Every year during the holiday season, I like to remind myself that not everybody shares the same expectations regarding the holidays and traditions, particularly when it comes to what makes us comfortable. Thinking about those who attend, I ask myself what might make the holiday more joyful for them and their families. Each year brings change to our lives, and aging relatives who may not wish to venture out during the holidays. The passing of friends and relatives, new marriages, extended family, and young children enjoying the celebration all change the dynamics of our traditions. Most years, my mother or…
Paraphrasing from a monthly Zoom call with Dr. Issam Nemeh, we need to get over it, get over ourselves, and get out of our own heads using our love. Taking our love, prayer, and forgiveness and putting them into action. Daily prioritizing living with a perspective of love. A kind of love that allows us to look at all things with kindness and compassion. When we love the Lord and our neighbors as written in the Commandments, we are better able to navigate the chaos in the world and focus on what helps us maintain peace as we move through…
Throughout my life, I have found it helpful to think before I act, hence the 24-hour rule. Before I act on what is bothering me, I give myself at least a day to evaluate the validity of the issue and how best to address the problem. Time seems to help me better focus on all sides of the issue. Thinking about why I feel the way I do, and is this really the issue, or is there something else interfering with how I feel? It is through prayer that I find my answers. The moment I feel stress, worry…
As we approach the holiday season, I like to remind myself to be appreciative of those around me. If, for some reason, appreciation is hard to find, then my go-to is attention wrapped with kindness and love. At times, we are pushed, stressed, and anxiety-filled due to expectations of the season. That might stem from what others ask of us, or it might be pressure we put on ourselves. Either way, it often takes patience as we move closer to the celebrations. I use prayer to center myself and navigate through the holidays. Asking Jesus to show me…
Time is very precious, and how we spend our time should align with what we value. Once we understand what is most important, our priorities, and what we value, we can better navigate how to spend each hour of the day. It’s not always easy to reflect on how we spend our time. We might spend more time than we realize thinking about what we have to do, rather than actually completing the task. Other times, we might have a list of errands to run that may or may not be a priority or reflect our values and how…
The reason I accentuate the positive is that I believe that all things are possible through Jesus. If I have faith that Jesus can do all things, then there is no room for negativity in my life. Moments of frustration occasionally, but I move quickly to prayer and refocus on being thankful. There are many things each day that I could consider negative or draining on my mental or physical state. I choose to block that perspective and pray my way through the day. Jesus knows my path before I do and understands why I need to suffer through some…
Joking with someone can be a true gift, but depending on how the humor is delivered, it can also be hurtful. On one hand, medicine for the soul, and yet, such a fine line based on how the joke is interpreted. Humor is a huge priority in my life and often a beautiful coping mechanism. Allowing myself to laugh at my mistakes, mishaps, or misfortunes is one way that I see light rather than dwell in the darkness. The important part of that statement is MY mistakes, mishaps, and misfortunes. Much of my day is spent laughing to myself about…
I am what I am today because of where I have been; I wouldn’t change a thing. Hindsight has been a beautiful thing in my life. The reason I can persevere and move through life’s challenges is that I have true faith. Seldom do I look back on the past. Although the past has made me who I am today, I choose to focus on the present. I have beautiful memories that bring me joy at different moments throughout my life. However, I believe those moments of joy are pieces to the puzzle of my life, and I…
When I grow up, I want to be more like Jesus. I want to be able to do and say the right thing at all times, not just sometimes. Be trusted and filled with compassion for others in a way that puts my love for them over my love for myself. When love prevails, everything seems to fall into place. The moment it is taken out of the equation, everything seems to fall apart. It is very simple to say one lives with love, but it takes patience and self-control. My actions must follow my desire to live with…
If I wait for everything to be perfect, there likely would never be a good time to rebuild. It doesn’t even matter what I am trying to rebuild. Whether I am interested in rebuilding my career, a friendship, a relationship, a home, or my life, at some point, I have to examine the available information and take a leap of faith. There are different reasons for wanting to rebuild one’s life. I have always found it important to be aware of the signs or warning signals indicating that I should prepare for change. Fifteen years into my career…