We all want to be happy! Duh!!!!!
The real monkey wrench is most folks are not. Happy is some now-and-again thing. Smiling is a choice we get to make every waking moment of life. Happy, or sad it’s our decision.
A choice to be happy, yes I can hear so many screaming “I want to be happy you as@ but I can’t” because of this or that. YES, dear friends, you can make a choice to be happy in the middle of adversity! You only need some tools to draw from.
With a bit of reconditioning ourselves, we can learn to smile amid adversity. No, I am not saying you should say, “Oh boy, I just lost my relationship to a cheating so-and-so.” What I am suggesting is the response could be something more, “thank God; this person is out of my life to make room for someone right for me.”
How we internalize our pain will determine if we live depressed or we live with a free heart. Easier said than done, you say? Not if you recondition yourself for happiness. How you say?
Let’s see, this is in no particular order:
- Meditate daily. Learn to meditate to quiet your mind. Your practice will help you find inner peace. Armed with inner peace life’s trials and tribulations will roll off your back.
- A spiritual connection with your God, higher power, or whom you call God.
- Faith, unwavering faith that no matter how hard you get kicked in the gut. Standing up facing adversity with a power you find when you stay in faith. Knowing in your heart that even if you’re at the brink of destruction, God’s hand will reach in and pull you out. “Now, faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”– Hebrews 11:1
- Gratitude is the cornerstone of life. If you cannot find appreciation, you need a spiritual cleanse. We all can find recognition. If your children woke up this morning healthy, imagine the parents who’re children are fighting for their lives today. If you drove to work, imagine having to ride the bus today in the cold. See my point we all have something to be grateful for! Always!!!
- Prayer, make it a part of every day. First, don’t beg “please God just get me through this.” God knows what you need, go to him confess what you need to admit to him. Repent of your sins. Then thank him for the favor he shows in your life. “Thank you, God, for my healing favor” “Thank you, God, for my financial favor” ” Thank you, God, for my beautiful relationships.” Talk to God as you would a friend!
- Make time for you. This needs to be in the form of a walk outdoors. Get to a park, hiking trail, your neighborhood, just find a place that you can get outside. Why? Walking helps you relieve tension. Further, you can enjoy some fresh air, look around you, and experience nature. Get outside yourself, if only for a moment!
These are six things that if you immerse your life into the practice of, you can find happiness. When you learn to relax, let go physically with Yoga, walking, let go emotionally via meditation, prayer, then you can draw happiness at will.
Let go of the past. If you’re hanging onto the past, let that shi^ go! The rear-view mirror gives you a focused view backward. What that means to you, a constant look at the garbage that you need to leave at the dump. There is a reason the front window is significant, and the rear window is small. What’s ahead of you is FAR more important than what’s behind you!
No matter what your state-of-mind is today. Start! Begin the process of training your noodle to embrace happily. All it takes is retraining our mind to embrace happily. Start right now by throwing your shoulders back, putting a smile on your face and say, “today is my day!” Congratulations you took the first step, KEEP GOING!!!
