I delight in a challenge.

Sometimes I literally tell myself outloud, "I can do hard things." Tonight as I drove back home, I thought repeatedly in my head..."I hate this week and it hasn't even started." Now let's face the fact that I was/am having a bad attitude. Let's also face the fact that a great reward will come this weekend with General Conference. But until then, I'm just putting it out there that this week will push the limits with all there is to do and be.

As I was thinking about a picture that went with my thought, I ran across this picture of a the space shuttle. It is my favorite picture of the space shuttle and one day, it will be framed in my home. I feel like the space shuttle does a really hard thing because it literally defies gravity.

Gravity is one of the strongest forces I know of. Yet, thought lots and lots and lots of energy and engineering...the space shuttle defies it head on. This is important because sometimes it feels like I have major forces to defy to get done all that I need to. Even with fantastic delegation and prioritization skills...it seems that there still may not be enough of me to get it done.

But here's the rub...where there is a will, there is a way. That's a lesson learned as of late. When we believe that something is possible, even if it seems to be just a dream or a slight glimmer of hope--there in lies the first step in receiving that possibility.

Another lesson I've learned lately is, never say never. I use the word 'never' way too much. I'm never going to do a PhD. I'm never going to marry someone shorter than me. I will never like fish. The list goes on and on about things I tell myself constantly that I'm never going to do. In all honestly, the truth is...I never know what I'll end up doing in my life. For all I know I could live on an island in an ocean where all they eat is fish after getting my PhD and marrying someone a foot shorter than me. Probably not...but then again who knows. Never say never because you never know. I told myself when I moved to Salt Lake that I was never going to move back home. Well never say never because lo and behold...home is getting me back in January. Never say never.

When it comes down to it...this week isn't one big challenge. Its lots of little challenges to be conquered one by one. Individually they are what they are, but as a whole I believe (or really I am reminding myself to believe) that these challenges contribute to a bigger greater 'whole' picture and person.

The challenge is not in the events that this week holds. The challenge is to expand my perspective, to remember my lessons learned and to defy gravity because it is possible.