Be the one....

With the New Year we each have a fresh start. We can set goals, and make changes. Sometimes it is hard to make something that seems like a weakness turn into a strength. If you are thinking about setting a New Year's resolution, try to not be so focused on trying to change you...Remember YOU are enough. You are loved! "You have a Heavenly Father who loves you! That love never changes. It is not influenced by your appearance, by your possessions, or by the amount of money you have in your bank account. It is not changed by your talents and abilities. God's love is there for you whether or not you feel you deserve love. It is simply always there."

(President Monson)

I am hoping that as you are looking to the future you try to become your best self on the inside. You will shine. Don't compare yourself with others. One of my favorite New Year's resolutions has been this year. I have tried to pray daily to know who to reach out to. I ask Heavenly Father to let me be his hands. Prayers are often answered through another person. We are surrounded by those in need of our attention, our encouragement, our support, our comfort, our kindness. we are the Lord's hands here upon the earth, with the mandate to serve and to lift His children. He is depending on each of us. If you ask Heavenly Father to guide you to recognize an opportunity to serve one of his precious children and you stay focused, your sensitivities will be enlarged and you will discover opportunities to serve that you never before realized were possible. We have the ability to bring light into our dark world. 

Miracles happen when you serve others. You start to become happier. You will start having more love in your heart. It is awesome to know that there is someone in your life right now that needs you. If you think about it, there is always someone you relate to. That person that you can help reach the best of their potential. Be the one. I promise you will be happier. I know I am. 

Incredible

I saw the most inspiring video today. A young man named Ezra Frech is Sports Illustrated's athlete of the year. He is 9 years old and has a prosthetic leg and only 2 fingers on one of his arms. He made some valid points in his interview. He said always finish well. This applies to everything. It doesn't matter if you slip and fall, just get up and finish well. 

He reminds us that everyone is different. You might look different, act different or you think different. Everybody has challenges and everybody stares at everybody. Being different is ok, and if you can dream it, hope it, or think it,  you can make it happen. 

You are perfect right where you are. You can get up when you fall, and finish well. It doesn't matter what you are doing, or not doing, it matters that you finish well. Have you reached out to someone in need today? Have you listened to that voice that tells you to text a friend, or write a note, or just smile at someone? 

I love that is reminds us that being different is ok. Everyone gets stared at, and made fun of at one point or another. We each have people in our lives that we can relate to and reach out to. The things you do matter. When you reach out to someone it is like planting a seed. You can count the seeds in an apple, but you can't count the apples in a seed. 

You are perfect! Dream, hope and think of all of the possibilities that are all around you everyday. Each one of us plays an important part. We need to help each other to be the best that we can be. 

Update for Chris

Thank you for your generous donations. Jeff Steed went with me today to deliver the cash and gift card to Chris. He was so happy. I put the cash and the gift card to Winco in an envelope with everyone's name who donated. He didn't open it up while we were there, but he was really touched with the kindness we all shared with him. 

Chris is going to have his surgery on the 12th to get rid his colostomy bag. His foot is getting a little bit better, and he is really hopeful that he won't lose his toes. Chris mentioned that he needed to renew his drivers license and didn't have enough money to do that. He said he was so excited that he would now be able to get that done. He looked a ton better than he did the last time I saw him. He showed us a couple martial art moves, and so did Kent. 

Thank you so much to everyone who donated. It makes me so happy to know that we have an amazing support system in the class of 88. I am so thankful for the support you have offered. If you ever want to donate to Chris, I will deliver any and every donation to him. I will always have the link on this blog, or you can contact me directly. Thank you again for being so willing to help out our friend!

Mirror Mirror on the wall

I love this video. It is amazing to me that we view ourselves as something other than beautiful. When you look into the mirror do you see your amazing smile, or beautiful eyes? Are you more critical than you should be? I found it really interesting that each person focused on their flaws. Do you see the good in others?  Do you build yourself up so you can be the best you can be? If you are always beating yourself up, it is difficult to serve others.

How you view yourself effects everything. 

The lady at the end stated that we should be more grateful of our natural beauty. It impacts the choices and the friends we make, the jobs we apply for, how we treat our children. It is critical to our happiness. We spend a lot of time as women trying to fix the things that aren't quite right. We should spend more time focusing on the things we do like.

We’re getting messages thrown at us everywhere we look – we watch shows that tell us we’re not good enough, we read magazines that tell us to work harder. Ad campaigns for stores and clothing lines feature women who you wish you could look like in your dreams.We feel worthless, flawed, and never good enough. We constantly compare ourselves to others and fall short of the images we see, our ideals, and expectations. We aim so high and are shocked when we can’t make the mark, when in reality, our own beauty isn’t dependent on who we would like to be.

So where does beauty come from? Where can it be found? I can assure you it isn’t hidden in the words of any beauty, diet, or fitness magazine article. It’s not something that comes out when it is covered up with makeup, and it doesn’t come included with jewelry or price tags. You won’t find it on a treadmill or in the weight room. True beauty is what lies within you.

Real, beauty comes from within your heart. It can't be contained. It truly radiates from within. You are beautiful, just the way you are. You, right now, as you are reading this, are enough. In this moment, today, tomorrow, and forever. Just as you are. Be confident with the person you have grown to be. There will never be another you, so why would you try to be like someone else? You are perfectly perfect from the bottom to the top. 

Imagine what you could accomplish with one simple fact. YOU ARE ENOUGH!

 

Because I have been given much

I ran into Chris Decius and Kent Decius the other day at the store. Chris told me about his surgery and how he spent some time in the hospital. He was so grateful for the nurses and doctors at the hospital. He was shocked that he just had to ask for water and they would bring it to him. He was so happy that he was able to eat breakfast every day. With his health problems he lost circulation in his foot, and is hoping he doesn't lose his toes. Kent told me how Chris was so sick he carried him into the emergency room on his back. Kent was taking care of Chris and working trying to make things work. Kent was really happy that he was able to work through a temp agency to help provide for them. They both stated that their mom had died and that they lost the house they grew up in. They live in an apartment by Bonneville high. They both talked about their love of martial arts. They both lit up and talked about how they are certain that martial arts saved both of their lives.They both had times where they didn't have the will to live. Due to Chris's health conditions and not being able to work they both have a goal to get back to martial arts, but financially is isn't possible right now. I talked to them for 40 minutes. Neither one complained about life being unfair, or that they were barley making it. They both smiled and dreamed about getting back to martial arts. I have thought and thought about them for the past few days. My heart was broken and I listened to all of the things that were going wrong in their lives, but they were not complaining. They were so happy to be alive. Their story made me hope that together with my awesome friends, that we could raise some money and help them get back to their martial arts. They don't know anything about this fundraiser, but I hope to be able to raise some money and get it to them before Christmas. Please use the paypal account linked to this blog post. Every penny counts. Please consider donating even $5. I will make sure every penny goes to them. Contact me with any questions. Thank you everyone!

Be the light in someone's journey

Do you follow Rhonna Farrer? She created an app to help make your pictures beautiful. I have the app and I also follow her on Instagram. She is very positive and seems like the type of person who everyone would want to be friends with. Today is her birthday. She asked everyone to help celebrate her birthday by sharing good. She asked everyone to share this message with someone who needs it. You can print it out, share it with someone who needs an act of service done for them, or just use it to be kind to someone.

If you know me, you know I am passionate about being Heavenly Father's hands. I love to hear about others who make a difference. I pray every day to know who I should reach out to. I love to share my light. Yesterday I was the recipient of an act of kindness. I was so touched by the thoughtful act. When I was thinking about it later that night, I was inspired to write a little thank you note. The prompting was strong. I wrote a quick little thank you note for my friend. She told me how she really needed to hear what I had said in my short little note. I was so thankful that I listened and actually followed through. It is times like this that remind me how aware Heavenly Father is of each one of us. He knows us, and knows our individual names. He loves us more than we can comprehend.  I thought I would share this story to inspire you to listen for the promptings, follow through with them and share your light. Heavenly Father answers prayers through other people. I am thankful for the opportunities I have to serve others. I know this is one of the reasons I am so happy. 

Meghan Trainor - All About That Bass

For the past few weeks all I keep reading is about how beauty comes from within. I keep thinking about that statement. I watched a clip from the Ellen show and found out that Meghan Trainor wrote the Lyrics to her song "It's all about the bass" based on women and their body issues. She said that she watches Ellen every day and that every song she writes is based on the show and it's topics. 

It seems like everyone is struggling with body image and who they are. I am certain that every person I know wants to lose weight. I think we have the false reality that if we lose a couple of pounds or if we could just look like someone else, then we would be happy. When you are struggling you forget who you are. You give in and do things that really aren't you. I hope you know you are perfectly perfect just the way you are. You are amazing. I know I am a daughter of a Heavenly Father that loves me. He made me just the way I am. I can't change my height, or wrinkles, or shoe size, but I can be a light that shines for others to see. I can try every day to reach the best of my potential. I can reach out to others and encourage them to be happy from within. It has been said the the definition of beautiful doesn't require the word skinny. 

You are good enough. Where you are right now is good enough. Keep moving forward.

What if?

What if we each knew what our purpose was here on earth? What if we each knew our divine purpose and used our gifts to help others along the path we call life? What if we each had unconditional love for each and every person? 

Do you have someone in your life that makes you feel like a million bucks? Why do you like this person? Is it because their hair is so amazing, or because they are so stylish? I bet it is because of the way they make you feel. I have friends, and family that make me feel like a million bucks. I love to be around them and I try to be like them. I believe that we each have a gift. Some of us are empathetic, and some are kind.  You might be the sweet type and know just what to do when someone needs a friend.  I have a friend that has the gift of unconditional love. She taught me a lesson today and I know I am better because of her. I love that when she meets a new person she takes them in and loves them. She can see if they are carrying a heavy load and she loves them unconditionally. She has a gift. She thinks it is normal and everyone just loves unconditionally. Not true. It is hard to just see the good, and to love each other despite our imperfections.  When was the last time you told your brother or sister you were proud of them? How about your parents, or children. We all struggle. Some more than others, but that is not the point. The point is....When someone is moving forward and handling the pressures of life, do we tell them we are proud of them, or do we criticize and judge? 

 I am certain that Heavenly Father puts us in each others paths to help each other. If you sit each day and think about who you can serve, or reach out to, you will be inspired. Act on your inspiration. We need each other. We need to reach out when we have a prompting to do something. Write letters, text or call your family members.  When you are at the store, make eye contact with others. Say hello and smile. You never know what kind of a battle someone is fighting. Let's make a difference and join together to help each other along this path we call life. 

I keep wondering why we look at each others flaws...It seems so simple to just look beyond the flaws and see the inside, the light that each one of us has. Sometimes we love others, and forget to love who we are. We beat ourselves up when we should be building. You are an amazing person. You shine! You are here for a reason. Use your spiritual gifts to love and serve others. Don't give in. Certainly don't give in to that being who is bent on the destruction of your happiness. Satan is real. He wants nothing more than to destroy you. He wants to put self doubt in your thoughts. He has lots to gain. Satan will confuse you and make you question what life is about. Satan does not offer peace. I know I have a Heavenly Father that knows me. He trusts me to use my spiritual gifts to reach out to others. Satan has tricks. He wants you to doubt that you have gifts. He wants you to try to figure out everything. He wants you doubt and keep you away from moving forward. 

You are the answer to someones prayer. In life, you will realize there is a role for everyone you meet. some will test you, some will use you, some will love you, and some will teach you. But the ones who are truly important are the ones who bring out the best in you. They are the rare and amazing people who remind you why it's worth it! Let's all try to love unconditionally. Love who you are! Love the gifts you have! Use your gifts to help others, and remember to learn from the rare and amazing people that know how to love unconditionally. It is a gift! Be the type of person you want to meet. 

Mom

I am the daughter of amazing parents. I truly won the parent lottery. I am one of the chosen few that are part of a plan that strengthens families here on the earth. I am adopted. I am honored to be a part of this plan. I used to wonder why such amazing people had to adopt. I read some statistics and learned that there is a 98% of parents that adopt stay married. I also pondered and discovered that because my parents had to work so hard to get me, that they fought for their marriage. They have been married for almost 60 years!!! Heavenly Father has a plan, and he needed something to help strengthen families. I am part of that plan. 

My Mom is beautiful inside and out. She has a love for me that is far beyond what I am even capable of having. I didn't understand why she was always so worried that I would get hurt when I was little, but it was due to her huge amount of love she has for me. She was so worried that something would happen to me that she worried a lot. I always thought my Mom looked like a movie star. She has the smoothest skin. When she was young, she really did look like a movie star....She is so humble and she gets embarrassed because I love this picture and I always want to show everyone.

I always had 100% support for anything I wanted to do. My Mom was always at my soccer games, softball games, and skied with me. My Mom was always my biggest fan. It didn't matter what I did, I knew my Mom was proud of me. I remember when i was little and I wanted my own way, i would ask over and over for the same thing until she gave in. This worked to my advantage to help me as a teenager. I would just drive her crazy until she let me go with my friends. 

Fast forward a few years and it was so much fun to watch my Mom become a Grandma. She was so excited to give Kiersten her first icecream cone. She loved giving her baths in the sink. She babysat Bronson after kindergarten, and he had her wrapped around his finger. Karlee was special because she looked just like me, and she loved being with her grandma.  My Mom has been such a great support to me with my kids. Most of all she loves us from the bottom of her toes. Both of my parents have been a huge support to me, however it is Mother's day and so this post is about my Mom. 

 My Mom has taught me to love others and she always helps to see the other side. She is amazing, beautiful and so much fun. I am so thankful Heavenly Father trusted her to take care of me and to help me reach the best of my potential. I am a daughter of a Heavenly Father that loves me. He has a plan and I am so thankful to be part of His beautiful plan. I am honored that I am part of the plan to strengthen families. I love that he knows how to help us reach the best of our potential and that I have such an amazing Mom that helps me every day. Love you Mom!

Be a bucket filler

I have recently learned of a concept that really does make you happier. Everyone has a bucket that needs to be filled daily. Each of us have our own bucket, and  the only way to fill it is by doing something kind to someone else. When you are playing sports, or competing, against someone else, did you think to tell others that they did a good job? Sometimes it is called being a good sport, but being a bucket filler goes beyond the high five for winning. 

You can write a note, deliver a treat, or just be really happy for someone who does really good at something. If you are frustrated with yourself, or possibly you don't perform as good as you would have liked, you can be happy for someone else. 

I know that when I go out of my way to fill someone's bucket, I suddenly feel happier. If you are in a funk, go and do something nice for a friend, your mom, or sibling. I promise it will make you feel better. 

When your own bucket is full, you are happy and confident. Your thoughts are positive and you are more friendly. Have you ever felt better after someone smiles, writes you a note, or does something nice for you? This is the ripple effect. I love random acts of kindness and I have been the recipient of this. It does make you happier! 

If your bucket is empty you feel sad, angry depressed anxious and sometimes physically ill. Its easy to believe that life is too hard and that nothing will help you be successful. An empty bucket needs to be filled. You get to decide if you do random acts of kindness to fill your own bucket.

Today is a great day to get out there and do something nice. Open doors, smile, say hello, and go give your mom a hug. You can help without being asked. You can write notes, visit with a neighbor or friend.  Filling you own bucket takes practice and action. 

You matter

In a world where all we do is compare ourselves to others, I sometimes need to remind myself that I am doing great. I am better today than I was yesterday and that is good enough. It makes me sad that we don't think that we are good enough based on what someone else is doing,. If we place too much value on material things, it will never bring happiness. There have been friendships broken, and families torn apart due to people in these relationships that are jealous or want something of a material nature. I have been a victim of this. I have had friendships go bad because of someone being jealous. It is not fun at all. I remember when this happened in my life, and I didn't think I could go on. It was difficult to navigate through. Comparing material things is not healthy and does not bring you up to a higher level. Take the time to see the good in you! beautiful you! Every single person can make a difference. You have a unique set of gifts that you can use to help others.
There is a story about how we all have a bucket that we are trying to fill each day. The only way to fill up our own bucket is to help fill up someone else's bucket by being kind, or doing acts of kindness. Think about this for a minute. When you are sad, and have a pity party, you take away from what is inside your bucket. You can look around for someone who needs a friend and as you reach out to them, you realize your own bucket is getting fuller. There will be times when your own bucket is filling up due to others reaching out to you. It is an amazing cycle. Be happy for others. Look for the good in everyone, and be a bucket filler!

The best way to be happy, is to not compare yourself to others. You have wonderful qualities and you are amazing just the way you are. You were created by a Heavenly Father who loves you. He knows you, and sends others to help you along the path. Look for the opportunity to be there for someone else. Don't compare your weakness to someone else's strength. 

Just say hello

I watched an Oprah video titled Just say hello. It talked about how saying hello and looking someone in the eye, fights loneliness. I have tried this and added it to my routine daily. It's funny how once you start thinking about things and you have that idea in your mind, you see it everywhere. It seems like all I hear about is just doing something simple to make someone's day.
I love making a difference. I am passionate about it. I talk about it all of the time. Today at work we had a training on being nice. It had a challenge to do 5 things a day to be nice to someone by doing random acts of kindness. They spoke about how someone put a note on the candy machine with a random act of kindness card. I think I know who this was ;) I want to take the challenge and see what 5 things I can do each day for one week. I printed out some random acts of kindness cards and I am going to put some of them in my car and take some to work so I can meet the challenge. It is awesome that America First is trying to promote others to do random acts of kindness. Here is the link to some of the cute random acts of kindness cards. Are you up for the challenge?
https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B5tymN19fC2YS1hVeTU4d05wTU0/edit

Our Young Men and Young Women are making a Mormon message about being Heavenly Fathers hands. It is so awesome to hear all of their stories each week and it is even more exciting to watch it as it becomes a video. The youth are amazing. They reach out to others every day. It is just a way of life. The youth in Pleasant View 4th ward are all about serving others and making a difference.

There was also a story on KSL about 2 young boys writing nice notes to people and handing them out at the mall. Everyone wondered what it was all about, some said no thank you, and some took them and read them while walking. The notes said things like "you matter",  "you have a pretty smile", "have a wonderful day". Something just as simple as a note made someone happy. If you want to read the story here is the link to the awesome article.

http://www.ksl.com/?nid=1286&sid=28857305

Now is the time to go and make a difference! Reach out to others. 

Spread love everywhere you go. Let no one ever come to you without leaving happier.
Mother Teresa

Reaching out to others

I recently read a blog post about a mom who has to stick up for her kid because of a bully. I hear a lot about bullies. I have been bullied. I am sure every person at some point in their life has been bullied. Sometimes it is at work when you are an adult. Kids tease, sometimes adults tease. Sometimes it crosses the line, and makes you evaluate who your friends are. You might be in a situation where bad behavior keeps happening. You might have to decide if you want to reconcile a friendship, or just forgive someone for their bad behavior.

This post is about what to do when you are in this situation, and what to do if you witness someone being teased or bullied.

There will always be people that don't like you. Some people don't like me, and some people might not like you. It's just the way it is. But that voice in your head that says, “Sometimes I feel like the whole world hates me”? That’s Satan. And that’s a lie. Not everyone hates you. There are way more people who love you than people who don’t.

Kids are mean for a reason. Sometimes, it’s because it makes them feel strong. Sometimes, they are going along with the crowd to be accepted. Sometimes, it’s because no one ever told them it was wrong to treat people that way. Sometimes, it’s because someone has been mean to them. Sometimes mean kids are always mean, even when they are adults, But almost NEVER is it because of you. Don’t ever define yourself based on the opinion of the Mean Kid, or adult.
 
Don't ever be the mean kid....EVER!!! When you see another kid, or person being picked on for the love of all the is right and good, go rescue that kid. Go put your arm on that kid's shoulder and tell him you are on his side. Tell the mean kid to stop it!!! It might be awkward, really awkward, but it is the best feeling ever. It takes courage! Lots of courage. If you can learn this when you are young, you can use it your whole life. Sad to say that it happens to adults too. Sometimes we are used as another person's punching bag. The rude comments don't ever seem to stop. It is ok to stick up for yourself, or to tell the mean person to stop.  It usually takes just one person to stop someone from the continued behavior.

Some kids may be getting picked on at school AND at home. Some kids might have parents who abuse, verbally and physically. They may not have a mom and dad who love them and empower them to deal with bullies. These kids have to push others down to bring themselves up.The cycle is a tough one to break. Trying to stop bad behavior isn't easy.   
 
You could change someone's life if you stick up for them. You might be the only one who sticks up for him! Be THAT kid. Be the one who sees the hurting, downcast kid and RESCUES him. You can be the answer to a mothers prayer. You might not think you are too small to make a difference. Have you ever spent a night with a mosquito?

Have you ever met Karma? What goes around comes around. You reap what you sow. I have found that is it lots more fun to do random acts of kindness and reach out to others. You will find yourself surrounded by others doing the same to you and for you. I love to look for opportunities to make someone have a fantastic day. This small and simple thing might just be the key to happiness. You will attract friends who value the same things you do. Heavenly Father will see to it. Heavenly Father is on your side, and He is depending on you to be his hands. Reach out to others to make a difference.