Some of my Favorites

So if you don't know already, I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE quotes!! I have quite the large collection of them, and refer to them frequently. Well I was talking with a friend the other day about quotes, and decided that I would share some of my favorites. Quotes that define me, my life, and what i would like to become.. So, here we go.

"Love me or hate me, I promise it won't make or break me." -Lil Wayne

"Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass, it's about learning to dance in the rain."

"I believe that everything happens for a reason, people change so you can learn to let go.
Things go wrong so you can appreciate them when they are right. You believe lies so you eventually learn to trust no one but yourself. And sometimes good things fall apart, so better things can fall together." - Marilyn Monroe

"Happiness is not a goal, but a way of life."

"Decisions determine destiny."

"Life isn't about FINDING yourself, it's about CREATING yourself."

"Either you define the moment or the moment defines you."

"Pain is weakness leaving the body."

"Character is not made in a crisis- it's exhibited."

"Whatever you are, be a good one." - Abraham Lincoln

"Wherever you go no matter the weather, bring your own sunshine."

"I have made mistakes in my life. I've let people take advantage of me, and i've accepted less than i deserve. But I have learned from my bad choices and even though there are some things i can never get back, and people who will never be sorry, I'll know better next time, and wont settle for anything less than I deserve."

"Letting someone help you doesn't mean you have failed, it just means that you aren't alone."- Messer "Life As We Know It."

"Cinderella is proof that the right pair of shoes can change your life."

"Everyday may not be good, but there is good in everyday."

Those are just a few of my favorite quotes, I have so many it is hard to choose from, but these quotes have definitely helped me through trials of mine and help define me as a person, and life in general. There are so many quotes out there, which ones define you?

Sometimes life is tough

Have you ever felt like nothing in your life was going right, that no matter how hard you work, nothing ever comes through, and that you are always left disappointed, hurt, or back at square one?

Well, that was my week last week... I felt like no matter what i did, things kept falling through the cracks, and my hard work didn't pay off. I wrecked my car, i learned some things that hurt pretty bad, things happened with some friends of mine, financial issues... by the end of the week I was spent, and to be honest with you, I still am. I feel like I am still in the state of exhaustion. I can't shake this funk.. and I hate it. I am sick of feeling like I am not good enough, like my hard work is going unnoticed, and that no matter how hard i am trying to get somewhere with my life, i am not. For a little while there, I thought I was finally catching a break, that things were finally going to go my way.. at least i felt that way until about the middle of last week. But while wallowing in self pity and feeling sorry for myself, i realized something.. Something that i hope will help me rise above this, and conquer whatever it is that has me this way. What i realized was, that things will rarely go my way, and it will be a very rare occasion that i will "catch a break." because these things all come without work, without effort. If I constantly got what I wanted and had things just lay out in front of me as i go a long, I wouldn't learn anything. If i have learned anything in my 21 years of experience, it would have to be that nothing comes without work. That nothing is free, and that if you want something bad enough, that you will find a way to make it happen. My parents have done a great job of teaching to work for things I want. They have taught me responsibility, and how to work. I can't think of anything better than that to take into the world. I know so many people my age that still have things handed to them by their parents, and i feel sorry for them because they don't appreciate what they have because they have never had to work for.

I can honestly say that in the last year of my life i have learned that being hardworking is a good quality to have, because it will get you a long way. If you know how to work, you can achieve anything you want. So, this week I say to myself, sometimes( if not most of the time) life is tough. Things won't go my way, and i might not catch a break, BUT.. If i work through things, and i put forth effort, I may not get what I want, but i WILL get what i need. If life is easy then I am not learning, and if i am not learning I am not progressing, and without progression my life goes no where. Yes, life IS tough, but it is definitely GOOD! don't let the hard times get you down. and after all... " You were only given this life because you are strong enough to live it."

2010! A RECAP!

2010 was a year of laughter, tears, learning, growth, change, love, heartbreak, responsibility, friendship, ups, downs, hellos, and goodbyes, and emotional roller coasters, BUT overall it was a GREAT year!

This year has truly been one CrAzY year from the very beginning to the very end! Let me give you a little glimpse of what my year was like...

In January, the closure of good old Barnes Bank was announced, which left me unemployed, but not for long. The last month Barnes was open was insane! I didn't know what i was going to do and felt very lost. The economic situation really hit home for me. That situation is not one that i would like to relive, but am definitely glad that i experienced. Two days before Barnes would close it's doors forever, I was offered a job at Zion's Bank, a job that i am extremely grateful for. The next month was full of training, and traveling to different Branches. I met lots of new people and learned a lot. In march, the Syracuse Branch of Zion's Bank was opened. This place is a second home for me. I love working there and have made so many new friends. My co-workers are amazing. Also in March I went down to Louisiana to spend sometime with my grandparents who are serving a mission down there. I flew for the first time by myself, and enjoyed every minute i got to spend down there. It was a much needed vacation. The next few months were full of many difficult decisions. Decisions like whether or not to serve a mission, who to date, if i should attend school, some very difficult decisions, possibly the most difficult decisions in my life! My summer was full of making new friends and meeting new people, spending time with family, and mending relations that i had broken. In August I bought a new car and started my first semester of college! I started at Weber State studying Business Administration. My classes were rough, but I loved them. I loved interacting with people my age and learning. I love to learn and am very grateful that i have the chance. September was a month of many events, my branch was combined with another ward which meant a lot of new faces and friends, my brother received his mission call to Honolulu, Hawaii, and I turned 21 and that seemed to start the hardest 3 months of my life thus far. I struggled with, things that i never thought I would. With this struggle came much learning! For Thanksgiving, my cousin and I flew down to Louisiana to be with my grandparents. MOST FUN week of my entire life! I love her to death! She is the best!! December was a month of change within myself. Things finally started to click, and my hard work finally started to pay off. I saw life in a whole new life! This year I met some of my very best friends! People that have changed my life, they know who they are and what they mean to me :)

2010 taught me how to forgive and forget, live with no regrets, smile through the hard times, laugh when you wanna cry, love those who hate you, to be myself, to not be afraid of doing what is right, to fight for the things i want, to believe in myself, to make tough decisions, and to learn from my mistakes. If I can handle 2010 than I can handle whatever 2011 has in store so BRING IT ON :)

2010 has been an amazing journey, but I cannot wait to see where 2011 takes me! Stay tuned there are many stories to share on this crazy Journey We Call Life.

The best time is FAMILY time!

So, as this Christmas season approached, my mom realized that this would probably be our last Christmas with all of us kids home, since my brother leaves on his mission soon (42 days!). When she realized this she decided that we needed to do a bunch of stuff as a family. I have to say, that this Christmas has been one of the very best, at least for me. I have spent more time with my whole family than I have in a long time. It has been pretty neat. It didn't really hit me until today, that my brother is really leaving soon, and that all this family time we are enjoying is about to change. I am so very grateful to have such an amazing family to spend my time with. They truly are my bestest friends! They have been there through everything for me, and have strengthened me more than ever lately. I have come to appreciate my family so much more in the last year, and cherish every moment we get to spend together. This Christmas has been amazing because i got to spend every minute of it with my best friends. We have enjoyed many laughs together this Christmas season, and have created memories that will last a life time. I don't care what you think I have the BEST, most fun, CRAZIEST family ever!!!

Tomorrow is my brother Justin's 19th birthday! He is all grown up!! In just over a month, he will off to serve the people of Hawaii, and they don't know just how lucky they are. He is one amazing young man who is going to make an awesome missionary!! He has been such a strength to me, and has helped me through a lot of tough times. Growing up we didn't always get a long too well, we were either the best of friends or worst enemies. Although we still have our moments, I consider him one of my very best friends!!! He really is an example to me and I look up to him so much! He has taught me so much about living life, and enjoying every moment! He has such a free spirit, and can make people laugh. He knows how to enjoy life, and live it to the fullest! He is the best younger brother any sister could ask for!! I love him so much and am so grateful he is my brother and best friend!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BUD!!!

something clicked!

So, since my last blog I have had this amazing experience. Not even so much an experience as a turning point, a new perspective, different point-of-view. It's been pretty cool to see in myself! It hasn't even been a week yet, and I have this whole new outlook on life! It's like something finally clicked i guess. It's taken a long time, but the effort finally paid off! I have know gone over a week without drinking Cherry Pepsi (pathetic I know), I have worked out everyday for a week, and on Saturday I organized all of my living space bathroom included. Needless to say, my parents were shocked! They weren't quite sure what had happened to their daughter, but they weren't about to jinx it. But really, if you know me, you know how surprising all of this is! I am surprising even myself. But aside from just these physical things I have done, I have amazed myself with my new found perspective, and point-of-view! It's amazing to me how one conversation ( a very inspired conversation to say the least) can change everything! Since Wednesday night, I have totally changed the way I think, and feel, and act based on one simple truth. What is this simple truth?? That it all happens in His time frame, and when I am doing what I need to be, I will be blessed. To you it might not seem like a life altering concept, but for me it was! It was something I had heard pretty much my entire life, but it finally clicked for me. I may want something soooo badly, but if it's not the right timing, then it doesn't matter how badly I want it. He knows best what i need and when I need it, so until that time I am just going to keep pushing along, enduring, and living life to the best of my ability! Watch our world, Brianna has found her game! Nothing can bring me down!!!!

Some days I need to take my own advice!

So today I had a very humbling day. I don't want to go into a ton of details, but let's just say I had a breakdown of sorts and was venting to a friend, feeling pretty down on myself and beating myself up. There was a point in our conversation when my friend says to me "Bri, what do you always tell me?" My mind was blank, I couldn't think (plus I didn't really want her to tell me I already knew the answer) so, she says you always tell me that everything will be okay in the end, if its not okay than it's not the end. After she said that, I remembered because this is one of my favorite quotes. I don't bring this up because I want to sound like I have all the answers , but instead to show that sometimes we just way over think things and totally over complicate something when its actually something we already know the answer to. Today was one of those days that started out great but quickly went down hill, and I began to question a lot of things I was doing. And the funny thing about it is that I talked to four different people about a couple of my challenges right now, and none of them told me things I didn't know, or things that I hadn't heard before. They all gave me advice that I actually give to people all the time. Sometimes we just need to listen to our hearts or our heads, whichever is speaking to us. Sometimes its our hearts, and other times its our heads. A lot of the times we already know the answers, but are just to preoccupied with our trials and challenges that we forget. I am thankful that I have an AMAZING friend to remind me of things that I need to hear. Tonight she knew exactly what I needed, when I didn't even know it myself. and for that I am extremely grateful!!

So, when struggling with something, just remember most of the time we make it harder than it needs to be and we often know what we need to do, but have just forgotten. It's okay to take our own advice. Because after all if it can help others it can surely help us!

How did I get so lucky

Today has been one of those days that I have looked at my life and said, "How did I get so lucky?" I have the most amazing people in my life! What did I do to be so blessed!?!? I mean really I am one lucky girl! I have great friends, an amazing family, and church leaders who are very dear to my heart. I have learned that i need to be more careful of how i treat these people, and that I make sure and let them know on a constant basis how much they mean to me. Today I was reminded of just how lucky I am. There are many who come and go but the ones that matter most are the ones who will stick around. I have been so blessed with amazing people who care about me and my well-being. People who go out of their way to make sure i am okay, and those who will drop what they are doing to listen to me, give me advice, and provide a shoulder to cry on. I love these people very much! So, this is a shout out to all of my friends, family, and other loved ones who have touched my life for the better. You all know who you are :) I wouldn't be the girl I am today if it weren't for you and your loving influence. Thank you for all you do! You are indeed making a difference in the lives of others, or at least in the life of Brianna Brough.