How To Be Happy

I Googled this phrase the other day: How To Be Happy. The results were pretty interesting. According to the all mighty Internet, the tricks to being happy are:

-Getting lots of sleep
-Laughing out loud
-Organizing your stuff
-Saying no
-Not watching the news
-Have a pet that you stroke often
-Smile a lot
-Perform anonymous acts of kindness
-Don’t gamble
-Get your hair done
-Read
-Do something you’ve never done before

The lists went on and on. Honestly, none of them are bad suggestions (except the one that I read about living with someone you love and who loves you in return – pretty much meaning living together outside of marriage, which I am soooo not okay with). But will that stuff really and truly make you happy?

Personally, I’ve added some other things to be day-to-day life that I think work as a much more reliable source of experiencing happiness.

-Read your Bible every day. Even if it is just a passage, but it’s especially great to have a much more extended time in the Word. I’m doing Bible in a year, but there are so many other methods. The bottom line is to have that time to listen to God’s voice and let His love and truth fill your heart and mind.

-Pray for other people. Self-pity is one of the biggest joy suckers known to man. If you find yourself feeling blue, take your eyes off of your life and put it on someone else’s.

-Talk with a good friend each day. One of the great things about being married is that I get to talk with my best friend every day. We talk about what we are reading in our Bibles, what God is teaching us, and what we are struggling with. Each and every day I am reminded that I am not going through life alone.

Three things. That’s it. Of course, sleep, exercise, reading, and all of that other stuff are good things to do. They will probably lift your mood, help you be healthier, and improve your attitude.

But those three things that all together take about thirty to sixty minutes a day will truly change you from the inside out.

Question: If you were to make a “How To Be Happy” list, what would you put on it?

Are Christians Supposed To Be Happy?

Image by kelsey_lovefusionphoto via Flickr

 

You’ve seen them, right? The super happy, super lovey, super huggy Christians. Maybe it’s the little old lady who smells like perfume and crushes you against her flowered dress every Sunday. Or maybe it’s one of those ladies from church that you see every week at Fred Meyer and she always has a smile on her face, even if the line is ten people deep.

I don’t know about you, but I’m not one of those people. Catch me in Fred Meyer when the lines are long and you might hear me lamenting my life. Find me at church when I’m running around, chasing my kids, and I might pretend like I didn’t even see you.

I might be a Christian every day but, if being a Christians means being happy all the time, then I certainly don’t feel  like a Christian.

So, is happiness all that important? Is joy? The Bible is pretty clear when it comes to joy:

“Be glad in the Lord and rejoice…” – Psalm 32:11

“Rejoice in the Lord, O you righteous, and give thanks to His holy name” – Psalm 97:12

“This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.” – Psalm118:24

“…Be glad and rejoice, for the Lord has done great things.”- Joel 2:21

“Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice.” – Philippians 4:4

We’re commanded over and over to rejoice in the Lord. Not because of circumstances. Not because everything is perfect and wonderful. We’re to rejoice and be filled with joy simply because of who He is.

There is a difference between happiness and joy. Happiness is circumstantial. Joy is founded on the never changing truth of who Jesus is and how much He loves us.

But, if I think for a long time about that, I can’t help but be happy.

Are Christians supposed to be happy? No. Nothing in the Bible points to that. But it does point over and over to joy. And joy often leads to a quiet, peaceful, solid kind of happiness.

If you struggle with happiness, chances are you struggle with joy.

Question: Do you struggle with happiness? Do you struggle with joy? What things could you do in your every day life to remind you of who God is, how much He loves you, and draw your heart into a joy-filled relationship?

Related articles

• Rejoice…REALLY?? (profoundemotions.com)
• Yet I Will Rejoice (makeithappenmoment.com)

A Happiness Boost

 

You’re having a bad day. You got in a fight with your parents. You got grounded. Maybe you have to clean your room instead of hanging out with your friends. Or maybe you’re just bored and it’s making you grumpy. Believe it or not, there are quick fixes to boost your mood and make your day better.

 

Five Minute Fixes

-       Put on your favorite upbeat song and turn it up as loud as it can go. Sing, dance, and even sweat a little.

-       Watch a funny YouTube video. A couple of my favorites? Youth Pastor Screw Up, David Goes To The Dentist, Bible In A Minute.

-       Wash your hands. Seriously. Get some amazing soap from Bath And Body Works and lather up. It’s amazing how a good smell can help you feel better.

 

Fifteen Minute Fixes

-       Read a chapter of a book. Nothing serious, sad, or heavy. Get something fun and funny.

-       Go for a walk around your block. Walk as fast and as hard as you can, beating our your frustrations on the sidewalk.

-       Play a game. I’m a solitaire and minesweeper fan. Just a quick game to help take my mind off my problems and allow me a moment to breathe.

 

Thirty Minute Fixes

-       Take a nap. Enough said.

-       Watch a TV show. I’m certainly not advocating a mind numbing day where you only move off the couch to go to the bathroom and refill on chips. But taking a break from whatever is going on and watching something that brings smile to your face can do your attitude good.

-       Bake something. Cookies. A cake. Something sweet where you can lick the batter and a delicious aroma fills your house for the rest of the day.

 

Whenever You Can Fixes

-       Read your Bible. I guarantee you will have a better attitude whenever you take the time to read the Word.

-       Talk to a friend. Not someone who will listen to you complain, tell you how right you are, and get you even more riled up. Make it one of those friends who will kick you in the butt and tell you to stop being so grumpy…in a totally kind and loving way.

-       Get outside. Nothing clears the clutter from your head and heart like God’s creation.

-       Do what you do best. Are you a  musician? Play some music. Are you artistic? Write or paint something. Are you athletic? Get up and play something. Whatever you do best, chances are you enjoy it. So do whatever it is that you like to do and you will find your spirit lifted.

 

Any other quick fixes that you do the help yourself get rid of grumpiness?

When Blah Met Joy

Image via Wikipedia

There once was a girl named Blah.

She lived with her Mom and Da.

Her life was quite boring

Her countenance storming

Because she’d no reason to “Hah!”

Each day was just like the other

School, work, and helping her mother

Her friends were quite dull

She lived in a lull

And change? She just couldn’t bother.

Then along came a girl named Happy.

Her clothes were really quite snappy.

She had pep in her step

And a super high rep

She told Blah, “You’re sure acting crappy!

Quite being a Gloomy Gus

And downing the rest of us!

Paste on a smile

Giggle a while

And stop making such a fuss.”

So Blah tried her best to fit in

Wearing her fake plastic grin

And it started to work

She felt herself perk

Like life was starting to begin

But Happy soon went on her way

Claiming that she couldn’t stay

Leaving Blah all alone

Her storm having grown

Because Happy had gone away

So in and out Happy would float

Like a storm toying with a small boat

Tossing Blah up and down

With a  grin and a frown

Making her feel like a dote

But one day when Happy was gone

Leaving Blah with her face rather drawn

Came a girl named Joy

With a smile quite coy

Who said, “Will you be Blah very long?”

Blah scoffed and said, “Of course, no!

I can be happy, if you must know!

But when Happy’s not here

I’m Blah again, I fear.

When she’s gone, I’m always so low.”

Joy tilted her head and sighed.

“That just makes me want to cry!

To never quite know

How your day will go

If you will be low or high.”

“How else could it be, strange girl?

In this topsy turvy kind of world?

Happy comes and goes

And nobody knows

What circumstances will be unfurled.”

“I know,” said Joy, kind of quiet

“Something different, if you want to try it.

Certain and sure

Consistent and pure

I’m selling and you can buy it.”

Blah cried, “I want Happy back!”

Joy gave her own head a smack.

“Happy won’t stay

Day after day

You’d notice, if you kept track.

But me? I’m here till the end

A truly reliable friend

No feelings of fluff

I’m here when it’s tough

A truly different kind of trend.”

“But will you still make me smile?

Like Happy did for a while?

My troubles aside

Until she’d fly

Whenever my life faced a trial?”

“But I’m not Happy, I’m Joy.

And nothing can destroy

The peace I give

If you want to live

More than as Happy’s little toy.”

Blah asked, “So no Happy feelings?

Like I want to bounce through the ceiling?”

Joy smiled and said,

“More than feelings. Instead

Something that’s really quite healing.

I am here when life gets tough

When you feel like you’ve had enough

An assurance that claims

There’s sun after the rain

And helps you not fly off the cuff.”

Just then, Happy did come back

Giving Blah’s back a friendly-like slap

“Did you miss me, friend?

Let’s start again

Because I know you hate feeling like crap.”

Blah looked then between the two.

And she knew just what she would do.

“Happy, I’m done

We’ve had our fun

But our rollercoaster life is through

I’m ready for something real

That circumstances can never steal

It’s not of this world

This Joy of a girl

And it’s not something I can feel

But she’s Someone I can know

And day by day I’ll grow

In her stable, safe peace

And her calm, quiet feast

That nothing in life overthrows.”

Hand in hand they went, Joy and Blah.

Blah still had her Mom and her Da.

Life hadn’t changed

But she’d rearranged

Her heart, which was a great “Ah-ha!”