There’s joy in everything if you look close

I’ll be the first to tell you. life is hard, it’s confusing, it has ups and downs, it can feel like a roller-coaster, and much more. Don’t breathe too hard; I just had to let you know at the beginning this blog won’t be sugar coated. Life has a way of breaking us to our lowest, rerouting us, and in some cases bringing us to a screeching halt. You know for example: that time you landed your dream job and three months in you were already looking for something else. Or that affair you had no clue was happening right under your nose. What about trying to be the peacemaker in a family set on picking sides. The job you’ve been on offers you a huge promotion and raise; the only stipulation is you have to relocate. Your best friend you’ve been friends with for years suddenly becomes someone that won’t even respond to your calls or texts. Your child(ren) aren’t doing well in school, and you constantly get calls about their behavior. The list can go on and on. So how do you find happiness when life throws unexpected things at you, and often times those things are completely out of our control? Well the first thing you can do is confront it. You can’t find the blessing in something if you’re running from it. Next, process it. Allow yourself to see your situation completely as it is. Not what you want it to be, not what potential it has, but as it actually is. Follow that with not allowing that situation to break you or steal your joy and peace. From there, you’re ready to see the blessing. Having second thoughts about your dream job could mean it was never really your passion to begin with. That can lead you down a whole new career journey that can lighten your life in ways you never thought of. The affair almost ripped your whole family apart, but you and your spouse decided to work things out. You both commit to working through it wholeheartedly and honestly, and doing so you’re now the happiest you’ve ever been in your marriage. Being the peacemaker in the family may seem in vain when everyone is strong minded, but when you’re brave enough to try you have a sign of strength. If that strength doesn’t work in your family, you can use it to bless another area of life such as mentoring or volunteering. Choosing to relocate because of a job can be hard. However, the way you approach it can be a true blessing. You’re in a new city, you can meet new people, and you will probably learn things about yourself you never knew. Growing apart from a best friend is something that happens every single day. It is nothing we plan on, however people change. Maybe that particular friend could have been the one person that always had something negative to say; or negative happening. You both separating allowed each other to grow and discover yourselves. In some cases those friends reconnect better than ever, and in other cases they do not. If you have a child or children not doing well that can be not only a hard pill to swallow but a big burden to bare. However, working through that and putting your child first can help you grow in ways you never thought of. You’re more particular about your time and the company you keep. You’re making your schedule more structured so you can spend more time with your family, and doing so you gradually see changes over time. With all that being said, even when life hits us unexpectedly, we can still find happiness. You won’t see it in the beginning but long as your heart is in the right place you will. Stay strong! -Lori G. Clark