Tuesday, July 27, 2010
DECISIONS... again
The great thing about decisions is... they don't always have to be final. So .... University of Utah here I come.
Thursday, July 22, 2010
Shifting My Focus
Anyone who is close to me will tell you that I am quite possibly the most flaky person to ever have walked the face of the earth. I pinky promise I am not that way because I hate my friends, or because i don't care about people. I tend to become a hermit when I get into a depressed state and sometimes that lasts for hours, days, minuets, I never really know. I have been in and out of that sort of state fairly severely for the past couple of weeks. And unfortuantely, because of that I have left a lot of friends alone when they needed me. So I have made a new goal for myself!
I am shifting my focus off of me. I've realized that the times I am most depressed are the times I sit and think about myself. And yes sometimes its healthy to have time for yourself and you can't ignore your own problems... but still, sometimes the best thing you can do for yourself is to forget yourself. I love the Christian idea that service is the most important thing you can do. I thnk that is very true. There is no better way to show love than to be there for someone. And really there is no better feeling in the world than to know that you have helped a friend in need. I absolutely love being that person people feel they can go to and just talk about whatever. And I love to give advice to people (cue most of my blog entries... ya).
So from here on out I'm not going to let myself think about... myself (ya i couldn't think of a cooler way to put that) for more than a few hours in a day. I have to be looking for opportunites to give and help because I really think its one of the only ways we can find peace.
So there's another post about how I'm changing my life. Maybe this is getting a little old... but I think what makes our lives so amazing is the idea that we are continually progressing. We have our entire lives to become better and better people every day. So... if you so choose... PROGRESS WITH ME!!
I am shifting my focus off of me. I've realized that the times I am most depressed are the times I sit and think about myself. And yes sometimes its healthy to have time for yourself and you can't ignore your own problems... but still, sometimes the best thing you can do for yourself is to forget yourself. I love the Christian idea that service is the most important thing you can do. I thnk that is very true. There is no better way to show love than to be there for someone. And really there is no better feeling in the world than to know that you have helped a friend in need. I absolutely love being that person people feel they can go to and just talk about whatever. And I love to give advice to people (cue most of my blog entries... ya).
So from here on out I'm not going to let myself think about... myself (ya i couldn't think of a cooler way to put that) for more than a few hours in a day. I have to be looking for opportunites to give and help because I really think its one of the only ways we can find peace.
So there's another post about how I'm changing my life. Maybe this is getting a little old... but I think what makes our lives so amazing is the idea that we are continually progressing. We have our entire lives to become better and better people every day. So... if you so choose... PROGRESS WITH ME!!
Sunday, July 18, 2010
DECISION MADE
So here is the story I didn't tell previously when I was asking for help on some decision making. I was thinking about switching to the University of Utah for their new Music Theatre Program after a broadway casting director (chris nichols) advised me to change schools. And while I have always kept the idea of transferring from BYU to a different school open, I was just very unsure about going to the U, and also leaving this year when I was just accepted into the Young Ambassadors. So after a lot of meditation, prayer, lack of sleep, stress, walking around both campuses, and crying. I decided it is in my best interest right now to stay at BYU at least for another year. I am SO looking forward to spending a year with the Young Ambassadors but I am still very much open to the option of leaving to a bigger school out of state just for the experience.
So here is what I learned from this whole decision making process:
- Sometimes your gut won't tell you what to do. I can't tell you how many people told me "just follow your gut", well guess what, my gut is affected by the 1200 mg of lithium and 60 mg of cymbalta I take every day so following my gut just isn't an option.
- Choices aren't always black and white. Truly there were just as many reasons for going to the U as there were going to the Y. I couldn't logic my way through it. There was no clear choice.
- Sometimes it truly DOESNT MATTER what you choose. I feel that I have the ability to find true happiness on whatever path I choose, so you can't think that by choosing "the wrong path" you are doomed to sorrow. Happiness is a gift that can ALWAYS be with you no matter where you are as long as you look for it.
-Even after a decision is made... you don't always feel relief. I was hoping that once i decided what I was doing with my year I would feel the weight drop and enjoy my summer again. But it didn't work that way. And i think it rarely does. There is always going to be fear and second guessing. My challenge now is to not let myself dwell on that. I have to live with the decision I made and look for the happiness my decision.
So the happiness I have come up with for my decision is this: I get to tour the country doing what I love with 19 amazing performers/friends. I get to meet amazing people and change their lives while they change mine. I get to be a part of something bigger than me and serve. I get to experience what it will be like to do a national tour. AND best of all I get to spend another year with my Taryn and Michael :) PLUS i get to keep all the friends in salt lake I have made PLUS I get to keep taking voice from the AMAZING David Schmidt cause i'm not letting that family out of my life just cause i'm moving to provo! So life is good. Confusing, irritating, and a bit of an emotion rollercoaster sometimes... but still very good.
So here is what I learned from this whole decision making process:
- Sometimes your gut won't tell you what to do. I can't tell you how many people told me "just follow your gut", well guess what, my gut is affected by the 1200 mg of lithium and 60 mg of cymbalta I take every day so following my gut just isn't an option.
- Choices aren't always black and white. Truly there were just as many reasons for going to the U as there were going to the Y. I couldn't logic my way through it. There was no clear choice.
- Sometimes it truly DOESNT MATTER what you choose. I feel that I have the ability to find true happiness on whatever path I choose, so you can't think that by choosing "the wrong path" you are doomed to sorrow. Happiness is a gift that can ALWAYS be with you no matter where you are as long as you look for it.
-Even after a decision is made... you don't always feel relief. I was hoping that once i decided what I was doing with my year I would feel the weight drop and enjoy my summer again. But it didn't work that way. And i think it rarely does. There is always going to be fear and second guessing. My challenge now is to not let myself dwell on that. I have to live with the decision I made and look for the happiness my decision.
So the happiness I have come up with for my decision is this: I get to tour the country doing what I love with 19 amazing performers/friends. I get to meet amazing people and change their lives while they change mine. I get to be a part of something bigger than me and serve. I get to experience what it will be like to do a national tour. AND best of all I get to spend another year with my Taryn and Michael :) PLUS i get to keep all the friends in salt lake I have made PLUS I get to keep taking voice from the AMAZING David Schmidt cause i'm not letting that family out of my life just cause i'm moving to provo! So life is good. Confusing, irritating, and a bit of an emotion rollercoaster sometimes... but still very good.
Sunday, July 11, 2010
CATCH ME I'M FALLING
Ya the title is from Next To Normal. Not original. But fitting.
My therapist once asked me "what does it feel like when you experience a fall from a manic state to a depressive one?" I couldn't answer the question at first. Truly its a very difficult feeling to explain but all I could compair it to was this: "its like when you go up to read a cast list after an audition and your body is full of energy and then whether the outcome of this list is good or bad your body and brain sort of just.... release. And then after that its a little different from the cast list thing. I feel no hope as my mind sort of falls out of an extreme high and crashes into a very dark place." I know it sounds crazy but thats the only way I can make it make sense out loud.
Ever since about three o'clock this afternoon I have been falling. And one thing I've been working on is really examining what my body goes through when I experience emotion and what helps. I haven't found a cure but I have found what helps ease the fall a little. Music. Its really the only thing in this whole world that can have complete control over my crazy emotions. All I have to do is turn on "september" by earth wind and fire and suddenly the emotional fall becomes more gradual. Less painful. And more managable.
Life can be hard sometimes. Its full of difficult decisions, painful memories, and heartache. But I've learned that sometimes the only thing in the whole world that can catch me when I'm falling is EARTH WIND AND FIRE. A song, a stupid little melody and some meaningless lyrics, can change my perspective in an instant. And suddenly life is full of opportunities, learning experiences, and love.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nfLEc09tTjI
Ever since about three o'clock this afternoon I have been falling. And one thing I've been working on is really examining what my body goes through when I experience emotion and what helps. I haven't found a cure but I have found what helps ease the fall a little. Music. Its really the only thing in this whole world that can have complete control over my crazy emotions. All I have to do is turn on "september" by earth wind and fire and suddenly the emotional fall becomes more gradual. Less painful. And more managable.
Life can be hard sometimes. Its full of difficult decisions, painful memories, and heartache. But I've learned that sometimes the only thing in the whole world that can catch me when I'm falling is EARTH WIND AND FIRE. A song, a stupid little melody and some meaningless lyrics, can change my perspective in an instant. And suddenly life is full of opportunities, learning experiences, and love.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nfLEc09tTjI
Saturday, July 10, 2010
DECISIONS
When I was eight if I wanted to do something I would ask my parents and they would tell me what to do. I didn't think much of it back then, its just the way it was. When I was twelve and I wanted to stay out late with my friends it wasn't my decision it was my parents'. Nothing was worse than that to me at the time. When I was seventeen I wanted to transfer last minuet to BYU instead of weber and my parents helped me set up a good way to make that happen. All my life I've relied on mommy and daddy to tell me what to do, to give me boundries, to help me decide. Now I'm faced with another huge decision and I realized I don't have that anymore. I'm an adult (sort of). I have to make my own decision. I would kill to be eight again. "mommy should i stay at byu?" and then she tell me what to do. It would be easier that way. There would be no option for regret if it wasn't on my shoulders.
Normallly my blog posts are about a life lesson I've learned from something in my life.. but I haven't learned the lesson yet. I'm still in the middle of the confusion. So this post is a cry for help. Anyone who knows me knows that I'm terrible at making decisions. Here are some things I've tried so far: talking about it, blogging about it, praying about it, writing pro-con lists, etc. And so far I can't come up with a good answer. So anyone who is reading this PLEASE tell me how you make big decisions in life! Give me advice! And then later when I figure out my life I'll share the WHOLE story i'm sort of avoiding telling the internet for now... and then explain my fabulous life lesson ;)
Normallly my blog posts are about a life lesson I've learned from something in my life.. but I haven't learned the lesson yet. I'm still in the middle of the confusion. So this post is a cry for help. Anyone who knows me knows that I'm terrible at making decisions. Here are some things I've tried so far: talking about it, blogging about it, praying about it, writing pro-con lists, etc. And so far I can't come up with a good answer. So anyone who is reading this PLEASE tell me how you make big decisions in life! Give me advice! And then later when I figure out my life I'll share the WHOLE story i'm sort of avoiding telling the internet for now... and then explain my fabulous life lesson ;)
Monday, June 21, 2010
Dealing with Anxiety
So for the past little while I have been in sort of a daze/slump. After consulting with my doctor and therapist the decision was made to increase my dosage of lithium and cymbalta and add zanex to help my mood become more stable. Well guess what.. it worked. The problem was I wasn't me anymore. I was completely apathetic toward everything and too tired to get out of bed all day until I left for my show at 5. I missed voice lessons, doctor appointments, messages, physical therapy, therapy, you name it I blew it off. So I have come to the decision to go back to my old dosage (which still helped a little, but not a ton) and work harder with my therapist on overcomming my extreme anxiety and depression. So why am i boring you with my sappy story? Because beleive it or not EVERYONE has anxiety or depression to some extent and it is important to learn how to manage it!
So this is what I have been working on:
The first step to fighting anxiety/depression is finding what the triggers are. Sometimes (especially in cases of bipolar disorder) the triggers are difficult to find. But it is so important to recognize them! In my case my triggers have a lot to do with insults and insecurities. I get depressed when I am insulted at all. If someone doesn't like my shoes, thinks a note i sang sounded bad, ect. And I get very anxious if I feel insecure. I get extremely anxious when i am at parties, social gatherings, talking to people after shows, if i feel fat, my hair isn't right, or my clothes don't match etc.
So after you find the cause recognize the reality of the cause. 99.9% of the time there is very little truth or depth to what is giving you anxiety or depression. Look at me I am NOT fat, I am a people person, I have great hair, I can sing well.... but all the things that freak me out SOOO bad contradict those truths. And even if they are true, sometimes my clothes don't match right, does it really actually matter to anyone but me? will it make a difference on my life in the long run? NO.
After that distract yourself from it. Forget it. Have a good time, hang with friends, get work done, laundry, organize, i personally play that piano and sing to distract myself.
After you have distrated yourself for some time you are able to look back and see that what you were anxious or depressed about REALLY didn't matter at all. IT WANS'T YOUR LOGICAL BRAIN IT WAS YOUR ANXIOUS/DEPRESSED BRAIN.
It isn't easy to do all of this. Trust me I've been trying for weeks. But when I DO manage to get the steps down right I find an incredible amount of peace. Now I know that not everyone has emotional disorders, but it upsets me that the only people that get advice on how to make your life better are messed up people like me! ;) So to anyone who is reading this weather you are crazy or not PLEASE apply this in your life. You will be astounded by what it can do for you.
So this is what I have been working on:
The first step to fighting anxiety/depression is finding what the triggers are. Sometimes (especially in cases of bipolar disorder) the triggers are difficult to find. But it is so important to recognize them! In my case my triggers have a lot to do with insults and insecurities. I get depressed when I am insulted at all. If someone doesn't like my shoes, thinks a note i sang sounded bad, ect. And I get very anxious if I feel insecure. I get extremely anxious when i am at parties, social gatherings, talking to people after shows, if i feel fat, my hair isn't right, or my clothes don't match etc.
So after you find the cause recognize the reality of the cause. 99.9% of the time there is very little truth or depth to what is giving you anxiety or depression. Look at me I am NOT fat, I am a people person, I have great hair, I can sing well.... but all the things that freak me out SOOO bad contradict those truths. And even if they are true, sometimes my clothes don't match right, does it really actually matter to anyone but me? will it make a difference on my life in the long run? NO.
After that distract yourself from it. Forget it. Have a good time, hang with friends, get work done, laundry, organize, i personally play that piano and sing to distract myself.
After you have distrated yourself for some time you are able to look back and see that what you were anxious or depressed about REALLY didn't matter at all. IT WANS'T YOUR LOGICAL BRAIN IT WAS YOUR ANXIOUS/DEPRESSED BRAIN.
It isn't easy to do all of this. Trust me I've been trying for weeks. But when I DO manage to get the steps down right I find an incredible amount of peace. Now I know that not everyone has emotional disorders, but it upsets me that the only people that get advice on how to make your life better are messed up people like me! ;) So to anyone who is reading this weather you are crazy or not PLEASE apply this in your life. You will be astounded by what it can do for you.
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
Oh shoot... another sappy blog post from jaron.
So a few weeks ago after one of our rehearsals for the WEDDING SINGER (which opens this week i'm in the MWF cast come see it text me for more information) our director got up in front of us and asked "why do you do this? why perform?" And several members of the cast gave quick answers like "i love giving" and "i love the rush" and "i love making people happy." And I haven't been able to stop thinking about that moment because I really had to ask myself WHY do I do what I do. Why perform? Now those of you who know me know that once I get something in my head it NEVER leaves so I've been searching for the answer for a while and this is what I've decided :
I perform because I LOVE. Look at the answers other cast members gave above and what do they all have in common? LOVE. I love people, stories, music, dancing, dressing up, smiling, seeing other people smile, making people laugh, teaching someone a lesson, making someones day, changing someones life, putting ideas in peoples heads they might not have ever had before, singing my heart out, people clapping for me, feeling attractive, lights, sweating, working, learning, growing, discovering. and the list goes on and on.
I perform because it is my obligation to use the gifts I have been given to change lives. And in return I get SO much more than I deserve. I get to spend my life doing and studying the list above. Who could ask for anything more :)
I perform because I LOVE. Look at the answers other cast members gave above and what do they all have in common? LOVE. I love people, stories, music, dancing, dressing up, smiling, seeing other people smile, making people laugh, teaching someone a lesson, making someones day, changing someones life, putting ideas in peoples heads they might not have ever had before, singing my heart out, people clapping for me, feeling attractive, lights, sweating, working, learning, growing, discovering. and the list goes on and on.
I perform because it is my obligation to use the gifts I have been given to change lives. And in return I get SO much more than I deserve. I get to spend my life doing and studying the list above. Who could ask for anything more :)
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