Seeking Happiness
I had lunch with a friend yesterday.
It was one of those lunches where, despite the time that had passed since we last saw each other and the noisy crowd around us, we dove into deep talks about all that had happened since we last connected.
Both of us had endured a lot of loss in the last few months, and it was nice to be with someone who understood the struggles and funk of grief.
I shared that I just wanted to feel joy again and how hard it was to feel good while still feeling sad.
She laughed and said, "Joy? That is aspirational. I'll settle for happy."
That stuck with me.
What is the difference between happiness and joy?
Happiness - a state of well-being and contentment
Joy - to experience great pleasure or delight
Perhaps joy is happiness on steroids.
Alright, I guess I'll shoot for happiness then.
Maybe it's just me, but it feels harder to feel happiness, let alone joy, the older you get.
The innocence and naivety of youth are dreams of the past, and we stand face-to-face with loss, uncertainty, fear, global nonsense, and time that is going way too fast.
Too often, we carry the weight of the world on our shoulders, and it just feels like a lot.
It's all so darn serious and heavy.
And it's tough to be funny or happy, let alone joyful, when things are heavy, scary, or sad.
But we gotta try, don't we?
Isn't it worth seeking out happiness even when things are difficult?
Sure, we need to make time to heal, rest, and recover, and it's important to make space for sadness.
We just have to be careful not to let all of it overtake us so there is no room for happiness.
God is with us in tough times, and we can lean on Him to help us find glimmers of light amidst the darkness.
My friends, I am on a mission to find that light, and I hope you will join me.
Every day, I am going to seek out happiness. I am going to find or do something that makes me happy.
I'm going to lower my high expectations of JOY JOY JOY and look for or do things that simply make me happy.
Just a few things I'm thinking about:
Listen to my favorite music
Spend time with my family doing fun things
Schedule time with people who make me laugh
Go see the sunrise or hang out in nature (jeez, I'm getting old)
Write down five things I'm grateful for
Pray and connect with God and thank Him for the strength He has given me during tough times
Move my body to kick up the dopamine and endorphins
Help strangers I see who need a helping hand
Reach out to someone I haven't heard from in a while
More often than not, happiness comes when I get me off my mind and do something helpful for someone else.
Let's write down our happiness list so we can refer to it when we need light and levity.
If you are struggling right now, you are not alone.
You are worthy of being happy amidst all that you have going on.
Seek out the happiness and the light!
And hey, if you need a deep talk lunch, just let me know, and I'll be there.
Especially if there is dessert.
Dessert makes me happy; I'm adding that to the list.
Philippians 4:4-8
Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near.
Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.
Philippians 4: 11-14
Actually, I don’t have a sense of needing anything personally. I’ve learned by now to be quite content whatever my circumstances. I’m just as happy with little as with much, with much as with little. I’ve found the recipe for being happy whether full or hungry, hands full or hands empty.
Whatever I have, wherever I am, I can make it through anything in the One who makes me who I am. I don’t mean that your help didn’t mean a lot to me—it did. It was a beautiful thing that you came alongside me in my troubles.