Woah, I'm Twenty?

Yepp. Last Saturday was my birthday. In honor of leaving my teenage years behind, I thought I would do some reflecting on the top twenty things I have learned so far in life.

1. Nothing ever comes before family.
2. God is my Heavenly Father; therefore, He comes before all else. 
3. As a daughter of God, I have divine worth that cannot be diminished by anyone.
4. It is okay to be different. (Especially when being silly.)  =P
5. We all have a story to tell.
6. Listening is often better than speaking.
7. "Life is meant to be enjoyed, not merely endured." -Gordon B. Hinkley
8.  Satisfaction in life comes from mindset.
9. Joy in life comes through obedience.
10. Understanding comes after obedience.
11. I obey out of love and respect for my Savior.
12. God does not work through fear.
13. Serving others can bring a smile even in the hardest times.
14. It is just as important to let others serve me as it is for me to serve others.
15. The Atonement is all about fixing what we can't.
16. Forgiving others allows me to heal and find peace.
17. The power of the priesthood blesses lives.
18. The Book of Mormon truly testifies of Christ.
19. Truth is not relative. Truth is truth.
20. In the Church of Christ, we cannot pick and choose what to believe and obey.

If you made it to the end, I commend you and would like to ask a question. Leave a comment with your answer. =)

What is at least one thing you have learned in life?

Dancing Violins

Ok, so I was in a class today and we watched a video on Lindsey Stirling. I had no idea how popular she was! Turns out, a friend of mine had shown me her Lord of the Rings medley last year.

After rediscovering her amazingness, I decided to write a blog post dedicated to her and her music.

Why I love Lord of the Rings:
It just somehow gives me such peace of mind. Everything can be going wrong and I turn on The Fellowship of the Ring and I am laughing through the tears.

I love the Celtic feel in this one.

"We Found Love"

Another awesome thing: she combines two of my favorite things into one: music and dance.

Plus, I just learned that she graduated from my same school with a degree in recreation therapy, the same thing that I am studying. Maybe there is more I could do with dance. It's people like Lindsey that make me wonder if I am living below my potential and inspire me to keep dreaming.

A Time For Questions

I have to say, questions are fantastic.

They can lead to wonderful answers,

even when they aren't fun in the moment.

As I have been challenged in my schooling, 

I have learned if I'm not forming questions, I'm not thinking.

Asking questions, and then putting forth the effort 

to really search out and ponder the answer,

can lead to amazing growth and knowledge.

Sincere questions have been a source of inspiration,

leading me to discover hidden treasures.

So, do you have questions?

Mindset

I apologize for not posting anything in so long. I have no excuse. I bow in humility... Please, forgive me. 

Mindset: The New Psychology of Success

I want to share an idea I came across while doing some assigned readings from my peer mentor position at BYU. Many of you may be wondering what a "peer mentor" does, so I'll explain a little bit. A peer mentor works with incoming freshman to help them learn how to make connections (with professors as well as peers), develop effective time management skills, and succeed in life as well as college. We are there to be a friend and a guide; a more experienced student who can pass on wisdom and learning.

As part of our training, both new and returning mentors are required to study selected essays, speeches and other readings and then write a self-reflection essay. For our current training module, I read an excerpt from a book, Mindset, written by Carol S. Dweck, Ph.D. In chapter 2, "Inside the Mindsets", Dweck proposes the idea that there are two possible mindsets in relation to perceived ability: a fixed mindset and a growth mindset.

In short, a fixed mindset believes that ability is set; a test you take today can legitimately predict how smart you are and can be in the future. However, a growth minded individual once wrote to Dr. Dweck that, "Performance cannot be based on one assessment. You cannot determine the slope of a line given only one point, as there is no line to begin with. A single point in time does not show trends improvement, lack of effort, or mathematical ability." (Micheal D. Riodan, Ch 2, Mindset)

A fixed mindset views any mistake, rejection, or correction as evidence of failure. They give that "failure" power over them, letting it diminish their self-worth. A person stuck in a fixed mindset will often avoid challenging their abilities and trying new things out of fear that they will "be a failure;" it is safer to stick to what they know they can succeed. A fixed mindset leads people to give up as soon as things get difficult because in that mindset, if they don't try, they can't fail.

However, a growth mindset views failure much differently. While the thought of "I could have done..." is comforting to the fixed mindset, it is haunting to the growth mindset. This mindset defines true failure as not reaching his or her full potential. In the growth mindset, "failure" can still hurt, but it does not define who you are. Mistakes become opportunities to learn and improve. The growth mindset allows people to enjoy the process no matter the outcome.

"Success is about being your best self, not being better than others; failure is an opportunity, not a condemnation; effort is the key..."

I was talking the other day with my trainer, Anthony DiRocco at Vi Holistic Health, about how much people in general set limitations on their own abilities. I mentioned that I was working on improving my painting skills. My biggest setback has always been my desire for perfection. Anthony in return quoted Bob Ross, a famous painter who had a television show, The Joy of Painting, in the 1990s. Ross said, "There are no mistakes. There are only happy accidents." It is all in how we utilize the unexpected turns in life that make us who we are.

Do you live for praise and validation, or for growth and a love of learning? What do you think will get you where you want to be? Mindsets can change. People can change. Every moment is a new possibility and every person, at some point, has to face the question: "what have I done with my life?"

Change the World

So, one thing you will learn very quickly about me is that I love quotes. I truly thrive on them and can even have full conversations with my siblings out of just movie quotes, as my parents know well. Today, I will feature some wise words from the author of The Chronicles of Narnia, Screwtape Letters, and The Great Divorce, among other titles.

"What we learn from experience depends on the kind of philosophy we bring to experience." C.S. Lewis Miracles: A Preliminary Study

While this concept seems extremely sensible and slightly obvious, sometimes a reminder is needed. You are much more powerful than you think. We all are. I feel as though society and the adversary, for those of you who are religious, condition us from infancy to relinquish much of that power without realizing we had it to begin with. Life is what we make it.

Just like a camera lens, when we are extremely focused on one thing, the rest of the picture is blurry and unclear. Imagine what could be seen if people just changed their focus. Instead of zooming in on the bad, look around and express gratitude for the flower blooming in your yard, the family member doing your dishes, or even the cheerful greeting of a cashier. If we merely change our way of thinking about life, each and every person truly can change the world. Our own world. So, who wants to join me in changing the world?