Ch 8 Behavior 5 - The Happy Habit Recap

The Happy Habit

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This is the day which the Lord has made; Let us rejoice and be glad in it.  

Psalm 118:24

A smile is an outer reflection of an inner condition. Wow!  I realized I don"t smile nearly enough.  I tend to be more serious.  But there are so many little things that make me happy.  I used to expect my husband, my girls or material things to make me happy.  Over the course of the last 5 years I have realized  that my happiness is not dependent on others.  It is up to me to choose to  be happy, regardless of my situation.  I now look for the little things God does daily to delight me.  Leanne gave us 12 things happy people do differently.  I am going to smile more.  What can you do differently?

Focus/Examine Your Goals

Happiness is a choice.  What we focus on, our goals, they are choices we make each day.  Our behavior, our choices are controlled by our thinking.  It is easier to stay focused when life isn't throwing us curveballs or we aren't dodging satan's fiery darts.  I need to be reminded again and again where to keep my focus in order to be prepared for the upheavals in life.  Am I grateful, optimistic, kind and forgiving during the rough times?  I choose what I focus on, how I react.  It begins with the daily choice to develop a close, intimate relationship with God.  Then it will become more natural to follow the leading of the Holy Spirit and make the choice to be happy.

What Do You Believe?

It is time to examine our belief system.  What DO we believe?  Do we trust God completely?  Do we fully believe His Word?  When I choose to believe ALL God's promises, that all His  Word is true and pertains to me, then my joy will increase.  We need to remind ourselves that God would have gone to these great lengths even if you or I were the only person on earth.  Do you believe that?  What do you believe?

What Are You Waiting For?

Why do we wait to be happy?  Our "if/then" statements demonstrate our desire for everything to be perfect.  They come from a negative perspective.  Yet if one"if/then" is achieved another one replaces it.  We never achieve perfection.  Thank goodness perfection is not necessary for happiness.  Let's try to focus on the positives in our life and make the choice to be happy today.

Think Less and Laugh More/ Are You Making You Unhappy?

 A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength  Proverbs 17:22

Do you trust God with child-like abandon?  I wonder what that would look like.  What would it be like to live life without a sense of fear because of my complete faith in God?  I would definitely be thinking much less and laughing much more!  So why am I not?  My, myself and I.  I am the root of my unhappiness. I color the words of others with my thoughts instead of taking their words at face value.  I tend to be legalistic instead of merciful.  I want life to be fair, I want justice to prevail.  I want to be in control..  I want it to be all about me.  (Note all the "I" words?  No wonder I am the problem!)

So, what can I do to stop being the problem?  Make the right choice.  Trust God to show me what needs to be changed and work with the Holy Spirit to make the changes  Choose to believe "I am clothed with strength and dignity and I can laugh without fear of the future"

You Only Live Once

Unfortunately, life does not have a rewind button.  We get one chance to do life right.  That makes our choice to be happy even more important.  What kind of legacy will we leave?  Will people remember me as someone they enjoyed being around?  I don't want to regret my choices.  We can't get a do-over on the past but we can move forward in a positive manner by making the right choice today.  Not only will we improve our lives but we will brighten the days of those we love.

Lord,

We thank You that it is our choice to be happy.  You have given so much to be happy about.  Help us appreciate Your goodness and share our happiness with those around us.  I know this will not always be an easy choice but with Your help Lord, we can be happy, regardless of what life throws at us.  Show us when our focus shifts from you.  Remind us that because of You we can live with child-like abandon and laugh without fear of the future.  In Your Holy name I pray, Amen