Reach for it!

"There are powers inside of you
which, if you could discover and
use, would make of you everything
you ever dreamed or imagined
you could become."

I can't imagine what this world would be like if each and every individual was able to recognize their true potential and continually strive to fulfill it. I truly believe that each of us were created with a divine destiny and that our conquest in life is to realize the divinity within ourselves and become the person that we were meant to be.

My biggest fear in life is never reaching my full potential, or not accomplishing all of the things that I could have done in my lifetime. Rather than allowing the fear to paralyze me, my hope is to use it as a catalyst to work harder at realizing my potential, and then doing what it takes to meet that potential during this life.

It's difficult to ever really know exactly what you have the potential to do. I think the key is to live a life where you are continually progressing and finding opportunities to improve yourself and others around you. A huge stumbling block in the way of progression is complacency. I hate complacency! I don't think anyone should be just fine with being "average" or only doing what it takes to get by. Who are we to be average? I don't think God created us to be average or to use our time on earth to just slide by. The greatest thing of all is that there isn't one person out there who can claim that they are only meant to be average or that they can't be something great. We are all children of God and meant to be powerful and wonderful. It would be a shame if we didn't recognize that and do something about it.

Push yourself to do better. Be uncomfortable, because sometimes that's what it takes to grow. You have to stretch out of your comfort zone to ever progress - and the more you do the more your "comfort zone" will expand and you will find that your abilities are so much more than you could imagine. Until those steps are made - no matter how big or small the steps may be - that "comfort zone" can't expand and it's a guarantee that opportunities in life will be missed.

"Many are called, but few are chosen." All of us have been called to be someone and do something great. Sadly, in the end there are only few that will be "chosen." The way I interpret someone who is "chosen" is that it is someone who fulfills what they were expected to do in life to the full capacity that they could. The only forces that can keep us from doing this is our own complacency and inability to recognize our true potential. If we are esteemed so highly by God himself, our Creator, then who are we to say we don't have it within ourselves to be chosen? Choose to be chosen.

DONE!

I did it!!

Half Marathon/13.1 mile race COMPLETE baby!

Even though I trained pretty well for it, it was still hard. I am NOT naturally a runner, but have somewhat been forcing myself to be one since the beginning of the year. Towards the end I really thought I was going to puke, and even had to cover my mouth with my hand as I crossed the finish line so I didn't end up puking my guts on any of the spectators. Kind of pathetic, I know...but I finished!! And I did it 10 minutes before my goal time so I ain't complaining. It was hard, but an awesome accomplishment and another thing to check off the list. I definitely want to do more races and even a triathlon in October - but I think it will be a while before I attempt another half marathon. Right after the race me, Ryan, Anna and Daniel ordered two large pizzas and pretty much devoured it all. After which I marched straight to my bed and slept for five hours. Oh yeah, I did shower at some point to...I think.

The Balancing Act

The more I think about it the more I ultimately come to the definitive conclusion that life truly is one huge balancing act. And I think that is the way God intended it to be as well. I know that our purpose for being on Earth is to be tested and for our Heavenly Father to see what we will choose when it really comes down to it - good or evil. But what about all the other things in between?

Most days when I wake up I don't feel like I'm having to decide between true good and evil choices. I'm not going to go rob a bank; I'm not gonna kidnap a small child, i'm not gonna put explosives in your mailbox(unless you've really pissed me off)or attempt to ruin someone's day in anyway. The most common battle that I undertake each day is more about how to balance and prioritize the hopefully good decisions that I need to make every day.

Finding a good balance can be really hard. With all the opportunities and options the world we live in offers us, it can be overwhelming trying to decide what we should chose, how much of it to chose, and when to chose it! For example, having a job is obviously something wonderful, something that provides us with satisfaction, self worth, growth...etc. It's important to work hard in life. But where do you draw the line? We've all known workaholics that seem to do more of that than anything else in life. So work is a good thing...but only in moderation and if it is properly balanced with other important things. Let's not be lazy, but there are so many other important things in life aside from a career. The same thing goes for the flip side. Life is meant to be enjoyed and meant for fun, but a life lived solely to seek after pleasure isn't very fulfilling either and your personal growth becomes stagnant. I believe that this is a huge challenge we are all faced with - to find that balance.

Aside from just the work and play balance, I think there are many other daily choices we have to analyze in our minds to determine what to do and how much of it to do in order to keep that balance. Just the simple decisions on what you fill your time with. For example - the internet. I can hardly remember life without the internet, but I do remember dial-up and AOL! Now the internet is such a huge part of our lives, and truly such a blessing for so many reasons! I recently started doing family history and having the internet machine to search around on and use for research is incredible. How did people do it before?? And so many simple easy questions can be answered with one search on Google. Planning out a trip to Ireland becomes super easy when you have access to so many reviews and tour sites all just a click away. Or using YouTube to learn how to dance like Micheal Jackson. So many more things available to us that just wouldn't even be possible 15 years ago. It's amazing. And now we have facebook to reconnect us with all our BFFs from kindergarten and to stay in touch with strangers that become friends while sitting next to them on airplanes.

But we also know that too much of this good thing can also be bad. I hate thinking about lost hours I've spent on facebook that could've been used for something more productive. Something that would help me grow, something that would help me improve as a person. Sure, staying in touch and checking out cool pictures someone posted is not a bad thing at all. But staying up until 2 in the morning talking to people or looking at posts most likely won't help you become a better person. What I mean is, to add up empty hours spent there and calculate how these hours could have been spent at the gym, reading scriptures, cleaning your room, reading a good book, helping a friend or someone else in need, working on/developing one of your hobbies...etc...it can be a little depressing. It's like an opportunity cost calculation. I could chose to do this for a while today...and it's fine...but what am I missing out on because of it? The thing is that there is nothing wrong with facebook, or blogs, or YouTube, or watching TV and other entertaining (but mostly mindless) things - once again the key here is balancing. This one can be particularly hard - have you ever noticed how quickly time can fly by when you're stalking someone on facebook? Uhh I mean....watching YouTube videos...

Anyways there are a bazillion things I could think of that are great things, but only in moderation.. but this blog is already super long and now it seems completely ironic that I’ve spent an hour writing this blog while talking about how balance is important and spending too much time online can be bad. Haha. Oh well. And now you've had to spend way too much of your time reading this long thing. Sorry!!! I totally lied when I said my blogs would get short.

With all this being said, there's no need to stress out and calculate each hour of our lives and make sure that it is all productive and balanced. That's way too much, and I am definitley not an anal person by nature and typically don't think there is ever a need to be. However, I think if we just have the main goal of balance and moderation in our lives that the daily decisions will become clear and we will know when things might be out of balance and are in need for some fine tuning. I really feel like the balance is one of our largest lessons and something that we continually learn and relearn throughout our lives. That's what life is all about - constant learning and consistent growing. Dr. Suess will totally agree with me as he said,
“Step with care and great tact
and remember that Life’s
a Great Balancing Act.”
What a brilliant Doctor.

Survival Guide

So this post does not fall in line with my typical postings. It’s just something I felt like writing about. It’s not necessarily thoughts or any great quotes on ways to improve your life, however, it could be helpful if you find yourself in one particular situation.

I often find myself putting myself in “what if” scenarios and deciding in my head what I would do “just in case.” It’s totally relevant because if I ever find myself married to a robot or framed for a crime I didn’t commit I will know exactly what to do because the situation has been well thought out beforehand. One common scenario that I think about is “what if I was homeless?” I feel like I have come up with some pretty good ideas and strategies to get by that I think I’d survive – and not only survive, but I’d do it with style! So if that day ever comes that I’m on the streets and its survival of the fittest – I’ve got it covered. Here are my thoughts:

First of all – who needs to beg for money for food when you could get three perfectly good meals on your own – no cash needed. That’s right – Costco provides. Yeah yeah yeah, I know you need a membership, but really how often do they stop you completely upon entrance to check your card? Rarely. The only time you really need it is when you purchase. And purchasing is not necessary when there are FREE SAMPLES!! I remember going there on Saturdays as a kid with my dad and by the time we had savored all the delicious samples (and maybe gone back for seconds a couple times) we were full as could be, no need to stop for lunch on the way home! So I’d pick the times of the day when Costco has the most traffic and just enter in with one of the crowds. Maybe stand next to a family with kids and act like I’m the oldest sister, or maybe the crazy Aunt. Of course, if you look like a rugged homeless person this will attract unneeded attention, which is why the next piece of advice is crucial.

Beach showers. I’d definitely clean myself up once in a while. The better you look as a homeless person I’m sure the better your chances are of getting a job eventually and getting out of this unfortunate position. You may not want to get completely naked in such a public place, but I’m sure you could get a good pair of board shorts, speedos, or swimsuit (whatever you prefer) from a thrift store with change you can find on the street. Although wearing a used swimsuit isn’t high on my list of things I’d want to do at this point, desperate times call for desperate measures. Anyways, they have showers all over the beaches that are open for free use. This is why it’s also important to be a coastal bum. I never understood why there were so many homeless people in places like New York, DC, or even San Francisco. Talk about inclement weather! Get outta there!! I’d venture west, and not just west, I’d be sure to make it down to Southern California where the sun shines year round and there are zero chances I’ll be sleeping on a bed of snow and very low chances of getting consistently rained out. 75 degrees throughout most of the year makes for some great weather for outdoor living. Hawaii would be the best place, but I just don’t see how one would make it over there unless you were fortunate to start out there in the first place. So before you hit up Costco for free samples make sure you rinse down and repeat a few times. However, you can’t just rinse down – you must use soap and shampoo/conditioner if at all possible, which leads me to my next recommendation.

This is where it gets tricky. I don’t like to condone or suggest any unethical behavior, and even if I were a bum living in the most extreme conditions I’d like to think I’d remain an ethical person. So I’m not sure how bad this one is on the Richter scale of naughtiness …BUT….I’ve always thought about how in most hotels they give out those tiny shampoo/conditioner bottles and soap bars like candy. I mean, even if you hardly use a dab, when the maid comes in to clean the next day they replace the old bottles with completely full new ones. Shampoo/conditioner and soap aplenty! I’m not sure if they throw the used bottles away or what they might do with them. Somehow I think it would be pretty easy to get your hands on those sample size goodies. Whether you grab a few off the maid’s cart while she’s in the room, or maybe you even ask - I’m sure they would be willing to spare a few bottles for someone in need. Even if it is the bottles that have been slightly used! With these items you’re good to go and looking sharp. Maybe even ready for an interview if you can work on the wardrobe.

As for a place to live, I’d save up for a tent. I like privacy and even though the weather in Southern California is usually very nice, the winter nights can get cold and having a tent to at least shield the wind would be nice. I’d probably scope out beaches that weren’t highly patrolled and set up shop there until I got kicked out. Then maybe head to some field in Riverside if that didn’t work out. Another thing I’d save up for – a battery powered radio/CD player. Music makes me happy, and if I have music playing I think I’d be a happy bum. I’d blast my music in my tent and invite people over for dance parties and dance away regardless if anyone joined me or not. Which leads me to my last aspiration as a homeless person.

Networking. If I were a homeless person I would make friends with other homeless people. Id’ be the most popular bum west of the Mississippi. People would know me by name. Not only can you combine resources, but you would have COMPANY and FRIENDS! Life can’t ever be that bad if you are loved and have people to love. Rather than seeing them as competition I’d try to unite as one and be kind of like a club. I’d hang out with them all the time and go on lots of adventures. Plus, strength in numbers if anyone ever tried to mess with our stuff. Not only would I try and find friends, but I’d try to find a homeless boyfriend. Honestly, I really think that when you are love no matter what life throws at you, you seem to find a way to be happy. One thing I LOVE about LOVE is that ANYONE can feel those feelings. Fat, skinny, poor, rich, black, white, Cuban, weird, with home or without home we can all feel that exact same feeling. The feeling of being in love. And it’s great!! So I would find an eligible homeless man and ask him out. I think our first date would be taking a walk on the beach or something like that. Anyways, hopefully sparks would fly and we’d eventually fall in love. Then you know how people get when they’re in love – they say things like “I don’t care where I live or where life takes me as long as I’m with you.” Yep, being homeless wouldn’t matter so much anymore. However, if we did want to get married and have a family then someone better find a job!

I know I’m not the only weird one that thinks about this stuff. In fact, I was talking to a couple of my friends the other night that had their own ideas about what they would do if they were homeless, and I didn’t even bring the conversation up! So I’m curious…what would YOU do if you were homeless??? Any other ideas you’ve had and anymore advice you have to any homeless people reading this blog?

Expectations, Reality and Open Doors

Hahaha - so as I was searching for a related image to post with this blog post I came upon this beauty. It doesn't really apply but I just had to post it anyway. This guy looks totally creepy. Why is this a picture? For what purpose was this taken?? haha Hopefully he's not the grandpa to anyone who is reading this.

Anyways, I’ve had a ton of thoughts in my head the past month, but wanted to really give more time and deliberation to a specific thought that’s been floating in my mind - which is why it has taken me so long to finally post something!

One thing that I’ve realized as I've had more and more life experiences, and as I’m sure most everyone else has realized (if not you will eventually) is that our perceptions and our expectations don’t always equal reality.

For anyone that has seen the move “500 Days of Summer” you can picture that scene where the move goes split screen and it shows the same event – but on the left side of the screen it displays reality – the way the event actually takes place, and on the right side of the screen it shows the main character’s expectations of the event. Not too surprisingly, the two sides of the screen were very different. At the time, it seemed depressing! His heart was crushed because his expectations were so far off from what actually happened. Can anyone relate to this? I sure can. But my point that I am going to try and make is that although the situation may not turn out the way we thought we wanted it to, or the way we expected it to…perhaps the way it actually turns out is just as good, or even BETTER. Maybe we focus far too much on the fact that it is different than our expectations to realize that just because it is different doesn’t mean that it is not as good. Sometimes we are way too fixated on the way we think it is supposed to be or the way we think something is supposed to happen that we miss the boat entirely.

A really great quote that I remember hearing in high school goes something like this, “When one door closes, another opens, but we often stare so long and so regretfully upon the closed door that we do not see the one which has opened for us.”
Never focus on the fact that the door you wanted to open might not be the one that opens. Try to feel the breeze coming from another open door and explore that option. Don’t miss other opportunities because we are way too fixated on the one that might not be happening. So many times the new route in life is an even better route for you – as long as you take advantage of it and not let yourself dwell on the fact that it’s not the path you originally chose. Life is never a set course. There are going to bumps and sharp turns caused by external forces that we can’t control! Constantly recharting our course is a necessity in life to deal with these external factors. And this is a good thing because it allows us to explore opportunities that we otherwise might’ve never known existed.

In the end of the movie “500 Days of Summer,” it eludes to the fact that happiness was found in a different place than the boy in the movie was looking. The end of the story wasn’t the way he had thought it would go, but regardless, it was happy and things were good. Once he finally realized that what he had his mind set on didn’t have to be his only option he found happiness! So if the door you’ve been doing everything you can do to open seems to be glued shut, remember that there isn’t only one way to happiness. Just try not to open the door with the old guy behind it. Things could get scary.

2010...Really?? Where are all the robots?

Goodbye 2009!! You've been amazing, you've been okay, and at times I've had better, but for better or for worse 2009 is over and a new decade begins!! Always always always with a new year comes talks of new years resolutions, big plans in the making, goal setting, and reflection on the year that has passed. Everyone needs a new start sometimes, and what a better time to do it than January 1 with a brand new empty calender that's waiting to be marked up.

In the past I was never one to write any of my goals down. I always had and still have so many things that I want to accomplish, but I kind of just did my thing from day to day and waited to see which things I got around to accomplishing. Of course there were certain goals like finishing school, getting a job, etc., that I pretty much had to attack head on, but only because things like that stare you in the face everyday. I had daily classes and if I didn't go there were consequences. And if I didn't get a job there would definitely be daily reminders including starvation, no home, on the streets begging for money. Maybe not to that extreme but I'd for sure be getting daily phone calls from my parents telling me to GET A JOB!

Anyways, after graduating college I realized that I no longer had a set path in front of me. I was totally on my own. I didn't have counselors telling me what classes I needed to take next semester, no teachers telling me I had to come to class, I didn't have parents telling me what I needed to do - I had my own job and my own money and I was absolutely free to do what I wanted. Now it was totally up to me to decide what I wanted out of life, what goals to make and decide how actively I would pursue them and how I would pursue them. It was then that I realized that if I wanted my life to truly be fulfilling, I needed to A) make some goals B) write them down, and 3) work everyday to accomplish them if necessary. I haven't accomplished every one of my goals, but that's ok! (see previous blog Get in the Arena...) Regardless of what things I have succeeded or failed in doing, I feel pretty good about the progress I've made and the progress I intend to make. So with all that said (wow I tend to ramble) it's time to make goals for the next year! Because I feel that so much of our progression requires daily effort and dedication, I like to make daily goals and then also some overall goals and accomplishments for the year or even longer term. I'm gonna post a few of mine so that I have them somewhere I can see them whenever I need to, it will also help me be more accountable for them now that I'm telling other people what I plan to accomplish!

Daily
-Read more books. Even if it's just a couple paragraphs a day.
-Read scriptures/church material for 1/2 hour everyday. My friend recently told me about ReadTheScriptures.com so we started a study group. Check it out, it's a really cool website and let me know if you want to be in the study group - it's all online!
-Smile more, laugh more and help people around me to do the same
-Be more patient with friends, strangers, and other things like traffic!
-Get out of bed without hitting the snooze on my alarm in the morning (so hard!)
-Exercise - my exercise goal is weekly rather than daily, but my goal is to run 10-15 miles per week...uhhh


Overall
- Become a CPA (3 out of 4 tests completed baby!)
- Run a half marathon (May 2nd!)
- Travel more
- Start learning Spanish
- Start courses to get my RE Appraisers license

The great thing about goals is that they provide us with direction. Sometimes as you start working towards a particular goal, you might realize it's not actually what you want. That's okay to chart out a new course as long as you are consistently working towards achieving something. Because if you're not working towards something or putting effort into a particular direction then the only place you can end up is nowhere.

I remember my dad preparing for a talk in church a long time ago and he used the quote from Alice in Wonderland by the Cheshire Cat. As Alice is wondering through her Wonderland she approaches a fork in the road. She sees the cat and pleads him to tell her which way to go. The cat responds that the right way to go entirely depends on where she wants to end up. Alice tells the cat that she doesn't know where she wants to end up to which the cat replies, well if you don't know where you want to end up then either way will get you there.

The fat cat is right, we need to know where we ultimately are trying to get in order to make the necessary daily decisions. And in turn, it is our daily decisions that will get us to where we ultimately want to be so make em good!