I am a firm believer that everything happens for a reason. It is human nature to find meaning behind the events of life. It is comforting to believe that all of the people, places, and events in life are part of a bigger plan.

Different people turn to different places to credit this. At the end of the day, I believe the principle of it to be true.

This thought process is sometimes also referred to as the Burnt Toast Theory.

If you burn your toast in the morning, it is an inconvenience, but it may be setting you back just enough time to avoid a troubling car accident.

This way of thinking is capable of boosting our moods and increasing gratitude, since maybe burning your morning toast didn’t actually save you from a car accident.

Regardless, looking at a negative situation with a positive light gives us the grace to be joyful through life’s daily hiccups.

It is about accepting the troubles of life with the confidence that good will come from them.

While burning toast is something extremely minor, it can be applied to much heavier life situations.

One example that stands out to me is people coming in and out of my life.

One of the worst feelings in the world is being in a friend fight.

At the moment, it seems like there is no hope for anything good to come of the situation, yet when looking at moments like this after time has passed and the dust has settled, it becomes clear that the friendship ended just when it needed to.

Consequently, I have found that people come into my life just when I need them.

While it is nearly impossible to recognize this when it is happening, looking back it is clear that they were introduced to my life for a reason.

While it is certainly easier to believe this when things are going good, I trust that it is just as real when things are going bad.

Things happen, whether positive or negative, to better prepare us for what’s yet to come down the road.

We learn and grow from the difficulties of life. I can handle certain situations now better then I would have been able to five years ago.

Looking at troubles as opportunities for growth helps us to maintain a positive outlook on the world.

There is something so beautiful about appreciating life’s ups and downs for what they are.

It is uplifting to trust that the bumps of life have an underlying meaning. They are not there merely as an inconvenience.

If you are struggling to find the reason behind an inconvenience in your life, remember, it just may be because you are still in the situation.