To be happy

A smile is an inexpensive way to change your looks. ~ Charles Gordy

Jeff and I were able to hear Mary Ellen Edmunds speak recently. I LOVE her. I love her positive outlook on life, how she finds humor in the most difficult of situations, and how she laughs. She is a firm believer in the idea that we CHOOSE happiness. I couldn't agree more. Why, oh why, do we so often choose to be miserable? It's not fun, we don't feel good, and we are not HAPPY!
I decided, that day, to take charge of my happiness, to look at the things that I am {un}happy about and choose to be happy. We can find misery wherever we look, but we can also find happiness.
For example: I am {un}happy with this post-pregnancy body! Ooooooohh, BAD thought! Ding ding ding. Let's turn that around:

• I am HAPPY that I am working so hard to get in shape.
• I am HAPPY that my sweet husband was thrilled to spend $200 on a nice, new double jogger!
• I am HAPPY that my husband cares enough about me to go jogging with me whenever I ask him.
• I am HAPPY that my adorable little boys LOVE to ride in our fab. stroller and make it so easy to go!
• I am Happy that I am already noticing a difference in how I look and feel!
• I am HAPPY that I can jog faster and longer than I could 3 weeks ago!

Wow.. do you notice what happened? Out of one, measly misery came an abundance of happiness!!!! Now maybe I'm having my own, personal epiphany here... but just think: when we choose to have even a few {un}happy thoughts, we are denying ourselves at least twice as many happy thoughts! (In my example it is 6x's as much!) So WHY do I continually choose the misery? Well..NO MORE. I am taking the HAPPY challenge: to recognize that I have a choice in MY happiness, and to CHOOSE it! Will You?! I am determined to find joy in my every day moments!

Things that make me happy:

• My sweet, wonderful, amazing husband who always makes me feel loved.
• Two darling little boys who laugh and smile and play with me all day.
• Family (wherever you may be): thinking of them, talking with them, having fun with them, loving them.
• Brushing my teeth. It just feels great.
• Staying in bed a few minutes longer in the morning. ahh...I LOVE my sleep!
• A sunny day with a slight breeze rustling through my hair and dancing on my skin: perfection.
• Painted toenails.
• Swimming pools.
• Shopping. I admit it: I lu-uve to shop. For my boys, my hubby, my family, my friends, myself. I love love love it.
• Snuggling into the lovesack with a good book and a bowl of ice cream.
  
• And, of course, jogging.
  

I am getting all warm and fuzzy inside just thinking about the things that make me happy. Isn't it great?! What makes you happy?