What Makes You Happy?
- Chelee-Mark Finch
- Dec 9, 2021
- 4 min read
"Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance." James1:2-3
What makes you happy? I have touched base on happiness in the past. Happiness is defined as "a feeling or showing pleasure or contentment" web. Happiness is a choice and it’s up to you to intentionally choose it every single day. Happy people are not held hostage by their circumstances, and they do not seek happiness in people or possessions. Happiness is contagious. If you are happy and have a smile on your face, those around you see and feel it. I know some days are hard, very hard in fact. But this does not mean that you cannot try your best to put a smile on your face and choose to be happy and grateful for the good things in your life. Focus on the good and the things and people that you are grateful for in your life. This will help you to stay positive and therefore can help you to choose happiness and grace.
I try my best to choose happiness every day. There are days when that can be easier said than done. I again, often think of my dad. I told you before that he was the eternal optimist. He chose to always see the good in everyone and every situation. His positive, energetic, happy attitude shined brightly. Anyone who met him, could see this. His positivity also gave him a "never give up" attitude. If anyone had a dream and doubts about their dream, my dad would be there to encourage them in every way. He believed in taking risks and pursuing dreams. He encouraged all his children and grandchildren to do the same. Family get togethers and seeing his family pursue their dreams definitely made my dad happy (among other things).
What makes me happy? I love spending time with family and friends (visiting, playing games, traveling) makes my heart happy. When my extended family gets together, we are known for playing all sorts of board games and card games. These games can get very competitive, but they also create a lot of laughter. My family is also known to spend a lot of time traveling together. We all love Disneyland and Disneyworld adventures and cannot wait until Paislee will be old enough to take and enjoy these. We have also done a lot of tropical, beach vacations such as Cancun, Punta Cana, and Hawaii. Mark and I will be returning to Hawaii in January, and we cannot wait.
Although the above makes me happy, I'll tell you what truly makes my heart feel overjoyed. When I see how excited Kalli gets when she gets a good grade in school, my heart feels happy. When I watch Kalli cheer on the Carrington Cardinals or the NDSU Bison, it brings a big smile to my face. When I see how hard Bailee works in school and how her hard work is truly paying off, it makes my heart smile. When I hear about Bailee's travel adventures and see the sparkle in her eyes as she shows us her vacation pictures, it brings a smile to my face. When I watch Justine with her daughter Paislee, it makes my heart so proud and overjoyed. When I listen to Justine talk so intently about her life dreams and about Paislee, it makes me smile. When Mark comes up to me and gives me a great big hug and tells me that he loves me, it makes my heart overflow with love. When I see how hard Mark works every day to maintain his sobriety and prove to me and our family that he is a changed man, it makes my heart so proud. When I greet my granddaughter Paislee and she responds with a huge smile, it makes my heart happy.
I choose to be happy. Obviously, it is easier to do when things are going good in life. But even when something happens that proves to be challenging, I try my best to see the best in the situation. Sometimes I use the situation as a learning experience for me or someone else. It is up to me to choose happiness. No one else or nothing can make me happy, except for myself. If I want to have a day to sit and sulk and have a good old pity party, I can do that. But why would I want to waste an entire day feeling sorry for myself when I can rejoice in the good that I do have? The key to happiness is knowing you have the power to choose what to accept and what to let go. This mindset did not come overnight for me, and there are still days I must try hard. But my life has way more meaning now, and I cherish the little things a bit more. Something as simple as watching Kalli read to Paislee or watching Mark interact with Paislee, brings me so much joy and happiness.
You too can achieve happiness every day. You must have a mindset that you are going to CHOOSE to be happy. Although certain situations can make it easy or difficult to make that choice, it is just that, YOUR CHOICE. Why wouldn't you choose happiness. Why wouldn't you want to share your happiness? It is contagious. Share the joy. Be the light. I encourage you to choose happiness daily. I encourage you to think about what happiness means to you. Now, go out there and do it!
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