“There is no duty we so much underrate as the duty of being happy.  By being happy we sow anonymous benefits upon the world.”  Robert Louis Stevenson

Happiness truly is a choice, and you can make it a habit!  We talked yesterday about the fact that things that money can’t buy aren’t really what makes us happy.  So why then do we give our happiness away so easily for frivolous things?

Sometimes it can be hard to maintain a happy heart in spite of what is going on around us.  The car breaks down and we have to deal with the expense and the inconvenience.  A boss or a coworker treats us unkindly.  How much power would you have over your day if you could learn to maintain a happy heart in spite of these disappointments?  After all, everyone has disappointments.  Life is full of them, and no one is exempt.  The only difference for each of us is how we choose to react to those disappointments.

“By tending to our inner garden and uprooting the weeds of external expectations, we can nurture our authentic happiness the way we would nurture something that’s beautiful and alive.”  Sarah Ban Breathnach

Have you ever tried being kind to someone who was being rude to you?  Isn’t it amazing how quickly the store clerk turns that frown upside down when you choose to be kind to them instead of returning their scowl with a scowl of your own?  We never know what is happening in another person’s life.  Perhaps they are stressed about a sick family member or bills they can’t pay, and they haven’t learned the ability to carry a happy heart in spite of external circumstances.  You have a tremendous opportunity to make a difference in that person’s day by doing nothing more than turning up the corners of your mouth.

You know what it means to you when someone does that for you.  What if everyone decided to return the favor by doing the same for someone else when they are having a bad day?

Choose happiness, both for yourself and those whose paths cross yours.  Let us know what impact that choice has on your life.

Shalom!