"The voyage of discovery lies not in finding new landscapes, but in having new eyes." -Marcel Post

Have you ever met someone that no matter what's going on, no matter who they're with and no matter what they're doing they're unhappy? I don't know about you but I find those people to be draining. They suck the joy out of everything. Even the funniest joke can't even bring a smile to their face.

I've had various discussions lately and I've come to the realization that generally, as a population we all want the same things. We all want security, we all want love, we all want to be happy. The ways in which people obtain these feelings is different and varied, but when it comes down to it, we all have a lot in common. The guy on the train, your co-worker, a family member, the checker at the store. We all just want to be happy.

It's happiness that I want to address tonight. Or, rather - finding happiness in the little things.

For the past six months I've come to a greater understanding that sometimes you just have to choose to be happy. Even more than that, sometimes you have to search for reasons to be happy.

But you know what, it's ok to have to search. The important thing is that you're actively searching for happy!

Sometimes I'll catch myself thinking "I'll be happy when ---fill in the blank---" That's just silly thinking - because you know what, what if 'blank' never comes? Then you'll be sad and wishing you had made the most of life from the beginning.

Let's make the most of today!

I recently went back and re-read journal entries from various stages of my life. Aside from being completely hilarious and rather interesting I came across a recent entry from October that I think sums up what I'm trying to get across. I wrote,

"I’ve come to realize lately that bad days just come sometimes. They don’t have to be bad for any particular reason. Sometimes it’s ok to just have a plain old bad day. There are moments when I feel completely alone, completely inadequate and completely like I’m not aspiring to anything. But then there are those moments when I feel like I can conquer the world.

It's always important to find the sunshine in the rain. Dwelling on the bad does nothing for me. Through all this crumminess - I've come to appreciate the little things even more. Running into someone completely random that I haven't seen in a long time. My favorite kind of cereal showing up randomly in the pantry. (Dad's really cute like that) Mom folding my laundry while I'm out running and all sorts of other little things. It's often those little things that make the bad days into good days - I've got to find it more!"

I don't have it down to a science...but I will say this, finding the bright side will make such a HUGE difference in your life.

Promise!

Here's a really great talk that will help put things into perspective.

Here are a few things from this week that have brought some happy to my life!

• Shauna came home from her 3.5 week excursion to Antarctica
• Lunch at Stoneground with Katrina
• Institute
• Letters in the mail
• No more smog!
• Reading this book
• Mom had to do a physical test for a new fitness program at work. Adam was teaching her the proper technique for push-ups, while listening to the Rocky theme song.

• We celebrated Grandpa's birthday with some delicious eats, a birthday cake and lots of stories!

Here's to a world full of happy for each of you my friends. I hope and pray you can all feel a little joy each day and find the bright spots to make even the gloomiest gloom a little bright.