to play with.

Kings and Queens complement each other very well. They make each other look good. When they step out, people can’t help but to take notice of their blessed union. Their love for one another is genuine and rare. The love that they share is simply beautiful!

The king respects his queen and the queen respects her king. Respect is a big deal! They understand that without it, there is no real relationship.

They are one! He feels her pain and she feels his pain. But together, they fight through it all. Giving up is NOT an option for them. They always rise above because they have each other. Together, they represent strength, courage, and wisdom. Their union is the real deal. Oh yes it is!

Communication is important to the both of them. It keeps their relationship healthy.

Their sex life is great! They don’t believe in withholding their love from one another. They don’t play childish games like that. Romance is NOT lacking in their relationship. No neglecting here! LOVE, LOVE, AND MORE LOVE.

They show their appreciation for one another because they understand the importance of doing so. Everybody wants to feel and know that they are appreciated. Everybody!

Never too busy for one another. They understand that “TIME” is valuable. They both understand that balancing work/life/school is of great importance. You should never be too busy for your loved ones.

Trust! Without it, any relationship is doomed. So with that being said, they are honest with one another, even if it hurts. They understand that lying to one another is just NOT worth it! It’s better to be upfront with each other because lying causes division and unwanted problems.

Neither one of them are selfish to a fault. They are both okay with compromising because they understand that you can’t expect to ALWAYS get your way. That’s just not fair to either one of them.

Kings and queens are NOT perfect by any means. They have their bad days too. And yes, they have disagreements just like everybody else, but they don’t stay mad at each other for long. They fully understand that anger, bitterness, and resentments lead to much greater problems. So they make sure that they communicate the problem once they’re both cooled off.

To have a love like this is unmatchable!

May all of you one day find YOUR king and YOUR queen.

What a BEAUTIFUL kind of love this is! Absolutely BEAUTIFUL!

Written By Author Stephanie Lahart 

Women, I need you to listen to me closely. Stop allowing men to define your beauty. All of us come in different sizes and shapes. Learn to embrace what YOU were blessed with. Don’t be concerned about what others think of you. What’s most important is how you feel about yourself. Now, if you don’t like the way you look, make changes for YOU, not a man.

What’s sexy to one man may not be sexy to the next man. It’s the same concept when we look at men. All men aren't created equal when it comes to their body frame. Some men have very toned and athletic bodies, some are stocky and short, some are tall and thin, some men are overweight, etc. The point I’m trying to make is this: You can’t live your life trying to appeal to everybody. It’s pointless!

So what if you have a stomach. So what is you’re a full-figured woman. So what if you’re super skinny with no real shape. So what if you’re NOT thick. So what if you don’t have large breast. So what if you don’t have a round apple butt. So what if you have stretch marks. So what if you have cellulite.

REALLY! So what!

Self-love and self-esteem is so VERY important to have. When you love who YOU are, people can’t make you feel less than because you don’t apparently fit their standards in the way that you look.

Beauty is being unique! Beauty is NOT to be defined. Beauty is what you see in yourself.

If a man only sees you for your body, then he’s one small thinking BOY. You may need to think on that for a little bit. A REAL man will see the TOTAL package in you.

You’re beautiful!

You’re unique!

You’re beautifully blessed just how you’re supposed to be!

Believe that!

Written By Author Stephanie Lahart

Look at you. No, I’m serious. Take a good look at yourself.

Now reflect over your life.

You've faced many challenges, set-backs, hurt, disappointments, and loss.

But through it all, YOU’RE still standing. Standing strong in spite of it all.

Stop being so hard on yourself. Sometimes we don’t have control over what happens in our lives.

Although you may have had your fair share of not-so-good days,

Always remember that ANYTHING is possible!

Keep your spirit up, hold your head high, and BELIEVE.

Never stop believing! Never give up on yourself! Never doubt what you’re capable of!

Don’t look at the negatives. FOCUS on all things positive!

I want you to be encouraged today and everyday of your life from this point forward.

Give yourself a chance to do the unknown.

You can do it! I know you can!

May you accomplish great things in your life, and I pray that opportunities will start opening up for you in abundance. That’s my genuine HOPE for you!

Be encouraged! Not only for today, but for the rest of your life.

Great things happen for us when we’re least expecting it.

Keep a positive attitude and never forget who you are and what you represent.

You’re somebody!

No matter what struggles you've had in life, you've made it thus far.

You can’t give up now. No way!

Have courage. Be brave. Stand tall. Keep on trying. Step out of your comfort zone.

Believe – Hope – Aspire – Dream – Dare to make your dreams come true.

Written By Author Stephanie Lahart

"MUSIC is, can, and will." - Stephanie Lahart

Emotionally abused. Physically abused. Financially abused. Being abused is what you’ve become accustomed to. You think to yourself “How did I let this go on so long? How did I allow this to happen to me? Why haven’t I spoken to anyone about what I’m going through? How did I even get here?” Your abusive relationship is slowly killing you on the inside. You’re at your breaking point. It’s time for you to think about YOU for a change because you deserve way better than what you’ve been putting up with. You don’t deserve this! You DO count. You ARE important. You DO mean a lot to your loved ones. They care for you. Trust me, they do. You don’t have to put up with this abuse anymore. Reach out for help and don’t feel ashamed to do so.

Genuine love isn’t supposed to be emotionally draining. Name calling isn’t okay. Stop making excuses for it. Making you feel less than is abuse. There’s no other way around that. You will be okay without him! He just makes you feel like you won’t. Think about what you were like before him. You had confidence! You felt great about yourself! You were outgoing and full of life! But look at you now. He’s broken you down little by little, just where he wants you to be. But enough is enough! You’ve got to get out of this mess. This is NOT your best life. This is no life at all.

He grabs on you, pushes and shoves you, holds you down on the bed and/or floor, punches you at times, just having his way with you when he wants to. He likes to toy around with you. Sweet and kind one minute, and then he’s right back at his evil ways. He demeans you as if you’re not worth anything. Your emotions are like a roller coaster. He has you up one minute, twisted the next minute, and then here comes the drop. He treats you like he owns you. As if you are a piece of property. Telling you what to do and controlling your every move. He’s NOT a nice person, so stop making excuses for him. You know what he’s like and you can’t change him. Don’t fool yourself!

He’s in control of the finances. He uses money against you. You have to ask him for everything. What he says goes. You don’t have any say so in the matter. You have money, but it’s like you don’t because he rules, and that’s that.

He’s taken your life away from you. You’re just being controlled. You choose to stay because you don’t want to feel ashamed and/or embarrassed of what others will say or think. You’ve been putting up with this hell for quite some time now. Pretending like you’re a happy couple. You’re a pro when it comes to putting on your happy face, wearing YOUR mask so flawlessly. You’ve put up a great front because nobody knows the hell that you’re going through but you and him. You have everybody fooled into thinking that you have a great relationship, but if they only knew that you’re just about to lose it. You’re holding on to a very thin string. You want out, but you don’t know how. You’re scared, confused, and nervous. And in a strange kind of way, you want to stay. You know the true him, but you make excuses for him and are torn as to what to do.

Instead of me TELLING you what to do, I’ll leave you with these inspirational quotes from me to you. Hopefully these positive quotes will give you the strength and courage that you need to leave your unfortunate and unhealthy relationship. Be brave!

Written by Stephanie Lahart
Author & Poet
Keepin’ it real is what I do. Writing without limits. Writing to impact, empower, educate, and change lives.

Inspirational & Motivational Quotes

“Encourage yourself, believe in yourself, and love yourself. Never doubt who you are.” – Stephanie Lahart

“Crying is NOT a weakness. Cry as much as you have to. Don’t be afraid or ashamed to let your tears flow. Crying is a natural part of life. We all have feelings and sometimes crying is all that we can do. Crying can help relieve the pain, hurt, disappointments, and all of the other things that life can throw our way. Know that it’s okay and know that you’re going to be okay as well. Wishing You: Peace of mind, Comfort, Happiness, Joy within and LOVE.” – Stephanie Lahart

“Say it out loud: I AM beautiful. I AM worthy. I AM somebody. I DO deserve to be loved. I DO deserve to be respected. I DO deserve happiness. I will no longer accept less-than what I know I deserve. I don’t deserve that. And I won’t accept it anymore. I know my self-worth! I deserve the very best!” – Stephanie Lahart

“Though I may feel weak right now, I know the strength that lives deep down inside of me. I will believe! I will have hope! And although my faith may be a little bit weary right now, I know I’ll make it through this. When I feel like I’m just about to give up, I somehow soar to the top. That’s because I’m a winner! It’s always a good idea to remind yourself of who YOU are. That’s perfectly okay!” – Stephanie Lahart

“Respect, Love, and Value yourself. Always remember to be good to yourself by taking care of yourself. Make yourself a priority and know that it’s okay. Don’t feel guilty for loving yourself, first! You’re just as important as anybody else. Remember that!” – Stephanie Lahart

“Tomorrow has not invited you yet, so LIVE for today! Tomorrow is near, yet so far away. Choose this day to smile, laugh, love unconditionally, and be happy within.” – Stephanie Lahart

“You are valuable! You are beautifully blessed just how you’re supposed to be. No matter what anybody else has told you, YOU rock!” – Stephanie Lahart

“Hello beautiful! Yes, YOU. Please realize just how special that you are. There’s no need for you to compare yourself to the next. You are unique, rare, and incomparable. You’re simply beautiful inside and out!” – Stephanie Lahart

“Self-worth. Self-love. Self-Esteem. Self-Motivation. Self-confidence. All of these things equal SELF-EMPOWERMENT. Always believe in yourself, even if nobody else does!” – Stephanie Lahart

“Dare to be bold and brave. Dare to believe that you can. Dare to live out your dreams. Dare to get out of your comfort zone. Dare to make positive changes in your life. Dare to live life without all of the extra drama and/or baggage. Dare to live your life fearlessly. Dare to TRULY live for once in your life!” – Stephanie Lahart 

Choices, Choices, Choices. Let’s face it, we all have to make them. If you think about it, everything that we do starts with a choice. Let me give you some quick examples of what I’m talking about.

We make everyday choices about what we’re going to eat, what we’re going to wear, deciding what time we’re going to work-out, what time we’re going to wake up or go to sleep, etc.

Now that I have your attention, I would like to discuss important things that you may have to make decisions about. As teens, you are faced with so many things on a daily basis and it can sometimes be overwhelming, exciting, and scary too.

I want to discuss your friends. Be mindful of the people that you call your friends. If people are truly your friends, they will want to see you do well in life, and they won’t try to put you in a position where you can get into trouble, hurt yourself or others, or completely ruin your life by making a bad decision that will cost you big time!

Choose your friends wisely. Try to pick out people that share your same interests. It would also be wise to hang out with people who have good morals and values. I know that some teens don’t give it any thought, but you should. Be careful of the company that you keep.

I’ll leave you with this to think about regarding friends: Make sure that they TRULY like you and have your best interest at heart. A true friend will be honest with you and bold enough to tell you when you’re wrong. They don’t want to see you go down the wrong path.

These are some things that you should also consider when you’re deciding on friendship: Are they trustworthy, honest, dependable, supportive, selfless, a good listener, respectful of themselves and others? There are so many things to consider. Also, here’s a quick reminder: Genuine friends won’t be jealous of you. Please keep that in mind. I know you’ll make the right choice.

Okay, let’s talk about drugs and alcohol. I’ll try not to get too long-winded on you, but this is an important topic.

We all know that if you’re under the age of 21, you shouldn’t be drinking or using drugs. But the fact of the matter is, teens are drinking and using drugs. I will share this with you: Underage drinking and drug-use is irresponsible and you risk the chance of putting yourself in some compromising positions.

Underage drinking and drug-use can cause the following: Death, addictions, mood changes, getting arrested, getting lower grades in school, poor performance in your extracurricular activities, etc. I want you to think smartly! You can’t afford not to.

Don’t be pressured or fooled into thinking that everybody’s doing it or that it’s the thing to do. That’s not true. It’s a personal choice and you don’t have to be a part of it. Choices, Choices, Choices! It’s a part of life and I want YOU to make the best ones. You have more important things to worry about, let’s not add more trouble to your plate. Your plate is already full.

Do you, or somebody that you know, like to: Shoplift, steal vehicles, burglarize homes, fight, and/or keep up trouble? Let me give you something to REALLY think about.

This kind of behavior will destroy you and your life! Some of you may be saying, “Not me, I’ve never been caught!” Or some of you may be saying, “It’s cool or fun!” You may think it’s all fun and games now, but what IF…

Could you see yourself in juvenile hall? Or, if you’ve already been there, done that, do you remember what it was like? I don’t know about you, but I wouldn’t want to be locked up being told what to do. They have complete control over you and there’s nothing you can do about it. You have to follow their rules. Period, end of story.

If you continue on the road that you’re going down, you’ll find yourself in jail and/or prison. I want you to imagine being there for a second. I mean REALLY imagine. I don’t know about you, but I’d be scared to death being in those cells with people from all walks of life. If you don’t know, SO many awful things go on behind those walls. I mean awful things! Some people get raped, beat up, and/or killed. You don’t have any privacy either.

I don’t think you would enjoy taking showers out in the open with total strangers. I don’t think you would enjoy sitting on toilets that everybody else is sitting on. I don’t think you would like the food that they provide you. I don’t think you would enjoy the fact that you have to share a cell with somebody that you don’t even know. I don’t think you would like other inmates taking or stealing your personal belongings.

I don’t want this to happen to you. You don’t want to make a choice that will literally ruin your life. Think about your actions and how it can cost you. Could you imagine standing in front of a Judge and he sentences you to LIFE without parole? Imagine hearing the words: I sentence you to: 10 to LIFE, 15 to LIFE, 25 to LIFE, LIFE without the possibility of parole, or DEATH.

I’m pretty sure shoplifting, stealing vehicles, burglarizing homes, fighting, and starting trouble doesn’t seem so fun now. Your life is worth more than that. Think about that the next time you even think to do something that you know isn’t right. It’s your life! Make it count for something great! Make something of yourself!

Teens Matter Most is available on Amazon.

Written By Stephanie Lahart
Author & Poet

This article was written to give parents some real food-for-thought about staying in their unhealthy relationship for the sake of the kids. It's an eye-opener as to how kids can be affected negatively because the parents choose to stay together although they're clearly unhappily married. Sometimes, we as parents, think that we're making the best choices for our children, but in actuality, we're doing more damage than good. This article is honest and truthful. We have an obligation to do right by our children. Right?

I hear a lot of people say that they're staying in an unhappy relationship for the sake of the kids. Both parents clearly don't get along anymore and they both want to get out of the relationship.

This is where you have to ask yourself some tough questions: Is arguing and bickering in front of the kids all of the time healthy? Is it fair to the kids that they have to live in a home where we don't speak respectfully to one another? Is it fair that the kids have to witness abuse? Remember, abuse is not just physical. Is it fair that the kids hear us argue over finances all of the time? Is it fair to pretend that we're happy when they know that we're not? What kind of message are you sending to them?

When you're in a relationship and you're both willing to work things out, like going to counseling or getting outside help from the church or whatever your choice may be, that's one thing. But when you both know in your hearts that it's over, it would be wise for both of you to be mature, make arrangements, and move on for the sake of the kids.

What good is it to stay for the kids if all they see is unhealthy behavior from their mom and dad? It's just not fair to them. It's important to know this: When children witness this kind of behavior regularly, they can easily become scared, confused, angry, and feel isolated. Bringing kids up in an environment that's unhealthy can also cause them to be mentally unstable. If your kids are old enough to understand, it can affect how they act in school and the relationships that they build with others.

I know that walking away from a relationship when you have kids can be a very difficult choice to make, but think about the kids. They don't deserve this. If they can't have their mom and dad behave like loving adults as it should be, then what good is staying? You're main goal should be raising happy, healthy, and good-natured children. Living in a negative environment will soon rub off on them. Kids can feel when something's not right. Kids know how to get attention whether it is in a negative or positive way. They'll act out in ways that aren't normal because they're seeking attention. They'll start getting into trouble or hurting themselves simply because they don't quite understand what's going on. Most kids will begin to think that they're at fault.

You say that you're staying for the kids, but ask yourself, is it truly worth it? Seriously think it through.

Stephanie Lahart is an Author, Poet, Teen Motivational Speaker, and a Teen Mentor. She also has 2 successful online stores: TshirtsbyLahart and InspirationbyLahart. Want to connect with and/or learn more about Stephanie Lahart? Feel free to visit her website. https://about.me/stephanie.lahart