The Three R's of Happiness

As Abraham Lincoln so rightly said, “Most people are about as happy as they make up their minds to be.”

Even if you have already determined to be happy, let me share with you three things I do to increase my happiness. I urge you to try them!

Remind myself that I am loved.

For over 36 years I’ve treasured a tiny rosebud encased in a clear container no bigger than my thumb. Jessie brought it to me the day she visited me during my weeklong stay in the hospital.

Have I kept it because it’s valuable? No. It probably wouldn’t sell for a nickel at a yard sale. Yet, I cherish it since it reminds me of her love for me, a love she expressed in many ways during the years we lived across the street from each other. It also prompts me to express love, as she did.

Reach out to others.

When Mrs. Ruby (a new friend and fellow writer) heard me say I usually put off going for my goals, she reached out to encourage me by cross-stitching and framing this quote for me: “Opportunities are never lost...someone will take the one you miss.”

Does her 5x7-inch gift have monetary value? No. But I treasure it because it reminds me that she loved me enough to make something that would keep those words before me long after she had passed away. It also prompts me to reach out and share wise words with others, as she did.

Dewey, a dear friend who was the Discipleship Training Director at the church we attended, also reached out to me in a meaningful way. One Sunday evening as I left the room where I’d finished teaching a D. T. class, he gave me a tiny gift I still treasure. When he slipped that little scrap of paper into my hand, his eyes sparkled, as did mine when I read what he had written: I appreciate you! What a much-needed uplift those three words gave me.

Is that gift valuable? No. It’s only a scrap of paper! But I cherish it. It reminds me that some people do appreciate me. It prompts me to find a way to affirm and encourage others.

Record my gratitude.

I look around at all the wonderful gifts I’ve been given and list a few of them in a gratitude journal every day. As my list grows, I begin to notice even more things I’m thankful for, including the little things, which often are much more meaningful than I realized.

Dear Reader, do try these three things, especially when life gets hard. You’ll be amazed at how much you are loved—by God and by others. The more thankful you are for the love you’ve been shown, the happier you will be--and the happier you’ll make others feel as you love and encourage them.