Being happy is a choice… So choose happy!

This morning while listening to an audio book Your Best Life Now by Joel Osteen (for the second time) I heard a truth again which I’ve believed all my life. “Happiness is a choice.” Pastor Osteen expanded on the premise that we choose to be happy or we choose something else. I won’t go into all of what he said because his words suffice. I will share some of my thoughts here though.

Smile
I remember enduring a sales seminar years ago when the trainer shared an insight which hit home for me. He said to the effect: whenever I have a negative thought and I catch myself, I smile and the thought changes. It is still true today for me because I’ve implemented that practice. I recall telling young people about that habit–if I start to think negatively, just smile–and several of them told me they saw me smile while I sat in the front of meetings. Sometimes, I’d smile a lot! Whenever you’re feeling down, or dwelling on something difficult, smile and your perspective will change. Our situation will not immediately change, the problems will still be there, but a smile will change the way you look at the issue and oft times you’ll be able to see or find a solution that wasn’t obvious before.

Look Heavenward
I went to an Anthony Robbins rah rah meeting years ago and thought it was just that…cheering for the sake of cheering. I was wrong. Tony shared wonderful insights of neuro-linguistic programming which I have not even come close to mastering. One take away I picked up works every time it’s tried and my children roll their eyes when I tell them to do it. Mr. Robbins talked about our body language and physiology–the position of our bodies when we’re happy, sad, depressed, etc. Think about when you’re bummed out. Take that thought and ponder on it. Notice how your body will turn very much like the letter “C”… shoulders slumped, head down? We’re working toward the fetal position if we were lying down.

Now try this experiment: sit up straight (comfortably), eyes ahead and pick a spot on the wall in front of you. Move ONLY your eyes UP to a spot about 30-to-45 degrees above that spot you originally picked–I usually choose the intersection of the ceiling and the wall. As we’re focusing our gaze heavenward, it’s physically impossible to frown and mean it! Try and frown. Most people laugh because they truly can’t frown and feel dejected while looking up! I had folks who came to counsel with me for personal reasons… down, depressed, repentant, etc., and we tried this brief exercise. It was miraculous to see them catch the vision that they didn’t HAVE to stay in that state of “sadness”. They could choose to be happy!

Feelings vs Thoughts
When we are controlled by our feelings–which are natural and normal–our life can be a roller coaster. I believe that we are meant to learn how to manage our feelings. In simple terms, feelings lead to thoughts; thoughts generally lead to words and actions. I know that as I control my thoughts, I can manage and direct my feelings. Every self-help guru, master, or expert will encourage us to set big, positive goals. That’s because goal setting helps us focus our thoughts and actions, which in turn can greatly manage and mitigate our feelings which can get in the way of our “success” in our spiritual, business, and personal lives.

Feelings are NOT bad! We need to listen to that warning voice and take comfort in the feelings which soothe us. It’s just as important to not be led by every negative whim that comes along as to not follow every euphoric feeling to take unnecessary risks which might be harmful to our spiritual, temporal, or personal well being! We’ll find great happiness in blending our feelings and thoughts to make great choices in our lives which lead to happiness.

Don’t wait for happiness!
We can choose to be happy today! We need to be happy with the situations in which we find ourselves every day. As we get good at being happy in our current state, we will be ready for the new levels of happiness which await us when we’re married, divorced, accepted into a program, done with schooling, employed, rich, etc. [you fill in the blank]. If happiness is a choice, and I know that it is, you can choose to be happy even if [again, you fill in the blank].

Live after the manner of happiness!
I believe that for the long haul, we can’t expect happiness in life if we don’t keep natural laws (defined as laws which govern all of nature). If we’re stealing to get rich, we’ll eventually be caught and reap the rewards of the seeds we’ve sown.

When we plant good seeds (e.g. work, love, kindness), we will ultimately enjoy the fruit of those seeds. And there’s a wonderful law of the harvest we can count on: if we plant carrots, we will NOT get oranges! We’ll get exactly the appropriate fruit based on the seeds we plant.

Make the choice!
Being happy is a choice. How often have we gone to comfort someone only to come away benefited because of the sufferer’s joyful attitude? We need to practice the right kinds of habits which can increase our happiness.

We should smile more. When we do, life is just so much better. We should look up (heavenward) more often because changing our physiology can make the difference from feeling down or feeling invigorated. We should focus our thoughts in positive directions which will help us control the feelings which ebb and flow like the tides of the seas. We truly have more control than we think we do.

Don’t wait for something to happen, make it happen! We can be happy every day and I sincerely hope you’ll CHOOSE happiness!

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Dean Crandall is a licensed REALTOR with Keller Williams Westfield Real Estate based in beautiful Utah County. He has six successful years of helping clients and friends find and sell homes, land and investment properties.

If you are looking for free advice or have questions, please contact Dean directly:

Dean Crandall
801-836-3112

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Copyright® 2009, DeanoDean, Inc. “Being happy is a choice… So choose happy!”

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