Choosing to Live After the Manner of Happiness

Are you happy? Well, are you? If you are not, then please watch this video. Or at least listen to it while you are doing something else. It is awesome. It describes well the decision I have made to choose happiness despite my circumstances. 

Choosing happiness does not mean that every moment of my life is spent feeling amazing and joyful all the time -- which is made clear through many of my blog posts -- but each day I do try and choose to live in a way that would invite happiness to rest on my shoulder from time to time. 

Each day I have to do things that increase my chances for feeling joy. When I make that effort, I feel joy. When I don't, I don't. Feeling happy takes work. Happiness is felt when doing God's work, and His will. You can try to find it in some other way, but you won't find it. You will be left wanting. 

The pursuit of happiness is worth it -- no matter what happens to you. Just because life is hard is no excuse to seek after something other than joy. As a widow I do not deserve to feel sad for the rest of my life, nor does my Heavenly Father want me to feel sad all the time. He wants me to be happy -- now more than ever. During the hard times and the good times. It can take a great effort sometimes but I will never quit choosing joy. The moment I quit, I am doomed. 

Joy is felt in the pursuit... I don't know if you ever arrive at happiness. Just like anything else worth trying for, it takes a daily, consistent, effort. Joy takes work! Your other option is to pursue sadness -- which takes very little effort, perhaps none at all. 

Live your life after the manner of happiness... it is the best way to live.  

No matter what happens to you, defy the darkness, and linger in the light. 

Start watching at about minute 3:30... It is Elder Holland speaking on pursuing happiness, and it is fabulous. He just says it how it is, and I love that about him. Charles got to shake Elder Holland's hand when we went to his ward in Midway, Utah. He was so happy to shake the hand of an apostle of the Lord. He was super nice, and friendly. I hung back with the kids, because I did not want to bombard him, but there was no way Charles was going to miss the chance to shake the hand of a hero. Elder Holland is an amazing guy. I sure love him.