Life's Handbook

So I was thinking a lot today...because I don't have much time to do that now a days ha ha. Anyways, I decided that it was time that I make a plan for life...a way of life for those who are...lost more or less. Ergo, I (and my esteemed colleagues) will have a map to the perfect life. Hence you have the list below. Enjoy :)

Health:

·        Drink plenty of water.

·        Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince, and dinner like a beggar.

·        Eat more foods that grow on trees and plants and eat less food that is manufactured in plants.

·        Play more games.

·        Sleep for 8 hours

·        Take a 30 minute walk daily.

Personality:

·        Don’t compare your life to others.

·        Eliminate negative thoughts and feelings you cannot control. Instead invest your energy in the positive and in the present moment.

·        Don’t overdo. Know your limits.

·        Don’t take yourself too seriously.

·        Don’t gossip.

·        Dream more when you’re awake!

·        Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.

·        Forget issues of the past; don’t remind yourself of the mistakes of the past. That will ruin your present happiness.

·        Life is too short to live the same day twice.

·        No one is in charge of your happiness, except you.

·        Realize that life is a school and you are here to learn, Problems are a part of the curriculum; they appear and fade away but the lessons you learn last a lifetime.

·        Smile and laugh more.

·        You don’t have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.

Society:

·        Call your family often.

·        Each day do something good for others.

·        Forgive everyone for everything.

·        Make someone smile every day.

·        Keep in touch with friends.

Life:

·        Do the right thing.

·        Get rid of anything that isn’t useful, beautiful, or joyful.

·        The best is yet to come.

·        When you awake alive in the morning, thank God for it.

·        Make time to pray.

The Job hunt!

Today was an interesting day...aside from the sporadic weather here in Utah, I really have had an awesome first three weeks here. But the one thing that has truly and completely been able to remain elusive to me is work, and I'm not just talking about finding a decent job, I'm talking about finding ANY job...like moping the floors of the Walmart bathroom isn't even available!! Ugh! Anyways, after having applied to 9 jobs already and having no luck in those endeavors, I have now decided that it is my primary goal in life to seek employment...I figure I am doomed to this task until the Earth crusts over and not even cave men exist. But by and by I will succeed in time, even if I have to crawl to the edge of the planet and back! So, while in search of this elusive job I have learned 3 important things, the first being that you should never hand in your application in sweat pants and a t-shirt...after which the cashier looked me up and down and with a disgusted look placed my application in the bottom of the stack :( (first impressions are always important) true story. Number two: even if they say they are not hiring get an application anyways and turn it in as soon as possible, you never know when someone could randomly quit because their boss ran over their cat or they discovered that they wanted to dedicate their life to becoming a Monk...Things happen, and you should be there to help with the recovery process! and Number three: Be yourself! Lying on an application will get you nowhere!!! Especially if you show up on your first day and can't teach this poor chimp martial arts even though your application says you can...Embrace your inner being and do something you love so that you never truly have to go to "work". and when that perfect job opportunity presents it's self you will feel so awesome! So, when life gives you job rut...become a Monk!

Pretty much my life's story...

Everyone has a story right? Good? Bad? Ugly? Well, mine consists of all of the above...
So, I guess I should just start with a run down overview of my life for all of you that are interested...I was born and raised in Rocklin California by my two awesome parents Greg and Sheri Petersen with my three younger sisters Brianna (17), Malia (14), and Linnea (8). I LOVED Rocklin, population around 56,109. This place was fully equipped with malls, fast food, great friends, and awesome fun activities! But of course all good things must come to an end and so one day when I was about 13-14 years old my parents told me we would be moving to a little town called Fall River Mills in Northern California....yeah let's just say that the population of this small town is about 600....AHHHH!!!! wow...yeah I know. So after completing 7th grade home schooled and 8th grade in a new middle school I was pretty tired of the changes. During 8th grade my dad spent almost everyday of the week in FR (Fall River) building what was to be our "Dream  Home". Now FR is about 4 hours from my home in Rocklin so he spent A LOT of time there...yeah sad day, but in the summer of 2006 the rest of my family made our way to FR to join my dad. Although our home wasn't finished we were able to rent an RV to live in on our property of 14 acres. Doesn't sound so bad does it?? Wrong....

Summer soon made way for winter, and let me tell you in FR winters suck let alone, but living in an RV during winter...pardon my french but "living Hell" comes to my mind first. Our electricity came from a small little generator located outside of our trailer which required a pull start....now at 4:30 in the morning for seminary this was my daily routine! I want to cry just thinking about it!! After that was over I had to take literally 3 second shower with freezing cold water and then hurry and dry my hair because it would freeze on end...no joke.  This went on for about a year when an angel was sent to us thru our church. We were asked to house sit for and elderly couple while they visited with some family members. A double wide with electricity! HEAVEN ON EARTH!
So about after 6 months of that my dad finally told us that our "Dream Home" was complete enough to live in so we ditched the double wide and moved into our semi-finished home.  "This is where the story has a happy ending, right Ericka!!??"
No.
Sadly things didn't take a turn for the better. After a few months of living in our unfinished home my dad was diagnosed with cancer. The doctors gave him 6 months to live....and q the party killer line...anyways that month is kind of a blur to me, I tried to forget about the whole situation. So, treatment after treatment. surgery after surgery my dad pulled through :) my dad out lived his death sentence by 4 years! Graduation day came and went. I got into BYU-Idaho and was rooming with my best friend...life was good :) two weeks into my first semester of college and I get a phone call from my mom on 9/22/2010. My dad was not doing so hot. I was flown in to San Francisco to say good-bye to my dad for the last time. He looked so small and helpless in his hospital bed. It was so hard for me to handle the only man in my life, the strongest person I knew, the one man who I could count on, dying there in a stupid hospital bed. His hands were bloody and scared, his skin was pale-ish yellow, his breathing very labored and his eyes so lifeless. When I got there he was too far gone to understand me or talk back but he knew that I was there. My whole family was by his side the entire time. After some time the nurse took him off of life support so we could say good-bye. Oh but my dad was NEVER a quitter. All on his own my dad lived till the next day around 1:30 in the afternoon. Watching the numbers on the monitor all register 0 was the hardest thing for me to watch.


My whole life I have been given trials of faith. My whole life I have been given blessings for those trials, and my whole life I have lived, loved, and laughed.
Today I am living in Provo Utah searching for what life is truly about...Happiness.
I love the gospel with all of my heart and I know I would not be the person I am today if I didn't have it in my life. I would not be able to ever see my dad again. I would never be able to see my brother Jesus Christ or my Heavenly Father and for that reason I am here searching for the real start of my life.
So when life gives you lemons...make sweet sweet lemonade! :)