Happy Sunday!

I tend to focus on the little things in life. I love that when a person smiles their mouth relaxes but their eyes stay lit for much longer. I love the way my white converse click on the floor of the fine arts center.

Today is different. Today I can't help but think about the biggest things in my life- the most important ones. So here goes :)

1. Hope

I've pinned it. The most important thing in my life is hope. I hope for Christmas presents, good movies, and hot chocolate that has reached the perfect sipping temperature. I hope for opportunities to laugh and   to cry. I am a dreamer, hope is the driving force in my life :) My hope is more than just that though, it's faith. "Faith is not to have a perfect knowledge of things; therefore, if ye have faith ye hope for things which are not seen, which are true." -Alma 36: 21 (The Book of Mormon)

Just like I have faith that someday soon I'll be able to make the perfect cup of hot chocolate, I have faith that Jesus Christ is my Savior and that I can return to live with Him. I know about the hot chocolate because I've done it before, but I know about Christ because of the feeling that comes when I learn of Him and try to emulate His life. This faith that the world is a good place and that God lives enables me to hope for a better future and a better me. It is the reason I wake up smiling and the reason I go to bed happy, knowing that tomorrow is a new day and that I can try again.

The secret to finding lasting joy, love, and peace in my life all comes from this hope, or faith, in my Redeemer and teachings.

2. Family

I don't feel like I need to say much in this section. Go hug your Mom and tell her that you love and appreciate her! Tell your Dad that you are amazed by and truly grateful for his sacrifices. Honestly try to create lasting relationships with your siblings. They can be your best friends :)

3. Service

Living selflessly to help other people is the best and easiest way to feel loved. There have been so many times where I felt unworthy, unloved, or inadequate that my whole attitude was changed by service.

However, going to serve others with yourself in mind will invariably lead to disappointment. I promise that if you help someone with only their happiness in mind, you will be a better, more cheerful person because of it.

We find true fulfillment and meaning in our lives by giving them to help others.

Need ideas?

Here you go :)

or there's this :)



Well, there you have it! As always, please feel free to ask me any questions about anything :)

Now go be happy! :D

Practice, Practice, Practice.

Too true Swan Princess!!!!! You always know what to say :):) P.S. don't you just love everything about this movie?!

Everything that we do well in this life is a direct result of practice. Being a music major has taught me that :) That might sound kinda weird to you because usually people refer to this practicing as "habit", but just for a second, think of it in a different light. Humor me :)

Each day, you wake up and practice getting out of bed. Unless you're me, in which case you practice jumping out of bed, destroying the snooze button, and falling back asleep in your beautiful feathery bed as soon as possible :)(obviously you repeat this step four or five times). After that, you practice creating a simply scrumdiddlyumptious meal of Honey Bunches of Oats and toast as you practice refraining from crying because you're awake at such an unholy hour. Hopefully, you practice brushing your teeth and hair... Maybe you practice getting shin splints from sprinting up the stairs of death like I do, or maybe you practice enjoying a nice, leisurely walk up to campus :)

Throughout the day you practice learning, falling asleep in class, eating, flirting, laughing, feeling, and anything else you could possibly imagine. Whatever the case may be, we decide what we want to practice. We can choose to practice being happy, stupid, or asleep. The point is, the more we practice something, the better we get at it :) 

You know those people who are so happy all the time that you can't decide if you'd like to kiss them or punch them in the face? Hopefully, that's not just me. Cause that would be soops doops embarrassing. 

Anyway, 

I have a theory about them.

These people are so good at being happy all the time because they've had years of practice! Think about it, they've spent so much time smiling and waving and reacting positively that it is their natural instinct to act that way. If you want to be a happy and positive person, practice it!

Happiness is a habit.

All of this may seem very obvious to you, but I suppose I'm a little behind the times :)

Now this theory begs the response, "Then all I'll be is fake. I'll be fake happy, not truly happy." As a person who has struggled with this for quite some time, allow me to enlighten you :)

I had a sort of lightbulb moment on this subject this summer. I've always had trouble being my upbeat happy self without seeming fake. I struggled intensely with the balance between who I felt I was innately (upbeat, happy, smiley, a little loud) and being genuine. It was hard for me to realize that when I wasn't feeling like myself (upbeat, happy, smiley, a little loud) that I didn't have to put on a show for everyone. Then the questions of, "well how do I be true to myself? Who am I really?" came up. And then came my lightbulb moment :)

I have come to the conclusion that it doesn't matter who you feel you are naturally. WAIT, here me out before you get defensive :) It doesn't matter because everything is subject to change. Our whole life purpose is to work together with God to become the best possible versions of ourselves and help others do the same. We can choose to keep or bag ANY part of ourself that gives us grief or makes us unhappy. I held on to negative things about myself for far too long with the excuse of "but that's who I am".  I realized, that it doesn't have to be who I am. I get to make the decision of who I BECOME :)

Lesson Learned: if you don't like something about yourself change it! by practicing how you want to become :)

In conclusion- this process of refining yourself by choice can be very difficult. Maybe even more difficult than being forced into it by trials because you are self-motivated! I want to tell you all that I know this process can be made so much easier by accessing the best resource given to us- The Savior. I invite everyone to God through prayer and access the glorious help and love and encouragement that is just waiting to be had!!!


Aaaaaaaand just in case you're feeling a little down today :)