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| 5.5 amazing years comes to an end |
- September 2006 - March 2012: Undergraduate student at Brigham Young University (BYU) in Provo, UT. Worked in a few jobs after graduation.
- March 2012 - March 2014: Graduate student at George Washington University in Washington, DC. Worked full-time throughout school.
- March 2014 - August 2017: Graduate student at Columbia University in New York City, worked full-time throughout school. Got dream job after graduation.
- August 2017: Took full-time job at BYU and moved back to Provo, UT.
When I wanted to move to DC, I had a very strong feeling about it and everything went SO smoothly and beautifully, I knew for sure God very deliberately brought me there. When I wanted to move to NYC, He approved and it worked out incredibly well. When I wanted to move back to BYU 2 years later, He adamantly said no, stay here. When I no longer felt the prompting to stay in NYC, I applied to the BYU job yet changed my mind many times about the timing of the move. But God softened my heart and turned my mind towards Provo. He made everything happen super fast with the job offer and got me back to Utah in 3 weeks.
Actually that's about how quickly all my moves have happened: 3-5 weeks. I feel like there must be specific reasons He brought me out East for that specific amount of time and then back to Provo. So to honor and try to understand the Lord's plan for my life, I made these lists during my last week in NYC about the last 5.5 year East Coast Adventure.
LESSONS I HAVE LEARNED
Spiritual
- The Lord and I can get through anything
- When God wants me to move somewhere, it happens FAST
- Whatever happens, I love God and He loves me, and that’s the most important thing
- The Lord keeps His promises
- God is infinitely patient, faithful and forgiving towards me
- As much as other people care about me and want to understand/support/love/serve me, Jesus Christ is the only one who is always with me, understands and loves me perfectly
- That I can call upon the Lord for help with work and school problems
- God will always take care of me
- Some personal revelations are temporary
- Charity never faileth
- God wants me to use my agency and will not tell me who to marry
- God doesn’t judge us based on how others treat us, but on how we treat others
- How to rely on the scriptures for every type of life situation
- How to be charitable to the homeless without going broke (see blog post)
- The true meaning and power of friendship
- How to be a really good friend
- God sends me angels in the form of friends
- Loyal true friends vs. fake acquaintances
- I'm really bad at saying goodbye or ending conversations
- I have a calming effect on people
- I’m an ambivert - 60% extrovert, 40% introvert
- How to plan big social outings
- How to be politically correct
- How to forgive unrequited crushes
- How to maintain multiple long distance friendships/relationships across the country over years
- It doesn’t matter how much I love a man, if he doesn’t love me back, he’s not the one for me
- Life can be more fun and exciting after marriage
- How to resolve interpersonal conflicts & roommate drama
- How to do online & long distance dating
- How to be happy for people instead of jealous or resentful
- What not to do when a boy I like asks for my number
- How to withhold judgment and just love people
- How to have a conversation with almost any stranger
- How to accept and express my sensuality within gospel bounds
- How to flirt better
- How to use Airbnb
- How to use Uber/Lyft
- How to manage job benefits and schedule all my appointments
- How to save for retirement
- What it’s like to work in a union
- Kindness is more important than any other personal characteristic
- I don’t know how to slow down unless I get sick
- How to live life to the fullest
- How to network professionally and keep in touch online
- How to streamline my life to the essentials (scriptures, music, exercise, sleep, socializing once a week) during highly demanding times
- To not stop growing and learning in order to not scare away men
- How to navigate a big city
- How to be a tourist
- My parents will support me even when they don’t understand or agree with me
- How to fake play the organ
- I need to proportion my time to my priorities
- Gratitude is the solution to everything
THINGS I GAINED
- Inspiring amazing loyal friends
- Temple Endowment
- Master’s degree from Columbia
- Experience in Higher Education Administration & American Studies masters programs - knowledge that I don’t like research, budgeting, or administrative work
- Internship in Student Affairs
- 4 blogs
- Moral of the Story
- DC to the Fullest
- Lindance Life
- Linda's Lists (you are here!)
- Attending lots of concerts
- Viewing Broadway shows
- Counseling training
- Coaching training
- More interest in and knowledge of politics
- Experience marching at the Lincoln Memorial
- www.LaunchedbyLinda.com
- Training and experience in singing/piano - practice, lessons, performances, open mics
- Experience in many kinds of dance/fitness
- Dance events - Broadway Summer Stock, Bachata Congress, New York Hustle Congress, Battle of the Big Bands, Midsummer Night Swing, National Dance Day, etc.
- Dozens of books read
- More personal revelations on love/dating
- Love, respect and better understanding of homosexual people
- 100’s of resumes edited
- Firsthand experience w/ famous sites and items in American history
- Empathy for the trials of older singles in the Church
- Experience with the promise of tithing
- Experience talking about my religion openly with faithful people of many other faiths
- Better understanding of Christ and His atonement
- Loyalty to brands - Loft, Amazon, Spotify, Michael Kors, Trader Joe's, etc.
- An Instagram account - Lindance photos
- Membership in 3 professional associations and attendance to all their conferences
- Experience as a mentor and mentee
- 2 stake callings
- Invisalign/braces
- Greater appreciation for the things my dad taught me - avoid debt/pay in cash, get to the airport 2 hrs early, keep in touch with extended family, etc.
- More trust and understanding of God’s plan for me
- More accepting of ambiguity (vs. black and white)
- More patient and forgiving with people
- More accepting of my family
- More confident in who I am
- More independent
- More resilient
- More outgoing
- More spontaneous
- Less judgmental of self & others
- Described as adventurous
- YOLO mindset
- Clothing styles/wardrobes (twice)
- Developed as a dancer beyond ballroom
- Not homophobic
- Feeling Christ’s pure love for all His children
- More like my mother - independent, lover of learning/education, valuing health/fitness/nutrition, overscheduled
- Internalized life mottos
- I’d rather regret the things I have done than the things I have not done
- Life begins at the end of your comfort zone
- Live with no regrets
- Matt 5:16
- Romans 8:28
- 2 Timothy 1:7
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