You're probably wondering, "How does this 16 year old boy from Washington State stay positive all the time? What does he have that I don't?" The answer is, you have everything you need to stay positive, happy, and even spread the love everyday. I've picked five important things to keep in mind for my first blog post EVER. Here we go!
1) Surround yourself with people that make you happy.
If you're always hanging out with people who are negative, or comment on things you do that they don't like, you should probably find some new people to hang out with. If they don't like what you're about, that sucks for them. They're missing out on something that could really improve their life. "You do you boo boo" (Don't remember who told me this but it stuck with me).
People who are constantly commenting on how bad you look, or how they hate what you're wearing, or say you can't work a certain outfit, shouldn't be judging you in the first place. If you like what you wear, you wear it with confidence. If you want to wear polka dotted shirts, a bow tie, with some purple jeans, you go for it. It doesn't matter what anybody else thinks. Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ are the only ones who can judge.
The people who you hang out with start to rub off on you. It has been scientifically proven that those you hang around, you start to become. If you are around people who are constantly negative, or hating on life, you will soon become that too. If you start spending your time with people who are happy, full of life and positivity, you will start being that way as well.
Surround yourself with those who are always optimistic, about every situation. You got a bad grade on a test? So what, you learned from it, you didn't fail, you learned. A Japanese Proverb once said, "Fall seven times and stand up eight." No matter what happens, keep moving forward with a positive mindset. Even in the work force, didn't get the job you wanted? Oh well, keep moving forward. "I'm going to get a job. No matter what." Keep that thought in mind and stay positive.
2) Pray
Prayer is essential. "Watch, pray, and wait for the Lord's hand to be revealed" (Brent H. Nielson). If you're going through a hard time, pray. Heavenly Father wants to hear about your day, he wants to hear about your struggles, he wants to hear about that girl who said she liked your shoes, he wants to hear about that boy who was picking on you today. Just pray, he wants to hear about every little detail about your day. He honestly loves it. He finds joy in hearing everything you learned that day, or things you struggled with today. Just, pray.
Prayer can get you out of the dumps really fast. You may be having a really hard day at school, you got a D on five tests that day. Pray, that you will be able to retain the information you have studied and be able to do better on the retakes (if there are retakes). Just ask your Heavenly Father for help. In everything you do. "You have not failed until you quit trying" (Gordon B. Hinckley).
My favorite scripture of all time is Matthew 7:7. My mother told me it when I was in 7th grade. ...Unfortunately... I was complaining that my sisters always got brand new cloths and shoes all the time. And she told me this scripture, "Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:" I found the same scripture in 3 Nephi 14:7. She taught me that if I don't open my mouth, she doesn't know if I want a new shirt, or if I want a new pair of pants.
"If you don't try, you'll never know. If you don't go after what you want, you'll never get it. ...And if you never ask, the answer will always be no." I've lived by this quote, and I think it's essential to our happiness. We have to constantly be putting effort into everything we do. If you don't put forth any effort, how can you expect to be happy? Ask Heavenly Father for blessings, and you will be blessed. I promise you that.
"Pray more, worry less" (Momma Jess).
3) Love everyone, even when they're making it hard to.
Everyone complains, I complain. We all do. It's okay to complain every once in a while. But you shouldn't do it 24/7. If someone is complaining 24/7, love them with your whole heart. If Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ love them. You need to love them. No matter what. No matter what sins they've made, no matter how bad they've made you feel. Love them.
No matter what a person has done to you, anywhere from saying a hurtful word to you, or even physically hurting you, (which none of these things are right what-so-ever) you still need to love them. Everyone makes mistakes. We all repent. We all use the Atonement the same way. To become clean.
"Remember that our Heavenly Father and our Savior, Jesus Christ, know you best and love you the most." (M. Russel Ballard). If they can love everyone in the world. We can love everyone in the world. You cannot hold a grudge against someone because of what they've done to you, and love them at the same time. Forgive, and forget, then love them with everything you've got. Even if they don't accept your love. That's between them and the Lord.
"Your Heavenly Father loves you. That love never changes. It is not influenced by your appearance. It is not changed by your talents and abilities. It is simply there. It is there for you when you are sad or happy, discouraged or hopeful. God's love is there for you whether or not you feel you deserve love. It is simply always there" (Thomas S. Monson).
If you love everyone like Christ did, you can change the world. Even Jefferey R. Holland said, "Christ like love can change the world."
4) "See the light in others, and treat them as if that is all you see" (Dr. Wayne Dyer).
Always look for the best in everyone. Don't judge someone by how they look. Don't judge anyone by how they act, or even by what they've done. Everything they've done happened for a reason. And we all learn from our mistakes. We all have the light of our Savior in us. If you're a member or not, you have the light of Jesus Christ in you.
You came to this earth, that means that you agreed to our Heavenly Father's plan. You wouldn't be on this earth if you didn't.
"And it came to pass that we lived after the manner of happiness." 2 Nephi 5:27
If you strive to see the light of the gospel in everyone you meet, you will bring so much happiness to your life. You will easily feel the spirit more in your everyday life. Feeling the spirit is essential to the plan of happiness. The Holy Ghost helps us choose right from wrong. He helps us know what the right path is to take. The Holy Ghost is always needed. No matter what you're doing. Strive to feel the Holy Ghost, in all things.
"You are amazing. And don't you forget that."
5) Smile
Smiling is so important to me. Just one smile, can improve someone's whole life. You may not see it now, but by smiling to that girl walking past you in the hallway, her whole day could go from depressed to happy. You never know what other people are going through. Some people are amazing at only showing what is on the surface.
"We may never know all the good that a simple smile can do" (Mother Teresa).
Just by that one smile, you could save her from cutting that day. Just from that one smile, you can inspire someone to smile at another person. Which in turn, makes that person want to smile at another. It's a domino effect that we've got started here. Just, smile. You never know what it could do for that one person.
I heard this analogy of a bow and arrow. It really hit me hard when I read it at the time and it goes like this, "An arrow can only be shot by pulling it backward. When life is dragging you back with difficulties, it means it's going to launch you into something great. So just focus, and keep aiming." I'm not sure who said the quote. But it's amazing to think about.
Always lead with a smile. Leading with a smile can improve a whole groups productivity. It is essential in the work force as well. If you're always upset, or sad, your work productivity can decrease significantly. "The leaven of true leadership cannot lift others unless we are with and serve those to be led" (Spencer W. Kimball). We need leaders who are willing to smile at the hardest times of the day. If you need help, pray for help. (This goes back to #2) A lot can be learned from just one smile. "Try and keep on trying until that which seems difficult becomes possible -and that which seems only possible becomes a habit and a real part of you" (President Dieter F. Uchtdorf).
Everything is possible. Even the world "impossible" says "I'm possible."
I say these things, in the name of our Savior, Jesus Christ, Amen.
*Fire* Keep Smiling, and Stay Positive. *Fire*
If you strive to see the light of the gospel in everyone you meet, you will bring so much happiness to your life. You will easily feel the spirit more in your everyday life. Feeling the spirit is essential to the plan of happiness. The Holy Ghost helps us choose right from wrong. He helps us know what the right path is to take. The Holy Ghost is always needed. No matter what you're doing. Strive to feel the Holy Ghost, in all things.
"You are amazing. And don't you forget that."
5) Smile
Smiling is so important to me. Just one smile, can improve someone's whole life. You may not see it now, but by smiling to that girl walking past you in the hallway, her whole day could go from depressed to happy. You never know what other people are going through. Some people are amazing at only showing what is on the surface.
"We may never know all the good that a simple smile can do" (Mother Teresa).
Just by that one smile, you could save her from cutting that day. Just from that one smile, you can inspire someone to smile at another person. Which in turn, makes that person want to smile at another. It's a domino effect that we've got started here. Just, smile. You never know what it could do for that one person.
I heard this analogy of a bow and arrow. It really hit me hard when I read it at the time and it goes like this, "An arrow can only be shot by pulling it backward. When life is dragging you back with difficulties, it means it's going to launch you into something great. So just focus, and keep aiming." I'm not sure who said the quote. But it's amazing to think about.
Always lead with a smile. Leading with a smile can improve a whole groups productivity. It is essential in the work force as well. If you're always upset, or sad, your work productivity can decrease significantly. "The leaven of true leadership cannot lift others unless we are with and serve those to be led" (Spencer W. Kimball). We need leaders who are willing to smile at the hardest times of the day. If you need help, pray for help. (This goes back to #2) A lot can be learned from just one smile. "Try and keep on trying until that which seems difficult becomes possible -and that which seems only possible becomes a habit and a real part of you" (President Dieter F. Uchtdorf).
Everything is possible. Even the world "impossible" says "I'm possible."
Thank you for taking the time out of your day to check out my first blog post. I know it may not be the best. But it's the thought that counts, right?
I'd just like to leave you with my testimony. I know this church is true, I know that through prayer, we can be blessed. I know the Book of Mormon is true. The scriptures have so much to offer that we don't even realize. Take the time out of your day to study them. They can truly help you in your everyday life. Set aside 10 minutes of your day, to read a different part of the scriptures every day. It will really help improve your attitude. "Attitude reflects leadership, Captain" (Remember the Titans). When going through your daily life, remember to smile to everyone you see. "Let us always meet each other with a smile, for a smile is the beginning of love" (Mother Teresa).
*Fire* Keep Smiling, and Stay Positive. *Fire*
