Regardless of circumstances that surround you and the trouble that may befall you, it is your choice to be happy. I think sometimes we feel guilty if we are happy when others are in pain so we wallow along with them. In my opinion, that isn't helping either one of you. I am not talking about the obnoxious goof around and hide your pain happy, there is a different kind.
A quiet happy. An inner strength that people see, but they can't exactly put their finger on it. You don't complain, you aren't bitter, you aren't seeking compliments, pity, or pain relief through addictive mediums...Happy people can listen without judgement, offer help without expectation of payment, see a big picture where the world and people are essentially good.
One of the easiest ways to become one of these people is to begin with a grateful heart. No one's life is perfect, even if it looks that way from the outside, but we all have things to be grateful for! I just got through a really tough week, I was sick and needed to go to a doctor, I didn't have health insurance and I was feeling miserable. Add to that a sick child and a lot of missed work. I found myself starting to feel sorry for myself and I caught it almost immediately! So I made a list in my head of the top 10 things I was grateful for. It was surprisingly easy, and didn't take very long at all!
Suggestion for the day: Make a top 10 list of what you are grateful for! It's nothing you need to share with anyone but God, so go ahead and write it down. It can be big things like your children and spouse or little things like a hot shower daily or your favorite exercise class! Look at it before you go to bed at night. Look at it when you wake up in the morning. Take it to work with you. Keep it in the car to read in traffic. Have it available in the places that stress you out the most. Change it as you evolve and as often as necessary. Try it.
God wants you to be happy, He really does!
Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good! His faithful love endures forever. Psalm 107:1
No comments:
Post a Comment