One night, I was in the Wilk (building where the BYU food court is) sitting down to some Chick-Fil-A with good ole Luke, chatting bout life and such (I recommend CFA deep chats to everyone), and he asked the cliche “what is happiness?” question. I felt so dumb thinking of these profound answers and them not being what he was looking for haha, but he eventually made this simple point that I see is SO true now; that happiness is progression! The gospel makes us happy because it shows us that this life has purpose and so does the next, and that it is a JOY to repent and continually make ourselves better to work toward living with our Heavenly Father again. Working out makes us happy because (yes endorphins and the chemical part but) we feel like we’re (hopefully) building muscle and losing fat because we’re working toward a healthy body. Having a closing shift at work makes me happy because I have the task of not juust waiting for people to come place orders and serve them, but the task to be gradually checking off things to do by the end of the night like cleaning and stocking so we can get out in good time and feel like we’ve accomplished something for the morning crew. Yesterday going to work I wasn’t even mad, ha, because of the productive day and week I’d had. I wasn’t stressed, feeing like I could be getting so much more done than what I was already doing, I wasn’t as to-myself like I normally was at work, didn’t have the borderline migraines like I’d been getting that whole week, and just felt all-around more positive.
So now you’re probably a little curious- what created my happiness for this week? (caution: everyone not preparing for a mission in 52 days should not be expected to do all/to the extent of what I’m trying to do and also #comparisonisthetheifofjoy)
- Learned about the background of 1 Nephi in institute!!
- picked out fabric and patterns for mission dresses, and don’t have to worry about finding reasonably priced/modest/cute ones anymore, phew!
- instead of believing I could still read and thoroughly study the whole El Libro de Mormon by November 17th, decided to get on the “Read the Book of Mormon in 60 days” chart and also scan some of the main chapters in spanish. AND USE COOL COLOR-CODING.
- wrote all my missionary friends!
- went out with the sister missionaries and learned their ways!
- listened to conference talks instead of music as I got ready most every day (Cast Not Away Therefore Your Confidence by Holland was the favorite of the week)
- put together playlists for my mission music iPod! (thank you Michael + companions for the CD’s)
- temple!!
- successful mission clothes/materials shopping, finally feeling like I’m nearly finished!- got a skirt, 4 shirts, 2 scarves, a curling wand and flat iron I’ve been wanting for forever, and 2 journals shown to me by Kendall- all that I love, and ALL on sale and discounted for awesome prices! I love cheap but good quality things SO MUCH.
- checked another disney movie off my list (an accomplishment because after going to BYU I see how much I deprived myself by only watching The Little Mermaid as a kid)
- trimmed the unhealthy split ends off
- got over BYU’s horrible loss by making my appearance at the gym (it’s been too long)
- cleaned my filthy bedroom and bathroom :D
- organized my accumulating mission stuff in Michael’s room
- got to finally see someone from the glory days of HS, AMANDA HAYDEN who came down for the weekend from Arkansas!
- resisted the temptation to get a chocolate chunk cookie or cookies-and-cream shake SEVERAL times.
- drank more water
- only watched 2 GG episodes
- put away my clean clothes I washed last last week.
and browsing through pinterest earlier in the week, I found this that kinda gave me the motivation to be better, and I think these are some good goals to start living by and might kick-start some of you all on this whole happy-hungry high I’m sort of on
As you can see, my accomplishments were progressively getting more minuscule, but they were my accomplishments! Progress! And therefore, happiness. I seriously have the biggest belief in small and simple things bringing great things to pass. DO IT. IT WORKS. Go to bed 10 minutes earlier, spend a little less time on the internet, get water instead of your favorite soda, wake up early, have a good conversation, work out your feelings, buy a new top that gives you some more confidence, have a stronger relationship with God.... big or small, it is recognized by Heavenly Father, and he will bless you with the greater happiness you desire. (In the voice of Shia LaBeouf) Just do it.
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