Today was one of those days. You know the kind I'm talking about. I think everyone does. I'm stressed about everything. It seems ridiculous, especially when I think about the difficult circumstances in which so many of the people on this earth live in every single day. Life could be so much worse for me. And I am so grateful for the blessings I have. But you know those days when you just feel so stressed out that you forget that there are thousands of people in this world who have much worse problems? You forget how wonderful your own life really is. Today was one of those days. But that's about to change. Right now. And I'll tell you how. But let me start at the beginning.
First off, I fell asleep on the couch last night, which means I didn't finish doing what I wanted to do yesterday. So it was a bad start. Then I woke up late and missed my first class of the day. I skipped breakfast and hurried to school to finish a group project for a class later on. Of course there was plenty of technical difficulties with the project, including printing it. Printing was a nightmare. I didn't even know that something so easy could be so difficult until today.
It was hard enough trying to work on a group project using a computer program I don't even understand. To add to it, my mind was elsewhere... not on the project. My mind was on the fact that I have 2 late assignments to finish for a different class. And that I have no idea what's going on in another class. And that I'm worried about my family. And my future. And that I need to work out today but don't really have time. And that my room is a mess (actually, that one wasn't on my mind... I just thought of it now while writing, but now that I think of it, it is quite stressful). And that I have 10 goals I need to reach this week, but don't know if I will. And that I need to get stuff done for my church calling. And for a volunteer project I'm doing. And I need to spend time with my loved ones. Oh gosh, the list goes on. You get it.
Of course, while trying to get stuff done, I realized how hungry I was from not having eaten anything today. I didn't have time to pack a lunch, so I went to the cafeteria to buy lunch again... even though I didn't want to spend more money, and probably shouldn't. I also realized I had to pee. And since it's one of those days, of course the bathroom had to be the worse experience of it all. The automatic toilet flushed before I even sat down. Then once more while sitting on the toilet. And twice more once I was finished. Then when I went to wash my hands, the automatic water came out much too hard and splashed me for the whole 30 seconds while washing my hands. And then of course, the automatic towels wouldn't come out... no matter how many times I swiped my hand in the air in front of it and even touched the stinkin' sensor. So I used the air dryer. And we all know how good those things work.
So there's a picture of my day for you. I am now sitting in the corner of a building on campus writing this blog so that I can get my feelings out and move on to get something productive done. But I can't end without the most important part! It gets better. Okay, not really. It'll probably even get a little worse from here, but like I said, I'm going to change my attitude.
First off, I got a text from my roommate reminding me of a wonderful blog I read yesterday. Here's the link: http://www.daringyoungmom.com/2012/12/19/drops-of-awesome/ Read it!!! It's so good! So After remembering that, I thought about how I could make my day go better.
Then I texted my boyfriend to tell him about my stressful day and his words of encouragement were a quote from one of my favorite discourses:
"In all of these cases there should never be just two options: perfection or giving up. When learning the piano, are the only options performing at Carnegie Hall or quitting? No. Growth and development take time. Learning takes time. When we understand grace, we understand that God is long-suffering, that change is a process, and that repentance is a pattern in our lives. When we understand grace, we understand that the blessings of Christ’s Atonement are continuous and His strength is perfect in our weakness (see 2 Corinthians 12:9). When we understand grace, we can, as it says in the Doctrine and Covenants, 'continue in patience until [we] are perfected' (D&C 67:13)."
(here's the link: http://speeches.byu.edu/?act=viewitem&id=1966)
And so I see that my attitude is stupid and I need to change. I need to be happy and realize what this life is all about. The world isn't out to get me. But God is out to change me and I need to be more humble and willing to let that happen. I need to learn from my mistakes and become better every day. Every moment. Earlier today was bad, but now will be better. So I fail a class? I try again next semester. So I get a little wet from the annoying automatic sink in the bathroom? I wipe myself off and move on. So I had a bad morning? Tomorrow I'll make it better. And so life goes. How grateful I am for my family and friends who always remind me what is important in life and what really matters.
