The Truth

Today has been a rotten day. Let's be honest--most days are rotten lately. I'm so grumpy and miserable and..well, I'm not going to go on and on. I realize that in all reality I'm really very blessed and that my problems are so meager in comparison to others'. However, they're still MY problems and they still suck. One thing I've learned while being a part of the Brave Girls Club is that, our whole lives, we've heard a whole lot of lies. These may be lies that others have told us or lies that we've told ourselves, lies we hear from society, Satan...they come from all over the place. The problem is that we start believing these lies and before we know it, we've believed them for so long they become part of us. I believe so strongly that this is true. Obviously, the opposite of a lie is the truth. For every lie we've ever told ourselves or heard or believed, there is a truth that contradicts that lie and has the power to heal our hearts. So as I sat today wallowing in self pity at how hard my life is, I did what I do so often when I feel like this--I started just emotionally beating myself up. I am, after all, my own worst enemy. No one is meaner to me than me. So I'm wallowing, I'm telling myself mean things--lies--and it was just not good. I was frustrated with my sweet family, frustrated with my own limitations, frustrated at my responsibilities and obligations..you get the picture. Ugly. It was ugly.
So I started thinking about the Truth. What is the truth? Am I really all these horrible things I was telling myself I am? Is my life REALLY as crappy as I was standing there thinking it was while I was washing dishes? Sometimes. That's the truth. Sometimes I am not the person I can/should be. Sometimes my life IS hard. That's the truth. But it's not what I was telling myself it was. So I decided to start thinking about the Truth. I wanted to focus my thoughts and my energy on Truth and not Lies. As corny as it is sounds, I just washed dishes and listened to my Holy Ghost tell me the truth. When I was done, I wrote down some of these truths. Some of these are pretty personal but I want to share them because I want you--friends, family and Internet Crazies--to hopefully learn what I'm learning. That life is hard and that's okay, but we're not doing as bad as we think we are. Here are some of MY truths. What are your's?

• Being a Mom is hard
• I am 7 months pregnant and that is hard.
• I am in constant pain and that is allowed to suck.
• My house is not filthy.
• I try really hard to do the right thing.
• I am human.
• Anybody who says or acts like they're perfect is lying to themselves and everyone else.
• I have weaknesses, but a lot of them--in the grand scheme of things--really don't matter.
• No one has all of the answers.
• My family knows I love them.
• I made a tasty and healthy dinner for my family tonight.
• Sometimes I surprise myself.
• I've lost weight.
• I'm worthy to enter the temple.
• I have friends who like me.
• I try hard to magnify my calling. And that is all the Lord expects.
• My children have a better life than I had.
• I have gotten better about spending less money.
• It is not my job to fix everyone's problems. Trying to do it is bad for me AND them.
• Our bills are paid.
• We have (a little bit of) money in savings.
• I'm sometimes treated unfairly. It is no reflection of who I am or what I'm worth.
• I am valuable. 
• I am smart.
• Being self-depreciating is not the same as being humble or meek or Christ-like.
• I can get back up when I fall.
• I am brave.
• I am a good mom.
• I am a good wife.
• I am a good friend.
• I love with every part of me.
• All of these things are TRUE!

Make your own list--I think you'll be surprised!