Smile! :)

Life has a way of getting you down. At least, this is true for me. Especially through these last couple of weeks, I have been very down. It is hard for me to be away from my family. I miss just being able to actually see them. They honestly are my best friends and I've hated not being able to laugh with them every day. I've been sick, also. I know, nothing new. I get sick way too much. School has been stressful, with finals getting nearer. And then there is my lack of wanting to do anything but sleep. I was stuck in a rut and I didn't really care to get out.

The problem is, once I quit caring about one thing I quit caring about everything. I got to where the only class I really wanted to go to was institute (sounds a lot like high school...) and it was also the only class I was keeping up on. And of course, keeping up on institute is a very good thing. :) But, not keeping up on my other classes isn't a very good thing. I could go on about how I was stuck in this rut, but what will that do? It is how I got out that matters.

Last Sunday Kendra and I read a section from a book (for the sake of us not being made fun of, the title will remain unknown to all you readers) about how to start being happy. It said that we can either change our thoughts to change our actions or change our actions to change our thoughts. Smiling is the key. By smiling we give off the impression that we are happy. If you keep smiling, before you know it, you will be happy! Your actions (smile) will change your thoughts (attitude). Plus, the book said that it is impossible to be unattractive when smiling. ;)

So on Monday I smiled. Now, it isn't like I wasn't smiling before, I was. I just only smiled when something made me happy, I wasn't smiling to be happy. By the end of the day I was in the best mood ever! I felt confident, at ease, and happy.

I tried to keep this going throughout the week, and it worked. Even though I was sick and didn't want to move, I smiled and was happy. On Friday, I went to Friday Forum. Can you guess what the topic was? Happiness. I needed that talk. One of the things that was said was that blessed means how happy. I got thinking about all the blessings I have and I thought, well, I should be happy, I have no reason not to be. I am blessed.

So I challenge all you out there, the few actually reading this, to smile. Even if things aren't going the way you would like, keep smiling. It is possible to be going through trials and still keep a smile on your face. After all, you're never fully dressed without a smile! :D

2 Nephi 9:39 "Spiritually-Minded Is Life Eternal"