Forever & Always

Lovelies...

Can I just say when you are going through a hard time and thing things will never get better, they will. ALWAYS. You have to hang out and not let go. Never give up. Time truly does heal everything. Waiting for things to get better is a challenge, it's painful, it feels like things will never get better... but they will. You have to stay strong when all is going wrong. 

Quote of the day

"There are seven billion people on this planet. Don't let one ruin your day."

There are many changes taking place in my life for the better. 

I have been outrageously busy in the last week.

I went to SLC last weekend with my dear mother for some quality mother daughter time. We went to dinner, saw a movie, and stayed in a hotel. The next day we shopped all day! I love shopping. It was incredibly fun. I am blessed. Everyone should have weekends like that every once in a while.

When we got home Saturday night, I had a girls night with my friend Paige. It was so much fun! We shopped, went to dinner, and watched movies. I adore Paige. She is a sweetheart and such a great friend.

I am looking forward to the changes that are yet to come. I am ready for them.

I don't want to turn 22 on Friday... :( I want to be forever young. 

I am trying to think of a birthday wish... I didn't make one last year. Does that mean I get two this year? I think so. I'd wish to stay young always, but I am pretty sure that's not going to happen. I can be young at heart. I must think of some amazing wishes, and I hope they come true.

Happy birthday to all of you who have birthdays in October!

I dedicate this blog post in memory of Jaden Schenk- he was a friend of my sister Jordan's and was a wonderful person. It's so sad he was only 16. It's always tragic when people die so young. I feel as though he changed the lives of so many and touched lives more than some people do in a lifetime. I know he's in a better place, and I look forward to getting to know him better in the next life. My thoughts and prayers go out to his family. Jordan said what she loved best about Jaden was that he was ALWAYS smiling, she never once saw him in a bad or sad mood. That is inspiring. 

Life is so fragile. You think you will live forever and the truth is you never know when it will be your time...when your loved ones and friends will be gone... You might not get to see tomorrow. You should always tell the ones you love how much they mean to you. Take chances. Don't wait to live your life... this is your life. Make the best of it.

I love you lovelies.

Charley Brooke

August Rush

 

Dearest Lovelies,

Am I the only one who can't believe it's already August?! 

Where did summer go?

We're on month 8 of 2011 with only 4 to go!

Where does the time go?

Lets make this August the best one ever, a month to always remember. 

One month of summer left lovelies--make each moment count!

Dream big and don't you dare stop believing.

What are your August wishes?

HAPPY AUGUST

With love, 

Charley Brooke

"The first week of August hangs at the very top of summer, the top of the live-long year, like the highest seat of a Ferris wheel when it pauses in its turning."

-Tuck Everlasting

One Year Ago

Do you remember where you were a year ago today? I assume the answer is no, and if you’re like me you struggle to remember where you were a WEEK ago—unless you are one of those people with a photographic memory like Lexipedia (aka Lexie Grey from Grey’s Anatomy) or today’s your birthday (if so happy birthday!) or it was the best (or worst) day of your life. My answer to the question is no. However I do have quotes I wrote in my journal a year ago today I’m going to share with you! I didn’t write what I was doing or where I was instead there are quotes. Some of them have been posted previously, some are new. That’s a benefit of keeping a journal, you remember your memories.

“If all the sick for whom we pray were healed, if all the righteous were protected and all the wicked destroyed, the whole program of the Father would be annulled…No man would have to live by faith…There would be little or no suffering, sorrow, disappointment, or even death, and if these were not, there would also be no joy, success, resurrection, nor eternal life.”

-Spencer W. Kimball

“Love never dies a natural death. It dies because we don’t know how to replenish its source. It dies of blindness and errors and betrayals. It dies of illness and wounds, it dies of weariness, of withering, of tarnishing.”

-Anais Nin

“Communication. It’s the first thing we really learn in life. Funny thing is, once we grow up, learn our words and really start talking the harder it becomes to know what to say, or how to ask for what we really need.”

-Meredith Grey, Grey’s Anatomy

“For a kiss to be really good, you want it to mean something. You want it to be with someone you can’t get out of your head, so that when your lips finally touch you feel it everywhere. A kiss so hot and so deep you never want to come up for air.”

-Alex Karev, Grey’s Anatomy

“Nothing is more despicable than respect based on fear.”

-Albert Camus

“Gravitation cannot be held responsible for people falling in love.”

-Albert Einstein

“Anger doesn’t solve anything. It builds nothing, but it can destroy everything.”

-Thomas S. Monsen

“We cannot gauge the worth of another soul any more than we can measure the span of the universe. Every person we meet is a VIP to our Heavenly Father. Once we understand that, we can begin to understand how we should treat our fellowmen.”

“True love requires action. We can speak of love all day long—we can write notes or poems that proclaim it, sing songs that praise it, and preach sermons that encourage it—but until we manifest that love in action, our words are nothing but sounding brass or a tinkling cymbal. Love is what inspired our Heavenly Father to create our spirits; it is what led our Savior to the Garden of Gethsemane to make Himself a ransom for our sins. Love is the grand motive of the plan of salvation. It is the source of happiness, the ever renewing spring of healing, the precious fountain of hope.”

-Dieter F. Uchtdorf

“Whatever you do in life will be insignificant, but it’s very important that you do it because nobody else will.”

-Tyler, Remember Me

“I invite each one of us individually to recognize that how we disagree is a real measure of who we are and whether we truly follow the Savior. It is appropriate to disagree, but it is not appropriate to be disagreeable. Violence and vandalism are not the answer to our disagreements. If we show love and respect even in adverse circumstances, we become more like Christ.”

-Quentin L. Cook

“We spend a lot of time focused on the future, planning it, working toward it. But at some point you start to realize your life is happening now. Right now. This is it. It’s here. Blink and you’ll miss it. So say what you want and mean it. Live each moment to the fullest. Today! Because tomorrow is never guaranteed.”

Our Time Is Now

Dearest You,

I first will start off by apologizing for my lack of inspiration—let me clarify, when I say lack of inspiration, I don’t mean that I myself am inspiration-less, I just have been too busy to share my inspiration with your wonderful self and for this I am sorry! I promise to inspire more and more forever and ever. I will never stop trying to be an inspiration and inspire you. You inspire me.

This last week was chaotic to say the least, but each day is a blessing, even the crappy and busy ones, so for this I am grateful. It was finals week! Finally school’s out for the summer! Summer vacation starts now for me! Yay! I hope you make this summer a summer to remember. I know I am going to make this summer unforgettable. Also, I have been moving the past few days.

Moving…ugh. I am twenty one years young and have probably moved almost thirty times and all in the same city! I hope that in the next few moves it will be to a new place. I would love that oh-so-much, but at the same time it would be more of a challenge to move out of state, but totally worth it! I cannot believe I was at the 305 (my college apartment) for two semesters now and it’s over already. It feels like I just moved in yesterday. Today was my last day there. It was bittersweet.

I will never forget my time in the 305. It was my first time living on my own and I learned and grew immensely. I made wonderful and terrible memories there. I wouldn’t have changed it though. I will miss my two roommates Hannah Jane and Rian Elizabeth. Those girls became like sisters to me. They are staying there for the summer. I am moving in with my family along with my other roommate and real life little sister McHale. But I will always keep in touch with Ri and Hannie. Those girls are incredible, and I just love them! We had some lovely times you’ve read about here.

I’ve decided that time doesn’t just fly, race, speed, or run by—time teleports. It’s there one second and gone the next in the blink of an eye. You just have to make each second count and live it to the fullest, enjoying every moment, constantly learning and changing and growing and living. Never race time, you will not win. You cannot get back time that is wasted. So make the best of the time you have because you never know when it is going to end.

Speaking of this, I like to send a shout out to a wonderful elderly lady who had the spunk of a teenager, Miss Jackie. May she rest in peace. She was a resident at the facility my mom is assistant director of nursing at. My sisters and I volunteered there over Thanksgiving and Christmas Break and met Jackie. She always could brighten your day with her smile and witty comments. Even when she was criticizing the way we decorated the Christmas tree it was in a comical manner. I am thankful to have met her. She was in much pain towards the end so I am happy she is no longer in pain. Always tell the people you love that you love them when you have the chance because you may not get it again.

Now I’d like to make a comment regarding my state of the nation. I received a comment from a reader that was critical, negative, and in my opinion, rather mean. I didn’t let it get me down. Everyone is entitled to their opinion, that’s the beauty of freedom. This reader stated they were commenting because I was “so desperate for comments” they stated. I would definitely have to disagree with this. I am not desperate; I just genuinely care and love you! This is the Inspiration Nation and you are a member of it. I care about you. I would love and adore hearing from all of my readers, from my nation. You inspire me. I’d love to hear what you think, or your suggestions, your stories, I want to know you. We all have stories to tell. This is mine and I just want you to know I’m here for you! I am always here for you. Now I also would like to clarify that if you have something negative or rude to say, don’t say it at all. At least not here.. You don’t have to like my blog or posts. Not everyone likes the same things... I get that. You may disagree with what I say. And that’s perfectly fine. However, keep mean comments to yourself. This blog is about positivity and happiness—this is the Inspiration Nation. Keep it light and not dark. If you don’t like this blog, don’t read it. Plain and simple. Now I am all for correcting me on my grammar or if I made any mistake, feel free to inform me of it. I’d love to hear that.

That being said, for all members of this nation feel free to add me as a friend on Facebook at www.facebook.com/charleybrooke. I also have a Twitter account you can follow via www.twitter.com/TheUSAPrincess.

I’d like to dedicate this post to my dear, sweet, gorgeous, amazing, superhero, inspirational, fun, hardest-working ever mother Angie. I love you mom! Happy Mothers Day to you and all the mothers of the world! Moms are superheroes! Mom’s are incredible and make this world a better place! Always let your mom know how much you appreciate her! They deserve that. I hope all mothers have a lovely day. You are loved by me!

I have a whole lot of inspiration coming your way!

With love,

Charley Brooke

My B-E-A-UtifulmommY!

Come True