Week 6: So you want to be an Entrepreneur

This week I watched videos on making sure God and family are center and prioritized during the creation of startups and entrepreneurial ventures.  You have to implement boundaries of time that make sure you're consistently focusing on the highest priorities.  "The Entrepreneur and the family" video talked about ideas like putting the kids to bed, no working on the weekend, or making sure to have family dinners together each night, something often and scheduled.   

N. Eldon Tanner's April 1975 talk, Success is Gauged by Self-Mastery really spoke to me.  the thought that I won't be able to be the great leader/mentor I want to be until I learn to master myself is a motivating principle. 

He also said this quote which sums up the desires of my heart, "No greater goal could be set, no greater progress could be made, and no greater joy and satisfaction could be experienced than to determine that we will accept Jesus Christ as the Savior of the world, and live his teachings." 

As I read and simultaneously evaluated my life, a couple things kept coming to mind that I could use some self-mastery on.  

1.  Exercising:  I feel peace and rejuvenation being outside but find myself wrapped up in the responsibilities and anxieties in my house, that I don't go outside very often. I also have my many children and lack of stroller as an excuse for not going on walks or moving very quickly as well.

2. Healthy eating.  I enjoy healthy foods and vegetables, and have dreams and visions of eating whole nutritious foods with my family, growing a garden, having a greenhouse, and eating the foods I grow...but I also find myself habitually eating sugar and candy, (if not every day, most days), buying easy/unhealthy convenience foods at the grocery store and resorting to fast food when I have a challenging or discouraging day.  I justify these purchases by feeling sorry for myself with all my responsibilities and difficulties of life, or by the many memories of disappointing textures and attempts at seasoning the said "wholesome foods".  

I know that when I master these couple things, it will bless myself and my family physically, mentally, and spiritually.  

Here's to today and the future!

Week 5: Mastery, Skill, Character, or Luck

The biggest takeaway I've gotten from my studies this week is Perseverance; line upon line, here a little there a little.  We studied about Mastery, and asked the question is if skill, character, or luck.  Really, it takes character to keep going, and skills to move forward, and maybe a little luck sometimes.  Perseverance is both a skill and it take character to practice that skill.  God can make weak things become strong, from small and simple things become that which is great!  I can dedicate my efforts, no matter how small they seem to me, and God will consecrate my performance for my good.  This makes me feel so good inside. 

So often I think I'm not doing anything great, and maybe I'm really not, what is the definition of great anyway?  I guess it could be defined as continuously doing little good things;little right things.  Every time I intentionally choose to do something good, to follow Jesus Christ, to love and serve..I'm doing something GREAT! 

When I look at the definition that way, I am doing great things every day.  Every diaper change, cleaned up spilled cereal, mundane task around the house is me doing something great.  Every time I gather my children to do an after meal cleanup, or to have family prayer, it is proof that I am doing great things.  I am choosing to be a mother, to teach and raise up children unto the Lord.  I am a daughter of a loving Heavenly Father, I have a loving Savior, and because of them, I AM GREAT.

When in comes to living my passions or fulfilling my potential in this life, I don't have to stress out and aim for one spot on the horizon, just turn myself in the right direction and keep taking little steps.  This is empowering and much more doable than thinking I have to know my "ultimate purpose" right now and feel stress and pressure to somehow get there, when it is so far from where I am now.     

Week 4: How Will You Measure Your Life?

Wow, this week has been full of hard work, soul searching, and inspiration!

Almost every day since starting this class I have felt conflicted inside.  On the one hand I feel pushed too fast; Not feeling like I have enough time to really ponder and let all the information sink, or be thorough enough with the action steps.  On the other hand, I recognize that it is an overwhelming process and without the deadlines and push to just "get it done", It would be easy to put it off till another, perhaps nonexistent day.  

I finished reading the book Launching Leaders: An empowering journey for a new generation.  I found it to have simple yet profound messages similar to, if not the same as, other leadership and success books I've read.  The layout and constant summarizing made it easy to read and review the concepts through the chapters.  The book encourages a lot of time to ponder, self evaluate, take action steps, ,all in the process of ultimately aligning our will and life with God.  I recognized that the spirit was confirming true principles throughout the book.  

Financial concerns have been constantly on my mind since we've gotten into a lot of necessary, and for sure some unnecessary/lack of self discipline, debt this year with the move and purchase of our Suburban.  The Financial Fitness chapter filled me with hope that we can take small step to get out of all this debt and become financially fit.

I really enjoyed learning about the habits of success, especially that small things really can bring about greatness.  In the past as my husband and I have made long term goals, It really has seemed to me that the plans would take too long and I would try everything to expedite the process only to become discouraged.  I want to develop more of a successful mindset of doing consistent small steps, and developing habits that will lead me to long term success.

We did an assignment about facing our fears stopping us from moving forward with something.  I chose to dig down and find out what my fears were with going to SVU for their music program.  It really was empowering and neat to see that some of my fears when put into the light, were really not that big.  The idea that fears thrive in being vague and unknown was fascinating to me.  It's true, when you really look at the details of a fear, you can them make plans to not have that worst-case-scenario happen at all, and have a plan of what to do if it does.  I'm encouraged by the thought of this life really being an experiment.  What are the risks of taking a step, and what are the risks of inaction?

Week 3: Honesty and Business Ethics

At first glance, this week's topic seemed too simple, Yes,of course be honest and ethical in your dealings with others, what more is there to say?

BUT...

I found studying different simple yet profound ideas this week have been enlightening and have made me feel reflective, humble, and hopeful.

Though I tend to think I'm a pretty ethical person, I appreciated the invitation by Sheri Dew in her talk "True, Blue, Through and Through" to do some spring cleaning.  To be honest with myself as I ask sincere questions about present or past "gray areas" in my behaviors and choices.  Where I may not have been/be perfectly obedient, following "every word of command" with exactness like the stripling warriors.

Reading Launching Leaders chapters 4-6 talked about the importance of living congruently through all areas of life, and charting a course, with the end in mind, and searching for "way points" on the way; landmarks and course corrections that will lead me to my ultimate destination.  This sounds a lot like a saying that I love, to live intentionally for excellence.

 "If you don't prioritize your life, someone else will".  

I have found this to often be true for me.  There have been many times that I've struggled with feeling that I was merely going around putting out fire after fire, dealing with one urgent task after another, feeling like a victim of circumstance, that I had no agency, and that life was living me instead of the other way around!  I am grateful for different understanding and skills I have gained because of these times through prayer, journaling, and counseling with others (whether professional, family, friends, and/or mentors).  Prioritization of time and energy is so important if I want to live the congruent and purposeful life I desire.

The thought of living congruent and authentically "by pursuing a more unified, consistent, holistic life" spoke to my soul.  It is not natural for me to intertwine and find connections through all areas of my life.  I'm still pleasantly shocked and surprised to be studying doctrine of the gospel meshed with my readings on business.

I have never thought of myself as a business woman or company owner and this week as I read about A-level companies, I was finally able to put my thumb on the reason; because it seemed so eternally meaningless, worldly and cold.  Making connections between the person I want to be anyway, and an A-level company felt good and right to me.

I can:

• put God and his kingdom first, 
• intend to do good, 
• build his kingdom, 
• have a zeal toward my fellowmen, 
• be perfectly honest and upright, 
• worthy of hire,  
• have superior customer service and quality of product, and 
• understand the individual worth of the customer. 
• treat others with respect, love and kindness 

At the same time as doing business?!  Awesome!