Spiritual Sunday: Non-Scale Victories

💪🏻 Let’s talk about your #nonscalevictory ! 👏🏻 ⠀
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Here is mine from yesterday (I was SO proud of myself 😂). I was with some friends from church, and there were @crumblcookies there. If you know me, you know baked goods are my weakness 😅. Especially fun flavors like almond joy, raspberry cheesecake, Cinnamon Toast Crunch....ANYWAYS. I had eaten a lot of sugar the day before which made me feel gross, and I was about to go on a run. I knew that combination wouldn’t be a positive one, so I cut a fourth of the almond joy cookie, put it on a napkin, and saved it for tomorrow. BOOM! ⠀
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This is a 👏🏻BIG👏🏻DEAL for me. I didn’t deprive myself of a treat that I love, but also, I didn’t succumb to eating it at a bad time just because it was in front of me. I thought before I ate. That was amazing! Good job me!! 😋⠀
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I really want to hear your #nonscalevictory from last week or this weekend! I know you have one! Did you choose water over soda at dinner? Did you go on a walk after dinner instead of watching TV? Did you go to bed early? ⠀

Spiritual Sunday: Happy Father's Day

Rando things we love about our dad: 1) He has a great eye for suitcases, jackets, and shoes. 2) He has an arsenal of MacGyver survival skills. He can fix ANYTHING. 3) He calls rolls and sometimes cookies “biscuits.” 4) He likes summer sausage and cheeses. 5) He always asks his daughters’ boyfriends to move furniture as a test. 6) His name is actually Donald. 7) He is an expert packer- “Tetris” is his middle name. 8) He loves budgeting and family history. 9) He will eat anything. Expired, alive, etc. 10) He loves the Kirkland brand.

Thankful Thursday: Lemons to Lemonade

My friends and I were so excited to go to Ghirardelli Square In our last few hours in San Francisco. When the day began, I told everyone, “the only thing I care about today is getting an ice cream sundae at Ghirardelli.” I made sure to bring it up at least three more times. When we arrived, our first stop was to the bathroom. We noticed it was eerily dark. The power had gone out. We didn’t think much of it, but when we got to the ice cream shop, they said their systems were down and they weren’t selling anything. The power had gone out about 10 minutes before we arrived. We decided to go take some pictures and wait for their system to come back up. Then we got in line at the ice cream shop and waited. And waited. And waited. We got chocolate samples twice and they even started giving out ice cream samples. But they wouldn’t sell anything. We had to leave for the airport soon and they couldn’t give an estimate on when the server would be back up. So we had to leave without the ice-cream. I was very sad. But when I look back at these pictures, I remember how funny it was when Brittany bent down behind the bushes to hold Katie’s shirt so it wouldn’t blow in the wind and make her look pregnant. I remember how we laughed at me looking like an awkward bird in one of the shots. And then there was the rando guy that just came and sat in one of our pictures to be funny. We didn’t get what we came for, but we had lots of laughter and joy in the journey. Sometimes the things we dream about are just outside our reach and it’s beyond our control. But we get to choose our attitude and make lemonade out of lemons. And friends are really good at helping us do that! 

Spiritual Sunday: Nature

"Adopt the pace of nature: her secret is patience.” 

-Ralph Waldo Emerson 
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Self Care Saturday: There's Always Tomorrow

Have you ever had a day like this? I have. I was going through a really hard time, and I had volunteered to make cookies for something even though I shouldn’t have (because of #selfcare), and I left the house and left these chocolate chip cookies in the oven for around 3 hours. The house was filled with smoke when I got home, and when you stuck your finger in one of these bad boys, it turned to ash. Poof! So I took a pic to remind myself that sometimes, you have bad days, BUT bad days come to an end, and you can always make another batch tomorrow. 🍪

Mental Health Monday: Positive Thinking

When I was in college, I had an unforgettable experience in a master class. As a music major, I had to sing in front of my peers and be critiqued by my professor. After performing one evening, he said to me, “Katie, you’re very hard on yourself.” This is something I’ve heard a lot in my life, so I told him I agreed. Then he said, “But you’re hard on other people too. You’re hard on them because you’re hard on yourself.” I was completely taken aback. I barely knew this professor. I have no idea to this day what inspired him to say that to me. But I will NEVER forget it. One trap perfectionists fall in to is holding themselves to an impossible standard and unintentionally doing it to the people around them. It’s easy to become critical and judgmental. 

My friend shared reminded me of a quote from LDS church leader Elder Jeffrey R. Holland that said, “I suppose it goes without saying that negative speaking so often flows from negative thinking, including negative thinking about ourselves. We see our own faults, we speak—or at least think—critically of ourselves, and before long that is how we see everyone and everything.” When we cut ourselves a break and love ourselves, we are better prepared to love others. If there is one thing I want more than anything, it’s to view all people the way I see my niece and nephews- as humans with divine roots and endless potential who I cherish deeply and perfectly, even when one of them says, “I don’t yike you, Katie” (he’s two- it comes with the territory. They don’t yike anyone, but we love them anyway). I can’t do that, though, until I stop placing unrealistic demands on myself.

Spiritual Sunday: Gratitude

Today, I share with you a story from my husband who is away on business in China. One of his friends and suppliers took him to his village where he grew up yesterday and shared with him some stories from his childhood. They lived in poverty and could not afford shoes. He spent most of his childhood barefoot, and they couldn’t afford school until 3rd grade. He didn’t have pockets in his clothing and wanted a place to put his treasures while out exploring so he would find scraps of cloth and sew little pockets for himself. Pictured, are some images of his home and village. He is now successful and lives in a nice apartment with his wife and child. This was an eye-opening experience for my husband, and for me as he relayed the experience. So often we take for granted the things we so easily have, like shoes or pockets. What was most amazing, was his friend’s positive attitude about it all. He looked on his childhood fondly, never feeling slighted. Let us remember to always be grateful for all things, including the seemingly insignificant, and to be joyful in the life you are living. Happy Sunday everyone! ❤️, Christina. 

Fitness Friday: Fitness Flow

✨F✨L✨O✨W✨:
“Concentration is so intense that there is no attention left over to think about anything irrelevant, or to worry about problems. Self-consciousness disappears, and the sense of time becomes distorted. An activity that produces such experiences is so gratifying that people are willing to do it for its own sake, with little concern for what they will get out of it, even when it is difficult.”

✨-Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi

I am a believer that our fitness routines should be experienced of FLOW. Where you forget that you’re sweating, that’s it’s hard, that you’d rather be sleeping... when you’re in the zone.

✨What’s your fitness flow experience? ✨

Mental Health Monday: Apologize

In my struggle with scrupulosity, apologizing is a way to relieve anxiety. It’s what the outpatient clinic I attended last summer calls a “neutralizing behavior.” I feel anxiety that I may have done something wrong or made someone uncomfortable; therefore, I apologize for it just in case. It makes me feel less anxious because it means I’ve acknowledged what I did and tried to make it better. This is problematic because it’s easy to start apologizing for living, talking, breathing, having opinions, having a tough day, being sad, being hurt, etc. And those feelings aren’t things that require an apology. One thing my therapist taught me that was a huge game changer is that I should never apologize for my feelings. I don’t need to beat myself up for being angry or scared or apathetic or whatever I may feel. I should recognize it, sit with it, and then decide how best to proceed from there. I’ve since made it a goal not to apologize for being me. It is already making a big difference in my relationships. A guy said to me recently, “I love how you are always so confident and sure of yourself.” I had to laugh, because that’s the polar opposite of me usually. But it proved the techniques I learned in therapy are helping me grow and improv (image created with @typoramaapp).

Spiritual Sunday: Happy Mother's Day!

The beautiful woman juxtaposed beside the super awkward teenager in the picture above is my mother, Estella. Isn’t that a fabulous name? Growing up, she never liked it. It’s a family name, and it wasn’t in style when she was a kid. It was unique. It was special. The name couldn’t be more fitting. My mother is a unique, special woman. I somehow got lucky enough to become hers here on earth. 
My parents have both said that one of the greatest blessings in their lives is how close their children are to one another. I was reflecting on that the other day, and the thought came to me: it’s because of your mother. From the moment we were born, our mother showered us with kisses, nicknames, songs, and words of love. She always shared heavily in our joys and sorrows. We had that example of familial relationships from the day of our births, which influenced the bonds we formed with one another. 

Because she is fairly quiet in public, many don’t know that my mother has a wickedly delightful sense of humor. Her laughter is hearty and full. She finds many things hilarious that she thinks she’s not supposed to, which makes it all the more funny. She throws a great party; she is dedicated to God and her family above everything else. 

I love her so much.

Self Care Saturday: Mindfulness

🐝 BE🐝✨M✨I✨N✨D✨F✨U✨L✨

Is self-care really an indulgence? No, it’s a necessity for your health and the health of those around you. Does it have to be expensive like a massage or take time like a nap? Not always.

Practicing mindfulness doesn’t cost a cent, and can be done at any point in the day. Mindfulness is simply focusing on the present moment, on your breathing, on your senses.

A fun trick I learned when I was a counselor at Camp KODA (Kids Out to Defeat Arthritis) is called “Five Things.” In an anxious moment (like before a doctors appointment, or when you find yourself worrying about the future or obsessing over the past), go through each of the 5 senses, and name 5 things you can touch/smell/taste/hear/see at the present moment.

Example: For touch, right now I can feel the leather of my chair, the book on my lap, the movement of my shirt, my thumbs on the screen of my phone, and the fingers on the back of my phone case.

Choose one of the five senses and comment below with your five things right now. Let this exercise bring you back to the mindful present. ✨

Mental Health Monday: Shoulding

There is a lot of shame associated with OCD and anxiety. I waste so much time telling myself how I “should” be: “You should be able to deal with this,” or, “You should be doing this regularly.” It’s exhausting and painful. There’s no allowance for being human. This is a phrase I learned with one of my therapists, Lisa. Whenever I catch myself “shoulding” myself, I try to change my inner dialogue. (Sidenote: posting this message is a form of exposure therapy for me because I’m ALMOST swearing in public 😂😂😂. See my “Dam It” post from a couple months ago to understand what I mean!). 

Fitness Friday: 100 Classes

Happy #fitnessfriday !! I’m not normally the one who posts on Fridays, but I reached a personal milestone today at @otfbountiful and wanted to share some thoughts. Today, I got to sign the “100 Classes” picture. It may seem small, but that signature represents a couple significant things to me:
1. Patience. Patience has never been one of my virtues. I’ve always wanted to lose weight quickly and furiously, which is not the right way to do it. 100 classes takes time. It took me 7 months of the hardest workouts of my life to hit my goal. Because OTF focuses on both cardio and weight training, there is a period of time where weight loss is slow and changes seem imperceptible while fat converts to muscle. It’s hard to keep going when it feels like results aren’t happening. But I’m learning that the best kind of change takes time. That was a lesson I needed to learn.
2. Self-Worth. I’ve always seen myself as hopelessly un-athletic. I’ve felt self-conscious about it my whole life. It’s honestly still true. But at my classes, I can see my growth based on how many miles per hour I’m rowing now compared to 7 months ago, and how heavy the weights are that I’m lifting. I can tell how much faster I’m running based on my current base pace and push pace. OTF also has benchmark weeks where we record things like our mile run, our 1000 meter row, etc. and then repeat it 6 months later to track progress. I now know I CAN grow and become better at something I’ve always dismissed as not “my thing.” I’m still the slowest one on the weight floor, but I’m better than I was before. And that’s enough for me.

Thankful Thursday: Travel

“And I think to myself, ‘What a wonderful world.’” Some of my most treasured gifts are the experiences I’ve collected traveling. When I went to live in another country at age 21, my eyes were truly opened. My heart grew. The beauty of our world is astonishing. The kindness of people all over the globe is mind-blowing. I love Air B&B’s because they give a true feel for living in the community. Our world is a spectacular place and there is so much to explore! 

Travel is pricey. It’s a sacrifice of time and money, both of which can be very hard to come by. There are times and seasons to our lives that influence how much we can travel. I am in a phase of life where it is easier for me to do it. I recognize how lucky I am. But traveling doesn’t have to be across the ocean. It can be 300 miles north or a two hour drive east. It can be a day trip or a weekend adventure. But I think travel of any kind is important for so many reasons. Nature is healing. Meeting people with different experiences in new places gives us critical perspective. It’s nice to get away from our own concerns at home every once in awhile. Take advantage of travel opportunities in whatever phase of life you’re in. 

Here is a tip that I think can apply to everyone: I have a regular savings account and a travel savings bank account. I put money every month in to both accounts. It makes travel expenses feel more manageable.

Any guesses where some of these pictures were taken? Special thanks to @tellyh654 for tracking them down for me!

Spiritual Sunday: Better Together

Happy Easter! There is nothing quite like uniting with 500 other singers, bell ringers, herald trumpeters, cellists, violinists, flautists, percussionists, and more to share that Jesus Christ is the Savior of the world. Because He overcame death, we can be with our loved ones we lost in mortality. Because He rose again, He is there to comfort us through every dark moment we face. The power, joy, and love flowing through the Tabernacle last night during the Easter concert with the Tabernacle Choir, Orchestra and Bells at Temple Square as we joined in testimony and purpose was indescribable. I was deeply touched and felt strongly God’s love for me, imperfect as I am. We, as human beings, are better together. When we unite in heart and purpose, we are richly fed. Together, we can share what is most sacred to us in a way we cannot do alone. There were some songs in the concert that I totally botched. As I lamented to my friend @brettmiller52 , she reminded me that, “the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.” I understand keenly now the truth of that statement. Let’s not do life alone. Let’s help one another through the hills and valleys of life. When we do, our lives are truly joyous. Individually, we can accomplish a lot; together, we can do so much more; with Christ, we can do all things.

Thankful Thursday: Answered Prayers

I prayed to be on the BYU Ballroom Tour Team from the age of 14 when I was mystified by their performance in Nauvoo when my sister @christinapendleton was on the backup team. They were amazing, and i couldn’t think of anything more wonderful than sharing my love of dance and Jesus Christ with the world!
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From the moment I set foot on BYU campus at age 18, I prayed, worked, stressed, cried, and competed my heart out to make my dream a reality. The competition was fierce, but I was making progress! My dream seemed closer than ever.
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Fast forward to August of 2015, when I was diagnosed with Guillain-Barre Syndrome. My body stopped working, and I had to drop out of school, stop dancing on the intermediate ballroom team, tell my partners to find someone else to dance with, and focus on recovery. I would watch videos of myself dancing as I lay in bed, my body feeling numb and my heart feeling low.
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At the beginning I prayed to have it taken away. I asked God to help me, somehow, fix my body so I could still make it on the tour team.
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It was a long road for me as a 20-year old girl to recover, but by January 2016, i was weak, but I was back in dance.
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It took work and time, but I moved up teams, and an opportunity to audition for the BYU Blackpool (world competition) Ballroom Tour Team came up for me. I was so excited! It was just what I had always been praying for! Before auditions, I prayed a lot. I had also been accepted to the Master’s program at the University of UT in Occupational Therapy around the same time. I didn’t know what to do. I suddenly found myself with another, new dream--to use my experiences to help others through OT.
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I heard an answer clearly in my mind that I needed to go to salt lake. And just in case I was mistaken, I asked again, and God confirmed it for me a second time 😉. I couldn’t believe it. I told my coach that I wouldn’t be auditioning for the tour team, and I felt the spirit confirm it was right.

Heavenly Father didn’t answer my prayer of being on BYU Ballroom Tour Team. Instead, He led me to a path that would be better for me personally in the long run. I am so grateful for unanswered prayers!
-Anna

Mental Health Monday: Let Yourself Be Loved

One of my anxiety triggers is being in debt to someone. If a person offers to do something for me, I immediately start devising ways to pay him/her back, even when nothing is expected in return. It’s even hard for me to trust and accept love given to me freely. I feel inadequate to repay the debt I feel all the time- as a human being, I find myself needing help a lot! We all do.

Shortly after moving in to my new house in 2016, I mentioned to my friend that I wanted a garden. I told him my modest budget and he surprised me one day with a truck full of plants and a watering system. He spent close to $400 and only wanted a $100 reimbursement. Still, I tried to venmo him the full amount based on my guestimation of what he spent. He returned all but $100. Tears sprang to my eyes when I read the memo for the payment on Venmo (see second picture). 

Because he knows me well, he emphasized that he wanted NOTHING in return. For the first time in a very long time, I allowed someone outside my family to love and serve me without making things “even.” The invaluable gift he gave me was not the garden that I later killed with my black thumb- it was the knowledge that someone who all sides of me found me worthy of a garden full of beautiful flowers. It was one of the most profound moments of my life. To my fellow sufferers of mental illness, do you allow people to love you? Like me, do you deflect compliments? Do you sometimes see yourself as your mental illness and therefore unworthy of love? We have to fight against these destructive and unhealthy behaviors and remember that we are so much more than our OCD, depression, bipolar disorder, social anxiety, body dysmorphia, panic disorder, or whatever else afflicts us. 

Spiritual Sunday: Inner Dialogue

Our bodies are incredible. When we get cut or bruised, the body works to heal itself. Our bodies can create beautiful little humans who go on to think and learn and change the world. Our bodies are one of the most precious gifts we have. When I first saw this picture, I immediately thought, “Ugh, look at my hips in those pants” instead of, “Look at those marvelous legs that got me up to the top of that mountain so I could witness the exquisite view behind me.” My inner dialogue needs to change. Many of us, like me, are so critical of our bodies- we immediately see the flaws and forget all the super powers our body has! When my sister regained her ability to walk after a battle with GBS left her in a wheelchair, it was like she had a new lease on life. She treasures her body. I want to do the same. I am so grateful to God for the gift of my body that allows me to enjoy this beautiful world He created for us.

Thankful Thursday: Mistakes

It’s Anna for #thankfulthursday ! Today in my neuroanatomy class, we learned that when it comes to movement, “the brain can’t correct what it doesn’t know is wrong.” 

To me this means that the millions of times we fell down and bonked our heads as kids helped us to learn the correct way to walk. Lots of other areas of my life are stronger now because of the mistakes I have made and had the opportunity to correct.

So today, I am thankful for mistakes!

Spiritual Sunday: Quality of Life

Do you agree? This hit home for me. Pick one of these categories that you think needs work in your life and work on it this week! The hardest part is getting started, so something small every day, little steps add up!