Publisher - May 2018

Words are containers for power.
You choose what kind of
power they carry.
— Joyce Meyer —

It was my sophomore year in high school when I adopted my first mantra: “Living well is the best revenge.” I was at an age where very little was comfortable, my confidence waivered on an hourly basis. Moments could be wrecked by someone not acknowledging me in the hall between classes, or finding out about a party, and then finding out I wasn’t invited. A friend’s older sister threw out those words: “Living well is the best revenge.” Little did she know I would take them to heart, wear them like a shield and start to build a lifetime arsenal filled by the power of the pen.

Words have always comforted me. They also have the power to rev me up, piss me off, fill my eyes with tears, declare undying love, crack me up with laughter, break my heart and inspire me to do more than I ever thought possible. I can literally feel my gut engage when I see or hear certain phrases. That’s why I visually surround myself with words of wisdom, inspiration and humor in the form of quote pages in the magazine, plaques around my office and home and memes on my phone.
I never realized how I had accessorized my emotional journey until I was organizing my jewelry and looking at various pieces. It dawned on me that several necklaces represented a physical parallel to my emotional wellbeing when I bought them. They showed me how far I have come and how I rely on the power of words to help me through. I didn’t plan to purchase these pieces; it is a case of hindsight is 20/20.

Everything is exactly as it should be: On the day my son graduated from high school, I was distraught. The house was bustling with people in town for the ceremony, and all I wanted to do was be alone and cry. I quietly left the house and drove to the closest gift store because I needed a necklace to go with my dress. I came home with a Brighton locket that touted: “Everything is exactly as it should be…trust and enjoy.” This message spoke to me loud and clear and reassured me. It centered me in the midst of emotion. It was the exact words I needed to hang onto at that moment, and they were hidden in a locket that had a cross on one side and a heart on the other. I couldn’t have found anything better to help me be strong for the day.

I Am Enough: When my world fell apart after Hurricane Matthew, I questioned everything I ever thought, knew and believed about myself. My thoughts were harsh: Why does no one choose me? What’s wrong with me? Why am I not enough? One day, at that same gift store near my house, I saw a charm and it said, “I am enough.” I bought it, even though I didn’t believe it. I wore it for almost 60 days straight. I read it daily. I began to soften to its message. With time, I indeed began to believe that I am enough, but that charm was my constant, unfailing herald.

The Question Isn’t: Back in the gift store many months later a new charm appeared. Maybe it was there all along but didn’t speak to me until this visit. Having grown stronger day-by-day, “I am enough” had served its time. I had gained my footing and knew for sure I am enough. We all are. This time a charm with an Ayn Rand quote caught my heart: “The question isn’t who is going to let me; it’s who is going to stop me.”

I was in my rebel phase—my f-off if you don’t think I’m enough phase. This message shed light like a beacon that I was healing and didn’t really give a damn what anyone thought. I had just survived the lowest of lows, when the life I knew, and almost everyone in it, had abandoned me. This charm was a dare to the world. Just try to stop me…

It’s time: My most recent purchase is a pale pink rose quartz locket—definitely not my M.O. I traditionally go for bold, bright colors. After I wrote September 2017’s publisher’s note (available on itsallpink.com), my journey led me to a kinder, gentler life. It was a conscious decision I made when I started redesigning my life. Here is an excerpt from that note:
“I had taken so much and faced so much and stood up for so much, I finally realized none of this was going to kill me, and I had the power to be the conductor of the trauma and drama. I hadn’t grown numb to it, I had decided to not step into the boxing ring anymore. I was fine with having a conversation with someone on the sideline, but I refused to lace up my gloves and engage in the fight. I decided I had been beaten up enough, and I wanted a kinder, gentler life. I actually needed a kinder, gentler life, or I was going to go down for the count and possibly not get back up.”

Once that decision was made, the shift was instantly visible. Almost everything in my life started to lighten up—my weight, the colors I wore, the colors I chose for my home interior, my spirit and my heart. So what does my latest piece of inspirational jewelry say? “It’s your time to shine.” This piece makes me happy because I believe it beyond a shadow of doubt.

I have always believed the pen is mightier than the sword, and now I have proof. When the sword of life cut me to the core, it was words, placed in perfect order, that sewed me up, offered me respite, guarded my heart and bolstered my psyche.

I hope these words are placed in perfect order for you today, and I encourage you to not only be on the lookout for just the right words everyday, but also to offer the right words everyday. Remember, sticks and stones may break your bones, but words have the power to heal.

Think Pink-
Elizabeth Millen