For Those That Haven't Been To College

I get asked a lot, "So....what have you learned from going to First Steps To Success?" (but what is really being asked is "Where is your proof that this stuff is legit and is any good?")

"Facts tell, stories sell". I completely get it. :) I have often asked myself that same question. What are the FRUITS of everything I have been learning? I'd often get discouraged because I felt like I didn't have an incredible "success story" to share with others but after doing some reflecting and soul searching, I realized that I DO have a success story and I need to honor and be thankful for my "sprouts". We may not be making a six figure income 6 months later from going to our first event last year (exactly a year ago this weekend...whoot whoot!) but my growth/changes have been more in my mind set about certain things.

This was probably my biggest breakthrough:

 I don't have to go to college to be an educated person.

I don't have to go to college to have self worth. 

I can be successful in life without having gone to college. 

For far too long my self esteem had been based on the fact that I didn't go to college. One of my deepest, darkest moments in life was when I didn't get accepted to BYU Idaho. The statitic was "98% of people who apply get accepted". I fell into the 2% that didn't get accepted and I was DEVASTATED. That apparently meant that I was stupid, of no worth and not good enough to go to BYU Idaho. The day that I found out I hadn't been accepted, I sobbed and sobbed as if my very soul was being ripped apart. What was I going to do now with my future??? I saw and felt nothing but complete pure darkness ahead of me. A best friend of mine, Jeni, and I had made SO many plans! We had it all figured out...and now I had to go and mess it all up. 

Fast forward a few months, I met Justin through a dear friend of mine, (they were work buddies who traveled the east of the USA doing security systems for Chilk-Fil-A), and long story short...he was going to be living in the same town that I was moving to. It was obviously THEN that God had other plans for me. :) If only we could live in hind sight, right? 

"Dani Johnson’s looked to be made up of hardships and challenge. Dani grew up on welfare in a violently abusive and drug-infested home. She was emotionally, physically, verbally and sexually abused on a regular basis. The personal trauma and violent conditions that Dani identified as home were all she knew. Consequently, she was pregnant at 17 and homeless at 21. Instead of accepting what life had so far scripted for her, Dani rewrote her own playbook, chapter by chapter – and by 23 she was a millionaire. In the years since, Dani Johnson has become a multi-millionaire many times over, owns five companies with her business partner and husband Hans, is a best-selling author, internationally sought-after speaker and radio show host."http://www.danijohnson.com/about/about-dani-johnson/

After hearing Dani first hand tell about her tragic beginnings and seeing where she was NOW, a light bulb went off in my heart/mind that basically said, "You can be an educated person without HAVING to go to college!" I can't even begin to express (though I'll try) the WEIGHT that was lifted off of my heart and soul. I am a daughter of GOD and He LOVES ME. It doesn't take a degree, or a college class for God to love ME. I am a person of GREAT WORTH and nothing will change that. 

The Twenty Dollar Bill

 A well known speaker started off his seminar by holding up a $20.00 bill. In the room of 200, he asked, "Who would like this $20 bill?"

Hands started going up. He said, "I am going to give this $20 to one of you, but first, let me do this."

He proceeded to crumple the $20 dollar bill up. He then asked, "who still wants it?"

Still the hands were up in the air.

Well, he replied, "what if I do this?"

And he dropped it on the ground and started to grind it into the floor with his shoe. He picked it up, now crumpled and dirty.

"Now who still wants it?"

Still the hands went into the air.

"My friends, we have all learned a very valuable lesson," he said, "no matter what I did to the money, you still wanted it because it did not decrease in value. It was still worth $20."

Many times in our lives, we are dropped, crumpled, and ground into the dirt by the decisions we make and the circumstances that come our way.

We feel as though we are worthless. But no matter what has happened, or what will happen, you will never lose your value.

Dirty or clean, crumpled or finely creased, you are still priceless ... and especially to those who love you.

The worth of our lives comes not in what we do or who we know, but by WHO WE ARE.

"You are special - Don't EVER forget it."

Now don't get me wrong, I completely admire people who have gone to college. That takes a very strong work ethic and I'm sure a lot of sweat and tears. Education is extremely important, no doubt. Here is a great website all about the importance of education: https://www.lds.org/topics/education. 

Education

Whatever principle of intelligence we attain unto in this life, it will rise with us in the resurrection.

Doctrine and Covenants 130:18

Education is an important part of Heavenly Father’s plan to help you become more like Him. He wants you to educate your mind and to develop your skills and talents, your power to act well in your responsibilities, and your capacity to appreciate life. The education you gain will be valuable to you during mortality and in the life to come.

Education will prepare you for greater service in the world and in the Church. It will help you better provide for yourself, your family, and those in need. It will also help you be a wise counselor and companion to your future spouse and an informed and effective teacher of your future children.

Education is an investment that brings great rewards and will open the doors of opportunity that may otherwise be closed to you. Plan now to obtain an education. Be willing to work diligently and make sacrifices if necessary. Share your educational goals with your family, friends, and leaders so they can support and encourage you.

Heavenly Father has specifically told me over the years to "be educated and to have hobbies." It FINALLY CLICKED that there are a million and one ways for me to be an educated person. AH! I get it now!! The opportunities to learn are endless. A.N.D. my favorite part.... I can learn about topics that I WANT to learn, not "HAVE" to learn. I'm sure science/math/English/etc are all necessary...eventually...but as of right now, I can scratch that off and focus on things that I am PASSIONATE about. 

There are other major breakthroughs that I have had this past year, but if that was the ONLY thing that I learned...going to First Steps To Success last July would have been worth EVERY SINGLE PENNY I owned. 

This is the first time in my LIFE that I have ever had a true desire to LEARN. There are topics that I just want to learn it ALL...so I'm having to learn patience and "line upon line". Eventually I'll learn it all. Eternity is cool like that. :)