One of the things I've thought about over the last few months is the concept of going through "learning experiences." In my life I've hated that phrase because usually I've looked at it in a negative light. I've hated "learning experiences" because they've usually meant that I've been going through a hard time or making a lot of mistakes...but at least learning from them. Just like no great coach is happy when his team just has a moral victory (but still loses), none of us are usually initially happy when we fail or struggle. However, I have learned that these learning experiences can be a positive thing for us in our lives and they end up helping us in the long run. Just like a coach can look at the positives from his team's loss and use them to help his team improve, we can find positives in our lives, even when we make mistakes.
I've found that the times when I've struggled the most has taught me the most about life and helped me to thrive in the future. Sometimes our mistakes help us learn what will really make us happy and successful in the future.
I appreciated a speech given by our new President at BYU about a month ago. He said, "...all failures are changeable and temporary- except for the one that occurs when we give up." When we mess up, we can ALWAYS make it right and get a fresh start.
Some of the most influential people to ever live have, at one point in their lives, been "failures." (If you need more proof of that - look at this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zLYECIjmnQs)
We can't always control what happens to us in life, and we can't control what others think about us. But we can try to always be found doing what's right and always trying to improve.
Near the end of his talk, President Worthen said, "Too often we ask the wrong question when we fail. We ask, “Am I good enough?” But the real question is, “Is God good enough?” Is He as good as He says He is? Can He really deliver on His promise...if we will trust Him and strive to do the best we can and keep going whenever we fall short?"
I know that God IS good enough. He can make up for our failures and help us see how we can improve and be truly happy. He can help us be forgiven from our mistakes and become better people. He's definitely done that for me, and He can do that for everyone. I'm trying to be grateful for my learning experiences and to improve from them.
President Worthen's full talk: http://speeches.byu.edu/?act=viewitem&id=2218
I've found that the times when I've struggled the most has taught me the most about life and helped me to thrive in the future. Sometimes our mistakes help us learn what will really make us happy and successful in the future.
I appreciated a speech given by our new President at BYU about a month ago. He said, "...all failures are changeable and temporary- except for the one that occurs when we give up." When we mess up, we can ALWAYS make it right and get a fresh start.
Some of the most influential people to ever live have, at one point in their lives, been "failures." (If you need more proof of that - look at this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zLYECIjmnQs)
We can't always control what happens to us in life, and we can't control what others think about us. But we can try to always be found doing what's right and always trying to improve.
Near the end of his talk, President Worthen said, "Too often we ask the wrong question when we fail. We ask, “Am I good enough?” But the real question is, “Is God good enough?” Is He as good as He says He is? Can He really deliver on His promise...if we will trust Him and strive to do the best we can and keep going whenever we fall short?"
I know that God IS good enough. He can make up for our failures and help us see how we can improve and be truly happy. He can help us be forgiven from our mistakes and become better people. He's definitely done that for me, and He can do that for everyone. I'm trying to be grateful for my learning experiences and to improve from them.
President Worthen's full talk: http://speeches.byu.edu/?act=viewitem&id=2218
