A life without limits

Limitations live only in our own minds, but if we use our imaginations, our possibilities become endless....
When I was 19 I spent an entire summer working with children who had special educational needs and various other disabilities. I spent hours and hours telling those children that they could do whatever they set their minds to, regardless of their disability. I had the pleasure and honor of seeing those children take part in activities and events they never thought they could do! They forgot about the limitations imposed on them by their disability and instead they focused on the end result. They focused on their dream, on their goal and they did it!!! Sometimes the activities had to be adapted to suit their needs, but adaption does not mean you can't do it.. it just means you do it differently.
I often wondered what some of those children thought when I was telling them they could do anything they wanted. I wonder if they thought it was an easy thing for me to say, after all I did not live with a disability. I am sure many of them had that thought and to be honest I don't blame them. I would have thought the same thing had I been them. My lack of disability however, did not change my beliefs that the only limitations we have in life are the ones we impose on ourselves.
The opportunity to test this theory out came three years ago when I received my epilepsy diagnosis. It was time to prove that I was not all fur coat and no knickers but that I meant every word I had ever told those children.
Something I have realized over the past three years is that sometimes it is not you putting the limitations on yourself but other people imposing them on you instead. Once people know that you have a problem they are very quick to point out all of the things you can't do. They begin to risk assess you and analise  your life, deciding for you what you should and should not do!! I don't even think people do it to be unkind. I think they do it partly to be helpful and partly because it is just like second nature to them, like the overweight child at the buffet who can't resist filling their plate with snack sized sausage rolls and chocolate cake they can't resist imparting their wisdom and making decisions about your life for you.
Suddenly you find yourself stuck with more limitations than you had ever previously imagined and feeling pretty rubbish and not exactly positive towards life.
The truth is that when we are faced with challenges and limitations we have two choices... either to accept them or to challenge them. I personally LOVE a challenge!!!!! After my diagnosis and even up until a few months ago I and others placed so many limitations on my life it was stifling!! Limitations on my job, my hobbies, my social life , every aspect of my life was somehow being limited by epilepsy. Then I realized (with the help of some very special people) that the only limitations I had were the ones I was imposing on myself!!!
I may have epilepsy but epilepsy does not have me. I am blessed to have people in my life who encourage me to chase after my dreams and take risks. I have family, friends and Andy (don't know how I did that!)  who love me regardless of my epilepsy and who see me as the same person I was before. I have a business and a job that I love and I have more ugg boots than Australia!!!!!
I choose to live my life without limitations. I believe in myself and my own abilities.
We are confined only by the walls we build for ourselves .... so knock them down!!!!!
Smile, be happy, you are exactly where you are supposed to be. 

Grateful ...no matter what

Choose to be grateful no matter what .... Is another one of my favourite quotes.. I know I know I have many!!! It's the no matter what part that I like the most. Showing gratitude for the things we have is easy when we have everything we want and when life is working out just how we want it to. In those situations it is easy to be thankful because we feel happiness and joy and those feelings seem to work hand in hand with gratitude. It is a lot harder however, to be grateful in the more difficult, trying times of our lives. Those difficult times cloud our judgement and  that darkness often makes it hard for us to see the the things we have to be thankful for. 

I know this is true... I spent a large part of 2014 feeling sorry for myself because life wasn't turning out the way I wanted it to ... My own negativity stopped me from seeing all the wonderful things I had and still have to be thankful for. Thankfully for me, and those around me who got sick of seeing me walking around with a face like a bulldog chewing on a wasp, I now view life from a much more cheery and Christlike view point. 

Like I said in my previous post life is turning out pretty good right now but when I think about it a large amount of the blessings I have in my life now I had all along. They haven't just appeared they were there the whole time I just stopped noticing them!!!! 

So here are some of the blessings I am grateful for, .... 

1: great family and friends who are always more than willing to dry my tears and feed me chocolate 

2: The temple ... There is no other place on earth where I feel closer to my Heavenly Father than the temple 

3: Twizzlers, lucky charms and twinkles and the people who buy them for me (you know who you are!) 

4: the opportunity to teac youth Sunday school each week.. They are a crazy bunch of people but I love them, they never fail to make me smile and each one of them inspires me 

5: the opportunities I have had and still have to travel and experiences new things... Including the street in Albuquerqe that has my name!! 

6: The never ending love of my saviour 

7: my own business!!! And our gorgeous purple logo!!!!! 

8: the atonement and the new beginnings it has given me 

9: medicine, the NHS and my amazing neurologist ... 

10: the opportunities I have to help others ... Nothing gives me more warm fuzzies than doing something for someone else 

President Monson said regardless of our circumstances, each of us has much for which to be grateful if we will but pause and contemplate our blessings 

Sometimes we need to step outside, get some air and remind yourself of not just who you are but who's. 

2015 goals ... Bring it on

It's 2015 ... It's January 16th and I am ashamed to say that this is my first blog of the year!!! Life has been crazy busy since Christmas and so much has been going on I am having a hard time keeping up!!!!! 

I am not a massive fan of New Years resolutions, I don't really understand how the date changing on a Calendar can provide us with endless willpower and that burning desire to make great changes in our lives, give up our vices and improve ourselves. Surely if we really want to change something in our lives we will do it whatever day or month it is???  I do however like the idea of having new year goals. I think goals and dreams are an important part of life. Goals help us keep focused and dreams give us something to aim for!!!! 

Last year was a strange year for me. Lots of things changed in my life. Some things changed because I wanted them to and some things changed because for my own good and learning. All of the changes, both good and bad, gave me the opportunity to do a few things 

1: to grow closer to my Heavenly Father and gain a better understanding of his plan for me 

2: increased my trust in the lords plan for me 

3: take a leap of faith 

4: make a dream come true and start my own business 

My goals for 2015 are 

1: continue working hard and making building blocks successful 

2: continue to improve my relationship with my Heavenly Father 

3: find at least two things to be positive about each day 

4: visit the temple at least 4 times 

This life I am living at the moment may not be the one I had planned for myself but I have no doubt that it is the life Heavenly Father had planned for me and the truth is as crazy and different as it feels right now it also feels good and right and I feel very blessed. I know that 2015 is going to be a good year :) 

Smile, be happy you are exactly where you are supposed to be