Ways to be Happy in Trying Times

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WAYS TO BE HAPPY IN TRYING TIMES

Who has ever heard of anyone not wishing to be happy?  But what does it mean to be happy?  The Merriam-Webster  Dictionary defines “Happy” as enjoying or characterized by well-being and contentment. How do you reach a state of  well-being  and contentment about where you are in life? This is especially relevant when life plays those “dirty tricks” on you

According to many psychologists who study happiness,the intention to be happy is the first of The 9 Choices of Happy People listed by authors Rick Foster and Greg Hicks in their book of the same name.  For them, intention is the active desire and commitment to be happy.

In keeping with this line of thinking, it is an effort to consciously choose attitudes and behaviors that lead to happiness over unhappiness. Everyday provides an opportunity to choose either stepping forward into growth, or stepping backward into safety. Though it is not as simple task, there are guideposts that can help you along the way,

  1. Try to be around people who are positive.  Their positive attitude can rub off on you.
  2. Identify your core values and try to live by them on a daily basis. Over time, the more you honor them, the better you will feel about yourself and those you love.
  3. Be aware of the goods things you have in life, no matter how small and do not take them for granted.
  4. Know that you are a good person deserving good things in life. Imagining you’re getting what you want is a big part of achieving it.
  5. Whenever possible do the things you genuinely get satisfaction in doing. Besides the satisfaction in doing these things, you have the memories of those things that no one can take away from you.
  6. Find purpose and meaning in life. Believing in and doing something that is greater than yourself is a great source of fulfillment.
  7. Listen to your inner voice. There is a lots of temptations to get you off track, where you begin to doubt yourself. Respecting and paying attention to what your inner voice has to say will keep you on going in the right direction.
  8. Push through your fears and doubts. They are just illusions to keep you from being who you truly are. Other things can affect you but not make you.  Only you have the power over you if you have the courage to take the life you deserve.
  9. Rejuvenate yourself daily by either meditation, prayer, exercising or taking    time out periodically to deep breath.
  10. Also, you may want to ask yourself each day; 
  11. What am I grateful for today? 
  12. How am I going to connect with someone today?
  13. How am I going to leave this world a little better today?
  14. What did I accomplish today that improved me as a person?                                                          

Being happy does not mean you wear a perpetual smile on your face.  It means having a feeling of well being and contentment as you go through the course of your day.

Readers are invited to comment, share thoughts, ideas or suggestions about this blog or any other previous blogs. Readers can e-mailing me at lifesourcecenter@aol.com or mailing me at lifesourcecenter, 710 Main Street, Plantsville Connecticut, 06479.