Post it without a picture if you have to

Hey there, world.

Yesterday, I read Steal Like an Artist, by Austin Kleon. I filled up six pages of notes and doodles in my notebook as my brain transferred the ideas I read into made-for-me inspiration and advice. The book rocks; you should definitely read it. But that's not what this post is about--this post is about being inspired, feeling the creative high positive ideas pump into your system, and then....not making anything, not sharing a piece of it with anyone.

It's 4:36 in the morning and I have a notebook full of ideas and a laptop with never-finished projects and a project room with the remnants of several crafts and planned but un-executed parties. I realized, daydreaming about all the amazing work I was going to create after this book gave me a kick in the pants, that nothing had really changed. I was still going to have a lot of ideas and never do anything about them, unless I actually did something about them this time around.

So, I wanted to write about how to do this, share some of the inspirational high. But I got caught up in ideas for a picture for the kind of post I thought was presentable to the internet. I looked through my phone's photo library, couldn't really find anything that would work, and then put the post idea on my list of post ideas. Which was basically consigning the idea to death by neglect.

Post me without a picture, my idea shrugged his little shoulders in my mind, and smiled at me hopefully. What's the worst that could happen; it doesn't have to be perfect, you know.

Smart little guy, this post idea in my head.

So here I am, writing about this experience. I don't have a photo, I don't have a clever way to make this post seem acceptable, or good, or worthy. It's certainly not perfect. But it exists! It's one more notch in the belt of WORK I've got to create if I ever want my creations to be as good as my taste. Let go of perfection and make things!

Let me tell a story from my past:

I lived in Korea as a missionary, and for 9 months had lunch at the same place four to five times a week. A woman named Ee Seung-Ah and her husband owned the restaurant, cooked the food, served the patrons. We became friends, I played with her children, she gave me trinkets and free desserts, we talked and cried and laughed together. When I left the country, she gave me a very personal gift (a book she loved as a child) and we exchanged contact information.

She wrote me an email, in Korean, and I responded immediately. I had learned to speak Korean by conversing with Korean people; writing was much more difficult and time-consuming.

She wrote me another email. I thought about the things I would say in my response, but felt overwhelmed by my inadequacies in the language. I put the task on my to-do list.

After some time, she wrote me a third email.

I never responded.

I always meant to.

Four years later, my husband sat down after church one Sunday and read an email from one of the families he had met during his own mission trip in Germany. He responded immediately. I told him about Seung-Ah and how much I missed her. How much I regretted abandoning her.

He told me to write a letter right then and there. Years after living in Korea. Now with even more limited grasp on the language. "Write it in English if you have to, just write it," he said.

I wrote.

She never responded.

I can't find her and I know I hurt her.

My perfectionism didn't kill an idea or a creative project; it let one of the most rewarding relationships I've ever had die.

So, my personal goal, is to go make things. Write letters. Share my ideas. Even before they're perfect, if that's the only way they'll come to fruition. I'd rather have a tangible attempt at the ideas I find valuable, than neglectfully file them away into oblivion, hoping for the day I can make them "perfect."

Do you have a book you want to write? Is there a cupcake business occupying your daydreams? Have you always wanted to design snowboards?

Is there a relationship you should nurture?

It might not be perfect, it might not be pretty. But I invite you to join me and just do it. Try. Just start writing. Make cupcakes for your next lunch meeting. Reach out to someone. Write a blog post. Post it without a picture if you have to.

The Best of You

This year I set out to become the best version of myself. It's May, folks, and it's taken me this long to really come up with some definitive answers to questions that have been crawling under my skin:
*What do I want to change about myself?
*How can I replace unhealthy habits with self-validation and self-faith (a term I've created to help answer the question...)?
*What do I need to do to close the gap between where I am and where I want to be?
*What assumptions about myself should I challenge in order to accomplish my dreams?
*Do I really believe in myself?
*Am I living according to what I believe, or do I believe things I know aren't true?
*Where the heck do I want to be in 5 years?
*What makes me happiest?
*How can I fulfill my greatest purposes and potential?
*What is my true passion?
*If I knew I could not fail, what would I pursue?
*Is it worth giving up mediocrity in order to be the greatest you can be?

It's been many pre-dawn drives through various parts of the country and evenings spent reading in hotel lobbies that provided ample opportunity to ponder, study and meditate. I've come up with specific goals, actions, and even had some try-and-fail-and-learn experiences. I've read a lot more memoirs and non-fiction than usual. I'm studying the scriptures and praying more sincerely.

I'm definitely happier....and I have a much clearer picture of who I am, who I want to be, what I can do, what I will do...I know myself better than ever.

Before I lose you with all this me, me, me talk, let's lay down the validity of knowing thine own self, and how I got started on this journey.

With this new amazing job, came lots of travel and lots of adventure and...lots of quiet, alone time. And more time than I was used to having available for fun, rest, people, reading, sleeping, exercising.
Whereas most people tell me, frequently, that they would just kill for more time to do all the things they want to do...I was distraught by the emptiness of my calendar. Despite the fulfilling and life-changing job I have.

It was a big wake-up call to me. I used a hectic, over-the-top schedule as a means of validation. I loved telling people how busy I was, it made me feel important because I was doing more and better than everyone else. I loved when people asked me, "How do you do it all??"

It's hard for me to accept that I can accomplish meaningful, important work and still have time to indulge in other worthwhile activities, like exercising, without being crazy-stressed out.

Plus, due to the traveling and moving to a new state all by myself, I felt my habitual solitude in a new acute way without a busy, demanding to-do list to distract myself.
Painful truth to accept: I was hiding behind accomplishments and schedules because I felt inferior, timid and out of place in social situations.

Okay, so I had some work to do on me.  And luckily, I had plenty of me-time on hand.

As an incredibly self-critical person, there have been some rough moments and some uncalled-for self-dislike. But I've also had delightful, even blissful, times when I was just so happy with who I was and thankful to be me.

During one night, after analyzing yet another vice I wanted to kick to the curb, my dad called me and we talked about facing your demons. I explained that I was attempting to replace my obsession with a past relationship with a healthier, future-based perspective. "I have a lot of time to spend with myself, which gets lonely sometimes, but it is helping me to truly be the person I want to be instead of numbing my life with television, boy-drama, and work," I told him.

He said, "That is good, Daughter. Most people don't spend time a lot of time with themselves. It's brave to do that."

He made me feel pretty good about the whole me, me, me thing.

Anyway. Like I said, I've defined specific areas I want to focus on to increase my ability to live a life of integrity, passion, and happiness. I want to stop making excuses and dare to actually be the best version of myself.

So, of course, it's time to blog about the next portion of the journey. I'll be posting about how I'm tackling this task.

And on that note, I will close with these words of President Gordon B. Hinckley:

"The sky is the limit. You can be excellent in every way. You can be first class. There is no need for you to be a scrub. Respect yourself. Do not feel sorry for yourself...Polish and refine whatever talents the Lord has given you. Go forward in life with a twinkle in your eye and a smile on your face, but with great and strong purpose in your heart. Love life and look for its opportunities, and forever and always be loyal to the church. Never forget that you came to earth as a child of the divine Father, with something of divinity in your very makeup. The Lord did not send you here to fail. He did not give you life to waste it. He bestowed upon you the gift of mortality that you might gain experience--positive, wonderful, purposeful experience--that will lead to life eternal...You are a daughter of God with tremendous potential. He has great expectations concerning you, as do others. You cannot let down for a minute. You cannot give in to an impulse. There must be discipline, strong and unbending. Flee from temptation, as Joseph fled from the wiles of Potiphar's wife. There is nothing in all this world as magnificent as virtue. It glows without tarnish. It is precious and beautiful. It is above price. It cannot be bought or sold. It is the fruit of self-mastery...Let virtue garnish thy thoughts unceasingly. Observe this commandment with diligence and discipline. Then shall thy confidence wax strong in the presence of God...Find purpose in your life. Choose the things you would like to do, and educate yourself to be effective in their pursuit...Study your options. Pray to the Lord earnestly for direction. Then pursue your course with resolution...There is not anything that you cannot do if you will set your mind to it. Serve society and make a significant contribution to the world...There will be difficulties to overcome. BUt they will not last forever. He will not forsake you. Do not be discouraged; God is over all...Know that He is watching over you, that He hears your prayers and will answer them, that He loves you and will make that love manifest. Let the Holy Spirit guide you in all that you do as you look to become the kind of woman of whom you dream. You can do it. You are a daughter of the Almighty. Limitless is your potential. Magnificent is your future, if you will take control of it. Do not let your life drift in a fruitless and worthless manner. Be Grateful. Be Smart. Be Clean. Be True. Be Humble. Be Prayerful. These patterns of behavior will yield success and happiness and peace...Pattern your life accordingly."

Never Give Up

What am I currently doing for a living? Performing a character-building show that teaches kids how to be champions at school and in life.
In the show, we tell the kids that if they Never Give Up and Encourage Others, they can accomplish amazing things!
The kid in this video is a total champion. I love this:

If you keep practicing, your best will get better and better and you can move on to bigger things.

Confidence

This is one of our trainers at work, Tim,

reenacting his crushing blow to a clay

flower pot with a hammer.

{Applicable Emperor's New Groove quote:

"And I'll smash it with a hammer!!!!"}

Tim started the morning by having us sit at the table, close and cozy. He explained that we had been hired because we had some characteristics that were perfect for the job.

Then he placed the clay pot on the table.

I was fully anticipating some handfuls of soil and fertilizer with a chummy analogy about the training process adding to what we were already bringing to the table, me+company=plant/flower growing, etc.

Instead, he pulled a hammer out of nowhere

and clobbered the pot.

Remember, he just told me that the pot represented me.

He expounded upon what we understood through the surprising but brilliant object lesson:

sometimes, when you learn something new, you might feel like no one wants what you have to offer and you're never going to get it right. You might feel like you're getting shot down

and that no one understand you.

He explained that we were hired because we have what they want, but now they're molding us to be exactly what the company produces. Using what we have is super important, but it may feel like we're falling short. And when someone points out how they want you to change the work you're doing--especially when it's work that you're putting your heart and personal effort into--

that can be disheartening. 

So, what are we taking home from this?

1. I have a cool boss

2. Yeah, it sucks when someone corrects you,

 but we get that it's to help us succeed.

3. YOU are still the important, essential aspect in this equation,

and it is up to YOU to remember that.

Can you give me a personal example, Jess?

Yes, yes I can.

I was feeling all self-doubty and down on myself.

Because I let some of the comments at work make me

second-guess my capacity to do this job.

I lost confidence, and felt like I couldn't please anyone.

I felt like I was under a microscope all day at the office,

 and I couldn't wait to get back to my hotel room

 just so I could take a break from being scutinized.

Then, one night, I told myself, "Jess, to hell with them. You know they're just trying to help. But either way, whether they like your work or not, you are the one doing the job you were hired to do. So you are the one who gets to decide how you're going to do it."

The next day, I tried to put my heart back into my work and do my best.

But I got a few corrections from Tim and I faltered again.

So I said, "Tim, I feel like I'm failing a test everytime we work through this. I know I can do this. But I'm afraid to try because everything I do initiates four people's opinions and feedback. I know the feedback is meant to be productive, and it would be except that I shut down when I think I'm failing, and I'm interpreting the feedback as 'Hey, you're not doing that right.' I'm not asking you to change what you're doing. I'm just telling you what I'm thinking, because I'm going to stop thinking that, right now. And I need you to know, that I'm just going to do this the way I would do it."

He said, "Oh yeah. It's not a test at all. And you're doing great..." He basically told me what I knew: that I was right on course. Him telling me this did not give me my confidence.

Me telling him that I knew I could do it gave me my confidence.

I had the best day at work following that conversation,

 because I finally clicked into that magical place where you believe in yourself

and you allow yourself to do work without trying to please everyone.

Ironically, everyone is so happy

 because you're doing better work.

It's hard to remember that YOU know what YOU are doing.

Getting better, trying new things, being brave

these things sometimes make us feel like

someone is beating the crap out of us with a hammer.

Yeah, growing and becoming more than we are hurts.

But we can't forget that WE are still the essence of this experience.

Because of who we are right now, becoming better is a possibility. It doesn't mean that who we are isn't good. It means that who we are is so amazing that we're ready to become more.

And brilliantly, the way life works, everything we've become and experienced up until today has been preparing us for the things we're attempting now.

If you feel like you aren't cutting it,

remember that doubting yourself will halt your ability

to be yourself

and use the very talents and special skills that got you to this challenge in the first place.

You can do anything

if you believe that you can do anything.

Abundance: how to get it

President Thomas S. Monson admonished us, "At the advent of a new year, I challenge [you] to undertake a personal, diligent, significant QUEST for an abundant life, a life filled with an abundance of success, goodness, and blessings."
Read his talk about how to obtain an abundant life here.

1. Have a positive attitude.
For me, in order to have a positive attitude I must focus on expressing sincere gratitude and I try to remember that I can be influencing the attitudes of other people around me. I can be a merry sunshine, if I try to spread that joyful, radiant, life-is-just-so-good feeling.
President Monson quoted Charles Swindoll. I like that Swindoll says our attitude is more important than the PAST, than money and failures and successes and what other people say or think or do.
What has happened in life is hardly important compared to how we choose to regard the present day we have been blessed with.

My attitude determines whether my endeavors will be realized or not. I can achieve nothing if I don't believe in myself. And how can I believe in myself if I'm not filled with optimism and graciousness?

2. Believe in Yourself

"He does not believe that does not live according to his belief." ~Thomas Fuller

I've long believed that without faith in yourself, without real conviction of your purpose and your ability, you cannot actually accomplish your desires.

I also believe that if you can truly trust and have faith in your goal--which means the Holy Ghost has confirmed its goodness and worth to you, and your ability to achieve it--then Providence will assist you in achieving any good thing. You can literally do and be any{amazing}thing!

I'm so happy to have a direct quote from the Prophet of God on the topic; here it is:

"Don't limit yourself and don't let others convince you that you are limited in what you can do. Believe in yourself and then live so as to reach your possibilities. You can achieve what you believe you can. Trust and believe and have faith." ~President Thomas S. Monson

3. Face challenges with Courage

President Monson said it takes courage to determine to live decently. The word decently struck me.

Determine to live decently. To speak decently. To eat decently. To think, ponder, and meditate decently. To do every act in a decent manner. This inspires me to have honor and integrity as I pursue my goals. I like that he recognizes this takes courage.

I don't remember where I read this, but in an article about success the author advised, "Your goal should be a bit embarrassing when you tell people about it. It should be something others could scoff at, because of your boldness in attempting something so impossible. It will mean that the dream is important to you, and that it is truly what you want."

That takes courage.

Ralph Waldo Emerson said, "Whatever you do, you need courage. Whatever course you decide on, there is always someone to tell you that you are wrong. There are always difficulties arising that tempt you to believe that your critics are right. To map out a course of action and follow it to an end requires some of the same courage that a soldier needs. Peace has its victories, but it takes brave men and women to win them."

Basically, if you really believe in yourself and this coveted goal you've decided to pursue, you must have the courage to be determined. Even though everyone will think you're crazy. Even though you'll be tempted to question yourself and your qualifications. Even though it takes a long time to come about. Even though it takes hard work and you're tired and sometimes lonely.

David beat GOLIATH. You can do anything. Be brave.

"Have the determination to make the effort, the single-mindedness to work toward a worthy goal, and the courage not only to face the challenges that inevitably come but also to make a second effort, should such be required," President Monson said. 



Are you Jesus?

I received a forwarded story from my step-mom, a few years ago, and came across it today while I was searching for something else in my email archives.

It's a good story for this season. I don't know if it's true. I've re-written it, so it doesn't read quite so spam/cheesy.  It has a good little ping! of inspiration to be a better witness of Christ.

It ping!ed me because I'm a big talker: I tell people my ideas about the scriptures and church. But this story made me think about whether I'm truly an example of a believer--are my actions reflections of the Savior? I hope it inspires you to share a little more kindness and have a little more patience, that's what it did for me.

Here's my slightly-adapted version of the tale:


A few years ago a group of salesmen traveled to a regional sales convention in Chicago. They had assured their wives that they would arrive home well before Friday night dinner. What with traffic and checking-in, they fell behind schedule and the pack of men began to sprint toward their gates to catch their flights.

In their rush, with tickets and briefcases, one of these salesmen inadvertently kicked over a table which held a display of apples. Apples flew everywhere. Without stopping or looking back, they all managed to reach the plane in time for their nearly-missed boarding.

All but one.
He paused, took a deep breath and felt a twinge of compassion for the girl whose apple stand had been overturned.

He waved his buddies to go on without him, "Call my wife and tell her I'll be on the next flight."
He turned around and returned to the apple-strewn terminal.

The young girl was on her knees, groping for her spilled produce as the crowd swirled about her; no one stopped. People hardly noticed her, apples were kicked further from her reach.

As the salesman knelt near her to apologize, he was surprised to realize the girl was blind. Tears ran down her cheeks in frustration.

He didn't know what to say. He was so glad he had come back.

Kneeling on the floor in his suit, he began picking up apples and placing them in the girls hands. Her brow furrowed for a moment, and then she scooped herself up, arranged the apples in one of her several baskets, and then timidly reached her hands out for more.

He gathered up all the apples, handing them to her as she organized her display table. As he did this, he noticed that many of them were battered and bruised; these he set aside in another basket.

When he finished, he pulled out his wallet and pressed two twenty-dollar bills into her hands. "Here," he said, "please take this for the damage we did. Are you okay?"

The girl nodded and took a hiccup-ish breath, holding the money with both hands, face turned up toward the man.

"I hope we didn't spoil  your day too badly," he picked up his brieface and started to walk away.

The bewildered blind girl called out to him, "Mister!"
He paused and looked back at her.
She asked, "Are you Jesus?"
Her question shocked him. He stood and watched her as she smiled to herself, folded the money away, and busied herself with her stand again.

Then he slowly walked away to arrange a later flight.

The question stuck in his mind, "Are you Jesus?"

Do people mistake you for Jesus?

Nightmares

I have vivid dreams.

Dreams that seem more real than what's real.

I dream about people, about love, about projects.

I dream about what's in my heart, because when I'm awake, my brain won't shut up; it dominates the conversation and my heart can't get a word in edgewise. But at night, my heart pipes up and says, "Listen. Here's what you really want. This is the thing you're actually chasing. Consider these things, too, when making decisions."

Last night, I had a nightmare. I woke up, curled into a ball, and sobbed.
It was my heart saying, "Listen, it's okay to be scared. And you're scared right now. You should stop pretending you're not."

It is okay to be scared. It doesn't mean I won't do the thing that scares me. It just means that it's important to me; it may even be an indicator that I am about to do exactly the thing that I need to stretch and grow and become more than I am.

The morning I began my mission for the church, just before we piled into the truck so my family could drop me off at the missionary training center, I broke. For the first time. I cried and told my dad how scared I was, that I wasn't sure if I could do it, or if I even wanted to do it. I felt alone.

Dad told me it was okay to be scared. And that I didn't have to pretend I wasn't. That it is okay to need people--I hate that I need people, it's so vulnerable! But I do. And, thankfully, I have bunches of wonderful friends and family members who want to help me, anytime, any day.

That mission turned out to be one of the most precious experiences of my life. I think of it every.single.day. It was scary, because it pushed me to be better, it demanded that I decide who I was and what I was going to do about that, and it required me to have integrity and be what I said I was. It took a lot of effort.

I feel like that now, too. I know what I am capable of, and I feel like the horizon holds big, giant, leaping steps in that area (the area of changing the world and fulfilling the measure of my creation).

And it is scary, because sometimes instead of stetching and rising to the task and pressing forward, I just want to sink into the couch, eat pasta and read a book.

But I can't. I'm ready to do more. And so I admit it: I'm a little scared! But it's a good-scary. It's a scary that tells me, "This is your chance to do something important."

The lesson about fear is this: Do not heed your fears. But don't ignore them, either. Face them. Look that fear sqare in the eye and tell it, "You can't stop me. I am going to do this."

Work

In a fitness article about GRIT, I once read something that kind of went like this: "Once you decide to do it--whatever IT is for you, stay committed. Don't question it. After a long, awful day of grading papers and trying to keep up in my own classes: this is not the time to question whether I should really become a professor. Schedule a time to reevaluate your goals in three months. And then forget about it and stick to your decision. If you have a rough day, just say, 'Now is not the time to question this,' and stay true to what you committed to accomplish."

"Now is not the time to question this" has saved my dreams and kept me on the path, multiple times.

The second key to accomplishing the goal is WORK; you can have anything, but you have to work to make it happen.  This Ira Glass quote inspires me when I'm in a funk. Watch it, and then go get what you want by doing lots of work.


Ira Glass on Storytelling from David Shiyang Liu on Vimeo.

Giving Thanks

Thanksgiving rushed upon me this year; doesn't anyone feel like it came a bit earlier than usual?
I had a lovely day at Dad's house; the kids told jokes and sang songs all morning while he cooked up a storm. Nana and Papa joined us for the meal. After dinner, we sat and discussed books, played cards, slept.

I realized that afternoon that my heart wasn't full. I went through all the motions of Turkey Day, but I never stopped to think about my blessings. I've been too busy to even notice the Holidays approaching, let alone prepare for them in a mindful, meaningful way.

I recognized the need to give thanks. Without expression, gratitude doesn't have a chance to fill my heart with happiness. My content and satisfaction in life has dwindled, not for lack of goodness but because I've neglected to slow down and take the time to give thanks.

I'm grateful for this amazing, rich life. For the little things!

For the way my dad tenderly folded the dough for his prize dinner rolls, and proudly hand-delivered them hot and fresh out of the oven to each of us before we prayed over the food.

For my stinkin' adorable niece, who said "Please, Jessica, will you hold me?" and pulled funny faces with me until we both laughed and laughed and laughed.

For the chance to see my sister as a mama, swirling her daughter around in her arms as they danced in the driveway to the car radio; to see her baby girl throw her head and her hands back as she floated through the air, free and flying, her golden hair streaming behind her.

For a family who plays and teases and giggles.

I am disappointed I didn't take advantage of Thanksgiving as an opportunity to give a peace offering to the Lord, to further my realization and enjoyment of His hand in my life. Did you know from the time of Adam until the Law of Moses was fulfilled, peace offerings were given in conjunction with a feast that symbolized fellowship and friendship among all its partakers and providers, and also a state of joy and gladness? Is this not Thanksgiving?

Christmas is around the corner, I'm aware of that now! I'm not going to let it come and go discreetly: I'm going to GIVE thanks and GIVE love and CELEBRATE this special time of year.

How?

Kris and I agreed that the best way to be mindful of the Savior and feel His love is to serve the people around us. So every day this month, we'll be serving.

In small ways, in special ways, in purposeful ways.

posting notes

I'm a note post-er. I've got scriptures and quotes taped up all over my mirrors and walls. Post-It notes with to-do lists, grocery lists, goal lists posted inside my wallet and on every page of my planner. Reminders on my steering wheel and dashboard.

I find a deep strength in being surrounded by powerful, inspiring words. I try to memorize them sometimes, because I want them to be in my mind, in my heart. I love sharing them, because I want my friends to feel what I feel when I read them.

So this morning, here's a glimpse of what I've got taped to my computer and desk:


"But if ye will turn to the Lord with full purpose of heart, and put your trust in him, and serve him with all diligence of mind, if ye do this, he will, according to his own will and pleasure, deliver you out of bondage." ~Mosiah 7:33


"Blessings require some work or effort on our part before we can obtain them. Prayer is a form of work, and is an appointed means for obtaining the highest of all blessings." ~Bible Dictionary


"I testify that each of us has a potential in this life and beyond the grave that exceeds our fondest dreams." ~President James E. Faust


"There is no chance, no fate, no destiny that can circumvent or hinder or control the firm resolve of a determined soul." ~Ella Wheeler Wilcox


"...I will also be your light in the wilderness; and I will prepare the way before you, if it so be that ye shall keep my commandments. Wherefore, inasmuch as ye shall keep my commandment ye shall be led towards the promised land; and ye shall knwo that it is by me that ye are led." ~ 1 Nephi 17:13


"Believe in yourselves as sons and daughters of God—men and women with unlimited potential to do good in the world. Believe in personal virtue. There is no substitute for it anywhere under the heavens. Believe in your power to discipline yourselves against the evils that could destroy you. Believe in one another as the greatest generation ever yet to live upon the earth." ~President Gordon B. Hinckley

"Search diligently, pray always, and be believing, and all things shall work together for your good, if ye walk uprightly and remember the covenant wherewith ye have covenanted one with another." ~Doctrine and Covenants 90:24

"...be patient toward all that is unsolved in your heart and try to love the questions themselves, like locked rooms and like books that are written in a very foreign tongue. Do not now seek the answers, which cannot be given you because you would not be able to live them. And the point is, to live everything. Live the questions now." ~Rainer Maria Rilke

Steve Jobs:
"Remembering you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose. You are already naked. There is no reason not to follow your heart."
"You can't connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards. You have to trust in something: your gut, destiny, life, karma, whatever. This approach has never let me down, and it has made all the difference in my life."

"Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life. Don't be trapped by dogma--which is living with the results of other people's thinking. Don't let the noise of others' opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary."

"Wherefore I perceive that there is nothing better, than that a man should rejoice in his own works; for that is his portion: for who shall bring him to see what shall be after him?" ~Ecclesiastes 3:22

 "There are no constraints on the human mind, no walls around the human spirit, no barriers to our progress except those we ourselves erect.” —Ronald Reagan

"The most difficult thing is the decision to act--the rest is merely tenacity. The fears are paper tigers. You can do anything you decide to do. You can act to change and control your life; and the procedure, the process is its own reward....The most effective way to do it, is to do it." ~Amelia Earhart

"Don't let your nutty theories control your life without testing them." ~Ramit Sethi

"Press on. Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothings is more common than unsuccessful individuals with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent." ~Calvin Coolidge

"The Lord knoweth all things from the beginning; wherefore, he prepareth a way to accomplish all his works among the children of men; for behold, he hath all power unto the fulfilling of all his words. And thus it is…For he is the same yesterday, to-day, and forever; and the way is prepared for all men from the foundation of the world, if it so be that they repent and come unto him. For he that diligently seeketh shall find; and the mysteries of God shall be unfolded unto them, by the power of the Holy Ghost, as well in these times as in times of old, and as well in times of old as in times to come; wherefore, the course of the Lord is one eternal round." ~1 Nephi 9:6, 10:18-20

Commit

Lotus

We all know that I have a happy obsession with photography blogs. Among my favorite favorite is Sarah Rhoads'--she and her husband are bomb.com {I don't even know them, but I love them. And one day, I will fly to Seattle and ask them to take pictures of me and my fiance/hubby/ourfamily....whatever I have when I finally make it out there.}

Today, I read this post by Sarah and realized...she's only 27. Just barely. Dang.

Because I totally respect her for the way she has created a successful profession that she loves, her true passion, the fulfillment of her creation, by harrrrrrrrrrrrrd work, determination, and believing that anything is possible.

And somewhere inside of me, I keep thinking, "I will be like that. I can be like that." But I never have the guts or think that everything is "in place" for it to be NOW...

But she's totally my age and kicking my butt at the game of "Create the life you've imagined, no excuses." Good thing this life isn't about comparisons....but she totally inspired me this morning.

So.
Now.
Be brave and commit.

Liked what she said here: "When you finally commit yourself to the path you know you are supposed to be on doors will open in the most surprising places."

Reminds me of this: "Until one is committed, there is hesitancy, the chance to draw back, always ineffectiveness. Concerning all acts of initiative (or creation) there is one elementary truth, the ignorance of which kills countless ideas and splendid plans: that the moment one definitely commits oneself, then Providence moves, too. All sorts of things occur to help one that would otherwise never have occurred. A whole stream of events issues from the decision, raising in one's favor all manner of incidents and meetings and material assistance which no man would have believed would have come his way." --W.H. Murray

Forget Me Not: review

One of the most touching scriptures to me is Rachel’s desire to have children finally being answered by the Lord, after she felt abandoned and forgotten: “And God remembered Rachel…”

I love this scripture because of the way Elder Spencer J. Condie describes trusting the Lord’s promises in his 2007 General Conference address—Read it!

This year, President Dieter F. Uchtdorf spoke to the relief society about 5 things we should never forget: all of which brought Rachel to my mind. What I took away from his message: God knows and remembers each of us, and He will keep His promises to us.

#1. Forget not to be patient with yourself.

Ugh. Patience. Seems like I will never develop this one (ironic…)

I think of Rachel’s plea, “Give me children or else I die.” Right after that, Leah had three more kids. But Heavenly Father kept His promise, and blessed Rachel with two boys with amazing birthrights.

Patience means trusting the Lord and expecting His promises to come to pass with such surety, that I don’t need to see the answers now, or even soon…I know that I am headed toward them according to the Lord’s timing.

President Uchtdorf focused on having patience with ourselves. He said, “God is fully aware that you and I are not perfect…He wants us to become perfect, and if we stay on the path of discipleship, one day we will. It’s OK that you’re not quite there yet. Keep working on it, but stop punishing yourself. …remember also to be compassionate and patient with yourself.”

God notices all the small successes I have each day. I think His infinite patience and understanding is much more forgiving than I am toward myself.

To implement: Remember to see the big picture, make decisions carefully (not rashly), and recognize each step toward your most important, lasting goals.

#2. Forget not the difference between a good sacrifice and a foolish sacrifice.

“An acceptable sacrifice is when we give up something good for something of far greater worth…Our Heavenly Father is most please when we sacrifice something good for something far greater with an eternal perspective.”

Most of my foolish sacrifices are made in haste. Carefully weighing an important decision helps me to recognize not only whether the sacrifice is beneficial to the issue, but also helps me to determine the real worth of what I am pursuing.

Best sacrifices, looking back, hardly seem like sacrifices at all, considering the precious experience received in return.

#3. Forget not to be happy now.

How to do this: BE GRATEFUL. (Or in other words, count your blessings and recognize that the Lord loves you.)

Note: it is okay to have a few down days, every once in a while. Ecclesiastes chapter 3 says there is a time for all seasons and for all emotions. Even Job, who is remembered for his dedicated faithfulness, cursed the day he was born. You’ve got to be pretty low to use language like he does in Job chapter 3.

It happens! We have some difficult things to go through. I don’t think we’re meant to repress our disappointment; the Lord has provided a comforter and friends/family to listen, understand, and offer advice. Then, we must choose to focus on the blessings and find genuine happiness again. Now.


#4. Forget not the “why” of the Gospel.

This is a huge topic.

Go to the temple.

Remember why.

Be filled with the spirit, even to the refreshing of the body.



#5. Forget not that the Lord loves you.

I love President Uchtdorf’s words here: “As an Apostle of our Master, Jesus Christ, I proclaim with all the certainty and conviction of my heart…You are not forgotten...You are known and remembered by the most majestic, powerful, and glorious Being in the universe! You are loved by the King of infinite space and everlasting time! He who created and knows the stars knows you and your name…You are destined for more than you can possible imagine…Never forget that your Heavenly father knows, loves, and cherishes you.”

determination

I'm channeling a lot of Steve Jobs and Amelia Earheart today, feeling like I can do anything. They say the one thing all successful people have in common is determination, a refusal to quit.

I'm going to do what I love; I'm through with heeding my fears and doubts and choosing the safe route. Today, I'm jumping down the rabbit hole. Keep the end in mind, have integrity, and never, never, never quit.

You Don't Want to Miss This

Barta Heiner

The brilliant Miss Barta Heiner said, "I plead with you: do not throw your birthrights away out of anger or confusion. Some of you will be tested and stra ined beyond other people's imaginations; don't give up. you may be the very key needed to further god's plan. It may take years before another is prepared to take your place...Don't give up on your dreams; dreams make up the world. But if what you want to do doesn't turn out to be what the Lord needs from you at this time in your life, understand that God loves you but needs you somewhere else at the moment. Be patient and trusting. I believe there is still time, a whole eternity to do what you want to do."

I spoke about this concept in church yesterday. Very excited for general conference this weekend; it is a unique opportunity to reevaluate my objectives in life and what I am doing to accomplish them.

Watch conference sessions on Saturday and Sunday, October 1st and 2nd. The prophet will speak!

Tender Mercy

As a missionary in Korea, there was a time when I questioned whether I was actually helping anyone, whether I was truly an instrument in the Lord's hands.
I had a wonderful companion, Sister Ogilvie. We put a big sign up on our wall that read, "MIRACLES HAPPEN!" underneath a picture of Joseph Smith praying in the sacred grove. And then we chose to look at every small act of goodness as a miracle, directed by Heavenly Father to help Him in His Work and His Glory.
I saw so many miracles. A million "small" miracles, some really, huge, amazing miracles, too. And I was so grateful that Heavenly Father would help me realize that we can accomplish His will through small measures.

But the blessings didn't end there! A year and half later, my dear friend Katrina was baptised today.



We met Katrina just after the "MIRACLES HAPPEN" sign was taped up in our apartment; she was lost in the dark streets of Shinjung, looking for the bowling alley. I happened to know where it was, and offered to walk her there.

She had a mile-wide smile and was the brightest, happiest foreigner I had ever met there. Her Alabama pride, sense of adventure, and love of life made her an instant friend.



We never counted her as an "investigator." I gave her a copy of the Book of Mormon with my testimony written inside. We taught her a familiy home evening lesson. We invited her to church and the Christmas party.

I didn't even know that she continued to meet with the missionaries! As I kept in contact with her after coming home, I always hoped in the back of my mind that maybe our friendship would one day lead her to accept the gospel.

So imagine how full my joy was when she told me she was ready to be baptised! That she had been meeting with the missionaries since I left! That she has a testimony of the Book of Mormon!



I love this girl so much, and I am so happy for her. She is a beautiful, human sparkler who brightens everything she touches.

The most amazing thing of all, however, is that Heavenly Father let me be a part of her story. That He used me to help her begin her journey, and He let me know how great she is doing. I never expected to be a part of something this truly precious.