A Change in the Weather

2013... you sneaky mom! I don't think I can count the number of curve balls that were thrown my way in the last year. But I'm so happy about it! I owe the best year of my life to those curve balls.

As I look at my New Year's resolutions from last year I am AMAZED at how Heavenly Father helped me to make them happen. My two big resolutions were: 

1. Live in the moment            AND        2. Live every day with confidence

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So... number 1: Live in the moment

Like a lot of people I know, I've always been a planner-- I've always looked ahead to the next thing I need to accomplish or to the next big exciting thing coming up in my life. It hasn't made me unhappy but at the beginning of the year I kind of realized that it was holding me back from really appreciating where I'm at NOW-- not where I hope I'll be. So I wanted to figure out how to change that about myself. I wanted to love or at least feel and live in every moment instead of always running ahead to the next one.  I know I didn't live in the moment 100% of the time this year but I feel like I really did get over my obsession with planning and counting down. I still look forward to a lot of things-- but I don't let them become all-consuming. Sometimes Heavenly Father doesn't tell us what is coming because he wants us to trust him as he reveals one step at a time. And sometimes he just wants us to take leaps of faith onto unknown paths so we can learn even greater lessons.

Resolution number 2: Live every day with confidence

This ended up tying right into my first resolution. Once I started worrying less about the future I could see all the good things I have right now... and then it all slipped into perspective. I like who I am! I don't need everyone else to tell me I'm worth it. I have a great life, a great family and great friends. If I'm living in the moment I feel more content. And it reminds me that I have a lot of potential and worth. Confidence also helped me to make so many amazing friends in the last year. I tend to forget that I am often the biggest road block in front of me! I assume people see me in a certain way-- as someone who is reserved and serious and honestly, kinda awkward. At least that's what I was like in middle school. But its been years since then and I am so much more than that! And I know that other people don't see me that way. A lot of people know that I'm funny, loud, quirky, outgoing... that I love people easily and that I can be pretty brave when I want to be. 

And so now I can say that this was the best year of my life. I talked about curve balls earlier... I just want to recap some of those:

- Julie and Kelsey getting engaged

- My India trip being canceled 

- Staying in Provo for spring and summer 

- Spontaneous trip to Moab 

- My friend group for the summer

- Kylie being gone most of the summer for Efy 

- Going to Québec for nearly a month in the summer 

- My mom getting married (in Hawaii)!

- Deciding to go to India in Winter 2014

- Having the most amazing group of roommates possible (making it hard for me to leave)

- Going back to Canada for Thanksgiving 

- My family getting together in AZ for Christmas 

Bye 2013 :) I think 2014 is going to be even better. It just keeps getting better! There is a change in the weather coming up for me (figuratively and literally)! I leave for India in two days. I'll be living in Vizag (Visakhapatnam) for four months! Its bittersweet saying goodbye to so many people I love. I wish I could take them with me. But I've never been more ready for an adventure! 

Love,

Stéf