good life with caitlin chase

Part of cultivating a good life is by knowing your trials are temporary.

Trials are an inevitable factor of life. In everyday life, trials can range from having to study for crazy finals, to crashing your car, to major depression, to fighting with loved ones, to dropping your quesadilla on the floor ... they go all over the spectrum of what people might consider “easy” or “hard.”

The fact is that trials might suck, but facing them head on are what get us through them again and again. Through personal experience and witnessing through others, I have learned that the best course of action to take when dealing with trials is with positivity. As a girl who has experienced most of the trials I listed at the beginning (I never dropped a quesadilla), I can vouch for the fact that when dealing with trials, reminding yourself that there is an end to suffering is crucial.

One of my favorite quotes is from an amazing speaker, Dennis Prager (look him up), and he says, “Happiness is a moral obligation.” That doesn’t mean that everyone needs to be fake happy all the time, but by “faking it till ya make it,” you might actually make it! Confiding in others is a great way to seek guidance, but what I have found is confiding in our Heavenly Father is some of the most valuable guidance someone can have.

But the best thing to remember is that we all face trials. By understanding this, we can help each other by treating people as though we actually like and respect each other! Why would you waste precious time exerting energy that isn’t helping you to be happy? We see it all the time -- people commenting rude things on social media, cutting someone off on the freeway, retaliating to that person who cut you off, the list is endless. By seeking out happiness in every situation, life seems so much more simple. We can make it that way!

Here is another one of my favorite quotes (I don’t know who wrote it): “If you can’t see the sunshine, be the sunshine.” I think that is so true. Be kind to one another, accept your trials, accept your burdens, and make them your motivation. Be motivated to be happy and seek out that happiness in every situation.

This season is a perfect time to reflect on what makes you happy and what trials you have been through that have brought you to the place you are now. Acknowledge your strengths and defy your weaknesses. Remember you are loved and love one another.

a note from becky

That Caitlin Chase ... she's a beautiful soul and I'm so grateful we are friends. I know her because her mom Toni works for (with) me ... and our families have become friends. Caitlin is the first one to dish out hugs when we see each other (a girl after my own heart -- I'm a total hugger) and clearly she has worked hard on her own positive outlook on life and I'm so proud of her progress! At 18 years old, she's headed toward a bright future. Love that girl.