12 May 2015

NEW BLOG

thank you so much for all those who have faithfully read this blog over the past 5+ years! it's crazy to think i've been blogging for this long! 
however, with changes in my life and getting older, i've moved to a new blog! i'll start posting later this week! head on over to myhalfwaythere.blogspot.com to connect with me!
i hope to see you all there! 
xoxo,
Beka

08 April 2015

change

i apologize for my long absence. there have been so many changes and just stuff happening in the last two months that i haven't felt up to writing about it. i've been through some intensely personal struggles and i don't want to write about it on the web yet. someday, perhaps, i will, because maybe my experience will serve to bless or help another person. 
i'm moving on with my life. i always intended this blog to last me through my college years and it has extended past that to accommodate my mission. that being said, i anticipate the start of a completely new blog, to encompass my adult life. thank you for your patience as i transition into a new life and into a new blog. i'll be unveiling the new blog as soon as i can!

10 February 2015

"books are a uniquely portable magic"

it's weird not to be in school. let me tell you. for the past 18 years of my life, minus the 18 months on a mission, i've been in school! and learning new things every day. now suddenly, i'm a university graduate, with a job and it's weird not to go learn something new every day. don't get me wrong, i love my job, but i also miss learning. so i wanted to make a goal for 2015 that would help me to continue to learn, and since i love reading, i've set a goal to read one new book (at least) each month. i've only read one of these books all the way through before and so i am hoping to expand my knowledge and rediscover reading. you'll notice that these aren't really leisure books, or "easy" reading. i want to keep myself accountable so i'm going to list the books below and then I'll report on each one (kind of like school haha).

February-- The Anatomy of Peace (The Arbinger Institute)
March-- Intuitive Eating (Evelyn Tribole and Elyse Resch)
April-- The Infinite Atonement (Tad R. Callister)
May-- The Four Agreements (Don Miguel Ruiz)
June-- My Story (Elizabeth Smart)
July-- Yes Please (Amy Poehler)
August-- Brave New World (Aldous Huxley)
September-- Left Neglected (Lisa Genova)
October-- The Miracle of Forgiveness (Spencer W. Kimball)
November-- Critical Care (Theresa Brown)
December-- A Chrismas Carol (Charles Dickens)

i'm a little bit excited and a little nervous to read all these! but i hope that i can learn a lot and maybe inspire a few of you to read too!

29 January 2015

Let's start a Revolution

It's almost the end of January, and I know 99% of you made some sort of "be more healthy" goal for 2015. and for many people this goal includes dieting, exercise, and pinning excessive amounts of thinspiration pins on Pinterest. we're going to cut out all processed sugar, or get to the gym every day until we have that perfect six pack that we see on those Pinterest models. or we're going to join some marketed "health" product to lose weight (which of course involves losing money because you have to pay a fee to get their special products in order to lose that weight).

and the list goes on.

but when did living a "healthy lifestyle" equate dieting? or when did the "perfect" size become 10 pounds lighter than you already are? why is it that we are never satisfied with our bodies?

for over a century women have been changing their bodies to fit what society says is perfect. from corsets for tiny waists, to binding feet, to wrapping our chests to looks like we have no chest, to making our hair enourmously huge, we as women have let the world tell us what beauty is. specifically media has been telling us that we are not enough- that our bodies are not enough. but who are they to tell us?

in media our bodies are shown as parts. a pair of legs; some plumb lips; perfect abs; the silkiest, thickest hair.

newsflash: we are MORE.

why is it that we are constantly allowing ourselves to be objectified? and why are we objectifying others? "I'll be happy once I lose this muffin top." ""I need to tone up my arms." "I want to get a six pack." "I need to get the perfect swimsuit body before summer." and the list goes on.

I may be wrong, but if we are constantly belittling and judging ourselves and others, how are we ever supposed to do anything, let alone change the world??? We have got to stop it! but how?


my friends at Beauty Redefined are heading a revolutionary campaign to not only take back beauty, but to redefine beauty. my thoughts today have been based off my own indignation against dieting and thinspo, as well as an inspirational presentation done by these powerful women in my singles ward.

because I am a Latter-Day Saint, and I believe strongly that Heavenly Father gave us our bodies as a precious gift, may i share with you a quote from one of my favorite men? President Uchtdorf said, "When it comes to hating, gossiping, ignoring, ridiculing, holding grudges, or wanting to cause harm, please apply the following: Stop it!" Girls, this includes hating, ignoring, ridiculing or wanting to cause harm to our own bodies. 

so let's stop. let's rethink. let's be more- more than our bodies, more than the lies that media tells us, more than what we've trained our brains to think is perfect. 

[i will be doing a series of posts on the subject of body image, media and how it affect body image, dieting, and redefining beauty. i hope you join me, add your thoughts and comments, and check out beautyredefined.net]

22 December 2014

I'm Home from Beautiful British Columbia!


I really don't know how to start this post. Or even how to title it. I am home from my amazing mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. I served in communities all over British Columbia for the last 18 months of my life, helping people come closer to Jesus Christ. I wish I could take you all in my pocket so you could see and experience what I saw and experienced. There are not enough words to tell you in a brief moment everything that happened in the last 18 months. But I can tell you that it was amazing- the best choice I have made and I am SO grateful to my Heavenly Father for allowing me to represent His son as a full time missionary! 
So what's next? I have yet to figure hay out completely. Coming home from a completely consecrated life is difficult. I am living at home and looking forward with faith to the next phase of life!!