(click on the pictures to make them larger)
This weekend BYU-Idaho had a Masquerade Ball, my roommates Auri (middle) and Seva (right) went with me!!!!! We had such a blast!!!! (I personally enjoyed dressing up and taking goofy pictures more than I did the actual dance). At the dance there was a Big Band playing old classics and people were doing the waltz, fox trot, swing and other fancy dances. It really was a lot of fun watching :) But going to this dance and having so much fun made me think about what it is that makes us happy in life. I know for me it's when I am with people I love doing things that we love, seeing the smiles, hearing the laughter and making memories. I honestly love to just sit and watch people have a good time, I am sure this is something our Father in Heaven does daily. I'm positive that he sits on a cloud watching us enjoy our lives and over come trials smiling down on us, shedding a tear or two when he is especially proud of us. This weekend made me want to do a blog post on ways that we can be happy in our own lives. I was searching around the internet for a few things and just happened to come across this article entitled 10 Ways To Be Happy.... On Purpose. I thought this was absolutely perfect for my post today, and I am excited to share it with you :)
1. KNOW YOURSELF- How well do you know yourself? Do you know what makes you smiles, what makes you laugh, what creates that warm bubbly feeling inside your tummy, what makes you so giddy you just have to giggle and dance? Do you know where you come from and what great worth you hold inside of you? These are the kinds of things that we should each learn about ourselves because they are a key factor to our life's happiness.
"Today you are you, that's truer than true. There is nobody else who is you-er than you."
-Dr. Seuss
Go out and get to know the magnificent you that you are, OWN IT!!!!! Strut your stuff and let other's know you as well. You are a wonderful woman packed full of fun things just like Mary Poppins bag.... your job is to reach down inside and let your sparkles shine!
2. DISCOVER WHO YOUR IDEALIZED SELF IS AND START WORKING TOWARDS IT-
"Open your eyes and look within. Are you satisfied with the life you are living?"
-Bob Marley
The question we all got asked when we were little was “what do you want to be when you grow up?” Now the question is “WHO do you want to be when you grow up?” Think of the "ideal you" and start doing the things that your idealized self would be doing. It’s time to stop playing make-believe and to start taking action! Let’s DO this!!!
“You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself in any direction you choose. You’re on your own. And you know what you know. And YOU are the one who’ll decide where to go…”
-Dr. Seuss
3. BE AUTHENTIC-
“I’m not in this world to live up to your expectations and you’re not in this world to live up to mine.”
-Bruce Lee
Always be true to yourself. When working towards becoming your idealized self it’s important not to lose sight of who you are in favor of who you think you should be. Don’t compromise your values, morals, or true personality. YOUR INDIVIDUALITY IS IMPORTANT!!!!!!
4. UNDERSTAND THAT YOU CAN ONLY CONTROL YOURSELF- My Great Grandmother Lutilda Pierce used to always quote "Accept what you can't change- Change what you can't accept- And pray for wisdom to know the difference." We need to come to the realization that we can't control everything, we cant control the whether our little 2 year old, the teacher who is grading your essay's or even the prices in the grocery store. But we can control our own self's and our attitude. If we have a hard time drawing that line between what we are in control of and what we are not in control of- PRAY to God and he will give you the wisdom that you desire. I promise- praying to God works every time :)
5. ACHIEVE BALANCE IN ALL THINGS- There is a little Yin and a little Yang in life; everything has it's opposite, and the key is finding the harmony between them. For example you must strike a balance between selfishness and selflessness.
6. LEARN TO LET GO-
"If things start happening, don’t worry, don’t stew; just go right along and you’ll start happening too.”
-Dr. Seuss
Don't hold on to the past, don't hold on to the hurt, the fears, the tragic events of life or the rain from yesterday- turn your view out towards the rising sun and rise up with it. Go forth in life with the idea that each day is a new day, and you will make the most of every moment because you only get one chance.
7. GIVE YOUR LIFE MEANING AND ACTIVELY SEEK YOUR INSPIRATION-
"Love the life you live..... and live the life you love."
- Bob Marley
So many of us go around searching for the meaning of life or waiting for inspiration when really it's within ourselves and up to us- no one will do this for you! So..... GO OUT THERE AND FIND MEANING! GO BE INSPIRED!!!!
8. FOCUS ON THE POSITIVE-
“There are two ways to live; you can live as if nothing is a miracle; you can live as if everything is a miracle”
-Albert Einstein
In a world that is based so much on comparing ourselves, gossiping finding out what JLO wore to the party last night and what Jennifer said about Angelina Jolie; where we hear about shootings in high schools, and all the drama of politics we are often found drowning in all this garbage. It's time to pick yourself up and look for the positive. Life is too short to focus on PEOPLE magazine and what Obama said about Romney in the last debate. If you find it hard to focus on the positive, read your scriptures, pray and smile. If you cant find the positive God will let the positive find you- but you first must set your heart towards it.
9. SURROUND YOURSELF WITH LIKE-MINDED PEOPLE-
“Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don’t matter and those who matter won’t mind.”
-Dr. Seuss
The next time you go out mentally make a list of the different characteristics that you see in your friends, women at church and mother's at the elementary school where your kids go. Make a list of what gives you good energy, what builds you up, what reminds you of your inner beauty and your great worth- then gravitate to those women. We all have friends in life who seem to drag us down, and yes it is a worthy goal to want to bring them up, but we must not spend all our time with them because eventually our spirits will become tired and we will sink down to their level. When we spend time with people who are uplifting and participate in wholesome activities our spirits are able to rejuvenate and our lives will become more enriched.
10. KEEP GOING-
“If you can’t fly then run, if you can’t run then walk, if you can’t walk then crawl, but whatever you do you have to keep moving forward.”
-Martin Luther King Jr.
“Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance you must keep moving”
-Albert Einstein
1. KNOW YOURSELF- How well do you know yourself? Do you know what makes you smiles, what makes you laugh, what creates that warm bubbly feeling inside your tummy, what makes you so giddy you just have to giggle and dance? Do you know where you come from and what great worth you hold inside of you? These are the kinds of things that we should each learn about ourselves because they are a key factor to our life's happiness.
"Today you are you, that's truer than true. There is nobody else who is you-er than you."
-Dr. Seuss
Go out and get to know the magnificent you that you are, OWN IT!!!!! Strut your stuff and let other's know you as well. You are a wonderful woman packed full of fun things just like Mary Poppins bag.... your job is to reach down inside and let your sparkles shine!
2. DISCOVER WHO YOUR IDEALIZED SELF IS AND START WORKING TOWARDS IT-
"Open your eyes and look within. Are you satisfied with the life you are living?"
-Bob Marley
The question we all got asked when we were little was “what do you want to be when you grow up?” Now the question is “WHO do you want to be when you grow up?” Think of the "ideal you" and start doing the things that your idealized self would be doing. It’s time to stop playing make-believe and to start taking action! Let’s DO this!!!
“You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself in any direction you choose. You’re on your own. And you know what you know. And YOU are the one who’ll decide where to go…”
-Dr. Seuss
3. BE AUTHENTIC-
“I’m not in this world to live up to your expectations and you’re not in this world to live up to mine.”
-Bruce Lee
Always be true to yourself. When working towards becoming your idealized self it’s important not to lose sight of who you are in favor of who you think you should be. Don’t compromise your values, morals, or true personality. YOUR INDIVIDUALITY IS IMPORTANT!!!!!!
4. UNDERSTAND THAT YOU CAN ONLY CONTROL YOURSELF- My Great Grandmother Lutilda Pierce used to always quote "Accept what you can't change- Change what you can't accept- And pray for wisdom to know the difference." We need to come to the realization that we can't control everything, we cant control the whether our little 2 year old, the teacher who is grading your essay's or even the prices in the grocery store. But we can control our own self's and our attitude. If we have a hard time drawing that line between what we are in control of and what we are not in control of- PRAY to God and he will give you the wisdom that you desire. I promise- praying to God works every time :)
5. ACHIEVE BALANCE IN ALL THINGS- There is a little Yin and a little Yang in life; everything has it's opposite, and the key is finding the harmony between them. For example you must strike a balance between selfishness and selflessness.
6. LEARN TO LET GO-
"If things start happening, don’t worry, don’t stew; just go right along and you’ll start happening too.”
-Dr. Seuss
Don't hold on to the past, don't hold on to the hurt, the fears, the tragic events of life or the rain from yesterday- turn your view out towards the rising sun and rise up with it. Go forth in life with the idea that each day is a new day, and you will make the most of every moment because you only get one chance.
7. GIVE YOUR LIFE MEANING AND ACTIVELY SEEK YOUR INSPIRATION-
"Love the life you live..... and live the life you love."
- Bob Marley
So many of us go around searching for the meaning of life or waiting for inspiration when really it's within ourselves and up to us- no one will do this for you! So..... GO OUT THERE AND FIND MEANING! GO BE INSPIRED!!!!
8. FOCUS ON THE POSITIVE-
“There are two ways to live; you can live as if nothing is a miracle; you can live as if everything is a miracle”
-Albert Einstein
In a world that is based so much on comparing ourselves, gossiping finding out what JLO wore to the party last night and what Jennifer said about Angelina Jolie; where we hear about shootings in high schools, and all the drama of politics we are often found drowning in all this garbage. It's time to pick yourself up and look for the positive. Life is too short to focus on PEOPLE magazine and what Obama said about Romney in the last debate. If you find it hard to focus on the positive, read your scriptures, pray and smile. If you cant find the positive God will let the positive find you- but you first must set your heart towards it.
9. SURROUND YOURSELF WITH LIKE-MINDED PEOPLE-
“Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don’t matter and those who matter won’t mind.”
-Dr. Seuss
The next time you go out mentally make a list of the different characteristics that you see in your friends, women at church and mother's at the elementary school where your kids go. Make a list of what gives you good energy, what builds you up, what reminds you of your inner beauty and your great worth- then gravitate to those women. We all have friends in life who seem to drag us down, and yes it is a worthy goal to want to bring them up, but we must not spend all our time with them because eventually our spirits will become tired and we will sink down to their level. When we spend time with people who are uplifting and participate in wholesome activities our spirits are able to rejuvenate and our lives will become more enriched.
10. KEEP GOING-
“If you can’t fly then run, if you can’t run then walk, if you can’t walk then crawl, but whatever you do you have to keep moving forward.”
-Martin Luther King Jr.
“Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance you must keep moving”
-Albert Einstein
I challenge you to go through this list of 10 ways to be happy and see how many you can check off- once you have done that make it a goal to work on the rest. I promise that when you find happiness in your life, God will open up new doors in your life so that you can bless the lives of those around you and they can better bless you.
