And the Winners Are...
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Before I announce the five winners of autographed copies of Time of My Life (I know, because this is such a big announcement! LOL), I just wanted to thank ALL of you for taking a little time out of your day and sharing your what-ifs. I love the universal experience that we all share with these, and I also loved reading every one of them. So many were hilarious, touching and resonant. (Especially all of you who claimed your life wouldn't have been complete without meeting. What if indeed! Ha!) It was sooooo hard to select just five, so I ended up throwing about 15 in a hat and picking at random. But I did end up selecting those who bared a little of themselves, just like Jillian does in the book, and I hope you enjoy the below what-ifs as much as I did. Sometimes it can be tough to be honest in asking yourself hard questions about your past, but if you're brave enough to, I really think it can lead to a better future. That's the entire point of this book. If you see your name here, please email me at allison@allisonwinn.com, so I can get a book out to you asap!
If you weren't one of the lucky five, there are going to be a few more giveaways on various blogs that I'll be sure to link to here, starting with this one over at Brenda Janowitz's blog. Check it out here.
Finally, don't forget (how could you? I'm going to remind you non-stop), that despite all of these giveaways, the book is on sale on TUESDAY, so why not pre-order a copy now? :)
Okay, without further ado, here are the winners and their answers, in no particular order!:
1) The Crazy Columbian:What if ...... I had asked my best friend to end the relationship with my high-school crush when he told me he valued our friendship more than he valued his new girlfriend?...instead of coming to Australia following my heart to later marry the love of my life, I had instead gone to the USA to do my masters degree as was originally planned ... my student visa had been declined when I started the journey to follow my heart and move to Australia?... my now-wife had said 'No' when I proposed halfway through my postgraduate studies when I had no income? ... we had decided to not have kids because of the amount of fun we were having as a single couple enjoying all Sydney has to offer? ... I had not realised that the best way to be the father my children deserve is by being there for them on a regular basis?
2)What if ... I didn't take him back after he confessed to cheating on me?I took him back without a moment's hesitation, but my life became a whirlwind soon after. I think I would have been stronger if I just said no more (which I did do two years later, yay!).
3) Kristin: What if he hadn't called off our engagement? Would I have still ended up marrying the true love of my life? What if I wrote him to say thank you for walking away from me and saving me from an unhappy existence? What if he knew how grateful I was for setting me free. I am so much happier with my husband than I ever was with him.
4) Kristi:What if I spent less time on Facebook? (AWS: Okay, this one just made me laugh. SO TRUE.)
5) Shelley:I have so many "what-if's" at different points in my life, that it is hard to pick just one! I suffer from Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (the real disorder, not the one portrayed humorously in many TV shows). Since I can't say "what if I had never developed OCD?" because I know that I was born genetically pre-disposed to develop OCD and it would have happened sooner or later, I will say, "What if I knew more about OCD and how to handle it when my son was born?" If I could go back to that point in time when the nurse in the hospital said to me: "you must wash your hands every time before you hold him, and don't let anyone except you and your husband hold him. This is important - your baby could die if you aren't careful!". Knowing what I know now, I would request a different nurse, I would contact a therapist with knowledge at least of anxiety disorders if not OCD to come to the hospital and help me deal with the overwhelming fears in a NORMAL way instead of forming new brain connections that would hinder me for the rest of my life. I would surround myself with women who had already successfully raised children to at least the age of 2 without killing them by bringing them out in public, and I would find some way not to be so isolated when we moved to West Lafayette, IN when my son was four months old so that my husband could go back to graduate school. This would have been the hardest one, but the most important in hindsight. I was so isolated and all I did 24/7 was take care of a colicky baby. What if I had forced myself to at least walk around the neighborhood with the stroller and strike up conversations with other mothers until I had found at least ONE PERSON that I connected with ? What if I didn't hide in the house for two years?
Reader Comments (3)
These are great, and so touching! Congrats to the winners!
They were all great, I can see why you used the hat method!
Just wanted to let you know that I'll be purchasing a copy for myself on August 4th - I can't wait to read it!
Shelley -- Just wanted to say, from one mom to another, how sorry I am that happened to you. Being a new mom can be so isolating and scary, and it seems like the most rotten luck imaginable that you ended up with that nurse (who really needs some more training and education, not to mention people skills). It sounds like you are in a much better place now, and I'm glad!
xoxo
Sarah