You're Failing Yourself

You have so much POWER! Often times we do not realize how powerful we really are.

How many opportunities have you turned down just because you were a little nervous of the outcome? That guy or girl you couldn't bring yourself to talk to or maybe even a missed job opportunity?! It has probably happened more than you realize. I bet you didn't know that it's probably hurting you more than you think...

I had an experience this week that may seem small, but has made me want to change so much about myself! You probably have seen the same thing.... A really nice girl complimented my outfit as we crossed the street on our way home from school. I had never met her before and maybe she could even tell I wasn't feeling well that day. The compliment led to a conversation that lasted our whole walk home. Again, it was small and may not seem like a big experience, but it made me want to be more like her. I want to be able to feel comfortable enough to see someone and pay them a simple compliment and have confidence in myself to get out of my comfort zone! After all, you're the one that controls it.

Take some time this week and do something daring. Try something different and if you need some help, try a few of these helpful hints!!

Make a fool of yourself! Let loose, girlfriend! It's okay to be silly and crazy sometimes!!! Who cares what people think? If they don't like you for who you are, it's their loss. You don't need to be perfect all the time, so enjoy life... Have some fun :)

Failure is a scary though. No one enjoys it and yes, it can suck. But WHO CARES? Everyone fails. 

Take a look at these famous quotes... enough said?!

                     

Face your fears! I am an advocate for being safe, but why should you live your life in fear of things that have a low chance of actually happening? Breaking bones, fear of heights, spiders? If you think about it, it really is silly!! Don't sweat it. You're brave!!!

Give it a shot. You're wonderful. Show the world how great you are!!! It's time to finally be who you want to be.

No Funny Business

I've been researching different qualities men look for in a woman. I was very pleased to see that most every site focused on the many attractive attributes they seek in a woman's personality. Humor, wisdom,  kindness, independence, loyalty, a little mysterious, are a few on the short list. No, not all readers are seeking a man, but we want those same qualities in girl friends too, don't we? Maybe minus the "a little mysterious" part... :)

Of course you need to be physically attracted to a person, but there are so many people in the world and many have different tastes in women. Everyone has there "type." I mean.. you do, right?! So, don't fret. You're beautiful, and yes, there are men that DO see your outer beauty just as much as your inner beauty. Now for this weeks inner beauty insight...

I have a problem though, and so many people can agree that I'm really not a funny person. I make awful jokes and when I do come up with a good joke, it's hours later and way too late to crack it. I actually remember for the FIRST TIME I CAN REMEMBER my brother told me I made a funny joke a year ago... How could I have been alive for 21 years and I was only funny once? That's pathetic, huh? I've added to my research this past week for ways to be funnier. I really want to learn to be witty and think quicker on my feet. Is that possible though? Can you really just learn how to be funny or learn how to be witty? Or  are you born that way? I sure know my sister was born with it. She's quiet, but makes the most hysterical remarks. I envy her.

Simple steps to be funnier and more entertaining in conversations:

1. LISTEN- If you make a joke at the wrong time or in the wrong context, it could turn out.. pretty bad.
2. THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX- Witty remarks comes from outside the box. If they don't come to you naturally, try thinking outside the box on projects and other tasks through the day to help you get in the habit. When it comes time, you'll be ready!
3. LEARN FROM OTHERS- Recognize what and when it's appropriate to make witty remarks. You can learn from others! Pay attention to their delivery and make sure you take notes. Timing is key!
4. BE CONFIDENT- It takes practice, so try jokes out around close friends and family.
5. DON'T STRESS YOURSELF- It takes time, but when you feel under pressure, your jokes may not come out as naturally or you may be too stressed to even think of anything to say! Just relax! Have fun!!

Get some inspiration from great actors and funny TV shows. Here are two to get your started.

You're Worthless, Ugly, and Slutty...

At some point in your life the world has convinced you of something you're not. You're worthless, ugly, slutty, weird, stupid, a dead-beat, unsuccessful, powerless, a nobody, and a waste are just a few of the lies we've heard at some point, or at least that have been portrayed. Right? Did you ever feel so unloved or unwanted that you would do just about anything to feel wanted, or happy, or accepted, or loved for just a few moments? You changed yourself to become something others wanted- something "acceptable" so you didn't feel so lonely or excluded. Well, that's not fair! You're so much better than that... Ladies, I mainly mean you.

"Inner beauty, too, needs occasionally to be told it is beautiful." 

-Robert Brault

You are so much better than you think. You're smart (book smart, street smart, magazine smart, tech smart, or combinations of many). You're talented- and don't say you're not because you're definitely good at something. I had a really hard time figuring out what my talents were and these types of exercises helped a lot!! You're loved dearly, so don't sell yourself short. You're worth more than you'll ever know- so don't give yourself away; be sure your love is earned and never taken for granted.

Did you know statistics show that every seven years half of your friends get replaced? I personally have seen it more than that. I'd say probably every three or four, mainly those between 17-26. Are you really going to try to fit in with people that don't really like you for who you are? If you're changing something about yourself just to feel included, you're not with the right people. 

Be brave. Be kind. Be friendly. Be open. Be happy, Be true to yourself. Be YOU. 

I'm in a time of my life that I want to be the best person I can be. I want to bring joy to those around me and feel happiness everyday too. Join me in finding ourselves again. I've set goals to be cheerful, share kindness, and always be willing to help those in need. I know I have work to do to get to that point, but I am so excited to feel better about myself. And, by feeling better about yourself, you gain confidence which comes off so beautifully on the outside :). 

Remember to keep sharing your ideas! I've loved the few that have come in so far, so please, keep sharing! It only takes 10 seconds!! Share your topic ideas!!!

A New Season, A New Subject: What Really Matters

You may have not noticed, but I changed the title of my blog a little, as well as the description. Why? Because it's a new season which allows for a new focus of my mission for this blog: Learning to Love You.

This summer I focused on health, fitness, and ways to feel confident in your own skin. As the weather begins to get cooler, and our time gets focused on more important things (such as family, work, school, etc.) we should start focusing on different aspects of our beauty as well. This fall I would love to research and share topics based on beauty you don't often find while looking in the mirror; Your personality, successes, positive journey through life, career and future goals, and so much more. I hope as you do recognize all you have going for you, you might just feel more beautiful and confident on the outside too.

If you didn't reach your fitness and physical body goals this summer, let's make a new set of goals for something I think is even more important. You don't have to be skinny to be beautiful. And let's be honest, we're all going to get old one day and our bodies will... "not be what they used to be". Why not focus on the part of us that can stay the same (or at least can consistently get better)!!!!

First topic on the new subject and a very important lesson to begin with: You are perfect at being YOU. You will not be comparing yourself to anyone in the next few weeks. Base your progress off of yourself, not others! Set goals and notice when you've reached them. Write down the things you accomplished! I have some ideas of topics to help, but I would love to know other areas you wish to improve on. You can even send it anonymously here ---> Topic Suggestions . A few ideas I had were strengthening relationships, charity, and wisdom, but please provide the topics you would like read more of too! Please feel free to comment with your goals and accomplishments so others can get ideas!!  We can do this together!!!

Finishing off Summer and last season's topic-
The end of the summer was so great and so crazy, all at the same time. My wonderful siblings came home for a week, so we got to play a lot! We went to the beach, mini golf, tried some shuffleboard, standup paddle boarding, outdoor movies, and more! When it was time to go back to Utah for school, we flew into DFW and ended up sitting on the plane for three additional hours. We had two flights get cancelled, and lost our luggage when we finally did land 16 hours after we took off from VA. When we got to Logan, none of our furniture fit down the stairs/into the door of our new apartment. We had already packed our belongings into our vehicle, so we had to find a new apartment the same day. Luckily, we did! Everything works out as it supposed to. I'm grateful for a loving and patient husband that helped the craziness seem bearable. Hope you enjoy the pictures!

A fun way to bring the family together
while also getting off our butts.

Even though we didn't surf, it's a great new
sport to give a try!

Trying a new game/sport is a great way to
stay active!!

Cheering on your favorite team can help
lose more calories than you think :)

Find a local town that has fun
activities. We walked over a
mile here and it was a blast!

Paradise can be filled with great ways
to try new foods, activities, and exercises.

Take a nice break after a beach run to
enjoy the view!!

Our first time trying this new sports and we
LOVED it!!! So much fun :)