My Story

Hi my name is Lauren Chase.  Here is my story.  I am very open to talking about my past, especially if it will help others.  I really hope that no one has to make mistakes the hard way, like I did.  I had a lot of trouble trying to "fit in" when I was in high school.  I always wanted to be like someone else.  I wanted to be pretty, I wanted to be cool... I never felt good enough.  I had friends and still had fun but I always wanted to be different.  I wanted people to look at me differently.  I didn't want to be shy or a goodie-goodie.  I started going down a bad road in college.  I felt like if I was doing what everyone else was doing, I would be happy.  And here's the thing, it was fun.  But I still never felt truly happy.  I didn't have joy in my life.  I was trying too hard to be someone else.  I was "riding the line" as I call it and couldn't commit to being one full person.  I acted one way with some people and another way with other people.  It was hard leading two different lives.

I ended up getting married to a guy who was in the same place I was.  Neither of us knew what we were doing.  Both of us were trying to be different people at different times.  This relationship was easy because I didn't have to try.  I wasn't motivated to be better or change my life.  A few events and things happened in my marriage that made me realize that this isn't where I want to be for the rest of my life.  And I would have to start fresh to get where I wanted to be.  My marriage had to end.  (I'm happy to talk further if anyone wants someone to talk to)

This was very hard.  I loved my husband and wish him well but I just knew that I would have to change everything in my life to make a full change.  I couldn't do it with my husband, and I would have to change all my friends and seriously make an effort.  Luckily, we had only been married for 8 months and didn't have any kids.  It was basically a clean break.  

I started attending the singles ward at church.  I knew what I had to do, it was easy to spell out, it was just hard to do.  I stopped doing all the things that I knew wouldn't bring me true happiness.  And I would say that I do have true happiness now.  There are times where I look back and think about how fun some of those things were but I would never choose misery, even if it started out fun.  

Living what the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints teaches, brings me happiness.  I feel at peace now.  And I met a wonderful man who I eventually married.  He helps me want to be better!  He shows me that I CAN be the person I always wanted to be.  I have changed my life for the better and I cannot wait for more fun things that my future holds!  Feel free to contact me to learn more about how the church helped me or what I had to do to make changes.  :)

I love you with all my heart Glen!