Fear not. Be of good cheer. The future is as bright as your faith.

President Thomas S. Monson

Friday, January 27, 2012

Sunshine

"There is no way to happiness, happiness is the way." 

Lately I have been thinking about my attitude towards life. I don't want to be the kind of person who looks at life with the glass half empty. I want to be someone that people talk to and then later say, "She is so happy and positive!" I feel like I am usually a pretty happy person but lately I have let that quality slip through the cracks a little bit.

I was taught once that we need to do four things in order to be happy.
1. Adapt to changes in our lives
2. Realize what is most important
3. Express gratitude
4. Find joy in the journey

These aren't always easy things to do. I am continually putting my faith in the Lord and I know that everything happens for a reason. He knows exactly what he is doing and all I need to do is trust in his Love and I will be able to get through all the challenges and changes in my life.

I am so grateful for my life. I'm grateful for my body, blessings, friends, family, opportunities, and my Heavenly Father. I'm grateful that I can wake up each morning in a warm bed, walk into my kitchen to eat some breakfast, and then take a hot shower. I'm grateful for five wonderful roommates that have become amazing friends. I'm grateful that we can laugh and cry together. I'm grateful for my beautiful family. I'm grateful for my mother who is my best friend. I can tell her anything. I'm grateful for my father who is my hero. I'm grateful for my sister who puts so much on her plate and manages to get it all done. What an example to me. I'm grateful for my brother, my "camoman". He is so fun to spend time with. I'm grateful that I get to spend eternity with my family. I'm grateful for the gospel that reassures me everyday of that fact. I'm grateful for a Savior and brother, Jesus Christ who lived, suffered, died, and rose on the third day. He did that for you and me. I'm grateful that Heavenly Father gave us the Book of Mormon to receive words of wisdom and help in our lives. I'm grateful that the Lord lets me talk to him at any moment when I need him most. I'm grateful that he gives us prophets, apostles, and other leaders to help us stay on the straight and narrow path. I am grateful that my Heavenly Father loves me more than I will ever understand. For these most important things, I am grateful.

So, I am choosing to be happy. I am choosing to be grateful and find joy in every aspect of my life.

"Happiness does not depend on what happens outside of you, but what happens inside of you."

1 comment:

Judy said...

You are amazing, Lauren.
Love you.