Finding Happiness Today

Our Relief Society lesson was on President Monson's talk Finding Joy in the Journey from this past General Conference. Matt took Dean so I actually got to listen, and it was quite nice.

Tips for enjoying the present:

• Change is constant. Accept it and adapt to it.
• Don't live in the past or future. Learn from the past, look to the future, but live today in the moment. Do what you can now to create pleasant memories for the future.
• "Never let a problem to be solved become more important than a person to be loved."
• Focus on our abundance rather than what we're lacking. Don't let handicaps (emotional, physical) keep you from living. Don't postpone your joy.
• When we cultivate an attitude of gratitude, we are better able to appreciate our blessings, learn from our trials, and live a rich and happy life.
• Let Christ into our lives and our homes.

Some days with Dean can be really challenging. You know, the "he just got out on the wrong side of the crib" kind of days. The days where the whining commences the moment he wakes up and doesn't seem to end until the minute he goes down for bed. I don't do well with constant whining. I allow it to get to me and I can get pretty snappy. Especially during piano lessons. I know it doesn't help the situation, but I haven't figured out how to break the cycle and let it roll off of me. I know it is something I need to change.

So, continuing this theme I came home and read Elder Wirthlin's talk Come what May and Love it.

More tips for finding happiness:

• Learn to laugh and mean it. (Don't just "smother unpleasant truths beneath a cloak of pretended happiness.") Laughing makes life a whole lot more enjoyable for you than swearing, mumbling, taking offence, yelling, etc. Notice, he said learn to laugh. It may not be our intuitive response to unpleasant or annoying circumstances, but we choose how we perceive life. We can choose to laugh and mean it. We are not victims of circumstance.
  
• Realise that "the dial on the wheel of sorrow eventually points to each of us. At one time or another, everyone must experience sorrow. No one is exempt." That will help us from getting the "why me??" blues.
  
• Recognize the Lord's compensation plan. "While it may not come at the time we desire, the faithful will know that every tear today will eventually be returned a hundredfold with tears of rejoicing and gratitude."
• Trust in Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ, even if your afflictions don't disappear in the time you would like. "Trust in the Lord, do your best, then leave the rest to Him."