Bobby Ferrin sang, “Don’t worry. Be happy.”
It seems easy enough, doesn’t it? Some self-help gurus tell us that happiness is all in our heads. They say it is a decision. Decide you are happy, and you are.
Well. I’m no expert. But I can speak from personal experience. This is a non-starter for me. For several reasons.
But let me tell you something else that comes from expert people.
An estimated 21.0 million adults in the United States had at least one major depressive episode. This number represents 8.4% of all U.S. adults. The prevalence of major depressive episodes was higher among adult females (10.5%) compared to males (6.2%).
And. Many people suffer from ongoing depression.
Back to my personal experience. I’ve gone through periods of depression in my life. And while I’d love to be happy and giggly all the time, it isn’t in my nature. In fact, I tend to look at the serious side of things. I think it comes from the fact that I am a worrier. I get this naturally. My mom was a worrier. And my dad worried too, but to a lesser extent. Regardless, no one can be happy all the time. As humans, we experience a plethora of emotions.
But all of that aside, most people would agree that it is more pleasurable to be happy than sad. And with that, I think many of us look for ways to be happy.
And because of this, each day, I try to discover something that makes me happy. No matter how small that something might be. And with each of these happy moments, I witness my life transforming.
Our lives are filled with potential sources of happiness. I think this is true for nearly all of us.
Yet it is easy to focus on all that has gone wrong. Some people have troubles at home, or face the monotonous trends of work, or perhaps are afflicted with a medical problem. These hard things could come from any direction and take any shape.
But with that, if we are able to find moments — little wonderful moments — what an amazing thing that turns out to be. The taste of a Snickers bar. Finding the laughter in a TV show. The smell and beauty of a delicate flower. Seeing the wonder of the clouds floating through the sky. A phone call to a friend. A hot cup of coffee. Those little happy moments can come from anywhere. It is important for us to take the time to notice and rejoice.
Happiness may not always come easily into our lives. Yet. Often times we have the opportunity to behold and welcome happiness. In both the extraordinary and the ordinary. Frequently, it is there when we take the time to see.
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Happiness is not something ready made. It comes from your own actions.
— Dalai Lama
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Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony.
— Mahatma Gandhi
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The moments of happiness we enjoy take us by surprise. It is not that we seize them, but that they seize us.
— Ashley Montagu
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What the happy?
