Happiness is a choice!

I Was Here

We all want to feel important. We all don’t feel important at times. This song sung by Kristin Chenoweth has made an impact on me. It starts You will notice me I’ll be leaving my mark Like initial carved in an old oak tree Just wait and see. There have been times in my life that I felt that I didn’t matter. When I start looking at the blessing around me I can not deny. The little ones coming into the world have some of my characteristics. My grandchildren, nieces and nephews, and yes, the ones that are not blood-related come with some of me too! My grandchildren know that grandma is going to college. One of my oldest grandsons said, “That is weird grandma.” I agree it is strange and different. I know that they will remember this. That their grandma was learning when her hair was grey. I hire some of my grandchildren to work for me. They pull off stickers of items that I am selling. I have them fill their bags up with stickers so I can tell who worked. They feel important. They are making a difference. I wanna do something that matters Say something

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Survivor or Thriver

\ It was getting harder and harder to breathe. I was afraid to eat food because it was getting stuck in my throat. There were 5 doctors around me, feeling the 18-centimeter lump in my stomach. The pet scan indicated that I had cancer from my chin to my ankles. I was diagnosed with the big “C” and according to the pet scan,  I lit up like a Christmas tree. The questions were ringing in my ears. How is she still alive? Can her heart make it through this treatment? She is going to die either way. How is she still walking? “Carol are you up for this? We are going to double the treatment, your heart might not be able to handle it, you will die if we don’t do something fast. I understand fully well. My own personal mantra is,” life is hard when we can get through hard we can have a good life.” I would survive, I knew it without a doubt. We are all survivors. If you are reading this, you are alive and you are a survivor. A thriver is living life to its fullest. I was using the, “as if,” principle and planning

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Small Horse with a Big Try

Smokey had heart, She was a small horse with a big heart Her try was bigger than her why I asked, she did Then I asked for more She did More Did More It was all she had, she tried, but it was not enough She balked I spanked I said, I need more! I was ready for more!   The horse with the big heart and a bigger try was not enough Smokey was too much of a horse for me when I was 10 years old. She was my dad’s horse and she seemed to do it all. Then my dad said I was ready for her. She pushed me to become a better rider.  I won ribbon after ribbon in the show ring. I wanted more. I took her to a higher level, rodeo queen contests. She took me to the top. This little horse had a big heart and even more try. I wanted more from her. So, we challenged her to the rodeo arena in goat tying. We were winning! I put her against the tall race horses in barrel racing. She tried, she had heart, it was not enough. I asked for more, she

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Garbage in Your life and In Your Brain

Why do people hang onto garbage? Why is taking the garbage out such an argument? Is it my job? Is it your job? Can I smash this jug and squish it in tight and the next person will have to take it out? Garbage can be on acres of farmland, where the farmer just can’t let go of old equipment and it fills the field with remnants of days gone by. It can be in our mind, the rotten sentence that plays over and over in your mind from a thoughtless outraged family member or friend. It can be in our own little corner of our room or fill a building. How do we throw it away and get over it? Some never do. They die with the garbage in their head and on their land. If it is physical the next recipient may clean it up. If it is in our mind, it will rot for life and we will take it with us into the hereafter. What will you do with your garbage? I have made a living by taking people’s garbage and reusing, remaking, and reselling it. I have learned that it is a state of mind. 

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Why TEDxRexburg?

I looked at my coach and said, “I never have to do that again.” Back story, I met  Maija-Liisa N. Adams three years ago. It was fate. Earlier that morning as I woke up I had a strong impression that I needed to improve my own speaking skills. I had participated in public speaking as a child and teen but had put it aside as an adult. I had involved my children in public speaking for 4-H and dabbled here and there with judging rodeo queen contests. When I met Maija-Liisa and realize that she was a TEDx coach I was overwhelmed and may have cussed a little. I knew that it would be a miracle for me to accomplish a TEDx talk. In my mind, I would jump in, get this over with, and move on with my life. I had a story to tell. I started lessons from Maija-Liisa and tried out, failed, tried out, failed, for 3 years! To top it off, I tried out in Idaho Falls where I grew up and Rexburg where I live presently! There is a process. You send in an application and then you get to go to an interview to

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