Real Life

Wow, it has been a long time since I have posted anything on here. Life has been busy, and blogging hasn't been high on my priority list...which actually, is a probably a good thing. While I enjoy the time spent processing, writing, and sharing ideas online- sometimes it is nice to just enjoy real life without constantly connecting it to the internet.

Sometimes it scares me to think about how much time I spend in front of a screen. Between my phone, my computer, and my television, I spend a significant amount of my day engaged in technology.  The worst part is, in some ways it is like I've trained my brain to think that I need to do those things in order to relax, feel connected to others, and maybe even feel happy. That is what worries me the most.

It's not always a bad thing. In fact, there are some really great things that come from technology. And sometimes it really is nice to just come home from a long day at work and turn on Netflix so I don't have to think about anything for awhile. But I think the problem for me is that when I turn to the internet or TV in a moment of relaxation, it can so easily become hours of idleness. When that happens, I always feel worse than when I sat down to take a break. I never feel recharged or re-energized.

I think one reason for that is that the kind of moments that give meaning to our lives and fill us with positive energy and emotions don't happen in front of a screen. Sure, watching an uplifting or funny TV show or winning a game on our phone can temporarily engage us in good thoughts and emotions. But that is not the kind of happiness that lasts. Real happiness and real love is found in real life moments. Along those same lines, getting 30 likes for a shared photo on Facebook can also bring a temporary feeling of worth and validation. But real confidence and self-worth doesn't come from what others like or recognize on the internet. It comes from real experiences with healthy relationships as we love and accept ourselves and others.

I've decided to end of this year on a better note and to make the holiday season more special and meaningful, by using my time differently. I want to spend more of my time in real life moments of healthiness, happiness, and love. Instead of watching Netflix when I have alone time at home, I could watch conference talks, read, cook, clean, exercise or create something. Instead of constantly trying to keep up with other people on the internet, I could actually talk to someone in person, serve someone, or do something active. It might be difficult to take a small step back from technology in this world, but I believe that it can be really beneficial, because I don't think we can find true happiness on a screen.

You Are Not Hungry.

Let me begin by saying that I am an advocate for food. I love eating. I especially love eating treats.

However, since this is a health blog, I feel like eating healthy is supposed to be good.

We, as Americans, have this nasty habit of eating food ALL THE TIME. Eat when we watch TV, eat when we do homework, eat when we do laundry... basically, we can't just do one thing at a time. We always have to do something and also eat. A party isn't a party without the food, right?

Like I said, I love food. I'll just reiterate that.

However, I saw something today that really made me laugh.

Whenever I don't have anything to do, my first instinct is always to eat. Always. I go look in my pantry for snacks, or my freezer for treats, or my fridge for milk. But most of the time, I'm not actually hungry. Eating excessively is a big part of the reason why we, as Americans, have a reputation for being obese.

I propose a solution. You don't have to cut out your snacking habits--you just have to buy more healthy snacks. Obviously, not too healthy, or you might go insane. But instead of a candybar after class (or work), eat a bowl of lightly salted popcorn or some grapes. Don't buy a lot of the candy, or you will eat it. (That's something I had to learn the hard way.)

As an added bonus, you probably won't get sighs from your dentist anymore. Two reputations saved with one simple lifestyle change.

Can I Give 1%?

Did you know that 15 minutes is 1% of your day. 

I am most happy when I study the teachings of Jesus Christ. I am most happy when I take time to study the scriptures. Living a healthy life is also living a healthy spiritual life. 

I was thinking we have been asked to study the scriptures everyday. Then during one of my group scripture studies someone pointed out to me that 15 minutes of scripture is only 1% of your day. Is it that hard to give 1% of your day to the Lord? 

Then it got me thinking can't I give more than 1% of my time to serving, or teaching, or learning about Jesus Christ and his gospel? I began thinking about tithing and how we pay 10% of what we earn to the Lord and his church, wouldn't it seem like we should at least be giving 10% of our time to the Savior, so we can be instruments for him to bring people to the gospel? 

10% of your day is 144 minutes thats 2 hours and 24 min. I am not saying that this time should just be studying the scriptures, but if we get so busy in our lives that we can't give the Lord, who gave us everything he had, 10% of what he has already given us, shouldn't we filter out some of the less productive things in our life to make us happier by giving back to our Savior? If 10% seems like too much at least strive to make time for 1% of your day to get to know our Savior better. Can you give 1%?

I Love...

This past week my cousin came home from serving an LDS mission. He started his talk off stating he was not blessed with public speaking, the very next words were "But I love Jesus Christ". It was instantly then the entire congregation became silent and his entire talk was his testimony. He battles with Asbergers Disease. Yet the Atonement allowed him to serve a mission, and for him to bring people to the gospel. 

Also this past week I was able to go to my friend's Baptism. This child of God, was someone I would have never expected to accept the teachings of the LDS faith, yet he did.

 These two experiences taught me a lot about love. Yes I know, how did a baptism and a homecoming teach me about love? Well, I believe that when we LOVE Jesus Christ he will fill in all the spaces missing in our life. 

Imagine the kind of love that performs miracles. The kind of love that accepts everyone. The kind of love that is within all of us. This kind of love is the pure love of Christ. I have been thinking a lot about charity lately and how I can acquire more of it in my life. I realized that to have more love for other people you need to love Jesus Christ more deeply. My cousin's mission president had a theme for their mission and it said:

 " Obedience is the Price. 

Faith is the Power.

 Love is the Motive. 

The Spirit is the Key. 

Christ is the Reason."

I have realized that being obedient is a great way to start, Faith is the way to act. Love is the way to move forward. The Spirit tells you the direction. And Jesus Christ is the person that makes everything possible. 

The pure love of Christ not only allows us the use His power but to become like Him more than we could ever imagine. His power is Happiness. His power is Love.

Turn on the Light

Over the summer, I picked up this book at the library:

It is a book with daily tidbits of inspiration and suggestions 

that stem from one woman's journey to find peace and happiness in her life.

I didn't read it cover to cover,

but I did find many ideas that were meaningful to me.

 I especially love this excerpt about accessing spiritual light in our lives.

"Making the absolute best of ourselves is not an easy task. It is a pleasurable pursuit, it is the reason we were born, but it requires patience, persistence, and perseverance. For many of us it also requires prayer. That's because we find it far easier to learn to live by our own lights when we access a Higher Source of Power to illuminate our path. The filmmaker and writer Julia Cameron calls this switching on "spiritual electricity" that transcends our own limitations.

"In my own journey I have found this to be very true. Usually I limited the times I requested that the Power be turned on to the occasions when I was appearing in public: giving workshops, lecturing, holding business meetings. Then it occurred to me that this was like living in a house with electricity but turning on the lights only for a couple of hours every few months. And I wondered why I was frequently bumping into obstacles. So I started to ask for the Power to be switched on in my daily life: as a mother, a wife, a writer, and a friend. When I asked, it was turned on. When I didn't, I stayed in the dark. You don't have to be a master electrician to understand what's going on here: someone has to turn on the switch. Asking is the way of activating spiritual electricity. When there is Light we see remarkably well. We see with clarity. And what we can see if we look deep within is that the authentic self is the Soul made visible.

"Do not try to remake yourself into something you're not. Just try making the best of what God made. The sacred art and craft of nurturing our souls and the souls of those we love is Simple Abundance soulcraft. Begin today by turning on the Light.
(February 4: The Authentic Self is the Soul Made Visible)

Sometimes it can be hard to see things clearly. 

Sometimes when we look at others or our experiences or even ourselves,

we are looking in the dark.

We see only the negative things, the failings, the weaknesses.

We see only how things are hurting or inconveniencing us.

We see only our mistakes and disappointments.

I believe that turning on spiritual light in our lives

can help us to see things as they really are.

We can see the good in others and in our experiences,

even if they are painful or challenging.

But most importantly,

we can see who we really are.

We can see and understand the worth in ourselves

and that can give us the power to do both simple and hard things.

Think Positive.

So, my roommate is a psychology major. She also loves to talk about psychology, and today she talked about the psychology of self-control. Whilst spouting off jargon and other stuff I don't really know about (she knows A LOT about psychology), she said a particular something I didn't know before that pertains to the general welfare and healthiness of the body.

Did you know that exerting self-control is physically taxing? Controlling urges and breaking habits not only puts a strain on your mind, oh no. It physically drains your body as if you were doing physical labor. 

So what does this mean? For me, it means that resisting the urge to put another handful of cheese in my chili is much harder than I thought.

I mean, think about. Have you ever thought about why it's so hard to break bad habits? Have you ever thought about why it's so hard to only have one scoop of ice-cream, or indulge in a bowl of fruit instead of a piece of raspberry cheesecake? How about why it's like you feel more tired just thinking about going to the gym?

Everyone in the whole world and their mothers are creatures of habit. Our bodies like to do what they've been doing, and they definitely don't like to change. It's our minds that change that. It's our minds that make our body do what we want.

However, in order to get your body to do what you want, you need more energy.

Sleep, a balanced diet, a healthy routine... once you are in the habit, it's all you want to do. But once you break the habit, it just makes you tired thinking about it. And now you know why.

In order to want to be healthy, you have to actually be healthy. Novel concept, right? Perhaps it will give you that much more motivation knowing that once you start, it's a scientific fact that you won't want to stop.

finding a purpose

It amazes me how the world molds and shapes our minds to believe that we have to look a certain way, dress a certain way, weigh a certain weight, live in a certain kind of home, drive a certain kind of car, and work our way towards a certain career so to speak in order to be somebody. In order to be "ideal".  In order to be of worth. 

I truly believe that in order to be in a healthy, happy state, we need to push aside the worldly views and appreciate who we are as individuals.  We are all different, and all of great worth. There is no "ideal" person.  That is the beauty of this world.  There has never been one individual exactly alike.  Ever.  And I believe that it is not a coincidence.

It is important to live up to your best self and be happy with it.  Living up to your best self does not include molding yourself to be what the world says you should be.  And as hard as it is to push that aside, the already skewed perspective,  the more you do it,  the more you realize who you are and what your great purpose is. When we have purpose, it is amazing what one individual can accomplish. 

Finding your purpose is the first step to a happier, healthy life.  I found my purpose here.  A divine purpose that has provided me with happiness that has never left me, and I believe never will.  They say to find joy in the journey, but I heard someone else say that the journey is the reward.