Week 3 Journal Entry

This week a lot of the readings and videos had to do with honesty and business ethics. I loved discussing this topic, because it is something that is extremely important to me. I've heard people say it is almost impossible to get to the top without compromising on your integrity. I do not believe that is true though. I think some people may get to the top by compromising their values, but it is hard to stay at the top when this happens. People want to work with people they trust, so it is important, if you want to really make it in a career, to be trustworthy. I have read "Making a Living and a Life" by Elder Lynn G. Robbins before, but reading it again was a good reminder of the priorities I need to set in my life. In every way, I want to put the Lord and others first before money. If I have my priorities straight, I will never allow a temptation to rob me of my integrity or allow money to become my first motivation. I also really enjoyed writing a personal code of conduct for myself this week. It took a lot more thought than I thought it would, because I wanted to make sure they were things I could really promise never and always to do. Thinking about those things and writing them down helped me to see what values are the most important to me and what I need to remember as I go throughout different situations in my life. It makes me grateful for the gospel and that there really are many things that I have decided not to ever do, no matter what happens.

Week 2

There are so many things to write about this week! Coming up with the 50 items for my bucket list was quite enlightening, but hard. The first 10-15 came out rather quickly, which was so surprising to me, considering they were pretty random and not related to one another. I think those are the things I really want to accomplish. I will look back on that and make it happen. The rest took a lot more thought and a couple days. My favorite reading from this week was the talk by Jeffrey A.Thompson, What is Your Calling in Life? I loved how he eased my anxiety about finding the right career. JP and I had a great discussion about that talk tonight and how great it can be to unite the gospel and careers. The gospel of Jesus Christ should penetrate all that we do! Questions I am supposed to answer: Why do you think Randy Pausch was able to achieve so many of his childhood dreams? He believed he could, and he not only believed it, he worked hard to achieve his dreams. He never gave up on his dreams, but adjusted them according to what was possible. Do you feel that dreaming is important? Why or why not? Yes. It helps to give me hope. Reaching for something makes life meaningful, whether it is a career or any other goal. Dreaming is like setting goals. Discuss at least one of your childhood dreams. Explain why you believe you can or cannot achieve this dream. When I was younger I wanted to be a choir teacher. I started to study this in college, only to have life take me away from it for awhile. I believe I could achieve this dream, but it has changed a little. I have other dreams that I have gained as I have lived a little more, but for that dream, I would change it a little to teaching others music in a different way, such as piano and voice lessons.

Week 1 Journal Entry

I feel a little confused as to what to write this first week in my journal. Maybe it's because I want to write down answers that I have received, but I feel like this week has left me with many more questions than answers. So I'll start there. What is my goal? What am I passionate about and good at that could be of use as an entrepreneur? These questions seem too difficult to answer, maybe because I don't yet have a plan for where I want to be in ten years. Honestly, a part of it is because I'm not sure I want to be doing anything entrepreneurial in ten years. I am a stay-at-home mother, and I love it. My youngest child is just 1 year old, so my children are still very much the focus of my day-to-day activities. And I don't yet know if I want to work after my youngest child starts school because I still want to be extremely involved in their lives at that point. Maybe that is where this class, and the degree I am working toward, will be beneficial to me. I don't know if I want to work, because to me what comes to mind is going and applying for a random job (probably in an office of some sort, just because that's what I know), and doing something that most likely wouldn't be meaningful to me. I hope to learn more about myself through this class, more about what I am passionate enough about that I would feel fulfilled doing it. I am grateful to be in a position where money is not an important factor in this, because my amazing husband is so wonderful at taking care of our family. So what is it that I am passionate about? Besides my faith and my family, what other things give my life meaning?