Find the Good

In the middle of every difficulty lies opportunity.

You might be thinking, what on earth is this girl thinking?  How is there opportunity during a difficult time?  Well, I guess maybe you have to do some soul searching to really figure this out.  I know I did.  And, when I go through difficult times, I have to really look inside myself to figure out what about this situation I'm in is going to make me a better person. 

I have had my fair share of difficult experiences.  No need to dwell on them.  But, I will say, they are the foundation on which I built a large part of my life prior to January 2013.  And that's not a good place to be.  Trust me.  When I dwell on the negative, my life becomes negative.  It's crazy to look back and see just how negative life used to be for me.  I couldn't see it.  A big part of me probably didn't want to see it because that would mean I would have to face a lot of things about myself and life that I wasn't ready to look at in an honest way.

So, when I finally decided that I had to figure out how to deal with A LOT of "stuff", I took the chance to see what opportunities I could find. Well, not right away.  I was in such a fog a couple of years ago.  All the emotion that came pouring out of me when my mom took the time to confront me about a lot of things.  I was exhausted.  Mentally and physically.  But, when I started to formulate a bit of a plan, I could see the opportunities I might have.  Anyone who knows me can attest to the fact that I like to have a plan.  When I know what's going to happen, I can function so much better.  Although I have become much more easygoing, I can honestly say this is a way I keep control of life.  Even in a small way.  

However, the way I see it, a little control is a good thing.  I know what works for me.  And how I can maintain a healthy balance in my life.  It has taken me so long to get to this point.  And I know I still have so much more growing and "figuring out life" to go through.  But, I'm having fun.  How many people are lucky enough to say that?

My opportunities through all of the difficulties I have worked my way through have been plentiful.  And they still pop up when I least expect them.  I'm not sure I can limit it to 3, but, if I were to list the top ones, they would be:

1.  Friendship.  In more ways than I could have ever imagined.  I have been so blessed to meet some amazing people over the last 2 years, some of which have become very good friends of mine.  And they each have brought and continue to bring various blessings to my life.
2. Health - More than just weight loss, I feel healthy for the first time in a long time.  I can run around, I like to be active and my stress level is minimal most days because I use working out as my stress relief.  So much healthier than eating a bunch of chocolate!
3. Happiness - When you've lived the majority of your life not feeling genuinely happy, to experience it is just an unbelievable feeling.  I walk around with a genuine smile on my face.  And, most days, I can see the happiness in my own eyes.  When I see pictures of myself from a few years ago, I can't believe the sadness in my eyes that I never knew was there.  I'll never go back there.  Because now that I've experienced being happy, I can't imagine living life any other way.

Once you find good things in your life, the rest will start to fall into place.  I still have things going on but I am finding that, with each step I take, life gets a little happier and there's a little less weight on my shoulders.

Find the Good.  It's all around you.  Find it, showcase it, and you'll start believing in it.

I did.  And I do.