The Secret to Happiness

Yesterday/today I found the secret to happiness. And it is so simple that it makes me wonder what took me so long to figure it out. The secret to happiness=deciding to be happy! Can you believe that it has taken me this long to realize it? Yesterday, while fasting, I realized that however hard I prayed, however hard I fasted, however much I pleaded I couldn't be happy if I wasn't willing to give up my self-pitying attitude. Yes, I know, it is so obvious! But I finally realized that I have the power to overcome my temptations, my struggles, my heartache--because my Savior, Jesus Christ, has agreed to be on my team, to lift my burden, if I am really willing to give it to Him.

You would wonder why I would ever want to keep being sad--I didn't think I did either. But I realized how much easier it is to stay sad, to be sorry for myself, to wallow in my own self-pity, than it is to get out of that rut and be happy. Yes, I miss Matt. And yes I have struggles, but that just means that I have more opportunity to trust my Heavenly Father. He knows best! And I can be happy having faith in Him. I still have heartache (the evenings are definitely the hardest--especially when I have Oh! so much I want to tell him and when I want so badly to make him happy!) But this too shall pass.

I have looked back on almost every other stage in my life thinking, "that was so much better, I was so much happier." Well today I realized, while longing for those "care-free" freshman days, that my life is pretty much back to how it was before + loneliness/heartache/more blessings/more experience. And I can be happy!

I definitely can't do it on my own. I realized that today as well. I need my Saviors help more than ever. But if I live my life in a way to have the Spirit with me, I can be happy! And I am fighting for that, believe me! I want it enough to make myself give up feeling sorry for myself :) I love the scripture, "Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: For everyone that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened" (Matthew 7:7-8).

So today I made a list of the things that will help me be happy:

Sincerely count my blessings--every time I start to complain

Look for opportunities to serve

Stop bemoaning my lot--honestly get rid of those thoughts

Inhibit negative thoughts

Get enough sleep :)

Study hard and don't waste time! 

Memorize scripture

Read conference

Those are my goals for the next rest of my life :)

Okay, now to studying hard...