Several years ago my Dad received a rock polisher for his birthday. We love going on long walks in the hills near Cedar City, Utah when we go visit my parents. While on our walks we look for interesting rocks to polish. Some rocks look like there is no way they could ever get polished because there are to many rough edges.

Before these rocks make a transformation they are First put in to a rock polisher container. Then put sand and water into the container put the lid on then turn on the polisher that tumbles the rocks with sand for three weeks. After the first week of rocks tumbling with sand a finer grit of sand is added to make the rocks more smooth and fresh water is added. This process is repeated for three weeks. After three weeks of polishing these rocks look wonderful, full of color and very shiny, no longer dull in color with sharp edges.

The bumps in life are like the rock with many sharp edges. With help, like a rock, that has transformed into a beautiful polished stone. We all start out like plain dull rocks getting a few sharp edges knocked off along the way. Life experiences plus the choices we make form us into the person we are today. I belief everyday every minute we are either progressing or regressing toward or away from our goals in life.

When our life gets a little muddy we need to realize that the mud is like the grit and sand that at first make the stones unattractive. Our muddy lives help turn us into beautiful people Every time we have an experience either good or bad, we need to thank God for letting us go through these experiences. We need to learn something from everyone, everything and every experience of life.

I hope in some small way your life will be a little brighter with fewer sharp edges and you will pay it forward with what you have learned from some of my life’s lessons.

One of those lessons I have learned is from successful people is that successful people take risks. Time after time when you see people that look like they have it all. Most of them got where they are in life by taking risks. Don’t take the easy road take a few risks in life. Before you do anything ask yourself what is the worst thing that will happen to me if I fail. Several people who were much older in life, many years past retirement were asked if they had any regrets in life. Most of them said they wish they had taken more risks in life.

If you like someone a lot and you ask them to spend a wonderful evening with you and they say no you are still no better or worse off than you were before you asked them. So ask them. You never know what will happen. If you are about to invest a large amount of money on a great idea determine what is the worst thing that can happen. If you can live with the outcome positive or negative, go for it.

Anytime you are in a difficult situation ask yourself, is this situation for your enjoyment, growth or both? When you think about everything you do this way it totally changes every situation you are facing.