“You show me the path of life. In your presence there is fullness of joy.”—Psalm 16:11
Eleanor Roosevelt once said something that is very true: “Happiness is not something that we can directly acquire. It’s a by-product of something else. It seeps into our consciousness and emotions when we choose to do that right thing, the best thing.” We basically become happy when we do our best as parents or at work, or when we reach out to help someone, or fulfill our responsibilities, whether others notice it or not. Then suddenly, strangely, we are happy. Don’t go after happiness directly. It will elude you. Just try to be the best version of yourself. Do everything with peace and for the right reason and happiness will be there as a by-product.
Lord, teach me to live with love and happiness will follow. Amen.
“It’s not easy to have a great Christmas in a world where everyone is striving for what isn’t worth having.
Welcome back to 28 obstacles that will prevent you from having your Best Christmas Ever. Click subscribe to ensure you don’t miss out on any of this series.
Obstacle #2 is… Lack of purpose.
If you are unclear about the purpose of Christmas it will be impossible to have your best ever. So, take some time over the next couple of weeks to get clear about the purpose of Christmas. This series should help you get very clear.
Find your joy. Guard your joy. Follow your joy. Not just happiness. It seems our culture has confused happiness with comfort, and following comfort will lead you to misery. Find your joy. Cherish your joy. Guard your joy. And follow your joy.
Today’s gift… Off Balance. Who should you give it to this Christmas? Anyone who seems overwhelms or exhausted and anyone trying to redesign their lives. Most people can’t remember what they got for Christmas two years ago. This Christmas give life-changing unforgettable gifts.”
Do you trust God? Or do you just say that you do? It’s not always easy to think in ways that are consistent with trust in God. But this is truly the path to happiness. Let mindfulness help you bridge the gap between saying that you trust in God and actually living in trust.
“Someone wrote to me recently about something I wrote in Perfectly Yourself. As I took the book from my bookshelf to look up what she was referring to I was flooded with memories of the time in my life when I write the book. My father had died a few months earlier and I was trying to make sense in new ways, as we all do when we lose someone we love.
That was twenty years ago. The subtitle of the book is Nine Lessons of Enduring Happiness. As it caught my eye, I wondered… have they endured… I will let you decide…
The Nine Lessons of Enduring Happiness The
First Lesson for Enduring Happiness: CELEBRATE YOUR PROGRESS
The Second Lesson for Enduring Happiness: JUST DO THE NEXT RIGHT THING
The Third Lesson for Enduring Happiness: PUT CHARACTER FIRST
The Fourth Lesson for Enduring Happiness: FIND WHAT YOU LOVE AND DO IT
The Fifth Lesson for Enduring Happiness: LIVE WHAT YOU BELIEVE
The Sixth Lesson for Enduring Happiness: BE DISCIPLINED
The Seventh Lesson for Enduring Happiness: SIMPLIFY
The Eighth Lesson for Enduring Happiness: FOCUS ON WHAT YOU ARE HERE TO GIVE
The Ninth Lesson for Enduring Happiness: PATIENTLY SEEK THE GOOD IN EVERYONE
In the coming weeks I am going to present a series of videos base on this book and these nine lessons, so make sure you have notifications turned on and click here if you would like a copy of the book.”
“There are four aspects to the human person: physical, emotional, intellectual, and spiritual.
Physically, when you exercise regularly, sleep regularly, eat the right sorts of foods, and balance your diet, how do you feel? You feel fantastic. You feel more fully alive. You’re healthier, happier, and you have a richer, more abundant experience of life.
Emotionally, when you give focus and priority to your relationships, what happens? You switch the focus off yourself and onto others. As you do, your ability to love increases… and as your ability to love increases, your ability to be loved increases. You become more aware of yourself, develop a more balanced view of life, and experience a deeper sense of fulfillment. You’re healthier and you’re happier.
Intellectually, when you take ten or fifteen minutes a day to read a good book, what happens? Your vision of yourself expands; your vision of the world expands. You become more focused, more alert, and more vibrant. Clarity replaces confusion. You feel more fully alive, and you are happier.
Finally, spiritually, when you take a few moments each day to step into the classroom of silence and reconnect with yourself and with your God, what happens? The gentle voice within grows stronger, and you develop a deeper sense of peace, purpose, and direction. You’re healthier, you’re happier, and you have a richer experience of life.
Physically, emotionally, intellectually, and spiritually, we know the things that infuse our lives with passion and enthusiasm. We know the things that make us happy. We just don’t do them.
It doesn’t make sense, does it?
On the one hand, we all want to be happy. On the other hand, we all know the things that make us happy. But we don’t do those things. Why? Simple. We are too busy. Too busy doing what? Too busy trying to be happy.
This is the paradox of happiness that has bewitched our age.
Perhaps it is time to slow down. Maybe a better future involves less rather than more.”
