Someday I'll be living in [Riverside, California] and all you're ever gonna be is mean

I want to talk about something. I'm not quite sure how to say it so I'm just going to lay it out there.

I'm done with people who bring negative energy into my sphere of life. Done. I'm sick of all the haterrrrzzz. Just kidding, I don't really have haters. I've just noticed that I feel different around different people. Some people get me really hyped up and excited and in love with life. And others get me down, and insecure and I just want to go hide in a closet somewhere. I've come to the conclusion that I need to remove myself from those people. 

I think we can still be a good friend and be there for someone when they really need us, but that doesn't mean they have to be in our every day life. I'm all about forgiveness and loving people unconditionally, but I've come to realize it shouldn't be at the sacrifice of your own sanity and happiness.

This is reason number 303480120 for why I'm soooo sososososo grateful for the opportunity to serve a mission. With preparing for it my perspective on things has changed so much. It's given me the strength and faith to say, Hmm I don't like this so I'm going to change it. Even it's scary. Because it is scary to walk away from somebody who has been such a big part of your life. 

Something else I've learned from this situation is that I know who I am and so does Heavenly Father. If I'm accused of being a certain way and I know that I'm really not that way, I shouldn't allow what that person says about me bring me down. I shouldn't second guess myself or my abilities. I know who I am. I know how I act. I know what I think. I know what I feel. I hate being misunderstood, but sometimes it's inevitable. Even if you try to explain yourself, that doesn't mean the other person will take that into consideration. That doesn't mean that they even care what you have to say. You can't control what people think, do or say BUT you can control what YOU think, do or say. That's something huge that I've learned over and over. People are going to do what they want. You can't help that. You can't control that. You can control yourself. You can control whether you're going to allow it to bring you down or take it as a lesson learned to make you stronger. You can choose to let it be and walk away. 

I've chosen to be a happy person. I've chosen to be kind. I've chosen to see the good in all situations. I've chosen to laugh and have fun. 

That's what life is all about. Enough with the negativity. Brush it off and keep pressing forward.

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Song of the Day

Mean by Taylor Swift

Sister Emery called to serve

It's taken me a while to post about this.
It's been a busy whirlwind the past few days.
THURSDAY.

Thursday, right next to the day I graduated high school, was the best day of my life so far.

I really wasn't expecting anything, but I decided to check the mailbox.

As I opened it slowly I realized there was a big white envelope addressed to me.

I could hardly contain myself as I ran towards my front door.

I was smiling ear to ear and tears were flooding my eyes.

I held in my hands the next 18 months of my life.

Riverside, California will be my home.

I couldn't be happier.

It's just perfect.

I know this calling is truly sacred and inspired.

I already feel so comfortable and like I've known the place my whole life.

I'm so excited to embark on this incredible adventure.

I'm so excited to meet all the wonderful people I will be working with and teaching.

This is amazing.

It doesn't even seem real.

A big THANK YOU to everyone who was on the phone, skype and came over to share this exciting moment with me.

A big THANK YOU also to the congratulations and feedback I've received on Facebook and in person.

I'm so grateful for the love and support I've received through this whole process.

I'm ready to get out there!!

Today you are you, that is truer than true!

Today you are YOU, that is TRUER than true.

There is NO ONE alive who is YOUER than YOU!

-Dr. Seuss 

I couldn't agree more.

Lately I've been learning the importance of being who I am.

We each have different dreams, different fears, different goals.

We have different talents, different abilities, different ambitions.

We shouldn't shy away from them just because someone else doesn't agree.

We shouldn't play small just so we don't hurt anyone's feelings.

We shouldn't lose sight of them just because someone says we can't do it.

One of my favorite quotes was said by Will Smith in The Pursuit of Happyness. He said, "Don't ever let somebody tell you that you can't do something. If people can't do something themselves, they wanna tell you that you can't do it. If you have a dream, you gotta protect it. If you want something, go get it. Period."

Whether it's from jealousy, fear or ignorance, I've noticed that some people will try to down play your dreams. 

Don't let them.

Your talents and dreams and ambitions are what make you who you are.

YOU are the only YOU that will EVER BE!

Let that sink in for a moment.

NO ONE will ever look like you, talk like you, think like you, believe like you, dream like you.

EVER.

Be who you are. 

You are given these talents and dreams for a reason.

Something inside of you has the ability, strength and courage to carry out those dreams and turn them into reality.

This world needs YOU.

It doesn't need 7 billion of the same person.

It needs each of us individuals to put what we have on the table and create something amazing with it.

Be shy, be outgoing, be happy, be strong, be funny, be clever, be humble, be meek, be crazy, be creative, be nice, be giving, be smart, be daring, be talented, be outrageous, be beautiful, be wonderful, be different, be goofy, be spontaneous, be quiet, be loud, be caring, be original, be awesome.

Be totally, completely, 100% you.

So go on!

Find what makes YOU come alive and go do it.

Commit to your dreams like crazy, whatever they may be.

And don't let anything stop you. 

Light Bulb

"Those who try to do a whole lot of good at once, never really do anything."

HELLO.

Reading that quote earlier was a total light bulb moment for me. 

Reason number 2993437198943 of why I'm grateful to be serving a mission is that preparing for it constantly keeps me in check.

I see things I need to change.

I see good things. 

I see things I could do a little differently.

There's a lot of transitioning and moving that I'm doing right now and it's tough sometimes.

It's tough to break those habits and change.

I'm starting to see so much potential in myself and there is so much I want to accomplish during my time here on earth and I get a bit overwhelmed sometimes.

I get overwhelmed because I'm trying to do too much at once.

Instead of focusing on maybe one or two things at a time to work on.

I've decided to make a list of things I see could do differently or change and things I see that are good.

From that list I'm going to choose one thing to hone in on and build up.

Get good at it and make it strong then move on to the next thing.

Baby steps.

I don't know why this whole concept took me so long to figure out.

But, I'm glad I did.

Less pressure.

More opportunity to grow. 

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Song of the Day

Take it Easy by The Eagles

I took a deep breath, and let it go

I've been noticing how much I've learned about life over the past months while preparing for my mission.

So, each week I'm going to share one thing until I can't think of anything else. 

Today, I want to talk about letting go.

It can be a scary thing.

I attach myself so deeply to things I care about, so my whole life I've found it difficult to completely let go of something and move forward without it. 

There have been many ideas, people, things, and situations I've had to let go of the past year.

Some things were easy

Some were very hard.

Some things were small.

Some were very big.

Some things took a lot of time.

Some were overnight.

Some things took a lot of tears.

Some I just shrugged off.

All of them took prayer.

And, you know what?

The world is still spinning.

I'm still alive.

I truly believe that at times when we feel everything is falling apart, it could be that everything is falling into place.

You find so much strength within yourself when you decide not to send that text.

Or you decide not to buy that really cute shirt because it's immodest.

Or you forgive someone who hurt you. 

Or when you forgive yourself for your past mistakes.

Or you trust Heavenly Father when you have no idea how you're going to accomplish something.

Or you have faith you'll see someone who passed away again on the other side. 

My favorite phrase has become, 'it doesn't matter.'

I've come to understand an eternal perspective better and it has helped me tremendously.

When I'm having a hard letting something go, I ask myself if it will matter a year from now.

Five years from now.

Twenty years from now.

A million kabillion years from now.

Or even tomorrow.

I think sometimes it's easy to get caught up in the moment and the emotions, but we have to take a step back.

We have to look at the big picture.

We have to trust Heavenly Father.

He knows what He's doing. 

Yes, sometimes it hurts, but it truly will be 'but a small moment.'

Another thing that has helped me is facing it.

If we stay in denial and try so hard to hold on, we miss the new door that has opened for us.

We have to face and embrace change.

Opportunity lies in change.

We need to look fear right in the eye and then face forward and walk away.

The best revenge is moving on with your life.

I am amazed at how far I have come.

I am so much stronger than I was.

I am able to let things go so easily now.

With some things, I allow myself a moment to let a few tears drop, then I'm done.

I whisper, it doesn't matter and then I walk out the door with a smile on my face.

Life is so incredibly short.

Life is so incredibly wonderful.

It shouldn't be wasted on daydreams of the past.

Or 'what could have been.'

No.

There is a reason and a season for everything.

If someone went down a different path than what you expected, let it go.

If someone passed away, let it go.

If you made mistakes, let it go.

If someone hurt you, let it go.

If things didn't turn out the way 'you planned', let it go.

Don't become tainted, worn out, miserable or bitter because things changed.

Realize there's Someone in charge who has a better plan for you.

He has something bigger in store. 

I would have never thought I would be just months away from leaving on a mission.

But, here I am.

Looking back, I can see how letting go of certain things and embracing new things has brought me here.

I know myself so much better.

I'm in such a happier place.

I have so much more faith in myself.

I know who I am and the woman I am becoming.

I can see things so much clearer and the future holds nothing but greatness.

I no longer carry the baggage of my past.

I've taken the lessons and left the rest behind.

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Song of the Day

Wolfmother by Vagabond

Gone Fishin'

So, I went fishing last night for the first time in my life!

We packed a cooler full of drinks and fruit and grabbed some fried chicken, then headed out to the lake.

It was so gorgeous.

The sun was setting.

There was a monster storm coming and the lightening was lighting up the horizon.

We figured it was far enough away that we weren't in any immediate danger.

It was one of those times that you just have to stop and stare and marvel at how beautiful this world is.

And wish you had a better camera to capture the lightening.

We didn't catch any fish, but we'll get 'em next time!

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Song of the Day

The Life by Kenny Chesney

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"Life is really simple, but we insist on making it complicated." -Confucius 

Just Love

It has been brought to my attention here recently that I sometimes have quite the short fuse.

The other day I was walking with a friend and one second we were talking about something, the next thing we know we're in an argument. 

I've always known I have a temper.

When I was little I was known to have complete meltdowns with screaming and foot stomping all in one.

BUT I have come a long way and I hold back the foot stomping as best I can these days.

As I am trying to better myself and prepare myself for mission life I know I need to get a better grip on, what my friend likes to call, 'my sass'. 

A lot of it comes from me just being defensive and putting up a tough front so I don't get hurt.

I'm really a little flower petal inside.

The attitude is a lie.

The recognition of my faults and weaknesses is becoming much clearer to me.

I'm quicker to realize I'm in the wrong and I need to correct my behavior.

So, my new goal or whatever is to not become so defensive and uptight.

Just love.

Not everyone is out to get you.

Mormon Message: Love One Another

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Song of the Day

If Everyone Cared by Nickleback

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"Beginning today, treat everyone you meet as if they were going to be dead by midnight. Extend to them all the care, kindness and understanding you can muster, and do it with no thought of any reward. Your life will never be the same again." -Og Mandino

What A Beautiful Life

I'm entering in the photography competition at the State Fair this year!

So, this weekend a couple friends and I went up to Lake Hefner to get some long boarding shots.

We could not have picked a better night.

It was absolutely beautiful.

There was a storm cloud coming in so the sky was stunning.

We witnessed a proposal -probably the sweetest moment I've ever seen.

There were sail boats floating along in the water.

We even saw an avatar, batman and spiderman.

Who knew.

The whole time I just imagined I was on the Gulf Coast in Corpus Christi (cannot wait until I live there!).

Thanks guys for being such models.

It was a great night.

Here's some shots:

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Song of the Day

Gone by Jack Johnson

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"Remember, you can earn more money, but when time is spent it's gone forever." -Zig Ziglar

Anywhere but Here

Let's all slowly drool over these pictures.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Okay, thank you.

I got a little lost on Pinterest today at work.

Half of the pictures I saw I couldn't even believe they were real.

It's amazing how incredibly beautiful this world is.

I was talking to my friend the other day about how I 'hope' that I move to Houston when I finish school and how I 'hope' to travel around.

He said, 'Don't just hope, do it."

What a great thing to say.

The past few days I've really tried to change my perspective into every day being an adventure.

It can be so easy to get caught up in every day life and not pay attention to what is really happening.

This is it.

If we wait around too long, opportunities pass by.

Time doesn't stop and the world continues to spin around whether you're watching or not.

Pay attention.

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Song of the Day

Jack and Diane by John Mellencamp

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"You can live in the past and may be miserable. Or, you can live in the now and make it better than it ever was." -Billie Jean King