Renew

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Cydni and Sher chat about the power of springtime renewal. Sher goes down a geeky history path with examples from Thomas Jefferson, and Cydni brings up fake eagle stories. This episode encourages listeners to experiment, improve, and shine. So, if you're ready to grow where you're planted and avoid being a turkey, tune in for a delightful and inspiring journey toward self-renewal. This episode is titled "Renew," and we are so glad you're here!

This Week's Challenge
This week's challenge is to write a life statement based on your joyful and challenging experiences, do a weekly brain dump to clear your mind, dedicate 15 minutes each week to personal growth, and take small actions toward becoming the person you want to be.

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Show Notes

Drip-Drip Drop, Words and  Music by  Matt Hoiland
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Transcript

Episode 108 - Renew

Cydni: [00:00:00] because I feel like, you know, you don't think you're depressed, but then the sun comes out and you're like, oh my gosh, I was depressed and here we are blossoming. It's true. You do feel better when the sun comes out. Sometimes you just wanna force that bloom, but you can't. You cannot force the bloom. You have to be patient. You have to be planted, and you have to let yourself blossom.

Sher: All right, Cydni. So last week we talked about overcoming fear and then a few weeks ago we just celebrated Easter. And you know what? The weather is changing. Spring is in the air. And no more being little scaredy cats. And so today we wanted to talk about, renewing ourselves and improving ourselves and becoming better people. 

Cydni: That's right. But I thought of Olaf that song where he sings about I thought it was springtime, but did you know it's actually Summertime?

Do you know Olaf from Frozen? Let It Go. Yes. Okay. Well, I apparently don't know it well. 'cause I was trying to find the lyrics to his springtime song. But it's summer. Got it. But I thought maybe it could work and I could read [00:01:00] some of the lyrics, but it doesn't at all. And I'm still bringing it up. Because I thought sometimes, you know, the renewal with the sun. It's supposed to be renewing, but like loft melts. 

Sher: That's what I was gonna say. Instead we melt. Yeah. That's really hopeful. In uplifting. 

Cydni: This episode is brought to you by Ozempic, so it didn't work at all. Mostly. Would you like to let it go? Yeah, that's positive. 

Sher: So on our quest to be happy, that's what Cydni came up with. 

Cydni: Put down that cheeseburger. We are about to wear sleeveless shirts. Ladies. Let those guns out. Welcome to the Relief Society Gun Show. Ba bam, bam, bam. Let those relief society arms shine. Where does that even come from? Relief Society, arms. I've heard that my whole life. Have you? Yeah, 

so why is it Relief Society has it? 'cause we're writing on the chalkboard to love God. Like Like smacking each other in the face. Yeah. That's it. With our underarm baggage.

Like, love God, you pay attention, sister. I think that's where it came from. I'm [00:02:00] almost certain, I'm almost certain the spirit is whispering to me now. I could hear it. It's like the Relief Society Arms come from smacking the Holy Spirit into one another. 

But I did come across something that's just perfect for this episode Sher because I was doing research. It was very intentional research while I laid in my bed eating potato chips and scrolled on Instagram trying to figure out how to freaking contour. 'cause everyone says to do it different. I don't understand. Me neither. I don't even know what that means. It's just like changing who you are on the outside to look different, to deceive others.

how old is that lady? 27. Nope. Jokes on you. I contoured. I haven't figured it out yet, but while I was doing that research, I did come across a quote and it said something along the lines of, sometimes you feel like you're being buried, but you've just been planted. Ooh, that's deep. I know. I like that you said deep because [00:03:00] planting and springtime does signify such beautiful things. It's a time of rebirth and renewal. And in Hinduism, spring embodies a renewal and harmony in the world. In Buddhism, it says that it is the blossoming of the lotus flower. In spring, it's a major symbol of enlightenment. And in Christianity, spring is seen as a reminder of God's promise of new life. It's a time to reflect on renewal of faith and the resurrection. So this is a perfect time we've been planted. It felt like you were buried, but you weren't buried, you were planted, and now it's time to bloom.

Sher: I went down a little different route though. I went to the scriptures. 

Cydni: Oh, that's a good book. 

Sher: And in second Corinthians chapter five, verse 17, it says. Therefore, if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature. Old things are passed away. Behold, all things are become new. So today what we really wanna do is focus on having the opportunity to [00:04:00] renew and to start all over if we need to. And this is all made possible because of our Savior, Jesus Christ. 

Cydni: I love that you used the word new creature. I've been thinking about that. It's been on my mind a lot. And while you turn to the scriptures. I turned to reels and Google, and I just found something very inspiring, Sher, that I would like to share with you at this time. 

Sher: Oh, good. I'm looking forward to it. 

Cydni: According to the internet, it is said that the most powerful bird in our skies. The eagle has to make a decision around 30 to 40 years old. At this time, their beak has overgrown and their feathers have grown heavy, they have to make a decision to either go and break their own beak because it's overgrown or they die , so the brave Eagle, the symbol of our nation, flies to the top of mountain and breaks its very own beak and plucks out its very own feathers so that it could be reborn.

Sher: cydni. That's not true. 

Cydni: It is, 

Sher: it is not true. 

Cydni: It's on so many YouTube videos. [00:05:00] Cydni, YouTube while don't Cydni. No fact checking is so 2020 

Sher: Cydni. You got fact checked. I just Googled it and it's not true. No. What? So there's no breaking your beak, no pounding your head on a mountain. it's not true. 

Cydni: I'm looking for myself this time. I already looked. And for me. Personally, if there's more than one YouTube video on a subject, I don't know why you shouldn't believe that it's true.

Sher: Do you know what though? While I was fact checking you. There is a little bit of truth they do have to do like upkeep. It would be like, sharpening their beak. It would be like us cutting our fingernails 

Cydni: do you know how many motivational speakers have used this? They have not. Yes. No. It is all over the internet. I did just look here's what it says. Four centuries mankind has told and retold the invigorating story of the bald Eagle's renewal and rebirth story. The eagle turns 40 and has to make a life changing decision. The eagle must fly to the top of the mountain and break its very own [00:06:00] beacon and pluck out its very own feathers, or they choose death. Anyone who believes this is an absolute. idiot. Likely the ones who would confidently reshare this very obviously made up story is someone who themselves has recently turned 40, trying to find meaning and renewal in their own pathetic life.

They likely have a subscription to an audiobook app so that they can keep trying to figure out their life by listening to self-help books written by people who are depressed, divorced, and neglecting real people in their life for validation on social media, likely a stay at home mom who is trying to be a podcaster in between AM and pm Carpool hours. Okay. Actually, let's just stop there. Everything on the Internet's a lie All right. whatever. 

Sher: It was a good try though. Cydni. 

Cydni: It was so motivating, like the idea that what it would take to renew yourself.

Sher: I think we should move on. 

Cydni: Yeah, let's move on. I honestly won't bring this up again. 

Sher: Because we were talking about spring and renewal. Of course, I thought about Thomas [00:07:00] Jefferson. That's where my mind went. 

Cydni: Of course, right. 

Sher: did you know that Thomas Jefferson wrote a gardening book and he kept track? Everything he planted in his garden from 1766 to 1824. Now, if I did the math correctly, which is debatable, that means he started writing this book in his twenties and he stopped writing in it at the age of 81.

Cydni: I fact checked both of those right now and they are true. 

Sher: Oh, good. A few lessons from this book that I thought might relate to our topic of renewal. He said, I'm constantly making experiments to improve the conditions of my garden. He also said the greatest service which can be rendered to any country is to add a useful plant to its culture. And the third thing is in gardening, there is always something new to learn.

I thought maybe we could use these quotes to go through and talk about renewal. the first one, he said, I'm constantly making experiments to improve the condition of my garden. 

Cydni: I just am kind of stuck on the idea that he was a gardener. [00:08:00] I never in my life would have put Gardner with Thomas Jefferson. Of all the things we know. 

Sher: If anyone gets the chance and you're in Virginia, go to Monticello. That's his home and he was way into gardening. Of course he was a farmer, a planter, but he also had his own garden where he did all of these different experiments. He loved it, 

Cydni: that was in Virginia. Yeah. Did you know that Eagles are required to serve two years of military time in Virginia? Two years? They have to serve really Cydni. Yeah, it's true. 

Sher: You saw it on TikTok Uhhuh. Okay. All right. the first quote is I'm constantly making experiments to improve the condition of my garden. The question I want us to think about for this one is, what are we doing to make improvements in our own garden life, society, home? What are we doing to improve? Maybe it's something that you're already doing, but you want to make it even better.

For example, some things that Jefferson did with his garden. Is he didn't just read about it. He didn't just write in his [00:09:00] book, but he put it into application. So I think that is pretty important, whatever it is you wanna improve in your life. Do something about it, apply it to your life. The next thing is Monticello was his home, but also it was his experiment. He wanted to grow enough food for himself, but also move the country forward with new ideas and solving problems in agriculture.

So, think about this. What are we doing in our homes or with ourselves? To solve problems. What are new ideas and ways that we can look at things a little differently to improve our own lives, to improve our homes, to improve our families? Is there some way that we can reach out using new ideas and solving problems to help our community?

 Another thing is he never just thought this was good enough. He always was doing crop rotations and soil conservation. the other things he did is he wanted to introduce new crops to his garden. So he's the one who introduced wheat grapes, alfalfa, cucumbers, all of that into Virginia.

He wasn't afraid to try new [00:10:00] things. He didn't wanna keep himself in a box. He wanted to expand himself and see what else he could come up with. He also invented agricultural tools, including the seed drills, then he also used a very scientific approach to agriculture. he kept very detailed records of farming experiments and sought advice from agricultural experts. I think there's a lot of good advice there. What are we writing down? What are we detailing about our own life? And are we asking the right experts when we need help?

People that care about you, people that love you, going to the Savior, going to church, those type of experts. , he also promoted agricultural education. what are we doing to expand our knowledge and to grow and to learn? Think about this? What things are we already good at or things that we like?

And how can we make it better? Because that's what Jefferson was constantly doing. And it's okay to take something you're already good at, and improve on it. I think the idea from this quote where he's constantly making [00:11:00] experiments to improve. Is to not get stagnant, to not just stay where you are, but to find a way to keep learning and to improve and grow yourself.

Cydni: I think this is perfect for this topic because of the word experiment. You have to try new things in order, like you said, to not get stagnant. That's a perfect word for this.

 We said in previous episodes that if you want to discover new talent, you've gotta try new things. And I love the idea of the word experiment because experiments in a lab, there's mistakes all the time. Actually, did you know it was in a lab that an eagle discovered penicillin,

 but. When it comes to spiritual things, I like the idea where we are told to put God's word to the test. I love this idea. I think a lot of people think you're not supposed to ask questions or get outta line. To me, I feel like we are in a lab with. Everything we need available and God's like, go for it.

Try me. Give it a shot. See what [00:12:00] happens. Believe I dare you. And I think it's such an exciting idea and there's so much in us that needs to bloom. 

Sher: So the second quote from Jefferson is, the greatest service which can be rendered to any country is to add a useful plant to its culture. From this one, I want us to think about what positive things are we adding to the culture of our homes, our family, our city, our towns, our country? What are we doing? What are we growing in our own lives to make ourselves, our home, our family, and society better? 

Cydni: This one took me a minute to try to understand what he is saying. And I did think immediately to my lifelong friend. She always says, I believe you've gotta grow where you're planted. So what she's saying is, wherever you live, wherever you are, whatever circumstance you are in, make the most out of it. Experience all of it. But one question that did come to me a few times was, why do we need to grow and blossom and become better and improve and let our [00:13:00] light shine? why wouldn't God just want us to be obedient believers among other obedient believers who just did what we were supposed to do, like little obedient and good follow and line robots. why are we meant to rise up and to reach this potential? why would God care so much? I think it would be easier just to be obedient Little sheep. 

Sher: I think that is a great question, and I think that comes down to what this world is all about between good and evil. We are taught that's what Satan wanted. He wanted us to be obedient. Little sheep following him around, doing exactly what he said. But God has a different plan for us.

He wants us to grow and to learn and to become better and to improve ourselves and to know for ourselves that we really are capable of doing hard things and that we can succeed and fail all at the same time and learn from it that's what he wants for us. Cydni? Isn't that amazing That's what God [00:14:00] wants, that God wants the best for us. And what's best for us is learning and growing. I just think that's so amazing. He's all powerful, but yet he gives us that choice and that opportunity to learn. 

Cydni: I love that, and I agree. It is really wonderful I did spend some time reflecting on this and pondering about this question of why does God want us to, when it seems like it'd be easier just to have, like for myself, if my children were just perfectly obedient and never gave pushback, that would make my job a whole lot easier than it is, but the thought that I was given was. It serves no one living small and we are told to serve. So if you connect the two, if you are living small and you're serving no one we are not being obedient to our privileges and our potential because it is in service that we find joy and happiness, and it is in service that we become like Christ. And then I thought of that quote and I'll just read a little bit of it. Our deepest fear is not that we are [00:15:00] inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. You are a child of God. You're playing small. Does not serve the world. There's nothing enlightened about shrinking. We are meant to shine as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us. It's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.

I thought that's a pretty good answer to why would God want us to come to our fullest capacity? 'cause it invites others to do the same and it serves the world and it glorifies God and it's the answer to freedom and joy. 

Sher: I'm glad you brought up the word. Service because that was in the sentence that Jefferson wrote the greatest service, which can be rendered. What are we doing to plant beautiful things and extend God's [00:16:00] light?

Cydni: I heard he wrote that with the feather of an eagle. You're killing me. Cydni. I'm not gonna get sick of it though. That's the thing. I don't care if other people have gotten sick of it. I , for me, it's a delight. 

Sher: Alright. The third quote that Jefferson wrote is, in gardening, there is always something new to learn. When I think of Thomas Jefferson, he truly was the Renaissance man. He was a lifelong learner. besides taking his time and writing a gardening book for over 60 years, he also did a few other things, he was into politics and government.

He was our third president and he was the author of the Declaration of Independence. He studied philosophy, especially John Locke and Montesquieu, and he was particularly interested in the ideas about liberty, reason, and human rights. He of course, studied agriculture, which we've been talking about. He was also an architect.

He designed his home in Monticello and the Virginia State Capital. He also loves science, and [00:17:00] he was an inventor. He studied botany, paleontology and weather patterns. he invented devices like a duplicating machine, and he improved a mold board plow, which of course, everyone knows what a moldboard plow is.

 I have one in the back shed, it turns over dirt and breaks up soil. Oh, I think we really do have one actually. There you go. he definitely believed education was important and he founded the University of Virginia. He was also a lawyer. He loved history, and he studied history.

he especially loves studying the ancient world, he also knew several languages. He was fluent in French, Latin, and Greek, and he also knew several Native American languages. He studied the economy, especially when it was related to agriculture trade and currency. And then of course, he played the violin, but that's all.

Cydni: I was thinking how this sounds a bit like an Instagramers biography.. Like, I'm a model and a chef and a personal shopper, and a makeup artist, [00:18:00] and a life coach and a salsa dancer, but maybe his is real. But everyone else online, it's really just like I'm a life coach. I have two children. I coach them on life. Personal shopper. I go to Target every Tuesdays. 

Sher: maybe Jefferson's was a little bit more real. But the thing is, from all of that. he didn't do this overnight. It was from dedicating himself to learning and never getting stagnant. He wasn't afraid to try new things, and he wasn't afraid to learn, 

Cydni: it really is inspiring and it makes me think of words from a talk I listen to by President Howes. His talk is on being purpose driven and when you read all of that, I feel like that is a man who was purpose driven. 

Sher: Definitely. I don't even know how he did all of that. How did he fit all of that into his day get? I 

Cydni: think it's because he knew what he wanted and he knew what he wanted to be, and he took a bite of that apple and liked the way it tasted and wanted more. He wanted to learn more. He wanted to do more. He built upon it. Like you said, it wasn't done overnight. This was a process like an eagle who, as I have mentioned before, oh my gosh, who over time [00:19:00] polishes his beak and he takes care of himself.

So, even though some idiots out there are sharing a false story about eagles, that they have to break their own beak, what we are learning is that you do not have to go break your head open. Instead, what you do is you change slowly. You become aware and you become purpose driven. You don't have to break your head. You have to start some micro habits that will benefit your life. 

Sher: You finally tied the eagle into something. Way to go Cydni. 

Cydni: Yes. . President House, he talks about this that you can clarify the purpose of your life and you can. Be purpose-driven. He also says, one of the first steps to becoming a trusted disciple of Christ is to be purpose-driven. A key element to becoming purpose-driven is to develop a life statement.

And I loved this idea. one of the things we wanna challenge you to do is take advice from President Howes and write out. A life [00:20:00] statement. Here are the steps that he said to do to write out your life statement. He said, first, think of the most joyful experiences in your life. Identify two or three of them.

Write them down. Think of the most challenging experiences of your life, and write those down. two or three. Meditate over how you coped with each of these joyful and challenging situations. Make notes and then come up with an initial statement. My purpose is, I love that he said an initial statement as if to give room for it to grow and blossom and soar. Like an eagle. He then recommends to continually review your statement by considering past experiences in your life and keep assessing and rewriting until something really sticks.

I loved this idea. If you're purpose driven, you're going to be more aware of how you spend your time. And that leads me into something else that Mel Robbins said. I really liked how she started a podcast where she says, we have to just be [00:21:00] honest and understand that the world is trying to steal your attention.

Our hope and our challenge this week is that you take your focus, your attention and your identity back, and you take control of it, and you renew it and create it to be what you want it to be, and you let your light shine. She has several suggestions on how to live a fuller life and renew, but I'm just gonna share one that I really loved. She said, every week try to do a brain dump. Write out on a piece of paper every single thing that is on your mind, and you will be so surprised and shocked that it clears out all of this room.

You'll realize all these silly things that you have stored up in your brain that do not matter but it's taking up space and focus in your brain. And if you brain dump, you will free yourself.

And if you're free, then you can look at what you want to do and take control. And you could pick something she said. Circle one thing on your brain dump list that you actually want to do something that will help you grow as an individual, [00:22:00] not as a teacher, not as a spouse, not as a parent, but as an individual.

You wanna pick up the guitar. Circle that. Do you wanna spend some time riding circle that you wanna spend some time outside exercising? Circle that every single week. Dedicate 15 minutes towards the new you. So along with President, how's life statement and Mel Robbins brain dump. The final thing to do is you might need an alter ego. I read a book about alter egos. I had a great time reading it, but a lot of famous people have alter egos when they go on stage.

So. What would be your stage name? Cher. Cher. What? It can't, it has to be different. Like Beyonce's is Sasha Fierce, I totally was gonna do that one. Butcher took it. That's too bad. But the idea of creating an alter ego is instead of thinking about who you want to be, just become who you wanna be right now. So you make changes immediately that if you wanna be more confident, then start to be more confident. Act like a [00:23:00] person who would do that. If you start by taking the stairs instead of an elevator, make eye contact. Don't hide in an aisle when you don't wanna say hi to someone. Just say hi to someone. Get a haircut. Our hope is that we do not live a stagnant life. Our hope is that we spice it up a little bit, and that you take a step in the right direction of who you want to be. Spend 15 minutes on your new self. Be an eagle. Don't be a parrot. Cher Parrots talk too much.

They don't even fly very high and don't be a Turkey, Turkeys are just someone's dinner on Thanksgiving. Be an eagle. Spend 15 minutes towards becoming an eagle. That's our challenge this week. Yes,

 Thankfully we are to our final thoughts as we celebrate Easter and fill the change of seasons around us. Spring reminds us that renewal is not just possible. It's divinely designed like Jefferson tending his garden with curiosity and purpose. We too can cultivate growth in our own lives through the Savior. Old things truly can pass [00:24:00] away and all things can become new. Whether it's building on strengths we already have or trying something new, there is always room to improve, to grow, and to bless the world around us. Like the eagle that renews its strength. Even though that's not real Cydni, we can shed the old and become stronger and wiser. let's step into this season with a willingness to learn and to renew and trust that through the help of our Savior, we can become who we were always meant to be.

This is our prayer. From Cydni and Sher when it's, it's on YouTube. It's real. He said, tell me exactly where you are. Address, tell me when you're home alone. That's what you just [00:25:00] said. Social security number. Birthday ha ha. Mother's maiden name. I have 473 tabs open. How am I supposed to find my notes? Lemme come on. Cydni. I'm, this is C. Rudy's like, what the heck? If we're laughing, it's fine. Nobody else has to. We didn't ask for that. The truth is being buried. Like an eagle's nest. An Eagle's nest. Actually, did you know Cher, that they don't make the nest comfortable on purpose because they don't want their little eagles to hatch and be too comfortable.

They want them to be uncomfortable so that they will soar. Did you also know that a group of eagles are called a soar of eagles? I wish that I had a taser right now. 

Sher: Gimme one second. Let me think out the steps that I wanna do and then I'll be able to flow, flow, flow, flow. 

Cydni: Follow your crush home to their house. See if they're already married with children. Get arrested. Find out, get arrested. Bad idea. Okay, well don't take it to that extreme or do No, [00:26:00] don't. We, 

Sher: spring reminds us that renewal is not, is not possible. You are gonna fail. it's over. It's too late. You're old and cranky. You're gassy. You're so gassy. You can't even tie your shoe without ripping cheeks. Oh, was that from your personal experience? I don't understand. 

Cydni: Fact check a friend. Make sure they know their place. Fact check them. Get out in your neighborhood and fact check someone. That's our challenge. I did that check. renews its strength. Oh, I don't even know what a eagle says. Like the eagle that renews its strength. Ho, ho, ho, ho. Have a great week.