Esteem Yourself!

Many people struggle with self confidence, anxiety, depression, and lack of self esteem. 

It can be difficult!  I know- I have struggled with them in the past!

This subject has been weighing heavily on my mind lately.  I've thought and thought and thought and THOUGHT about how in the world I can help young people who struggle with these insecurities and feelings.

I was reminded of the scripture in Matthew: "Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself."  Many of us do love our neighbor.  Many of us would do almost anything to please those around us and bring them happiness and joy. Let's flip this scripture around:  Thou shalt love thyself as thy neighbor.

So here's the grand question:  How do we love ourselves as if we were our own neighbors?

Let me tell ya'll a lil story:

"A young man died, and upon arrival at the Pearly Gates was treated to a tour of heaven and hell before his final assignment.  Hell was first, and he was surprised to find it a room of lavish banquet tables, laden with wonderful things to eat.  The people there, however, were emaciated and crying out in hunger.  The only way to gain access to the food was with extremely long-handled spoons permanently attached to their hands.  When they tried to put the spoons to their mouths, they found it impossible to reach.  So the residents of this home of the damned cried out in anguish as well as hunger.  The young man on the tour averted his eyes in horror.  To see these people starving in the midst of plenty was more than he could bear.  He begged to be taken away from this place."

Those who were in hell were trapped.  They loathed themselves, unable to give themselves the physical nourishment that they needed.  That's what happens when we have low self esteem.  We are unable to nourish our spiritual, emotional, mental, and often times physical beings because we are so focused on what we cannot have.  For those in hell, they were focused on the food they could not eat.

The story continues...

"Imagine the young man's surprise on arrival in heaven when he saw identical tables and identical food.  The people here, however, were well fed and happy.  There was laughter and music and delight.  At first the young man thought that the access to the food must be easier.  Then he saw it.  The food had to be eaten with the same long-handled spoons.  The people in heaven, however, had discovered that the long-handled spoons worked very well to feed the food to each other.

"Energizing love is served with a long-handled spoon.  You cannot feed it to yourself.  Most of the people in the world believe that you can.  They tell you that you must.  It becomes an urgency, to 'feel good about yourself,' a strain to admire yourself, a demand to be admirable.  This self focus will keep you from peace.

"If you feel hungry for love, grab hold of a long-handled spoon and feed love to others.  Miraculously, you will begin to feel love coming directly from your Father in Heaven, which is the purest sort.  His long-handled spoon will reach out to you."

I know God is there.  I know He loves each of us, and will always reach out to us.

I know He also needs us to be His hands-so that He can reach out to others.

(Story: Confronting the Myth of self-Esteem, pg. 58-59)

Caution Signs

Do you keep others away from you

by putting up mental walls in your life?

 Do you create barriers to keep those whom you could love from getting too close to you?

Today, an Elder told me the following story:

We were called and asked to come give a blessing to a young cancer patient at a nearby hospital.  As we walked to the childs room, we saw multiple signs bodly stating, "CAUTION", "BEWARE", "ENTER AT YOUR OWN RISK".  We turned to the nurse and asked, "Will we be okay to go in?"  The nurse smiled and urged us forward.  Nervously we entered into the room, placed our hands upon the childs head, and gave her a blessing.  The love we felt for that child was stronger than the cautionary fear we had felt coming into the room. 

Sometimes people place caution signs around their lives.  At a first glance, we might be afraid to come near them, or to love them because we do not want to be in danger.  But as we break down those barriers and learn to love unconditionally, then we truly exemplify the Savior.

This struck me powerfully today.  Many times I find myself putting up caution signs around my life.  I'm nervous to let people in-scared to allow others through my protective walls.  But as those barriers come down, we allow the beautiful love of God to enter into our hearts.  That's my goal this week-to love everyone regardless of what their emotional or social barriers are, and to allow all and everyone into my life completely! Barrier Free!

Lessons from Marjorie

Hey All,

If you've never looked into the life of Marjorie Pay Hinckley-I definately suggest that you do!

She was a great source of love for the women of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints-and for women around the world!  Her example was one of sacrifice, tenderness and genuine care.  I love this quote of hers:

A Little Birdie Told Me

The last couple of weeks I have been oddly motivated to get up early.  EARLY.  Like before 6:30 early.

Totally not the norm.



Photo by Rhonda in Tennessee
http://www.flickr.com/photos/lucyfan/sets/72157626261602007/



I've been stressed with so many other things lately, that I felt my body needing something to dim that stress and relieve some of the sad and hurt feelings I have tried to cope with. 

So I've turned to exercise.

All those healthy endorphines are definitely calming my mind, and the cardio is slowly healing my back.

But that's not what I love most about these fairly quiet mornings.

On these early mornings when I've gone outside, there is a clump of red cardinals perched in the tree outside our apartment.  Every morning I hear them softly chirp "Pretty!  Pretty!  Pretty!"

Each morning it lifts my spirit a little bit more to be called "pretty" by a bird who is very beautiful himself!  It's was a reminder to me that God knew that I was struggling, so He created a little bird to remind me how beautiful my soul is-that I am a precious daughter of God.

Last week, when the stress became overwhelming, I went into the bathroom and stared in the mirror.  I said to myself, "You are pretty inside and out.  How do I know that?  Because a little birdie told me."

The Sun Will Always Come Up

I've been thinking a lot about having faith to get through trials.

I don't always know how to get through my trials, but somehow, with God on my side, I always do get through them.

Lessons From Mom

My mom rocks. 

(For any of you that know her, can I hear an Amen?!)

My mom, Julie-is the best woman in the world.  I miss her O-SO-MUCH!!  But, missing her isn't what this blog post is about.  This blog post is about a very important principle my Mom taught me.  When my siblings and I were young, she always said, "Impute the highest motive!"

I was only 7 or 8 years old.  I had NO idea what a motive was.  Let alone how to impute a high one!

However, she taught us what it meant through her Christlike example.  She explained that when someone did something that could offend you, it is easy to judge them, get angry, and become offended.  But, she taught us that this way of reacting was unkind, hurtful, and unhealthy. My mother taught us to always be kind.  Instead of judging others when they were rude or offensive, she would try to look at things from their perspective.  She taught us to do the same.

Whenever a car cut her off, or someone made a rude comment, instead of becoming angry or irritated, she would turn to us, smile and whisper, "Impute the highest motive!"  She would then come up with a silly story for that person, perhaps to explain their unkind behavior. "That poor man must be racing to the grocery store because his pregnant wife is craving pickles!  I hope he can find them on sale!"

We would giggle at the tale. As a young child, imputing the highest motive was just a game to see who could come up with the best story of why someone had been rude.

I did not understand the significance of it as a principle until I got older.

In middle school I was awkward.  AWK. WARD.  One particular day, a friend was unkind to me at school.  I remember thinking, "They must be having a rough day at school.  Maybe they failed a test!"  It then hit me-I had imputed the highest motive!  I was so excited!  It actually worked and I was not offended!

Sometimes it is easy to impute the highest motive.  Other times it is difficult.  But I know it changes my attitude and my perspective about the things that happen around me.  A friend of mine, Candace, said to me, "Everyone in this world is doing the very best with what they've got."

Isn't that the truth!  People act according to their circumstances-who are we to judge? 

So, my challenge to all y'all is this:

This week, impute the highest motive-and let me know what happens!

I know you'll see a change in the way you look at others and the way you treat others.

I'm grateful to my mom for teaching me such a valuable life skill.  She is a wonderful mother, teacher and friend.

Thanks Mom!

First Article of Faith

What in the world do Mormons believe? 

We believe that God and His Son, Jesus Christ appeared to the boy Joseph Smith, before he was called to be the prophet of this last dispensation.  They appeared as two seperate beings, having one heart and purpose.  I love my Heavenly Father.  I have a testimony of the divinity of Him and His Son, our Savior Jesus Christ.  This testimony grows as the Holy Spirit confirms that what I believe is true.

You too can learn the nature of God, Jesus Christ and the Holy Ghost just as I am learning about them!

All it takes is a little prayer. 

So go ahead, ASK!