Beauty from Within

I have received quite a few comments about how my Instagram ins't full of selfies. Actually I'm positive my other posts outweigh the amount of selfies I have.  To test this, I went through and counted how many posts I had, that had myself in it. I got around 70 (I estimated since I might have missed some).

I am in no way saying that because someone posts a copious amount of selfies, that they are insecure. They may just happen to feel cute all the time. I was more shocked that the people who have said those comments to me, had a negative connotation. According to them, it's a bad thing to not have 200+ pictures of yourself. I take it as quite the opposite (and I consider my Instagram a picture blog of sorts of my life).

I know I am beautiful. I don't need likes, retweets, or comments to tell me that. I don't need other people's approval of me. I know I am talented and loved. I know I have wonderful gifts as a daughter of God. I know my friends like me for who I am, not what I look like or what I possess. I am much more concerned about developing my talents and personality than hoping other people think that my "eyebrows are on fleek" (what does that even mean?). I am more concerned that my Heavenly Father is happy with who I'm becoming than what I look like. To Him, I'm already beautiful. I am enough to Him. I understand this.

Have you gotten wrapped up in your outer appearance that you forgot that your personality is what really counts? Have you started to focus on your physical traits rather than your spiritual and personality traits? In a world where everything is skin deep, we have forgotten that looks don't matter. Looks fade over time, but a kind personality never grows old. A genuine smile will never go out of style.

I have noticed that since I have disappeared off of Twitter, that I'm much happier. I don't have to worry about comparison, competition, and being enough. I remember the eternal truths: I am enough. God doesn't make mistakes. If you're not happy with some aspect of yourself that is not physically, work to change it for better. Each day is a new start. I have a goal to go to bed each night having forgiven everyone who I have felt has wronged me in any way. It was hard to develop, but I am much happier and I sleep better at night because of it.

If you're living the gospel of Jesus Christ joyfully and striving to have Christlike attributes, you cannot fail. Don't shine so others can see you. Shine so through you, others can see Christ. I love you all so very much. Have a fabulous week my lovelies.

Love,
Janae

P.S. I may or may not have gone back to Twitter. Good luck finding me :)

Change of Plans

In the world today, you must have their whole life planned by the time you graduate high school. You must know what college you're going to attend, what you're majoring in, when you'll get married and where, how many kids you want and their pre-appointed birthdays, as well as when you'll retire and what color you want your beach house in the Caribbean to be. Sounds familiar right? It can be stressful thinking you have to have your whole life planned out before you're allowed to vote.

If you asked me a year ago where I would be in five years, I would have said that I would be an RM who was married to some wonderful guy that I met at BYUI while getting my degree in accounting. Now, if you ask me where I'll be in five years, I can honestly say I don't know. I have no clue. I don't think I'll be an RM. Maybe I'll be married? I probably will have a degree in something from somewhere.

I know that no matter where I am in five years, that as long as I'm doing what Heavenly Father wants for me, I'll be fine. He knows what's best for you! So if that means not going on a mission, then don't go. You gotta exercise your faith in the Man upstairs. He knows how everything will play out. I have gotten into the habit of asking Heavenly Father for His opinion on what I should do when it comes to life changing decisions. If I don't receive an answer, I go ahead in proceeding with what feels right. If it brings you closer to God, it cannot be bad.

Now there will be some decisions He'll leave up to you to make. Congrats He trusts you! I think it's both an honor and an annoyance. An honor because Heavenly Father trusts me to make a good decision and an annoyance because I always am afraid I'll make the wrong choice. You may feel how I'm feeling. You may yet to feel how I'm feeling. Either way, you have to have confidence in yourself. And if it's not right, Heavenly Father will always help you out.

"Be strong and of good courage; be not dismayed for the Lord thy God will help thee withersoever thou goest." Joshua 1:9

Love,

Janae