Good Things To Be Had;

Today I'm writing a post from Starbucks on a cold November late afternoon. It's cold and windy and I can feel that the snow is about to come; but I don't mind. I'm feeling particularly sentimental today. That could be because it's cold and I'm not feeling well, or perhaps that's just the caramel apple spice talking. As I watch the people around me I can't help but reflect on this past year. It has been full of growth, discovery, heartache, beauty and insane serenity. I have had to completely lose myself to discover who I want to be. I have never felt more comfortable with who I am until this point in my life. I decided to stop planning and let my life follow the course it's meant to by me making the decisions that I feel are best for me. Fortunately I've learned so much along the way that I feel might be useful to someone who might be in a similar situation and is happening to read this post. Although I have had a lot of experiences I could write down, I chose to generalize my experiences with 6 different things I've learned.

(As a side note: An amazing friend shared a talk by Elder Holland titled "How Do I Love Thee" I'm going to pull quotes throughout this entire talk because I believe that they apply. I'm also going to strongly suggest if you're reading this blog, to read that talk. If you've already done it, read it again. Even better still, listen to the words of Elder Holland. He talks about relationships of all kinds although he focuses most on romantic relationships. Regardless, it's worth listening to.)

1. Life Keeps Going:
No matter how hard life is, no matter how many assignments or quizzes you have next week, no matter if someone is angry with you, no matter if you feel like your life is falling part, life keeps going. Tomorrow is still going to come and time will still continue to press on. I have found that no matter how much anxiety or insecurity I feel, the event is still going to come and eventually fall behind me. I have felt it has been good to remind myself that "This too shall pass..." even if I have to keep saying it my mind over and over again. Elder Holland says it best, "Some things in life we have little or no control over. These have to be endured. Some disappointments have to be lived with... These are not things anyone wants in life, but sometimes they come. And when they come, we have to bear them; we have to believe; we have to hope for an end to such sorrows and difficulty; we have to endure until things come right in the end."

2. Assume the Best:
Life isn't perfect, and unfortunately neither are the people around us. In all aspects of any kind of relationship that you are in, assume the best. Assume that the people around you are not trying to hurt your feelings; assume that people are genuine. Give people the benefit of the doubt and don't assume that everyone knows how you feel or how to treat you when you feel like you're not being understood. "Think the best of each other, especially of those you say you love. Assume the good and doubt the bad." Applying this in my life has made all the difference. It makes you slow to anger and quick to responding to conflict in a loving and compassionate way. It makes you recognize and appreciate patience in your life and puts into perspective what is and what isn't important to be upset about.

3. Being Yourself is Most Impressive:
It is okay to have a different opinions than those around you. It's okay be different. It's okay to be authentic. It's okay to question. It's okay to stand out. It's okay to be quirky. It's okay to like what you want to like. Boy have I learned this lesson the hard way. My entire life I have been weighed down with people categorizing me into a slew of different things that I took offense to. Weird. Quirky. Boring. Unoriginal. Strange. Different. Loud. Quiet. The reality is that I get to decide how I label myself, and as it turns out I am really happy with the person that I am! I am content with the fact that I am different from the average person. I love that I like movies, music, ideas and people that are considered obscure. In fact, I embrace it. I see so many people around me that fear being themselves around new people or certain friends. How sad that someone has to hide who they are and what they love in order to fit in. My life has certainly changed since I decided to embrace who I am.

4. You Can't Do It Alone:
"One of the great purposes of true love is to help each other in these times. No one ought to have to face such trials alone. We can endure almost anything if we have someone at our side who truly loves us, who is easing the burden and lightening to load." I do not know how I've been so blessed to have so many people in my life who are on my side and are there for me at any given time. I am in constant awe with people who send a text or show up in my life right when I need them most. It's okay to rely on friends and loved ones to help lift you up when you're struggling. In that same breath, it's so rewarding to be that person in return when your friends need it. The best thing to hold onto in life is each other.

5. Do More of What you Love:
If you like to read, listen or make music, paint, create, go to a record store, write, bake, work, study, be with people, serve, relax, or whatever it is that you are passionate about, DO THAT and do MORE of it. I find that there are so many times in my life I get so caught up with school and friends that I forget to take the time for me to do the things I love to do. When I finally do the things that make me most happy I think to myself, "I should do this more often." When I am doing the things that I love consistently, other parts of my life fall into place and I feel like I am grounded, I am humbled and I'm one with everything.

6. The Trouble is You Think You Have Time:
Procrastination in any form is a huge downfall of mine. I often feel like I am able to put things off for long periods of time that need to be dealt and addressed with now. Even more than that, doing the things that I love, preparing, spending time with people who important... these things will not always be so readily available. Like I said before, life keeps going. It doesn't stop for anybody and we only have so much time in a day. Personally, I love to be with people so if I have a chance to spend time with someone that I don't get to see very often or that I miss, I will drop everything I have to be with that person. While I realize sometimes that can be unhealthy, I have learned that how and who I spend my time with is extremely precious to me. If you find yourself saying "I'll be happy when..." at any point of your life, decide to do what it takes to be happy now with the time that you have.

Wake Up & Live!