Learning to Embrace

Almost three years ago, I moved to the Northern Seattle area to serve a church mission. I was there for 18 months and spent every moment of the day speaking, thinking and breathing my faith in Jesus Christ.

I met so many people and had so many powerful experiences jammed into that year and a half. It is probably the toughest, most exhausting 18 months of my life, yet it was also the most rewarding and beautiful. I grew so much in such little time.

My little sister, Emma, is now serving a church mission in Southern Seattle and comes home in just a few months. She always asks me for advice, and I always tell her the same thing. It all comes down to EMBRACING the moment.

Although in the moment my mission felt like it would never end, I look back now and think - where did it go? It flew by, and I miss those mission experiences. She seems to be embracing her companions, the people she's teaching and the lessons she's learning in this important period of her life. She's a wonderful missionary and sister!

Life can fly by just like my mission did for me. We are all in a phase right now. Think about where you are. Are you a mom raising young children? Are you empty-nesters with your spouse? Are you a college kid like me, trying to figure out what career path to take? There are countless phases and countless experiences. We are all different and have special qualities to bring to the table.

At this very moment, you may be wondering if you'll ever get out alive. Maybe you're anticipating the future or dreading what things you have to do tomorrow.

Well, these feelings are real. And that is okay. What makes life so great is when we choose to embrace where we are and live in the present.

Coaching helps people to take the very state they are at and make small steps of improvement through a gradual process. Embracing your present is a part of that process. With time, things keep changing, and we end up missing the things we once had.

Let's savor the moment and look forward with a positive outlook on life. Let's stop wishing too much for the past and hoping too much for the future. Enjoy where you are and know that you can make a difference now. Having this mindset will give us the strength we need to change for the better and to become truly happy.