Lessons I Learned in 2014

I've been reflecting a lot on what I've learned over the last year.  2013 was a tough year for me and I promised myself that in 2014 I would change a lot.  And I learned many important lessons:

• There is no occasion that doesn't call for red lipstick
• You can live without Diet Coke (I know....I know)
• Sometimes you just need to spend an entire day watching terrible movies on Hallmark
• You will not laugh as much with anyone as you do with your family
• It's important to be thrifty and save money...but never buy cheap foundation, sheets, or razors.
• Don't invest time in people who won't do the same for you
• Take a selfie.  Post it.  Who cares what anyone else thinks.
• Window seats and rainy days are the beginnings of a perfect day
• Celebrate your successes and learn from your failures
• People will always make assumptions about you and most of them will be wrong but you don't have to defend yourself to anyone

I think the biggest lesson I learned and change I made was learning to invest in myself.  I'm a firm believer in the fact that we can't really ever be happy until we love ourselves and accept ourselves for who we are.  I don't think we should be complacent because I think we should always be improving ourselves.  This does not mean we will be perfect.  We have flaws....I certainly do.  I love things too much.  I let things hurt me too deeply.  I sing to Taylor Swift songs way too loud.  I look at pictures of sloths too much.
Just to name a few.
But our flaws are what make us who we are.  Because I love things too much I am able to accept other people's flaws, I might get hurt deeply but at least it means I'm sensitive and I care, and if listening to a Taylor Swift song too loud is the worst thing I do...then I think I'm doing ok.
I embraced my flaws this year and changed the things I wanted to change.  I became more confident and comfortable with who I am and mostly....I learned to love myself.  I started becoming a person that I'm proud of.  A person I would want to be friends with.
That is what I would challenge everyone to do.  Get to know yourself.  Embrace who you are.  Change the things you aren't proud of.  Surprisingly.....life becomes so much more beautiful when you do this...I promise.
As for the sloths....I can't defend it...but I probably also won't stop it.
Haters gonna hate.
xoxo
V

He Is The Gift

I've been trying to think of what I want to express about Christmas.
I've experienced a different Christmas season than I have in the past.  I'm not a genius by any means but I know the reason why.  This season I put much more of a focus on why we celebrate Christmas in the first place.  It's easy for people who work in retail or business to get jaded about Christmas.  Christmas music starts sprinkling into our sound systems the day after Halloween.  The hours are longer, the stress higher, and the customers grumpier (which is sad). We reduce Christmas to a bottom line, something we just have to get through.
I really didn't want to fall into that trap this year.  So I started searching for ways to make the "spirit of Christmas" a focus for me.  I started with a 45 Day scripture study of the life of Christ.  I studied His birth, I studied His life, I studied the atonement, I studied His death.  I felt myself growing closer to my Savior and that in and of itself softens a heart to Christmas. It reminded me of a quote by Thomas S. Monson
"....may we ever reflect our gratitude for our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ....He taught us how to pray.  He taught us how to live.  He taught us how to die.  His life is a legacy of love.  The sick He healed, the downtrodden He lifted, the sinner He saved.  Ultimately, He stood alone.  Some Apostles doubted; one betrayed Him.  The Roman soldiers pierced His side.  The angry mob took His life.  There yet rings from Golgotha's hill His compassionate words: "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do."  Who was this 'man of sorrows' acquainted with grief?  Who is this King of glory, this Lord of lords?  He is our Master.  He is our Savior.  He is the Son of God.  He is the Author of our Salvation.  He beckons, 'Follow me.' He instructs 'Go, and do thou likewise.' He pleads 'Keep my commandments.'  Let us follow Him.  Let us emulate His example.  Let us obey His words.  By doing so, we give Him the divine gift of gratitude."
Christmas hymns have also always been a spiritual experience for me.  "O Come All Ye Faithful" literally makes me come undone.  Every time I hear those words "O come let us adore him Christ the Lord" I just lose it.  I have a vision of us all in heaven, waiting for the moment for our Savior to be born because we knew what that meant.  We knew that with Him on the Earth we could be saved.  That we could return to live with our families and we could have eternal life.  Oh how joyful we must have been.
I love Christmas.  I love everything about it but this year I especially loved the experience of celebrating the birth of my Savior.
Isaiah 9:6 "For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, the mighty God, the everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace."
Merry Merry Merry Christmas
xoxo
V

• Shepperd - Geronimo
• Aerosmith - Dream On
• Lights - Don't Go Home Without Me (probably will be played at my wedding)
• +44 - Make You Smile
• Bleachers - Shadow
• Eminem - Rap God
• Ella Henderson - Ghost
• Bea Miller - Young Blood
• Damien Rice - I Don't Want To Change You
• Walk The Moon - Shut Up and Dance
• Kate Voegele - Caught Up In You
• Taylor Swift - Blank Space
• Karmin - Sugar
• Lights - Ice
• OMD - If You Leave
• Fine Young Cannibals - She Drives Me Crazy
• Bleachers - I Wanna Get Better 
• Lights - Running With The Boys
• Taylor Swift - I Know Places 

I know this playlist is kind of long and there's some repeat artists but......it's been awhile and I have a few artists I'm currently obsessed with.  Lights, Bleachers, and of course Taylor Swift.  I recommend the full albums of all 3 of these artists.  If you have any other great music you've been listening to lately....let me know!!! 

xoxo

V