By Dawn Bauer McIntyre, Women of L.E.A.D.E.R.S.H.I.P. 1ST

We tend to analyze a situation or a feeling when there appears to be an emotional struggle or hurdle on our path of personal and spiritual growth. We are in search of finding the cause and then quickly moving forward to feel “happiness.”

This has been a way of learning to change and grow and is incredibly beneficial; but equally as important is learning to analyze our happiness once we move past the struggle. Since we are probably very accustomed to knowing when we are in a place of emotional discomfort, we are well equipped to rise above the emotion and seek the steps to relief. But how equipped are we to reach happiness and recognize how that feels and relish in the ability to embrace and cherish the struggle?

To some this may seem really strange…”embrace and cherish the struggle” you may ask?  And the answer is a resounding “yes!” It has taken me years to discover how often I take happiness for granted and forget to take a personal inventory of the journey to that happiness, because it isn’t something that just appears. We each endure much stress, emotionally and physically to reach a place in life that we can say we are happy.

So, recognizing what it feels like to be happy is the first step toward sustaining happiness in our lives. We can examine how joy feels in our spirit and what our thoughts are during times of bliss. We can retrace our steps to discover how we reached this frame of mind; take note of the choices we’ve made while there without diminishing the power of our happiness.

Once we know how we arrived at happiness and how that emotion feels inside our spirit, we can then recreate that feeling in future difficulties! Trials and struggles will always be a part of the ebb and flow of our lives. Stumbling blocks in life can become stepping stones to our peace and joy, if only we learn to recognize they help us grow and not to hinder our personal journey. By focusing our energy on analyzing happiness and all it encompasses, we feed and nurture a positive way of embracing the curve balls life is apt to throw our way. We are able to trust that the struggle is temporary because we remember what the gift of happiness has in store!

Dawn Bauer McIntyre used her personal experience of “tough love” toward her troubled son to found The Family Hope Line in 2009. Family Hope Line is a cost-free placement service which assists families with struggling teens and provides family restoration. Through her company Dawn is a Family Advocate and certified Parent Coach. Her company creates an education-focused environment for teens while providing them with important life lessons to examine failed expectations, low self-esteem and fear which can hinder their potential and personal growth. Dawn is passionate in serving others and volunteers her time to various organizations in her community of St. Simons Island, Ga. Her message for young ladies is to “forgive and move from victim to victor” with a goal of empowering them with personal awareness and obtaining life skills that allow them to impact and empower others with similar struggles. Dawn has served with the Women of L.E.A.D.E.R.S.H.I.P. 1ST since May 2011.