Empowerment...

I have been thinking a lot lately. I suppose I've been in a little bit of a personal funk over the last month or two which has led to the very beginnings of what could have turned out to be an identity crisis. I suppose I'm still in a transitional period as I figure out what I really want to do after November, but for the time being I think I've figured it out... this has led to some serious introspection about life.

I have come to the conclusion... not nearly a new idea as you may hope for, but one of those things that must be internalized to be truly effective... Obedience and eternal perspective are truly empowering in the deepest and longest lasting meaning of the word. To have a clear conscience and to know why you are doing things makes all the difference.

I've thought a lot lately about life without faith and without perfect obedience (letter of the law and spirit of the law) and it is depressing to think of a life without the focus, the confidence and the peace that comes from said obedience in life. I don't know how life can be fulfilling without that peace - it's what gets me through hard days and keeps me working hard when I am less than motivated by worldly factors.

Knowing who you are separate from external of levels of achievement and in ways that you truly understand how great you can become and to know that you are doing everything you can to get there. To be that person changes the little tasks like getting ready in the morning and all the way up to the big tasks like work and dating, etc. I love that I don't base my happiness or my feelings of success on the events of a day. That isn't to say that I don't work hard or I don't celebrate daily wins or achievements, but it does mean that I can keep going when things aren't working my way on any given afternoon. It means that work doesn't consume my identity like it does my time. I love that part. I am more than just the girl who does political campaigns or in Reno when I was the "(Insert Political Candidate's last name) girl" or the girl with (Insert Political Candidate's last name) bumper stickers. I have more to offer than just what I do to pay the bills.

I solidly have come to appreciate who I am and all of the strengths I have been blessed with and I have faith in the limited nature of time right now. I hope you all can work a little more - day by day - to find peace in your life as I slowly break down my own imperfections. It's certainly a journey we can go down together... a long journey of working on ourself to become closer to our Savior. Most of you have a head start on me - in age, experience, and in terms of the decreased number of things to work on.... but at least we're all on the same journey working through similar issues.

Happy Sabbath!