WHY ARE SOME PEOPLE SO HAPPY?
/
“Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony.” - Mahatma Gandhi
Unless you have avoided all forms of technology over the last 3 years, you have heard the song “Happy” by Pharrell Williams. There is a reason why the song “Happy” peaked at No. 1 in 24 countries and why it was the most successful song in the world in 2014. We all want to be happy.
Are you happy?
Happiness isn’t something you can search for externally. You cannot tangibly possess or acquire it, but instead it is a state of mind. The happiest people are not those who have the latest and greatest. Let me be clear, there is nothing wrong with having things. However, the happiest people aren’t those who have the best, but the happiest people are those who are able to make the best of every situation. So again I ask you, are you happy?
Why should you be happy? Well, this next thought is a given, but being happy will make you feel better. I know this isn’t a new thought. Although this statement is true, why are so many people lacking happiness?
No one can answer these questions for you. You know if you are happy or not. And for the most part, you know when someone else is happy or not. Everything about someone who is happy is different. The way they think, talk, walk, and live is just completely different. Why? Happy people have a different perspective about life and its successes and failures.
As leaders, we have to be happy. This doesn’t mean we have to be jumping around smiling and laughing at everything. If you know anything about me, you know I love to smile. Smiling and laughing is a by-product of happiness, but it doesn’t make us happy. We can demonstrate these actions, but happiness stems from much more. Let’s look at where happiness begins.
1. Happiness is living with purpose and meaning.
It is hard to be happy when you aren’t living and doing those things you should be doing. Are you helping anyone other than yourself? Purpose and meaning is more than a car, house, or any amount of money. It’s helping, serving, and adding value to someone else’s life.
2. Happiness is living positively.
Negativity is killer. It kills relationships, dreams, and everything in between. I spoke about this in How To Quiet Your Negativity. Good leaders will always find a way to be positive. Being positive is another way being hopeful. Anything in life can use a little hope because hope is the expectation of something happening before it has been done.
3. Happiness is living gracefully.
I love athletic competition. I am so impressed to see highly skilled athletes perform at the highest level with such gracefulness. Regardless of the sport, there has to be an appreciation for professionals who pay close attention to detail and are able to perform at highest level. Are you a professional? Are you living gracefully?
4. Happiness is living with prioritization.
In a blog earlier this week, Does A Leader Need Balance, we discussed the need for prioritization over balance. Happiness is putting the people and things of most importance first in your life. When you focus on the people and things, those people and things will focus on you. And that will make your life happy.
5. Happiness is living without comparison.
The opposite of happiness is displeasure or discouragement. There is nothing more discouraging than comparing yourself to standards of someone else. This will in no way bring you happiness. We were all created with unique gifts and abilities. Comparing yourself to someone else will only leave you with unrealistic expectations and a ton of failure. Be the person God called you to be.
6. Happiness is living with prosperity.
There is nothing like growing and moving forward. What are your dreams and aspirations? Are you growing and moving forward with all the gifts and abilities in which you have blessed? Many people believe prosperity solely deals with money, but prosperity is growth. When we are prosperous, then money and other materialistic blessings will follow. Prosperity starts in your mind not your bank account.
Everyone can benefit from being happy. Don’t live without one of the greatest assets in our world. Look deep within yourself and find the inner peace God created you with that is expressed by way of happiness. I love Proverbs 17:22,
“A merry (happy) heart does good, like medicine.”
Please share your thoughts on happiness by leaving a comment below, sending me a tweet on Twitter, or by leaving a comment on Facebook.
