Happiness Really Is A State of Mind

Today we're helping someone move. I can hear the groans from adult backs all over the country at that statement! But let me tell you something fun about my family: we are Christians, and since the Word says in Romans 12:2: Be not conformed to this world but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind...and in Nehemiah 8:10: The joy of the Lord is my strength, the harder the task gets for us, the more we roll up our sleeves, put on a big smile and work hard to get it done!

Happiness, we've found to be true over and over again, is a state of mind.

Happiness isn't a magical feeling that floats over you when you wear brand name clothes, drink expensive coffee, eat artisan bread and listen to contemporary jazz. There is nothing you can buy or consume that will give you true, lasting happiness.

Happiness is a state of mind.

It all happens between your ears. When your husband says, "Hey babe, could you do me a favor and do the dishes real quick so I can make you dinner?" for some reason, our reaction gets dark and twisted and we think "Why should I have to do the dishes for you? Why should I have to do anything? I've busted my buns all day" and on and on with a list of how big of a saint we are. Our reaction should be: "Well hot dog! He's making me dinner! Sure babe, I'll have those dishes clean in a wink!"

If we can look for a reason to be happy in the situation, our attitude about the situation will slowly change. It takes repetition to look for blessings and reasons to be happy in our daily grind, you have to bring your errant mind back over and over again, but eventually, like all things, it will become a habit.

And then your response to whatever life throws at you won't be an emotional reaction that hurts you and the people around you.

Instead, your actions and your speech will inspire people to look at you and think, "man, what has that person got that makes them so happy all the time? I want that."

The takeaway: plaster a smile on your face, look for the little joys and blessings in your life and observe the changes within yourself and the reactions of the people closest to you.