The Light At the End of the Tunnel

You always hear "there's light at the end of the tunnel."

So, you make it through the dark tunnel to the light, and then what? 

They never tell you that part.

Well, I will.

The dark tunnel is the hardest part, always. 

You want to run to the light as fast as you can,

but you don't know what awaits you there. 

Or, you can't run,

you don't know how,

you don't know where to go or how to get there. 

Teleporting is unfortunately not an option. 

But, 

you see,

the light at the end of the tunnel is the best part. 

Being in the light,

having the light, 

sharing the light.

I love the light.

The even better part is looking back on the darkness and knowing that you made it through.

Alive.

In one piece.

You survived. 

You came out on top.

Your greatest accomplishments once seemed impossible,

the light seemed out of reach,

and then, 

before you know it,

the light, it's yours. 

We all have our own tunnels,

remember that.

So be patient.

Press on.

And know,

when you're finally there,

when you're finally crossing the finish line,

there's no greater feeling.

When you're in your own tunnel,

and the light seems so far,

just remember,

with each and every step you take,

every day,

you get that much closer to the light. 

A Key Ingredient to A Good Work Out

If you're like me, working out might not be your strongest suit. Doesn't mean you're awful at it, it's just not your best. Everyone decides at the beginning of the year that they will eat healthier and work out, well, add a tally to that chart because I'm one of them.

I started eating healthier last fall and started seeing big results, and when I say big results, I mean loss of 25 pounds results. Yes, success! I made it a goal of mine for 2013 to run a 5k. I decided I would start running at the beginning of the New Year. It lasted about a week, and then I was working ten hour days and lost any motivation to the hit gym after I was off, plus the gym opened after I left for work and closed before I got home, and I wasn't about to run the streets close to 9 o'clock at night. No thanks. I'd rather be slightly unhealthy, than dead.

Point being, I think I have finally found some tricks to help get out on your feet and get active!

First things first, don't try to set a goal at the beginning of the new year. I waited, not purposely, until the second month of the new year and it has been rather successful thus far! I am motivated and feel great. I look forward to being done with my day, so I can change into my work out clothes and hit the gym.

My second tip, when you feel like going, GO! One day I randomly felt like going to the gym. I have previously talked myself out of these motivations or felt like going too early on in my day and by the time came that I could go, I was too tired and no longer motivated. When you feel like going, go. And go again. And again. And again. Keep going. Before you know it, it'll be a habit and you'll look forward to it, a break from work and school, commitments, and for me, my cell phone!

That's another tip. For me, I'm typically glued to my phone. Twenty-Four. Seven. I am a proud iPhone user and sold my iTouch once I got an iPhone thinking that since I got an iPhone with bigger memory, I wouldn't need a separate iPod anymore. Eh. I could have kept it, but thankfully, I got a pink iPod nano for Christmas about four years ago and recently found it, so, I leave my phone at home, on the charger, when I hit the gym and I love it. No one can interrupt my work out with a text message, phone call, work email, retweet, or like on Instagram. I get to be free for about an hour and a half of my day and it is fantastic. The long lost iPod makes for some fun, too! If you have an old iPod, take it to the gym with you! It's really entertaining to set it on shuffle and see what songs you used to listen to. Plus, if you're like me, there are memories behind every song and it makes for a good trip down memory lane.

My biggest tip, drum roll please....
Distract your mind!
Once you're at the gym, sometimes it's hard to stay motivated to keep going, with every step. Sometimes you just need that
one
final
push.
For me, laugh all you want, but I found my distraction.
In high school, I was a cheerleader and on my old iPod nano I have so many songs from old routines and cheer mixes we never used for routines.

Needless to say, my work out playlist now consists of about 15 cheer mixes.
Why?
It's distracting.
I can choreograph routines in my head.
Dance moves, challenging stunts, jump sequences and tumbling passes.
My brain is full steam ahead. Before I know it, I'm through the playlist and done with my workout.
It's fantastic!

So find your niche.
Find that distraction
and hit the gym!

52 Goals for 2013

My biggest goal for 2013 is to record, and record EVERYTHING. I plan on getting serious about my blog, writing in my regular journal, scripture journal and keeping a gratitude jar. These are some of the most important years of my life and I want to make sure I can look back on this time and accurately remember it for myself and for friends, family, and generations to come. I'm learning lessons, trying new things, experiencing different obstacles and overcoming many trials. It's what is happening right now that is shaping who we all are and what is to come.

There is so much in life that I want to do. With a new year coming up, why not start now? With 52 weeks in a year, 52 goals sounds like a great idea. Talent, traveling, reading, physical activity, there are so many things I want to accomplish in this life and 2013 is going to be the start of it!

Talent
1. Take singing lessons
2. Learn how to play the piano
3. Learn how to play the drums
4. Better myself on the guitar
5. Perform a musical talent in front of a crowd
6. Post a video on YouTube and Facebook of me performing
7. Form a band (if even for one day)

Skills
8. Crochet a blanket
9. Cook a full meal for someone else
10. Sew a dress and wear it in public
11. Sew something and give it away (for example: Pajamas, baby blanket, etc.)
12. Practice/better my Spanish
13. Build something with my own two hands
14. Grow something (hello garden!)

Traveling
15. Go camping (tent and sleeping bag)
16. Take a road trip up the West Coast
  17. -Go to Alcatraz
  18. -Drive across the Golden Gate Bridge
19. Visit the Sis in Hawaii
20. Attend a baby blessing in Idaho
21. Go to General Conference, again
22. Visit a temple in a different state 

Reading
23. The Bible (Old and New Testament)
24. Doctrine and Covenants
25. Pearl of Great Price
26. The Infinite Atonement
27. Jesus the Christ
28. The Miracle of Forgiveness
29. The Harry Potter Series

Physical
30. Surf
31. Hiking (a lot more of it!)
32. Run a 5K
33. Snowboarding
34. Ride my bike to the beach and back

Entertainment
35. Have a Full Day Harry Potter Marathon
36. Watch all of the Lord of the Rings movies
37. Go to a college football game

Lending a Hand
38. Work with a charity/foundation
39. Help plan a wedding

Giving
40. Give a gift that can never be repaid
41. Donate clothes I no longer wear
42. Donate shoes I can no longer wear
43. Give my crocheted blanket away
44. Bring the Gospel into someone's life (or back into someone's life)
45. Perform the "12 Days of Christmas" giving project for someone

Friendship
46. Forgive and Forget
47. Consistently write a friend until the end of their mission
48. Send random letters and cards to my friends and family throughout the year

Recording
49. Write more regularly in my journal
50. Post on my blog more frequently
51. Keep a gratitude jar and read it all on New Years next year
52. Save my coins throughout the year and see how much I have saved at the end of 2013

Throughout this journey it is my hope that I will experience new adventures, grow in ways I could have never imagined, and truly better myself as a person. A year is a long time, and with attainable goals, it will be easier to become who I want to be at the end of 2013.

I hope to be able to take all of you on this journey with me, keeping you up to date with words and pictures. I hope you enjoy this as much as I do! Happy New Year!

Other randoms to try: (This list will continue to grow...)
1. Paint balling
2. Skydiving (I just need someone to go with me!)
3. Fishing
4. Boxing
5. Six Flags Magic Mountain

So you're having a rough day?

Rough day?

 Click here and watch this

Now you're not. You're welcome :) Happy Finals!

Stand by me

They say when you go through the hardest times in your life, that's when you find out who your true friends are.

In my opinion, when you go through the roughest times, you find out who truly loves you and cares for your well-being. Hello, other people are going to be there for you besides your friends. Whether it's your mom, your fake aunt, your best friend of 14 years and her sister, the best friend you made over a 14 hour road trip, the mom to the kids you babysit, or your boss and his wife, people will be there for you, no matter the day, place or time. The greatest blessings are when these people step into your life when you need them most. Your friend calls you at 6am to make sure you're okay, and by some miracle, your hear your phone softly vibrate next to your pillow. When your best friend stops watching a movie to have an hour conversation with you and cheer you up. When your other best friend can tell through your text messages that something is wrong and it turns into a sarcastic frenzy. Or when your boss allows you to call in to work about an hour before you're supposed to go into the office and instead talks to you and expresses how much him and his family care.

There are people like these in the world, a lot in my world, that make the world so much sweeter. These people are the people that make a difference.

I am so grateful for them. I am who I am today because of the people that have always been there at the right place and the right time. It is beyond fair to say that I am blessed and have the greatest support and encouragement team. So, thank you for standing by me.

Abra Cadabra

I wanna reach out and grab ya.

Na, I'm just kidding. Those are only song lyrics.

Magic. That's my life lately. Magic.
It's like God said Abra Cadabra and decided to free my life of any complications and allow it to go exactly as I wanted it to. WEIRD. Grateful, but very, VERY weird.

Let's see how many times I can say weird in the same post. hmm, weird.
Kidding, but seriously,
It's weird. I feel like I'm always battling something, climbing up my mountain, dealing with one grain of sand at a time. My life has never been so carefree. I know there's a reason for it and I am very grateful, but it was a little bit of an adjustment.
I know that trials and tribulations are simply a part of life and I am accepting of that, but have you ever experienced this feeling before? All of a sudden every worry you've ever had was just gone?
I am not kidding. It has been a fantastic feeling.
Life is flawless.
I am happy.
Truly, genuinely happy and I feel so blessed.
For the first time, in a very long time.

Accepted

We, as a society, are always looking for acceptance.
Our peers, family, friends. Whether it's a job interview or applying for college,
we all want to be accepted.

You can try and try, but guess what, in the end, the fate of your acceptance is in someone else's hands'.  It can be hard, but STOP trying so hard to fit in.
Be yourself. Be the best YOU you can be and allow the acceptance to happen naturally, where it's necessary.

There is nothing worse than being accepted because you've pushed someone to accept you.
Relationships for instance, just be yourself.  There's no need to work hard to try to impress someone. Allow them to like you for you, not for this person that you've played yourself out to be because guess what, in the end, you're only ever going to be YOU.
You can't change it. You can't quit. You can't fake it.
Just be you.

Actually, I take back what I said earlier.
 There is one thing worse than pushing someone to accept you.
You can be yourself. You can let that light shine.
Someone can accept you, and then,
they let it all go.
That is much worse than forcing someone to accept you.

See, it comes full circle.
 Acceptance, we're all striving for it, but don't always get it.
When you don't get it, it sucks. When you do, it's satisfying.
One thing remains the same,
you can never control where you are accepted.
A manager will interview you if they want.
A school will admit you if they feel you're a good fit (and have the best GPA, extracurricular activities, volunteer hours, blah blah blah, been there, done that)
Someone will either like you, or they won't.

 We are always striving to leave people with a good impression. To touch a life. To be the best you that you can be,
but if you ever find yourself being fake, stop.
Stop trying to be something you're clearly not because at the end of the day,
you'll only EVER be you.