Happiness.

'I've learned the hard way that change is one of God's greatest gifts, and most useful tools. Change can push us, pull us, rebuke and remake us. It can show us who we've become, in the worst ways, and also in the best ways. I've learned that it's not something to run away from, as though we could, and that in many cases, change is a function of God's graciousness, not life's cruelty.' Shauna Niequist

A friend of mine posted this quote on Facebook and it made me stop and think. People do not like change. I on the other hand embrace change, as in change my hair cut or color every 6 weeks, change around the furniture in my apartment, change activities I do throughout the week and with friends, because I tend to get bored easily. However, there are a lot of people that cannot grasp the concept of change, they become accustomed to a certain style of living, a certain pattern of life, and whenever anything changes it throws them for a loop. To take things a little more in-depth, certain changes, as in things within the direction of life, can definitely turn my world upside down and I believe that is the change Shuana Niequist is quoting above. I am not sure I agree that change can show us what we have become as much as I agree that how we respond, accept, and react to change is what shows us what we have become. When we are presented with challenges in life there is always an easy way and a hard way to deal with what is before us. Normally the easy way is a quick instant gratification fix but does nothing to actually teach us and help us grow. Take for example receiving constructive criticism at work, the easy thing to do would be to disagree, quit your job, and find a new place that doesn’t tell you there are things you need to change. The hard way however, or the way that would take more effort, is in sticking in the current spot and working your way through the challenging moments to learn and to grow.

Yesterday in church there were two speakers that were asked to talk on a conference talk that they had enjoyed from our most recent General Conference. Of the 27 different talks these two girls, unbeknownst to each other, had chosen the same talk. Some would call that coincidence, I call that a necessity for us to hear a certain message within that talk. The talk was called, Of Regrets and Resolutions by President Dieter F. Uchtodorf. (You can read the full talk here: http://www.lds.org/general-conference/print/2012/10/of-regrets-and-resolutions?lang=eng) The overall message was that WE, yes you, determine your happiness. That just because there is change in your life, that just because things aren’t going the way you had planned, you can still be happy. Many people think that if they get married, or have kids, or get a better job, or make more money, or have a better car, that they would be happier. Sure, all those things may be great but happiness lies within regardless of your present circumstances. There is a great book I read once that is called, Man’s Search for Meaning, wherein Victor Frankl, relays that we cannot choose the circumstances that happen to us but we CAN choose how we react to them.