My Simple, Happy, Beautiful Life

It is so important to find a emotional outlet to express whatever you are feeling. I have never realized how much writing helps me. In High School, I hated writing, but through this blog, I have started to enjoy writing. I am not writing critical essays but just a place where I can express how I am currently feeling. This morning I wrote in my journal, and my thoughts were organized when I started writing them down on paper. I was able to see more clear, and realize emotionally what I was feeling. It was amazing. I never realized how writing is such a emotional outlet. Then I thought back to Jane Austen. I love Jane Austen. But in Persuasion and Pride and Prejudice, letters were so important to communication, dealing with differences, and falling in love. Mr. Darcy writes a letter to Elizabeth Bennett explaining his past, his family, and his hopes. It cleared up the prejudice Elizabeth had towards him. It helped her see in a different way, and she changed her perspective. Also...

I ask questions. I read research and journals. I then question the article and ask for the creditionals. Today, I had some questions about what has just happened to me recently, and so I looked on the internet to figure out the reasoning. I realized how curious I have become. I guess I have been my whole life, but maybe I am just realizing it. I have always heard "curiousity killed the cat", but I think I have a opposite point of view. Although people do a lot of things because they are curious, I feel like we can't learn without curiousity. If I never asked questions, I would never have the desire to gain more knowledge. Desire is key to gaining knowledge. So part of my questioning included today.. Why do we say things we don't mean? Why and when do we use defense mechanisms? Why are some people more willing to open to up to people and some take longer to get to know? Why are we afraid to be alone? When standing in a group and being the only one out, why are we...

It is hard to be good. It is easy to give in. It is easy to forget everything you should do, and give in to your desires.  It is hard to think of what is best for your future. It is hard to make a righteous decision. Of course there are the exceptions, but it is easy to not care about what is best, and do what you want in the moment. There is that momentary happiness that you feel that makes giving in seem worth it. If we really thought about the decision in the long run, then we would realize the long term effects. If we give up the momentary happiness for the long term happiness. If we have the faith that everything will be okay, then we will be able to make the hard decision. This is what I am learning. It is hard to do the right thing. It is hard to have a eternal perspective. But that eternal perspective is so important to our happiness. If we gave in to every momentary desire we had, then we would have no self-control. Do we have to sacrifice our momentary desires for the lon...

We have been learing about chrildren's emotional development. It amazes me. I never knew that you were born with certain personality traits. Every child is different, there is so many things that can make a person who they are. You need to know the child's personality and then treat your child according to their personality. I was looking at my siblings, and we all had different personalities. I bet my mom had to figure out different ways to teach us by how we learn. I was a very stubborn child, and maybe I was born with that personality trait. Of course, you can develop the traits as you grow. Anyways, I continue to be amazed at human development everyday as I learn about how fast children grow. Their process of self awareness and gainging self knowledge is  fascinating. I am so grateful for opportunities to learn, the internet and the availability to gain information, and the chance that we have to grow, help others grow.

I wonder if our emotions work like the Chaos Theory in Physics sometimes. I feel a emotion, can't find the source, I am so frustrated over the fact that I can't control my emotions. I try to find a way to control my emotions, but it is hard. I try to find the reason about why I am feeling the way i do, and I can't. I wonder if I should just accept the theory of chaos and realize we may not understand and know everything. Those are my thoughts for tonight.

I never realized the strong connection between the mind the body. When you are physically healthy, it so much easier to have a healthy mind. I woke up this morning feeling out of it, and I still dont' feel that good. It is not anything major, but it is interesting how my energy level has gone down, which makes my social level go down. I don't feel upbeat, I just feel exhausted. Why does what is happening to my body have a strong influence on how I feel in my mind? It is like "you are what you eat". Whenever I am eating healthy, I feel like I have this endless amount of energy, and I am more likely to have a positive attitude. But when I start to eat unhealthy, I will have more doubt, and I will get down on myself more. I think I will take "Healthy Psychology" in the next couple of semesters, I will be able to answer my question!

   I saw Eat, Pray, Love with my roomate. I loved it. It inspired me because I could see the healing process Julia Roberts went through. She learned so much through her journey. I dont think we need to travel to Italy, India, Bali to find ouselves. We have social support, family, and many resources that we can find to find the peace. I realized how important it is a relationship for each individual  have that "inner peace" or completeness. She wasn't happy in her marriage, because she wasn't complete herself. Although people looking at the outside would think she was happy. She was a writer, publishing books, traveling, her husband was smart, they were "happily" married. But she identified herself by what she did, not who she was. One part during the movie, they were talking about words to describe themselves, and Julia Roberts described herself as "writer". One man commented saying, "thats what you do, not who you are". I feel like we id...

I feel like time management is the hardest skill to learn. I have 5 thousand things I could do within one day, and I have to choose which ones are important, and in what order to do it. I have to let some things ago if I don't get them done. I have to include a social life along with class, homework, roomates, sleep, working out, and scripture study. I have been slowly developing it as I have been through school. There are just so many demands, and I have to choose what is important to me. Lately, this week, I feel like I have been running around all day and at night I am exhausted. I guess it is part of college life. Sleep deprivation and exhaustion are just part of my life. I just have to find my outlets so I don't get too stressed. I feel like I am getting better at that. Stress management is a hard thing to learn. I have learned that my outlets are working out, playing and singing music, dancing, watching movies, eating, sleeping, talking to friends, and writing in my journ...

I realized today it is the small and simple things that bring people together. Today, I ate breakfast with my roomates altogether, which never happens. I felt so united and "family" like with them. Lately at devotionals and my classes, we have been talking about how the small and simple things bring families together. Eating together, spending time together, praying together. I have started trying to do those things within my apartment, and i have noticed a difference. When we pray as a apartment, we get along much better. When we talk about our days, talk about our frustrations, funny moments in our days, or whatever we want, it bring us much closer. When we talk and spend time together, the differences become small and we are able to relate to each other. I love the feeling when people who are very different find something to love about the other person. I have learned to do this with my roomates. We are not all perfect, and we make mistakes, we judge each other, but once w...

The other day I was feeling down, and I just thought I could either think depressing thoughts and just cause my own misery or try to think of something positive in my life and then try to be happy. It was a weird thing because I decided I was going to change my outlook on the situation, and then be happy. I forced myself to smile, forced myself to change my thinking, and eventually my attitude switched. It wasn't a automatic switch, but it over time I could feel myself not having to force myself to smile or to think positive. I started to think about why it worked, and this was my conclusion. 1.I made a conscious decision to change my thoughts. 2. It was intentional, and it took effort and energy to smile, and change my outlook. I always have heard that simply smiling can bring you some happiness. Maybe it was the muscles I was changing to smile instead of frowning, maybe it was the fact that my thoughts were changing from depressing ones to hopeful thoughts. I have no idea exa...

I am Kristen. I am a student. I am a future psychologist. I am a daughter. I am a friend.   I am a musician.  I am a runner. I am a listener. I am a shopper. I am a shoe addiction consumer in denial.  I am a food lover. I am a glee fanatic. I am a fan of Michael Scott. I am organized. I am a people watcher. I am captivated by anyone who can play the guitar and can sing.  I am a beach lover. I am curious about human behavior and emotions. I am a fan of sleeping in on the weekends. I am indecisive.  I am still discovering about myself each and everyday. I am optimistic. I am a believer in the statement that "Your future is as bright as your faith". I am jukebox. I am a owner of the most adorable golden retriever on the planet. I am a accountant's daughter who doesn't know how to live on a budget. I am constantly singing a song in my head. I am a dreamer. I am a lover of rain and stormy weather.  I am Kristen. 

I had a really good weekend. I am so grateful right now. I came home and seeing my roomates was so much fun to catch up. And then I had a note from my roomate on my bed, after finding out we were pranked by some friends! I am grateful for my roomates, my friends, my family, General Conference, education, and the opportunity to spend time with people we love. I just wanted to share my quick note of grattitude.