How To Live Happy In An Unhappy World

Happiness. That wonderful feeling of well-being that for some seems so illusive. How many times have you heard someone say (or maybe even said yourself), "I'm just so unhappy?" I'm quite sure more times than we would like to even admit. Unfortunately, so many are waiting on someone else to "make them happy." However, happiness doesn't begin with someone else it starts with us. It's frankly a choice we make.

You might ask, "How can we possibly be happy when everything around us seems so hopeless?" With unemployment at an all time high, with the economy at an all time low, with sickness and disease rampant, with war and rumors of wars raging, when it seems the television news offers no good news at all. it would appear that the very atmosphere is not conducive to that thing called "happiness." Wrong.

In the middle of it all, I have good news for you. You can truly be happy in an unhappy world. There are three steps that, if you will make a strategic decision to implement them daily, will cause you to ride on the wings of happiness through every long, dark, difficult day of your life. Let me remind you, happiness is not a "warm and fuzzy feeling" you get only when things are going well. It is a joyful expression of an inward reality based on a faith bigger than your present circumstance.

1. The first step toward living happy is put your complete trust in God. The kind of trust that realizes that He knows where you are, what you're going through, really cares and is your ultimate source of your joy. His Word is His will for you and believe me, it is good.
2. Secondly, watch what you say. You might wonder what in the world does that have to do with your happiness. May I tell you everything. Our words mirror our thoughts. If you focus your thoughts on, "I'm not going to succeed. I'll never make it. I am never going to be happy again," you are creating an atmosphere conducive to despair, depression and distress. Words are like a magnet. They attract or repel. Start with what you're thinking and bring those thoughts into alignment changing the channel in your mind from all those negative reasonings to those positive ones that produce great things. Then start speaking words of life that attract those great things.
3. Thirdly, surround yourself with friends who increase you, not decrease you. Sometimes you just have to disconnect from toxic people whose very attitude is infectious. Unfortunately there are people on this planet who delight in making others as miserable as they are. Avoid them like you would the plague. There are people who really do care about you and really want you to experience lasting happiness.

You can enjoy your life. Times may be hard but I've heard it said that "tough times don't last forever but tough people do." This is certainly not an exhaustive study on happiness however, I do hope these three steps will at least be a start in moving you toward that wonderful place called "happiness." Let me know what you think about it.