Today is the day that you should decide to be happy. No matter what you are going through, your calling is to treat yourself by being happy. However, being happy is a matter of being content. Being content is paramount to having a happy life. Bobby McFerrin’s song “Don’t Worry, Be Happy” was a No. 1 U.S. pop hit in 1988. The song was a clarion call to humanity that happiness can never be found in worrying about things. One of the lines from the song is “every night we have some trouble; when you worry you make it double. Don’t worry be happy.”
Bobby McFerrin’s lyrics remind each of us that when we worry, it negates happiness. Double worry can mean that the worry that you have intensifies itself. If there’s one purpose most people share, it is the search for happiness with less worry in their life. Whether that means more joyful moments, where your heart feels lighter and your cares are momentarily forgotten or deeper contentment knowing that your life is on track and you are in the right situation, the good news is that happiness is a habit that we can cultivate each day when we have less worry.
It can be hard to process difficult feelings, and we all tend to want to pretend everything is all right. This can be useful in some situations but acknowledging how we really feel can be a step towards being happy. If we pay attention without judgment, we may realize that all feelings are temporary. Negative emotions can also be a useful indicator that something needs to change in our lives.
What is it that makes you happy or rather what is it that causes you to have less worries? There are many books created for the sole purpose of achieving happiness. From financial success and weight loss to finding a soul mate, it is all about becoming happy. How many of us believe if we could just loose ten pounds, we would be happy? What about dreams of becoming independently wealthy or winning the lottery as a route to finally finding happiness?
These things cannot give you happiness but being content is the key happiness. So today be content and grab a good book to read and enjoy being happy. As Bobby McFerrin proclaimed, “Don’t Worry, Be Happy.” And Never Give Up! Never Give Up! Never Give Up!
By Chaplain Ghosten
chaplain@lhp.net
