Confidence is Key

Over the last two months I have had different people come up and say something along the lines of, “You look different, refreshed” “Did you change your makeup?” “You’re glowing, is there a boy in your life now?” and my answer has been really, no, and No, I actually laughed at the boy response. But as I look at things that have happened in the last two months, and the things that are still happening I feel everything but refreshed, glowing and different. Frankly I have felt warn out.

I recently got to the point where I asked God why people kept asking me these questions when I just came out of one of the toughest seasons I have been in and He did not respond right away. While I waited for His response I decided to do one of my things on my 23 list, which was be in a photoshoot. A dear friend of mine that is a photographer came out to California from Kansas to shoot a few pictures and without thinking about it and analyzing, like I usually do, I booked a spot and I had her shoot my College Senior pictures.

The shoot was fun and awkward in some ways only because I am not used to all of the attention and focus being on me. I was happy afterward and could not wait to get the pictures back, until an all too familiar voice popped in my head. I started to get scared that they would not be pretty enough. That even though Amanda’s work is amazing, that they wouldn’t be nice because I was in it. I started thinking of every “bad” picture I had ever seen, it did not matter if it was of me or someone else. This voice was loud in my High School years, but I didn’t allow it to stick around too long this time around. I have grown from being that person. I then got my answer from God. He told me that I posses confidence now. That because I rely on Him more and I know the truth that I don’t have to listen to that voice anymore. He also told me that I may have felt tired because of the numerous events that have come up, but He was producing a new level of perseverance and that what I was really feeling was the effects of pushing through and fighting.

I am so happy that I decided to get my senior pictures done. It was fun and a lesson that needed to be learned. When you wear confidence and trust in your Heavenly Father, people see it.

 

And I liked LOVED the results

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¡Vi a Un búho! ( I saw an owl!)

 I should have posted this a long time ago but I have completed another task on my 23 by 23! I officially saw an owl in the wild in Mexico! When I went to Mexico on my misses trip in December I stayed with the team at the missionary’s house. We arrived on December 31st sometime in the afternoon and right when I got out of the car my friend said look mo there’s and owl. It was broad daylight and owls aren’t up in the afternoon so honestly I didn’t think she saw one but I looked. I didn’t see anything and she said its right there! I looked again and in the field right next to us there was a brown spotted owl standing on the ground just looking at us. It was amazing! We got a few pics but they weren’t that amazing but the memory will always be there.

 

 

 

First thing Done!

So I have officially completed two items on my “23 by 23” list!! I am very excited! One of them did not go as planned but it was still super fun because I was with one of my closest friends. Okay, so the first one I accomplished was going to the forest.

On December 28th,2012 I went to Placerita Canyon with my friend Dj! We wanted to get away from the noise and busy-ness of the city and spend time with God to journal and listen to Him. I went online to look for places that we forest like and found Placerita Canyon, which was fairly close to us and so we went there. On the way up, we were talking about different things and somehow the animals that live there got brought up. Dj was super scared about the animals and I tried to reassure her that it would be okay but I also laughed at her… a lot hahaha. Little did I know, I would be the one being laughed at later haha. we got there and it wasnt what I expected. Yes it was absolutly GORGEOUS but it was also very very cold and very very wet.

 

What I did not realize was that we would have to hike to get to where we wanted and the ONLY thing I could think about was, what if we got lost!

 

I could not get my mind out of the nightmare of getting lost so after a few minutes, Dj, being the amazing friend that she is, Allowed me to talk her into going to the park instead! So we now have amazing hilarious memories that we will forever share!

23 by 23

23 by 23

This next year I have things I’ve always wanted to do and I am going to do them. I made a list of 23 things that I want to do before my birthday and as I accomplish them ill post pictures and write about my experience. I hope you enjoy my journey ☺

1. Make Anchor braceletes

2. Make home made leaf cards

3. Watch disney movies all day in the order they were released

4. Make coconut Macaroons

5. Go out to eat and pay for a random persons dinner, or buy a gift card to eat out and treat a random person

6.  Let someone order a dish i wouldnt usually order.

7. Take underwater pictures in a pool or the ocean

8. Go to the zoo with kid(s)

9. Spend the day with someone that I know but do not fully know

10. Do a DIY craft

11. Go see Ellen

12. Pet a Giraffe, Tiger, or Owl

13. Leave random encouraging notes to people

14. Go to the forest done December 27th 2012

15. See an owl in the wild done December 31st 2012

16. Go to the beach at night

17. ROADTRIP!

18. Be in a random photoshoot

19. Accomplish and maintain my Health Goals

20. Get my actual passport

21. Paint on location

22. See Taylor Swift live

23. Ride more than 10 rollar coasters in one day.