Who will I be, If I'm not who I think I am

Hey I don't mean this post to be preachy or anything--just loved the message in this person's talk.

I had the opportunity on Thursday to go to a day long conference at BYU on Spirituality in working with children and families. The best part of the day was a talk given by Cathy Chamberlain. She is a CEO and has spent over 25 years researching women's attitudes and values. She discussed women's identities and what they really want. She titled her talk "Who will I be, If I am not who I am? She reported that in a study she did that 75% of the women in the survey seek first to be valued. She discussed these certain trees in Arizona that frequently die...but the ones that don't die live forever. The ones that die have in common that their roots go shallow and outward in seeking their source of water. The ones that live have to send a "tap root" through a very hard layer of soil. Once they are through that layer they have a deep and continual source of nourishment. She then likened this to people who seek to be valued through external sources such as titles, popularity, etc. no matter how much validation they recieve it is never enough. on the other hand individuals who go through struggle and pain and find their tap root in the savior never thirst again. (Sister Chamberlain spoke of pain as a blessing). She suggested that women (and i guess men too) be vigilent in praying and asking god "who am i and how do you see me" rather than be as concerned about how they are seen by others. Though i think it is difficult to remember to be more concerned about how god views us than others in our world i think it is a worthwhile goal. She also discussed that in a huge research study conducted with a random variety of "American Women" that the most important goals in women's life were 1. believeing in god 2. being part of a happy family and 3. having a good marriage. However women's time was primarily spent trying to achieve financial success and trying to become skinnier and more fit. She suggested that we get caught in the thick of thin things. Though i think most people ultimately care about their own validation and how they are viewed to some extent i hope that i will be able to not make that define me and take my time from what I value most. Her survey also concluded that 92 % of women "in America" believed that there was a higher power that knows them personally. In sunday school last sunday brother Ashworths comment that when you come to believe and really believe that there is a god that knows you and watches over you your life cannot help but change. I loved that. The answer found in the tap root will satisfy our desires.