I started a challenge yesterday called the Stand Up and Shine Challenge. It's about recognizing the good in ourselves, celebrating our own successes and healing ourselves and the world around us through love. I love these challenges. They give me something to focus on that's positive and that inspires change for good in the world. Today's challenge is to do something else whenever I feel the urge to get on social media. I realized how much I check my phone out of boredom, curiosity and just that nagging urge that I might miss something WAY TOO OFTEN. But it hasn't been as tough as I thought not to give in, probably because I'm finding more productive things to do.

I started a new book recently titled Forgiveness: The Greatest Healer of All by Gerald Jampolsky. It's an amazing book! It's small, but packs a lot of powerful wisdom! If you don't have a copy and have never read it I'd definitely recommend it. I just read chapter one, "The Root of Unhappiness." There is a story of a woman who loses her husband and consequently loses herself in bitterness and self-pity. After years of this she is given a copy of one of the author's books and she decides to change her outlook on life. She takes back control, forgiving the people who have hurt her, forgiving herself for actions that may have hurt others and she gives up her judgments. How simple the formula for happiness is! If only it were that simple in application. I think the one thing that is key in this formula is letting go. That's what I struggle with the most. I remember the things others have done to hurt me and therefore do not have entirely whole relationships with any of them. I'm always waiting for them to hurt or disappoint me. I also remember everything I've ever done to hurt someone else and feel like unless I get the chance to apologize to them face-to-face and receive their forgiveness I will carry the burden like a load on my back until the day I die. This is wrong thinking!

We are children of a loving God and have a Savior who sacrificed everything for us! Whenever I feel alone I just have to remember that he has experienced every pain, every angry thought, and all the sadness I feel, as he voluntarily took these on himself, for me. I do not have to carry the pain around. I can choose to forgive others and myself. The ability to forgive is a miracle.

I teach a Sunday School class at my church and this past week we talked about miracles, specifically a talk entitled "Has the day of miracles ceased?" by Elder Donald L. Hallstrom (you can find this on lds.org). He shares the story of a man who goes on a hiking trip and falls off of a cliff and survives. Every person he encounters, everything that happens after his fall is nothing short of a miracle. It's a very powerful and moving story. Miracles happen every day.

I read stories and see videos of people like Nic Vujic, born without limbs and wonder how they get out of bed in the morning, let alone inspire millions of people around the world. Life is a miracle. Bearing children is a miracle. Having all of my senses and all of my limbs is a miracle. Access to modern medicine and healthcare is a miracle. Having an education is a miracle. Living in a country with some freedom is a miracle. Food, shelter and the choice to do with my life whatever I'd like to is a miracle. All of these are things I've been blessed with. I am so grateful! It's not often enough that I really take time to think of the miracles big and small that occur in my life every day. I can choose to be happy; only I am in control of my happiness.

My favorite quote from this book on forgiveness (so far) is something we can all take with us today: 'Why is it so difficult for us to see that our search for the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow is only hiding the fact that we are both the rainbow and the gold (1)?"

You are beautiful. You are worthy of love and forgiveness. Forgive yourself. Let go. Stand up and shine! #standupandshinechallenge

Peace, love, om to you all.