Thursday, December 18, 2014

Share the Gift

In the last couple of weeks I have felt a difference.. I have felt the love of my Savior and His help and guidance. I have been praying with the Lord and making Him a promise that if I try to do all that I can to follow Him and keep His commandments, that He will guide me and not let me fail. That I can be influenced by the spirit to make some big decisions coming up and that I can feel comfort and peace. I think a lot of my problem is PATIENCE and the Lord has reminded me to just take my time and be patient with myself. The church I belong to-The Church of Jesus Christ of Ladder Day Saints-has given me so much strength and happiness and I would feel ungrateful if I didn't mention it this Christmas Season. This season is about selfless love and service. It is about taking a minute from yourself and your life to better someone else's. Christmas is about implementing 'Christ' like attributes and creating a little bit more magic and happiness in the world. Christmas is all about Christ and He is the greatest gift that has ever been given to us. 

Watch this video and Share the Gift. 


Merry Christmas 
xoxo

Saturday, December 13, 2014

Make your SEASON bright.. with some fashion FUN.

Not my typical post... but I had to.
 One of my best friends, Shelby Stephens-graphic designer & cute mom-recently started working for a clothing line called 
Stripe Clothing.
They have a great variety of clothing at a great price! They just got in some new arrivals that are perfect for the season. Make your way over to their website and treat yourself to a little Christmas shopping :) 
You won't regret it. 

www.stripe-clothing.com

You can also follow them on instagram..

 stripeclothingco

*my favorites*




xoxo 

Thursday, December 4, 2014

happiness & fulfillment.

I have been thinking a lot about these two words lately. When is it that I am the happiest and feeling the most fulfilled, and how do I sustain that in my everyday life? What kind of things do I need to do to feel like I am living to the fullest and to feel like I am satisfied with where I am at? .. 
Life is all about progression and becoming better and better each day. Life should not be something that we are surviving through, but that we are thriving off of... but how do we reach that and never let it go? 

I think you have to look at it like this. A counselor gave me some wonderful advice while I was at home for Thanksgiving and I want to share it with everyone.... first of all, you are never going to be happy and fulfilled all of time. Things go wrong and life can be really hard... that is a given... you may feel lonely or simply not satisfied with where you are at and what you are doing. These are the crucial times of growth and learning and times where you can look at your life and see what needs to be changed. CHANGE is hard, but it is a good thing. We need to be pushed and break out of our comfortable bubbles to really reap all of the beauty and satisfaction this life has to offer. When you wake up in the morning and are feeling down though, don't think that you have to be at this certain "level" of happiness... and that if you are not, something is wrong. Thinking about the gap between that highest level of happiness and where you are at can bring on a lot of negative thoughts and lead to depression. If you are feeling down and not yourself, it is okay. Do not dwell on it and the level you think you SHOULD be. Tackle things one day at a time... one minute at a time... and one baby step at a time. 

Second, explore your surroundings and everything that the world has to offer. I believe that one of the best ways to find happiness is by looking outside of yourself and really noticing the things around you. It is so easy to get caught up in your life and get distracted with work, school, and other activities. These are all of great importance, but when they consume us, a lot of times we miss some of the more beautiful things. Take time to explore where you live and what it has to offer. You may be the busiest person in the world, but even then, there is always time. Shop at local stores. Eat at local restaurants. Get to know business owners and meet complete strangers. Become friends with your neighbors. Go on walks and hikes in areas you haven't seen yet. Reap all that your surroundings have to offer. When you take a minute to take a breath, talk to someone new, and get a breath of fresh air, you are reminded about simplicity and beauty. 

Other times I have noticed I feel the most happy and fulfilled are when I'm with my family, dancing, and serving people. Being with the ones you love is so important! They can remind you of those little things that matter the most and can keep you on track. In the grand scheme of things, your family is all that matters and seeing them smiling and happy should be the biggest blessing. 

Find something you love to do and never let it go. 
Dancing has become my everything and the way it makes me feel is unexplainable. It is a chance for me to completely let myself go and express myself in a way I couldn't otherwise. Nothing, and no one will ever change my passion and love for this art work. Whatever your passion and love is, never let it die.. and don't let people do that for you.. hold on to the way it makes you feel and forget about what anyone negative says. It is your thing! People can ridicule you, make you feel so small, and can take away everything... but they cannot take away your freedom of CHOICE and how you choose to react. Something the counselor said about this was.... When things are good or bad... they aren't really so.. they are just perceived that way. For example, if I were to push you down in the dirt and make you bleed you would initially be really upset right? Well, what if you knew I was pushing you down to save you from an oncoming train? You would still be bleeding and in pain, but the perception would be different right? This is something to think about when people do and say awful things or when something you consider "bad" happens to you. Perception and choice are huge tools that we should all try to implement more. 

Service is the best way to forget about yourself and your problems! Take the time to serve those around you...your service can be simple and small and still go such along way. Find a soup kitchen, assisted living center, or a food bank near you! 

other tips for this topic:
*Don't be that person that spreads the awful and gossips about others. You will never find true happiness this way. 
*Don't compare yourself to others. In today's world of social media, comparing ourselves is very easy. Know that you are so beautiful and unique in your own way and find your OWN happiness... don't let the world of Instagram and Facebook define that for you. 
*Never forget to pray and ask for help 
*Make specific goals and go for them! There is so much joy found in working towards and completing a goal... tell someone about your goals and let them help you achieve them. 
*Just keep going & trying. 

This week I want you to try and implement some of these things and find a little bit more happiness and fulfillment in your life. If you have any other tips for readers please post them below in a comment! We can all use a little help:) 

References from this post made from:
The book Man's Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl