New year, new me??

Ha. I hate that saying. If you want to change, just do it. Don't put it off til the new year. 

But that's beside the point.

Looking back, 2014 was an insane year. It was a year that made me feel more alive than I ever had before. You know that old "it was the best of times, it was the worst of times" quote?? That was my 2014. The highs were so dang high, but the lows were equally low. I learned so much about myself and the world around me. I thought it might be nice to share some of the lessons I learned in the past year.

-There is no reason to be alone. There are people around you that love you and care about you. You have someone who will listen. Don't isolate yourself because of problems or pain. 

-Love will come in unexpected ways, times, and places. I don't necessarily mean romantic love (but that too). I am sometimes a pessimist about things like this. I tend to believe all I have at the time is all I'm ever gonna get. But life chose to teach me a lesson in humility this year and prove me otherwise.

-New friends also show up unexpectedly. Here's a little story: You may have heard of Jordan, one of my best friends ever. But did you know we have only been friends for a few months?? She moved to my town last year. (I think it might have been last year but actually I have no clue...) She was in a different ward than me but I saw her at school and seminary. She was sort of friends with my other best friend Rebecca at the end of last school year. Rebecca always told me that Jordan and I would really hit it off but it just never happened. Then June rolled around and I went on the esteemed UK trip. And who also went? None other than the famous Jordan Waters. There is something about being in a foreign country without your family that makes you bond with people. Jordan and I discovered that we were both in fact insane and hilarious (well we think so). We have been best friends ever since and I can confidently say that we will be friends for our entire lives. 

-It can be hard to save money, but it is so worth it!! I'm what you could call an impulse buyer. I love shopping, and I'm totally that girl that grabs everything next to the register after already placing my large pile to be scanned. This past year, I chose to try and calm this habit and save. It was so worth it!!

-Change is so hard. But you can get through it. And it can make things better than before. 'Nuff said. 

-Friendships or relationships can end, even when you thought they never would. It can be so confusing and difficult to deal with. You have the choice to pity yourself, or you have the choice to grow and improve yourself. I recommend the second option. 

-Stop comparing yourself to others!!! And stop throwing pity parties for yourself because you think other people have it better!! You're just wasting your time ignoring all the wonderful things you do have!!! Took me long enough to figure that out. 

-Don't criticize unless you plan to do something about it. Otherwise you are just complaining. 

-Travel really is good for the mind and soul. (I know this from all the one foreign places I traveled to...) Going to the UK brought me more happiness than I can even express. I learned so much about my ancestral history and I saw so many beautiful things. It also made me extremely grateful that I live in America. But that's for a different time...

-Be nice. Love people. Even when they don't seem to deserve it. You may have picked up on my sharp tongue and sarcastic manner? Let me just tell you, this gets me into trouble. It's hard for me to hold my tongue. But what's the point?? Sure, you get to gloat at your cleverness and gain temporary personal satisfaction. But did it benefit your life? And more importantly, did it benefit the other person's life? No... just be nice. 

-Exercise actually does make you feel better! I know.. it's shocking to believe that the doctors are right. Now, I'm not recommending that you go run a marathon. Let's be honest, only insane people and vegans do that. But being active boosts your energy and happiness! I like to do yoga at least 3 times a week. I notice that when I don't do yoga, I am tired and grumpy the next day. In the words of Elle Woods, "Exercise gives you endorphins. Endorphins make you happy. Happy people just don't shoot their husbands, they just don't!" 

-Sometimes the only answer is a good cry. Several times in 2014, I walked down to my mother with tears streaming down my face, unable to express my pain or frustration. She always just told me to cry it out. Cry it out and then soak in a nice, hot bath. This has been scientifically proven (by me) to solve problems.

-Time really does move fast. Live your life accordingly. I know this probably seems silly coming from a 17 year old, but I'm entering the last semester of my senior year in high school. Soon, I'll be starting a whole new chapter in my life. I will be separated from some of my best friends. Try to enjoy the things happening now. Don't sit around waiting for something. I'm guilty of saying, "oh, it'll be so good when I go to college". But sometimes I forget about how good I've got it now! One of my favorite movie characters, Ferris Bueller, summed it up perfectly. " Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it." 

I hope you all had a wonderful 2014, and I wish you an even better 2015! (Even though I'm still convinced that it's only 2010 and the government is lying to us..)