Greetings Glitter Crew,

Hooray for 2022, it is finally here! Time for new beginnings and to welcome any storms that may be brewing in your future.

Over the holiday break, my hubby, boys and I had the opportunity of surprising Grandma and Grandpa Larsen in Oregon.

We drove down from Washington to ring in the New Year and take them on a mini adventure.

The reason for the surprise, my father-in-law has been plagued with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) for over a decade. The disease has taken a toll on his body restricting him to a wheelchair for the majority of his latter life. This circumstance makes it difficult for my in-laws to get out often.

The Surprise

We showed up on New Years Eve, “grandparent-napped” them and drove to Newport Beach to laugh at the sea lions and enjoy the ocean breeze. As I was watching my father-in-law smile and wheel around on the dock, many thoughts crossed my mind.

The Storm in Papa Lars’ Story…

In his early days, Papa Lars was a high school track and football coach. He loved the outdoors, enjoyed hiking and adventures. He also taught math and electronics, many students adored him.

Towards the end of his teaching, MS began to set in, and he started to lose function in his legs. Following retirement, when the official diagnosis was given, he was wheelchaired for the remainder of his life.

An unexpected storm had rolled into Papa Lars’ life crashing down on him. From that point forward, he still smiled, but it was masked over a phrase he repeatedly stated “Any day now, it will be my time to go.”

Mindset Matters

It was a joy to watch Papa Lars smile while wheeling around Newport Beach. But as he moved around, I thought to myself, “What if he shifted his perspective on his stormy life?”  Because for over 10 years, he’s been repeatedly saying, “Any day I will die.”

In thinking about storms, one quote comes to mind from the Count of Monte Cristo…

“Life is a storm, my young friend. You will bask in the sunlight one moment, be shattered on the rocks the next. What makes you a man is what you do when that storm comes. You must look into that storm and shout…Do your worst, for I will do mine.”

Life can be awful and unfair. My heart goes out to Papa Lars and the fact that MS stole away the function in his legs and much more. But what if, what if for even half of the last decade, if instead of saying “Any day I will die,” he would yell “Do your worst, for I will do mine!”

Prepare for your own storms

My dear friends, I share Papa Lars’ story to help you reflect on what storms may be lurking for you around the next corner. As much as I want to bless you with joy and a perfectly successful 2022, the truth is, there will be storms. And yours may be terrible and absolutely awful compared to others.

My hope is that when those waves come crashing in, you look into that nasty storm and yell out in triumph, “Do your worst, for I will do mine!”

Returning Home

PC: Cape Disappointment, WA taken by My Super Amazing and Talented Hubby, Mike Larsen @leaveatrailphotos

After leaving Grandma and Grandpa Larsen, we stopped to see the king tides at Cape Disappointment. While watching these huge waves crash on the rocks and getting drenched in under a minute, the tune of Rachel Platten’s Fight Song played in my head. I’m ready to take on the storms and yell…

This is my fight song
Take back my life song
Prove I’m alright song
My power’s turned on
Starting right now I’ll be strong
I’ll play my fight song
And I don’t really care if nobody else believes
‘Cause I’ve still got a lot of fight left in me

And I wish nothing but the best for you too! To see a visual of the waves crashing to Rachel’s song, check out my IG post @TheLindaLarsen link here.

If something stood out to you, please share this message on social, pin it for others to read. Can you think of someone who needs extra love prior to the storms coming? If so, pass it along.

I would also love to know what tunes you love singing in the middle of your own storms? How do you yell back and conquer the waves? Please share below to help others!

Linda Larsen

Chief Glitter Officer

Want more deep thoughts and inspiration?

Follow @TheLindaLarsen for motivational quotes, DIY tips and empowerment to help you pursue your maker goals.

Do you have a dream to start a creative business…

But need an extra confidence boost to move forward?

I made this FREEBIE for YOU, because I believe in YOU!

Download the PDF today:

We’re going to craft like its 2-0-2-2!

Struggling to elevate meetings? Uplift your team building event with custom wood crafts! We motivate groups through virtual art sessions. Boost morale and bond colleagues with a gathering that’s unforgettable. Click here to contact us today and schedule your next event.