Hey Y’all,
Thanks so much for being a reader of Give it a Go! You have no idea how much it has meant to me.
I have recently decided on a new adventure and have switched locations to a new blog named The Road to BlissFULL. I would love if you stopped by to check it out!
Thanks again for reading.
We are now two months into 2015 and it’s been beyond fabulous already! I have chosen to re-evaluate my 100 goals every two months and update my progress on here to help keep me on track.
This time last year I had 5 things accomplished, granted most of the goals on my list were ongoing, year-long endeavors. This year I have also accomplished 5 and have many in progress.
100 Things to Do in 2015
Spiritual
Read the Book of Mormon and mark to give away
Find and take 100 family names to the temple 8/100
Read the Book of Mormon in another language
Go to the temple 2x a month 3/24
Have 300 entries in gratitude journal 32/300
Learn how to play 5 hymns on the piano
Visit a new church historic site
Add 10 entries to gospel topic binder
Visit 5 new temples and create list
Re-read 2014 EFY notes/journal
Read three church books
Host a multi-religion event
Come to know Christ better through exploring his life
Be an EFY Building Counselor
Memorize 3 favorite scriptures 1/3
Learn more about how other religions pray
Physical
Join a zumba class
Memorize a hip-hop dance routine
Go hang gliding
Go parasailing
Run for charity
Cook ten dishes well
Be able to go two weeks without sugar
Learn how to hula hoop
Own my own rockclimbing gear
Rock climb at a gym
Whiten teeth
Learn 2 Parkor moves
Eat Paleo for at least one month
Learn how to ski/snowboard
Get a new wardrobe and keep only 20 old pieces
Learn how to properly meditate
Join a yoga class (Feb 5th Yoga With Adriene on Youtube)
Master the Hummingbird yoga pose
Social
Give two well thought-out gifts
Have a conversation in another language
Host a humanitarian event/program
Finish Rosetta Stone in French
Get out of a big box (Arbinger)
Teach an Arbinger seminar
Make an unlikely friend
Participate in a book club for at least a month
Send congrats cards to friends getting married
Complete 2014 team goal in 2015
Go to three ward activities a month 5/36
Help a friend fulfill a goal
Set a friend up on a date (Jan 17th Tri-City Hockey)
Host/plan parties at least once a month 1/12
Own a pet
Road trip with friends
Educational/Professional
Go back to school (Feb 23rd Basic Accounting Certificate Online)
Get a macbook pro
Clean out both laptops to sell
Have 200 followers on the blog’s insta 153/200
Have at least one sponsor for blog
Get an iPhone 6
Upgrade blog to website
Be able to buy ice cream with money made from blog
Solve a rubix cube in under a minute 1:24
Solve a 4×4 Rubix cube
Make a list of motivational sources
Create an accomplishment journal (Feb 19th)
Research/buy a nice camera
Land an awesome job
Create a vision board
Have personal monthly goal-prep meetings
Financial
Get out of credit card debt
Have over $3000 of my car paid off
Have over $3000 in emergency savings
Have over $2000 in short term savings
Have over $1000 in long term savings
Invest in real estate
Open a Roth IRA account
Stick to a budget for an entire month
Learn the ins-and-outs of investing
Pay car insurance with money from investment returns
Read 5 financial books
Pay off unsub loans and $2000 off other
Learn how to do taxes (Feb 28th Thank You TurboTax)
Learn how to coupon
Seek advice from a financial guru I admire
Personal
Be confident driving a moped
Re-design a space
Re-read all Harry Potter books 1/7
Figure out new adventure and move
Write/finish a novel
Finish journal
Read 20 books 3/20
Visit and American wonder
Memorize 2 new songs on uke
Crochet/knit a scarf
Keep 2015 jar of happy/special moments
Go to at least 3 concerts
Visit another country
Learn the constellations
Ride an elephant
Learn how to drive stick shift
Ride first class on a plane
Buy a flight under $80
Get my own place
There’s still a ton more to do and be and accomplish, but each time I read through these I get more excited and can feel the opportunities racing my way. If you haven’t had the chance to make your list yet, it’s never too late!!! Get started now and let me know how it goes. Also, document your progress with me on instagram and twitter with the hashtag #100thingsin2015!
Happy Accomplishing!
It’s Thursday once again, I think I might make a habit of this Throwback Thursday thing.
Today I’m going to throw it back to 2010 when I was in my second semester of my college career at BYU-Hawaii. Everyone knows Hawaii for it’s breathtaking landscapes and adventurous hikes but Stairway to Heaven (or the Haiku Stairs) was known as the most breathtaking and adventurous of them all, well on Oahu anyways.
Scaling the steep, rickety, steps isn’t exactly legal, so I don’t know if I should really recommend it… but I recommend it. It was honestly one of the hardest hikes I’ve ever been on, seeing as I was exhausted 5 steps in, but it also was the most amazing place to watch a sunrise I’ve ever experienced so I think moments like that make it all worth it.
The hike starts out in a random residential area where you sneak through a locked fence and into a bamboo forest at the base of the mountains. This has to be done at 2 or 3am because the guards come around 4 or 5am and if they get to the stairs before you do, they are able to stop you from even starting the climb. Although, if they catch you on the way down there usually isn’t a penalty, they know people climb it all the time and tend to be quite nice. I went with a few friends, one of which (Asa) had hiked it more times than he could count which made him an awesome tour guide, and motivator. I will be the first to admit that I can be a little weakling at times and found it truly difficult to keep going, yet all the while Asa pushed us along (did I mention he is also a personal trainer?). There are three or four lookouts on the way to the top, which made for awesome breaks, but I wanted to keep moving with the gang.
Seeing as it was 2-something in the morning when we started there wasn’t much to see except the stairs in front of us and the fog dropping off on either side. An hour and 18 minutes later we reached the summit and hid out in the little bunker nestled on top of the mountain. Come to find out, the fastest time Asa had ever made it up was in an hour and 15 minutes which meant I kept up like a CHAMP! I could not even explain how proud I was.
The Haiku Stairs were installed during World War II and were originally made of wood. The military used the stairs to access an antenna all the way up the mountain. The steps were upgraded to steel in the 1950s and the bunker was converted to a Coast Guard station. It closed down in the 1980’s and the climb became illegal (history found in ‘Stairway to Heaven Hike’ is Totally Epic, Totally Illegal, and Totally Beautiful). Some say it became against the law to climb after a few people slipped and died while hiking… but I think that’s just folklore.
I have to admit slipping and falling was a quite definite possibility though. It started to rain at one point causing the railings to become quite slick. It made the steep sections of the hike, where we were literally pulling ourselves up with our arms, pretty difficult. The original plan was to watch the sunrise from the very top but it was too foggy that morning to see anything. So we tried to book it down to the first lookout by sunrise, sliding along the railings with our arms in order to give our wobbly legs a break.
The view was beyond breathtaking, being that high above the world does something to a person. It uplifts, inspires, and takes hold of the heart. Almost 5 years have past since that moment and I still have it etched in my memory. Moments like that can’t be beat and the pictures, of course, don’t ever do it justice.
Stairway to Heaven is in fact what it’s name suggests, the journey is as hard as heck yet the heaven you reach is so very worth it. If you decide the experience might be for you, go for it, but my one plea is to please, please be safe and smart about it!
It’s Thursday, so I decided to take advantage and “throw it back” to a few weeks ago when Justin and I literally had a throwback to our childhood adventures at the roller skating rink. We laced on up and went all out, retro style (it’s weird to think my childhood is now retro). It wasn’t until we actually got there that all the memories came flooding back, I had forgotten how often I went to roller skating rinks as a kid. That was the place to be for birthday parties and homeschool activities. My brothers and I got super good at it, or so we thought, I think Chase even attempted a front flip once… “attempted” being the key word. Justin and I chatted with one of the workers for a bit and he pointed out the regulars to us. These kids were crazy good, speeding around the rink and dominating at the limbo competition, while I wobbled around like a 90 year old baboon. Oh what it would be like to be young again.
I tried my best to stay on my feet as much as possible and thanks to Justin holding my hand we only fell once! Well, I fell and dragged behind a bit before pulling him down with me. Not my most graceful moment.
Maybe we’ll decide to become regulars and re-live our childhood more often. Then we’ll show all those kids who’s boss. 🙂
I have tried to get into the habit of going for a walk every day and have found that the moments I spend out there with the fresh air really help me feel enlightened. The first day I tried listening to my typical Pandora stations with the upbeat songs that I like to sing along to but then, feeling a bit distracted, changed over to my Explosions in the Sky station to listen to awesome instrumental music.
This song came on and I found myself smiling. To me, the title seems to be a bit misleading, it made me feel the complete opposite: empowered to conquer anything and everything.
Give it a listen, hope you enjoy.
The summer of 2013 was my first summer as an EFY counselor (I know, I know, I talk about EFY like all the time) and I had the opportunity to work a session in Provo, which isn’t that exciting seeing as most counselors prefer to be ANYWHERE else. After hearing all the not-so-fun parts about Provo sessions I wasn’t too stoked about it, but I think God saw my uneasiness and gave me one of the biggest blessings ever and paired me with these two:
I couldn’t have asked for a better co-ship that week. We had a blast every day as we worked with our strengths and weaknesess to make it the best possible experience for our kids. I cannot even tell you how many times I cried laughing. Michelle and Josh were and are truly a gift!
I year later we ran into each other at a friend’s wedding, where this picture was taken. Now, a smile is brought to my face every time I look at it. There’s nothing like being embraced by some of the most caring and loving people you know.
This. is. bliss.
I’ve been reminiscing a lot today on past adventures and thought I’d throw it back again to this last fall in SLC. So many good times and wonderful adventures to be had.
There are a gazillion things I love about Salt Lake City but one of my biggest loves is the innumerable opportunities there are to explore the great outdoors.
As summer turned quickly into fall, the crew and I went on one of our last adventures, this time in the great wilderness of Big Cottonwood Canyon. 
Donut Falls was probably one of my favorite hikes in the area because it’s just plain fun! There are logs to cross, rocks to climb, waterfalls to explore. It’s downright gorgeous. And, the best part, even families could do it. There were little kids all around us jumping on rocks and playing in the freezing water. It was great!
If you’re on the look-out for a great experience in SLC, definitely give this a go. I’ve recently seen a few pictures from my friend’s Donut Falls experiences, and it’s even more gorgeous in the winter with all the ice. Make sure to check it out!
I found the book Vagabonding by Rolf Potts on my mom’s bedside table a few months back and almost had a heart attack (of joy) thinking she was interested in roaming around the world. Come to find out, her boss had lent it to her so that she might understand her daughter (me) a little better.
Mom never finished the book, but once I got my hands on it I couldn’t put it down. Her boss was right, this book truly spoke to my soul.
The idea of long-term travel has always appealed to me, I just cant seem to feel 100% content with the idea of touring around the world only to spend a week or two in one area. I’ve always envisioned it being a slow paced, off-the-beaten-path sort of travel, which is exactly what vagabonding is. What I loved most about this book, was that it was written in hopes of informing the world that long-term traveling is not necessarily for the “young, unattached, and rich”. It is, and can be for the old, the young, the individual, the family, really anyone who has the desire and dedication to make it happen.
Quite honestly, I’m tired of stereotypes. No matter what your dream in life may be, there tends to be a type of person that is associated with that dream. Like tall people and basketball, small framed girls and cheerleading, young irresponsible college kids and travel, hard-headed guys and the military, old crazy ladies and cats. Dreams, ambitions, and goals are not specific to a type of person, they are specific to any person who has the determination to achieve them.
If you want to kick-box, you kick-box! If you want to teach Zumba, you teach it! If you want to own 50 cats, by golly own 50 cats! The world is open to you and your dreams, don’t let stereotypes get in the way of reaching out and taking them.
Quotes in Vagabonding I just loved:
– “Research your own experiences for the truth… absorb what is useful… and what is specifically your own… the creating individual is more than any style or system.” -Bruce Lee (p vxiii)
– For some reason we see long term travel to faraway lands as a recurring dream or an exotic temptation, but not something that applies to here and now. Instead– out of our insane duty to fear, fashion, and monthly payments on things we don’t really need– we quarantine our travels to short, frenzied bursts. (p4)
– Vagabonding is about time– our only real commodity– and how we choose to use it. (p6)
– Work is how you settle your financial and emotional debts– so that your travels are not an escape from your real life but a discovery of your real life. (p15/16)
– The freedom to go vagabonding has never been determined by income level; it’s found through simplicity— the conscious decision of how to use what income you have. (p29)
– “We see as we are” – Buddha (p108)
– “Those who visit foreign nations, but associate only with their own countrymen, change their climate, but not their customs. They see new meridians, but the same men; and with their heads as empty as their pockets, return home with traveled bodies, but untraveled minds.” -Charles Caleb Colton (p109)
– Even if you find yourself in a positively extraordinary social situation, try and keep yourself in the moment instead of thinking about what kind of story it will make when you get home. (p127)
– More often than not, you’ll discover that “adventure” is a decision after the fact– a way of deciphering an event or an experience that you can’t quite explain. (p140)
– Adventure is wherever you allow it to find you. (p142)
Happy Martin Luther King Jr. Day!
Typically if you don’t have a government or education job, this is one of those holidays that seem to go unnoticed; but to me, it has become one of the most important.
In my last year of college I was taking the final classes required to complete an Intercultural Peacebuilding Certificate. These classes consisted of conflict resolution, mediation, betterment projects, seminar facilitation, and some of the best books I’ve come across. Strength to Love, a compilation of Martin Luther King Jr.’s sermons, was one of those we were required to read.
MLK instilled through his teachings that love is the only way to make effective changes in our personal lives and in the world. Violence, in what ever form, does not have the ability to cause permanent change. His words were not only imperative to the predicaments of his day but they are crucial to today and any day.
We must choose to love!
Some of my favorite quotes from Strength to Love are:
– Race prejudice is based on groundless fears, suspicions, and misunderstandings. (p5)
– The hardhearted individual never sees people as people, but rather as mere objects or as impersonal cogs in an ever-turning wheel. (p6)
– He does not leave us alone in our agonies and struggles. He seeks us in dark places and suffers with us and for us in our tragic prodigality. (p9)
– “A man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth.” -Jesus Christ (p13)
– The Samaritan was good because he made concern for others the first law of his life. (p23)
– The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy. (p26)
– Forgiveness is not an occasional act; it is a permanent attitude. (p33)
– Hate scars the soul and distorts the personality. (p47)
– Faith in the dawn arises from the faith that God is good and just… the contradictions of life are neither final nor ultimate. (p62)
Give it a Go 