So, right now, in the middle of my forehead, I have a big swelly zit. Not the kind that looks like a volcano and has a pussy white head… no, it’s the swelly kind that is sort of red, but does not have a head and probably never will. The kind of zit that you should never EVER even dream of squeezing. What are they called? Nodules, I guess.
Anyway… I do from time to time still deal with smatterings of the “normal” pimples… what are they called.. papules? No… pustules, I think. Ew, all the names are pretty gross.
But I don`t get these kind anymore.
So basically this is depressing me. This is the first one of its kind that I’ve gotten since I’ve been clear from my severe acne. These were the type of spots I used to get on my chin when my acne was more mild, and when they increased in frequency was when I would get fed up and go on an “acne diet“. They cleared up for months at a time afterwards and that was that. Easy – when your lifestyle is pretty poor.
But what happens when I`m already living a healthy lifestyle?
Nothing, I suppose. Wait it out. Deal with the emotions. Realize it`s not the end of the world and it`ll go away.
But I can`t help it… I get anxious – as though this is a dark, ominous sign of things to come.
Rationally, I know it’s probably not. It’ll pass like always.
In fact, I know it’s completely just a psychological thing. I mean…what does it REALLY matter… honestly? I can easily cover it up with a bit of makeup. I have a boyfriend who loves me and knows all about my skin troubles, and doesn`t care if I have acne. But… BUT… now I have a website about acne! I`m the guru now. I`m supposed to have perfect skin…. right?
You people are depending on me to have beautiful skin at all times. I can`t show up on camera with a big swelly zit!! Can I?
But then I think… who is really putting the pressure on me to be perfect? you guys… or me?
Then I go and get a little more sinister and think maybe I`m breaking out because lately I`ve been feeling slightly overwhelmed with the blog… I begin to wonder if I will be able to keep up with it as it gets more popular, and my self esteem starts to plummet. My skin begins to break out as a way to help me sabotage myself from actually succeeding at something that I love and enjoy.
Ooookaaay, so I still need to work on some things.
I just needed to get that off my chest. I`m not perfect! There, I said it. My skin isn`t perfect.
To be honest… even though I break out sometimes still, I`m overall pretty happy with my skin. It`s amazing compared to what it was like a year ago. And I`ve dealt with mild acne most of my life and while it bothered me, it never ruined my life or kept me from doing things I wanted. Why should mild acne ruin my life now?
It does somehow feel different because I do put a lot of effort into living a healthy life, which I didn`t before. Sometimes it feels unfair that I still get acne. But I realize that some people are just very acne prone, and I am, unfortunately, one of them. If you are less acne prone, with mild to moderate acne, you can probably get completely clear with the same amount of effort I put into my health. But if your skin is capable of getting quite severe like mine was, then maybe a couple of zits shouldn`t really be a big deal in the long run.
Perhaps if I were even stricter with my diet, stricter with my exercise, stricter with my meditation, stricter with this, or that… maybe I wouldn`t have mild acne. But is that worth it? To me – not really. I already experienced being a total nut job about my diet, and I was miserable. I`d rather live a healthy, yet manageable lifestyle and have some spots.
It`s not about the spots anyway, it`s how we feel about them and imagine that they are doing to us. In this case, I imagine that I`m losing credibility with my readers. Is it true? Probs not.
In your case, do you imagine that people are staring at your spots? That they`re looking down on you? That your acne is making you repulsive to the opposite sex?
And do you really know for sure if any of that is actually true?
Ohhhh, imagination. The things you`ll do to us.
Crystal says
April 20, 2011 at 10:15 amHey! Don’t worry I am sure that it is due to stress! I break out much worse when I am stressed out. Just keep doing what your doing and don’t let it get you down. I for one do not expect you to have perfect skin just because you’re the zit guru :P. I’m sure it will go away soon and in the meantime do some yoga or something 🙂 and drink a green smoothie and STOP thinking about it!
🙂 Feel better
Maja says
April 20, 2011 at 10:59 amohhh don’t feel bad, i don’t expect you to be perfect..nobody is.
I’m not gonna trust your advices less just because you got one zit!
After 2 weeks of not having any new zits on my chin i woke up with one new, and as you i felt afraid thinking what if they start coming back..but i decided not to be bothered and let it sit on my chin and enjoy it’s short life.
And i went on a bike ride with my friends, played frisbee and chased a lizard with my camera 😛
so don’t worry, be happy 🙂
sara says
April 20, 2011 at 11:31 amHi!
I just find your website about an hour ago, and I really like it:D But i tried to download your ebook and I still haven´t received the mail, how long do you think it takes?
Tracy says
April 20, 2011 at 11:43 amHi Sara! Thanks, I’m glad you like the site!
The email should be almost instant… have you checked your junk mail? That’s usually the issue, but if it’s not, let me know
sara says
April 20, 2011 at 12:24 pmBeing 19 and part of the internet generation I feel really stupid that I forgot to check the junk mail 😀 thanks, I found it!
Tracy says
April 20, 2011 at 12:55 pmHaha don’t worry, it’s an easy thing to miss… and you’re definitely not the only one. It appears from my email list that there are about 5 other people today (which is a lot) who have signed up but not confirmed…. but there’s no way to tell them to check their junk! Maybe they’ll read this comment 😉
Sampson says
April 20, 2011 at 11:32 amI think clear skin really means acne-free 99% of the time. I don’t think anyone really cares about a pimple here and there spread out in time but it’s when you have persistent acne that you wake up with daily that gets people down.
I break out from time to time also but I don’t fret about it. Just wash my face before bed and it’s usually gone in the morning or has at least gotten smaller. 🙂
Tracy says
April 20, 2011 at 11:41 amThanks guys! I already feel better just from writing about it 🙂
Luke says
April 20, 2011 at 12:16 pmTracy, you are a good teacher and have a lot of credible things to say. Just because you get a pimple doesn’t mean your comments on acne healing lose their value. In fact, a good teacher does what you are doing, talking about the problem and showing how to overcome it. I hate the feeling that acne causes; the depression, anger. They are such nasty energies, but I’m glad you feel better after writing about it.
In your e-book you talk about how your skin knows how to maintain itself, without any help from washes/topical treatment. Accepting that idea into my life has really helped me, and just know your skin is trying to tell you something. I am personally impressed with your blog and your ability to keep it up, I run a YouTube channel and know how demanding developing content can be. Just know that things have a way of working themselves out, and I’m sure (if you wanted it) people would be willing to help develop content for your site in the future. Anything is possible.
Feel better, and listen to your own advice. Both you and your skin know what to do!
Chelsea says
April 20, 2011 at 12:27 pmTracy!
I know exactly what you are going through right now. I started taking your holistic advice a few months ago and up until last week my skin was almost completely clear minus some scarring that is still healing. Everything was going great, I felt on top of the world. I felt like all the hard work I had put into my diet/ exercise/ emotions had finally paid off.
But then, out of the blue, I got a very large nodule pimple on my chin, in the same spot that nodules had appeared before I started my holistic journey. I was not happy. At all. Around the same time I was dealing with a lot of school stress and emotional issues related to my friends and family, and I hadn’t been exercising. Then, a few days ago, my face picked up on my stress and not only did the nodule on my chin get bigger, but I got another spot on my chin, my scars became inflammed and red, and I could feel on various places on my face that spots were under the surface and could potentially come to the surface.
I was so upset. I cried so much early this week. But I didn’t just cry about my acne, I cried for all the things that had been bothering me. And it felt really good to acknowledge that I didn’t have such a great handle on my emotions as I thought I did. Once I accepted that, I was able to move on, get a handle on what I could, and let the rest go for the time being.
These past two weeks have been a real eye opener for me. Stress and emotions really DO play a big role in how much acne I get. So at the end of the day it’s not about how much I exercised, or how strict my diet was. Those things do help, but they won’t do any good if I don’t laugh, smile, help a friend, work hard at school so I’m not stressed, etc. And I may think that people are looking at me because of my spots, but in reality they’re more concerned about their own problems, or their own spots. And I’ve been blessed with a really great boyfriend who thinks I’m beautiful no matter what, and he actually has acne as well, so I feel less self conscious around him because I know that he’s going through the same thing.
I know that was a bit ramblely, but I wanted you to know that you’re not alone. Nodules are the worst. They’re painful and they’re scary. But keep your head high, and smile. Your blog has helped me so much, and I could care less if you have a few spots! In fact, it’s comforting to know that you do, and that you’re willing to open yourself up and write about it 🙂
Peace and Love,
Chelsea
lauren says
April 20, 2011 at 1:04 pmFunny you should post this today. Last night I was up late perusing some of your (awesome!) content, and thought to myself “I wonder if she ever feels pressure to keep her skin completely flawless, being on camera and giving advice about skin”. I sure would, and I think anyone in your position would feel that stress too.
I really feel like I can relate to you Tracy … Adventurous/social/outdoorsy girl who feels held back by how I think others see me and my skin. Im just finishing my first year of school to be an ND, and I am still trying to deal with the mental and emotional “skinsophrenia” that I know lingers behind a lot of my skin issues. And right about now I am also stressing that my acne will come back any day. I very recently seemed to have cleared my skin by cutting dairy (cut it about 7 months ago, didnt start clearing until 3 months ago ), but it seems too good to be true…I also recently went off the BCP too (which didnt seem to help my skin), so I think im subconsiously waiting for the repercussions of that to creep up. The point: being able to come to your site is a kind of warmth and reassurance that things will end up okay for me. Your readers will be here for you- to suggest topics to cover when you feel like you’ve run out of ideas to talk about, to support you in your quest for being as healthy and happy as can be, and to remind you of how awesome you look.
As for your blog: Even if you left it for months without a single post or video, your site is changing the way a lot of people are viewing their skin, and by extension you are changing their health and happiness. The fact that you still get breakouts once in a while makes you human, and makes your blog more authentic. Unlike a lot of other websites, your advice come from a truly genuine place.
You are stunning, and completely inspiring. Thanks for everything you’ve done and written about 🙂
E says
April 20, 2011 at 1:58 pmI have two of those nodules you speak of. One under my eye and one on my neck. Ugh, I so know how you are feeling.
I think it’s great you have a boyfriend who doesn’t care about your acne. I have a best friend like that, who’s seen me countless times with no makeup on and with completely hyper-pigmented broken out cheeks, chin, neck and forehead. Hey, I still struggle with terrible hyper-pigmentation. The people who love us somehow can see past it. He often asks me who I’m trying to impress when I stress about it! I do sometimes feel the opposite sex must be repulsed by looking at me. He reminds me that even if people do notice and do stare, it doesn’t matter because I know the journey I am on and how far I’ve come.
We both should be proud Tracy!
I’ll leave you with a quote…
“I’m may not be completely where I want to be, but thank God I’m not where I used to be!”
Kyle says
April 20, 2011 at 2:24 pmSo, I’m going to admit something:
In the past few days I’ve been breaking out terribly. Horribly. To a point that I ended up crumbling and bawling my eyes out for an hour. To be honest this is the worst breakout I’ve had in about a year, with about 4 of those nasties you’re talking about.
And, because of this, I began to doubt all the work I had been doing. However…
Today I’ve definitely been reeling in the same frustrations, but realizing that for each individual there are certain needs that have to be fulfilled in order to feel great. For me it’s writing about my problems and getting to the root of what really frustrates me. To an extent I believe that’s what you’ve accomplished with this blog post and with the site in general. By sharing all this information, you’re doing a lot of sufferers a great service. Do I think this is the actual remedy for everyone? No. I don’t. I’ve tried changing my diet and routine before to no avail and I’m finally admitting that I need some outside help, but my acne is much more severe in that I suffer from a big zit for every 3 regular ones a normal individual endures. However (again)…
That doesn’t mean I’m not learning a lot to help it out and help myself feel like a better individual. This site is STILL very important and I’ve been able to take away many great new habits (meditating) and diet advice which I feel will be beneficial in the long run.
My point? We all have our doubts and down days. It’s just a matter of reminding ourselves what brings solace amid breakout chaos. Keep up the great work, but remember to take time for yourself over the blog no matter how popular it becomes over time. Maybe you’ll have some fellow bloggers over time to help out! Keep a smile on your face, Beautiful! (and that’s a gay man calling you “Beautiful,” which should make you feel 1000000x bettter aaand your boyfriend can ‘t beat me up =P)
Sarah says
April 20, 2011 at 2:39 pmabout 2 weeks ago i went off my thyroid medication, because i actually found out i don’t need it. However i believe that it was keeping my skin from breaking out too much. Although it may just be mentally in my head, i started breaking out more than i have in awhile the past two weeks. I started to obsess about my skin again, not go out as much, fall into old habits just because of a few more zits. I started it again today because even if it doesn’t work it still makes me feel better. Which seems extremely pointless if I know its working because i think its working. If that makes any sense. My point is my stress/low self esteem when it comes to acne really does seem to make it worse. I think through all of our journeys and struggles to get clear skin we will have these reminders to make us appreciate it or see if we have learned anything(by that i mean not let our skin define us). The longer I’ve had acne the more i realize it. Whenever I don’t stress about and know it will go away and remain happy it always does. I know you probably know this but we all need a reminder sometimes. and btw nobody here expects you to be perfect at all. You obviously have worked hard and accomplished a lot and i know i’m not the only one thankful for your advice.
Marlee says
April 20, 2011 at 4:34 pmHey Tracy,
First off, I just want to say that I’ve been keeping up with your blog since the beginning and you’re doing an amazing job. I can relate to every single one of your posts and your tone is so conversational, friendly, and really shows your personality. I have to say that I hope I can make a blog like yours one day, so just remember that your efforts are appreciated, and maybe that will help relieve the stress a little bit.
Secondly, I have to say that it’s because of you that I started realizing that my emotions can play a role in my acne and overall health. I literally never thought about that for one second. I was too busy monitoring my food intake (no dairy, no sugar, no white bread/rice/pasta etc.) to think about how I was stressing out about my food intake. After talking to you, I started thinking a lot about what was going on with me emotionally. I read Skin Deep and that was just the beginning. Suddenly all of this emotional crap surfaced that I didn’t even know existed. I honestly thought I was emotionally fine and that I just felt like shit because of my skin. I realize that my self-esteem issues run deep and have been there since before I had skin problems. I started listening to meditative music, meditating, reading Skin Deep and seeing a therapist, and my skin has drastically improved in the past few months. I’ve started to relax food-wise because I realized I wasn’t being healthy, and, like you, I’m naturally small and I was losing too much weight to the point that I was getting comments from family and friends (not in a good way). I seriously have to say that this is largely thanks to you. So, thank you so much for putting so much time and effort into your blog. I know I don’t usually comment, but I want you to know that I read every post and I’m very grateful to you for sharing all of your knowledge and experiences.
Anyway, I know this doesn’t change how you or I will feel when we have a breakout. I suffer the same neuroses as you, believe me. I totally relate 100% to this post and I think worrying about breakouts is kind of inevitable, at least for me at the stage I’m at now. I hope there will come a point where I’m comfortable enough in my own skin that I won’t be affected emotionally by a breakout here and there.
Hopefully I’m able to give you a boost of confidence about your blog, because I can see how such a huge undertaking can be very stressful. Just know that I (and I assume everyone else who commented) appreciate you and we aren’t judging you at all. Just keep being yourself and we’ll keep reading 🙂
Keep up the good work,
Marlee
Tracy says
April 20, 2011 at 7:47 pmYou guys are all SO wonderful!! Thank you so much for all the heartfelt responses… it’s obvious we are all in this together.
Even though I obviously still have lingering fear, I feel like I’ve come a long way. I remember the first time I got a decent sized pimple after I had been completely clear for the first time since my severe acne…. it DEVASTATED MY SOUL! Good god, I remember how desperate and awful that ONE spot made me feel. Yet, a spot like that before my severe acne would never have had the same effect. But by then I was scarred… I was horrified. The fear had me up against the wall by my throat. That was when I realized that food alone would never make me all better.
So I am really pleased to say that this particular spot on my forehead right now doesn’t feel nearly as bad as that one did then. It’s progress for certain 🙂
PS – I love all of you so much!!
Amanda says
April 20, 2011 at 7:53 pmI haven’t personally given this a try yet (but I’m going to soon and when I do I’ll let you know how it goes) but have you ever tried acupuncture? My skin is also definitely a lot better than it was a year ago after taking lots of natural steps (diet, herbs/vitamins, exercise, meditation, etc) but I still get acne sometimes, which is incredibly frustrating. Like you said, it feels unfair. I’m hoping that the acupuncture will be another aid to help my body heal but we’ve both healed our bodies so much so lets not forget that! Sending positives vibes your way.
Tracy says
April 20, 2011 at 7:57 pmActually, I’m very, very interested in getting acupuncture at some point… I believe that it would be very helpful for balancing the body and maybe it’s just that extra thing that could improve things. Who knows. I really want to try it…. I can’t afford it right now though, but hopefully in the future I will able to! Let me know how it goes if you do decide to get some done!
Maria says
April 21, 2011 at 7:22 amJust want to add to the voices of affirmation and appreciation, Tracy. Your suggestions and resources have inspired me and helped me feel less alone as I deal with the frustration of mild acne. Keep it up!
Danielle says
April 21, 2011 at 11:53 amHey Tracy. Chin up Lady. You’re a beautiful person, so even if you get a bump, or even, a painful whelp (yep I know all about those), it doesn’t matter cos you’re strong, it’ll come and go, and you’ll be clear again.
The only thing, maybe is stress? I really pray that, the website isn’t causing too much additional stress on you. Don’t make yourself feel obligated to write a post every single day for us. Don’t let it become something that makes you unhappy because no one wants to see that for you. Do only what you can, that makes you feel good, and happy. Work on your book and draw in you the positivity and support you find here. Take a break from time to time if you need it. Actually showing us that you’re human, and you still get a zit here and there, and dare I say, you still get down about it, its so much more supportive and powerful, then someone acting like they are “cured” and their life is perfect. Not to say, I want you to be depressed, cos I don’t! Thanks for being real, and thanks for all your help!
Ps: Infact, trying to come off BP, incorporating green smoothies, and cutting out almost all dairy, this past following week, I’ve had a nightmare of little bumps everywhere, some you can’t see, but some that you can, cos they are super red. It’s almost rash like acne. It really got me down, it was one of the worse breakouts I’ve had a while, in fact, in probably a year. But today, I dusted a little powder on, went to my appts, and when I came home, got a glimpse in the mirror, and I though, hey I’m still pretty, its not so bad, and its going to be okay. I didn’t have to have mask of foundation, I didn’t try to hide. I feel like today, I’m dealing with it better than I would have in the past. I’m not completely panicking and that feels liberating in itself.
Hanging in there ~Dani. (you hang in there too!)
Tracy says
April 22, 2011 at 10:28 amExactly! One step at a time… if the feelings are less strong and painful than last time… it’s progress!
Biosuit says
April 21, 2011 at 12:09 pmplenty of people who dont get acne sometimes break out when they stress or when they eat horribly for a substantial period of time…so just think of it as one of those rare moments and maybe do a little more of something to make you feel better like exercise a little more, meditate a little more so you’ll feel like you’re doing something about it.
you are the guru but you are also human…almost everyone is capable of getting acne!
hope this helps a little, as well as all the others!
Primal Toad says
April 21, 2011 at 1:23 pmWow Tracy! Look at the response! You HAVE TO KEEP GOING! These people are counting on YOU! You are an INSPIRATION!
Its amazing how we can be grateful for the things that most people would not be grateful for. You got a pimple, blogged about it and, well… look at the response! You are building a community. A community that will inspire MILLIONS to live their life. To take action to clear their acne but not worry about it in the meantime.
I told you in an e-mail that primal con cleared my little acne spots. Well, it did briefly. I have a few bumps. Weird thing though… I saw no sun at all the first 2 days I have been back! The sun is back today but is about to go away again. Lol. I have Vitamin D3 pills but I need my sun!!!
P.S. I have been thinking about continuing on with my acne blog. You have inspired me to a point where I am 99% sure I am going to pick up on it again in May or June. THANK YOU!!
Tracy says
April 22, 2011 at 10:27 amOh I’m not giving up! I love it too much, I just worry sometimes. hahah I actually am slightly worried in a more tangible sense because I’m not sure if I can get internet at the place I’m moving to for the summer (yeah it’s that off in the boonies). There is internet access very close nearby, but I think it’s going to be difficult if I have to do everything via internet cafe…. mostly because browsing the internet helps me focus my ideas for articles and things….. but it doesn’t matter!! I am keeping up no matter what!! I’ll make it work.
So you’re gonna restart your acne site?! You are so ambitious. You don’t have enough on your plate with Primal Toad? Shoot for the stars, you seem like a go getter so if you can keep them both up, then go for it!
Primal Toad says
April 22, 2011 at 12:54 pmYes, you will find a way!
Yea I toyed with the idea yesterday of creating a brand new acne site. I need to think about it a little more. Yes, I do have lots on my plate with Primal Toad. But, what I am thinking is just reading my articles on Primal Toad and then rewriting them for the acne site but in a way that makes it relate to acne.
I have an idea and I think I am going to act on it sometime in May. If you have an idea for a domain name then let me know 🙂
I also plan to start a Boston Terrier blog, help my mom get going with an artwork blog and I may start a Travel blog down the road.
No worries – I have a general plan right now and won’t do it all at once. My main blog is Primal Toad and I will continue to write daily on it. If I did an acne blog again it would be 3 articles per week. The Boston Terrier blog would be just cute pictures and videos for the most part. I can have other people do most of the work for me 🙂
Good luck with your new location!
Verna says
April 22, 2011 at 8:21 amDo not worry! Most acne prone victims will envy your “one zit”. It doesn’t matter. It’s just one. And it will go away soon. I think it’s emotional issue. Have you used the magnet that Dr. Nelson is talking about? Is it good? 🙂
Tracy says
April 22, 2011 at 10:22 amHahah I know, it’s not that bad! No I haven’t actually used the special magnets he talks about, apparently fridge magnets work just fine! That’s what I used.
Verna says
April 23, 2011 at 10:25 amHaha! So excited. Like 2 weeks ago, I’m planning to save money for those special magnets but I realized it was waaay too expensive and it will take ages before having enough bucks to purchase it. Now I’m planning to buy fridge magnet. 🙂 Thank you! Btw, if you don’t mind, can you tell me your magnet experience? Like you felt happier or whatever. 🙂
Bruno says
April 23, 2011 at 11:19 amI want to know your magnet experience too : I read the emotion code and a whole new world opened to me. Even if I don’t manage to release my trapped emotions (I know I have tons of them), I’ll still want to help out others and give love. I used to bitch about my bad skin, now I don’t care at all, I just wanna be positive, have fun, and help others to do the same.
I started practicing the sway test, and it kinda works but I’m not comfortable with it yet. I’ve used a magnet already for fun, and I don’t know if it did anything. I do feel happier than I ever felt in years right now, I’m less afraid and everything, and even though others might find it silly, I believe it worked. I love faith now. It also made me understand why my mother is catholic, so I’m gonna read the bible soon :D. I didn’t know my mum was so smart, but she really knows a lot about all this, I just think she has a trapped emotion that’s making her nervous, and that’s why she can’t let things go. She always want everything to be ‘controlled’. I’ve noticed that every time I go to a crowded place, I get nervous. I probably have some phobia.
Don’t you worry for a second about that zit :D, the pressure you put on yourself when you think about this blog is really silly, you know you can do this, and if it’s financially difficult I’d be honored to donate or help you in any other possible way.
Just curious : where did you find out about using a pendulum (I don’t know if Bradley Nelson talks about it, I haven’t finished the last pages of the book yet)?
Happy easter!!!
Tracy says
April 25, 2011 at 8:59 amHey Bruno… my experiences with the Emotion Code were positive…. it’s hard to say what happened exactly, but I did feel a shift in emotions after I did it and wasn’t worried so much about my skin for some time afterward. Whether this stuff is legit or if it’s all just a placebo… I have no idea. I believe it is, but even if it was just a placebo, if you feel happier, you accomplished your goals, right? I heard about using the pendulum from Seppo Puusa, but if you just look up pendulum testing on google, you can see it’s a good way to gain answers from your subconscious!
Mikey says
April 23, 2011 at 2:46 pmI started eating really healthy, with alot of fruit and veggies, and drinking green tea, and washing my face with honey. I didn’t have acne for a month and it was great, I thought my acne was gone. Buuut this month with my period I got two large angry red noduals on my cheek which have now left two large red PIH marks with purple spots in the middle. At the moment i’v got a brand new pimple right next to that area now too.
Now my cheek bone has 3 red scars and it’s pretty depressing, I just need to accept that diet might not be able to control my period breakouts, but i’m hoping.
Tracy says
April 25, 2011 at 9:00 amHi Mikey, I’m sorry to hear everything was going well and then you had a big breakout! It’s discouraging, but if you’ve only been doing this for a short time, you may not have fully healed yet… i’d give it more time before giving up! 🙂
Taylor says
April 23, 2011 at 5:24 pmThe sunshine is definitely helping me out a ton. My husband said sometihng to me last night that really put everything in perspective for me. He said we have to cherish every moment we have, and while I know that already – it just hit me. I spend so much time worrying about my skin and what to do for it, and feeling down on myself because I have pimply skin right now, but he and I just came out of the most stressful year of our lives – and yet he’s still smiling. He’s still loving every day we have. I have a lot to learn from him! I have a few nasty little nodules right now too, and tons of red spots that will fade. Spots everywhere! But I’ve made a personal vow to enjoy my life, acne or no. It shouldn’t be able to cause such fear and doubt, even in those of us who know what it’s like to have severe acne.. You’ve helped me more than I can say and I know you’ve helped so many others! Stress is the hidden enemy where acne is corcerned. I know stress caused mine, and makes it worse every time I feel it.
P.S. I got that makeup. It’s made by Faerie Organic and it seems great so far. It does have Mica, which some people think may clog pores – but it’s not something that’s been proven. It looks really natural and feels great on your skin. Never itchy or irritating like all other mineral makeups I’ve tried. Doesn’t work like a concealer though, if you wear it – you have to wear it on your whole face. Just wanted to let you know I like it and it’s working great. Very non-irritating.
Tracy says
April 25, 2011 at 9:07 amHi Taylor! Your husband is so right… sometimes it just really helps to run into those positive people out there who never let anything get them down… emotions are hard to just shut off, but it’s so good to be around inspiring people 🙂 I hope that I inspire others in this way, but I also sometimes need to be around these kinds of people to remind myself when I get down! I hope everything is going okay with your BCP and that everything works out in the end. Keep smiling! And thanks so much for the makeup recommendation! I may need to order myself some and give it a try!
Aryana says
November 24, 2011 at 4:48 amThat is so true! I notice that when I check out guys, I appreciate when they have clear skin, but if they have a few zits, it doesn’t matter to me that much. A nice personality is so much more important to me than a few zits, and if they have a lil bit of acne, it makes me feel alot more comfortable with me own less than perfect skin. I wonder why we can’t apply that kind of philosophy to ourselves?
Cassondra says
March 3, 2012 at 1:55 pmTracy,
Your feelings are like “contents under high pressure” right now! Everyone feels this way sometimes. At least you were able to get some steam off and write about it. Have you ever tried writing morning notes? It’s where you write in the morning anything that comes to mind. Even if you are not thinking anything, just write down that you don’t know what to write. I don’t know how useful it actually is. But it surely is better than holding it all in. And you can always go back when your perspective is more in focus, and not based on the negativity you are creating. Sadly we create a lot of our problems. It’s like we are a director directing our own film of our lives. We choose what goes in it, and what the outcome is. It is such a relief just to not be so hard on yourself. And like you say, you can accept that you have acne prone skin, but that doesn’t mean you have to give up on it. 🙂
People are afraid of what they can’t understand, I guess. It’s hard for them to wrap their head around. And a lot of people don’t get us spotty people. But knowing there are people like you who have put so much into themselves and want to help others with what they know… It’s just a really good feeling to know that there is someone who really does care about herself and others so much.
And I do have very similar feelings as you about how other people view me with acne. It’s one of my live’s anchors. Holding me down…
You are a beautiful person and spirit, Tracy, and don’t let anything tear you down! I know it must be horrible having all the pressure to manage your website. But you are doing a great job! And even if you are not able to update it as often as you are now, I am sure most everyone will stay in tune with your website.
If you feel the need to take a break, go ahead.
Written with lots of love,
Cass
Tracy says
March 3, 2012 at 5:03 pmThank you so much for the lovely note, Cassondra!
Lots of love to you, sista 🙂
Tyra says
May 5, 2012 at 7:29 pmHi Tracy!
So I filled out the stuff needed to recive the free ebook but still cannot find it anywhere. But I would like to sy sy I recently found your website (like today) and Ive gone through almost all of it (I’m sick in bed) haha and would like to say… You give me hope. I’m
Only 17 and have struggled with acne now for about 6 years sadly and it is so frustrating, I’ve been to hell an back. I’ve been on accutane and everything out there, and I thought accutane cures me but I was wrong and now that my skin is getting back to the way it used to be it is making me realize I’ve been taking the wrong approach to acne my whole life. And I just want to say I know how you feel, I know how it feels to think your the only one with this ugly disease, of if everyone is looking at you skin, to not have the confidence, and for it to take so much will power for wanting to stick with something to make it go away. I just hope I learn and can cure, or even get to a point where I don’t care and I feel beautiful no matter what. So I just wanted to say thankyou your doing great. Much love, Tyra
alicia says
June 24, 2013 at 9:47 amSeriously…this article speaks to me. I have been struggling with the same type of acne on my forehead for MONTHS now. Its like…I think I am getting clear and then all of the sudden, BOOM another huge one pops up. Its so upsetting. I’ve been exercising a LOT!, done a liver cleanse, candida cleanse, taking grapefruit seed extract, a probiotic, using only manuka honey to wash my face with…I’m so overwhelmed and I am trying to deal with it, it just gets so exhausting trying to keep up with my healthy diet, exercising and trying to be positive about these horrible spots that pop up one after another…UGH! I wonder what it is that is making me still break out?!!
Tracy says
June 25, 2013 at 9:58 amI’m not sure Alicia, but I’m sending you lots of love so that the answer will come to you soon 🙂
Marissa says
June 24, 2013 at 10:35 amOOOOOOOOh the swirling catch 22. The cycle that kills and kills. I wish there was a herbal medication for stopping brain activity. But..then again, maybe I don’t.
http://www.ted.com/talks/james_randi.html
^^This video resonated with my senses, maybe it will catch a note for you as well. It is off topic here, but I think it can worm its way into relevance somehow.
Marissa says
June 24, 2013 at 10:38 amAnd I also want to state that I don’t mean it is relevant to you or what you do. But more that people will believe what they want to.
Tracy says
June 25, 2013 at 10:00 amOh I’m with ya there… people seek out information that fits with their beliefs and… I don’t know. It can be so dangerous. People really need to open their eyes to see that there really is no truth, only personal truths that people spread, and you never to blindly believe people (including me!!)