Simple Gratitude.

I was pretty bored today.

Sick of Homework.

Done with school.

The roommates were not.

So I pulled out the Ensign.

The Divine Gift of Gratitude was the selected talk. President Thomas S. Monson gave this address at our most recent General Conference. And I have to say he hit the nail on the head.

You see life has this way to get you down sometimes.

Gratitude has a way to pull you up.

It is incredible to me how simple gratitude changes things.

It makes you feel good to be thankful for something.

It makes you feel good to be thanked for something.

I like what he said. Because it is real and true.

"We have all experienced times when our focus is on what we lack rather than on our blessings... Most human beings have an almost infinite capacity for taking things for grated... Let us not wait until it is too late for us to express that gratitude... this requires conscious effort-at least until we have truly learned and cultivated an attitude of gratitude. Feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a present and not giving it."

Simply speaking express gratitude and feel better.

A Tasting Treat

Recently I have found a simple joy. I have always loved treating myself to a delicious candy bar. I discovered that I was in a rut though. I was always getting a Twix Bar or Milky Way. Although those candy bars are quite incredible and undeniably delicious I felt the desire to branch out a little. You know take a leap out of the comfort zone. Let my taste buds get more out of life. With the support of my family we began a journey into the unknown. Every time we were faced with a large selection of candy bars (whether it be a gas station or grocery store) we would pick one candy bar we had never tried. When we were all home we would split it into fourths and each savor a new taste. Some were good. Some were bad. But most were good.

A common theme I have found while discovering new candy bars is that there really isn't a whole lot of new. Most of the time old flavors are just twisted and turned into new shapes and textures. M&Ms now have coconut flavors and pretzels. Milky Ways are now purely carmel. Snickers have fudge. It's cool though.

Here is a little run down on what I (with the help of my family) have discovered.

There is no need to try:

~Skittles Fizz

~5th Avenue

~M&M Coconut(unless you like coconut then it might be just alright)

~M&M Pretzel

~Snickers Fudge

You Might Want to Try:

~Zero

~Whatchamacallit

~Peanut Butter Twix

~Three Musketeers Crispy Truffles

And You HAVE to Try:

~Purely Carmel Milky Way

~Reeses Whips

Enjoy tasting a new treat!

Ten Things I've Learned Freshman Year #5

I've Discovered the Secret of Happiness

It comes by being positive.

Positive and Hopeful.

Hopeful that things are going to be alright.

And you know what, they will be.

Remember to smile :)

And to laugh! lol

Laugh always.

Remember there is always something good out there because "the tender mercies of the Lord are over all."

That is the truth.

And another truth is that the secret of becoming a happy person comes by learning how to recognize those tender mercies in your life. Once that happens for yourself, share it with someone else. Then they will be happy too.

Isn't that neat?

Ten Things I've Learned Freshman Year #6

Rev It Up

And what I mean by Rev It Up is try new things. Experience all the things life has to offer.

Do not settle for what is expected.

Try anything and everything.

This has been extremely difficult for me throughout my life. I just like my little box. It is safer in here. But it is not as exciting as out there. College has made me break free from my box. It all started when I gave my hair a new color for the first time. Then I decided to live with people I had never met. I started to do things with people that I never thought I would get along with. I took classes that taught subjects I had never heard of. I went on dates with a variety of characters. Just today I tried something I have always wanted to try but never actually tried it. It happened between Math and Mission Prep. I was slightly hungry. So I got a Peanut Butter Twix Bar. It was delicious. (I highly recommend trying candy bars you have always wanted to try but never have:)

So Rev It Up.

What have you got to lose?