Choose to be happy!

Happiness is a choice. I read on a poster where I work, "Choose to be happy." And around the quote was a lady vacuuming her living room while a boy drove a car into her house. If she could stay happy during that event, I am sure we can learn to be happy.

"I believe happiness is a choice; our circumstances don’t automatically make that choice for us. Though the road to happiness is never easy, the trip is worth the struggles. Any time I feel discouraged, lonely, or left out, I know it is time to reach out to others. As I have helped others, I have actually gained more than the recipients of my service because I have let the sunshine back into my own life. One can’t help but be happy while making a difference in someone else’s life!"
- Sherrin Benson McHenry

You can feel that your life is spiraling downward, and you are struggling to be happy, it is our choice whether or not we let the sunshine back into our lives... How we do that, well that is a personal choice. Whether is is serving or helping others, finding things we are passionate about, or even simply noticing our little blessings, the little things that make our lives, well, good.

"We tend to forget that happiness
doesn't come as a result of getting
something we don't have,
but rather of recognizing
and appreciating what we do have."
- Frederick Keonig

"Being happy doesn't mean that everything is perfect. It means that you've decided to look beyond the imperfections."

Benjamin De Hoyos, of the Quorum of the Seventy in the LDS church, gave a talk that I think each of us should take the time to read and apply. He explained, "My beloved brothers and sisters, we need to recognize that "wanting to" is the determining factor which leads us to lay hold upon the word of God and be happy. Perseverance in making correct decisions is what leads us to happiness. Happiness comes as a result of our obedience and our courage in always doing the will of God, even in the most difficult circumstances."

He continued, "Yes, we find happiness in the midst of the trial of our faith. The Lord manifests Himself to us through His tender mercies, which we find along the road of happiness. We see with increased clarity His hand in our lives. Happiness is a condition of the soul. This joyous state comes as a result of righteous living."

After which he quoted the Prophet Joseph Smith saying, "Happiness is the object and design of our existence; and will be the end thereof, if we pursue the path that leads to it; and this path is virtue, uprightness, faithfulness, holiness, and keeping all the commandments of God."

How wonderful is it that we can honestly choose to be happy. What a knowledge it is to know that through the Lord Jesus Christ, and our Father in Heaven, as we live righteously, we can be led to be happy. The Lord will be by our sides through difficult times, and as we keep His commandments, we will be blessed, we can find a real, honest happiness. I would also suggest reading this talk (from the 1st presidency/James E. Faust), in it he quotes a poem,

"Success is speaking words of praise,
In cheering other people’s ways,
In doing just the best you can
With every task and every plan.

It’s silence when your speech would hurt,
Politeness when your neighbor’s curt.
It’s deafness when the scandal flows
And sympathy with others’ woes.

It’s loyalty when duty calls.
It’s courage when disaster falls.
It’s patience when the hours are long.
It’s found in laughter and in song.

It’s in the silent time of prayer,
In happiness and in despair.
In all of life and nothing less,
We find the thing we call success."

I know that we can be happy if we only allow ourselves to be. Remember that happiness is a choice, and it is a choice you can make. Remember that through the gospel of Jesus Christ, and through his teachings, a righteous way of living, can change your life. You can choose to be happy.. and you can find happiness even in the hardest of times, if you only let yourself.

I hope you too can find some inspiration in the little things, and remember- good happens.

- J