I often feel discontent with my life. I have a friend of whom I am sometimes pretty jealous. When I listen to her talk about her life (or read about it rather . . . social media doesn't help my problem), even her complaints, my heart sinks. I wish those were my complaints. I would kill for those to be my problems because, at the end of the day, she's living the life I wish I could live. She has no clue (well, I guess she does now. . . but given the number of female friends I have I think I'm still safely mysterious). I read a lot of blogs and while 75% of the time I absolutely love them and they bring beautiful wonderful thoughts and images into my life, they sometimes leave me really dissatisfied with what I've got. It's kind of stupid, but it's also really hard.
I had a bout of this frustration a several weeks ago. I called my mom and cried. How do you learn to just be happy with what you have when it seems that everyone around you has a lot more? Her response was to tell me to make a list my blessings. I actually groaned into the phone. That might be my least favorite activity of all time. I usually end up focusing how short the list is or even when the list is long, how many things I wish I could write on that list, but can't. I know; I've really got a lot of improving to do.
But, I listened to my mother and I started on my list. The big things first: my family, my friends, my education, my testimony of the gospel, my job, my health, the car my parents let me use. Then slightly less important things: my own bed, running water, garbage disposals, my wonderful boss at work, air conditioning, and Harry Potter. And then came the obscure and ridiculous: my favorite pens that were on sale that week, my fast typing speed, being good with names and faces, candles that smell like men's cologne, the single of the week on iTunes, puppy videos. I've been mentally adding to the list for a few weeks now.
And it worked.
I still like the things I like, but I also recognize that I am living a really great life without them.
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