Nuggets of Wisdom

This is a blog post I have been thinking about for a little while. I have all these things that I am learning, and all this advice I want to share. So, this is a list of things that I have learned that might help someone else.

Random Advice That May or May Not Be What You Need To Hear:

- Loving people hurts, and not just like dating-wise, but like family, friends, and all the other people you care about. Loving them will hurt because you will watch them do things they shouldn't, you will worry about them, you will miss them, you will wish you could help them. Just because it hurts to love people doesn't mean you shouldn't. Don't miss out on opportunities to care about even more people for the fear of the pain. Because the amount of love that you will get back will make it all worth it.

- Sometimes the nights you stay up the latest will be the most fun. You might miss out on some sleep, but the memories you get will be way better.

- Write a bucket list. Then make plans to fulfill the things on that bucket list.

- Have at least one good thing to look forward to a week. That will make getting through the week worth it. It will be your motivation.

- Look up. The sky is never ever the same. I personally have a hard time staying in a bad mood when I look at how beautiful the world is around me.

- Look for Tender Mercies from the Lord. They are ALL OVER THE PLACE. For me it's the sun, the sky, the flowers, the leaves, my roommates, the funny things people say, compliments, chocolate, things that make me smile.

- Don't wear clothes that are uncomfortable. If you feel uncomfortable all day, then whatever it is that you are wearing is not really worth it. Don't dress like a slob, but find clothes that you like, that make you feel good.

- DON'T LOOK AT YOUR FACE 2 INCHES FROM THE MIRROR. Nobody stands that close to you, so why does it matter what your face looks like that closely? When you get ready for the day step back, and look at yourself as a whole. Then turn around and stop looking at yourself.

- Keep a journal of important things. When you are feeling really upset, write about it. When you are really happy, write about it. When you go on a date, write about it. When you meet new people and make new friends, write about it. You'll be grateful when you can go back and look at how you felt and what has changed.

- Say your prayers and mean them. Think about what you are saying and who you are talking to. It makes a big difference.

- Don't do things that make you angry if you don't have to. If you do have to, then step back and try to figure out how to not get angry.

-  Sometimes your eyes think you can eat more than you can. It's better in those instances to listen to your stomach.

- Try not to get offended. People mess up when they are talking. Sometimes words just tumble out, sometimes you aren't even understanding right. Be forgiving.

- Be open minded to new things. Life is more fun that way.

- Try new ice cream flavors. It will surprise you how many good ones there are!

- Don't do things that you wouldn't normally do to try to make someone like you. First of all, you will look back on that and be embarrassed about all the dumb things you did. Second of all, if you have to try to MAKE someone like you, then is it really worth it? Wouldn't you rather wait until a person comes along that already likes you the way you are?

-  Be nice.

- Eat chocolate.

- Go outside to work on homework. Then you are getting homework done AND getting fresh air! (Killing two birds with one stone!)

- Anonymously make cookies or write notes for people. It's fun.

- Dance in the rain.

- Make sure you take a few fun classes or uplifting classes as long as the classes you need for your major.

- Take time to do things you love.

- Do hard things that challenge you. When you do something hard, you become a little bit better, a little more awesome, and grow a little bit more. It's kind of like ballet. When you start off you can't do anything very cool. Then you practice and you do things that hurt a little bit, but because of that you learn to do a fun jump. Then you practice a little more, do some harder stretches and learn how to do the splits. When you stick to it and keep doing harder things, the things that were hard become easy, and you do something new. It keeps going and going and going until you are a pro! Life is like that. Do something hard and conquer it! Then try something else!

- Write letters.

- Sing out loud.

- Write silly, ridiculous poems.

- Allow yourself a bad day every once in a while.

- But choose to be happy the rest of the time.

Your body really IS a temple.

I have come to realize that when you mix a mirror and your mind with Satan you get a really sick combination. There's nothing wrong with mirrors. They were a fantastic invention. And the human mind? AMAZING. But I guess when you put Satan and his "angels" into anything you get a sad turnout.
When I look in a mirror, I have a hard time being okay with what I see. Or at least, I did, starting in elementary school, all the way through middle and high school.  Even now. But that is changing.
Lately, I've been thinking about how my body is a temple. If you grew up in the LDS church, then you've probably heard that hundreds of times. Talking about tattoos? Your body is a temple, don't defile your temple. Word of Wisdom? Your body is a temple, don't drink alcohol or do drugs. Simple. There is more to this than I ever thought about though.
My body is a temple. It was created with great care by the greatest being in the universe, Heavenly Father. It was created so that my spirit could come to earth and have a place to dwell while here. The only way for my Spirit to get back to Heavenly Father is to come to Earth and join with a physical body. My body is also a place for the Holy Ghost to dwell. He guides me and comforts me. I can't make it through the time on Earth without the Holy Ghost.
Now, what does that have to do with mirrors and Satan?
Satan knows that my body is a temple for my spirit and the Holy Ghost. He knows that I can't get back to Heavenly Father with a broken spirit and a dirty temple.
With that knowledge he attacks me! Not physically. He can't touch me. BUT, he CAN and he WILL whisper to me. He will try to convince me that I am ugly, weird, awkward. He will trick other people into believing that they know what beauty is, so that they can tell me if I'm not.
For example: I'm white. I. can. not. tan. In America, being tan is "beautiful", and it really is, but so is being fair skinned. I didn't know that though. I just thought, "if only I was able to tan. I would be more beautiful." I, not only, have my own thoughts telling me that I should be more tan, I have friends that tell me that too. I've had friends look at my arms after a long winter and say "Wow, have you been outside at all?" or "Kinsey, you just need to go outside and tan." (I tried, it resulted in a horrible sunburn, ouch!) Look people, I don't tan. It doesn't happen that way. I'm learning though, that Heavenly Father made me this way. He gave me fair skin. He carefully picked out the color of my skin, the color of my hair, the color of my eyes. He decided I should be "this tall" and "this wide". "Her feet will be this size."
"She will be allergic to cats, and dislike these foods."
"Eventually, she will learn to like certain foods, but others she will decide she still doesn't like."
"She will be quiet, she will be stubborn, she will be a little quirky, but I want her to be that way." "She'll be her mom's best friend, kind to those around her, and love those with disabilities."
"She will cry a lot, but she'll get used to it and learn to carry tissues everywhere."
I have been thinking about this a lot. God made me the way I am for a reason. Instead of trying to be like others around me, why am I not embracing WHO I AM and loving myself?
If my body is a temple, then I need to treat it like one. I need to be kind to it. I need to take care of it. I need to love it, and it's creator.
I need to shove Satan out. (Get thee hence, Satan!)
I need to ignore others judgments.
I'm white. That's not bad.
I'm short. Embrace it, Kinsey!
I blush a lot. God made me that way.
The list goes on and on. I had a list of things I wish I could change about myself, it gets shorter the more and more I think about this.
I'm learning that I want my temple to be clean and healthy. I exercise for myself. I eat healthy for myself. I love myself and praise God.
It's my temple, and I will take care of it and love it, because it was a gift from my Heavenly Father.
It's as simple as that. 

Happy Holidays!

It looks like the last part of my last post was what happened. Except, I am writing a post right now. (Progress!)
I just finished my first semester at BYU. It turns out I had nothing to worry about! These past four months have been the best of my life. I have so much to share so I am just going to make a list of advice that I have for people who will be starting at BYU. Here it is:

1. Don't worry too much before you leave. Everything will be okay. I promise.
2. Crying is okay for a little while. But don't cry too much. (It is your choice whether you are happy or not. CHOOSE TO BE HAPPY.)

3. Do NOT pack as much as I did... you will regret it if you are forced to move all of your stuff in the middle of the year.

4. If you are driving, bring a big, huggable stuffed animal. They make a great pillow, traveling companion, crying shoulder, friend, listening ear, and something to calm your childlike heart. (Nothing is scarier, or makes you feel smaller than going to do something when you don't know what to expect. Stuffed animals help. It's scientifically proven.)

5. Go to Freshman Orientation. They give you maps, freebies, advice, and a tour of campus. You will need that tour.
6. Y mountain is East.
7. BE SOCIAL! People at BYU don't judge (at least most don't), they are friendly, they are nice, they are fun. You will make so many friends and they will be some of the best people you will ever meet. However, you have to go out and meet them, you cannot just expect them to come to you.

8. Love your roommates. You will be stuck living with them for a year and you will enjoy it a lot more if you like them. (I have one other roommate who refuses to be in our pictures, but I love her also.)

9. Have hope. The boys at BYU are SO much better than high school boys.

10. Don't become a chocolate addict like me...

11. Food seems to go bad faster in college. Only buy what you are POSITIVE you can eat fast enough. (Also, go through your fridge every once in a while. Bad food is really gross when you discover it.)

12. Go to all your church activities.
13. Go to the devotionals.
14. Go tunnel singing Sunday nights. (or at least go until it's too cold to go.)
15. Appreciate the beauty around you. BYU is one of the prettiest places I've ever been and, this is especially true in Winter, if you focus on how beautiful the snow is you won't think about how cold it is as much.

16. Do not worry about what people think about you, there is no point. (This one is hard for me, but it is something I am working on.)
17. When you go to dances let loose, have fun, and DANCE. You will have SO MUCH FUN.
18. Do not worry about the cold. If a Florida girl like me can handle it, you can. (Get yourself a good pair of snow boots, a snow jacket, gloves, a few scarves, and fuzzy socks. You'll be fine.)
19. Wear something over your ears if it is really cold outside. You won't regret it.
20. Eat some fruit.
21. Email your mom every week or call her.
22. Have some fun, don't spend all of your time studying.
23. If you are invited, play fugitive. Even if you know that you can't run fast enough to get away from the cops, or you can't run fast enough to catch a fugitive.
24. Follow the honor code.
25. Join a service group. (I did Kids on the Move and Paint a Wish.)
26. Go to Family Home Evening.
27. Invite people over for dinner sometimes.
28. Remember that EVERYTHING happens for a reason, you won't always know what that reason is, but there is a reason. Sometimes your trials will teach you something, sometimes they will prepare you, sometimes they will put you in the way of other blessings... whatever it is, look for the positive and know that you can make it.
29. Again, be optimistic, look for the positives.
30. Remember that Heavenly Father won't give you anything that you can't handle, and He will always be here to listen to you, to walk beside you, to lift you up, to help you out. You just have to ask.
31. If you need help you can always talk to your bishop. He will listen to you.
32. If you feel like you need a blessing, don't ever be afraid to ask your home teachers.
33. MOST IMPORTANTLY remember: You are important. You are beautiful. You are wonderful. You have many talents. Your Heavenly Father loves you so much and made you exactly the way you are.

I was so worried before I came to BYU. I was afraid I wouldn't be able to take care of myself. I was afraid I wouldn't make friends. I was afraid my roommates would hate me. I was afraid my classes would be too hard. I didn't have any reason to worry though. This place is wonderful. They want you to succeed just as much as you want to. Don't be afraid to ask for help or for advice. Come with an open mind and a prayer in your heart. You will have a wonderful time and you will grow so much.

Merry Christmas! :)

- Kinsey