Inspiration

Many people have a sacred place where they go to find peace and receive answers to their problems. A few weeks I found this peace while I was at the temple, the most sacred of places for those who share my beliefs.

For a few months I have been part of a Life Coaching group The last few months while serving in the temple I have been using the principles we have been studying in the coaching sessions. I have been striving to greet all whom I meet with love in my heart, and I have smiled at every person I have come in contact with.

At first some people seemed skeptical and reserved, but It hasn’t taken very long for them to feel how genuine my love for them is. In a very short period of time many of them have told me that my smile was beautiful and made their day. Many have shared their stories and experiences with me and are starting to greet me as they would an old friend. It’s been a very rich and satisfying experience.

I have always felt that love was something we can’t live without, more important that food or shelter is the need for love. This morning I sat alone in the most beautiful of all rooms in the temple looking at a painting of Jesus Christ. He is my ultimate example of one who exemplifies love to all. As I thought of him I felt a greater desire to be like Him, and truly love everyone. Something very powerful happened to me. I instantly felt His love for me. I have felt it before, but this time it was overwhelming.

Many thoughts flooded my mind. I realized that it’s easy for me to love others, but the thing that holds me back the most is my inability to love myself. It’s so easy for me to see the good in others and so hard to see the good in myself. I remember hearing that the qualities we see in others are also in us. As I thought of this I realized that I am surrounded with amazing, gifted, incredible people. These people wouldn’t choose my companionship if I didn’t share some of their good qualities.

I then felt richly blessed by great friends and family. Two distinct conversations I recently had with some of these great people was brought to my memory. I remembered them sharing their feelings about me, and the gifts and qualities I have that they admire. I realized that these amazing people can see who I really am. They see me as my creator does, yet it’s hard for me to see myself the way they do.

At that moment I realized that I am divinely designed with every attribute and quality I need. I have been summing myself up to others who were designed with different qualities and gifts. I realized that my creator loves me just how I am. He made me perfect. I don’t need to try to be someone else. It’s painful trying to be like someone else, and there’s no need to do that when I have everything I need to succeed within myself. I realized that some of the qualities I see in others are also hidden in me. I may have suppressed them, minimized them, or been unwilling to share them with others, but I have all the gifts and talents I need already.

I thought of the new friends that I have made while serving in the temple who have come out of the shadows because of the love I have shown them. They are excited to greet me and they are drawn to me. This has only happened because I chose to show them love. Today I was taught that I now need to extend that same love to myself. If I can start loving myself for who I truly am, divinely designed, I too will come out of the shadows and thrive. I will be able to be a happier and more successful person.

I am so thankful for this gift today. 30 minutes alone in that beautiful and peaceful place opened my heart to the inspiration and love that I needed. What a blessing God's love for each of us truly is!

The Gift of Giving

I read a book review for a book called, "29 Gifts: How a month of giving can change your life".

Here is Amazon's description of the book:

~~~ At age thirty-five, Cami Walker was burdened by a battle with multiple sclerosis, a chronic neurological condition that made it difficult for her to walk, work, or enjoy her life. Seeking a remedy for her depression after being hospitalized, she received an uncommon prescription from an African medicine woman: Give to others for 29 days.

29 Gifts is the insightful story of the author’s life change as she embraces and reflects on the naturally reciprocal process of giving and receiving. Many of Walker’s gifts were simple —a phone call, spare change, a Kleenex. Yet the acts were transformative. By Day 29, not only had Walker’s health and happiness improved, but she had created a worldwide giving movement.

The book also includes personal essays from others whose lives changed for the better by giving, plus pages for the reader to record their own journey. More than a memoir, 29 Gifts offers inspiring lessons on how a simple daily practice of altruism can dramatically alter your outlook on the world. ~~~

I haven't actually read the book, but I decided to take the challenge. It's been a month since I started focusing on doing something nice for someone everyday. Even it's just making a phone call, sending a letter, or giving a compliment when it comes to my mind, I'm trying. It's teaching me to think of someone besides myself. I don't always succeed and often do things without really thinking about them--things that I should be doing anyway--but I'm getting better at it. And I've learned that making a face to face contact if possible makes a big difference to someone who is lonely!

Sometimes we feel like we need to give large amounts of money or time to make a difference. But often it's the SMALL things that make a BIG difference as we reach out to "The One". We all need to start somewhere! It may be letting the elderly gentlemen go before us in the grocery line, letting a car go in front of us in a line of traffic, helping someone open a door, being patient with someones screaming child, or giving a heartfelt compliment when it comes to our minds.

We often don't give ourselves credit for the good things we do. We compare ourselves to others and feel inadequate if we aren't like them. Writing down my actions and plans to serve has helped me realize that I do more good than I thought. My heart has always been in the right place, I just got distracted from what matters the most--people!

I haven't done anything big, but since I have committed to this experiment I feel really good! I've made contact with old friends, spent more time with extended family, and have become more aware of people's needs. I've been writing down my actions and it's amazing to realize that I often go beyond one deed a day without ever planning to.

Recording these things has helped me evaluate my strengths and weaknesses. I realize that I have a lot of improvement to make, but I'm on my way! I'm really comfortable serving in my extended family, but I need to have more courage to branch out to neighbors, ward members, and strangers. There are many people to serve and much good to do in the world!

One magical thing that I have noticed is that now I look forward to random acts of service and find joy in planning and carrying out deeds of kindness. Of course, my good intentions still outweigh my actions, but I'm starting to remember who I used to be and how I used to think! It feels like I have been so preoccupied and busy every minute of my day for so long that I had forgotten how to be spontaneous and thoughtful. I haven't been a horrible person, but I have been too distracted and spent too much time on things that didn't matter. This experiment has been fun and it's jump started my goal of learning to serve again.

And behold, I tell you these things that ye may learn wisdom; that ye may learn that when ye are in the service of your fellow beings ye are only in the service of your God. ~ Mosiah 2:17

Confessions of a Woman Without a Paycheck

After working full-time for several years I resigned from my high stress job. If I hadn't had such a strong confirmation that it was the right thing to do it may have been a hard decision to make.

You may ask, "Why would you give up a fairly high paying job with great benefits in this economy?" I know people have thought it even if they haven’t said it. It's only been two weeks and already I can tell you why. It’s true I am making no money, but I wake up excited to be alive EVERY day!

One of the best things about being home is having time to REALLY think about what matters most in life, and to start getting my priorities straight.

I have had time to reconnect with people I care about, make cookies and give them away and call old friends to visit or wish them happy birthday.I have been able to check on our parents every day, play with my grand baby and record things in a journal. I have helped someone I care about catch up on their housework, cooked real meals for my family, and have given rides to someone who doesn’t have a car. I have read four books and started studying gospel teaching that are important to me. I have started organizing and repairing things in my home and finally feel hopeful that eventually it will be the kind of home I can be proud to live in, a haven of refuge where everyone feels welcome and will love to be no matter how simple and humble it may be. I have had some really great conversations with my kids unlike some in the past that were all too often carried on while I was preoccupied with an activity that had a deadline. I have been able to spend time with my husband and look forward to being spontaneous like I used to be, running off on some wilderness adventure of his making! It has been great building relationships with sisters I have been close to in the past, and working on building one with a sister I never knew while growing up, but am already learning to love just like the rest!

I know everyone doesn’t have the opportunity to work at home so I feel SO blessed! I love life! I love having time to work on things that are truly important. I have thanked God every day that I was blessed to be home when my kids were little. Those were the happiest days of my life and I wouldn’t trade them for any amount of money. And once again I thank Him to be working at home. I know I don’t have any little people who are here depending on me, but I have pledged to be useful to God and others with this gift I have been given—the gift of time.

Yes, there are many things to add to my to-do list. I need to improve on my Visiting Teaching, add in a fitness plan to improve my health, volunteer my time to serve others and many more things. But for now this is a good start and I am determined not to waste the thing I have come to appreciate the most lately—TIME!