Voice Your Convictions

There is a specific phrase in my Patriarchal Blessing that reads, "Voice your convictions."

Now, People...

I have to be careful with this phrase. 

I need to find my filter...

Which is lost most of the dang time.

I have to really decide if it is worth it - if it is productive to voice my convictions...

For instance: am I voicing my convictions to prove a point, to hurt someone the way they have hurt me, to slam someone?

Or, am I voicing my convictions to establish my boundaries, to be productive, to respect my own feelings and needs?

There are big differences, and it's important to know them.

I have really grown in this area, I feel, in the last four months.

I have chosen not to respond to conversations because I have felt that doing so would not be productive.

I have felt that doing so would only contribute to an already negative relationship.

I have felt that by doing so - I would only be feeding those people's thoughts and feelings.

If it isn't productive, leading to positivity - then I don't want to involve myself in it.

I have also learned that sharing my feelings is not something I need to do with everyone.

There are simply people who aren't going to respect my feelings, and that is okay.

There are simply people who will listen to my feelings - then share my story in a way that it is told in their perception, with their opinions... thus really not telling my story at all.

I have learned that we can stand up for ourselves by not saying a word to people.

Not a word.

We can stand up for ourselves by removing ourselves from the equation.

We can stand up for ourselves by living the best life that we can - not the best life other people feel we should have because in the end, they really don't know... but the best life we know we can be living.

We can stand up for ourselves by removing distractions (dropping over 700 people from social media was like losing 700 pounds, literally).

Working toward seeing ourselves as our Heavenly Parents see us is essential.

And, "working" is an action word.

Living up to that love that They have for us is also very important.

And fun!

And an honor!

And actually really, really freeing.

Let's just do our best.

OUR best.

Not someone else's idea of our best...

Our best.