to get to know yourself and find your life's purpose
(Pinterest says so).
1. What are you most likely very wrong about?
A lot of things. But don't tell anyone. I kind of want to maintain the image of being right all the time. Wink, wink.
I should probably answer the question for real, being the first one and all. I am probably wrong in many of the assumptions I make about other people.
2. What chapters would you separate your autobiography into?
I don't plan on writing an autobiography, but right here on a whim, I'm going to say that my autobiography will be titled, Why I Didn't Shower Today. Then each chapter will be built around my reason for not showering during each phase of life.
You're intrigued, right?
Tough luck. Never gonna happen. Kind of like my daily showers.
3. What are some things you've had to unlearn?
I've had to unlearn a lot of things, but one of the biggest things for me has been unlearning dishonesty. As a child, teen, and young adult, I lied or withheld information all the time. I learned this behavior from other people. I saw them being constantly rewarded for dishonesty. It got them attention and gave them control. One example was a friend I had in third grade. She told this elaborate story about her parents dying in a train accident. She was then adopted and sent to boarding school. She demonstrated how she and her classmates had to march around in their matching dresses. I ate the story up and totally believed it. I told everyone about it. “Did you know her parents died in a train accident, and she was sent off to boarding school?” When I finally realized it was all a lie, I wasn’t mad about it! I though she was a genius to make up that story, and I wanted to weave intricate tales of dishonesty too.
Was I a messed up child? Why, yes. Yes, I was.
I lied about big things and small things. I lied about things that didn't matter and things that did. Sometimes I would catch myself and think, "Why am I lying?" Other times I would be half-way into a lie before I even realized I was doing it because it became so natural for me.
I didn't really learn how to be honest until my frontal lobe was fully developed. Now I see this trait in some other people - people who lie even when there is no purpose for the lie, and I want to pay for their therapy so they can KNOCK IT THE HECK OFF.
4. What could you give a 40-minute presentation on with absolutely no preparation?
Happiness, board games recommendations, book recommendations, various religious topics, Lost, family relations, and reasons to keep a recliner in your garage.
5. What question would you most like to know the answer to?
Is there a God?
Like I've said before, I have a strong conviction that God is real, but I do not KNOW it. I don't think my behavior would change a lot if I knew God was real, but it would probably change a lot if I knew he wasn't. So much of my life revolves around my belief in God. I’d be pretty lost without Him.
6. If you didn't have to sleep, what would you do with the extra time?
Do my kids still have to sleep? Because if they do, sign me up. If they don't, just shoot me.
7. Why did you decide to do what you are doing now in your life?
I'm just doing what I feel is right for my family. It's something I'm constantly assessing.
8. What's the best and worse piece of advice you've ever received?
Here is a post about some of the best advice I've been given.
I can't think of the "worst" piece of advice I've been given.
9. What's the most impactful 'no' you've said recently?
I had someone ask me for a favor a few weeks ago, and I decided to say no. It was really, really hard, but it was really nice to not have to fulfill that commitment. I don't know that "impactful" is the correct word for it, but it was definitely the right choice to say 'no' this time.
10. What has been the most stressful experience of your life?
Motherhood.
11. Is there something you've dreamt of doing for a long time? Why haven't you done it?
Honestly? No.
There are things I'd like to do, but I don't have this pressing need to tackle unfulfilled dreams. I feel like I'm right where I'm supposed to be. Every dream has its season.
12. What would you like to change about your family?
I wish we got along better. My kids fight like crazy. I fight with my kids like crazy. Scotty fights with the kids like crazy. Our saving grace is that Scotty and I get along pretty well.
13. What was a place or event that transformed your ideas, thinking, or perspective? What changed?
My biggest transformations have come from forgiving other people. There have been two times, in particular, where I really had to study forgiveness and rely thoroughly on the Atonement to get me through. Forgiveness hasn't become easier, but I know and understand a lot more about it now.
14. What one thing would you do if it would be impossible to fail?
I would write a book. Or several.
15. What is something you love now that you never could have imagined you would like in the past?
Sushi.
16. If you could invite anyone, living or dead, to dinner, who would that be and why?
Some fictional characters.
A few dead people.
A selection of celebrities.
And Donny Osmond.
17. If a crystal ball could tell you the truth about yourself, your life, the future, or anything else, what would you want to know?
For the most part, I believe there is beauty in not knowing the big things, so I would use a crystal ball to evaluate books. That way I don't waste my time reading books I won't like or appreciate.
Like right now, I could hold my crystal ball and ask it if I'm going to like The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes or Malorie, and then I'll know if I should look forward to them.
(I haven't told you this, but Bird Box is one of the best books I've ever
18. What are you addicted to?
Food.
19. What's the milestone you're working towards right now in your personal or professional life?
My professional life is up in the air currently since I'm not employed. In my personal life, I am moving toward the milestone of having all my kids in school! That means I need to be wise with my time while they are gone.
20. What was the most bizarre encounter you've had in your life?
One time Shannon and I were riding an elevator, and Brad Wilcox got on. We were so happy to see him that we just stayed on the elevator - just us and him. It was only bizarre when we arrived at Brad's floor - the last place we could have gotten off - and we stayed on the elevator, indicating to Brad that we'd stayed on the elevator just because HE was there. We had to ride back down to the floor where he'd gotten on.
#nofilter
Speaking of bizarre encounters with popular religious figures, I met Jean Stevens once, and she totally spit on my face while she was talking.
It's cool, Sister Stevens. We are bonded forever now.
21. If you were to die this evening with no opportunity to communicate with anyone, what would you most regret not having told someone? Why haven't you told them yet?
I feel like writing prompts are always trying to kill me off. Why do you want me to die?
22. What do you spend too much time doing? What don't you spend enough time doing?
Too much: ruminating and doing things that take my attention away from my kids.
Not enough: exercising and interacting positively with my kids.
23. What makes you feel the most alive?
Feeling a sense of worth, connecting with other people, and well... breathing.
24. What is something you know you do differently than most people?
Load my dishwasher.
25. What advice would you offer to yourself five years ago? One year ago?
Five: don't go to Fiiz. Ever. Because you will form a horrible addiction, and it will make you gain a lot of weight. And don't eat Halloween candy while you do your statistics homework because, again, you're going to gain a lot of weight.
(I haven’t been to Fiiz for a year and a half, save for a few months ago when I stopped there and got a a sprite with fresh lime).
One: don't order cheese fries from Freddy's. But this time it's because they are gross and not because you're at risk for addiction. I'm just trying to save you the disappointment.
26. What small gesture from a stranger made a big impact on you?
Several Years ago, I was stopped at a traffic light during a bout of construction. There was a homeless panhandler standing on the side of the road. Since we were stopped for a while, a man in the car next to me got out and gave the panhandler some money, shook his hand, and then gave him a really big hug. I am not the type of person that hands out money to panhandlers, but I believe that there are times when we might be moved upon by the spirit to do something of that nature without judgment. I feel like the giving man was acting on such an impression. It was beautiful to watch. When the man turned around, I realized he was someone I knew - my friend’s older brother. So in the end, he wasn’t a stranger to me, but he was a stranger to the panhandler, and that has always stuck with me.
27. What are you looking forward to in the coming months?
Camping!
28. Did you ever feel lost in your life path? How did you find your way again?
I was feeling lost a few years ago, and that's when I went back to school. The "feeling lost" part was necessary to push me toward where I needed to be, so feeling lost isn't always a bad thing.
29. What do you want your epitaph to be?
"She died right on time."
30. What do you regret not doing? Why haven't you done it?
I regret not learning to play the piano proficiently while I was young. Why haven't I done it? Key words: while I was young. I don't want to do it now. I have to save my brain space things like board game rules and the names of my children.
31. What would constitute a perfect day for you?
As usual, I refuse to answer this question but want to point out that it shows up in every writing prompt.
32. What's something you love about yourself?
My mind. As twisted and demented as it may be, I really do love my mind.
33. When do you feel truly alive?
See #23.
Now stop asking!
34. When people come to you for help, what do they usually want help with?
I have to say - this is a good question that really has me thinking. The answer is very broad, though. There isn't a short and sweet list of things people ask me to help with. The answer can be anything from putting library books on hold to giving people rides to wiping butts. Luckily, it's usually just my own children that need help with the butts, but I've had a neighbor kid or two holler at me from the bathroom. Eek!
35. What do you consider as your biggest achievement in the last five years?
Getting my degree.
36. What is the most challenging part of your job?
Not knowing if I'm doing it right.
37. What was a major turning point in your life?
When I knew that we were done having kids.
38. What's one thing that could happen today that would make it great?
Do I have to be realistic here? If so, I would love to have a burst of energy that will get me through the day's tasks.
If I get to be unrealistic, I have lots of options. Hugh Jackman could show up at my door. I could find $100,000 in cash stashed in my underwear drawer. I could take a nap and wake up 50 pounds lighter. My house could clean itself. Or my kids could do what I ask them to the first time.
39. If you knew that in one year you would die suddenly, would you change anything about he way you are now living? Why?
Again with wanting me to die!
Of course I would change the way I'm living if I knew my life was going to end so soon. It would effect my every choice. And it would be horrible because I wouldn't be able to just live. This is one reason I don't want to know this type of stuff (see #17).
40. What would you like to ask yourself?
That's a dumb question.
1 comment:
This is a great post. Very interesting questions.
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