1) Believe that you
must have it all now.
This mentality is
running rampant through our society, creating discontent everywhere.
“Yes, we are free
to choose the mortal perks with their short shelf life. However,
ahead lies that great moment when every knee shall bow and every
tongue confess that Jesus is the Christ! (see Mosiah
27:31; D&C
88:104). Then the galleries and the mortal
thrones will be empty. Even the great and spacious building will
fall—and resoundingly! (see 1
Ne. 8:26–28). Then, too, those who have
lived without God in the world will confess that God is God! (see
Mosiah
27:31). Meanwhile, His character and
attributes should evoke adoration and emulation from us.” (The
Tugs and Neal A. Maxwell, Pulls of the World, Ensign, October 2000)
Don’t give up what
you want most, for what you want now.
“Lay
not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth
corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:
“But lay up for yourselves
treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and
where thieves do not break through nor steal:
2) Allow “them”
to dictate your priorities
Every time we walk into
a store, open a magazine or turn on the TV we are bombarded with
images that shape our perspective on what’s important.
“Satan has a
powerful tool to use against good people. It is distraction.
He would have good people fill life with "good things" so
there is no room for the essential ones. Have you unconsciously
been caught in that trap?....
"Are
there so many fascinating, exciting things to do or so many
challenges pressing down upon you that it is hard to keep focused on
that which is essential? When things of the world crowd
in, all too often the wrong things take highest priority.
Then it is easy to forget the fundamental purpose of life."
(Richard G. Scott, “First Things First,” Ensign, May 2001)
"If life and its rushed pace
and many stresses have made it difficult for you to feel like
rejoicing, then perhaps now is a good time to refocus on what matters
most..."
"As we turn to our Heavenly Father and seek His
wisdom regarding the things that matter most, we learn over and over
again the importance of four key relationships: with our God, with
our families, with our fellowman, and with ourselves.”
(Dieter F. Uchtdorf, “Of Things That Matter Most”, Ensign,
October 2010)
3) Believe that
you’ll be happier when ___________
“I’ll be happier
when my kids are out of diapers.” “I’ll be happier when we make
more money.” “I’ll be happier when my husband comes home from
work.” “I’ll be happier when we move out of Bremerton, or have
a bigger house, or when my kitchen has been remodeled.” Really?
Will you? How can you be sure? We have no idea what tomorrow will
bring. Waiting on happiness only serves to rob you of the only
happiness that truly exists – that which is available at this
moment.
Happiness is a journey,
not a destination.
“The happiest
people I know are those who, while in pursuit of worthy goals,
discover and treasure the beauty and sweetness of the everyday
moments. They are the ones who, thread by daily thread, weave a
tapestry of gratitude
and wonder throughout their lives. These are they who are truly
happy.” (Dieter F. Uchtdorf, “Forget Me Not”, Ensign)
“We shouldn’t
wait to be happy until we reach some future point, only to discover
that happiness was already available—all the time! Life is not
meant to be appreciated only in retrospect. ‘This is the day which
the Lord hath made …,’ the Psalmist wrote. ‘Rejoice and be glad
in it.’ [Psalm 118:24].” Dieter F. Uchtdorf, Ensign, November
2012)
4) Compare yourself
to others
Comparing ourselves to
others will leave us senselessly unsatisfied and have us seeking
contentment where it can never be found.
“I testify that no
one of us is less treasured or cherished of God than another. I
testify that He loves each of us—insecurities, anxieties,
self-image, and all. He doesn’t measure our talents or our looks; …
He cheers on every runner, calling out that the race is against sin,
not against each other.” (Jeffrey R. Holland, “The Other
Prodigal”, Ensign, May 2002)
5) Focus on the Negative
In an article titled
“Learning Happiness”, Susan B. Healy writes: “Unfortunately,
the more we focus on the negative, the more likely that’s all we’ll
see. Changing this means we have to consciously bring more attention
to the positive things that happen to us.”
This quote brought to
mind an experiment that Hilary Weeks did. From her blog:
“I heard someone
say we think over 300 negative thoughts a day. I was compelled
to find out if that was true. So I bought a clicker - and
started counting. Each day for one week, I clicked and counted
my negative thoughts. After seven days of clicking each
discouraging, gloomy, depressing thought - I felt discouraged, gloomy
and depressed!
With
that realization, the experiment changed. What would happen if
I clicked all of my positive, uplifting, optimistic thoughts?
Would I feel positive, uplifted and optimistic?
That
is exactly what happened. Clicking heightened feelings of
motivation, strength and confidence I had never felt before.”
Go to billionclicks.org to watch Hilary’s video and give
clicking a try.
Count your blessings, focus on the positive and be
happy. (IF YOU WERE NOT IN ATTENDANCE TODAY AND WOULD LIKE A CLICKER PLEASE LET ANDREA LEWIS KNOW)
In D&C 121:45 we
are taught, “let virtue garnish they thoughts unceasingly.” And
in Proverbs 23: 7 - "For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he”
“Count your
blessings. Once you realize how valuable you are and how much
you have going for you, the smiles will return, the sun will break
out, the music will play, and you will finally be able to move
forward the life that God intended for you with grace, strength,
courage and confidence.” ~ Og Mandino
We came to earth to be
tested and we’ll have challenges and we’ll be hurt but Heavenly
Father didn’t create a plan of despair. He created a Plan of
Happiness.
Remember, men are that
they might have joy.
You can be happy if you
stop judging yourself and recognize your worth,
You can be happy if you
give up what you want now for what you want most,
You can be happy if you
let go of distractions and remember the purpose of life
You can be happy if you
focus on positive uplifting thoughts
You can be happy if you
let yourself be!
I pray that this year
you will find the joy, beauty and blessings in each day.
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