DAY

23

“Most folks are about as happy as they make up their minds to be.”

 — Abraham Lincoln

Bill shuffled through life like Eeyore in Winnie the Pooh. He was always sad. He just couldn’t catch a break. It seemed as though a dark cloud followed Bill around, and he never got to feel the sunshine. Friends and family tried to snap him out of his funk, but he was a hopeless case. They suggested he see a doctor about his depression, but he ignored their recommendations. Bill watched other people who seemed to be happy, and he assumed they were faking it. Life was hard. Every time he thought things were going to get better, he was knocked right back down in the gutter. Why even bother?

Your first reaction to this story may be to empathize with Bill or at least feel sorry for him. But Bill chooses his sadness every day. He picks that gray, dingy sweater out of his closet and decides to put it on. He chooses to concentrate on his sadness and not turn it around by accepting the help and suggestions of people who care about him.

You cannot choose your circumstances. Life throws curveballs at everyone on this planet. You can choose your reaction to life. You have the power to select your mood just like you pick out your clothes. If you wake up feeling melancholy, you can take action to replace those thoughts with happier ones. Maybe you like the feel of that old, gray sweater. Maybe it’s more comfortable. Are you choosing sadness today? It’s completely up to you.

Your assignment is to experiment with the power you possess to be happy (if you want to be). List ten things that make you happy and do at least three of them. Then, do at least two random acts of kindness for someone else. How do you feel?