Friday, November 30, 2012

These Are The Times To Wear A Sweatshirt

What is the best feeling in the world?
a. A kiss
b. Eating your favorite food
c. Reading a book
d. Snuggling
e. None of the above. 

The answer is E. Why? Simple, because the best feeling in the world is all of the above of course, when wearing a sweatshirt, the sweatshirt is half of what makes all of those things so great. Sweatshirts are the best invention ever made. Period the end. Whoever created them knew that people would need them. The days you don't want to get ready- sweatshirt. The days you are sick- sweatshirt. The days you are freezing- sweatshirt. The days you want to cuddle and have no boy- sweatshirt warmed in the dryer. The days you want to feel free- sweatshirt. The days you want to cry- sweatshirt.When in doubt- put on a sweatshirt. These are the times to wear a sweatshirt. 

There is a solution to every problem. This solution? Keep calm and put on a sweatshirt. Perhaps one of the greatest reasons for sweatshirts is for boys to give to girls. When you're "freezing cold" and the boy gives you his sweatshirt. The best part? It is smells like him. In a non creepy way- it truly is the best part. Then you "forget to give it back" and you get to keep it until the next time you see them. Even if you don't like this boy- it is still awesome to have a sweatshirt that is warm, big, and smells like a boy. These are the times to wear a sweatshirt.

For those of us that lack a boy, we all understand those days when you are feeling lonely and just want someone to hold you. Go put a sweatshirt in the dryer, listen to your favorite song according to your mood, let it warm it up for 10 minutes. Put it on. Sit on the kitchen floor, eat some comfort food, watch a movie. Repeat warming as needed. It sounds silly- but it works. The simple thing of just warming up a sweatshirt and putting it on is like a warm hug from someone you love. No one needs a boy if they can have a sweatshirt. These are the times to wear a sweatshirt.

For those who don't like people touching them and are anti relationship, sweatshirts are still the answer. Regardless if you hate people you can still feel lonely. Even the most distant people have the times that they feel like they are alone. Grab a sweatshirt. It is one thing everyone can agree on. They are warm, you can avoid awkward people trying to hold your hands, the pocket keeps your hand warm, they aren't form fitting and make it so no one can feel self conscious because they cover everything. Any time is the time to wear a sweatshirt.


Tuesday, November 6, 2012

These Are The Times To Cry

Crying- perhaps the worst and best thing about being a human.

We have all had those awkward moments when we are sitting in a meeting and something sad comes up, and of course we yawn. The yawn of course is at the precise moment that someone is teary eyed because of the content of the meeting, and you're sitting there hoping no one noticed the tear rolling down your face that is from, not the content- but your tired eyes. Of course- everyone notices that one tear and you're caught- here comes "your excuse"... it was just a yawn- yet, due to the content of the meeting- you are of course set into the emotional category, and your bishop makes a mental note to give you a very light hearted topic for your next talk in sacrament meeting. These are the times to cry.. perhaps for joy because you know you won't get a talk for a very very long time- he is giving you time to become stable again.

Then of course, there is the favorite tear of all- laughter. There is never a better tear shed than this. You're best friend says something, and you are laughing so hard you have tears streaming down your face. These are the moments to smile- to be so very happy. Remember those moments. There is great accomplishment in making someone cry- because of laughter. This of course is a great cover up for tears of unhappiness. You start crying and everyone says what's wrong and you can simply say.. insert best friends name here.. is a crack up and said something funny, the person whose name you used might give you a look, and all you should have to do is smile at them with that hint to play along. These are the times to cry- and cover it up.

This of course leads to the heavy hearted tears. We have all had them. The invincible boy on the football team, the beautiful ballet dancer, the hardcore wrestler, the smart boy reading a book, the grandmother sitting in the park. Everyone has shed the tears of true sorrow. Everyone is allowed to have that one day to cry. Often tears are thought of as a sign of weakness. False. Crying is a sign that you are in touch with the moment and your emotions. Let the tears flow, don't hold them back. Some people have a tendency to cry more than others- this is perfectly okay. It makes up for the tears someone else is unable to shed. These are the times to cry.

Tears are more than salty water on your pillow or on your best friends shirt. They can be a mark of happiness when you find out your son survived his first combat in Iraq. Tears of joy when you find out the cancer in your dad's lung hasn't spread, and that the cancer is curable. Pure joy when you get married and hold your baby girl for the first time. When you look out at the sunset, and think of how lucky and blessed you truly are. These moments are the ones to hold on to, the ones to remember. Tears of joy are perhaps the best, because you have to reflect on the tears of sorrow and see how much you have grown. Be grateful for those hard time, for they are the ones that bring you joy. For without sorrow  we would know no joy. These are the times to cry.

Wednesday, October 31, 2012

These Are The Times To Think

We have all had those people hurt us time and time again, yet, somehow we always let them in. Maybe it is time to say no. Think before you let people back in. In no way is this say to not forgive the person who wronged you, but keep them at an arms length. There is a special bond called trust, one which was broken. It should take more than, "I am sorry" for them to get back into your heart and be involved in your life. Time and time again girls (not discluding boys, but girls are the bigger offenders) get hurt by people- and all it takes is, I am sorry and they instantly let them back in. These are the times to think.

Is it worth it to you to totally give your heart and trust to someone again, yet only having it end up getting hurt again? No. Of course not. Give it time. Let yourself heal. Do not set yourself up again, and give someone so much trust. It isn't worth it to either of you.Trust is something that is earned. Think about your relationships. Be careful with whom you place your trust in. You cannot burn a bridge and put it back up in the same day. There needs to be a plan of action to rebuild that bridge- an apology  followed by time to slowly build that bridge- trust- back up. Bridges don't pop up in a day. Some take weeks, some take months, some take years. Slow it down, think before you let yourself into a situation again. These are the times to think.

This is not directed primarily at relationships between boys and girls- although it certainly applies. Girls can be mean, and so can boys. This applies to all relationships, including between parents and children. You cannot expect as the child to break a rule and then be good for a few days and expect to gain back trust. You must earn it. Often we try to blame the other person for the issue in the relationship. This is false. It takes two to tango. You do not have a relationship without two people, and you do not have a problem without two people. It cannot simply be the one person. It is your reaction to what the person does that can be a problem. Do not make a mountain out of a molehill. These are the times to think.

"Happiness is when what you think, what you do, and what you say are in harmony."-Gandhi

Sunday, October 14, 2012

These Are The Times To Not Assume

In society we often make assumptions, we come to conclusions without knowing the background. There are communication issues and people assume things all the time. We must not assume we know what is going on, but rather that we do not know the other side, and need to be understanding. People react to things in different ways, and it is not our place to judge them. We need to simply love them and give them the benefit of the doubt. We do not know what is going on in their lives- these are the times to not assume. 

Dieter F. Uchtdorf relayed the following story about making assumptions:

"There is an old Welsh story from the 13th century about a prince who returned home to find his dog with           blood dripping down its face. The man rushed inside and, to his horror, saw that his baby boy was missing and his cradle overturned. In anger the prince pulled out his sword and killed his dog. Shortly thereafter, he heard the cry of his son—the babe was alive! By the infant’s side lay a dead wolf. The dog had, in reality, defended the prince’s baby from a murderous wolf.

Though this story is dramatic, it demonstrates a point. It opens the possibility that the story we tell ourselves about why others behave a certain way does not always agree with the facts—sometimes we don’t even want to know the facts. We would rather feel self-justified in our anger by holding onto our bitterness and resentment. Sometimes these grudges can last months or years. Sometimes they can last a lifetime"
This story is a very dramatized version of what happens when people make assumptions, but it does a wonderful job of portraying what assumptions have the power to do. We simply cannot make assumptions. There are too many people that can get hurt from doing so. As in the story, we cannot let ourselves assume, we must see the whole picture before we come to a conclusion. There are many fights and arguments that can be avoided by simply waiting, and seeing the whole picture. There are reasons behind every action, these are the times to not assume. 
There are times when we know the truth behind why someone is the way they are, yet- we still find room to judge them, and assume that we are right to judge them- simply because it is a natural human reaction. This is false. We cannot assume we have the right to judge anyone, regardless if we think we know what they are going through. It is completely natural for people to come to assumptions about others, but- we must change that. We must love everyone, and know that they too are struggling, or going through something. We must understand others, and simply love. These are the times to not assume.

Sometimes the hardest people to love, are the ones that need it the most. People struggle, and they do so in different ways, what could be hard for one person could be easy for another. We cannot assume that everyone feels the way that we do about certain things. Have an open mind, for these are the times to not assume.

Monday, October 1, 2012

These Are The Times To Realize You Are Amazing

Comparing:
com·pare
verb /kəmˈpe(ə)r/ 
compared, past participle; compared, past tense; compares, 3rd person singular present; comparing, present participle

  1. Estimate, measure, or note the similarity or dissimilarity between

What may you ask is the pertinence of stating the definition (according to dictionary.com) of comparing. Why- because it is one the biggest issues for humans. We compare ourselves to others. We believe that we have to be as good as another person at sports, academics, music, etc. and when we aren't we believe that we are not of as much worth as the other person- but this is not true. The only person we need to compare ourselves to is the person we were yesterday. You need to realize that you are amazing. Each day you are improving and becoming a better person- these are the times to realize you are amazing.

You cannot compare yourself to others but rather the past you. That past you can be you 20 minutes ago when you finally hit the baseball for the first time. You are better now than you were 20 minutes before because YOU accomplished that. Do not compare yourself to a major league baseball player, they have worked and become better than the person they were. They were once who you are. They had to go through the process of learning how to hit. They could not compare themselves. They had to hit the ball and improve. The only person you need to try to be better than is the person you were yesterday, not the person someone else is. These are the times to realize you are amazing.

Today is the day to decide to be better than the old you. You must choose to smile and make every day a good, happy day. Now, You must choose to improve. You improve every day regardless as a human, it is a natural thing. You learn new things every day (most of the time not realizing it) and improve our knowledge. You talk to people and improve your social skills. You listen to people talk and enhance your listening skills. You are always improving in subtle ways, but now you must choose to realize, that you are becoming better. You cannot compare who you are to who someone else is. People improve at different rates. These are the times to realize you are amazing.

You have the choice to not compare yourself to others, and you must make it. You must believe that you are working on improving yourself. It does not matter if you can hit a home run today. It matters that you are working on it. You are trying to become better. Do not compare yourself to the people who can. They did not become that way over night. Do not compare your achievements to theirs. These are the times to realize YOU are amazing.

Choose to smile, choose to realize you are amazing.

Sunday, September 30, 2012

These Are The Times To Smile

We all have bad days.
We all cry- we may not admit it, but we do.
We all have the need to be told we are loved and we are beautiful.
We all have the need for the comfirmation that we are going to be okay.
We all have those days we just want a warm blanket and a loving embrace.

We.
Everywhere we go there are people who struggle understanding who they are. You are not alone. Never let yourself think that you are. This is your fresh start. This is the day to turn it around. You have the decison to make now. Not WE, YOU! You are in control of your future. We may all go through it, but you are the one to decide how to handle it. There is a quote by Micheal Barbarulo which states, "Don't let people; places and things determine your moods. Take charge of how you want to feel each and every day." These are the times to smile.

The power of this quote is amazing. We are in charge of our moods. Think. There is always that one day that has gone all wrong; the one when I said, "Could this day get any worse? I didn't mean it as a challenge. It was rethorical question." The day where everything goes down hill. We all have had those, but you can change that. You are in control. Fake it until you make it. There is no bad day that cannot be turned around. We are all faced with trials, yet- those are the times to smile.

Some of the happiest people on earth really are not as happy as they seem, yet why do they seem so happy? Because they have memorized the concept of the smile. Sit and bawl. Then smile. There is not a way you cannot be happy if you simply say smile. Say it out loud. Shout it to the world. Whisper it to the person next to you. Write a song about it. Say it in your head. Just do it, and there is no way you will not be able to smile. The hardest times in life are the times we need to say to ourselves- these are the times to smile.

A smile can change the day for someone. Have you ever been sad and then you see someone smile at you and you realize- everything is going to be okay. Smiles are infectious. We need to make a goal. Spread the smile. Make the smile the newest trend. Everyone wants the smile. Imagine everyone happy. Everyone smiling. Everyone taking control of their mood and choosing to be happy. The concept of the smile, a simple one, yet so hard for people to do. These are the times to smile.