Family Support - A Huge Thank You!

I would like to just write a heartfelt Thank You to my family for helping me move this week. With nieces and nephews all carrying boxes, it was a much quicker move than I had anticipated -- plus we had fun being together. My sister Heidi came down from Logan with her daughter Amber and helped for a full day, getting packed, dejunking, and carrying boxes. Tiffanie and Amy (age 5) came and helped a lot. Then my nieces Vanessa, Kara, and Emily, spent 2 days with me doing the same thing -- I really could not have done it without their help!

I had help from all of my family (except my parents who are serving as missionaries in Washington - although they offered to pay for the moving truck, and my brother and his family who live in Montana). I felt very loved and supported. It was a great experience and I will be forever thankful for the sacrificed time and energy on my behalf.

Thank you FAMILY!

Time for Change -- Change is Good!

Have you ever felt like you were stuck in a rut, your life was the same or worse than it was a year ago, or that you felt something was a little out of place but you couldn't tell what it was? If you find yourself in a boring routine, not feeling like you're learning or growing, then it's time for a change. Many people are afraid of change. They associate change with pain -- pain of the unknown, focusing on things that could go wrong, and basically fearing changing the status quo.

Change is good! We are learning and changing creatures. That is what life is all about. If you look at a child and how quickly they learn new things -- learning to crawl, how to walk, how to talk, balance and coordination, learning about what is funny and how to become independent. Fear does not come naturally to children. It is a learned trait. And as time passes, fears can multiply if we allow them to grow.

If you are facing a change in your life -- direct the focus of your mind. Instead of thinking about the pain -- think about all of the things you will gain. You will gain new learning experiences. You may make new friends. You perhaps will earn more money. You will get into a position where you can develop your talents. Whatever the change is -- focus on all of the things which will benefit you -- and you will see more clearly how change is good.

I've just gone through this process myself. I've just finished moving. For weeks before the actual move, I began dreading it. I thought about all of the pain of packing, deciding what to keep and what to give away, finding a new place to live, making tons of decisions about where and when, etc. I thought about the time I would have to take off from work and the pressure of getting behind. I thought about the physical pain of moving boxes up and down stairs, carrying heavy furniture, and then cleaning the whole house. But then I make the decision that those thoughts were not serving me -- they were only causing unnecessary stress. I tried to go day by day and just do what I could in that day and not "fret" about the next step. Then I directed my thoughts to all of the good things which could come from this move. I could get into a newer place. I could have more freedom not being responsible for roommates living with me. I could get rid of "stuff" that I had been holding onto for years which I never used -- and give those things to someone who needed them. I could simplify my life. I could get a fresh start. (This is not to say I was perfect at this process -- I did have a few days of stressing out, but when I took a break and refocused, I found the process truly works.)

I'm into my new place and it is beautiful. I'm not quite out of boxes yet, but I like the feel here and I'm excited to see what this next chapter will bring in my life. Change is good!

Power of Thought - Experiment

There is a great article about the power of thought and how to overcome negative thought patterns written in Meridian Magazine. If you would like to see if you have a pattern of negative thinking (especially about yourself), read the article and follow the experiment. The experiment is to basically contribute $1.00 to charity every time you say something negative. At the end of the week you can see if you have a huge problem and perhaps be more motivated to change it. The only way to overcome negative thinking is to replace it with positive thinking -- make sure you replace your habit (pattern) with a pattern which will support you in your goals.

Key to Success - Power of Thought

Everyone knows someone who seems to attract negative experiences. No matter what happens, they don't even see they have a glass let alone if it's half full or half empty. What you focus on is what you will experience. If you dwell on the negative -- your life will be full of negative things.

However, you do have the power to choose the focus of your mind. Experiment on the power of thought. Every time a negative thought comes into your head, choose to change it into something positive. If someone cuts you off in traffic, don't get angry, just be grateful you didn't get into an accident.

People who succeed in life have a pattern of taking what life gives them and choosing to focus on what they are going to do with it -- they choose to focus on the positive. You attract what you think about -- so if you are focused on the good things in life, you will attract more good things. It's up to you.

Attitude of Gratitude

It's easy to look at others and think about all of the blessings they have been given and look at yourself and see your own challenges. No life exists in which there is not some pain and suffering. But when you compare your weaknesses to another's strengths you'll come up short. If you compare what you don't have with what other's have, your life will be filled with unnecessary sorrow. If you are looking for the perfect job, new wardrobe, the next vacation, a love interest or anything outside of yourself to bring joy and happiness -- when those things come, you'll end up looking past them and start looking for the next thing. Focusing on what you don't have will lead to unhappiness and dissatisfaction.

The key to happiness is in having an attitude of gratitude. If you can appreciate and be thankful for the things you do have in your life. If you have hardships, focus on the things you can learn from them. When you get discouraged or depressed, it's hard to remember all of the blessings you do have in your life.

Make a list of everything you're thankful for -- start with 100. They can be small things such as being thankful for rainbows, the smell of flowers, having a baby wrap their tiny fingers around yours, the sound of birds singing, the ability to hear those birds singing, etc. No matter what brings you joy in any way -- write it down! I have my own book of "happy thoughts". They can be small experiences or little things, but once you have them down on paper, when you start feeling like you got the short end of the stick -- pull out your list and think about all of the blessings you DO have. You have the power to control the direction of your mind. Wouldn't you rather focus on the things which will bring contentment and gratitude, rather than focusing on the lack you perceive in your life?

Taking a Break - Time for Renewal

Life is hectic. Life is extremely busy. There is always more to be done than time to do it. So, how do we maintain balance in our busy lives? There are family demands, career demands, physical demands, and more. What comes first? On the days when I feel there are too many things going on, I have a tendency to get into a "stress" mode. My shoulders tense up. My neck gets stiff. I'm not really "enjoying" life but mainly trying to get everything done. Well, as tax deadlines approach, I have found myself in that stress mode. This would be a good day for a visit to a local day spa. Taking a step back from all of the supposedly urgent demands of life, renewing yourself, and getting a little pampering, will raise your spirits, help you gain a new perspective, and also prepare you physically, mentally, and emotionally to meet the demands of the day. So, if you find yourself getting stressed out (and therefore, truly not as productive as you can be) -- take a few hours off, get a massage or a manicure, or do something out in nature. Just a little bit of time can get you back into a productive state of being. Of course, I need to take my own advice -- so off I go!