my twenty seconds of insane courage

With all the time that I have been home for the winter holiday I have gotten to see several movies currently in theaters: Sherlock Holmes: Game of Shadows, Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol, Hugo, and We Bought a Zoo (and that doesn't account for all the movies that I watched at home and all the movies that I still really want to see). But, most recently out of these I saw We Bought a Zoo which was absolutely adorable; I laughed, cried (several times...seriously I can't help it), and I smiled the entire time.

There was one recurring theme in the movie that I absolutely loved. The main character, Benjamin Mee, played by Matt Damon (<3) had a theory of allowing yourself just twenty seconds of courage...

"You know, sometimes all you need is twenty seconds of insane courage. Just literally twenty seconds of just embarrassing bravery. And I promise you, something great will come of it."

So now pause for exactly twenty seconds...when counting it out, it may feel a little longer, but it really is a tiny amount of time. Though many moments in my life if I had just sucked it up for twenty seconds I can only imagine some of the things I could have gotten myself to do or allowed myself to say. 

Since I am about to start a series of really big adventures this is something that I will keep in mind. Hopefully you and I will both be able to find moments when we can have insane courage for just twenty seconds, and maybe something great will come of it. 

If ya haven't really heard much about the movie...or if you just like to admire Matt Damon, here is the We Bought a Zoo trailer.

peace. love. and insane courage. 

my peek into 2012

Obviously this is the time to be creating New Year's resolutions, but instead of creating resolutions may I present my New Years Manifesto. Although a manifesto is generally thought of as being a political thing, it can also be a deceleration of life-stance. So here is my New Years Manifesto, what is most important in my life and how I plan on committing to it and living it.

This year has the potential to be the best one yet, and since I am young and 20 and ready to seize the world, why shouldn't it be? You may recall that I previously established my new motto as "be bold," but instead of changing that up and moving in a new direction, I think I am only getting started here. Spending half my year abroad only gives me the chance to grab on to life in a whole new way and to branch out as I have never experienced. 

I want to try everything this year and let no opportunities get away from me.

 I want to take control of a clear path in my life and face what is up ahead of me prepared and emboldened.

 I want to grow closer to my Savior Jesus Christ, who has gotten my this far in my life, and let Him and everyone else know that I love Him through every action I take. 

I want to start tearing through my Life List (I'll share this with you soon) so fast that I'm taking away from it faster than I can add to it.

I want to live so that my passion for life and exploration shines out from me.

I want to discover, and adventure, and play, and learn, and teach, and grow, and run, and blast to potentials that I never thought possible.

I want to not put limitations on myself.

I want to be the best and brightest. 

Stick with me this year as I try to enact these things in my life, and as I try to blaze a new path for myself through studying in Paris, working with the leprosy afflicted in India, and bust through my classes at BYU. 

peace. love. and boldness.