"There's some good in this world, Mr. Frodo, and it's worth fighting for."

Lord of the Rings is my favorite movie of all time. Dark against light, good against, evil, friendship beyond family, epic battles, and unforgettable and fantastical creatures are just some of the ingredients of perfect entertainment. In the story, the Ring of Power must be destroyed in the fires of Mordor, and a hobbit named Frodo is tasked with this heroic responsibility. Frodo and his friends meet unfathomable obstacles along the way, but his best friend, Samwise, stays with him throughout every adversity. When all hope seems lost, Sam delivers this powerful speech,

"It's like the great stories, Mr. Frodo, the ones that really mattered. Full of darkness and danger they were, and sometimes you didn't want to know the end because how could the end be happy? How could the world go back to the way it was when so much bad has happened? But in the end, it's only a passing thing this shadow, even darkness must pass. A new day will come, and when the sun shines, it'll shine out the clearer. I know now folks in those stories had lots of chances of turning back, only they didn't. They kept going because they were holding on to something. That there's some good in this world, Mr. Frodo, and it's worth fighting for."

Every one of us must face hardships, adversity, and darkness in this life. How do we find the capacity not to turn back and to hold onto believing that a new day will come, and the sun will shine clearer? 

Researchers agree that happiness is not a destination but rather a direction. When we frame happiness as a destination, we wonder what's wrong with us or everyone else so that it stays out of reach. We will constantly be disappointed that we haven't arrived. In his book Build the Life You Want, Arthur Brooks says, "No positive circumstance can give us the state of bliss we seek, but no negative circumstance can make getting happier impossible, either." 

Certain practices can help us move in a more fulfilling direction. First, we must interact with our emotions. When strong feelings arise, try to interact with them- where are they coming from? What do they need from you to feel soothed? Remind them of what you're doing to care for them. As you interact with your emotions, try cultivating the ones that bring joy.

While engaging with your emotions, practice gratitude. Gratitude gets a bad rap sometimes, but the many benefits have been scientifically proven to improve one's mood. Find a reason to laugh; when you're feeling down, call your funny friend, watch Saturday Night Live, or check out a funny book from the library (The Discworld series is my favorite). Researchers have found that humor therapy is amazingly effective. We also need to choose hope. Hope is connected to your pursuit of goals and knowing that you can make those goals happen. Finally, think of yourself less often. Comparing yourself, worrying about what others think about you, and envying others all move people away from happiness. 

Getting back to our hobbits, we can see each of these elements in Lord of the Rings. Frodo and Sam continually think back to the Shire and are grateful for the green goodness it represents. Merry and Pippin continually cause trouble and bring comic relief to the intensity of the task. Aragorn maintains hope from beginning to end that Frodo can destroy the Ring. Unfortunately, Boromir thinks about himself and his own need for the Ring, leading to betrayal.

When we incorporate a mindset that points itself toward happiness, we will be more successful in navigating the passing shadow and darkness. Not only that, Lord of the Rings points to the importance of others in our lives who can help us remember these traits amidst the dark times. Surround yourself with people who won't turn back and will continue to walk with you through life's difficulties. Sam provided the quote above, but Frodo acknowledged, "Frodo wouldn't have got far without Sam."