Inner Strength

Lately I've been thinking about being an individual. 

There is beauty in the thought that each of us is unique. We are all made up of different attributes, different backgrounds, and different physical appearances. I am the only one that can be me. Sometimes, being unique seems difficult. For each of us, there is always some group that we won't fit in with. There will be times when we feel alone. Times when we don't feel like we have someone that we can confide in. But there is always strength within. We are each children of a Heavenly Father, and He is always with us. He didn't put us on this earth as a unique individual so we could feel alone. He gave us the Holy Ghost, a Savior, and a core inner strength that is made of firm, eternal stuff. For me, it is always important to remember that. I need to remember that I am strong, and have the ability to do hard things. Even if I don't fit in, if I get frustrated with what I'm not, or if I feel a little overwhelmed with life. I can do it. I found a quote that I love in regards to this topic...

So here's to believing in myself. To knowing that I can manage, and I can do it on my own. I have inner strength and by exercising that strength, I can become stronger. 

Remote Meeting Blog Post

So the weekend before the big consulting project was due, I went home. It was fun to be able to see friends and escape the grind of school (sort of) for a weekend. But due to the fact that we did have a big group project, it was actually kind of convenient that we were required to have a group meeting online because I am not sure I would have thought of doing one otherwise.

I have used video chatting before for keeping in touch with friends while away from school or away from home. And it is invaluable as a missionary of course. Those video calls at Christmas and Mother's Day were pure gold. But I learned a lot of their usefulness in the business world through this assignment. I found video calling to be very useful in our group project, especially because I was states away a few days before the due date. Technology makes more things possible, and it is more effective and useful to be able to discuss aspects of the project face-to-face; even if that face-to-face is through a computer screen.

I plan on continuing to work on my video call skills and remembering to keep it in mind as a resource for future school and work assignments.

Answers

This weekend is not only Easter, but also General Conference. Basically a spiritual feast of a weekend and I can't wait!

Another one of my good friends, who is also writing a blog for school down in Southern Utah, posted this awesome thought about General Conference that got me thinking. (http://kelli-lyn.blogspot.com/2015/03/preparing-for-general-conference.html. She is my favorite and I love the thoughts she posts).

If you weren't about following the link and reading her thoughts, in a nutshell it talked about how when we prepare for General Conference, or really any spiritual meeting, we are able to receive answers to questions. Questions of the soul even. How special is that? How many people can say they receive answers to deep life questions they have on a regular basis? Because I have also had the same experience that Kelli has - when I prepare and think of questions and ask Heavenly Father those questions in prayer, I always receive an answer to those questions. For example, today for the Saturday morning session of conference, I had a specific question in mind. And it seemed like every single talk either focused solely on that topic or at least touched on the topic. I received so much revelation. What a huge blessing. It is definitely at testimony to me that Heavenly Father loves us so much and He wants us to have those answers and guidance. The help is there, the light is available, but we have to put forth the effort to take the steps to seek and find that help and light.

So from here on, I want to continue to keep those spiritual habits I gained on my mission. To continue to develop them and be better at them. Because Heavenly Father has a lot more answers for me. I know that as I ask those questions, He will answer. And when I act on those answers and apply them, I will achieve more happiness and peace in my life.

Advice

I went to a ward activity last night where we talked about a lot of marriage advice.

One of the pieces of advice given was to take every piece of advice with a grain of salt. I liked this advice because I'm already finding that there is a lot of information out there, and some of it conflicts. But one piece of advice we received last night that I liked was to practice and find what works for you.

I feel like this advice applies to everyone, no matter their stage in life. We have a lot of information coming in on what we should do, what we should like like, and what is the "right way." But we are all created to be very different, to be unique. We are meant to create and to expand, to discover who we are so we can foster change in our world. As we accept the advice we are given, we can try it out. Advice can be valuable, especially during a time of life where everything is transient and decisions must be made. But the point of the journey is to find out specific path. We can take the road less traveled. We don't have to take the mainstream. Although there are guides we must stay within, Heavenly Father doesn't expect us to fit a cookie-cutter mold. That's the beauty of life.

So here's to mistakes, to new ideas, to fresh starts. We have people to help us and ourselves to figure out who we are with that help. Today is the start of being someone new. 

Power in Positivity

A week ago, I got engaged.

I definitely recommend getting engaged (and subsequently married obviously...I just haven't done that part yet). It's one of those life milestones that is a happy and excited time. You have the whole wedding to plan, friends and family are over the top excited for you, you and your fiancee are over the top excited, and life is good. Sure, there's a lot of planning which can get stressful. But as long as you keep perspective, you can keep that happiness and excitement at the forefront. I have loved being able to share that happiness that I am feeling with those around me. I love that when we have really good news, others can share in that piece of happiness as well. I know that whenever I hear that someone I know is engaged or expecting or something else momentous, I'm excited and happy for them. The world needs more good news. The power of positivity is amazing.

So I've resolved to be more positive. To always be a sharer of good news. And especially to keep that happiness and excitement in my engagement...even though I have a million decisions to make between now and June. But life is good. It's a journey, and traveling well is what it's all about.

Mistakes

Sometimes, we make mistakes.

We're human. We're imperfect, and that means we make mistakes. We make mistakes pretty much ever day- as least I do. And we beat ourselves up for these mistakes. The mistake replays over and over in our heads, and sometimes it seems like a trap that we will never get out of. But that isn't what life is about. Life is a time to make mistakes, but it isn't defined by our mistakes. We are being tested, and there's a huge learning curve. Heavenly Father sent us here to earth to figure things out for ourselves. But He loves us, and He wants us to succeed so He didn't set us here on our own. We have the Holy Ghost to guide us, scriptures to inform us, church leaders to lead us, parents to raise us, and friends and family to help us. And most importantly, we have a Savior to pick us up every single time we make those mistakes. Because mistakes are inevitable- they're part of the learning process. The most important thing is that we learn. That we move on, and that we forgive ourselves. We can't let mistakes define us. We are defined by how we respond to mistakes and how we change because of them.

Mistakes have just been on my mind a lot lately. And I have decided to not let them define me. I will be allow myself to be changed and to become a better person - to become who Heavenly Father wants me to be. Because I know that I'm going to continue making mistakes. Probably daily. But I will also continue to rely on the Atonement for forgiveness and the power to move past those mistakes that I do make. I am in charge of who I become.

Interviews

This week in M Comm we did mock interviews. Personally, I was grateful for the practice in a non-threatening situation.

Because the truth is, I've never gone through a job interview. I've made it to this point in my life with the only experience being nannying. And I wouldn't change that experience for anything - I loved working with the kids and I learned a lot doing so. But my limited experience makes me a little nervous to apply and interview for a "real" job. I was grateful for the tips and methods I learned from the mock interview. I tend to be shy and as a result, building up my resume and what I can do and who I am isn't a strong suit of mine. But doing the mock interview helped me see the difference between showing your best self and being prideful. I can be proud of my accomplishments, and honesty about them will help me and help the interviewer make the best decision for their company.

That's one reason I like M Comm. It contains subjects and material that have real life application. And I feel much more confident about future interviews.

Curveballs

This past week, I've realized that life is funny. It keeps you on your toes.

Basically, this past week has contained occurrences that were really awesome, and also really lame. I'm a planner and I've got at least a rough outline for what I want my life to be like. And sometimes my life does go according to plan. Other times, not so much. Living life is hard work. You have to set priorities and make goals but also be willing to go with the flow and work with what comes your way. Balance is key. Because sometimes you meet the man of your dreams, and sometimes your heart gets broken. There is the option of always playing it safe and refusing to go down any path that isn't what you have in mind. But then you miss out on adventures, and God usually throws you some curveballs regardless. We may be in charge of our destiny, but we are also subject to the specific path that we are meant to be on. Our control comes in the response we have to the things that come our way. When times get tough, we can either complain and give up or we can rise to the challenge and make it into something great.

My life is going really well right now. I'm happy and in a good place. That being said, there are still going to be bumps in the road. My plans won't always go perfectly. Occasionally I'll get bad news, and life will stress me out. But, as Buddha said, it is better to travel well than to arrive. 

Because I knew you

This past Friday, I went to my freshman BYU YSA ward reunion. I really enjoyed seeing familiar faces that I hadn't seen in years and catching up with what has been going on in everyone's life as well.

The reunion caused me to stop and think about the people that we find in our life. One of my favorite quotes is:

I love the beauty of that. I love the thought that every person that we meet and become acquaintances with, become friends with, or fall in love with is there in our life for a reason. Friend or family. Heavenly Father is so aware of every single one of His children. He knows who needs who. Looking back on my life, I can definitely see the truth of this statement. People have hurt me. People have loved me. People have helped me. Every single person, whether they have continued to be my friend or not, has become apart of my story. I am who I am today because of the relationships I have now and have had in the past.

With this in mind, going forward one goal I have is to make the most of each relationship I have. Tell the people in my life already how much I appreciate and love them. Take the time to make new friends with those I met in various circumstances. Because you never know going into a relationship what you're going to get out of it. But there is always something to be taken out of it. You live and you learn, along with everyone else in your life.

The Book Cover

While I was on my mission, I met a lot of different people. And one lesson I learned over and over again is that you can't judge people. They always surprise you, and most of the time your judgements are wrong.

One such instance really made me think. My companion and I were going door-to-door with a college-age girl in the ward we were serving in. We walked up to a house, but only made it halfway up the front walkway when suddenly a very angry lady started yelling at us from an upstairs window. I don't know if it was a bad day for her, or she had bad experience in the past with evangelical proselyters, but she was rude. She yelled at us for a good minute as we turned around and walked quickly back down her driveway and on to the next house. We all walked in stunned silence for a little bit, then brushed it off with comments about how some people are. As we stood at the next door waiting for someone to answer our knock, I noticed a man walking toward us from the house with the angry lady. He was quite a sight - he walked slowly because he had two boots on his feet, and both of his ankles were still yellow from the paint they put on your skin when you have surgery. His slow gait and slight limp gave the appearance that each step was painful to take. We walked over and he said, "I just wanted to apologize for my wife. You guys are just out doing your job and what she did was uncalled for. I'm an atheist, so don't bother sharing your stuff with me. They're all Catholics in there, so who knows about them. But I just wanted to come and say sorry for her."

The apology was simple. But one phrase stuck out to me: I'm an atheist.

Isn't it ironic that a Christian woman's atheist husband came and apologized for her not treating us in a very Christian-like manner? That really struck me. As a missionary, you're out to help people come closer unto Christ. That requires a belief that what you are teaching people is a great way, the best way you've found for yourself, to accomplish that. But that man taught me a lot about what it meant to be Christlike, and he doesn't even believe in Christ.

So what? You can learn from everyone. Sometimes, people surprise you. Everyone has different viewpoints, and just because someone disagrees with you doesn't mean that they are a bad person and it definitely doesn't make you better than them. The more we take the time to remember that, the more we learn and the more friends we end up having. Each one of us is a Child of God. We all have that divine potential and we all have the responsibility to help one another reach that.

Just do it.

My marketing class frequently has guest speakers come and inform us about their field and job description. This past Tuesday, a man who works in the marketing department of Nike came.

Confession: I have a HUGE obsession with Nike. My dream job would be to work for them. I think I inherited this love of Nike from my dad, although I have no idea why he likes them so much. The presentation on their marketing tactics was the best ever. It only made me more excited about the prospect of working for such a company, and determined to keep working so that could be a possibility.

The Nike image - there's just something about it. I love the idea of inspiring people to be more. The owner of Nike says that everyone who has a body is an athlete. Which isn't a common idea. In the world of sports, or really anything, there's always the focus on which team is better or who is the best at a particular skill. The world is competitive. But everyone has that potential to be an athlete. The only thing that limits us or keeps us from achieving our dreams is ourselves. And although Nike marketing is based heavily on their products being used by well-known, talented athletes, they have a way of reaching the average, sub-par athlete that's just learning how to shoot a basketball. Maybe a pair of sweet shoes won't make you an all-star athlete right away, but that motivation and potential is there. We need more of that in our society. Encouragement instead of being torn down.

Words are powerful. So is the Nike swoosh, which started as just a small local company that travelled to individual track meets to sell their product. We can be anything, do anything. That journey starts today. Just do it.

January

Can y'all believe it's almost February!?

School has almost been going on for a month. Now is the time that you either ease off of your work ethic or put forth that extra effort to succeed.

So what? I'm tired. It's as simple as that. All of the goals I have to earn stellar grades so that I don't have to worry as much about if I'm going to get into the Accounting program or not are still there. Overall, I am determined and focused. I keep up with the textbook readings, take all of the pre- and post-class quizzes, and attend and take notes in all of my classes. But I am tired from working hard in school, working hard on staying healthy, working hard to be a good friend and participant in my ward, and working hard on having a social life. As a college student at BYU, you have a lot of expectation for yourself.

But I wouldn't have it any other way. Because even though I'm tired, I'm motivated. And what's the point of life if you aren't motivated to achieve? As children of our Heavenly Father, we brought amazing divine potential with us to this earth. And now is the time to decide what to do with it. So even though I'm tired when I wake up in the morning, I am moving forward. And each day brings me closer to my goal. Each chapter read, assignment completed, and test taken is a check mark on my list of accomplishments for the semester. And as I keep on keeping on, I have the potential to go places. And as I look back on what I've accomplished during January, I am excited to see what February contains. A new month is almost like a brand new start. The future is bright, y'all.

The Redwood

The redwood trees are the tallest in the world. The interesting thing about them is their root systems are only five to six feet deep.

But so what? This week I have to give a talk in church. My topic is faith. Which is really simple, but also really broad. In thinking about what I could say I kept thinking about the redwood trees.

Faith is tricky. It's belief in something that you can't see. For some people, it isn't a problem to believe that God exists. Others have moments of doubt. We are a forest of different trees, each growing towards the same heaven but each relying on our own growth to get there. Part of the journey is accepting the fact that we won't have all the answers. Most of the time, growing seasons aren't perfect. There isn't enough water, there isn't enough sunlight, bugs destroy part of the bark. From year to year the size of our growth may vary. But as long as we're growing, our goal is getting closer.

Our roots don't have to be in deep doctrine, in having all the answers, in order to facilitate growth.

Another interesting thing about the redwood tree root systems are that they interlock with the trees around them. There is a vast network of intertwined roots underneath a redwood forest. New trees either sprout close to the older trees or can even grow straight off of a fallen mature redwood. If a redwood tree was by itself, the roots would not be a sufficient anchor to keep a tree grounded and growing vertically. But because they rely on one another, they are able to borrow the strength of the forest and keep on keeping on.

Now what? One valuable resource we have to grow our faith is each other. We can rely on the system of our friends, our ward, and our family. We can learn from the experiences of others, discuss common questions, and lean on the faith of someone else when we are too weak to do it alone. Relationships we have in life are important. With the help of those around us, we reach our potential as the tallest trees. 

Running into inspiration

I like to think that I'm a runner. I gained a love for running when I started at BYU, and kept it up through my mission. I'm planning on running a half marathon in June and thus have been starting to get into the swing of training for that. However, the longest I have ever run at one time in my life is 5 miles. On average, I usually only do 2 or 3 miles at a time. Today I was feeling ambitious and did 4 1/2. And it felt really good. Sure, my legs were tired and some moments I just wanted to stop and lie down on the pavement. But overall I felt great. Especially when I was done and could look back and have the sense of accomplishment that a good run brings.

The 'so what' of this post though? A little out of form. While I was running, I met the nicest lady. To be fair, I was walking at the time. She called me over because she had a question for me, and I expected an inquiry on directions or something along those lines. But she proceeded to ask where I had gotten my sweet running tights. And told me how good they looked, and how my countenance was really bright. Maybe that sounds a little creepy, but she definitely had one of the most beautiful countenances I had ever seen. She radiated charity and it felt good just to have a simple conversation with her. Talking to her made my day, and just overall made me feel good about myself. She was just a kind soul.

And that inspired me. Not only did I walk away feeling happier than before, but I also felt motivated. Motivated to finish my run (this was about halfway through the 4 1/2 miles) and motivated to be a better person. I had this desire to share the light that she had given me so other people could also feel this happiness. And, looking back, it really did effect the rest of my day. I smiled at more people as I walked by them. I smiled more in general. Isn't it awesome that there are people in this world that take the time to reach out and brighten the moods of others? I found a new role model for my life, and I plan on continuing to try to be more like the nice lady I met on my run.

Adjustment Period

I recently returned from an 18 month mission for my church. I've been back for almost three weeks now.

So what?

The past few days have been crazy. Starting school, moving in, transitioning into a new schedule and social role, etc. Being a normal college student is much harder than being a missionary. As a missionary, your life is regulated and your purpose is very clear. I learned a lot in the past 18 months, but I have found that as I am adjusting back to being a normal person, some of the good habits I gained are starting to fade. And I don't want that to happen!

Now what? 

Luckily, on my mission I learned that not reaching your goals the first time is not the end of the world. Each new day is another day to do better. I am more resolved to stick to the plans I have made for this semester. I know that I am in control of my habits and schedule. As I keep working at it, I can keep moving forward instead of sliding back into the comfort of who I used to be. I will make plans, set goals, and accomplish what I need to. I won't be perfect at it, but I am more resolved to simply try.