Great book, new ideas

So this weekend was a little bit overwhelming for me. I felt like I had a lot to do, I had schoolwork that I'd neglected, wanting to visit with friends, ward activity and other random thoughts that kept my brain working the whole time. But I've also felt lately that I didn't really have direction. I have been doing good things, being with friends, trying to socialize, exercising, doing school three nights a week, working full time as well, going home to visit family...I was just doing whatever came my way and didn't really worry about my relationships with others, or more importantly with Heavenly Father. So, in the spirit of change, I started to read this book by Sheri Dew. I love reading her books. I usually start off feeling a little overwhelmed by her many great ideas, but by the end of the chapter, I'm able to choose something work on and I feel she had the same feelings I have now.

This week, I read the chapter, "Sometimes OUR charity faileth." And this was directed right at me. I feel like I've been somewhat self consumed lately. I've been doing what makes me feel good. And even then, does it make me happy to always be running around doing things, but not focusing on what is really important? This specific chapter delved into how to develop better meaningful relationships with others. We need to eliminate the Three C's: Competing, Comparing and Categorizing. And I've found that I do these, to myself and others. Sometimes I find it difficult to not compare myself to the great people around me and think that I don't measure up either physically or intellectually. And that can lead to competing with those people for the attention of others by either criticizing or trying to make them feel lower, and that leads to categorizing people, putting them into categories and not giving them the opportunity to be seen for who they really are, because we only see them for who we assume they are. Not a good pattern to follow.

So, I'm trying to eliminate the Three C's, and I think if I do that, I will be able to balance the most important things in life. All I can worry about it is how I treat others and how I treat myself. My dad has told me that one of the best ways to get out of a "funk," is to go and serve others. So I'm going to be a better Visiting teacher(sorry to my visiting teachees, they're probably going to take the brunt of this new charge) and try to find those opportunities to serve others and I think one of the ways to do that, is to get to know the new people in my ward. There are a lot and it has kind of intimidated me lately, so time to get out of that and welcome the newbies.