Love Life: A Simple Reminder

(Kinsale Ireland)

I know I've shared this before, but it's such a gem:

"Don't be gloomy.  Do not dwell on unkind things.  Stop seeking out the storms and enjoy more fully the sunlight.  Even if you are not happy, put a smile on your face.  'Accentuate the positive.' Look a little deeper for the good.  Go forward in life with a twinkle in your eye and a smile on your face, with great and strong purpose in your heart.  Love life." 

~ Gordon B. Hinckley, The Spirit of Optimism 

I hope you guys have a great weekend.

Remember to Love Life. :0)

The Power of Love

"Love is the only force that can erase the differences between people, that can bridge chasms of bitterness."

~ Gordon B. Hinckley, from And the Greatest of These is Love.

This is a nice Valentines quote.  Not all of us has a "true love" in our lives.  Whether you have a special someone or not, we can still all love.  :0)

Don't Put On Rose-Colored Glasses, Look Above

 "I am not suggesting you simply put on rose-colored glasses to make the world around you look rosy.  I ask, rather, that you look above and beyond the negative, the critical, the cynical, the doubtful, to the positive and the affirmative."

~ Gordon B. Hinckley

A good reminder.

And I hope you're enjoying the beautiful Autumn weather.  The trees in the mountains turned colors a month or so ago, but trees in the valley are starting to turn, and the colors are lovely.  This photo was taken in Ireland early September at Powerscourt, just when the leaves started turning.  This has been a wonderfully long Fall, which is nice because this is my favorite season.

What Our Life Focus Should Be

(Photo by Robin Stufflebeam)

"Being humble means recognizing we are not on Earth to see how important we can become, but to see how much difference we can make in the lives of others."

~ Gordon B. Hinckley 

Keep Trying; Keep Praying

 "No one has failed who keeps trying and keeps praying."

 ~ Jeffrey R. Holland

I will not give up.

Maybe I'm foolish.

Maybe I'm crazy.

But I won't give up.

In me, deep inside, I believe Talea Studios can and will be successful.  I believe I can be successful in my music and writing.  I believe the games my brothers and I are working on can find an audience.

There's been bumps in the road with my family in accomplishing our Talea goals: Marriages, moving, new jobs, new families to support, serving missions, etc.  Normal stuff that can easily derail any dream and goal.  But even with bumps we are not giving up.  We all believe in Talea.

"Please don't nag yourselves with thoughts of failure.  Do not set goals far beyond your capacity to achieve.  Simply do what you can do in the best way you know how, and the Lord will accept your effort."

 ~ Gordon B. Hinckley

Though I must be honest with myself.  Have I done everything I can?  Am I working as hard as I should?  Is there a lot more I could be doing?  With these three questions I can easily answer a resounding yes.  There's a lot more I should and can be doing to help the business, and I will.  I've been aimless and unfocused.  I haven't worked as hard as I should.  But here's the nice thing about life, it's not over till it's over, and I plan to live a long time, if God permits.

I'm recommitting myself to my goals and projects.

Recommitting myself to my family's goals.

By the end of the year I will have music to post online.  I'm not giving a date here, as I don't know how long this process will take, and I want to learn mastering and mixing music, so there's going to be a learning curve.  I've been meaning to learn mixing and mastering, but put it off.  And it would be good if I learn how to edit videos, so I'm not so dependent on my brothers.

And there's some other projects I won't talk about until they're close to or at completion, which will be awhile for some of these projects as there are learning curves for these projects as well.  But by the end of the year--hopefully by mid Autumn!--I'll be able to start sharing some of these things.

Learning to Love Life; Learning to Smile

"Don't be gloomy.  Do not dwell on unkind things.  Stop seeking out the storms and enjoy more fully the sunlight.  Even if you are not happy, put a smile on your face.  'Accentuate the positive.'  Look a little deeper for the good.  Go forward in life with a twinkle in your eye and a smile on your face, with great and strong purpose in your heart.  Love life." ~ Gordon B. Hinckley

How I miss President Gordon B. Hinckley and his incredible optimism.  This quote seems easier said than done, especially for me as someone who struggles with depression.  But even on the darkest days, I believe light can still be found, and that we can find things to be happy about.  Feeling happy is better then feeling sad.  It lifts the spirit.  Happiness glows, and I think it's something we don't just feel but give.

It's hard, especially on days when it feels like my greatest accomplishment is simply getting out of bed and then finding the strength and courage to face the World.  But the more I've pondered between positive and negative thoughts, the more I realize what a mind game it all is.  Negative will always be easier, as going down hill will always be easier than going up.  And there are days where it feels like I'm being crushed by a dark void, drowning, and those days are especially hard when it comes to finding the positive.  But even in the darkness there's power in gratitude.  Power in tuning in and focusing on love.  Power in giving.  Power in patience.  Power in faith.

And on some days I can only take a couple steps towards the light, and that's okay.  A couple steps are better than none.  Better than standing still or going backward.

It's a scientific fact that smiling releases endorphins, serotonin, and natural painkillers.  "Together these three neurotransmitters make us feel good from head to toe. Not only do these natural chemicals elevate your mood, but they also relax your body and reduce physical pain." (From Top 10 Reasons You Should Smile Every Day.)  It's amazing what just putting a smile on your face can do, and trust me I know it's hard.  Man it's hard.  But smiling, even when it's not at first genuine, as you fight through it, will help you feel better.

When I was in my deepest depression my Mom would say, "Fake it till you make it."  I would glare at her, because how could she know the pain?  How could I smile?  Why do I want to be fake?  But as time passes the more I realize how right she is.

It's hard to smile when I don't feel good, when I don't feel like it, but it does make a World of difference.

And there is power in focusing on the Positive over the Negative.  I still struggle with depression and my brain's natural need to be gloomy and calculate worse case scenarios, but as I've focused on my thoughts and the patterns they make, it's incredible what imagining the positive does.  Saying kind things to myself verses mean things.  Being gentler.  Noting and noticing the good.  It's a process, one that feels upstream, but our minds are powerful tools, and I want my brain to be a tool for good, if that makes any sense.

I read on Facebook a quote that I need to work on: 

"Stop being afraid of what could go wrong and start being positive about what could go right." ~ Kushandwizdom (found on Facebook)

I'm not perfect.

I won't pretend to be.

But I do desire to focus on what can go right, instead of what can go wrong, which is my natural inclination.  And I'm not going to get this right everyday.  I'm going to mess up.  I'm going to fall down.  As I start developing other healthy habits like overcoming my sugar addiction (aka self-medication), healthy eating, regular exercise, etc, I'm going to have good days and bad.

Regardless of the bad days with the good, the point is I'm trying.

I'm trying and recognizing.

I'm recognizing and moving.

Taking risks.  Being bold.  Finding courage.

And learning to love life.

We all have so much to be grateful.

Nothing Should Be Done In Anger

"Anger is not an expression of strength.  It is an indication of one's inability to control his thoughts, words, his emotions.  Of course it is easy to get angry.  When the weakness of anger takes over, the strength of reason leaves.  Cultivate within yourselves the mighty power of self discipline."

~ Gordon B. Hinckley (1910-2008)

When Thoughts of Failure Nag, Press Forward

(View from the backyard)

"We Sometimes think we would like to know what lies ahead, but sober thought brings us back to accepting life a day at a time and magnifying and glorifying that day."  ~ Spencer W. Kimball

So I was laying on my bed this afternoon, pondering over what I would blog about.  What I was thinking about was something quite different then what you see here now, as my line of sight rested upon the side of my file cabinet, and quotes I haven't read in years begged to be read.  The above quote was one of these pearls of wisdom.

I slipped up this weekend.  Nothing bad, mind, just slipped up from this whole healthy mind/body journey I'm on.  Pizza and burgers, chocolate, etc, my will power shot as mental demons attacked.  Wondering if I can be successful.  Wondering if I'll fail all over again.

This quote was what I needed.

Then my eyesight rested on another quote, this time from Gordon B. Hinckley:

"Rise to the great potential within you.  I do not ask that you reach beyond your capacity.  I hope you will not nag yourself with thoughts of failure.  I hope you will not try to set goals far beyond your capacity to achieve.  I hope you will simply do what you can do in the best way you know how.  If you do so, you will witness miracles come to pass."

Another beautiful quote I use to draw daily inspiration from, but had completely forgotten.

And then another quote, this time on a magnet instead of a piece of paper, caught my eye.  Wisdom from the incredibly brilliant Leonardo DaVinci:

"I love those who can smile in trouble, who can gather strength from distress and grow brave by reflection."

So when thoughts of failure nag you, push forward.

Don't give up.

We're all fighting battles, whether big or small, these battles are huge to us, begging for retreat or a white flag.  Don't wave that flag!  Don't turn back!  Press forward and win that much needed victory.  It's closer then you think.

Life was never meant to be easy, but it's sure worth it.

Do What You Can

"I feel to invite women everywhere to rise to the great potential within you.  I do not ask that you reach beyond your capacity.  I hope you will not nag yourselves with thoughts of failure.  I hope you will not try to set goals far beyond your capacity to achieve.  I hope you will simply do what you can do in the best way you know.  If you do so, you will witness miracles come to pass."

~ Gordon B. Hinckley

Faith

(Santa Barbara this last Summer)

“Our lives are the only meaningful expression of what we believe and in Whom we believe. And the only real wealth, for any of us, lies in our faith.”

~ Gordon B. Hinckley

Los Angeles Temple

(Photo taken from the Getty Center Museum)

"You will come to know that what appears

today to be a sacrifice will prove instead to be 

the greatest investment you will ever make."

~ Gordon B. Hinckley