Or at least it must be true if we truly do CHOOSE whether or not we are happy. A couple of weeks ago I noticed that I was choosing to be unhappy. I wasn't sad or depressed or anything. I was just kind of going through the motions of life. Pushing through my day, checking off my To Do list, and getting to the end of the day exhausted. Luckily I stumbled upon a YouTube video by Andy Andrews (best selling author and motivational speaker). I love Andy Andrews and when I watched his video a light bulb went off in my head and I realized what I'd been doing. And I resolved to change.
The rest of that day I tried to smile whenever I spoke to my kids and I tried to be fun and energetic. A lot of the times my smile didn't feel natural and felt really forced, but it didn't seem to matter to my kids; they smiled back. When my husband came home that day I made a concerted effort to stop what I was doing, go and greet him with a smile, and let him know that I had missed him and was happy that he was home. And for the rest of the night I tried to remain upbeat and smiling.
The change that came over our home was palpable. Not only did I feel happier throughout the day and a lot better at the end of the day, but my entire family seemed positively affected. Everyone seemed to be happier and seemed to be having a lot more fun. And I realized how much of an effect that I have on the people around me. And I think we all do.
So the next time your spouse, your kids, your friend, your mom, etc. walks in the door, greet them with a smile and let them know that you are happy to see them. And if you're feeling that your life is a little blah and that you are just going through the motions, CHOOSE to be HAPPY. You'll be surprised at the difference it makes.
Andy Andrews Video: Choose to Be Happy
