Ready or Not: 'Be yourself' card

So my team is pretty awesome! They are all veterans so I am the rookie of the team. First semester on the road learning a ton. There are pros and cons. Pros: they can all save me if I mess up on a presentation (which I have) and they all have helped me learn the material and been really patient with me as I do. Cons: because they are all amazing and I am the only one messing up I feel like I need to do as good as them and beat myself up when I don't. So that is pretty tough. I have heard the phrase 'you are your own worst critic' but I never really applied it to myself. I know I psycho-analyze myself the worst! (That's what having a psych degree does to you) But I never knew how hard I am on myself when I mess up. But luckily I have an awesome team to help me out.
So we are in southern California otherwise, known as socal. It has been beautiful and sunny! We got a chance to celebrate the president's birthdays by hitting up the beach last Monday and then again yesterday. It was my first time seeing and touching the PACIFIC OCEAN!!!! The other girl on my team Hayley also experience it for the first time! It was a good day!
We have been pretty busy. We started off in Auburn last weekend up near Sacramento speaking at a church. Then flew down to the L.A area spoke at a school then drove back up to Auburn (long 7 hr drive) did our FIRST family presentation at the church then just drove back down to L.A spent our sabbath on the beach yesterday and the rest of the week speaking at another school. It has been a lot of travel and moving but it's been fresh and new so also exciting. Our family presentation was amazing! We had little sleep but so many people said they enjoyed it. It is amazing what God is going to do with those families. So that is just an update about what is going on lately.
Last week my team director, Patrick, looked at me and randomly said "One of these days you are going to get a 'be yourself' card and I am going to let you go crazy. Because you should be allowed to be yourself." If you are reading this and know me I bet this may sound a bit strange to you. Well, it has been taking a bit to warm up for me. Along with all my insecurities and beating myself up I have not really opened myself. And because it has taken a while I also don't want to scare them too bad with my hyperness at times and excitedness. :)
All in all I am finding my place. It feels like that would be easy but I feel like I have a lot to live up to with three other amazing team members. But as we go on God has been showing me where I am strong and what strengths I have to honor Him.

Here are some pics of our trip so far: