Seriously, why is it that when it rains it pours…why can’t it ever just be a light drizzle?! If it was someone else asking me that question I’d probably respond with something motivational like – the harder it rains the bigger the rainbow – but after the week I’ve had I’m thinking I might just prefer the drizzle…

It is interesting how life often goes because it really does seem that when times are tough they are rarely just a little bit tough…they tend to be a whole lot of tough that all comes and hits you at the same time. It can be overwhelming to say the least.

When things are the toughest I turn to uplifting quotes or talks that will help me change my perspective and the one that helped me today was this one from Dieter F. Uchtdorf (whose given many of my all time favorite talks):

“I’m suggesting that instead of being thankful for things, we focus on being thankful in our circumstances—whatever they may be…This type of gratitude transcends whatever is happening around us. It surpasses disappointment, discouragement, and despair. It blooms just as beautifully in the icy landscape of winter as it does in the pleasant warmth of summer…We sometimes think that being grateful is what we do after our problems are solved, but how terribly shortsighted that is. How much of life do we miss by waiting to see the rainbow before thanking God that there is rain?” – Dieter F. Uchtdorf

His words served as just the pick-me-up that I needed today. They reminded me to stop focusing on the problems and focus on being thankful in my circumstances. Which means I need to stop wishing for the storm to go away and start thanking God for the rain…difficult to do – truthfully, yes. But the right thing to do – ALWAYS!

~Amy Rees Anderson (author of the book “What Awesome Looks Like: How To Excel in Business & Life” )