Wednesday, March 26, 2008

Taking the Plunge

Last night I had a good long phone conversation with an old friend (we've known each other since we were both 5 years old). After our long conversation, she told me to make sure to check out her blog that she just finished. You can check it out yourself if you want, her name is Noelle Jensen (on our friends blogs list below).

She said:

"Several of my girlfriends have recently taken the very icy, cold plunge and blogged about the things they DO like about themselves. I have throughly enjoyed reading them and it really made me stop and think about what I like about myself. So often I concentrate on all the things I don't like. I get hung up on my many imperfections and don't see myself in a very kind light. My whole life I have struggled with feeling like I was enough. Good enough, smart enough, thin enough, pretty enough. So after reading their blogs and loving it I decided, enough is enough! So instead of concentrating on the negative I thought about all the good things about me and I have decided I am Enough! So I hope you enjoy...and if you don't frankly, I don't want to know! :)"


And then she wrote a blog about all of the things she likes about herself. I have to agree with her, I like these things about her as well. But not sure if I would be brave enough to write such a blog about myself - considering that I'm going through a period where I feel anything but pretty, I'm overwieght (thanks to pregnancy) and most often don't think the best thoughts about myself.

She challenged anyone else to "take the plunge" and try writing good things about themselves. I wasn't going to do it. Because I honestly have been having a hard time coming up with things lately. I'm not normally this way I don't think, but I have a lot of hormones going through me right now. ;)

But then I realized it would be a good exercise for me to do and what a better time for me to try to find positive things about myself.


So I have no idea what I'm going to write yet, I'm just going along with this as I type. But I encourge any other gals out there to do the same and feel better about yourself. I'm hoping that Noelle is right and that by the end of this blog I will be glad I did it. If not, I'm not publishing it. :)


What I like about me:

Okay so first off, I have been sitting here staring at the computer screen for at least a minute. So I'll just begin with the obvious to me right now - the fact that I like that my body is able to create a baby. We weren't sure for a while if we would be blessed with the opportunity, and though it has been a very hard journey, I am grateful that I am able to do this. I like that my body just knows what to do and how to create another little human. I like that I'm creating a healthy one too. And though I haven't met him yet, I love him too.


20 week ultrasound of our son - due June 8th
I guess I also like that I'm not a very contentious person. I don't like fighting, yelling, or when people are mean to each other. I like that I am aware of how I treat people and try to make sure my relationships are in good standing. There have been times when I have been upset with people or they have been upset with me, and it is one of the hardest things for me to bear. I like to resolve contention as soon as possible and restore peace.

My family - sometimes both the hardest and easiest people to get along with.


I like that when I decide I want to do something - I do it. I don't let fear get in the way, or excuses but I find a way to make it happen. From learning to ride a bike when I was little, to learning how to give myself a French manicure, to producing my own album. I really believe that we can do anything we put our mind to.

A recent manicure - I learned how to do "flowers" - thanks to one of my 14 year old piano students.

Me in the studio recording violin tracks with my mom for my album


I like my hair. So I've been wanting to chop it all off lately, but I still like it. I like to style it, to make it look pretty, and I like the color.



I like that I laugh. I recently read that I will probably live an additional 5 - 7 years too because I'm a laugher. I like to make others laugh too. And Will says it is one of his favorite things that he likes about me too - so I'm not self-conscious about it.



I looooooooooooooooooooove Will, but this is supposed to be about me. I just had to put that in there though.

Ummm okay.....


Staring at the computer screen again....

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Oh, I like that I can do music. Sometimes I feel like its all that I do, but I am grateful to be blessed with the talent. I also like that I can help provide additional income with it by teaching piano lessons.


Me at my last concert this past December - performing at Benarya Hall

I like my eyes/eyebrows. I know that sounds weird, and I used to hate my eyebrows when I was in highschool. But I like them now. So I don't know. I just like 'em.


This one is tough for me because my body is probably what I struggle with the most - pregnant or not. So I will just say that right now I am grateful for the miracle of creating a baby even though I have gained a ton of weight, have a few stretchmarks, a double chin and am a superwide load right now. I loved my flat stomach before I got pregnant, so I'm having a hard time dealing with the belly thing right now. But I like that I can exercise and take care of my body, that I was blessed with curves :), and that when I'm not pregnant I am fairly athletic.

Will and I up at the top of the Olympic Mountain Range - which we backpacked two summers ago

And I guess last of all (because I need to go before my piano student arrives in a few minutes), I like that I am computer savvy. I created my own website, know html, web design (limited though!), am pretty good at Photoshop and creating slideshows to music, not to mention most of my music software is pretty hard to use - and best of all - can document our fun memories by blogging! :)

10 comments:

The Thomas Family said...

What a cute post. I have acctually never heard of a like post before. I loved reading yours and i would have to agree with all of yours and I could say a lot more. Like that you have great style.You are also really great with hair. Your hair ALWAYS looks adorable. You are always trying new and adventurous dews. It's so impressive. You are an excellent writer. I love reading your blog. Some of us have a hard enough time just spelling correctly let alone making any sense when we write. You are a very kind, loving person. Easy to talk to. I really could go on and on. I just like you and love that we are related. Hopefully some day we will at least live on the same side of the country so we can actually get to see each other more then once a year. Love you. Jenn

Stephen and Ileana said...

Jenni I have to agree with you on all those (except the ones about the curves and your belly; never really focused on those before). You are a great person and a great sister. In fact, you're my favorite sister!
Stephen

Anonymous said...

Loved it! Way to go girl! It's fun to concentrate on the good, huh? You know I focused on the physical things I like about me because it was easier to write about my talents and parts of my personality, so my hubbie said do it on what's hard to write about. So I did, but like I said it took me a few days to figure it all out in my head and then to get brave enough to post it! I have to say those are all things I love about you too! I also love how you always make others comfortable, your adorable out loud laugh-this is A.'s favorite with me too! And your eyes-you have got fabulous eyes. Your face too, is something I love-I look at your pics all the time and you do have a beautiful face. There are so many good and wonderful things about you, but alas this email is becoming like our conversation the other night! So let me just say- you are the best! I am so proud of you! Love ya-N

RoLo said...

You are so cute! You should have also put that you make friends easily. I didn't even know you really then we read each other's blogs and there ya go. By the way when is a good time for ice cream for you? Ever since we talking about it I have had a craving for Cold Stone. Sometime after 4? That way I don't have to rush back to work ;)

Kate said...

What a great post - I love it! It's always better to focus on the positive, but it can be so much harder sometimes!

Dalynn said...

I love your curves in the last picture! Heehee - can I say that? I'm gonna.

Unknown said...

Thanks for sharing. I think you are so adorable. I love how you are such a girl and yet you love the outdoors. I wish i could do that, but for some reason I don't to the girl thing as well as i wish. Oh well, this isn't about me it's about you. I LOVE YOU!

Brandie said...

I think that is a wonderful list to make. I will have to make a list here soon. So I can see what I love and like about myself. I learned a lot about you by reading what you like and love about yourself.

Unknown said...

Maybe you can teach me how to do my hair. I need all the help I can get. I love you because you have your own personality and it is always fun when you are around.

Unknown said...

Did I mention that you are incredibly talented and I love your music.